Transforming transformational leadership | Lesley Hayes | TEDxBrentwoodCollegeSchool

Summary

The speaker reflects on her journey to becoming an inspirational leader, sharing personal anecdotes and insights. She emphasizes the importance of trust, respect, and leading by example rather than dictating. The speaker discusses the balance between standing tall in difficult times and stepping back to let others shine. She concludes by advocating for leading with purpose, which naturally draws followers.

Takeaways

• 🧲 The speaker emphasizes the importance of being an inspirational leader and shares personal experiences to illustrate leadership lessons.
• 🎁 Gifts from colleagues, like the fridge magnets, served as humorous yet profound reminders of leadership styles and the need for self-reflection.
• 🔄 The speaker discovered the transformative idea of leadership through self-leadership, which involves trusting and empowering others rather than dictating.
• 👶 The experience of bringing her baby to work taught the speaker about trust in her team and the importance of stepping back to let others lead.
• 🤔 The speaker suggests that a leader's role is to hold the 'Y' of a group, bringing people together with a shared purpose, while letting them figure out the 'how'.
• 🗣️ Effective leadership involves asking questions, listening, and building trust, rather than always providing the answers.
• 🤹‍♂️ Leadership requires balancing standing tall during tough times and stepping back to let others shine when things are going well.
• 🧘‍♀️ The inner journey of a leader, including managing emotions and thoughts, is as important as the visible actions and behaviors.
• 🌐 The speaker's global experiences with entrepreneurs highlight the universal journey from 'hero to human' in leadership.
• 🤝 The model of leadership presented involves understanding the intellectual and emotional sides of leadership and the importance of conversations with trusted individuals.
• ❤️ Leading with purpose, as felt in the heartbeat, is a powerful way to inspire others to follow.

Q & A

What is the main theme of the speaker's discussion on leadership?

The main theme of the speaker's discussion is the transformation from being a hero-type leader to a human-type leader, focusing on leading oneself and inviting others to follow by creating a trusting and respectful environment.

What did Wayne's fridge magnet with the phrase 'Leslie way' suggest about the speaker's leadership style?

The 'Leslie way' fridge magnet suggested that the speaker's leadership style was overly focused on her own way of doing things, which might not be as inspirational as it could be.

How did the speaker reinterpret the concept of being 'bossy' in a leadership context?

The speaker reinterpreted 'bossy' as being about having better ideas rather than dictating orders, emphasizing the importance of ideas over authority in leadership.

What personal realization did the speaker have about leadership while bringing her baby to the office?

The speaker realized that if she could trust her staff with her most precious thing, her daughter, she should also trust them with projects and customers, leading to a more effective leadership style.

What is the significance of the speaker's transition from 'I can do it' to 'we can do it'?

The transition signifies a shift in the speaker's leadership approach from being the sole decision-maker to empowering and trusting her team, fostering a collective sense of ownership and responsibility.

According to the speaker, what is the role of the leader in a team?

The role of the leader is to hold the 'why' and bring the group together to determine the direction, while allowing the team to figure out the 'how', thus enabling collective problem-solving and innovation.

What does the speaker suggest is the key to building trust and respect in a leadership role?

The key to building trust and respect is through being respectful, trustworthy, and by trusting others, which involves listening, asking questions, and getting out of the way when necessary.

How does the speaker describe the difference between leadership and management?

Leadership, according to the speaker, is about inspiring, connecting emotionally, and creating a vision, while management is more about the intellectual side, planning, and executing tasks logically.

What is the 'journey of hero to human' in the context of leadership that the speaker discusses?

The 'journey of hero to human' refers to the shift from a traditional, heroic leadership style characterized by individualism and control to a more human, collaborative, and emotionally intelligent approach.

What does the speaker mean by 'leading myself'?

'Leading myself' means being accountable for one's actions, managing one's emotions, and setting personal standards to invite others to follow through example rather than command.

How does the speaker define the role of emotions in leadership?

The speaker defines the role of emotions in leadership as crucial for understanding and connecting with others, as well as for managing one's own emotional responses to lead with empathy and authenticity.

What is the importance of the speaker's final statement about leading from the heart?

Leading from the heart emphasizes the importance of authenticity, purpose, and emotional intelligence in leadership, suggesting that when leaders are genuine and driven by a deeper purpose, they naturally inspire followers.