When thinking about your leadership style, images of boardrooms, Zoom calls, and mentorship meetings might immediately spring to mind. But your leadership isn’t just expressed in work-based situations.
The way you show up as a leader touches all areas of your life. And your relationships—especially your failed relationships—can give you the greatest insight into how you can become a stronger leader.
Here’s how to take those failures and turn them into gold.Curiosity is one of the greatest attributes a leader can have. According to research, it keeps your mind nimble and creative while remaining open to new ideas and solutions, as well as promoting more positive relationships in the workplace.
In fact, the more questions you ask of others, the more likely they are to see you as competent and caring. Utilizing this curiosity, there are a few things you can do to see where your failed relationships can lead to better leadership skills in the future. The first step, get curious about your part in relationships that have ended.
If you’re being as objective as possible, was there something you did that contributed to the breakdown of the relationship? Did your words and actions make the other person feel valued and appreciated? Did you get curious about that person, their interests, and things that were important to them? Did you ask them questions about their experiences, feelings, thoughts, and insights? Did you value their input and contribution? If you aren’t sure about any of these things and you feel it would be helpful (and safe), reach out to past partners (personal and professional), as well as former friends or colleagues, and ask for their input. It may give you insight into places where you’ve developed patterns of
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