“There is no shortcut for the work. Period. Entrepreneurship is in many ways disguised as a business pursuit. So much of it is managing your own psychology.” – David Segal
David Segal is one of the co-founders of David’s Teas. After helping scale the brand to $200M, he walked away. And talks openly in interviews about how he lost his sense of meaning and purpose after, and what it took to find his footing again.
You might not be an entrepreneur, but the quote above still holds value. So much of leadership has nothing to do with the mechanics of the business or your functional area. It’s the inner work that matters.
We tend to think leadership is about external skill: strategy, execution, managing others. But the leaders who thrive are the ones who get fluent in the internal work. They understand their patterns, triggers, beliefs, assumptions, and gaps, and find ways to work with them or shift them.
For me, this is Leadership Fluency™ in action → mindset, identity, values, wellbeing, connection. Maybe not all on the same day, but possibly all in one week!
When we 1) have the self-awareness that we are contributing to our own misery, 2) choose to do things differently, and 3) follow through, things start to shift.
The reality is that no one shows up for coaching and says, “Hey, Sarah. I’d like to really dig in on the inner work.”
No one.
Ever.
But everyone comes to the table with external challenges that somehow feel misaligned, though they can’t always name why.
By the time we’re done, they have a lot more clarity on how they want to show up in the world, the values that drive them, the wellbeing criteria that fuels them, and the mindset stance they want to adopt. They also have strengthened connections that support them in these areas.
And in case you missed it the last 52 times I said it, we live in a relationship economy. Your internal and external networks are critical for increasing productivity, goal achievement, broadening your perspective, and staying sane in the process.
Fluent leaders have a few things in common:
- They don’t easily get knocked off the beam when things get spicy.
- They recognize when they’re out of alignment and know how to get back there.
- They have clear boundaries and set them with intention.
- They leverage their network with purpose.
Getting from where we are today to a place of increased Leadership Fluency™ is a marathon, not a sprint. There is no finish line to cross. (Which I always find really annoying, BTW.)
The good news here is that it takes some pressure off. There’s no way we’re going to get it perfect, so instead we get to practice on a day-to-day basis.
You may be asking yourself, “How do I do this?”
There is no single answer that will work for everyone. My standard rule applies: one size doesn’t fit all — which, again, is good news. It means the possibilities are endless, and you get to decide what works best for you.
Here’s the simplest way to begin building your Leadership Fluency™:
- Pick an area that feels most relevant right now:
- Identity
- Wellbeing (mental, emotional, physical, spiritual, financial)
- Values
- Mindset
- Connection
- Identify one activity that’s different from your norm.
- Practice it. Notice what happens.
If you need a place to start, try one of these previous notes:
- How to Try New Behaviors Without the Pressure to Succeed
- The Hidden Power of Small Shifts
- Why Managing Your Mindset is Strategic
- How to Support Your Wellbeing
- How Your Thoughts Can Limit or Liberate You
What part of your “work” right now is about managing your own psychology? And, if there’s no shortcut for the work, what’s the next step you could take that your future self would thank you for?”
This kind of inner work is simple, but not always easy. It takes focus, intentionality, and practice. Don’t get thrown off if you don’t see massive gains right away. Small and seemingly imperceptible shifts yield big results in the long run.
