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In this episode, Heather interviews Stace Williams, a global leadership consultant and Caring Leadership Community Coach. Stace’s passion lies in helping leaders grow by enabling them to see and actualize their potential. Her experience spans five continents, 17 countries, and a wide range of industries, including aerospace, biopharma, defense, energy, finance, healthcare, insurance, technology, and telecommunications.
Key Takeaways:
- Openness to feedback can change your entire career trajectory.
- Somatic symbols are your body’s way of communicating, listen to them.
- Telling your story humanizes you.
- Identify your struggles and delegate.
- Embrace vulnerability in your team.
- Making emotionally-intelligent decisions requires self-awareness.
I was young and got promoted because I did it well. Therefore, I thought everyone had to do it my way, and that was a terrible message to send to a talented team. - Stace Williams #leadershipwithheart Click To Tweet
Stace Williams is a global leadership consultant, and Caring Leadership Community Coach. Stace is passionate about helping leaders discover and accomplish their true potential so they can grow. Her experience spans five continents, 17 countries, and a wide range of industries, including aerospace, biopharma, defense, energy, finance, healthcare, insurance, technology, and telecommunications.
In spite of holding a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Colorado State University, Stace has devoted most of her adult life to consulting.
As a coach who works primarily with executives, she focuses on accelerating progress around significant business initiatives and organizational transformation. Through coaching, she helps clients define themselves authentically and achieve goals that result in improved organizational climate, employee engagement, and business outcomes.
Why Leaders Struggle to Delegate
I’ve had the pleasure of working with leaders at all different levels within an organization, all of whom struggle with delegation. Often, people don’t like to delegate because they don’t want to overwhelm their teams. But they fail to realize that failing to delegate only hurts them and their employees. Leaders who learn how to delegate efficiently are able to empower their employees and allow them to shine. As they hand off duties and prioritize those of utmost importance, they will also have the freedom to work on other tasks. In other words, delegation is one of the best ways to make your employees and your team feel important — it gives them the feeling that they truly belong to your company.
Paying attention to your body's somatic signals allows you to have a more emotionally intelligent reaction. - Stace Williams #leadershipwithheart Click To Tweet
Tune in to Your Somatic Signals
It’s important to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Your body is always present, even when your mind might not be. So when your body begins to sweat, or your breath becomes heavier, or your hands start to sweat, those are all signs that you should pay attention to. Once you are in tune with how your body reacts in certain situations, you will be able to make a more emotionally intelligent decision. As a result of taking the time to listen to the signals your body is sending you, you can take a moment and think carefully before reacting. To do this, one must first become aware of oneself, but anyone can learn this.
Let your teams know that you are not perfect, and they don't have to be either. But that you can work together to be better. - Stace Williams #leadershipwithheart Click To Tweet
Share Your Stories and Be Vulnerable
Sometimes, there can be a tension between the employees and their leaders, and it can be difficult for people to break through this tension because they are wary of showing their vulnerability. However, once you have built up the confidence to be vulnerable with your team, the benefits of this deeper connection will become apparent. Your stories are what make you human – when you share your stories, you can break down the wall that separates you from your teams. In other words, stories can help you connect with your team and make them see that you’re a real person – not just their manager.
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