Leadership: Beyond Skills and Titles

​In my coaching work, even as I help others grow in the leadership development space, I often come back to a guiding principle: my work is ultimately about helping people be better humans—to themselves, to the people they’re in relationship with, to their communities, and to the world at large.
What I know about the human condition is that, as flawed as we all are, we need each other. Other people can mirror for us not only what is true about ourselves but also what we hope to make true. In any role or position we hold in life—whether it’s one we were given, one we earned, or one we chose—leadership isn’t simply about knowledge or technical skills. Rather, it’s about who we are as people, and how we treat others, especially when circumstances or other people challenge us.
This is why I emphasize the importance of internal work—working on who we are at our core, in the privacy of our own space and thoughts, when we’re alone with our emotions and honest with ourselves. That deep, private self—our true self—is what ultimately comes to the surface in our actions and choices, for better or worse. Our strengths, our insecurities, the parts we’d rather hide, even our fears—these will all come through. It’s that transparency, the good and the bad, that reveals who we are as leaders and as humans.
Reflecting on my journey, from my early work as a therapist to my coaching today, I see clearly that we are at risk of “losing” what makes us unique as humans. While technology and AI advance, there may come a time when machines are sentient enough to mimic human behaviors and responses. But true humanity is not only about “thinking” or mimicking; it’s about being. Our humanity is expressed in our ability to connect with, comfort, and encourage others, to hold space for one another in times of need. We are humans—physical, emotional, and spiritual beings. And despite our flaws, we offer each other something invaluable: belonging, connection, and a sense of not being alone in this world.
Ultimately, leadership—and life—is about being fully present as humans. The work of showing up for ourselves, for others, and for our communities may not always be easy, but it is essential. In a world where we can sometimes forget what makes us uniquely human, perhaps our greatest contribution is to remember and to live that humanity with intention.
 

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