Tip 231 - Caring Leadership 6: Lead from the Heart with the Help of a Support System

Leaders can’t lead alone. They need to have relationships and support systems in place, whether it be colleagues, teams, friends, mentors, and/or coaches. Leaders who try to lead people without occasionally seeking counsel have difficulty being caring leaders. Hindsight is never as clear as we would like it to be. Enlisting the help of others gains more foresight for developing strategies to bypass barriers and challenges.

Find people you trust to provide honest feedback and help ensure you are on the path intended. Having a support system allows safe spaces to practice vulnerable leadership.

• Be intentional with who you choose as members of your support system.

• Select more than one mentor for diverse viewpoints and experiences.

• Consider hiring a coach for performance development, providing a more formal relationship to help explore what you need to do to be a more effective leader.

• Enlist a trusted colleague who understands you and will help you think through moments of challenge.

Commit to creating a support system, whether formal or informal to utilize as resources in your personal, leadership, and/or professional development.