Is leadership presence innate? In this episode Judith Germain and Katherine Lazaruk discuss professional presence and leadership beyond stereotypical norms.
Key Takeaways
- Leadership presence is innate and can be cultivated, but does not guarantee taking on a leadership role.
- Knowing your true self and being congruent with internal and external expression builds presence.
- Diverse perspectives are needed at leadership tables for organisations to thrive.
- Non-white women face double bias and must navigate risks in self-expression.
Topics:
Katherine’s background and journey to leadership consulting
- Started in music and opera, then corporate training
- Had a vision to pivot to image consulting, got certified
- Now focuses on advancing women into leadership roles faster
Presence as innate essence versus tactical adjustments
- Judith sees presence as innate and always there even if not amplified
- Katherine argues presence has degrees you can adjust, but core self is fixed
- Discussed being noticed naturally versus choosing to lead
Moving beyond stereotypical executive presence rules
- Past rules like dressing and speaking a certain way create a facade
- Katherine advocates knowing your true self and expressing it congruently
Importance of diverse leadership
- Homogenous leadership lacks full perspective and is less innovative
- Katherine believes women can lead more humanely if given the chance
- Non-white women face barriers and biases in self-expression
Responsibility of those at the table
- Leaders must open doors for those without full choices
- One-on-one conversations needed to shift perceptions
In this conversation Katherine argues leadership presence is more than superficial rules, exploring what’s beyond the dominant white male paradigm. Judith counters some innate presence remains regardless of choices.
They discuss how current success measures harm humanity and the planet. Continuous growth is unnatural; balance and limits are needed. Leadership must evolve for whole human beings.
Katherine Lazaruk is a professional presence expert and maverick. She started her business in image consulting but hates shopping. Katherine knows what’s it like to be an outlier in an industry and knows how it can be turned into an advantage.
Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It’s about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine.
But amplifying your influence as a leader isn’t just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It’s also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans.
The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact.
How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see.
Katherine Lazaruk can be found on LinkedIn here. Her website is here.
You can listen to Episode 410 on any of the popular podcast platforms or apps (including Spotify, and Audible). If you prefer to listen to your browser you can do that below. Enjoy!
