‍1.      Understanding yourself is worth investigating.
Developing more self-awareness can be a bit scary but digging into who you are, where you come from and what parts of those experiences have shaped your development is crucial if you want to become an empathetic leader.

2.      Surround yourself with people who are going to challenge your bull shit!
When you rise up and lead, there will be others who follow and the danger is that, if you don’t support them to speak their truth, you can end up in an echo chamber of your own creation. This can lead to you believing your own bull shit and buying into your ego.

3.      Being curious, brave and open will lead you to outcomes you couldn’t imagine.
As humans, we naturally are our own worst critic – this can limit our belief about what we can do, who we can be and what our organisations can become. Instead, turn this on its head. Listen more than you speak and be brave enough to take the pathless travelled – you know that one that creates butterflies in your stomach.

4.      Your ability to relate to others and stay connected even when you don’t agree, is a muscle worth growing.
As leaders, our relationships are what see us through the tough times and helps us celebrate the good. Rather than shutting down, the next time you hear something that doesn’t resonate for you, have the courage to stress-test your thinking. This work takes practice but it’s well worth the journey!

5.      No matter how impressive or intimidating a person may be – remember, they don’t have their shit together either.

It’s okay to look up to people but there’s no point in putting their lives on a pedestal because we’re all facing our own challenges and issues. In essence, as it turns out, no one’s got their sh*t together.