What’s your Story?

In my last blog post, I introduced you to your STORY — an acronym that sets out a simple process for you to create and hone your leadership story. It’s important that you have one; it highlights your professional background and expertise. It expresses your vision and values — the impact and contribution that you and only you can create.   

People love a story. When you tell yours you engage with others in a powerful way. They remember you; remember your story and that makes you memorable. It’s essential for any woman leader developing her thought leadership.

Certainly there are famous women who have powerful stories to tell of the challenges they’ve faced and overcome; of the gifts they now bring to their communities because of what they have learned. Whether that’s Oprah Winfrey, who overcame early poverty and abuse to become a media icon, philanthropist and one of the most influential women in the world, or Malala Yousefi, who at age 16 took a bullet from the Taliban and survived to be an unstoppable voice and advocate for the education of girls.

These women truly inspire us. Their courage and resilience in the face of seemingly impossible odds is awe inspiring.  It’s almost too much for ‘ordinary women’ to take in. Yet, we ‘ordinary women’ have the same courage and determination in overcoming the challenges we face.  

What of these lesser known heroines? Women like you and me, quietly making a difference. Confronting our challenges, dealing with our gremlins, and growing wise and impactful through those experiences.

I work with a lot of them. Immensely talented and capable women leaders who have reached a point in their careers and lives where they are stumped. What worked well up to now is no longer working. It’s bringing up feelings of inadequacy, insecurity, frustration…

Like Laura, recently returned from maternity leave to a role that left her feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied: she was not — and could not — make either the progress or impact she knew she was capable of.  She was in the first stage of her STORY — the ordinary to loss stage — when we met.  Doubting herself, confused and unsure what to do next, she felt trapped. 

Together we took on a few of her  gremlins — her imposter, her very noisy inner critic, her control freak, and used a few powerful tools to tame them so they no longer ruled the show in her life and work. That cleared the path for her to find and hear her quiet inner voice of wisdom. (Often our intuition is drowned out by the many other voices in our heads). 

Guided by that inner wisdom, she began to expand her role, taking on more responsibility in areas that played to her natural talents and strengths and brought her alive.  And with that shift not just in mindset, but also in a more meaningful  and fulfilling role, she is thriving.

What’s your STORY?  Share it. Hone it, share it some more. It’s your gift to others.  Or if  you are at a crossroads, not sure of your next career move, then let’s speak.