Leading In Your High Heels

Posted on June 26, 2015 by Andrea Crisp, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.

When I was growing up, I always had a strong sense of self. My leadership abilities emerged at a young age. Thankfully my father also had a strong sense of leadership, and encouraged this in me. Along with my mother who nurtured the belief that I could do anything I put my mind to. Because I wanted to make my mark in the world, I always found myself in situations that made others feel uncomfortable.

I have found being a woman in leadership has not always been easy. Along the way I have lost friends and made some waves. It has never been without challenge. One particular role that I found myself taking on preceded a colleague of mine who had a dynamic leadership style. He had made significant strides in leadership because of his charisma and energy. The thought of following in his footsteps was so overwhelming that it left me at a loss of how to proceed.

During a conversation with a friend, I mentioned that it was going to be so difficult to fill his shoes. My friend turned to me and said, “why would you want to fill his shoes when you can wear your red high heels?”

Do you feel at a loss as a woman in leadership?

I want to share with you today ten tips for women who are in the trenches; leading in the business world, community groups, missions organizations, church’s. Don’t worry guys, you can certainly use these same tips and up your game as well!

1) Cast your vision – it is easy to get caught up in the day to day activities of leadership. When you set a vision for moving forward, you will be able to stay in step with whatever challenges may come your way.

2) Talk to other women in leadership roles – so much can be learned from other women in leadership roles. Whether it be in the marketplace, church or in the arts; find other women who are already in positions of leadership, and learn from them.

3) Learn from your past experience – your past experience will help you learn what you want to do in the future. Don’t hide from past mistakes, learn from them, and move forward.

4) Develop your leadership skills – don’t be afraid to develop your unique gifting’s. You will experience success and failure. Learn from both.

5) Seek advocates – there will be days when you feel that you need someone to advocate on your behalf. This may be in a board meeting, during a conversation, or through prayer. It’s ok to find an advocate.

6) Find mentors and coaches – doing leadership in isolation will lead to burn out. Find a mentor that will give you solid advice, and a coach who will empower you move forward in your personal and professional life.

7) Start saying YES – don’t fall into the belief that you can’t do the same things the men are doing. When they go golfing, you go too. It’s about saying yes even when you are going to be pushed out of your comfort zone. It’s more about being present in every situation.

8) Be intentionally visible – on occasions where you feel like you have little to offer, don’t shrink back. You have a lot to offer. Don’t be afraid to be seen.

9) Help your teammates – as women we find ourselves to be natural encouragers and nurturers. You will never lose in leadership when you invest in your teammates.

10) Own your journey – the journey of leadership is one that can be easily overshadowed by doubt and insecurity. If you own what is put in your hand, then you will never go wrong.