Leadership Revolution

Great leaders don’t conform to pre-set molds—they cultivate leadership styles that resonate with their authentic selves and adapt to the people they lead.

1. Authenticity Trumps Conformity

Leadership isn’t about impersonating an idealized leader. Lori Mazan explains that pretenses crumble in pressure and authenticity wins trust and respect. Leaders must align their inner self with the traits they aim to embody.

Phoniness is unsustainable. Employees sense duplicity and may withdraw trust. Authentic leadership, however, is rooted in sincere expression of one’s personality while also embodying effective leadership traits that may require effort to cultivate.

Mazan introduces the concept of the "unity of opposites," merging personal authenticity with qualities that enhance leadership effectiveness. The focus shifts from a one-size-fits-all charisma model to individualized connections and approaches.

Examples

• A reserved leader leveraging strong observational skills to guide their team.
• An extroverted leader balancing enthusiasm with listening and empathy.
• A manager shedding fear-based tactics to enhance open communication.

2. The Platinum Rule: Adaptability in Leadership

Leadership is not about treating others as you want to be treated—it’s about treating others as they wish to be treated. Each individual responds differently, and understanding these differences unlocks leader effectiveness.

To achieve this, Mazan emphasizes abandoning traditional ideas like the golden rule. Leaders who recognize the varying motivations of their team members can better connect and influence them positively.

Effective delegation and action perception also play a role in context-specific leadership. Leaders set the tone for their organization by their choices in promoting engagement, growth, and accountability in their teams.

Examples

• Recognizing that introverted employees may prefer written communication over group discussion.
• A leader redefining their role to empower a capable employee, boosting team synergy.
• Using 360-degree feedback to align leadership actions with team preferences.

3. Identifying and Overcoming Old Patterns

Leadership coaching begins with breaking outdated habits and mindsets. Mazan highlights that sticking to old leadership practices might hamper growth, especially when faced with evolving workplace dynamics.

Delegation, often seen as a weak spot for new leaders, needs reframing. The idea that leaders must do everything perfectly is outdated; the new norm requires empowering others rather than micromanaging.

Another critical skill is aligning actions with intentions. A leader’s behavior—both what they permit and what they act upon—sets an example that shapes their organization’s culture for better or worse.

Examples

• Recognizing self-limiting beliefs like "I must do it myself to ensure quality."
• Encouraging an introverted leader to use structured one-on-one meetings for team development.
• Eliminating "because it’s always been done this way" thinking during strategic planning.

4. Seeking Inspiration and Defining Clear Goals

A good leadership coach is more than an instructor—they are a thinking partner. Mazan posits that shifting thought patterns is essential for behavioral change as it gives leaders the clarity to define meaningful goals.

Without clear goals, leadership becomes directionless. A coach helps leaders determine themselves, discarding outdated ideas that no longer serve them, and replacing them with purposeful, value-aligned goals.

Mazan also challenges the binary right-versus-wrong mindset. Instead, leaders must explore possibilities outside “safe” traditions and confront any fears that keep them from taking bold, yet authentic approaches.

Examples

• Reevaluating work policies to prioritize autonomy over micromanagement.
• Transitioning from top-down authority to empowering team decisions.
• Abandoning fear-driven leadership rooted in creating employee compliance.

5. Embracing Vertical Development

Leadership isn’t just about skills acquisition; it’s about developing the capacity to navigate complexity and uncertainty. Mazan distinguishes between horizontal development—learning new skills—and vertical development—applying them dynamically.

Future-ready leaders use vertical development to make informed, adaptable choices rather than relying solely on learned techniques. This dynamic capability enables innovative, real-world problem-solving.

The method redefines success. Instead of solving rootless scenarios, leaders explore solutions that flex with diverse, evolving challenges, and drive transformative change over skill accumulation.

Examples

• Experimenting with solution-driven approaches to project roadblocks instead of waiting for a perfect plan.
• Balancing competing priorities without a formulaic response.
• Embracing the ambiguity of change as a chance for growth.

6. Building Confidence Through Small Actions

Change, even with the best coaching, can be daunting for leaders. Mazan advises starting small to combat fear. Simple activities, like journaling morning thoughts, can build transformative momentum over time.

Leadership reprogramming parallels starting a fitness regimen: small, consistent actions sustain growth. While the fear of change is natural, incremental progress cultivates the courage needed for significant shifts.

By "starting small," leaders prove to themselves that transformation is achievable. Early wins lead to greater confidence and a willingness to tackle larger, strategic challenges.

Examples

• A three-paragraph daily gratitude or self-improvement journal practice.
• Scheduling brief reflection sessions to evaluate leadership decisions.
• Defining quick, attainable wins that build trust with the team.

7. Leadership-as-a-Learning Process

Leadership coaching provides an alternative learning framework to traditional training. By considering every interaction and decision as an opportunity to improve, leaders adopt a growth-oriented mindset.

Constant learning yields adaptability, which is especially valuable in fluid, rapidly-shifting market conditions. Mistakes lose their stigma; instead, they become stepping stones to better choices.

This mindset also empowers teams led by such leaders. When employees see their leader evolving, it fosters shared learning and resilience across an organization.

Examples

• Using team debriefs to transparently discuss missteps and recalibrations.
• Encouraging employees to propose and discuss innovative strategies.
• Hosting biweekly coaching sessions for sustained skill enhancement.

8. Transforming Corporate Culture from the Top

The leader’s behavior changes not only their personal effectiveness but the culture of the entire workplace. Employees respond to the cues set by their leader, and those cues determine cultural norms.

Mazan suggests self-empowerment and valuing diverse ideas as ways for leaders to promote better work environments. Encouraging debate and collaborative problem-solving nurtures a team eager to share insights.

Such supportive cultures reduce employee complacency, where workers merely mimic the leader’s apparent wishes. Instead, they create workplaces where creativity and initiative thrive.

Examples

• A leader actively soliciting dissenting views during strategic decisions.
• Promoting collaborative workshops for problem-solving.
• Implementing employee autonomy to enhance responsibility.

9. The Core Capacities of Successful Leadership

Mazan identifies five capacities—flexibility, velocity, pattern recognition, self-regulation, and internal compass—as the foundation for thriving leaders. Development in these areas ensures personal and organizational alignment.

Flexibility enables leaders to adjust behavior emotionally, intellectually, and situationally. Velocity combines boldness and focus, tackling challenges with effective determination.

Pattern recognition sifts significant signals from background noise, aiding in smart decisions. Self-regulation promotes honest self-reflection, avoiding self-sabotaging behavior. An internal compass keeps actions rooted in guiding principles.

Examples

• Practicing unbiased evaluation during performance reviews.
• Consistently pausing to review values alignment in decision-making.
• Gaining team input on refining personal blind spots.

Takeaways

1. Develop your leadership approach by blending strengths with new, personally aligned skills to inspire trust and authenticity.
2. Foster dynamic problem-solving and decision-making by embracing vertical development and experimenting with adaptive strategies.
3. Use small, actionable steps to build courage and momentum to tackle major leadership transformations.