Hi, Alida here. As companies around the country are declaring what they stand for, I thought this would be a good time to let you know what I’m all about. Here are a few of my core beliefs about leadership. Let’s see if they match yours, or if they provide you with some food for thought:

First: Success must come from inside – When I was in high school, I had a shirt that said, “Win from Within.” That’s still one of my favorite messages. There are so many people who seem successful on the outside, but on the inside feel insecure and uncertain. Their lives are exhausting. It takes energy to put on a good game face, when underneath you don’t feel like you know what you’re doing. And that Imposter Syndrome has a real impact on their success. Eventually their insecurities get the best of them, and they flame out. It breaks my heart to see that happen to really good people — particularly since there are proven methods for building up genuine self-confidence and resilience. I know this, because this has also been my journey. My own lack of confidence led to a major flame out in my 20’s that took years to overcome. I’ve done the work myself, and I’ve spent years accumulating and testing tools and methods to find exactly what works for my clients.

Second: If we don’t own our biases, they own us – Every single one of us has biases that affect everything in our lives. They impact our decision-making, our relationships, how we interpret events, how we see the world, how we see ourselves and our capabilities. Some of these come from our upbringing, others from our culture. They create the reality we live in – the possibilities and the limits that we see for ourselves and others. Self-awareness is a key first step. The more we are aware of our biases and our beliefs, the greater our capacity to expand beyond them. Only by unraveling our biases can we unlock our own potential, and create the systems and structures that make it possible for other people to live up to their potential as well. This is work I do on myself and with my clients every day. By helping clients become aware of biases and beliefs that no longer serve them, they open up to new possibilities. This is ongoing work.

Third: People are a work-in-progress – There’s no such thing as “arrived” when it comes to personal development. There’s always another level of expansion available to us. The talents we were born with are just one part of the equation. Humans have an amazing capacity to learn and grow, when they want to. This is why I’ve invested in so much coaching and development in my own career – to continue to build my skills, my tools and my experience base, so that I can bring even more value to my clients. This point-of-view means that I don’t see limits for my clients. I don’t buy their stories about what they can and cannot do. Instead, my focus is on helping them make choices – where will they put their time and energy? Where do they want to grow? What do they want to accomplish?

Fourth: Transformation requires more than just information – While we have nearly unlimited capacity to learn and grow, we usually require some help to do it. People do not change their beliefs or their behavior based on information. If they did, the data about exercise and eating right would be enough to ensure a healthy society. No one would be out of shape or overweight (and certainly no one would smoke!). The problem is that information isn’t enough. To create true change – true transformation – requires a deeper shift. Transformation doesn’t come from reading books or listening to podcasts. It’s just too hard to see yourself from the outside, and to make the changes we want to make. That’s where coaches come in. A good coach will guide, question, cajole and support you – holding up a mirror for you, sharing what they see from the sidelines — until you get to your goals.

Fifth: Partnership is fundamental to success – Your success isn’t just up to you. It requires working with a variety of people around you: your team members, your colleagues, your vendors, your customers. Each one of these relationships influences your ability to meet your goals. Successful leaders know how to build effective partnerships and effective teams. Like self-confidence, these are absolutely teachable skills. All you need are the right tools, and the right mindset. Partnership is fundamental to how I work with my clients – jointly committed to the success of their goals. I provide the structure and guidance, they provide the energy and action, and together we get them to where they want to go.

Finally: Everyone deserves to be inspired and fulfilled by their work – Every single person who puts their energy into a job deserves to feel like they matter. They deserve to be treated with respect. They deserve fair compensation for what they do. They deserve opportunities to learn and grow. These are basic rights, not just for the executive ranks. True leaders know this and put this philosophy into action in their day-to-day work. This is why I do what I do – because I believe that truly engaging leaders create this kind of environment for the people they work with. I want to see more of that in the world, and I’m devoted to supporting heart-centered leaders to make it happen.

If you share these 6 beliefs, then you’ve signed up for these emails for a reason. My goal is to share information with you that will support you in becoming a truly confident, engaging leader. If you’re ready to move past information to transformation, feel free to book a call with me. (link) We’ll get on the phone for about 45 minutes and get you crystal clear about what your leadership could look like, and exactly how to get there. Book your spot now. (link)