What does it mean for a leader to find their "voice"? It's not about hoarseness, though with cold season in full swing, it could be. It's not about being "sassy" or "savvy" despite the popularity of those terms. It's not even about saying what you mean, although that helps. It's certainly not about being comfortable.
A leader who has found their voice is authentic. They do and say the right thing, even when it makes them lose the popularity contest. They move others because they speak their truth even while recognizing that other stories hold some truth too. In the mirror at night, they look themselves squarely in the eye and know that they have done their best that day.
Cultivating your authentic voice is lifelong work. It requires that you know your values and recognize when they have changed. It requires learning how to listen, really listen, to the people around you, friend and foe. It requires careful thought, not only about yourself and your own dreams, but the concerns, fears, and triumphs of those you wish to talk to. It requires that you understand that when you open your mouth that what you say matters: it affects you, the people around you, the people around them, and the people around them...
Mahatma Ghandi, who is considered the "Father of the Nation" of India, clearly found his leadership voice. He once said, "The only tyrant I accept in this world is the still voice within."
Find yours. Wake it up. Let it out.
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