Leadership Baggage: What It Is & What You Can Do About It
The longer you are in a leadership role, the more baggage you acquire.
Baggage is a collection of the practices, tactics, stories, and 'right' ways you learned to do things in leadership. Carrying baggage closes you off from new ideas and ways of thinking. It often reflects bias: what got you where you are is what your direct reports should experience.
Statements leaders make reflecting baggage:
My direct report only has 3 years of experience. It took me 7 years to get promoted.
Our team formats all spreadsheets in a specific way; why would we want to change what works?
She is looking for a huge raise, and though her work is top-notch, she has been in the role for less than a year.
Putting in a ton of hours shows me an employee is dedicated. That’s what I did when I first got here.
Judging others by your path/the past is limiting for you and for your direct reports. If you are willing to do the work and let go of your baggage, you'll show up differently for your team, promoting innovation, new ways of thinking and being, and recognizing a variety of paths available to your direct reports. Start by doing the following:
Recognize when you make a statement that reflects your baggage.
The first step of the coaching model is awareness. Baggage is collected over time, and it takes awareness, assessment, and action to achieve new ways of thinking. Catch yourself in the moment and recognize the opportunity to think differently.
Consider each direct report's career journey a blank page of possibility.
Identify the attributes you and your organization value most in your organization for promotion. Realize your path be different from the journey direct reports take. Stop thinking there is a 'right' way to do things; instead, think about what is 'ideal in this moment.' This shift alone allows you to become open to various possibilities.
Ask your direct reports what they need from you to be most effective.
In every 1:1 or team meeting, you can have open and honest conversations about ways to help direct reports. Are you doing this regularly? Get curious and learn what motivates each employee, knowing preferences change over time.
Hire a leadership coach to uncover and work on your baggage.
Partnering with a coach is a fantastic way to identify your limiting thoughts and biases, become aware of the impact they have on your leadership, and make intentional changes. Your coach not only helps you define the baggage holding you and your team back, they also work with you to identify and test new behaviors. You don't have to go it alone.
Dropping the baggage leads to freedom and possibility for you and your direct reports. Everyone benefits.
Dr. Katie Stone is the founder of Together Evolving. Email Katie at katie.stone@togetherevolving.com to learn more about the transformational impact coaching can have on you and your leadership.