Finding Your Voice

Lately, I have been struggling to find my leadership style or voice. I know what needs to be said, and can see what needs to be done, but I can’t seem to figure out how to deliver it.

To me, a person’s leadership voice is an authentically articulated point of view based on integrating their values, vision, and purpose. It originates in self-awareness; it develops and deepens when combined with meaningful behaviors and culminates in a lasting contribution and professional satisfaction.

To aid me on my journey of self-discovery, I have started reading articles on the topic of finding your leadership voice, and I came across a great one someone had written on the author Stephen R. Covey, and his book The 8th Habit. It started with,

‘When you engage in work that taps your talent and fuels your passion-that rises out of a great need in the world that you feel drawn by conscience to meet-therein lies your voice.’

He follows that up by saying that if you apply these four capacities - talent (discipline), passion (emotion), need (vision), and conscience (spirit-directed action) to any role or responsibility of your life, you can find your voice in that role, and I think that makes sense.

Now Covey, also guarantees that if you answer all four of the questions below in the affirmative, develop a plan of action and then go to work on it, you will begin to find your voice in life. I can’t guarantee that, but I will let you know what I discover…

(1) What need do I sense?
(2) Do I possess a true talent that, if disciplined and applied, can meet the need?
(3) Does the opportunity to meet the need tap into my passion?
(4) Does my conscience inspire me to become involved and take action?