The Core of Leadership Success in the Workplace (Hint: It’s what you think)
As leaders in the workplace, it’s not uncommon to be caught up in the hustle—chasing results, trying to stay ahead, and continuously striving to meet both personal and organizational goals. But what if the most crucial element of success lies not in strategies or skillsets but in something far deeper: your mindset and emotions?
It’s often said, “You will never outperform your mindset.” While this statement is simple, it carries profound implications for leaders, especially women striving to make their mark in leadership roles.
I recently heard consultant Taylor Welch say that “We can aspire to achieve great things, but in reality, we don’t rise to our ambitions; instead, we fall to the patterns, beliefs, and behaviours rooted in our mindset and identity.” Whoa – that really stopped me in my tracks and made me realise that understanding this dynamic is crucial for personal growth, career advancement, and building an empowered team.
The Identity Iceberg: How Our Beliefs Shape Our Reality
To understand why mindset is so critical, we must explore the concept of the identity iceberg. What’s visible above the surface are our behaviours—what others can observe, and how we present ourselves in the workplace. But this is only a fraction of the story. Below the surface, far below what’s easily seen, lie our thoughts, habits, beliefs, values, and mindsets—programmed over years since childhood.
Our internal identity acts as the magnet, the force that attracts everything we experience and perceive in life. In essence, every result, whether perceived as good, bad, or indifferent, is simply a reflection of how we view ourselves and how we believe the world operates. This belief system guides our actions, decisions, and interactions with others. For leaders, particularly those in high-pressure environments, this internal programming profoundly impacts their effectiveness.
Consider the words we were told as children: “Don’t cry over spilt milk,” “Stop crying now or I’ll give you something to cry about.” I remember as a child hearing girls being labelled “A cry baby,” that once adult, is often labelled as “Overly emotional,” or “She’s so sensitive.”
These statements, intended to suppress emotional expression, are part of a larger cultural pattern that tells us to bury our feelings. As adults, this often translates into leaders who have learned to ignore or suppress their emotions, even when these emotions may be the key to unlocking greater empathy, trust, and understanding in their teams.
The Emotional Bottleneck: Why Suppressed Emotions Affect Leadership
The challenge with this programming is that suppressed emotions don’t just vanish. As Gallup research highlights, one of the key indicators of employee burnout is emotional exhaustion—a feeling that many leaders can relate to as they push themselves to keep up with the demands of leadership. But what isn’t always acknowledged is the role of unprocessed emotions in this exhaustion.
If emotions are not expressed and processed, they linger in the body and mind. The longer they remain unresolved, the more they accumulate—like pressure building inside a boiling kettle. Eventually, this pressure will cause an emotional explosion, whether in a tense meeting, a moment of unexpected outburst, or a deeper burnout that manifests as physical or mental exhaustion.
When clients come to me saying they’re not achieving their desired results or are not becoming the leaders they intended to be, I know the answer typically lies beneath the surface. The programming that governs their actions—often unconsciously—is preventing them from reaching their potential. This is where transformation starts: with becoming aware of the beliefs, thoughts, and patterns that are no longer serving them.
The Fastest Path to Change: Reprogramming Your Identity
The fastest way to shift your outcomes is to strategically, consciously, and deliberately reprogram your identity. It’s a process that takes time, but it’s entirely possible—and it’s akin to creating a new groove in the snow on a ski slope. The more you engage in the process, the more natural and effortless it becomes. Here are the steps to making this shift:
1. Become Aware of Your Current Programming
Awareness is critical. You must first understand the programming that’s influencing your mindset, actions, and decisions. Are you subconsciously operating from a place of scarcity or fear? Do you believe you’re destined for struggle or success? This self-awareness is the first step in making a change, as it provides insight into your current expectations and behaviours.
2. Rewire Your Expectations
Once you’re aware of your current mindset, the next step is to shift your expectations. According to Gallup's research on employee engagement, people with positive expectations and those who feel supported by their leaders are more likely to be engaged and productive. Your expectations act as a filter for your experiences. If you expect rejection, failure, or struggle, you will inevitably encounter those outcomes. However, by reprogramming your expectations to embrace success, growth, and abundance, you’ll begin to perceive opportunities and success everywhere you look.
3. Reshape Your Environment to Reflect Your New Identity
Reprogramming your mindset isn’t enough if your environment doesn’t support it. Successful leaders know that your environment—whether that’s the physical space you occupy, the people you interact with, or the organizational culture you help build—plays a pivotal role in reinforcing your expectations. If your environment is filled with negativity or people who discourage your growth (I call them Negative Nelly’s or Darryl Downers), it will be nearly impossible to maintain a positive mindset. Conversely, by structuring your environment with positive influences and support, you’ll naturally reinforce the mindset and identity you want to cultivate.
The Power of Emotional Intelligence in Leadership
In the context of leadership, emotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to understand and manage your emotions, as well as the emotions of others. This skill is paramount for leaders who want to foster trust, empathy, and engagement within their teams. Research shows that leaders who demonstrate high levels of emotional intelligence are more likely to have engaged, productive teams. They inspire trust, foster collaboration, and create environments where employees feel valued and understood.
A leader who actively works to express and process their emotions is better equipped to handle stress, manage conflict, and remain focused on the bigger picture. This self-awareness and emotional regulation create a ripple effect throughout the organization, helping employees feel heard and supported, which ultimately leads to better results.
Women in Leadership: Embracing the Shift
For women in leadership, the journey is often even more challenging. There’s an additional layer of societal expectations and conditioning that women must navigate. The pressure to appear composed, authoritative, and unemotional can conflict with their innate emotional intelligence. However, emotional expression and leadership are not mutually exclusive. In fact, women who are able to embrace their emotions, express vulnerability when necessary, and still lead with clarity and confidence will foster stronger, more resilient teams.
Leading Ladies Leverage, nudge nudge (gratuitous plug) I have a mastermind program for women in leadership that emphasizes the importance of emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and mindset in achieving leadership success. It’s called Leading Ladies and it is so freaking amazing –( just ask me lol).
The Intersection of Expectation, Environment, and Leadership Results
Ultimately, a leader’s success is determined by the balance between expectation and environment. If a leader expects to succeed and structures their environment to support those expectations, they create a scenario where success becomes inevitable. It’s not about “wishing” for success but about creating the conditions that make success a natural outcome.
Leaders must be conscious of the mental and emotional patterns they bring into the workplace. When mindset and emotional intelligence are aligned, leaders can guide their teams to greater heights of performance and well-being. By reprogramming the identity that governs our behaviours, we can unlock new levels of leadership and create thriving, productive environments where success is not just hoped for—but achieved.
So, the next time you feel stuck or frustrated with your progress, ask yourself: What does my mindset tell me about my beliefs, my emotions, and my expectations? The answers to these questions may be the key to unlocking your full leadership potential.
G’day I’m AJ 🎤
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