Leveraging insights to unlock leadership potential

Recently I found myself reflecting on a leader I worked with in a global organization, let’s call him George. For years George was thriving. He was the person everyone turned to when things went wrong and was known for his reliability, energy, and relentless drive. Year after year, his team praised him for pushing them to achieve ambitious goals and his performance reviews always glowed with words like dependable and high achieving. He seemed to embody the definition of leadership potential.

So, when I started to work with him, it was interesting to hear he’d hit a roadblock. Despite working harder than ever, and feeling exhausted in the process, George’s effort wasn’t translating into the same results. He felt drained, frustrated, and confused about his leadership identity and what had led to the change. Eventually, he decided to ask the question that he had been thinking about for months: “What am I missing?”

George’s story is familiar. You may have felt similar in the past or know someone who has experienced these same feelings. Many leaders find themselves at this point, not because they are no longer capable, but because the leadership landscape has evolved, leaving them to adapt or get left behind.

Using self-awareness to discover leadership potential

In the past, reliability, energy, and drive defined leadership success, but reality is that they are no longer enough on their own. Today’s leaders are navigating complexity, ambiguity, and constant change while looking for answers that are not always clear. At the same time, teams are looking for connection, empathy, and authenticity as much as direction.

This point, the point George now finds himself at, is where true leadership potential can be realized. The key is self-awareness. It is not just about understanding what we do, but considering the impact our behavior can have on others and being able to see things from others’ perspectives and not just our own.

Talogy’s global leadership research found leaders who take a people-centered leadership approach make employees feel more positive emotions and were also rated as more effective leaders by them. Doing this requires authenticity and openness and draws on the principles of emotional intelligence (EI). Leaders should understand and live by their own values while also managing their personality and behavior through self-awareness and EI.

3 ways to maximize leadership insights

There are many approaches, including the use of psychometrics or simulations, to help leaders understand their own feelings and behaviors, but the key to unlocking leadership potential is how this insight is then applied. Leaders often understand the importance of self-awareness but struggle to translate that into action, especially in the oh-so-familiar fast-moving, high-pressure environments they often find themselves in.

This is where feedback and developmental conversations play a part in creating the space to transform self-knowledge into real growth. In order to make the most out of these insights and conversations to truly uncover leadership potential, they should keep these three tips in mind:

• Stay curious: Take time to consider how internal drivers shape decisions, reactions, and impact. It’s about leaders understanding who they are at their best, but also how they show up under pressure and uncertainty. This deeper level of reflection enables sustainable, authentic leadership development, which is key to making conscious choices, not reactive ones.
• Test assumptions that have served them well, until now: Like George, high achievers often rely on long-standing strengths that have worked for them before. In a developmental discussion, leaders have the safe space to challenge these assumptions to realize if these behaviors are still the best way to lead, or if they need to adjust their strategy.
• Translate insight into practice: The feedback conversation is a great start, but leaders who unlock the most potential put that into action and look for small moments to apply their learning. They are deliberate in experimenting with their insights and refine their approach with subtle, but impactful steps.

In my experience of working with leaders, when they create the space for this kind of reflection with a trusted expert, they open themselves up to new approaches, possibilities, and a clearer view of the strengths they already have in their toolkit. So, when things start to feel like they did for George – stuck and frustrated – these conversations offer the perspective to re-evaluate and move forward in this ever-changing, complex world of work that leaders are expected to seamlessly navigate.

The key to achieving full leadership potential

Holding a leadership role has always had its fair share of challenges, but the current climate may be the most unique and difficult to navigate in recent history. By acknowledging this, working to tailor their leadership style to better guide their teams, and giving themselves grace to learn and adjust as they go, leaders give themselves the best opportunity to reach their true potential. For George, this made all the difference.

Through exploring his values, motivations, and patterns under pressure, George began to see his strengths in a new light and understand which habits were helping him and which were holding him back. With some small, deliberate shifts in how he delegated, connected with his team, and managed his own expectations, George began to feel lighter and more in control. He didn’t become a different leader – he became a more intentional version of himself.

Ultimately, unlocking leadership potential isn’t about transforming yourself into a new person; it’s about understanding yourself deeply enough to lead at your best, especially when the context around you changes. And it’s often the psychological safety created by a skilled facilitator that helps leaders have those honest, reflective conversations which are transformative to turn insight into meaningful action.

Dive into this guide to discover:

• Identity-based leadership: Discover the significance of resilience, compassion, focus, and agility and understand why these qualities form the foundation of successful leaders.
• The role of agility and empowerment: Understand how to manage stress and pressure in the changing workplace by leading with agility and empowerment.
• The six essential leadership qualities: Take a deep dive into the six core leadership qualities every leader must master to navigate and thrive in the rapidly changing professional environment.

Download the guide now and unleash your organization’s full potential today.