Welcome to episode 39 of The Executive Edge with Olivia Carter. Olivia came on the podcast so that we could talk about a number of issues we both feel we see as coaches

Top of the list was ‘comparisonitis’ as she liked to call it. She feels many of us compare our success to that of other people, and inevitably feel we come up short in some way.

Olivia also talked about introverted, quieter leaders and that knowing your own style and playing to your own strengths, is the way to be. So many of us realise we are different but don’t feel comfortable with being different.  Instead of recognising that being a leader is not a ‘one size fits all’. Being quieter can be commanding, charismatic or influential. Yet we often struggle to accept ourselves and instead resort to being too quiet if there is such a thing!

What else did she say?

Olivia likened being quieter with someone having a certain number of tokens in their pocket. Each significant event in a day using one of the tokens so if you have 5 it’s essential to pace your day so that you don’t ‘give these away’ too quickly or feel spent too early. It’s as if the tokens represent energy and we all have a finite amount of that. Extroverts though seem to thrive on energy in the room or around them but that isn’t easy for everyone

What else?

Olivia has helped a number of people both using her skill as a counsellor in the past and understanding the corporate world now. Unleashing your voice in meetings and being yourself particularly if you struggle with imposter syndrome, or influencing others, is important. It can be tough to feel ok in your own skin she and I have both found we can alter this for people. It’s all about identity and adjusting your expectations.