The most effective leaders are “human leaders:” leading with empathy, vulnerability, and authenticity. But many still adhere to the outdated myth that leaders must be “superhero leaders: infallible, unflappable, and fearless." Tragically, their innate ability to inspire remains locked within, blunting their impact.
In The Unlocked Leader veteran executive leadership coach Hortense le Gentil combines real life stories, rigorous research, and practical tools to explain how superhero leaders can become effective human leaders. You’ll discover:
· How to identify the mental obstacles that stand between you and leadership authenticity, and sap your energy and impact - your mindtraps.
· How to confront your fears and escape those traps by operating a mindshift.
· Practical strategies to better connect with yourself and others - a mindbuild.
The journey from superhero leader to human leader not only transforms the lives of leaders themselves - both at work and beyond. It also makes a profound and lasting difference in the lives of people around them and the organizations they lead. This is how human leaders make an impact and shine their light in the world: by changing the way they connect with themselves and other people, they start a chain reaction that reverberates throughout their organizations and beyond them, because we are all part of interconnected networks of human relationships.
An indispensable leadership manual for people who wish to lead not just with their heads, but with their heart and soul as well, The Unlocked Leader belongs on the bookshelves of leaders and aspiring leaders at all levels looking for a fresh new perspective on effective, powerful leadership in service of something bigger than themselves.
Table of Contents
Foreword by Jim Citrin
Acknowledgments
INTRODUCTION: The Fear of Being Human9
A New Business Environment and New Expectations
The Sum of All Fears
How to Become a Human Leader
PART 1: MINDTRAP - Identify Your Lock
Chapter 1. When the keys to past success get in your way: how mindsets become mindtraps
The Birth of a Mindtrap
Cul de Sac
How well do you know yourself?
Chapter 2. Uncover your inner obstacles: which mindtrap is holding you back?
The long shadow of trauma
What is a Trauma?
Inherited trauma
How do you define your identity?
Are You Wearing the Right “Suit”?
The Consequence of Mindtraps
Chapter 3. Find the source of your mindtrap: whose voice is it?
The Voice of Authority
When behavior speaks louder than words
The Power of the Collective
Which voice do you listen to?
PART 2: MINDSHIFT - Free Your Voice
Chapter 4. How we can change our mindset: the stories we tell ourselves
Finding Order in Chaos
The Master Filter
The Meaning Making Machine
The Space and Time Traveler
The Human Connection
The gap between who we are and how we are perceived
The “Gandhi neurons”
Chapter 5. See yourself differently: a view from outside the frame
Hitting the Wall
The Gift of External Perspective
Your immediate environment
The power of words
The Professional Guide
Open your Ears, Eyes and Mind85
Chapter 6. Challenge your beliefs: is it true, relevant, or helpful today?89
Truth Be Told
Claire
Andrew
Hortense
Is it relevant?
David
Buddha
Mateo
Is it still helpful?
Andrew
Claire
Chapter 7. Challenge your fears: three strategies to “do it anyway”
See the Gift in Crises
Find Your Boosters
Take One Step at a Time
Chapter 8. Let it go: three ways to make peace with the past
Let Go
Walter
Andrew
Rewrite Your Story
Time travel
PART 3: MINDBUILD - Lead With Empathy
Chapter 9. Define your identity as a human leader
Understand what drives you
From Personal to Collective Purpose
Write Your Eulogy
Imagine your future self
Back to the future
Identify your role models
The Other Benefits of Flexing Your Imagination
Chapter 10. Empower your inner leader: four practices to better connect with yourself
Staying on the Right Path
Self-care for the soul
Draw from a bank of positive memories
Practice Gratitude
Learn to protect yourself and recharge
Chapter 11. Become a new leader: four practices to better connect with others
Learn to listen more and speak last
Cultivate Your Empathy
Practice and roleplay conversations
Learn to set and maintain new boundaries
CONCLUSION: The New Leader
Index
