How do I get better?

Making room for the person you might be.

My conversation with the leaders I coach starts with a simple question, one that relates to ambition:

“What is it that you seek to do?”

Having got a sense, often unclear and vague, which is perfectly fine and probably expected, as it is their uncertainty that most likely led to this conversation, I will then follow up with:

“Who is it that you seek to be?”

We are making room for who the person might be. I thank Pippa Grange and her book ‘Fear Less’ for this powerful idea.

This thought came to mind when speaking to Dr Lauren Burns for Episode 004 of ‘In the Arena’. She epitomises both the idea and its reality.

Continuing our Olympics theme, Lauren was thrown into the public consciousness and spotlight when she won a gold medal in the Sydney 2000 Olympics in the sport of Taekwondo. As remarkable as her achievement was, the richness of her story is, in part, how unexpected it was given her upbringing as someone with no competitive sporting influences. As the daughter of a King of Pop father and ballerina mother, Lauren’s introduction to martial arts came via her brother’s obsession with the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, and from this unlikely place, greatness followed.

The many layers of her story further unfurl as she sought to make sense and meaning from the achievements of the great athletes with whom she shared her journey to excellence. Australian sporting legends such as Cathy Freeman, Ian Thorpe, and Layne Beachley. Her work and insights are now a PhD and the wisdom is powerful and accessible to all of us as we become both coaches and players of our own lives.

Leadership is not only something to do; it is something to be, but you must do the doing to be the being.

As a leader and coach, including the current and next generation of Olympians, Lauren believes there is never one ‘right’ answer and no perfect outcome. Life will always feel uncertain, which is most likely the most important skill you will learn.

We share the philosophy that we don’t coach to who the leader is now, but who the leader can be.

To embrace the expectations of your role, welcome pressure as a privilege, a right you have earned, and be energised by the opportunities it provides.

In listening to Lauren, I encourage you to see leadership (and learning) in a different way.

To see them as a craft.

It is a craft that you can leverage to build a personal game that is a full expression of who you are.

To see leadership as a ‘get to’ thing, not a ‘got to’ thing.

You ‘get to’ craft yourself and make your own art as Lauren did, not as an outcome-based pursuit but by following your imperfect path and, in doing so, making things better.

You then ‘get to’ play a role in the lives of others and help them to be better.

I was much better for this conversation with Dr Lauren Burns, as I am sure you will also be.

So pleased to welcome Dr Lauren Burns as our guest, ‘In the Arena’.

Enjoy!

Play on!

Cam