Episode 166 - Chris Rollins | Igniting Your Leadership Superpowers: Creating Safe Spaces Through Authenticity and a People First Approach

Are you committed to leading with a people first approach? Do you want to unleash your authentic leader? Are you ready to empower your own leadership?

Our special guest Chris Rollins answers these and other questions about leadership, the LBGTQ+ community, leading people first and empowering your authentic and powerful leadership.

Chris Rollins is a purpose-driven leadership and executive coach who works with leaders – especially in the LGBTQ+ community – to experience new levels of growth, success and fulfillment. Chris is passionate about working with leaders to find their own voice and style so they can lead with purpose and authenticity. He’s particularly skilled at creating a safe space where his clients can experience meaningful transformation to drive positive business results. He’s worked with clients across industries and functions and is particularly inspired by coaching leaders who adopt a “people-first” approach.

Before working as a coach, Chris spent a decade in corporate America. He first honed his craft in sales before rising through the leadership ranks at a digital marketing research company in the customer success function. He then leveled up to an internally focused role as SVP of Organizational Development where he served on the executive team as a trusted partner to the CEO. When living and leading from his essence, Chris embodies compassion, intimacy, love, joy and peace.

The Leadership Junkies Podcast is brought to you by Cardivera.com.

Show Notes

Episode highlights…

What it means to create safe spaces for people and why it matters
Unique challenges for the LBGTQ+ community as leaders
Understanding the multiple pursuits of safety in the LBGTQ+ community
Bridging differences through the authentic pursuit of connection
The role of intersectionality in understanding differences and building a strong DEI culture
Ways that survival mode (not feeling safe) keeps people from their full power, authenticity and impact
Importance of seeing critical leadership traits as anything but soft
The impact of being in your threat state in your leadership
The value of people first leadership and its impacts
The need for bringing more compassion, kindness, vulnerability and authenticity to the workplace
Understanding the intersection of empathy and compassion in leadership
Differently understanding being kind and being nice
Critical role of authentic conversations in leadership
The trouble with performance improvement plans (getting past the policy and process)
The difference between agreements and expectations (and why it matters)
Beware the huge blind spot of self-protection (often unconscious)
Ways that a people first mindset is becoming the norm in the workforce
Understanding and navigating the shifting workforce (e.g. the Great Resignation)
Get clear in who you are as a leader and be willing to authentically live and lead that way
Self-reflection is the foundation of leadership