The "engaging" leadership story

Research found four dominant themes of origin stories among leaders: being, engaging, performing, and accepting.

These themes act as lenses, contributing to how leaders see themselves.

Leaders who use this lens always thought of themselves as leaders. They admit to having a natural call to leadership that started in childhood.

In current leadership, people who use this lens often note personal qualities such as confidence, optimism, and natural leadershi...

Leaders who use this lens think their leadership rose out of the achievement of a particular position. They often feel protective and responsible for their teams.

They describe themselves as having paternalistic leadership styles, marked by the support, control, and guidan...

There is a strong link between the stories people tell about becoming leaders and their current leadership. Using only one lens could limit your ability.

• Seeing yourself only as accepting, your identity may be tied to others' perceptions, and you may hold back unless you're "asked" t...

Stories of origin come in many forms - how we became part of an organization, or how we emerged as a new person after a crisis.

However, we seldom examine what we include and exclude in those accounts and how our choices shape our present reality.

Leaders who use this lens didn't consider themselves as leaders until they realized others were following them. People came to them for answers, guidance, and support.

This group tends to supporting or serving the needs of others above themselves, often with a low-key atti...