Who Are You? From the Words of a King

I recently saw the Oscar-nominated movie The King’s Speech and thought it had such a captivating story that I went to see it a second time. One of the remarkable things about this movie is how it speaks to a central message for all aspiring leaders. It is essentially about bridging the gap between who you think you are and who you want to be.

Set in the 1930s, The King’s Speech tells the intriguing story of how Britain’s King George VI rose to the throne while battling a debilitating speech impediment. It may sound trivial but public speaking is notorious for being the thing people most fear doing and then imagine a national leader in the era when public speaking was exploding into the new world of radio! King George, also known as Bertie to his family, struggled with stuttering his entire life as a result of a wicked nanny and restrictions put on him by his royal family. Watching his attempts to speak publicly is absolutely heart breaking. Eventually, he came to believe that he could never be king “without a voice.” 

I don’t want to spoil the film for you if you haven’t seen it yet, but he reached out and, with great trepidation, found a speech therapist who helped him find his authentic voice, but more importantly, helped him to see that the only thing in his way of being the king was his belief in himself. 

Who Are You?

All of us need to be clear about where we get our sense of identity, who we really are now, and who we want to be.  Then, we just need to figure out how to be that true self.  One of my favorite scenes in the movie speaks to this point. In 1939, King George had to deliver a live radio broadcast declaring that Britain was at war with Germany.  It was crucial that he sound confident and demonstrate that he could lead his nation “through the darkness and back into the light.” With guidance and support from his speech therapist, he delivered the speech clearly and courageously and in doing so- spoke with his authentic voice. In that defining moment, he bridged the gap between who he always thought he was and who he wanted and needed to be.

When coaching leaders in this process, I share with them that there a few fundamental things you can do to find your real identity – the person you want to be that represents your greatest potential, capabilities, and power. 

As subtle as it sounds, getting clear on your “own” identity is key.   It’s amazing but when I ask people who they are, they normally respond in terms of how others view them. “People say I’m creative and a good problem solver.”  Then I challenge them and say, “I really don’t want to know how others see you but who “you” think you are.”  This is often difficult for people. And yet, I have found that the most satisfied and energized people – those who are really good at what they do – have a true sense of their own identity. When taking on new opportunities or greater leadership responsibility, you might want to step back and take a moment to consider the following questions that can begin to help you shape your own sense of identity:

1. What does your past tell you about yourself? Where have you been successful? What made you feel satisfied? When have you felt really good about yourself?  Who were you with and what were you doing?  What are you really proud about?
2. What have others told you about yourself that you feel is still valid today? What is no longer true about you? What do they appreciate about you? Where do they think you “shine?”
3. If you could create a new identity for yourself, what would it be? If you weren’t concerned about what happened in your past or what others thought of you, what would you change to be the person you really want to be now? What would you stop doing or start doing or just do more of? (And, believe me- you can change more than you think you can!) Or, if you like the person you are, how can you make that person even better?
4. Who can help you?  Like King George VI, finding the right mentor is a short cut to success! Find someone you respect and trust and then begin to shape your future.

As I have always said, what holds us back from being the best we can be – our true self- starts within ourselves.  Bottom line, invest in yourself and take some time to decide who you want to be…and then go for it!

To find out how SHAMBAUGH can help shape your leadership and identity, please visit www.shambaughleadership.com to learn more about SHAMBAUGH’s leadership development and coaching services.

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