Time and time again we are reminded that there is no one right way of leading. What\u2019s
in the books might not be for you, and what\u2019s deemed as the \u2018correct\u2019 way is too often
turning women away from leading. It not just about a set of guidelines follow, it\u2019s about
who you are and finding a way to lead that works for you
The Women Emerging methodology guides you to discover and define what leading
means to you regardless of how you may have thought of it or observed it done. The
map, developed in 2022 by 24 women from diverse backgrounds and captured in Julia
Middleton\u2019s book \u201cIf that\u2019s leading, I\u2019m in\u201d, includes 4E\u2019s: Essence, Elements,
Expression and Energy.
Essence, the first E, defines us and shapes how we lead. It is the centre circle in
our map, as it fundamentally shapes how we approach leading, and it roots the
Energy generated. For more details on Essence, read this.
In this blog, we are going to describe the second E in our map: Elements.
Elements is how your Essence shows up in how you are leading. While your
Essence will frame who you are, your Elements will show how your Essence
unfolds when you lead. For example, if Motherness is a part of your Essence it
could show up in 2 Elements; nurturing and fierceness.
During the First Expedition, explorers uncovered four groups of Elements:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
1. Jettison:<\/strong> Consciously discarding unhelpful Elements. Examples from Julia
   Middleton\u2019s book \u201cIf that\u2019s leading, I\u2019m in\u201d include ignoring self, minimizing
   oneself, the \u2018good girl\u2019 mindset, seeking a seat at the table, falling for flattery, and
   feeling “enough.”<\/li>\n\n\n\n
2. Reframe:<\/strong> Changing how you view certain traits. For example, instead of seeing
   imposter syndrome as negative, consider how it might keep you grounded and
   open to feedback.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
3. Find:<\/strong> This is about the most crucial Element of all, purpose. It\u2019s an Element that
   should never be jettisoned and if it is to be reframed, it should be done so only
   with extreme care. You must be clear on why you are leading in order to lead in
   the best possible way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
4. Combine:<\/strong> Integrating different Elements to enhance each other, rather than
   balancing them as trade-offs. For example, humble and visible. Both seemingly
   opposites and contradictory, but success lies in their combining.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

   The first action to take is jettison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Elements that get in the way of your leading they are unhelpful are the first ones that
   you know you must jettison. The dictionary meaning of jettison is to throw or drop
   something (from an aircraft) and that\u2019s what the Women Emerging asks you to do with
   Elements that you don\u2019t need. For example one Element that everyone in the first
   expedition agreed upon jettisoning, was \u2018the sense of not being enough.\u2019 How many
   times have you added the word enough unnecessarily at the end of a sentence? Is this
   good\u2026 enough? Am I thin\u2026 enough? Sweet enough? Polite enough? Strong enough?
   Ambitious enough? But what is it to be \u2018enough\u2019 and who defines it? Elements like
   enough don\u2019t contribute positively to our being or to our leading. The sooner we
   recognize them and discard them, the better it becomes for our leadership.
   Julia\u2019s book, \u201cIf that\u2019s leading, I\u2019m in\u201d, describes various Elements that explorers from
   the First Expedition identified to be jettisoned. However, these Elements can be
   different for different women and something that explorers discover when they go on an
   expedition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   The second action to take with your Elements, is \u2018reframe.\u2019 Reframing, simply put, is to
   change or shift your perspective on how you have considered a certain Element. Maybe
   there is one that you have always been told was negative but maybe it isn’t. Let\u2019s take
   the example of imposter syndrome. Thousands of women, feel the imposter syndrome.
   Do they belong where they are? Can they lead in an area without being hesitant? What
   if they don\u2019t know enough!<\/strong> Imposter syndrome has always been coined as a bad thing.
   But the explorers on the First Expedition began to peel off the many layers of imposter
   syndrome only to realise that it isn\u2019t all that bad. They discovered that when you reframe
   imposter syndrome it brings humility in your leading, allowing you to be open to own up
   the space where you are leading and yet keep you grounded.
   
   Reframing might require pushing back on certain social norms and expectations, but
   that\u2019s where the transformative work of the expedition<\/a> comes in!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Let\u2019s come to the final step of sorting Elements: combining. Combining is one of
   the more time consuming and complex actions, especially compared to
   jettisoning, for example. As mentioned above, there is emphasis on combining
   and it does not equate to balancing. There is no this versus that \u2013 both qualities
   appear at the same time, but their amounts may vary. It\u2019s a unique take as the
   Elements seem to clash or are often incompatible. Let\u2019s take a closer look at two
   of the Elements the explorers from the First Expedition chose to combine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   Empathy and Distance<\/strong>
   Empathy:<\/em> Empathy is crucial for understanding and relating to others’
   experiences and emotions. It’s essential in addressing trauma and building
   meaningful connections. Distance: While empathy fosters connection, distance is
   necessary to maintain objectivity and make tough decisions. Distance helps
   leaders manage their own emotional responses and focus on what\u2019s best for the
   team or cause, even if it means facing unpopularity.
   
   Combining the two:<\/em> The key to effectively leading lies in p combination of these
   two Elements. Empathy should guide interactions and decision-making, while
   distance ensures they remain objective and focused on long-term goals. It
   requires regular self-assessment, sensitivity to others’ needs, and a willingness
   to make difficult choices when necessary.
   
   Folawe, in her podcast, shares her journey as a leader who wanted to love and
   be loved to one who learned to balance empathy with the need for distance in
   decision-making.
   
   There are many dimensions to how Elements manifest in leadership. Julia\u2019s book
   explores these intricacies, showing how each Element, like empathy and
   distance, has both its strengths and potential pitfalls.
   
   Understanding and mastering your Elements involves more than just recognising
   them; it requires jettisoning the ones that are not helping you, reframing the
   Elements that you have perceived as being negative, combining opposite
   Elements and most importantly finding your purpose to lead. Women Emerging
   provides a structured approach to this through its expeditions. Over a 7-month
   period, explorers participate in conversation, self-reflection, and group
   discussions, gaining insights into how to uncover their 4E\u2019s, i.e. Essence,
   Elements, Expression and Energy.
   
   These expeditions will help you to evolve as you grow as a leader. Women
   Emerging supports this journey with resources like curated audio snippets,
   podcast episodes, and written resources to help you explore and refine your
   Elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

   For those seeking a more individualised experience, Women Emerging will soon
   offer solo expeditions. This expedition option provides a flexible and personal
   path for those who prefer to explore their Elements, and the rest of their 4Es, at
   their own pace.
   In our next blog, we will explore the third E i.e. Expression. If you have questions
   about the 4Es or if you would like to join an expedition, click here.<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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