Lolly Daskal created a unique system based on seven leadership archetypes—the rebel, the explorer, the truth teller, the hero, the inventor, the navigator, and the knight—drawing on her expertise researching human behavior in the context of business. The archetypes give a simple framework for greater self-awareness and personal development. For a leader who wants to maximize performance, knowing which role you play—when and why—is critical. Seeing yourself in each of these archetypes will allow you to capitalize on what you do amazingly well while also learning where and why you fail. Even the most talented executives face real "leadership gaps" that stymie their progress.
As leaders, we all have leadership gaps, and they're not always simple to spot since they're so tightly linked to the abilities and skills that push our success. However, great leadership is defined by humility and vulnerability, and confronting the reality of your shadow side is ultimately beneficial. The issue is that what formerly worked so brilliantly to accelerate their rise suddenly stops working. And the very characteristics that had previously served them well begin to work against them. Another illustrious career comes to a close. Another high-flying executive is quickly brought back to reality. This is a common blunder made by ambitious, high-achieving leaders. They've ascended to the highest levels based on what they know. However, there comes a point when people must reconsider everything and ask themselves: What is the difference between who I am and who I want to be, and do I know what I still need to learn?
The Gaps and the Seven Leadership Archetypes:
-
Rebel- motivated and driven by confidence.
a. Gap: The Imposter, who is so uneasy that their mind is doing havoc because of their self-doubt.
-
Explorer- is fueled by intuition
a. Gap: The Exploiter who manipulates you at every opportunity so you don't realize how powerless they are.
-
Truth Teller- embraces candor
a. Gap: The Deceiver, who is wary of everyone because they don't trust themselves to tell the truth.
-
Hero- has lots of courage
a. Gap: The Bystander, who is too afraid to be daring, too cautious to take a risk, and too careful to speak up.
-
Inventor- full of integrity
a. Gap: The Destroyer is a corrupt individual who would rather see brilliant ideas die than receive credit for them.
-
Navigator- trusts and is trusted
a. Gap: No one trusts the Fixer, who is haughty and a serial savior.
-
Knight- is loyal
a. Gap: The Mercenary who is self-serving and prioritizes his or her own demands over those of the team, company, or organization.
The Leadership Gap is built around the system that anyone can master and apply to their own leadership style and life. Leaders are encouraged to perceive themselves as successful individuals who are discovering their potential to be even better, rather than as failures who need to be rectified.