Staying True to Your Vision: Navigating Environmental Influences on Leadership

Our leadership doesn't occur in a vacuum. Every day, we interact with and are influenced by our surrounding environment. This environment shapes our perceptions and, by extension, our behaviours. But what happens when these external influences start pulling us away from the kind of leader we aspire to be? 

As leaders we are continually interpreting cues and feedback from our surroundings, both consciously and subconsciously. How we perceive our environment, whether as competitive, supportive, hostile, or collaborative, and how much control we feel we have to change or influence that environment, can significantly dictate our behavioural responses. For instance, perceiving a threat from competitive peers might trigger defensive leadership tactics where this would not be our usual way of operating.

Our brains are wired to help us adapt and survive in our environments. The reticular activating system (RAS), a network of neurons located in our brainstem, plays a crucial role in mediating how we perceive our environment and what we pay attention to. As a leader if we perceive that what is valued in our environment is competition and out doing each other, our RAS will become primed to see competition and threats, this could lead to missed opportunities for collaboration and positive engagement.

When it comes to our behaviours, our perceptions can mean we adapt our behaviours, sometimes without conscious thought. This can happen in various ways, increased assertiveness, protective measures over resources, or even withdrawing from interactions to reduce exposure to perceived risks. While this might provide short-term benefits, they are not a long-term strategy and can cause us to drift from our intended path and core values if left unchecked.

So how do we tune in to our environmental influences and how we might be adapting our behaviours?  Start here:

• regularly reflect on your actions and decisions to identify the influence of environmental factors. Dig down into what is really driving your behaviours and decisions.
• Feedback from diverse sources within and outside your organisation can provide a different view on how environmental factors are influencing your leadership. It  provides insights into how our actions are perceived, shining a light on unconscious adaptations.

What happens when we start to identify a drift from a certain influence?  Here’s how to get back on track with being the kind of leader you want to be:

• continually revisit and realign with your core values. Workshops and coaching can serve as valuable tools to ensure your actions are consistently in line with your principles.
• Identify what kind of leader you want to be and the behaviours that support that style.  Develop actionable steps to address identified environmental pressures and outline proactive behaviours to counteract drift.
• Find your tribe.  Cultivating a network of like-minded leaders can provide the support we need to maintain our vision. These networks can offer encouragement, advice, and a sounding board when we are facing challenging environments.

The ability to recognise and adapt to environmental influences is a key skill for leaders, but it’s equally important to ensure you do not drift from your true leadership vision. By bringing awareness to how you perceive and respond to your environment and taking proactive steps to align how you respond with your core values, you can lead authentically and effectively, no matter the circumstances.