CMD 013: How To Lead When You Don’t Fit In, with Shannon Johnston
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Hosted by: Greg Harrod
In This Episode
Do you feel like you don’t quite fit in? Maybe it’s in your workplace or even in your family. But, you’re just not what other people are expecting you to be.
This may discourage you at times as you strive to build your career and be a successful leader. If it does, this episode will be an encouragement to you.
Visual artist, professor, and experienced leader, Shannon Johnston, returns to talk about how to lead when you don’t fit in.
And, she’s got the credibility from being a successful leader while rarely fitting in throughout her life and career.
From military bases to mission fields, academia, and the contemporary art culture, Shannon just doesn’t fit the stereotypes.
But, as she explains this has been a benefit to her and to the teams she’s built and led. And, her uniqueness has been especially encouraging and helpful to other team members who also aren’t like the other people in the group.
Today’s Guest
Shannon Johnston
In addition to being an artist, Shannon Johnston identifies as a daughter, sister, friend, introvert, teacher, student, feminist, collector, maker, consumer, and nail-biter. All of this informs her creative practice.
It is engagement within and reflection upon community, both large and small, that ground Johnston’s practice. Repetition, generosity, and regeneration drive her making. Collection that borders compulsion builds her palette and ritual forms her process.
Shannon holds a Masters of Fine Arts in Painting from Wichita State University. She currently lives in Wichita, KS with her husband where she is Assistant Professor of Art and Director of Steckline Gallery at Newman University.
You’ll Learn
3 Fundamental Career Skills from Today’s Guest
1. Honor the differences
Find the thing that makes you different and the thing that makes someone else different. Embrace both of those and see it as a learning opportunity.
2. Get comfortable being uncomfortable
This has been said before, but it’s worth repeating because it takes practice to get comfortable being uncomfortable. Don’t walk away from uncomfortable situations.
Leading people is going to make every leader uncomfortable at some point.
3. Recognize the power of being different
Being the “odd ball out” is a position of privilege and power. As the person who is not quite like everyone else, you are uniquely positioned to serve as a bridge to connect people.
Links and Resources from this Episode
Shannon Johnston’s website (with more photos from The Scarf Project).
Shannon is @Shannie2345 on Instagram.
Connect Mobilize Deliver episode 3: Connecting Through A Weird Piece Of Art, with Shannon Johnston
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Thank You
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Let’s lead with kindness and confidence.
Greg
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