Tips When You Think Size Matters to Your Leadership

“Size matters” she muttered to herself exasperated as she looked in the mirror for the umpteenth time while getting ready for her day, which knowingly involved the weekly meeting that she led. She’d risen through the ranks and knew that deep down she had something to offer her team, but speaking in front of them made her pit out every time. “If only I was the perfect size, then I could speak confidently in front of my team and say all the things that I know they need to hear to be equipped, empowered, encouraged, and successful. Maybe someday I will be,” she thought to herself as she smoothed her clothes one more time in hopes of try to come off as the perfect size.

As a leader, you’re thrust up in front of others much more so then you are when you aren’t leading.  And if you’ve ever struggled with your body image, then you know that this can be an uncomfortable aspect of leadership.  Based on the number of conversations I have with both male and female leaders about this issue, it is way more common than you might imagine.  I can think of leaders of every body type imaginable from thin to short to tall to full-figured to having lots of hair to thinning hair that have struggled with the lie that “size matters.”

So, when your body image issues are flaring up and getting in the way of you leading confidently and effectively, let me encourage you with 4 tips to keep in mind. 'Cause here's the reality: there's no one perfect size for leading confidently and effectively.

PeopleDon’t See Your Flaws

You know all those things that you’ve wished were different about your body over the years, because, well, doesn’t size matter after all? Your butt, your hair, your height, your weight, your chest size, and on and on? Well, no one else sees them. It’s true. At least no one sees them as you do. Those that you lead see you as a package. They see all that you have to offer to the world. They don’t nitpick your body apart like you do when you’re standing in front of a mirror.

So, when you’re struggling with your body image, don't spend more time in front of the mirror then you have to and remind yourself that your team sees you for you and all that you are!

No OneThinks Their Body is Perfect

Here’s thetruth, no one thinks their body is perfect. Everybody from the incredibly fitto those wanting to shed pounds has wished at some point that there was somethingthey could change about their body. No one thinks their body is perfect.

Somepeople have simply come to peace with their body and love it for what it is,rather than despising it for what it isn’t. Even those people that you findyourself comparing your body to, the people you think look perfect, well, theydon’t think their body is perfect either. It’s all in the eye of the beholder.

I love what Taylor Swift (who went from a size 00 to a size 6) had to say about body image issues in her latest Netflix documentary. For her, if she wanted her butt to be bigger, it meant getting stronger and gaining weight and then her stomach wasn’t what others wanted it to be and people wondered if she was pregnant...

When we buy society’s lie that “size matters” and we hold up visions of perfect next to ourselves in the mirror, we’ll fall short every time. Remember, no one thinks their body is perfect, self-confident people simply are satisfied in their own skin and are thankful for what their body can do and is!

DiscoverYour Secret Sauce

Every one of us has some feature or trait that empowers us and emboldens us to feel confident in our own skin. For me personally, the stronger I feel physically, the more confident I feel in my own skin. So, even though I’m a triathlete and focus on endurance sports, I love incorporating lifting into my workouts because the stronger I feel, the more confident I feel in my own skin. How about you? What about you makes you feel like you could walk into any room and address it like you were ready to take over the world?

Reach Outand Get Another Perspective

Now, if you are super self-conscious such that it continuously gets in the way of you having the confidence to lead well in front of others, then find a personal style coach that can help you find clothes and a style that is flattering on you, and to you.  Sometimes I think half the battle is simply knowing what works with our body types and that’s not necessarily something you learned growing up.

Sadly, appropriateappearances are so homogenous in our societies, especially in leadership.I see hints that this is starting to shift, but until it really does shift acrosssocieties, enlisting the perspective of someone who works with all body typesand knows how to help you feel more comfortable in your own skin could be a greatinvestment.

Ultimately, accepting the body you were given and seeing it for all it’s worth is key to your self-confidence rising, and you facing leading from the front with confidence and courage! You might still hit bumps along the way, but don’t let your size stand in the way of you being the kind of leader that your team is waiting for. There is no “one size fits all” for leadership anyway.

If you’ve ever struggled with your body image and it’s gotten in the way of you confidently leading, I’d love to hear from you!

• What’s the biggest insight you’re taking away?
• What’s something you can do right now to bring the best version of yourself to your team?