Michelle Moore discussed leadership potential and conscientiousness at Oakland University’s Alumni Association (OUAA) webinar series. The seminar was held virtually on the Alumni Engagement website, a “webinar series [that] brings the expertise of industry-leading professionals right to your home in an easily accessible virtual setting,” OUAA says on its website.
Moore is “an award-winning leadership coach, author, speaker and educator voted as one of the ‘UK’s 50 Most Influential Women in Sport,’” she writes on her website. Known for the keynote speeches she delivers and the events she has chaired for the United Nations and House of Lords, Moore often uses her career in sports to provide examples of how she has persevered through challenges and grown not only as an individual but as a leader.
This specific webinar, “How to Discover the Conscious Leader in You,” focused on the tools and tactics required to become a leader. Moore revolved her entire seminar around “the four main building blocks of self-awareness, mindset mastery, resilience and being a changemaker,” Moore said.
She expanded on each of these pillars, adding anecdotes on how she had struggled with achieving each one throughout her life. Moore used her previous running career to explain how she took on the “mindset mastery” aspect. She realized she could only focus on her own performance since focusing on what her adversaries were doing would be a waste of potential.
Moore stated how quieting one’s insecurities and “inner critic” can be another incredibly difficult challenge. She advised the attendees to “quiet the voice and the volume of your inner critic.” The ability to know when to show empathy and understanding and when to detach ourselves for our own health is a balance that can aid in ignoring one’s critiques of oneself, Moore explained.
“Self-compassion is us talking to ourselves as we would to our friend,” Moore said. The ability to have patience with oneself opens up an immense amount of opportunities for the future. Moore acknowledged that being more self-compassionate can be intimidating, but once that fear is accepted one can grow more brave. “I talk about self-compassion as the way to lead you to more confidence,” Moore said.
The speaker added personal tips as well, one of them being the three M’s. The ones she applies to leadership are that of engaging in Mindfulness, Movement and Mindsets every day to build our resilience.
“The most successful people do, ritualistically, activities that fall into those categories every day,” Moore said. “Progress is non-linear, it has constant ups and downs,” Moore said.
Also author of the book, “Real Wins,” Moore expanded on the subject of resilience and how it can be factored into various strategies of self-growth. However, She urged the necessity of taking care of oneself before anything else.
“Your resilience is the ability to bounce back from adversity,” Moore said. “It’s non-negotiable people, you have to ask yourself what you consistently need more of.”
Moore ended her webinar with affirmations that represent how much she believes in accepting one’s own fragilities and building character to complement them, to allow you to become a more conscious leader for yourself and those that look to you. Moore signed off with a smile and a farewell, “I’m rooting for all of your success.”
