Unapologetically authentic Jill Nykoliation on leadership & communication

Introducing the Unapologetically Authentic Jill Nykoliation

Are you an AUTHENTIC LEADER?

If you haven’t had a chance yet, please listen to Part 1 of my interview with JILL NYKOLIATION. Jill’s growth mindset, her candour, her self-awareness and her focus on creating a positive working environment for her team is truly exemplary.

Jill Nykoliation

I have two words to describe Jill:

“Unapologetic
AUTHENTICITY”

Jill doesn’t label herself as “authentic,” but her actions certainly are! Her inclination to do what feels right, instead of following the mass, is what propelled her career ascension and it’s what makes her such a successful leader.

Read on to learn three ways Jill shared that we can all “up our leadership and our communication game” by being unapologetically AUTHENTIC…

1️⃣ AUTHENTICITY = KNOWING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND

JiIl “leads from the feminine.” This is authentic and unique to Jill, an important part of her personal brand.
When we communicate in a way that’s authentic to our unique personal brand, we can elevate everyone’s performance. JiIl said that when she identified and leveraged her unique personal brand, not only did her own performance improve but so did her team’s. Authenticity is contagious.

Authentically Jill

2️⃣ AUTHENTICITY = COMPASSION & VULNERABILITY

Certainly, some leaders are “guarded.” They hide their compassion, their vulnerability and their feelings. By doing so, they encourage their teams to do the same.
Authenticity enables compassion and vulnerability, two leadership traits that are particularly significant when leading through crises such as a pandemic. When leaders share their compassion and vulnerability, their teams feel safe to do the same.
Despite her senior team’s caution, Jill names her feelings. Name it and deal with it! (See Jill’s LinkedIn posts where she names her feelings of “monotony” and of “languishing.”)

3️⃣ AUTHENTICITY = HOW WE OVERCOME IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Yes, even Jill suffered from imposter syndrome! It wasn’t until one of her partners labelled it that she did something about it. What did she do? It took some work, but she leaned in to her unique, authentic personal gift, her ability to identify and articulate insights.
The next time you catch yourself feeling like an imposter, focus on that thing that comes naturally for you. That thing that gets you compliments. That skill that you take for granted that others may find challenging. Focus on that thing that authentically sets you apart, and make it your superpower.