How You Can Develop the BEST Traits in Leadership

0:0010 years ago, I made the decision to build my personal brand that was elevated, yet approachable, and reflected who I was, not just what I did. I created my website with ShowIt because it's true drag-and-drop freedom, so you can easily build and update your site. Plus, their real human support team, game changer. Want to try it for yourself? Head to jasminestar.com forward slash showit for a 14-day free trial and first month free when you subscribe. I'm just going to say it. The people you lead notice everything. They notice when a leader is approachable and willing to listen. They notice when a leader is willing to admit making mistakes and then taking responsibility.

0:36They notice when a leader is open to feedback and to constantly learning. So use this to your advantage because you want people to be the same way, to Emily with themselves and other team members. They're learning how to act at work by watching you. Welcome back to the Jasmine Starr Show where we discuss business mindset and today leadership. Now I'm going to be the first to admit that when someone classifies me as a leader, it feels like I'm wearing a pair of shoes that are like three sizes too big. awkward, oversized, misappropriated. Okay, let me ask you a legit question. Have you ever worn shoes three sizes too big?

1:12Like, dude, I have. Okay, so this is a weird place to start this podcast, but I'm gonna find a way to loop it back in. Let me tell you the story. Back in the day, there was a shoe brand called LA Gear, and I thought it was the coolest brand to ever exist. As a girl born and bred in LA, those shoes felt like the pinnacle of coolness, and like you have arrived. I wanted a pair of LA Gear tennis shoes so bad, but I didn't want just any pair. I wanted an LA Gear Regulator, which is a shoe that all the boys were wearing at church. Okay, so these shoes, they had a basketball on the tongue of the shoe and it was a pump.

1:45Like, no, but really, like, it was a pump that you would use. You'd put your foot in and then you would pump it and you would tighten the shoe and then it would add air to the sole and around your foot. When I saw commercials or the regulator, my heart stopped and I wished for those shoes with every fiber in my body and being. Of course, my family couldn't afford the shoes and we shopped entirely at thrift stores. So I didn't even bother asking my parents for them because it just wouldn't have happened. And then one, one fine magical day, my mom was shopping at Pick and Save and there was a rack full of discounted shoes.

2:16Now I knew those shoes weren't cool anymore, but like I didn't care. I just wanted to own them. The problem was they only had men sizes and I was nine years old, but did that stop me? Oh no, no, it didn't. I begged my mom for the shoes and I swore I'm like, I'll be good. I'll do extra chores and I'll dedicate my future basketball career to you, mama. Let's go. So spending$29.99 on those shoes was beyond steep for my mom, but she knew I would remove them forever. I mean, here I am years later talking about them on a podcast. Oh, I put those shoes on before we walked out of pick and save. And despite like I pumped those shoes up so much, they just didn't fit.

2:52I didn't care. I didn't care at all. Those shoes slipped right off my heels every time I took a step, but I kept walking with my head held high, even when the boys at church made fun of me. But looking back at it, maybe that experience was teaching me how to step into shoes much bigger than I ever thought I could wear and somehow making it work. One of my favorite examples of a phenomenal, talented, and quite frankly, underrated leader of all time is famed baseball player, Jackie Robinson. I want to honor and share a little bit of his story in this episode since, I'm going to be honest, it was inspired by him and his very courageous leadership style, even if it was or was not his intention to be a leader at the beginning.

3:35So Jackie's legendary for breaking the color bearer in baseball, but he did it by not only doing that, but opening a lot of doors for many people behind him. He grew up when segregation was the norm in America. And despite facing numerous setbacks and obstacles, he thrived in both sports and he played academics at UCLA, my alma mater let's go Bruins well I was actually UCLA law but hi I can still tell being a Bruin because Jackie Robinson was there too let's go LA okay in fact Jackie Robinson made history as the first student to earn a letter in four varsity sports after serving in the military during World War II he began his professional baseball career in leagues that were just for black players but his talent caught the attention of Branch Rickey who was the GM of the Brooklyn Dodgers so you're seeing where this is going now, right?

4:24So in 1947, Ricky made the very historic decision to sign Robinson to a major league baseball contract and breaking baseball's color barrier. Now, I'm sure you can guess. He faced intense racism, discrimination, both on and off the field. He experienced verbal abuse, death threats, and physical violence, all while maintaining his composure and dignity. Now, of course, Jackie demonstrated common leadership qualities like resilience, adaptability, and determination to succeed. But I want to focus on underrated qualities he possessed and how we can learn to become better leaders from them. The four qualities Jackie Robinson had that I think are incredibly valuable and totally underrated are focus, courage, humility, and composure.

5:09Now here's how Jackie showed focus. He did not let the hate get to his head. Imagine the constant jabs and the threats. Robinson blocked them all out. He knew his goal. Play baseball at the highest level and break the racial barriers. He wouldn't. He couldn't let negativity from his haters sidetrack him. He kept his eye on the prize, both the game and the bigger mission. But he wasn't just focused on himself. He saw the future. A future where any athlete could play, judged by their skills, not by the color of their skin. That big picture, like that mission, that's what kept him going, even when things got really hard.

5:46Plus, on top of all of that, he never stopped pushing himself. He wasn't about to settle, not even with all that noise going on around him. He kept getting better, honing his skills, and he became a stronger player in the process. The more hate, the better he got. Now, the focus on improvement just wasn't about his game. It was about a message, a message of never giving up no matter what. So because he focused on his goal, his vision, and his improvement, he couldn't lose. Now, I feel like I need to see that again. Because he focused on his goal, his vision, and his improvement, he couldn't lose.

6:20So what does this look like for you and your business? Just like Jackie Robinson, you can become laser focused. Here's how. Number one, block off the noise. You can train yourself to tune out distractions. Identify your biggest focus killers, like maybe it's social media, your phone, other people, a messy workspace, whatever it is. Find ways to minimize them. Jackie was intentionally focused. So you can ask yourself, am I intentionally focused? If not, what can I do to change that? Number two, visualize your success. Robinson saw a future where baseball was integrated. Imagine your own goals on like a smaller or even a larger scale in vivid detail.

6:59What does success look like for you? Like even better, what does success look like for the world and the people around you, the people connected to you? When times get hard for me, I think of two people. I think of my grandmother and I think of my daughter. My Puerto Rican grandmother, who didn't have the opportunity to live out to her fullest potential, juxtaposed with my daughter, who I want more than anything to step into opportunities that I never had. I keep pushing to honor the past and I keep pushing to make ways for a better future. So now it's your turn. What does success look like for you and the world and the people connected to you?

7:34I want you to hold that image in your mind when challenges come up. They will help get you through. Number three, commit to continuous improvement. Jackie Robinson never stopped honing his skills. When he wasn't practicing, he was studying films and finding ways to get better, more mentally tough. So it's important to have the humility to constantly find new ways to grow and learn in your own field. Now, of course, I think it's valuable to take courses and read books and go to workshops, but I actually want you to take action. Action is what's going to get you to the next level. So here's a practical example of what I do for continuous improvement so you can find something similar in your line of business.

8:11So just like Jackie, I study recordings of presentations that I've given and I find ways to improve. I study my body language, my speed, how clearly and concisely I can convey my message. Okay, so we're going to move on to the second most underrated quality in leadership, which is courage. So here's how Jackie Robinson demonstrated courage. Well, first of all, he faced unimaginable adversity. Imagine trying to do your job. You're a photographer. You're a dog walker. You're a jewelry maker. You're a life coach. And then imagine trying to do all of that when you're already facing that level of insecurity.

8:45And then you have to go through constant hate, threats, violence coming from all angles. He just didn't face those challenges. He stared them down with unwavering courage. He refused to be intimidated. He refused to be silenced. So here's an example. When Jackie Robinson's team played the Phillies in 1947, the Phillies manager, Ben Chapman, relentlessly taunted him with Rachel slurs from the opposing dugout. Just imagine, there he is in the box holding a bat and somebody is saying the most vile, awful, terrible things. And he went on again and again and again on and on and on. But despite the overwhelming hostility from that team's manager, Jackie Robinson faced him, stood tall, and performed well, refusing to let those words, that hatred, determine or deter him from his mission.

9:41Secondly, he didn't back down from his convictions. Robinson believed in racial equality and the right for all athletes to compete fairly. He had the courage to stand by those beliefs, even when it meant putting himself at risk. And what might be the most important way he demonstrated courage as a leader, he inspired courage in others. His unshakable stance against racism inspired countless of others to speak up and fight for equality too. That's what a good leader does. A good leader will say, I'm going to say something uncomfortable. I'm going to say something unpopular and I'm going to keep on saying it.

10:12And the minute that I can withstand it and the minute I do it again, it will empower somebody to do it in a smaller, quieter level until so many of us are doing it that our voices cannot be ignored. So Jackie Robinson became a symbol of courage showing that even one person can make a huge difference. For example, he befriended and mentored other Black players who followed in his footsteps and faced similar challenges when they were breaking into professional baseball. Yo, by sharing his experiences and offering support and guidance, he empowered these players to confront adversity with courage and determination by saying, I've been there.

10:49Don't let him get to you. He just didn't open the door for them. He said, I'm walking alongside of you. So what does this mean for you? Like you as a business owner, you know what it's like to face down adversity in your own way. So what does adversity look like for you? I hope it is my greatest, deepest prayer that you do not face any of the adversity, specifically racial as you are building your business. So if we were to put that aside, assuming that in this great, beautiful, mighty country, you don't have to face that. But let's just take away and look at, let's just say a competitor, swoops in and they're making a lot of noise, the market shifts, regulations change, and it feels like the ground is constantly moving under your feet.

11:32That's adversity. We've all been there. But here's the thing. Robinson just didn't face hate. He faced a whole system stacked against him, but he didn't let that stop him. That's the kind of courage you need as a great leader. It's not about being fearless. It's about staring down challenges and saying, bring it on. I'm here and I'm not going anywhere. When you say this is my move to make, you will then make bold moves on purpose. So you don't need to cower in defense. In fact, I hope that you step up. I hope that you own your offense being like in kind, good, gracious order, I'm going to stand my ground.

12:09Because once you start making courageous moves in your business, you're going to notice a shift in momentum. Even your team or people who are connected to you in some capacity, they're going to feel empowered to take ownership and start pushing boundaries too. They will follow your lead. Okay, let's move on to the next underrated quality in leadership, and that's humility. So why is humility such an underrated leadership quality? Think of humility as the bridge between a leader and the people they're leading. Despite breaking racial barriers and becoming a baseball legend, Robinson never let his achievements go to his head.

12:42His humility allowed him to connect with people on a human level, which inspired them to join the movement. Okay, so what does this mean for you and your business? Well, think of it this way. When leaders remain humble, they create an environment of trust and collaboration where everybody feels valued and empowered to contribute. And like, you know what? I'm just going to say it. The people you lead notice everything. They notice when a leader is approachable and willing to listen. They notice when a leader is willing to admit making mistakes and then taking responsibility. They notice when a leader is open to feedback, into constantly learning.

13:19So use this to your advantage because you want people to be the same way, to end with themselves and other team members. They're learning how to act at work by watching you. So a couple of weeks ago, I was in a team meeting and we start every team meeting the same way. Everybody has like 30 seconds and they go around and they share a win, either a personal win or a professional win. And I was talking about this time, like how I've been working at really being conscious of the way that I see the world and the filters that I use. And I had shared a story how my husband and I had taken our daughter to a place called Mott's Berry Farm here in Orange County.

13:55And it was a very hot day. And I found myself, there were kids who were walking barefoot and I felt so bad for them because the ground was so hot. And I think I kind of was a little bit judgmental. And I hate admitting it. I was saying this as a a form of confession. I was like, babies, where are your mamas? Why don't you have shoes on your burning your feet? And then I remember going in, reading in the book about judgment, releasing judgment of yourself and of others. And the author had said, whenever you find yourself looking and having an opinion, good or bad, just say bananas, bananas, bananas.

14:24Okay. So I told myself like a team. Okay. I was, I was at Knott's Berry Farm and I found myself saying bananas, bananas, bananas. I will not have a judgment. It's okay. Those kids' feet are going to be fine and their moms know them the best. So you're not going to have an opinion. It's okay. Even though I wanted to take the shoes off my own feet and put them on those little babies, but that's not here nor there. So I just said, bananas, bananas, bananas. And he said, I'm working at releasing myself from my own judgment because I judge myself highly. Okay. So then a few weeks later, we are working on a project in Nashville and one of our team members came up to me and she said, Jasmine, I just find myself saying bananas, bananas, bananas.

14:59Okay. We were in a situation that let me just tell you, it was not ideal. I'm just going to leave it at that. I'm not going to spill the tea. It was not ideal. And we were so frustrated. But instead of judging the caliber of the organization that we had hired, we just said bananas, bananas, bananas. The people you lead will watch what you do and they will behave similarly. A good leader is aware of this and carefully chooses how they show up knowing that the team will show up in the same way. Okay, so let's move on to the next underrated quality and leadership, and that's composure. Boy, did I save this one for last because I probably didn't want to talk about it.

15:37Okay, composure. If you've seen the movie 42, the way that the other teams and managers and the other team's fans, they would egg Jackie Robinson on. And let me tell you, I wanted to take out my hoop earrings and I wanted to be like, excuse me. I will say that in that movie, there's a scene where a reporter asks Jackie Robinson, what are you going to do if one of those pitchers throws at your head and Robinson responds, I'll duck. Ooh, ooh. They tried so hard to get a rise out of him, but he was cool as a cucumber. And guess what? He broke barriers. He became a civil rights icon and he won the World Series.

16:15He won in every single way possible. His ability to stay calm and focused on the game under such hostile pressure was a testament to his mental fortitude. He pivoted. He proved to the world that black athletes belonged in Major League Baseball, not just for their talent, but for their leadership qualities as well. Even when so many people were trying to prove the opposite, did that stop him? No. Did Jackie Robinson set out to be a leader? Was that his intention or did he simply want the chance to become one of the best baseball players of his time? Whether it was his intention or not, it's what happened.

16:52He became a leader. And maybe Jackie and I have something in common. Maybe being titled a leader feels like we're wearing shoes three times too big. Or maybe he always had the qualities and baseball allowed him to step into his future self, his fullest self. Recently, I joined Gary Vaynerchuk's executive group coaching program called Vive. And part of the onboarding process, I had to complete a survey called Print. In fact, I got an email from the executive coach who's guiding our cohort, and this is what her email said. Hi, Jasmine. I'm Dr. Natasha Jordan, and I've coached leaders from a spectrum of businesses and environments ranging from startups to established multi-million dollar enterprises across various stages of growth.

17:36And my mission is to help you scale your unique leadership strengths as you embark on the VIVE journey. Where do we go from here? once you've completed the print survey, we'll arrange your post-assessment session where we'll connect one-on-one to debrief your results. Why an assessment? Okay, well, actionable insights. The print survey provides insights on what drives your leadership, how your leadership shapes your business strategy, and most importantly, your why. All right, let me just pause here at this point in the email because I was reading the email. At that point of her email, I began like dry heaving.

18:06I was like, oh my God, I need to breathe in a bag. I can't breathe because that panic. I mean, like surely that survey was going to reveal that I'm actually not a real leader. And then if they found out I was not a real leader, I would be asked to lead the program. Now, of course, deep down, I know that wasn't true, but like that first thought was like worst case scenario. Oh my God. I was like, they're going to know I don't belong. So what I'm going to do is I'm going to finish her email before I share my results with you. Her email continued with your why report is a catalyst for scaling up.

18:34After the assessment, you'll receive a detailed report informing you of your debrief session, driving your ability to lead and scale with precision. Together, we'll examine your report and craft a plan aligning your leadership style with scalable business strategies. This is not about introspection for your own sake. It's about actionable self-awareness that directly translates into business performance and team efficacy. This is about transforming your innate leadership style into a strategic asset for scaling your business, not about your personal life advice. I'm looking forward to partnering with you.

19:04Okay, I'll end that email there. So I finished her email and then I immediately did that assessment and I answered, you know, honestly, and then I was finished like 20 minutes later and then I was given or shown my results. I discovered that I was a print survey 8-3 and here's the description of my leadership qualities. 8-3s have great confidence in going after what they want. They believe that the strong and capable will survive and competence, patience, courageousness, and relentlessness and determination are ultimate survival skills. They seem to flow into positions of authority, designated or not, and they remain calm under pressure and feed off stress energy that usually causes other people to back down.

19:43Eight threes rely on their resourcefulness to obtain successful results and speak in a direct, honest, and straightforward manner. Eight threes are extremely protective of the people they care about. If someone in their inner circle has been mistreated, you can be sure that an eight three will stand up to protect them, focusing on helping keep things fair for everyone. Okay, I was straight red. I was red. That assessment, it opened my eyes to things I could not see about myself. The things that I considered, like that's just natural, it's just normal. I realized those were innate leadership qualities.

20:16In that moment, I felt really deep hope. I felt excitement that I can grow into the shoes that I have been wearing. and maybe, just maybe, those shoes won't be as oversized when I finish this executive group coaching program. I can't wait to share more about what I'm learning with you from that program, but now I want to get back to like the present day. What does this mean for you in your business? Just as Jackie Robinson demonstrated on the field, your ability to stay calm and focused during turbulent times, that can be and make the difference between success and failure. When you lead with composure, you inspire confidence in your team, and you instill a sense of stability within your organization.

20:57So as obstacles come up in your business, remember to keep your composure. Here's a little framework called the three C's of composure to help you when you feel like you're losing your cool. Number one, catch yourself. When you feel the pressure coming on, catch yourself before you react. Notice the physical signs of stress, like is your heart racing? Are your fists clenched? Is your forehead or jaw tense? Recognizing those early warning signs allows you to intervene before emotions take control. Number two, challenge it. Don't let it dictate your perspective. Challenge a situation in your mind.

21:32Is it truly a crisis? Will it matter in five years? Or is it just another bump in the road? We're framing the situation as, hey, this is just another challenge. Well, it's gonna reduce the stress so you can make a clear headed decision. Number three, confident communication. Trust me, even when you feel flustered internally, project confidence through communication. Maintain eye contact, speak in a steady tone, avoid fidgeting. Why? Confident nonverbal cues will start to make you feel more confident and rewire the way that you're viewing the situation. Okay, now let's wrap things up. Let's do a quick review.

22:09We learned about Jackie Robinson's underrated leadership qualities and how you can develop them for yourself as well. They were focus, courage, humility, and composure. When it comes to sharpening your focus, block out the distractions. Visualize your success and keep improving just like Jackie did to achieve his goals. When you're leading, lead with courage. Don't be afraid to face challenges head on by taking bold moves. Because when you do this, you're gonna be inspiring other people. Embrace humility by staying grounded, being open to feedback and valuing collaboration. And lastly, keep that composure.

22:42The three C's to composure. Catch yourself, challenge it, communicate confidently. Following this will help you keep your cool and make good, confident decisions. Remember, leadership is about inspiring change and greatness in others. So how are you going to use this in your life and in your business? I would love for you to share stories on leadership qualities that you're working on so I could cheer you on. Send me a DM. Like, I want to connect with you. I want to know that you're listening because it is an honor to create, produce, and make The Jasmine Starr Show. If you have been listening for a while, it would mean nothing more.

23:18Please, for a review. I will never stop asking for them because if you haven't given one, this message is just for you. I want to say thank you again for listening to The Jasmine Starr Show. And as you step into leadership, I'm reminding you that if you want to be courageous, you must be willing to make courageous decisions, even in the face of adversity. Thank you again. Thank you.