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Internal vs External — Design Who You Are As A Leader

Best Seller TV, the only show dedicated to covering today’s best-selling business books on C-Suite TV,  is announcing a new episode featuring Stedman Graham, author of Identity Leadership: To Lead Others You Must Lead Yourself First.

Stedman Graham is an accomplished businessman and best-selling author of twelve books, the latest taking a closer look at the importance of understanding who we are as human beings first, before reaching out to help others. Graham wrote the book because he is passionate about self-development, self-empowerment and efficacy, and helping people find their own personal sense of identity.

As someone who spent most of his life searching for an identity, Graham wants to create awareness about all of the external factors that affect our sense of self. He states that while most people focus on the external and feel defined by the color of their skin, money, title, or religion, “the power is really in the internal.” In order to thrive nowadays, it’s essential to understand the definition of “identity leadership.” He defines it as “self-leadership based on the philosophy that you can’t lead anybody else until you first lead yourself.” He adds, “Leadership starts with the premise of being the best possible person you can, so that you can create value and serve the world with that value.”

Graham’s goal is to “teach people how to work on themselves, teach them to self-actualize their potential based on who they are.” He argues that one thing this pandemic has taught us is how we need to do things for ourselves, not rely on anyone else for our own socio-economic development. “This is a ‘you economy.’” In fact, identity leadership is perfectly suited for the current marketplace because it teaches us to redefine our own existence.

He admits that defining yourself is an evolving process. Graham said, “It’s a process of consciousness. You have to be aware of what you don’t have.” It’s about evolving into better versions of ourselves.

Business is all about being able to be adaptable and creating new paradigms for new models and programs. People who are successful are not defined by external factors like class, status or gender – they just know who they are. Graham also provides a great example – as the partner of one of the most powerful women in the world, Oprah Winfrey, he feels comfortable enough in his own skin, seeking knowledge through constant education. He concludes with, “If you’re not clear on who you are, and where you’re going, and how are you going to get there, then you really don’t have a life. You’re just going through the motions.”

 

All episodes of Best Seller TV air on C-Suite TV and are hosted by TV personality, Taryn Winter Brill.

Best-selling author, speaker, and former Fortune 100 CMO Jeffrey Hayzlett created Best Seller TV to give top-tier business authors a forum for sharing thought-provoking insights, in-depth business analysis, and their compelling personal narratives.

“I’ve known Stedman for some time now and I’m always impressed by his poise, knowledge, and his generosity in sharing his wisdom with as many people as possible,” Hayzlett said. “A successful businessman in his own right, the knowledge he has amassed throughout his career is evident in his persona and the book as well. I hope that the audience learns to focus more on internal factors, rather than external, to design their own leadership style.”

For more information on TV episodes, visit www.csuiteold.c-suitenetwork.com/tv and for more information about the authors featured in Best Seller TV episodes, visit www.c-suitebookclub.com.

Keira Rodriguez
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