Women of Faith in Leadership - Kingdom Leadership, Workplace Organisational culture, Christian women Rika Whelan | Christian Workplace Culture Coach | Organisational Culture Consultant

This is part 2 of our series: Gaining confidence in your own abilities. 
Today, we are discussing personal development. 
Personal development will look different for each and every one of us out there. Because we're all unique and different. 
In this episode, I discuss with you the steps you need to follow to gain confidence in your own abilities through personal development.
1. Reflection - reflect on why you have a lack of confidence in a certain area. If it's related to an historic event for example where someone said something about you, then ask yourself, is it true? If it's true, then do you need to do something about it to change that, like further study, speak to someone or practice those skills. If it's not true, then you need to let it go!
2. Learning - What learning do you have to do or engage in to learn more so that you can gain confidence is the thing that's holding you back?
3. Practice - Practice your new skill. You won't gain confidence by only participating in learning or listening to this podcast for example, you need to go and do the thing.
4. Feedback - Gain feedback from others so that you can improve where you still need to. 
5. Get out of your comfort zone!
Next steps: 
1. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
2. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching session. Just email me at support@rikawhelan.com
3. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan

The world can make us feel like failures… people can make us feel like failures, but we are capable of anything in Christ!
In this 4-part series, I’ll discuss with you how you can gain confidence in your abilities and stop feeling like a failure, stop feeling like you’re not good enough and start believing that through Christ, you can do anything you set your mind to.
We all have a story of how we came to God, whether it was a long time ago or recent. But just like any relationship, you can’t grow in that relationship if:
It’s only one-sided
You don’t spend time together
You don’t listen to one another
You fight all the time
So too, in our relationship with God, we can’t grow, if we don’t treat the relationship, like a relationship.
6 Ways to grow spiritually and in your relationship with God:
Spend time in the word with God. If you don’t know where to start, choose a bible reading plan on the YouVersion Bible App. Or Get a study bible that will take you through the passages and explain them to you.
Spend time talking to God - praying, talking to Him and listening to sermons are some ways in which you can spend time with Him
Fellowship - growing with others by your side is a really amazing way to grow spiritually and you experience and feel different things in your relationship with God, when you are with others.
Standing up for your faith - a tough one, but the more you stand up for your faith, the more confident you grow as well. 
Sharing/living your faith - with your children, with others around you and sharing when people ask, invite people to church with you, give people bibles
Praise and worship - there is something about praise and worship that just connects my soul directly with the Lord. Taking the time to praise him and worship him and thanking him for what he has done, for who He is and for what is to come, grows you spiritually with the Lord.
Stay tuned, in the next couple of episodes, I’ll be chatting with you about:
Episode 62: Personal growth
Episode 63: Professional development 
Episode 64: Community Support
and how you can use these to gain confidence in your own abilities. 
Next steps: 
1. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
2. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching session. Just email me at support@rikawhelan.com
3. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan
 

When I stepped into one of the biggest leadership roles I’d ever held, I wanted to be assertive.
I wanted to walk into a room, be confident (not timid because that’s how I felt) and have everybody listen to me.
That’s not what being assertive means at all… but honestly, I didn’t quite know what it meant to be assertive.
Assertiveness can often be confused with aggressiveness.
People who are assertive are often labelled as being too aggressive with their approach.
So, hence the question… should female Christian leaders be assertive?
Let’s get that question answered!
 
Let’s have a look first at what it actually means to be assertive…
Assertiveness
According to Risely.me, assertiveness refers to the ability to express one’s thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear, direct, and respectful manner while also considering the rights and opinions of others.
It is a communication and behavioural style that promotes open and honest expression, confidence, and self-assuredness without infringing upon the rights and boundaries of others.
Now, assertiveness is often confused with aggressiveness as I mentioned before.
Aggressiveness
And aggressiveness refers to the behaviour or communication style that is characterised by forcefulness, hostility, and the disregard for the rights and feelings of others.
Aggressiveness involves a proactive approach to achieving one’s own goals or asserting one’s dominance, often at the expense of others. It can manifest in the form of verbal, physical or passive-aggressive actions.
So, should female Christian leaders be assertive?
Consider the definition of assertiveness, where you express your thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear, direct, and respectful manner while also considering the rights and opinions of others.
So in my humble opinion, yes, female Christian leaders can and should be assertive.
You might wonder how can I learn to express my thoughts, feelings, and needs in a clear, direct, and respectful manner while also considering the rights and opinions of others.
Here are a couple of tips for you:
Role-playing - seems silly, but by practising with someone else, you make it fun and less intimidating
Workshops and training - there are some workshops and that you can attend on this very topic, there is also usually a fair bit of role-playing involved to practice what you learn
Putting your skills into practice! Practice makes perfect. Very few people just learn something and then get it right the first time, so practice practice, practice.
In an upcoming episode, I’ll be talking to you about how you can gain self-confidence in your abilities. I believe this to be a good follow on, because self-confidence is extremely important. If you don’t believe in yourself, other people might also not. Stay tuned for the next episode. 
Next steps: 
1. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
2. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching session. Just email me at support@rikawhelan.com
3. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan

Now it would only be befitting to end this series with one of the bravest women in the bible, and that’s Esther. I love the story of Ester. 
There are 7 leadership lessons that we can learn from Esther.
Courageous Initiative - Leadership often requires confronting uncomfortable situations to effect positive change.
Strategic Timing - Effective leaders discern opportune moments and act decisively. Timing matters.
Selflessness and Sacrifice - Leadership involves sacrifice. Putting others’ needs first is a mark of true leadership.
Prayer and Fasting - Leaders should cultivate a strong spiritual foundation. Prayer and seeking God’s wisdom are essential.
Using Influence for Good - Leadership is about using our influence to make a positive impact on others and advance noble causes.
Silent Strength - Leaders don’t always need to be vocal, silent strength and discernment matter.
Faith in Providence - Leaders trust that God works behind the scenes, even when His name isn’t explicitly invoked.
Next steps: 
1. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
2. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching session. Just email me at support@rikawhelan.com
3. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan

This is part 2 of the series Leadership Lessons from Women in the bible. 
Let’s now discuss a much bigger topic, something that I know you, as the listeners have spoken about often when either joining the FB group or in the group itself during discussions, and that is being a woman in a man’s world!
There was one such woman in the bible, and her name was Deborah. 
There are 4 leadership lessons we can learn from her:
Trailblazing Leadership:
Deborah was the first female judge in the book of Judges, breaking barriers in a male-dominated role.
Her courage and determination led her to step into a position previously held only by men. She defied societal norms and paved the way for other women.

Guided by Faith:
Deborah had a direct connection with God. She understood that true leadership involves seeking divine guidance.
When Israel faced oppression from the Canaanites, Deborah recognised the need for action. She called upon Barak to lead the battle, demonstrating her strategic insight.

Fearless Action:
Deborah didn’t merely offer advice; she actively participated in the fight for freedom. She accompanied Barak into battle, showing her commitment to the cause.

Celebrating Victory:

After the battle, Deborah and Barak celebrated their triumph through song. Her leadership not only secured freedom for Israel but also inspired others.

Next steps:
1. Book a free 15-minute initial consultation with me: https://tidycal.com/rikawhelan/initialconsultation 
2. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
3. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching call, email me at support@rikawhelan.com
4. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan
I look forward to chatting with you in the next episode. Make sure you don't miss it!

Long gone are the days when there are only men in authority positions. Even in the bible, God used women to lead others, teach others and care for others.
In this 3-part series, I’ll discuss leadership lessons from 3 amazing women in the bible. 
Part 1: Ruth
One of my absolute favourite stories in the bible is the story of Ruth and Boaz. I’ve always loved it because it’s just a nice, beautiful love story. You can go read it in the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament.
Now, although Ruth wasn’t a "leader", there is one valuable leadership lesson we can learn from her… she didn’t give up on her people. People in this context being her mother-in-law.
Let’s recap the story briefly: Naomi has two sons, and both of them married. One was married to Orpah and the other to Ruth.
Naomi’s husband and two sons died, and her two daughters-in-laws were with her. Naomi wanted to return to her homeland with her two daughters-in-laws but on the way, she said to them to return to their mother’s house so that they may remarry.
Orpah departed but Ruth decided to stay. She was determined to remain by Naomi’s side.
Human Nature
So often, as human beings, we tend to give up on people, especially if they hurt us or break up the friendship for whatever reason. It’s easy for us to give up on a friendship or loved one. I’ve been there, unfortunately.
What should we do as leaders?
However, as leaders, we need to rise above our human nature to give up on people. Sometimes people just need us to believe in them, have faith in them, encourage them and give them a little nudge (or push!). So never give up on your team, get to know them on a personal level (without crossing the boundaries), so that you know when they just need that extra bit of belief in you that they can do it!
Next steps:
1. Book a free 15-minute initial consultation with me: https://tidycal.com/rikawhelan/initialconsultation 
2. Navigate to https://www.womenoffaithinleadership.com where you can:
Join the community of like-minded female Christian leaders. This is where I will be hanging out if I'm not on the podcast chatting to you all. Come share and support each other here. 
Subscribe to my newsletter so you can stay up to date with all upcoming episodes and any other exclusive or special offers.
3. If you need any support, you can get in contact with me for a 1:1 coaching call, email me at support@rikawhelan.com
4. Connect with me on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rikawhelan