The Power of Self-leadership
Whenever we hear the word 'leadership,' we often think about how we can better motivate and inspire others.
We might think of great leaders in history and what we can do to emulate them. We might also be thinking about some terrible examples of leadership (especially political leaders) and want to ensure that we never emulate them. So when we are considering leadership we are usually focused on leading others.
Granted, leadership certainly involves others. But at the same time, there is another angle to leadership called self-leadership.
Self-leadership is about leading yourself. It is shaping the way that you relate to and communicate with yourself. By closely working on self-leadership skills, individuals can more effectively lead others, whether we are leading others in our professional or personal lives.
Why Self-Leadership is So Important
Self-leadership is critical because of its audience. It forces you to take a long, hard look at yourself and your thoughts. Through deliberate practice, you are more able to create an inner environment that is accepting, patient, caring and supportive. You can achieve inner peace with yourself.
In effect, leading ourselves well is vital for sustainable peak performance. We are able to harness our inherent skills and traits to bring immense value to the world. We aren’t self-sabotaging ourselves with negative or limiting thoughts. We aren’t foregoing calculated risks because we believe that we’ll fail. On the contrary, it helps us keep our energy high and lets us optimise our potential.
It's hard to lead others, if you're not leading yourself!
Self-leadership also lets you more effectively lead others. If we don’t lead ourselves well, it becomes much more difficult to effectively lead others. This is because our internal monologue or dialogue becomes a template for our other relationships. If we talk to ourselves in an overly negative way, it becomes that much easier to take that same approach with others.
When we bring our unmet needs to the office, we unknowingly expect others to fulfil those needs. Rather than providing validation, attention, care, or encouragement for ourselves, we seek it from others. While it may feel good at the moment, this behaviour creates longer-term issues. Having an external locus of control means that you are letting others dictate your thoughts and actions, rather than you guiding your thoughts and actions. To put it another way, you are becoming a passive, rather than an active player in your own story.
So ask yourself: "Am I outsourcing my self-leadership?" If so, make sure that you take back control. Instead of doubting yourself, deliberately back yourself. Rather than refusing to set boundaries at work, don’t be afraid to say "no" every once in a while. And if you are constantly self-denigrating? Cultivate self-compassion. These may seem like little things, but collectively, they can go a long way in improving your self-leadership skills.
Embracing Self-Leadership
All of us have busy schedules. Taking the time to work on our self-leadership skills can easily fall to the bottom of our to-do lists. Yet it is the one thing that can make such a critical difference to everything else we are trying to achieve.
With that said, investing in your self-leadership skills will help you take a massive step forward in your personal and professional lives. It can make you a more effective leader. It can also make you happier. Overall, it’s a win-win for you, your mental health, and your colleagues.
I have 2 programs focussing on Self Leadership, a one day program as well as the 10 month Thriving Professional Women's program. Click the buttons below to learn more.