4 Elements of Self-Leadership
A week or so ago I was asked to give three keynotes on leadership for the Royal Institute of British Architects:
1) Learning to lead
2) Leading a team
3) Leading an organisation.
All different topics but it made me reflect that the absolute foundation to all three is Self-Leadership: the skill and practice of leading yourself.
I think if you want to be a highly effective leader, then it absolutely starts with being able to lead yourself.
So what is self-leadership?
Well, it involves seeing yourself as a being with different parts within the whole that have to be learned, managed, inspired and grown.
Much like a company is created for a purpose and then uses its energy and resources to fulfil that purpose or deliver a mission, so can we as leaders.
This is a big subject, but I think there are 4 main elements to consider:
Self-management
Self-discovery
Self-acceptance
Self-growth.
First: Self-management. To me, this means managing your energy and resources in the right way for you. Without energy, it’s really hard to have the ability to do things long-term. I often use the metaphor of a Formula One car which goes around the track at high speed, fending off competition and navigating difficult bends. It can only do that if it has pit stops, refuelling, tyre changes, engine oil and so on.
So, on a basic level, are you managing yourself and your needs as if you were a Formula One car or a knackered old tractor. If the latter, then you have work to do!
Secondly: Self-Discovery. This is about pausing and processing what is going on inside you as you go about life. Understanding your reactions, your values, what you find purposeful, what you don’t like, and how you operate when faced with the challenge. This is about knowing yourself, what you stand for, and what success looks like for YOU.
I think self-discovery really helps with confidence because the more you know and understand yourself, the less you compare yourself to others and the less doubt you have about why you do what you do or react in the way you do.
Thirdly: Self-Acceptance. Well, I’ve never met someone who was 100 percent happy with how they are. Most people could reel off the ways they weren’t perfect and struggle to name a few ways they were wonderful. Some say that’s a survival technique to always be aware of potential threats or dangers, some say it’s cultural. I think all of the above but I do know that once you start to accept yourself and your many positive attributes then life gets a bit easier.
I definitely made a conscious decision to see myself how others were telling me they saw me rather than the way my inner critic saw me.
The first step is to identify your inner critic and understand what fear or value it represents. The second is to really listen to what others say about you and, instead of batting it off (if it’s a compliment), digest it and value it.
Lastly: Self-Growth. We live in an ever-changing universe. Twas always thus and I think it will always be. If you are blessed with a life-long love of learning, then self-growth won’t be hard. In leadership, it’s about going from being a reactive leader to being integral, able to deal with complexity and emerging systems and respond to change.
I think the first step here is to read widely, listen actively, consider different perspectives, and see conflict as a point of view needing to emerge. Then, get feedback on yourself and your leadership, ask what more you could do, and how you could improve.
So this week, I invite you to consider YOUR self-leadership and those 4 elements.
Let me know what you think.
Tracy
