The Self in Leadership
Leadership begins with oneself. The old romantic notion that leaders are born, not made, has been disproven in the research literature over the past several decades. Instead, it has been shown that effective leadership is the result of defined skills sets which need to be actively learned and consciously developed. That stated, it is known that before one can lead others, one must first be able to lead yourself. Developing your leadership skills starts with learning more about yourself:
increasing your self-awareness: becoming aware of your assumptions, your values and beliefs, strengths, and your limitations.
- by taking responsibility for your professional performance and personal health and well-being.
- by modelling qualities of honesty, confidence, vulnerability, and resilience.
- through a demonstrated commitment to ongoing personal growth.
Some of this work can be achieved using behaviourally focused strategies such as self-reflection, self-evaluation, personal goal setting, self-visioning, and celebrating your successes.
To begin to delve into some of these aspects of your leadership, explore your values, and strengths using the exercises located on our Resource page: https://www.epexecutivecoaching.com/resources
Traits of Successful leaders:
Successful leaders exhibit several enduring traits, the most common of which are the following:
Authenticity
Authentic leaders are self-actualized individuals who are aware of their strengths, their limitations, and their emotions. They choose to show up as their real self; they are honest, open, and demonstrate trust in their relationships.
Resilience:
The capacity to bounce back from misfortune, disruptive change, and failure. The ability to persevere in the face of obstacles, to overcome challenges and handle pressure well. Resilient leaders hold an air of confidence as they lead the way through difficult times.
Vulnerability:
The ability to be genuinely honest about one's weaknesses, mistakes, and needs for help. Nothing inspires trust in another human being like vulnerability. There is something immensely inspiring to others when a leader consistently demonstrates humility and graciousness.
More information on our Leadership Development Services can be found on Endless Possibilities Executive Coaching & Consulting website: Leadership Development Services
