Successful Leaders Self-Lead

Have you ever met someone within a leadership position that had no idea what they were doing? There is no structure or consistency, you get mixed messages from them, and it seems like they are just winging the whole thing. Trust me, you don’t ever want to be that person. To be able to lead others, you must first be able to lead yourself. Self-leadership is the development of behaviors, attitudes, and habits that will help you effectively and efficiently navigate the world around you. You must be open and honest with yourself about where you are at and where you want to go. A great leader has mastered self-leadership before they lead others.

Charles Manz coined the term “self-leadership” in 1983, and he emphasized the importance and influence of self-talk and self-management on performance. How you talk to yourself and what you say matters. If you would not appreciate someone else talking to you in a certain manner, you should probably not talk to yourself in that way. We tend to be harsher on ourselves than others. It is alright to set high standards for yourself, but you must learn to manage your emotions if you ever fall short or even if you exceed your own expectations. Emotional intelligence will help you stay on track for your goals and objectives. 

Don’t be the leader that confuses everyone else. Instead, learn to become the kind of leader that others want to follow by first leading yourself. This is not only highly efficient, but it is also highly effective. Great leaders are introspective, and they know how to guide others because they practice on themselves.

-Meghan Slaughter