Arguably, self-leadership is the most important facet of successful leadership. But depending on where you are in your career, self-leadership can mean different things.
There are different external and self-imposed expectations placed on a rising leader versus someone nearing the pinnacle of their career. It’s different still from a leader focused on legacy when knowing how to respond to different challenges and responsibilities is critical for more than just you. At any level, self-leadership significantly impacts those and the company around you.
Self-leadership is part of a continuous cycle involving leading yourself, others, and the organization. It’s about setting a standard through your actions, behavior, and decisions and embodying the values and principles you expect and need from your team. Demonstrating integrity, accountability, empathy, and resilience in everyday leadership practices results in a foundation of trust, provides direction, and motivates others to take responsibility and push themselves to perform at their best.
From this perspective, it’s easy to see how powerful leadership at all levels of your organization and at all stages of your career can drive organizational success, especially when demonstrated by those skilled in self-leadership.
Self-Leadership for Rising Leaders
People at the beginning of their careers can be spotted as having potential in part because, often, they naturally possess confidence, self-awareness, and instincts that affect those around them. People who actively seek feedback, embrace new ideas, and have a level of grit or determination tend to stand out.
These people can be leveraged to impact the culture and success of your business by emphasizing collaboration and team empowerment. As they exemplify dedication, commitment and resilience, others will follow. The good news is that all of these skills can be taught or learned, especially early on, through mentoring, education and leadership development programs.
Self-Leadership When You’re Nearing Your Pinnacle
Your leadership style is baked into who you are by the time you reach the peak of your career – for better or worse. All of the habits and instincts are just part of what got you to where you are, and your actions reflect the culmination of your expertise and experience. It can be especially hard to see any areas for improvement when your responsibilities and obligations take precedence over learning new ways of approaching things.
If you haven’t already, it is important to develop your leadership philosophy around building trust, delegation, and providing and receiving feedback and recognition during this phase. Finding a community or people to bounce ideas off of and gain perspective helps – like peers or a leadership expert.
Creating a healthy and productive foundation for your company culture is one of your greatest recruiting and retention tools – and your leadership example is how you can get this done. Invest in education, as well as mentoring and coaching your next generation of leaders to set yourself up for continued success.
Self-Leadership and Legacy Planning
As retirement approaches, self-leadership remains essential. Your journey and your actions are your legacy. Transitioning from an active leadership role doesn’t mean your influence diminishes. Instead, it is another opportunity to contribute wisdom and guidance. Lessons you have learned along the way can support leaders following in your footsteps, creating a smoother succession.
If you are still trying to drive the “how,” then you’ve missed the point. It’s not up to you anymore. Your responsibilities are well beyond the day-to-day. Let the ship navigate, trusting that your work all along will keep things on course until those rising behind redirect. Gracefully embracing this phase empowers you to leave a lasting impact on your company and your company’s culture.
Leadership Advice for all Levels
While the essentials of good self-leadership vary at different career phases, some leadership components are important throughout your entire career. Be a lifelong learner, collaborate, set clear expectations, and build a culture of trust and transparency. When leaders consistently model the desired behaviors and values, it creates a positive ripple effect throughout the organization.
The Liddell Consulting Group’s real-world executive coaching approach is highly personalized and can address leaders’ individual challenges. Whatever may be holding you back — communication style, persuasiveness or unidentified leadership habits — executive coaching is about improving your performance so you can achieve new heights. Contact us today to learn how self-leadership can take you to the next level.
Start Your Journey to Success
We’re ready, are you?
We know that every company has a unique set of challenges. Our perspective can help simplify what needs to be improved and our time-tested methods can provide clear steps toward your performance goals. Contact Liddell today.