Self leadership development is at the core of what I do, whether I’m providing executive coaching or facilitating a leadership development workshop. It’s usually interpersonal issues, such as our reactions to situations and how we view ourselves, which causes us to become stuck. The self is under more pressure today than ever before. The boundaries between what we do in work and what we do in life have never been so open to change.
In order to grow personally or professionally, we must be willing to take a hard look at ourselves, acknowledge our weaknesses, and do what it takes to grow. A growth mindset is a reminder that I am not there yet. I have not arrived and each challenge provides real insights into my growth.
We cannot grow ourselves or support others’ growth if we are unwilling to take ownership and accountability of our personal responsibilities. Once we are aware of our responsibilities and identify who we want to become, we can chart a course to become that person in our professional lives. If we do not set an intention for who we want to become we will become someone that is shaped by the reactions to people, places and things. In fact, we limit not only our own potential but also that of our company or employer.
So what is self leadership?
“Self-leadership is the awareness of who you are and what you can do and how this impacts your communication, presence, and behavior with others.” – adapted from Andrew Bryant
Self leadership is a hallmark of high performance and it generates results. Self leadership is accepting you will constantly be working on yourself. If this is true, then choose who you want to become. Find someone modeling those behaviors in their job, and learn how to contribute who you are to that work.
Why is self leadership important?
Strong self leaders are better equipped to create an environment for organizational health. A healthy organization attracts, hires, trains, develops, and retains the best talent. High performing employees are key to scaling and growing a business.
As a leader, you impact how your organization behaves. By taking the time to work on yourself, you will also give back to those in your organization. It’s leading by example because organizations don’t change unless it’s employees do. People change themselves and in doing so can have a positive impact on the relationship systems of the organizations they work and live within.
Self leadership in action
I’m including two case studies where executives in a mid-to-large size company were willing to take small steps to improve their self leadership. The results? A large impact on the performance of their team.
As I met 1:1 with the executives, it became clear they were unaware that their leadership styles were affecting their teams. Fortunately, they were open to feedback and committed to change. Here’s what happened:
By simply becoming aware fo their shortcomings, and being willing to deal with them, these two executives improved the outcomes on their teams drastically. This is self leadership in action.
To learn more about the skills required to grow, study Growth Mindset by Carol Dweck or Emotional Intelligence by Daniel Goleman.
Contact Me
Are you interested in assessing or improving your self leadership skills? Contact me at [email protected] to schedule a free 15-minute consultation.
Scott Hackman is the Founder and CVO of Scott Hackman Ventures. He has over 15 years of experience in business advising, coaching, and leading growth through transitions.
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