This week I’m preparing for the monthly LeadershipLab I host on our campus. The focus of this month’s training is the discipline to lead yourself first.
Leading yourself is a lot harder than leading others. I think it’s easier for us to look at someone else and identify what that person needs to do or be in order to grow and develop (at least it appears to be easier). But when we begin to point the finger back at ourselves, there’s all kinds of games we play to often avoid the painful realities of who we are…really.
The best leaders are themselves. They don’t try to be somebody else – someone who they are not. They know who they are.
The less a leader knows about him or herself, the more that leader will simply role play.
Role playing is a great way to learn. It’s not the best way to lead.
One of the best ways to determine if you are being real in your leadership or simply role playing is to measure your level of consistency. Ask yourself:
- Are you the same person regardless of the situation?
- Are you consistent with everyone?
Do you want to really find out how you’re doing in this area? Then take those two questions and let the people you lead answer them about you.
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