Course 2, Discussion 2: Lead by example
Great Leadership, unsurprisingly, starts with yourself!
Practice what you preach. Lead by example. I am sure all of you heard these phrases. But why are they so iconic?
Because the journey starts with the first step and you are the person who is taking the initiative to lead -- Start a journey! So, you are the one who needs to take the first step before expecting others to do it.
To start with leading yourself, close your eyes and visualize two people: someone who inspired and encouraged you to be like them, and someone who discouraged you to be not like them.
Then, write down the good qualities of the person who inspired you as well as the qualities of the second person. You do not have to be specific with the details. Just a bulleted list.
Now, compare the list to yourself. Note the good qualities you have, the bad qualities you have, and give yourself a rating on a scale of 1-10. What we just did is identified your strengths and weaknesses and what you need in order to lead yourself. This allows you to create self-awareness.
Self-awareness is key to leading yourself in the right direction. But, leading yourself is not easy. Just being self-aware isn't enough. It's igniting the spark but not enough to catch the fire. To catch the fire, you need to be persistent with your practice, which is regular reflection. Be consistent with monitoring your efforts and holding yourself accountable.
You can't effectively lead others until you know how to lead yourself. That happens through Self-Observant Leadership: when you deeply understand your identity, compare it to your reputation (how others experience you) and then make meaning of the observations, and choose to adapt.
Exercise:
✒️ What did you learn about yourself through the given exercise?
✒️ Respond to one of your peers in this thread
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I learned through this exercise that I am organised, fair, positive thoughtful and dislike laziness or disorganisation.
@Tracey12345 oh that’s so interesting! Being organized, positive and thoughtful. I’m glad you learned something new about yourself the way I did!😊
@Hope What did you learn about yourself through the given exercise?
I learnt that there are many characteristics I have that I don’t want to have, for an example being loud. And also how I have strengths I haven’t quite recognized before doing this exercise, like being courageous. It’s true that we have to lead first by becoming a person we ourselves would be inspired to follow. That’s a great way to understand exactly in which ways to improve ourselves.
@Snowpudding So true and I really appreciate that you shared your self reflection with the team, that is an important leadership skill! Thank you !
@Maebyb Oh I forgot to answer the question, I learned that I do possess some leadership skills such as being organized, being early, being respectful of others.
@Snowpudding
Thanks for sharing your insights. It can be surprising and maybe even off-putting to realize you possess some of the same traits that you would normally identify with a poor leadership style. I think one has to be prepared for the possibility that it could take some time to overcome certain traits.
Best wishes on your journey!
I learned of the importance to set a good example for others through your leadership. A leader should embody their virtues through their character. I also learned that it's important to possess self-awareness and a humble attitude.
@PeacefulOnes I really appreciate your insight about embodying virtues through character as a leader. I agree that self-awareness and humility are key to effective leadership. It’s inspiring to think about how much influence we can have on others by leading with integrity and setting a positive example. Your reflection made me consider how I can improve my own self-awareness in leadership roles—thank you for sharing this!
@Hope
This exercise is a powerful reminder of the importance of self-awareness in leadership. Reflecting on the qualities of people who inspired me, as well as those who didn’t, helped me recognize the traits I value and the behaviors I want to avoid.
Here's what I observed:
•Qualities of the Inspiring Person:
•Encouraging and positive
•Consistently led by example
•Patient and willing to listen
•Authentic and trustworthy
•Focused on growth, both personally and for others
Qualities of the Discouraging Person:
•Often negative or dismissive
•Lacked empathy
•Unreliable or inconsistent
•Criticized more than encouraged
•Focused more on their own image than on others
Self-Reflection:
After comparing these qualities to my own, I noted that I share some of the positive traits, such as a focus on growth, reliability, and patience. However, I also noticed areas to work on, particularly around being more consistent in my encouragement and listening skills.
Self-Assessment:
On a scale of 1-10, I’d rate myself around a 7. I feel I have a good foundation but know I need to improve, especially in consistently practicing the qualities I admire.
Key Takeaways:
1. Self-Awareness: This exercise has highlighted the importance of knowing my strengths and weaknesses, which is essential for leading myself.
2. Consistency and Accountability: Regularly reflecting on these qualities can help me stay on track and develop the traits that make an effective leader.
3. Adapting to Growth: Self-Observant Leadership means not only recognizing these traits but actively working to embody them.
This was a great start to a journey of self-leadership, emphasizing the need for regular reflection and a commitment to personal growth. Leading others begins with leading myself.
Opes! I posted under the wrong account.
I often overthink simple tasks and underestimate the power of letting go and trusting the process. It reminded me that stepping back to observe can be as powerful as taking action.
