Course 4. Foundational Leadership Principles: (Discussion #3) Lead Yourself
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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:
1. Share one area where you scored low on your self-awareness check-in and one thing you will do to improve?
2. Please reply to 3 of your peers in this thread!
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I think I could do some work on taking self-care breaks. I think I've only ever taken 1 or 2 breaks on the entirety of my listener journey (one wasn't optional. I was moving house and had no WiFi for 10 days 😵). However, I haven't burned out or felt as though I've needed a self-care break. I think one is due though!
@RebekahRebel
yes i definitely agree with this! self-care is so important and young people these days have been neglecting it
Wow. Its pretty amazing that you didn't need all that self care breaks. But I hope you're doing good. Good luck to you in your listener journey ahead! ❤
I got a low score on being a perfectionist. I guess to some people, it may sounds like a positive thing; but in reality, being a perfectionist has brought me multiple unfortunate experiences. I take things seriously, and I guess it has become a habit. However, being a perfectionist slows down my working process and gives people a hard time to adjust to my working style. They may want to go the quick and easy way, but I just want the project to be done perfectly. I guess I 'd try my best to pay attention to others' feeling and opinion also, since it's not always about me, people put the work in as well.
@bubblyJulie
Being a perfectionist can be challenging, glad you are aware of the challenges being a perfectonist has had in your life.
I didn’t really score low on any of my areas of self-awareness because I tend to be very self-aware, in fact almost too self aware that it becomes detrimental. I am regularly getting compliments on how self-aware I am. But the problem is getting stuck in my head about what I am noticing about my performance. I think one thing I need to work on is getting out of my head so that I can be more present and don’t get so overwhelmed.
@InvaderStitch
Hi, what they meant to ask was not about a score of your self awareness level. They meant to ask about the exercise they made us do here on scoring ourselves based on our leadership qualities and weaknesses. Since this exercise was done using self awareness, they asked where did you score low on this self awareness check in.
Hope this helps, Stitch :)
Something I need to improve on is my communication skills! I know I can talk to people about any problems I may have (well, most of the time) and I will let people know when I can or can't do something. However, when it comes to trying to communicate my ideas and sounding confident, I have trouble!
@softMusic9759
Sometimes we are worried that we might be rejected in what we say to others. It's a great first step.
@Heather225
Share one area where you scored low on your self-awareness check-in and one thing you will do to improve?
I need to improve my awareness when becoming too self critical, having too high expectations towards myself and sometimes towards others.
I am working on acceptance and self love.
@amiablePeace77
Such a good and important point - self care and attention.
@amiablePeace77
Yes it's very important not to become overly self aware and filled with guilt over things you couldn't achieve.
@amiablePeace77 that sounds like a very compassionate attitude that could help you be more compassionate to yourself and go easier on those expectations.
@Heather225
One area where I scored low on my self-awareness check-in.
Self-control in practicing the daily routines and habits I define for myself (“Sharpen the Saw” in Stephen Covey’s words), that will make me the person I want to be, and would improve me as a person in all areas, including better leadership of others.
One thing I will do to improve
Having on display to remind me (like a poster on the wall) my vision for the medium to long term, and the list of main habits I have to cultivate in order to get to that, with some short statement of how each habit contributes to achieving my ultimate goals.
@WelcomeToChat
Yeah, I need to work on self-control too, but keep up the good work!
@BeautifulMasterpiece
Thank you !!!
@Heather225
Share one area where you scored low on your self-awareness check-in and one thing you will do to improve?
One thing I would like to work in the ability to prioritise better and more deftly. Realise what needs my attention first.
Please reply to 3 of your peers in this thread!
@crystalclearnow
Prioritizing is a good one! Just finding that one important thing to focus on can be hard, but as long as you work towards finding it, you will get there!
Great answer. I completely agree with you! It's very important to prioritise everything in your life and give attention to everything accordingly. Good luck to you! ❤
1. Share one area where you scored low on your self-awareness check-in and one thing you will do to improve?
I need to improve on conflict resolution. I'll do my best to intervene when I see a conflict situation and be mindful of each point of view to help each part to understand each other.
@Ginevra962
Very tough thing to do, but you got this. All the best :)
@Heather225
1. Share one area where you scored low on your self-awareness check-in and one thing you will do to improve?
Listening was one area I scored low on. I have a tendency to only belive and listen to myself because I have trust issues, and I don't like putting my result or life even in the hands of someone else. I like to be my own boss, and do not enjoy being controlled at all. However, listening is essential to all relationships in life, and to many other things also, so in order to improve, I will remind myself that other people's opinions are equally as important as mine. I'm not the master of everything, and I need help sometimes, just like everyone else. If I just keep in mind to listen to myself, as well as others, it will help me not to fear losing my opinion, and still open my ears to the opinions of others.
@BeautifulMasterpiece
Listening is challenging and something i too often struggle with. I am sure you will work it our. Its great that you understand where you need to imporve !!
@Heather225 I scored really low on my confidence. I really don't think I am confident in myself at all and at times, I can really hate all aspects of myself. I compare myself to others and think I am nothing compared to them. I think I need to sit back and realize the good things I have done and who I am. It can be hard for me though because I truly don't think there is anything good.
