Self-Leadership: Why the Best Leaders Learn to Lead Themselves First
Managers have been put to the test over the past few years, and many would benefit from taking the time to turn inwards.
To borrow the old adage, managers, manage thyself. Because before you can manage anyone successfully, you must first master the art of self-leadership.
What Is Self-Leadership?
In 2021, McKinsey identified 56 "foundational skills" that people need to thrive in today's workplace — and broke them down into four groups:
- Cognitive
- Interpersonal
- Digital
- Self-leadership
The skills that fall under the self-leadership category speak to capabilities in self-awareness and self-management (such as motivation, confidence and self-control), entrepreneurship (risk-taking and innovation) and goals achievement (ownership, achievement orientation and coping with uncertainty). While these skills would benefit all employees across the organization, they are particularly critical for people in leadership roles, whose behavior and actions ideally serve to inspire others.
"Self-leadership is the ability to make decisions, assume the consequences of these, accept challenges, listen to your needs, be organized and believe in yourself," said Serviap CEO Victor Anaya, who believes that if someone wants to manage another person, they must first know how to manage themselves.
Managing by example demonstrates the behaviors expected from the rest of the team, Anaya said. It enables the team to understand what is expected of them and follow the lead.
This means self-leadership is not just about managing the work to be done; it is also about setting yourself up for success by setting your team up for success.
Related Article: Cultivating Middle Managers as Change Agents
The Benefits of Self-Leadership
The benefits of self-leadership are multi-faceted.
From an individual perspective, self-leaders can learn more quickly and shift how they respond to stimuli to provide better outcomes for themselves — and the team. "Self-leaders have the self-confidence and courage to think and act independently and are more creative and diligent, even in the face of adversity," said Tim Huff, vice president of Leadership Development at Turknett Leadership Group.
Improved personal resource management, which includes using time, emotions and behaviors, is another benefit Anaya believes self-leaders can gain. By regulating and controlling these, leaders can improve productivity and the quality of their work, which ideally trickles down to those they manage.
When facing adversity, self-leaders also tend to be more resilient and able to see solutions when others may not, Anaya added, which means the teams they lead are more likely to succeed where others would fail.
To understand the benefits from a company perspective, let's consider the following traits that are common to successful leaders:
Learning Opportunities
- They display the very behaviors they expect from others
- They empower their teams to complete their tasks by providing the resources and toolkits they need
- They inspire team members to grow by learning new skills and applying them to their roles
All of those traits combined help provide a work environment that is fulfilling for employees. If leaders are not providing their teams with the right work environment, there is a greater chance for turnover; unhappy or frustrated employees will leave.
Many companies turn to higher wages to keep talent, but studies have found that while this tactic may have worked in the past, it is no longer sufficient. Instead, the study found that support from managers is a much more effective tool for keeping workers happy, engaged and motivated.
So, perhaps one of the best reasons to learn self-leadership is to help build a stronger culture to retain key talent, which, in turn, saves money and keeps business performance high.
Related Article: Are We Taking Mid-Career Talent for Granted?
How to Develop Self-Leadership
Self-leadership doesn't come naturally to everyone. But Rashim Mogha, general manager of Leadership & Business at Skillsoft, says it's a skill that can be learned.
For those who struggle with learning the skills needed to improve their self-leadership abilities, Mogha says there are mentors and coaches who can help you develop those skills. By working with an expert, leaders can better understand their personal and professional values — and the objectives they want to achieve. This acquired knowledge, Mogha said, makes it easier for leaders to learn how to lead — and self-lead — the right way.
One of the most essential factors for self-leadership, Huff said, is to have a high emotional intelligence level. Emotional intelligence is a range of skills that include self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, internal motivation and social skills.
There are other steps leaders can take to develop this skill. For instance, Huff says that by developing credibility with the team, learning self-respect and gaining the trust of others, anyone can learn to be a self-leader. And when someone develops and is recognized for those skills, they are usually well on their way to being a successful leader.
About the Author
Kaya Ismail is a business software journalist and commentator with years of experience in the CMS industry.
Featured Research
Research Report
Read Now
eBook
Read Now
Guide
Read Now
Guide
Read Now
Research Report
Read Now
Buyer's Guide
Read Now
Infographic
Read Now
White Paper
Read Now
Related Stories
Smarter Experiences Win — Learn from Today's Leaders
