To Assume Leadership Over Others, Begin by Mastering Self-Governance First
In discussions of leadership, the emphasis is often on a person's influence over others. However, the reality is that effective influence is preceded by the leader's own self-development. This truth has been acknowledged for centuries, as evidenced by Lao Tzu's quote, "Mastering others is a strength; mastering oneself is true power."
Heather Younger, a renowned expert in workplace culture and employee engagement, stresses that leadership is a personal quality, not a job description. To develop team members for future leadership roles, leaders should establish psychological safety with high potential employees. This encourages open communication and growth, allowing team members to exhibit their leadership qualities without fearing a power dynamic.
If self-leadership involves internal growth for external shine, how can a leader-in-embryo deal with occasional bouts of imposter syndrome? Measuring one's own successes and recognizing personal achievements can help combat imposter syndrome. Regularly keeping a journal of accomplishments shifts the mindset and behavior towards growth.
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Younger offers tips to gain self-confidence. Being a lifelong learner, committing to personal growth, and accepting positive feedback are key. Adopting a growth mindset, which believes abilities and intelligence can be developed, is crucial. By continuously learning and embracing progress over perfection, individuals can cultivate a growth mindset, facilitating their journey to stronger self-leadership.
Imposter syndrome can hinder a person's attempts at self-improvement through fear-based behaviors such as procrastination, over-planning, risk aversion, and decision paralysis. Recognizing these tendencies and working to overcome them is essential for growth. By adopting a growth mindset and embracing challenges as opportunities, individuals can blossom and become stronger self-leaders.
In the context of their own development, potential leaders can benefit from recognizing their achievements and keeping a journal of their accomplishments to combat imposter syndrome, thereby fostering self-leadership. Furthermore, by cultivating a growth mindset and embracing challenges as opportunities, a leader-in-embryo can enhance their performance and effectively exhibit self-leadership skills within the workplace.
