“Who’s the very first person you have to lead? Who’s the first person that must be willing to follow you? You are, of course.”
This statement is one that would be best considered thoughtfully – are you living and leading in line with your true values or have you adopted someone else’s, your company’s, your friends, your partners? Have you forgotten how to live your values or are you lacking clarity on what they are?
If you are not clear on your values, they do not resonate within you and create passion and energy then why would anyone else follow you? Knowing yourself and what you stand for, what you believe in, is crucial to authentic leadership. Especially if you believe the role of a good leader is to combine the passions of people (‘followers’) to help them achieve their dreams, dreams and aspirations which they are not able to do by individual effort.
It is also important to discern that leading is different from managing – anyone can be a leader, even if the only person they lead is themselves. Leading is about you and the people who look to you for inspiration, direction, guidance and support so leadership is not confined to the business world, it’s about who you are at all times, the real you.
Developing leadership capability is about knowing yourself and leading yourself authentically in the first instance. It is important to note that this is a double edged sword in that we are the only people that know intimately the significance and the intent of our actions but what happens when the lens through which we project this as behaviour is distorted? Its commonly stated that as humans, we judge others based on behaviour, yet we judge ourselves based on intent.
Regular self reflection to assess congruence with behaviour and values is important to ensure the people you lead know your true intent. Utilising feedback tools such as 360 degree and asking for one on one direct feedback will also give you insight as to how close you are to visibly leading and living your values.
Investing time to know your values and regularly check your behaviour aligns is one of the best investments you can make. The most powerful leader is the person that leads from the inside out.
