Self-Leadership Is A Crucial Step To Your Workplace Effectiveness
For some in the workplace, “leadership development” focuses on influencing others. While valuable, this often overlooks a crucial element: genuine leadership starts with mastering self-leadership.
Heather Younger, a workplace culture and employee engagement expert and author of several bestselling books, understands this. Her work focuses on boosting effectiveness in both professional and personal lives. Her latest book, The Art of Self-Leadership: Discover the Power Within You and Learn to Lead Yourself, delves into this very topic.
In our previous articles, we discussed:
- Career and Personal Development
- Finance and Retirement
- Relationships and Family
Self-Leadership Is A Crucial Step To Your Workplace Effectiveness
This article explores strategic networking, choosing a mentor, and the role of curiosity in self-development, as discussed by Younger.
Self-leadership isn’t about going it alone. Building a supportive network is key.
“It takes a community to grow in self-leadership, but it takes our awareness that we need to grow and desire to involve others in that development that will help us be successful,” Younger explains. “To grow a supportive network, find mentors who can offer guidance, advice, and support as you navigate your personal and professional journey. I never had a formal mentor, but I’ve sought the advice of many different people and used others as a sounding board when I’m contemplating decisions.” She also suggests a coach to help identify blind spots. Involve trusted individuals, letting them know your growth goals.
“For example, let’s say you want to become more empathetic. You could ask a colleague to act as an accountability partner and observe you in meetings. If you give them things to watch out for, they can then suggest areas for improvement.”
Younger offers advice for aspiring leaders on choosing a mentor:
“I know that it can be a little intimidating seeking out a mentor, especially if you are earlier in your career,” she says, “but the benefits to you as a mentee are vast. Seek out mentorship in a proactive way, by looking for individuals whose careers you admire and who are willing to invest in your growth. Just start the relationship by asking for a small amount of time to pursue one thing that intrigues you about their career journey that might be similar to yours. Don’t go straight to asking them to be your mentor until you build trust with them and they know you are committed to professional growth. When you build trust and demonstrate your value, they will then be intrigued by you. When you take it further and demonstrate your work ethic and drive to get certain results, they will most likely be thrilled to mentor you.”
Curiosity is vital for developing self-leadership skills.
“Curiosity is a fundamental driver of cognitive flexibility and lifelong learning,” Younger emphasizes. “A curious mindset propels you to explore new ideas, ask questions, and seek out knowledge beyond your current understanding.”
She recommends cultivating a habit of asking “why” and “how” questions. “This practice encourages you to dig deeper into topics and understand the underlying principles behind them,” she says. “Engage in activities that stimulate your curiosity, such as attending lectures, participating in workshops, or exploring new hobbies. Curiosity leads to continuous learning and growth. It motivates you to seek out new information, adapt to changing circumstances, and develop innovative solutions to problems. For example, a curious professional might explore emerging technologies in their field, leading to new insights and advancements. Use curiosity to drive your self-leadership journey. When faced with a challenge, approach it with a curious mindset, asking questions like, ‘What can I learn from this situation?’ or ‘How can I approach this differently?’ This attitude will help you remain open to new possibilities and adapt more effectively to change.”
Credit: Forbes.com
