now, no signup required!
The power of the self can be explained with a simple thought: Each time you make a decision, you change the course of your life.
Say you have to choose between working for organization A or B. You’ll likely assess the pros and cons, think about future prospects and where the opportunity can potentially take you. If you choose A, your experiences will shape you in ways different from if you had picked B.
If you decide to study literature instead of mathematics, all your decisions beyond that point will be affected by this choice. Each moment, each decision, you lead yourself to grow and change.
This is what self-leadership is all about. Discover the meaning and importance of self-leadership in the workplace and in your personal life.
What Is Self-Leadership?
The meaning of self-leadership is to guide and push yourself to make informed decisions. Your purpose and intentions are brought to fruition because of certain efforts you put in. If tomorrow you decide to quit your job, you’ll come to this conclusion after careful consideration. Trusting yourself enough to rely on your decision-making is part of self-leadership.
Even in the workplace, you have certain tasks only you can do. Others are dependent on you to complete your work on time so they can get started on theirs. Self-leadership pushes you to be the best version of yourself. Meeting deadlines, taking responsibility and delivering high-quality work are a result of effective self-leadership.
Some examples of self-leadership are:
-
Determining your qualifications and applying for the right job
-
Demanding what you deserve, both in and outside the workplace
-
Making friends and striking up conversations to be sociable
-
Listening to others and building deep, meaningful connections
-
Waking up every day to get to work on time
-
Having a vision for the future—study, work and life in general
-
Standing up for what’s right and giving your all to social causes
These are only the tip of the iceberg because everything you do is a form of self-leadership. We often talk about leaders in the workplace. But every employee across levels and functions is a leader who’s leading themselves.
Why Is Self-Leadership Important?
The importance of self-leadership is that you get to be your own person. You learn to recognize that you have control over your decisions. You spend time understanding yourself—strengths, weaknesses and desires. When you know who you are and what you want, you’re better equipped to achieve your goals and accomplish your objectives.
Self-leadership skills such as effective decision-making, mindfulness and self-awareness are irreplaceable in life. If you want to lead yourself to success, you need to take charge of your own life. This is where self-leadership comes into play.
Here are some key points to highlight why self-leadership is important:
-
Builds Self-Awareness
It helps you build the self-awareness you need to make better decisions for yourself and those around you. Self-awareness helps you understand what you want. In situations where you need to decide quickly, you’re able to analyze relevant factors and come up with the best possible solution.
-
Identifies Your Strengths And Weaknesses
You become better at identifying your strengths and weaknesses. Self-leadership in the workplace gives you the confidence to improve your skills. If you’re good at communication, you’ll be keen to participate in situations where you can showcase that. If your writing needs improvement, you’ll likely find ways to develop your skill.
-
Puts The Spotlight On Values
You can understand your values and beliefs a lot clearer. Each time you talk to someone, send a positive email response or greet someone cheerfully, you’re choosing to be friendly, approachable and social. These are your personality traits that manifest themselves with each decision you make.
-
Makes You Better At Pushing Yourself
The more you push yourself, the better you’ll be at recognizing what you’re really passionate about. Even if you fail or make mistakes, leading yourself gives you the upper hand. You can change course if you feel like something’s not working out for you. But when it does, you’ll have the confidence to keep moving.
-
Reveals Your Heart
It’ll help you understand what makes you happy. There are some treasured experiences we collect during the course of our lives. Leading yourself enables you to create your own memories, experiences and encounters such as meeting a friend after a long time, spending time with your colleagues after work or doing something for yourself like learning a language.
Self-leadership is powerful. It gives you the tools to do what you want, the way you see fit. You become a better judge of right and wrong. You learn to make decisions that benefit you.
Learn How To Lead Yourself With Harappa
Harappa’s Leading Self course is designed to teach you how to be the best possible version of yourself. Overcome internal and external barriers by developing a growth mindset. With frameworks such as The Iceberg Model and the Balcony & Dance Floor, you’ll learn to identify limiting beliefs and balance action with awareness. Take ownership and embrace opportunities by enrolling today!
Explore topics such as Effective Leadership Skills, Leadership Lessons From Great Leaders, Situational Leadership For Business, Skills For Leadership As a Manager and Great Man Theory to advance in your career.
