Personal Leadership Philosophy
Personal Leadership philosophy: in this article, you will learn about Personal Leadership philosophy. After reading this, you will understand why this concept is so important for co-creation, business, and others. Some say the Personal Leadership philosophy an innate skill, while others believe it can be learned through experience and training. The truth of the matter is that leadership boils down to one thing: influence. The more people you are able to positively affect in your career, the better leader you become.
Leadership isn’t something reserved for those at the top of their field – even if you are just starting out or have never held a position above administrative level before, this doesn’t mean you cannot develop into an influential individual who inspires others to do great things as well.
What is personal leadership?
Personal leadership in corporate environments is something that is often talked about, but not as frequently implemented as a leadership goal.
It means having a clear understanding of what you personally expect from yourself and others in order to have a positive effect on the culture of your business.
Individuals must be able to make choices and take responsibility for their own actions. This can be difficult when there are corporate structures and leaders who like to exert control over all aspects of an organization’s life.
Applying the Personal Leadership philosophy requires individuals who are able to decide which situations they need to influence, and also defining what it will take for them to measure their success.
Personal Leadership philosophy
This philosophy is that individuals are able to make choices and take responsibility for their own actions. This method means choosing how we invest our energies each day, both personally and professionally.
Leadership requires making choices and taking responsibility. We each have the same amount of energy to spend, more or less, so we must decide how it is spent. This means that the role of the leader in this method is also to be aware of choices made and actions taken – this is called “presence”.
Presence – awareness of choices made and actions taken
Presence means being aware of both those things we choose as well as those things that are chosen for us by others, whether they are co-workers or managers above us in the corporate structure.
In this business environment, leaders are no longer out front just telling everyone what to do or how things should be done. It’s important to note the presence of leadership styles, leadership skills or educational backgrounds here. A leader is someone who invests their energy into creating an environment where others can make their own decisions about how they will interact with customers, clients, stakeholders, and other groups in the system.
The Personal Leadership philosophy works best when individuals realize that they can behave in ways that promote or demote cooperation in culture; this starts at home in our interactions with spouses and children. It continues in our relationships with co-workers, peers, and supervisors.
Awareness of choices and actions taken by others means that these individuals need to spend time understanding themselves on a deep level, while also assessing the corporate culture in which they work. This might include learning about who your stakeholders are, both internal and external to the organization.
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The most important aspects of the Personal Leadership philosophy
One of the most important things that leaders need to consider in regard to their own practice is how they allocate their time and energy.
Efficient use of time allows you to be more productive, but this can only happen when you understand what your tasks are and adjust accordingly for each assignment. With so much information at our fingertips, it’s easy to get caught up in information overload.
A person must learn how to manage his / her own email inbox, voice mail messages, non-voice messages, etc., as well as having meetings with team members which include proper preparation and follow through on promises made. Having clear expectations with team members ensures strong working relationships between everyone.
The best leaders are able to manage their interactions with employees, peers, and superiors by being flexible in the way they communicate, where they communicate from (home, office, etc.), and how frequently.
Being willing to adjust these personal habits is important when it comes to achieving optimal results at work. At the end of the day, though, people want someone who is able to make decisions while also allowing them to provide input.
Of course, there are many more requirements for the Personal Leadership philosophy – some affect only you personally while others involve working with your team members; however, individuals need to consider all of these things before making assumptions about what does or doesn’t work for them. Below are some points that can be considered by an individual on both a personal and professional level in regards to their chosen profession.
Challenges faced by leaders who are focusing on their own personal leadership
Some of the biggest challenges when it comes to someone’s own practice have nothing to do with anyone else around them, but rather themselves.
People must be willing to look at what tasks they are doing, what modes of communication work best for them, and how much time they spend working outside the office versus inside.
Everyone has different energy that can be used up based on these aspects; therefore, knowing where you stand is important. This also goes back to understanding your schedule and choosing activities accordingly – this way everyone knows what needs to get done and by when.
The challenge here is to not get caught up in comparing your actions to others around you – only you know what works best for yourself. Recognize this and use it to your advantage.
Effective practices
The most effective practices when it comes to someone’s own Personal Leadership philosophy boils down to changing how the leader communicates with employees, peers, or superiors.
Providing clear expectations reduces confusion for all involved, while also allowing people on the receiving end of communication more flexibility in choosing how they react.
Avoiding micromanaging is important here as well; people want to feel empowered by accepting assignments rather than being forced into tasks. This increases morale, which leads towards motivation without having a negative influence on productivity.
Given the opportunity to provide input is also helpful, so long as it doesn’t derail the original discussion.
Having open discussions about what needs to be done, how it can get done, and by when is the best way to approach things because everyone feels included in the process while still being told what’s expected of them. This leads towards happier employees, which increases retention rates.
An effective practice that leaders should undertake when focusing on their own personal leadership has everything to do with making sure they are doing something productive each day while also recharging their energy for future assignments that may pop up unexpectedly.
Knowing yourself – your strengths, weaknesses, preferences, etc., allows you to better direct your path forward both personally and professionally. It is not an easy thing to do, but something that is necessary – especially within a highly competitive environment.
What Personal Leadership traits should high-performing leaders exhibit?
Being willing to adjust these personal habits is important when it comes to achieving optimal results at work. At the end of the day, people want someone who is able to make decisions while also allowing them to provide input.
Another trait that cannot go unmentioned here is empathy; being able to put yourself in others shoes allows you to better decipher their motives as well as how best to steer your own ship towards success as an transformational leader.
Below are some points that are good to consider:
- Leaders should be flexible in the way they communicate, where they communicate from (home, office, etc.), and how frequently this occurs. This is an important aspect of leadership
- Highly effective leaders should be willing to adjust personal habits for optimal results at work since doing so allows them to make decisions while also allowing people on the receiving end of communication more flexibility in choosing how they react.
- As a leader you should be able to show empathy and put yourself in others shoes.
Statement examples
Leader’s qualities that are good to consider when it comes down to making decisions:
- Flexible talking style – communicating either face-to-face or in words to express well-thought ideas in a way that is both genuine and also doesn’t have the potential to offend;
- Being able to utilize different communication tools at any given time without giving up important information;
- Flexibility when it comes to making decisions – being open, objective, thorough with your choices;
- Be the type of leader that is clear, concise communication style – one that is not confusing or overly complicated – having the capacity for great dialogue while putting emphasis on what matters most within a particular situation.
Personal Leadership example
A good example is when someone attempts to make a decision in a way that directly affects the outcome for somebody else.
By being flexible, open, objective, and thorough with your choices, you are able to demonstrate a clear, concise communication style to somebody else.
Another example mentioned before is when somebody can put themselves in somebody else’s shoes in order to be empathetic.
People have the tendency to admire great leaders who are able to think fast and act accordingly with complete self-awareness under any given circumstance. This is because people want someone they can look up to for direction as well as inspiration – which will lead them towards success.
An example in real life of a businessman that shows personal leadership is the founder of Hobby Lobby, David Green. David has been reported as being very empathetic to his employees and those who work at Hobby Lobby.
In the CBN interview and article “Hobby Lobby CEO Reaps the Benefits of Generosity”, they showcase how David “says one of the keys to his success is giving. He has learned to steward his resources with a heavenly mindset”.
This exemplifies the personal leadership philosophy because it shows how he understands leadership as a result of generosity, empathy, integrity, flexibility, and giving.
Now it’s your turn
What do you think? Do you understand the explanation of the Personal Leadership philosophy? If you have any questions or want to provide feedback about this article, don’t hesitate to leave a comment below. We would love to hear from you!
More information
- Alkema, P. (2023). Leadership & Management Skills: 2-in-1 Masterclass. Retrieved 02/15/2024 from Udemy.
- Bruno, L. F., & Lay, E. G. (2008). Personal values and leadership effectiveness. Journal of Business Research, 61(6), 678-683.
- Mastrangelo, A., Eddy, E. R., & Lorenzet, S. J. (2004). The importance of personal and professional leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal.
- Unknown, (2017.) Hobby Lobby CEO Reaps the Benefits of Generosity. CBN.com. https://www1.cbn.com/hobby-lobby-ceo-reaps-benefits-generosity
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Original publication date: 11/19/2021 | Last update: 02/15/2024
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