The toughest person to lead is session handout

The Toughest Person to Lead is?

Yourself!



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Revision Date 2/7/2015

Table of Contents The Toughest person to Lead is? 3

Managing yourself 3


The Toughest person to Lead is?

Managing yourself

Admitting that leading myself is a challenge brings back painful memories. Many of my leadership breakdowns have been personal breakdowns. I’ve made plenty of mistakes, and at least three real leadership crises.. And all of them were my fault. If I were to kick the but of the person responsible, I’d be stretching some strange muscles and bones to do so. To be able to lead others, the first thing you have to do, is be able to lead yourself.

It’s tempting to blame others for our own failings. I know that I do. Of course, you wouldn’t do that. I like to think that those I compete with, are to blame for my failings. But it’s not true. When I fail, it was always me, who failed me. It’s painful, I know, to look deep inside and admit to some shortcomings. But if we don’t, then one day, those very shortcoming are what will sabotage us.



Managing yourself

Do you, like me, try to delude yourself that you haven’t got a particular weak spot? Like me have you fallen victim to them?

When you are upset do you display your emotions?

Yeah, sure you do. But that’s the time when a good leader would delay showing them. Display your emotions when you are in a positive way trying to motivate the people who are around you. So often, we display emotions because it makes us feel better. That’s not a leadership option. You must always ask yourself: “What’s best for the team?”

Have you ever followed a leader who cannot control their emotions or their responses?



Managing yourself

This is most difficult in the middle of the hierarchy. At the top you can delegate, at the bottom you just have to punch in and out. PS You cannot actually manage time!

You’ve heard of Pareto or the 80/20 rule? It’s one of those simple rules that just seems to work. 80% of the work is done with 20% of the effort. The remaining 20%, requires 80% of the effort. So it’s best if we understand this and realise that we should be doing things that align with our strengths and talents – and therefore get done more easily and rapidly that covers 80% of our work. Remembering that there are some things that are

REQUIRED of us, that only we can do.



Managing yourself

Some things, when we do them give the greatest RETURN. Check on what you are doing that could be done at least 80% as well, by someone else. Thirdly, there are things we do that gives us a personal REWARD. Think of your current role – and the things that you do on a regular basis. What things are you doing that only you can do or must do?

What things are you doing that give you the greatest return on your efforts?

And lastly, what are you doing that gives you a personal REWARD. Are you balanced?

Are you in your strengths zone or do you need to eliminate things? How will you do that?

Use your strengths to get the greatest R3 you can.

I was at a leadership conference doing a Q&A and this young man raised his hand to ask a question. He said “John, you’ve been talking about leadership principles all day and I love them, but I have a question. I don’t have anybody to lead. I don’t have a company, I don’t have a small business, I don’t have a team. I’m not a manger so where do I start?”

And I looked at him and I laughed and I said, “Start with yourself. Lead yourself. You see if you wouldn’t follow you, why would anybody else follow you?”

Credibility begins with you. In other words, become the person who is worthy of someone following them.



Managing yourself

Who do you seek out to help you remain accountable?

All of us are surrounded by leaders. Some have positions of authority over us, most do not. Some people emulate their parents or close relatives as they grow in their leadership. And it is common to see generations of a family all showing similar, if not identical, leadership qualities. Choose who you emulate with discernment and wisdom.



Managing yourself

Putting it into practice.

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