It All Starts with You
If you’re a student of leadership, you have likely come across the concept of “inside-out leadership.” It is the idea that in order to lead a group of people effectively, you have to first focus on self-awareness and self-development. Books have been written on the subject, and many studies have shown the validity of this principle. In simple terms; You cannot give what you don’t have. To effectively lead others or live a value-adding life you definitely need to look inward to understand and improve yourself.
An ancient Chinese philosopher, Lao Tzu aptly captured the importance of looking inward when he said “Mastering others is strength. Mastering yourself is true power.” This statement is so true, your ability to positively influence others is determined by the quality of investment you make in yourself in the areas of character building, competence and relationship management.
This is what looking inward is about, it begins with taking time to examine yourself. As an African proverb says – “even the brightest torchlight does not have the capacity to see itself.” In the same manner, no matter how bright you think your future is, you cannot be “your best self” if you don’t turn the flashlight inward from time to time. This cannot be over emphasized, studies show that people who regularly reflect on their lives and actions are more productive and successful.
Ironically, Jennifer Porter, an experienced operations executive and leadership coach observed that many people in positions of leadership don’t seem to value the importance of self-reflection. She often got questions like “who are her toughest clients; Inexperienced leaders? Senior leaders who think they know everything? Leaders who bully and belittle others? Leaders who avoid responsibility?” In her response “the hardest leaders to coach are those who won’t reflect — particularly leaders who won’t reflect on themselves.”
Let’s look at 3 ways looking inward can be beneficial to you.
- It Will Help You to Know Your Strengths
Knowing your strengths is important to living a value adding life – especially when it comes to leadership. Serious leaders should spend quality time developing their strengths in order to ensure they remain effective and relevant.
- It Will Help You to Know Your Weaknesses
This is the reality about life; everyone has weaknesses – myself inclusive. These weaknesses, if not well managed could ultimately hinder us from becoming the best version of ourselves. The first step to managing your weaknesses is to be aware of them. This awareness will only come through sincere reflections, which comes from looking inward.
- It Keeps You Honest.
It is often said that honesty is the best policy but being honest with ourselves is one of the most difficult things for us to do. While we usually emphasize honesty to other people, looking inward focuses on being honest with yourself, which sets you on the path of continuous improvement.
So, do you want to see the best version of yourself? Look inward regularly.
Remember, You Have Only One Life to Live, MAKE IT COUNT!
