There tends to be much confusion in business when various roles are defined as being “Manager” or “Leader” or some other terms which attempts to define the role/responsibilities of the position. Some of the titles are the result of years of passing them down from prior people in the roles to current people. In some cases, the titles are recrafted when an organizational change gets implemented. Still others take place when the business is putting in place a new culture and needs to define not just the functions in the organization but also their intended contribution to the success.
When the word manager is used, it carries with it a predisposition that the person has a defined set of responsibilities and should be accountable for those expectations. When the word leader is used it tends to move the role to a higher level, not discarding responsibilities but adding another layer that can be perceived as more strategic in nature. Management tends to be focused on the delivery of and the coordination of people, things, actions, stuff where leadership gravitates toward the coordination of the systems and process and the people executing those efforts.
In our view, leadership starts with self-leadership, and it is needed at all levels of an organization. From the entry level role to the president/owner of the business. Without self-leadership then all other forms of responsibility are placed in jeopardy.
What is self-leadership?
Self-leadership is the process of developing mastery of the means by which you thrive in all of the various situations both in business and in personal life. The volume of stuff which is coming at each of us daily needs to be aligned or discarded in an effective and efficient way in order for each of us to lead ourselves to positive outcomes.
Self-leadership begins with knowledge of self. That includes what you do well and what you have opportunities to grow in. This acknowledgment of strengths and weaknesses must be authentic and not a best guess. None of us are fully capable at everything and once we identify where we need support, we can engage those people or systems to prop us up to be more effective. We leverage our strengths while supplementing our areas where others can be more contributing.
This week look first at your ability to assess your own self-leadership capabilities and capacities. If you want or need to get input, ask for it. If you need or would like a tool to start the self-evaluation reach out to us at JKL Associates. We have well researched instruments that will cause exceptional thought-provoking insights into your leadership elements.
Look then at your organization and do the roles and titles align with your business purpose and core values? Do you need to align role contribution and expectations so that everyone has a firmer appreciation and understanding on how each person fits into the objectives of the business?
People are not born leaders. The culture, environment, and life experiences contribute to the development and knowledge of building a leader. If we engage in self-leadership efforts, then the way in which we experience situations contributes to our growth rather than our confusion.
Looking to build a culture where self-leadership drives growth and results? Reach out to a Promise Guide at JKL Associates for an initial no obligation conversation. JKL Associates can be reached at our Florida office at (407) 984-7246 or our Michigan office at (313) 527-7945. We look forward to hearing from you.
Journey On!
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