The First Pillar of People-Centric Leadership

Even with the “get back to work” attitude in many companies these days, most organizations would still love to put people first if it means they can also have a high performing culture. But how do we actually make that a reality? How does one become a people-centric leader who cultivates cultures where individuals know they are valued and feel inspired to show up at their best everyday?

The answer might surprise you:

It starts by putting your first attention on yourself.

We all know the adage of putting on your own oxygen mask before helping others. The same goes for leadership. Self-Leadership is a nuanced process of taking care of your own needs, truly knowing yourself, and understanding your strengths and weaknesses so that you can better understand others. And when you truly know yourself, you’re more likely to value self-care. If you’re like most of my clients, you tirelessly pour into your teams and prioritize their needs above your own. Consider how much better you might be as a leader for them if you really took care of yourself first.

Leading Yourself

Self-leadership takes root in self-awareness – truly connecting with yourself, exploring the ever-evolving, multifaceted being that drives your actions. In fact, numerous studies show a strong link between self-awareness and effective leadership. Here are some actionable tools to get you started on this path to self-discovery:

Understand Your Style

Utilizing tools like the DISC assessment enables you to recognize your natural communication and behavioral style against four factors: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Compliance or Conscientiousness. Being armed with this information about how you naturally navigate the world can shed light into interpersonal interactions with clarity and effectiveness.

We all have a blend of these four factors, and this assessment can help us understand both ourselves and others. Like a recent client of mine, with a high D factor who clashed with a colleague with a high S factor. By recognizing their styles and having open conversations about their differences, they adjusted their approach – the high D factor person slowed down just a tad, the high S factor colleague felt heard and understood. The result? A smoother collaboration thanks to clear communication and an ability to adapt to another person’s style when needed for the sake of productivity, team effectiveness and accelerating outcomes.

Create an Inventory of Your Strengths and Opportunities for Growth

Now don't view this as self-flagellation (Yes, I’m talking to you perfectionists out there. I see you.), but rather as an honest assessment of your talents and areas for growth. Let me share two simple yet powerful exercises I encourage my clients to do:

1.    Keep an Accomplishment Journal. Many of us keep to-do lists, but how often do we track and celebrate our achievements, big or small? The manner with which you document these wins matters too. Are you solely focused on the end result or do you also highlight the skills acquired and knowledge gained along the way? It could be beneficial to assess your growth between accomplishments. 

For instance, ask yourself: A high-profile win might be impressive, but did I learn much? Maybe not. On the other hand, that seemingly smaller task that pushed me outside my comfort zone? It was tough and stressful, yes, but it stretched my capabilities! I even developed a sense of mastery in that particular area. 

By evaluating your accomplishments in this way, you not only recognize your progress but also identify areas for further growth.

2. Make A Gap Analysis Of Where You Are And Where You Want To Be. Like a personalized roadmap, a gap analysis pinpoints the specific areas you need to focus on, ensuring your efforts align with your aspirations. What do you still want to learn? What existing talents do you need to enhance to achieve your target state? Once you've identified those skill or knowledge gaps, it's time to roll up your sleeves and build a plan. We're talking clear steps, a realistic timeline, and the resources you need to bridge the gap. This may include online courses, workshops, getting a mentor, or hiring an executive leadership coach. No more winging it! This plan ensures you're laser-focused on acquiring the exact skills you need, maximizing your learning and development journey.

Define Your Values and Needs

Your values and needs are the guiding forces that keep you fired up and on track, but there's a key difference. Values are your non-negotiables, the fundamental beliefs that guide your decisions. They're the things that, if ignored or compromised, leave you feeling depleted and misaligned. If your professional setting consistently clashes with your core values, it can be soul-crushing.

Needs, on the other hand, are more fluid. They're the things that energize and motivate you in the moment, and they can change as your life and career evolve. Some leaders crave constant challenge and thrive in a fast-paced environment. Others find their flow in stability and predictability. Being aware of your individual needs allows you to create a work environment that fuels your best self. 

The key is to understand both. Your values ensure you stay true to yourself, while your needs keep you fired up. It's like my introverted client who craved collaboration (value) but needed focused work time (need). Simple adjustments that align your values and needs can have a huge impact – just like her "quiet hours" that boosted her productivity. Regular self-reflections is important. By getting clear on what matters most, you make conscious choices and strengthen your self-leadership.

Identify Disconnects

Another critical aspect of self-leadership is identifying and addressing disconnects within ourselves. These are areas where we are misaligned, such as between our core values and our actions. Here's an example that hits close to home for many of us. You list "work-life balance" as a core value, yet consistently find yourself burning the midnight oil. That’s a disconnect leading to potential burnout.

The key is to acknowledge these disconnects and course-correct. Maybe that means setting stricter boundaries (hello, 6 pm laptop shutdowns!), or delegating more effectively. By addressing misalignments, you attain a deeper connection to yourself, unleashing your potential to be a better self-leader.

Remember, if you want to be a People-Centric Leader, you have to start with putting yourself at the center first. 

Stay tuned for part two of this Self-Leadership series, where we'll explore the art of building unshakeable trust in yourself – a crucial element for leading with integrity and resilience.