SOAR TO SUCCESS / Personal Growth Strategies have to know yourself to grow yourself.” One of the participants at my table, Jamie from the Chaktaw Nation, made a statement that that really struck me. He said, “My talent took me to a place that my character couldn’t handle.” To me, that was so profound…Wow! In his book “Winning with People” John Maxwell started the book with the Mirror Principle, where he advises “The First Person We Must Examine is Ourselves.” John says that if you don’t take a realistic look at yourself, you’ll never understand where your personal challenges and difficulties lie. If you can’t see them, you won’t be able to lead yourself effectively. Carl Jung said, “Until we make the unconscious, conscious, it will control your life and you will call it fate.” One of my favorite exercises with a new coaching client is to have them make listings of their strengths, talents, successes, and gifts. Most folks can fill a couple of pages with all of their mistakes, short comings and failures but to list their gifts, talents, successes and strengths, they struggle. We are much harder on ourselves than we are on others. And I think that’s because we judge others based on what we see, their actions but for us… we look at our intentions. Four Simple, Not Easy, Steps to Leading Yourself 1. LearnFollowership– Onlya leaderwho has followed, knows how to lead others well. Leaders who have never followed will tend to be prideful, unrealistic, rigid and autocratic. Arrogant leaders are rarely effective in the long run. Learn to be a good follower. 2. Develop Self-Discipline – We are responsible for our thoughts, our feelings and our actions and that is a lot to be responsible for and accountable to. 3. Practice Patience – Few worthwhile things in life come quickly. A vital part of the process is becoming the kind of person who leads well and that takes time. Many leaders tend to be impatient because they look ahead, think ahead, and want to move ahead. Maxwell says, “Being fifty steps ahead couldmake you a martyr.” 4. Seek Accountability – People who lead themselves well know a secret, and that secret is they don’t trust themselves. They outsource their accountability. Leaders know that power can be enticing and seductive. Just look at our politicians… they are consumed by being in power for themselves not for we the people. Good leaders know and understand their own fallibility. How clearly do you see yourself? Where do you need to grow?
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