Step 9 - Be Yourself

Use your relationships with mentors and your research on great leaders as models or reference points to work from, but never copy or imitate them like a parrot. 

Everyone has vastly different leadership styles. History books are filled with leaders who are soft-spoken, introverted, and quiet, all the way to the other extreme of being outspoken, extroverted, and loud, and everything in between.

Ghandi

A quiet and simple Gandhi or a soft-spoken peanut farmer named Jimmy Carter, who became president of the United States and won a Nobel Peace Prize, have been just as effective world leaders as a loud and flamboyant Churchill, or the tough leadership style employed by The Iron Lady Margaret Thatcher.

Jimmy Carter



Margaret Thatcher

Daniel Goleman

I admire Daniel Goleman as a leadership academic and writer. But if I copy Daniel Goleman, I’d be a second or third rate Goleman, at best, instead of a first rate Janette Sheerman. Be yourself, your best self, always competing against yourself and bettering yourself, and you will become a first rate YOU instead of a second rate somebody else.

So what or who influences your leadership?

One of John Maxwell’s more famous quotes is “Leadership is influence. Nothing more, nothing less.”

Do you agree with this philosophy? Influence can cause people to willingly follow you; not because they have to, but because they choose to. Influence sways people. It impacts them, possibly even enough to change a belief or a behaviour. A strong influencer can gain much power, and an ethical influencer will gain people’s trust as well.

As you’re busy trying to build and extend your influence outwardly, how much attention do you pay to what’s influencing you inwardly?

It’s important to understand what builds into your beliefs, opinions, values, thoughts and behaviors. It’s those things and people that you surround yourself with – your environment – that ultimately affects who you are and what you become. These are your influencers, and you need to make good choices with them if you intend to get closer to your leadershipgoals.

 

I’d like to suggest that you take some time to consider who and what is influencing you.

 Are they helping you to become a better leader or person? Are there people you are letting “in” that you shouldn’t? Are there people you are shutting out that could help you improve?

Let’s ask the “5 Ws and How.”

WHO – Who do you admire most and why? Are you spending time with them? Have you asked them to help you develop the leadership skills you admire about them? Are there people you associate with regularly who aren’t in alignment with your values? Do you seek different viewpoints from people who have different backgrounds and experiences, but who share your same values? Find those people who will sharpen you like iron sharpening iron.

WHAT - What are you reading, watching and listening to? How are they helping you to grow or achieve? What gaps have you identified between where you are and where you want to be, and what will help you close the gaps? What things distract you from meeting or advancing toward your goals? What affects your mood, energy level and creative vision? Understand what makes a difference for you.

WHEN - When are you most productive throughout the day, and are you using your time wisely during that period? When do you rejuvenate and are you allowing yourself the time to do so? When is it easiest for you to lose focus of your goals and how can you keep yourself on target? When do you feel drained and can you minimise those times? Manage your time wisely and effectively.

WHERE - Where do you need to be to get your best work done? Where are you most likely to get distracted from doing the tasks that need to be completed? Where in a current project would you benefit from leveraging the expertise of someone else? Where would you like to be five years from now and what tools, resources and people will help or hurt you from getting there?

WHY – What’s your why? What drives you to become better and who will support that? And who won’t? Your values and beliefs carry your why. They fuel your purpose. Be clear on your purpose and communicate it to others for buy-in. If you’re not clear or passionate about your why, you can kiss your own influence goodbye!

HOW – How will you accomplish your goals? What does your plan look like and who will be a supporter or an obstacle? How can you further develop and grow as a leader? How will you manage your plan? How will you remain accountable to your plan? Who and what tools can help you?

Go ahead. Really think about each of these questions. Consider what people, tools and resources are positive influences, as well as what takes you further away from your goals.

Keep in mind that you want to increase your own influence as leader. You’ll be most effective when you become clear on these questions and you build a support system for your success.