Have you ever met a leader who doesn’t lead themselves the same way they lead others? Maybe they have lower expectations for themselves than those they lead. Or, perhaps they have expectations for themselves which are so high, their team feels inadequate and unable to keep up.
Transformational leaders lead themselves well because they practice these five simple principles.
1. Learn
“Learning to lead yourself well is one of the most important things you’ll ever do as a leader.” - John Maxwell
Transformational leaders practice Visionary Leadership, encouraging new ideas and supporting followers as they “think outside the box”. As transformational self-leaders, we should do the same. By encountering new ideas, systems, and processes self-leaders discover and learn fresh perspectives and practices. Learning is essential to transformational self-leadership. As leaders, learning can help us practice humility and encourages us to faithfully seek out mentors. Though it's not always easy, practicing being a learning leader can result in transformational change in you and those you lead.
“Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance…” - Proverbs 1:5 ESV
2. Know the Goal
“If you don’t know where you are going, every road leads to your destination.” - Anonymous
Effective leadership requires knowing the destination. Someone once said, “If you don’t know where you are going, every road leads to your destination.” We know that successful leaders have a clear vision and goals that guide how they live each day. Likewise, transformational self-leadership means knowing who you want to become and what you want your legacy to be. Once you’ve defined your vision and what it means to be successful, you are able to set goals for yourself. Having clear goals provides purpose and direction for your life and can maximize your efforts.
“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” - Philippians 3:14 ESV
3. Strategize
“Prayer is the master strategy that God gives for the defeat and rout of Satan.” - Wesley L. Duewel
Leaders know the importance of strategic actions and decision-making. Transformational self-leaders have a strategy for leading themselves. Developing a strategy for successful self-leadership may have specifics for each of us in our given contexts, but a simple strategy exists and can be applied across cultural boundaries. Prayer is an essential strategy of self-leadership and is so important Paul encourages us to pray “without ceasing”. Transformational self-leadership is a spiritual endeavor, so we need guidance, wisdom, and power from God.
“Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.”
- Colossians 4:2
4. Overcome Obstacles
“Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the Lord's will, whatever it may be. When one is truly in this state, it is usually but a little way to the knowledge of what His will is.” - George Meuller
No matter the circumstances of our leadership, obstacles will arise which keep us from reaching our desired destination. This is no less true when we lead ourselves. To be a transformational self-leader, we must overcome the obstacles keeping us from God’s vision for our life. Obstacles can be the result of external forces, but in self-leadership most obstacles are personal. Personal obstacles like the imposter syndrome can result from our failure to root a sense of self-worth in God. To overcome this, you must self-lead and see yourself through the eyes of God. Psalm 139 is a reminder that God knows every detail of your life and that He planned you long before the world began.
“I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.” - Psalm 139:14
5. Internalize Integrity
“An essential goal for any spiritual leader is to gain people’s trust through genuine integrity. Trust is hard to earn and easy to lose.” - Al Vomsteeg
When leaders fail to maintain integrity, their families, businesses, and even the work of the Church suffer the consequences. Integrity is needed in every aspect of leadership, especially in self-leadership. A famous American author once said, “We lie best when we lie to ourselves.” Transformational self-leadership requires having integrity with yourself. Accountability, focus, and vulnerability are needed to successfully sustain integrity with others and ourselves. Be honest with yourself about bad decisions and good ones. Be vulnerable and honest with yourself about your abilities, fears, and doubts. If we focus, practicing personal integrity with ourselves, we will lead ourselves more effectively.
“Whoever trusts in his own mind is a fool, but he who walks in wisdom will be delivered.” - Proverbs 28:26
Featuring: Daniel Drewski
Data and information are essential for knowing how effective your organization or ministry is, but knowing the right data to measure is the most important key to your success.