Here are three practices that every leader must embrace if they want to be a leader that truly shows the way:
1. Believe in yourself first,
I’ve met a lot of successful people that other people didn’t believe in, but I’ve never met a successful person that didn’t believe in themselves. If we want other people to believe in us, we must go first and believe in ourselves.
Self-belief has a lot of components — positive self-talk, self-investment, self-reflection, and most importantly producing results. Competence as a leader is a huge factor in developing the confidence necessary to lead people.
2. Set expectations for yourself first.
Leaders must establish upfront where the team is going, what the team is chasing, and what it means to be part of the team. This means establishing expectations for your own work — and living up to the expectations you set.
Leaders must set the standards high for themselves before anyone else does.
3. Keep your commitments first.
To be successful, leaders must continually make commitments. Commitment is key. But the first and most important commitments that any leader makes is to him- or herself. A commitment to integrity. A commitment to responsibility. A commitment to selflessness.
If you’re a leader, or desire to become one, you must always be willing, ready, and committed to “go first.” You will never lead at a level higher than the level at which you lead yourself. If you won’t push yourself to go and grow as a leader, you’ll lack the influence to move others.
