#54. Take The High Ground.
Leadership is the art of being selfish while serving the needs of others without resentment.
There is a naive assumption that leadership is about the people around you. This is perpetuated by the principle of ‘servant leadership’ - you are there for your people more than yourself.
I don’t agree.
Without a deep understanding of one’s, self, we cannot be fit to lead.
If our thoughts, behaviours and expectations are not aligned with what’s good for our people, we have little hope of authentically leading them.
Another myth is that when we are atop the proverbial mountain we suddenly have all the answers, and skills to be a great leader.
Once again, not true.
Our egos do a great job of inflating our sense of importance from on high, where we misinterpret our responsibilities as power.
You may think this doesn’t apply if you don’t have a team.
But I would conclude that it is more important as your expectations of yourself will be higher than any external party could ever have of you.
In that instance, you have to be clear about where the line between expectations and reality blur.
For example:
I wouldn't expect someone to do something I wouldn’t do myself. (But do your actions provide that evidence).
They have all the tools to do their job. (Have you asked them if they have the tools to do said job).
I am not as successful as ‘x’. (What evidence do you have that your perception is their reality).
These are all thought-based outcomes rather than evidence-based. To assess the evidence in front of us, we must subject it to scrutiny that may bruise our egos but help us grow into a new space, a better leader.
To take the high ground requires a careful mix of action, self-awareness and empathy for those around you.
Indeed, leading requires all three. Without them, you are sitting in an ivory tower of self-importance and are not a leader but alone.
For all leaders, especially lone leaders, our ability to be self-aware and step into the uncomfortable daily is how we grow into the person we can choose to become.
But without that change, you will stay the person you have always been.
Until next week, what are you attracting?
G
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