“Continuous effort, not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.” ~ Winston Churchill
“It is our choices that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities.” ~ J.K. Rowling
Both of the quotes above are from people who have greatly influenced our world at different time spans. Winston Churchill died the year that J.K Rowling was born. They are both British and yet influenced through their unique talents and during the specific times they have lived. In their quotes, they state similar themes. What do you focus your effort on to reach your potential? What choices are you making each day to develop who you are?
It is important to reflect on what our leadership behaviors are saying about who we are and who we are becoming. Developing this type of self-awareness is important to being an effective leader. There are many tools we can use for reflection, such as reading books, journaling, self-rating scales, and feedback from others. Recently I was reading Proverbs 10:10-15 in The Message version of the Bible. This passage gives us five leadership behaviors to reflect upon.
A good leader motivates, doesn’t mislead, doesn’t exploit. (verse 10)
Do you use your talents to manipulate others or to motivate others? A good leader is a steward of a vision for the common good. They use their ability to influence in a way that is best for the mission and not for their own self-interests. They care about and support others in their best potential to reach the vision.
God cares about honesty in the workplace; your business is his business. (verse 11)
Are you honest and transparent? An honest leader holds to integrity and is real. They do not hide mistakes or weaknesses. They make the success and challenges known in order to learn and work together as a team.
Good leaders abhor wrongdoing of all kinds; sound leadership has a moral foundation. (verse 12)
Do you have defined values and aligned behaviors to those values? Our values are to direct our decisions and our actions. They guide in what is right and wrong to the whole organization. A strong leader models the values and a moral foundation.
Good leaders cultivate honest speech; they love advisors who tell them the truth. (verse 13)
Do you cultivate a safe place to speak the truth? Truth is a leader’s friend. It propels innovation by all freely sharing their ideas, even when different. It creates healthy conflict so that best decision making can occur. It allows clear expectations and feedback to be spoken so that potential is reached.
An intemperate leader wreaks havoc in lives; you’re smart to stay clear of someone like that. Good-tempered leaders invigorate lives; they’re like spring rain and sunshine. (verse 14-15)
Do people look forward to seeing you or do they try to avoid you? An influential leader does not use their emotions and attitudes against people. Instead they see people as solutions and not problems in their way. They are emotionally intelligent and have empathy. They encourage others in such a way that brings life and productivity.
So, what do your leadership behaviors say about you? What choices are you making to reach your potential as a leader? What will you do to build self-awareness to reflect on your behaviors?