Leading Yourself First

Posted on May 04, 2021 Topic : Inspirational/Devotional, Men's Christian Living, Women's Christian Living
Posted by : Bob Phillips and Del Walinga

The importance of self-development as both a leader and follower cannot be overstated. As Robin Sharma suggests, “Investing in yourself is the best investment you will ever make. It will not only improve your life; it will improve the lives of those around you.”

A lot of time is spent investing in those things that remind us just how short life really is. Some are extremely important: family relationships, job security, and church fellowship. Others are not nearly as significant: social media, television, and computer games. What we expect from others we must demonstrate.

Self-development has been referred to as “human capital.” I prefer to think of it as the “stewardship of life.” It’s a lifelong process, requiring effort, energy, and commitment. It comes from well-developed beliefs, values, and the skills required to succeed as a leader. Followers want and need leaders who are positive role models.

This is no light responsibility. Actually, leaders have no choice in the matter. No aspect of leadership is more important. When you develop as a leader, it inspires trust from your followers. They want to follow someone who is confident, competent, and caring. Being a personal example affects others more than instruction alone. Why would followers be motivated to follow someone they don’t trust, respect, or admire?

A leader’s motivation for self-development is greatly influenced by their personal values.

Here are nine key competencies consistently valued by leaders and followers alike:

Ethics—in verbal orders and policies

Communication—to direct and influence

Proficiency—through self-study and experiences

Decisions—to make choices and solve problems

Supervision—to coordinate and evaluate

Planning—to organize and budget

Developing others—in order to build esprit de corps and confidence

Resourcefulness—to demonstrate skills and manage information

Mentoring—to overcome problems and increase knowledge

How are you doing in these nine areas? Do you need to spend some time reinforcing any of them? Leaders continue to learn and improve through self-development so they can be better servants. Selfless service requires resisting the temptation to put selfish gain, personal advantage, and self-interests ahead of what is best for the individual and the organization.