You have to work from the inside out in order to deepen your level of self-awareness and find your leadership “why”. 

Have you ever stopped to think about why you have chosen to pursue a career in leadership?   

One thing I have learned as a leadership coach and consultant is that many leaders never explore why they want to lead.

This is not a trivial concern or an intellectual exercise; knowing why you want to lead and why you feel called to a leadership career is crucial to your success.

Once you have determined your personal leadership “why,” it is possible to use it as a springboard for launching your leadership platform that will evolve as the organization evolves and you meet each level of success. But you must be focused on the genuine, authentic reasons for leading. Otherwise, you run the risk of spreading yourself and your influence thin.

When we do not take the time to tap into our “why,” we can sometimes lose our identity, become fickle, and operate without a guiding principle or “north star”, if you will. Finding your leadership “why” is essential, but it can also be quite difficult. Fortunately, there are tools that can help.

Self-Reflection & Self-Awareness

You cannot find your leadership “why” without first developing a healthy sense of self-awareness by looking inward and reflecting on why you have chosen this path. What was the motivation behind that decision? Were you tapped on the shoulder because you were a great individual contributor and team player? Did you put your best foot forward and look for that upward promotion into leadership? What was it that caused the shift into your newfound responsibilities?

In my experience, leaders who are self-aware have no trouble describing and focusing on their reasons for leading. They know their “why” inside and out, and every decision they make is aligned with their core values.

On the other hand, leaders who have not taken the time to get grounded and lean into their “why” are often inconsistent and unintentional in their approach, operating in reaction mode vs. being proactive. This is because they have not taken the time to truly tune into themselves, and as a result, may not be able to use their influence in the most positive and impactful ways.

Be Fearless

The world is full of leaders who lack self-awareness. They are not necessarily terrible at their jobs, but they often fail to inspire their people, drive engagement or act as visionaries for their respective organizations. Some of them see no reason to search for their leadership “why” or to develop a stronger sense of self-awareness. The status quo works just fine for them, even though their teams and organizations may never reach higher levels of success and achievement.

I have met many individuals who are quite comfortable with the status quo and like to live in a world that feels safe and comfortable. While I understand the need to do that, I believe they could be robbing themselves of realizing their true leadership potential as an additional bonus of being self-aware can often mean uncovering many hidden inner strengths that would serve the individual and the organization very well. 

The truth is that, for many people, there is nothing scarier than the unexplored areas of their own minds. Developing self-awareness requires coming face to face with one’s weaknesses and shortcomings and being vulnerable. It also means being completely honest about one’s abilities. Some people might be scared to go deep, but I am here to tell you that the rewards that await on the other side are well worth overcoming any obstacles you may face as you embark on this path.

Find Your Leadership “Why” With Help from Leaders Edge!

Deepening your level of self-awareness and find your leadership “why”, can be bolstered dramatically by having a fresh and different perspective on the process. In other words, a professional and insightful helping hand can assist in making the journey easier.

I have worked with countless leaders over the years to help them develop their level of self-awareness and locate their respective leadership “why.” For some of them, it was useful to have an honest, unbiased partner to help them go deeper and develop their leadership abilities. For others, it was helpful to have a source of motivation from outside the organization. For all of them, it was critically important to improve and transcend to the next level of leadership.

If you are ready to hone your self-awareness and find your true, authentic leadership “why,” Leaders Edge is here to help!

Are you ready to get started or to learn more? Great! I invite you to give me a call today at 1.855.871.3374 or send me an email at joanne.trotta@leadersedgeinc.ca. Together, we can find your leadership “why!”