Had an enjoyable conference in Albany. An easy drive both ways.
So Jen's interested in working on new habits for the new year. How about leadership habits? Covey has a lot to say about that. I'm about 1/3 the way through his book on the eighth habit.
What is the number one main quality of a leader? Central to leadership, according to Covey, is trustworthiness. People are motivated and inspired to accomplish projects by leaders who earn their trust. If one is not trustworthy, she may (or may not) be a good manager of tasks, but she will not be a true leader.
How does one become trustworthy? That needs to start with yourself. You need a certain measure of self-esteem and confidence before you venture to make significant contributions in your community, or sphere of influence. Covey says it all boils down to making and keeping promises first of all to yourself, then to others. Start on a small scale for self-esteem and trust to grow.
For example, you decide to rise early in the morning to go out for a walk. You set the alarm for 6:00 AM. The next morning at 6:00 AM the alarm rings. You've already made the decision to rise early, so the automatic response should be to get up. HOWEVER, there's the power of choice. You immediately decide to get up, OR, you decide to roll over and go back to sleep. If you go back to sleep, you have just broken a promise to yourself. You've lost a little self-esteem; you've demonstrated to yourself that you were unable to use your will power to follow through on a decision you had made.
We do this over and again throughout the day: we decide what it is we are going to do, then we either accomplish it or we don't. When we "walk the talk," say what we do and do what we say, we become more trustworthy and we grow in good character as we freely make good choices. So we need to decide and plan carefully what it is we want to do, then follow through. Our self-confidence grows and we may then continue to choose to do bigger and better things.
What do you think about that?
2 comments:
Comments from such a young grasshopper.... easier said than done: obviously.
Of course it's easy to say you'll wake up at 6 the day before when you aren't in your toasty warm bed. Come morning, rolling over is a direct and current choice that seems much more satisfactory, so why not. It sounds okay to me to change one's plans. Especially if it's easier. Except of course, when looking at the greater picture.
Other than the tragic flaw of everyone who is utterly lazy (in the most wonderful way of course), I agree that self confidence and trust in one's own self is key to not only leadership but happiness. True happiness that is, not the kind that comes and goes with a new haircut and chocolate cake. The happiness that is within and quite clearly more than that.
If you're happy with your self current moment, then you shouldn't need anything else. Not needing anything else is pretty much the ambigious goal to any wannabe's life. So start with that, be happy and try to motivate yourself to do what you said you would do in the past. It's all we got. Focus on what creates happiness.
Love, you very well know who is reading your blog.
PS. I took your entry a different way. I'll try to stay focused more next time. Until then... peace.
So you would say it's easier and a satisfactory thing to do, to "roll over" and "change one's plans." The point is, it takes discipline and sacrifice to be a good leader, even a leader of yourself. If you commit to do what you decide to do, even in small things, you are more prepared to stick to it in the bigger choices of life. It's like exercise; you are faithful in doing a few reps with light weights, and this prepares you to become more physically fit and move on to the more serious stuff. Anyway, that's a point of view.
BTW, YOU are one of the most disciplined people I know.
Peace, Mom
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