This article is an excerpt from the Shortform book guide to "How to Lead When You're Not in Charge" by Clay Scroggins. Shortform has the world's best summaries and analyses of books you should be reading.
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What is self-leadership? How can you lead yourself to greatness?
The one thing you can control is yourself, Clay Scroggins says. This is the most essential kind of leadership to embrace, as you’ll always have authority over your own behavior, regardless of your position in an organization.
Below, we’ll explore a few types of self-leadership you should embrace.
1. Leading Your Actions
What is self-leadership? There are three types. The first type of self-leadership is leading your actions. Scroggins describes this as being dutiful and mindful in the small, daily decisions you make. This consistency shows God that you’re ready for the responsibility of leading others in the same way, making it more likely that he’ll put you in a position of authority where you can create even greater positive change.
We’ve consolidated Scroggins’s ideas into four tips for making dutiful, mindful daily decisions:
1. Support people in positions of authority. This shows you have a strong moral character, which makes you more trustworthy. You can show this support by executing your given tasks to the best of your ability and addressing challenging situations, like dealing with a demanding boss or extensive workload, with grace and maturity.
2. Actively monitor your emotions. Your emotions drive your behavior, which in turn dictates whether people see you as a good leader, as discussed above. So, continually evaluate whether you’re being driven by the right motives. Don’t let envy, resentment, or other negative feelings influence your actions. Instead, you should be motivated by a biblical love of your colleagues, which involves putting the needs and well-being of others above your own.
3. Commit to a concrete plan for personal development. You can’t become a good leader accidentally: The way you behave now will likely stay the same after you gain a position of authority, so you must be intentional about cultivating good habits.
Scroggins suggests developing a clear vision of the person you want to be by asking yourself three foundational questions: How do you want to lead? Why do you want to lead? How do you want to be perceived by others? Once you’ve established this goal, honestly assess the ways you currently fall short of it. Then, be intentional about making choices that help you become the person you imagined—someone who embraces those leadership methods, upholds that mission, and has that reputation. Look for practical ways to hold yourself accountable for your progress, like setting deadlines or joining accountability groups.
4. Take the opportunity to learn from other leaders and those in authority. Observe how they operate and discern what they do right or wrong. Then, adjust your own leadership style to mimic their successes and avoid their mistakes. Be mindful that people may be observing you in the same way, so always strive to exhibit good leadership traits that are worthy of emulation.
2. Leading Your Perception
The next type of self-leadership is “leading your perception,” or taking an active role in shaping how you think about things. This is an important axis of leadership because your perception of a situation influences how you react to it.
Scroggins discusses two main ways you can lead your perception: taking a big-picture view and practicing critical thinking.
Take a Big-Picture View
One way you can lead your perception is by taking a big-picture view of it, Scroggins says. Instead of assuming that your perspective is automatically correct, recognize and see past your biases. This helps you understand your role and how it fits into both your organization and God’s overarching plan for your life.
Scroggins says taking a big-picture view can help you see situations positively, as opportunities for personal growth, instead of seeing them negatively. He implies that this positive perception makes it easier to support your superiors and display a strong moral character, thus encouraging people to see you as a leader, as discussed above.
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Here's what you'll find in our full How to Lead When You're Not in Charge summary:
- The risks of confusing authority with leadership
- Why you don’t need to be in a position of authority to be a leader
- How to lead your environment and even your superiors
