Good leadership begins with leaders knowing who they are. Successful leaders work hard to know themselves. They know their own strengths and weaknesses. They understand their own temperament. They know what personal experiences serve them well. They know their work habits as well as their daily, monthly, and seasonal rhythms. They know which kinds of people they work well with and which kinds they have to try harder with to appreciate. They have a sense of where they are going and how they want to get there. As a result, they know what they're capable of doing, and their leadership is steady.
What Are My Values?
Your values are the soul of your leadership, and they drive your behavior. Before you can grow and mature as a leader, you must have a clear understanding of your values and commit to living consistently with them -- since they will shape your behavior and influence the way you lead. I believe you should settle what you believe in three key areas:
Ethical Values -- what does it mean to do the right thing for the right reason?
Relational Values -- How do you build an environment of trust and respect with others?
Success Values -- What goals are worth spending your life on?
What Leadership Practices Do I Want to Put into Place?
If you want to become a successful leader, you must not only know yourself and define your values, you must also live them out. You will not grow as a leader unless you commit to getting out of your comfort zone and trying to be a better leader than you are today.
From "How Successful People Leader" by John Maxwell
