The Connection Between Self-Leadership and Leading Others

In this episode, we share a somewhat candid conversation about the challenge of recognizing personal needs and the connection between self-leadership and leading others. Throughout our discussion, Brian and I share personal anecdotes and observations about our struggles to name and prioritize individual needs. We also highlight the significance of understanding and addressing our own needs as a fundamental aspect of self-leadership and compassionate leadership towards others. Listen and reflect as we unpack these perspectives and provide some practical suggestions for recognizing and prioritizing your own needs as a leader. Enjoy!

The Challenge of Naming Needs

Many people face a common struggle in articulating their own needs. So many leaders we’ve worked with over the years, including ourselves, find it challenging to identify and express some fundamental human needs, often defaulting to focusing on the needs of others. Are you doing this? If so, how or why? Recognizing this difficulty can lead to a deeper understanding of oneself and improve leadership capabilities.

The Connection Between Self-Leadership and Leading Others

There’s an undeniable correlation between a leader’s ability to lead others and their capacity to lead themselves. Self-compassion and self-care are foundational elements of compassionate leadership. How can you understand and meet your needs to better support and empathize with those you lead?

Prioritizing Personal Needs in the Larger System

As leaders, many of us have been conditioned to meet other people’s needs before our own. We have been conditioned to think that meeting other people’s needs is more heroic or even more humble than meeting your own needs. A real challenge exists in balancing personal needs within group needs. Compromising and finding a balance serves your wellbeing and collective goals. How do your needs bump up against the needs of the larger system that they’re part of?

Tips for Leading with Self-Leadership

Give Yourself Permission to Care for Yourself First

Integrate the word ‘and’. it’s not one or the other, it’s and. The symbol of the ampersand is the perfect analogy of this. That journey of a line that makes the ‘and’ symbol. It’s caring for yourself and caring for others. There may not be a perfect balance, but the balance that you find is the balance that’s perfect for you.

Develop a Need Practice

Practice identifying your needs the way you would practice identifying gratitude. This practice can give us vocabulary and permission to name what you need right now. Try starting your day by looking at your calendar and asking yourself, what do I need today in the following categories: emotionally, intellectually, spiritually, physically, relationally?

Find a Values Connection

Self-leadership comes back to values. As you think about your needs, try to connect them to your values. This connection could make it easier to prioritize our needs and name them.

Your Connection Between Self-Leadership and Leading Others

How can you better lead others by first leading yourself? What is your connection between self-leadership and leading others? We would love to hear from you – connect with me at nathan@leadershipvisionconsulting.com.