Learning Leadership

Chapter 6Leadership Emerges from Within

The primary instrument for leaders is the self. That's all leaders have to work with. It's not going to be code written by some brilliant programmer, apps on a smartphone, or clever phrases of a speechwriter that are going to make people better leaders. What leaders do with themselves makes the most difference. Mastery of the art of leadership comes from the mastery of the self. Ultimately, you will see, leadership development is self-development.

Authentic leadership flows from the inside out. It does not come from the outside in. Inside-out leadership is about discovering who you are, what compels you to do what you do, and what gives you the credibility to lead others. Inside-out leadership is about becoming the author of your own story and the maker of your own history. Inside-out leadership is also the only way to respond to what your constituents most want from you. And what is that? What they want to know is who you genuinely are.

Test this out for yourself. Imagine the following scenario. You're called to a conference room for a very important meeting. You and all your colleagues are sitting there, and in walks a person you've never met before. The individual begins to speak and says, “Hello. I'm your new leader.” At the very moment you hear that announcement, what do you want to know about this person? What are the questions that immediately pop into your mind?

We've asked this question of many different groups around the world, ...