While hacks may be helpful for “doing” leadership to a certain extent, they usually don’t help me get to my end goal of being a better leader.
I have found the following three areas to provide compelling evidence you can intentionally grow and become a better leader:
- Social and Emotional Intelligence (SEI)- Daniel Goleman is the pioneer and name most often associated with this area. While SEI is important in all walks of life, it’s becoming increasingly clear that it the foundation of good leadership.
- Resonant Leadership- Richard Boyatzis and Annie McKee out of Case Western Reserve University and his team are the leading proponents and researchers in this area. “Resonant” refers to being in tune with yourself and those you lead.
- Coaching– Coaching at it’s core is about personal development and intentionally growing your awareness and ability to execute at increasingly high levels. Coaching has had tremendous impact on both personal well-being and the bottom line of business in recent years.
The basic essence of leadership is influence, and it starts with influencing yourself. The evidence makes it clear that you can become better leader through intentional work in the right areas.
Which of the three areas listed above, if intentionally worked on, has the most potential to increase your leadership influence of yourself and others?
Please leave a comment and let me know your thoughts and where you want your leadership to grow.
(this is a summary of a guest post on the EIM blog; check it out for more detail.)