Week 6: Eagle Source
Do Personalities Really Matter?
Do you think of yourself as a leader? The truth is, we are ALL leaders, because we lead ourselves first. We may be a good leader, or a bad leader, but ultimately, we begin our leadership journey by looking in the mirror. In order to lead others effectively, we must lead ourselves effectively.
Moving beyond ourselves, the ability to influence others is the definition of leadership. Leadership does not mean that we have all the right answers and it isn’t about always being right – it is about influencing others with authenticity and transparency. But we cannot have leadership influence without some type of relationship.
Top 5 Interractions
Let’s think about the top 5 people we interact with the most at work. Consider and estimate the number of years each person has worked.
Now, ask yourself: How might you connect with these people differently if you could access all of the knowledge and experience that has been accumulated by them during that time.
Doing so is an example of leadership: When we learn to connect with others where they are, we gain valuable insight and knowledge.
People who understand how to successfully navigate personal relationships know how to: connect with others, listen well, communicate effectively, and ultimately create influence.
The key to this important process is understanding the personalities of those around you. That is the fundamental truth behind Make a Difference.
Questions
Ask yourself these questions:
How healthy are the relationships with the people you lead and influence? Are they positive, challenging, or non-existent?
What struggles exist in your relationships? How are they limiting your success as a leader?
Where do you want to go as a leader? Are there any relationships prohibiting you from getting there?
Remember to use your Eagle Teams Digital Notebook to document your thoughts and insights.
In Make a Difference, you learned that there is a link connecting our opportunity to be an effective leader with the relationships we have with others. Discovering our own personality profile and how it impacts relationships, allows us to strengthen our leadership.
Higher Flight
This week Higher Flight offers an article synopsis that gives additional perspectives on personalities and the impact personalities have on employee engagement. If you have a few minutes, take a look!
