Self-leadership in its simplest term is the leadership of oneself. However, how one leads themselves and if they do so effectively determines whether their leadership journey will become a transformational one or not (Neck, Manz, & Houghton, 2017). This transformational journey of self-leadership must begin by discovering one’s vocation, mastering mindfulness, and feeding one’s curiosity as these three tools lay the foundation from upon which to build.
Self-Leadership
Self-leadership, grounded in behavioral and cognitive strategies, “addresses not only how but also what and why” to aid in positivity and productivity (Neck et al., 2017). By focusing one’s attention on behavioral and cognitive strategies, you are shaping and reshaping yourself.
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Mindfulness is the act of actively engaging and is harnessed by finding and embracing novelty. It is the act of learning, understanding, and appreciating the world, and it is in this act that we begin to increase our self-leadership (Langer, 2013). It is up to the leader to determine whether they are going to embrace mindfulness or allow mindlessness to impact their self negatively.
Role of mindfulness in self-leadership. We cannot begin to internally understand ourselves to lead ourselves effectively if we cannot recognize the environment around us. How to lead ourselves in that environment can only be learned if we understand the environment in which we are trying to lead. We must know how we fit into our community and what our role in that community is. One way to effectively discover this is through mindfulness.
In relation to self-leadership, mindfulness requires being mindful of ourselves and our world. Leading ourselves requires self-reflection and truly knowing ourselves (Blanchard, 2013). Self-leadership is a journey, and before you can continue to community or organizational leadership, you must begin by knowing yourself. Completing each day by going through the same motions without taking time to notice the novelties “seals us off from life” and from ourselves (Langer, 2013). Mindfulness is not the act of overthinking; it is a way of thinking. Mindfulness is how one chooses to
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It is easy to become engrossed in the new. One must go beyond “diversive curiosity” and show a willingness for “specific curiosity” (Kashdan, 2004). This allows for an increase in the individual’s knowledge rather than just experiencing something because it is new or exciting. A truly curious individual is inquisitive “in the mundane activities that make our daily lives more fulfilling,” going beyond the new and exciting for the sake of learning (Kashdan, 2004). This makes for a life-long learner, encouraging a continuous curiosity. Self-leaders take this curiosity and use it to help them reach their goals.
Role of curiosity in personal leadership development. In relation to self-leadership, curiosity requires more than showing interest, is also requires challenging yourself to expand upon it to further develop yourself (Kashdan, 2004). Curiosity allows “us to be more open-minded, flexible, and non-assuming.”
Conclusion
Vocation, mindfulness, and curiosity are not mutually exclusive topics when discussing their roles in self-leadership. They are all required for anyone to lead effectively. Practicing mindfulness and wielding one’s curiosity act as primers, preparing them for the rest of their self-leadership discovery. Without possessing these qualities and knowing our vocation, the ability to effectively lead ourselves becomes diminished. Mastering these three tools, jumpstarts one's self-leadership journey, teaching us how