trebound
February 24, 2023

Self-Leadership: Building an Engaged Workforce

Fuel engagement and motivation with self-leadership. Recognize strengths, overcome challenges, and empower a purpose-driven, productive workforce.

Self-Leadership- The Building Blocks for an Engaged Workforce

Self-leadership is a concept that has been gaining more traction in recent years, as organizations and employers look for ways to increase engagement and performance. Self-leadership is the practice of taking ownership and responsibility for your own success and growth, and recognizing yourself as the source of your own motivation and drive. It is about understanding your strengths and weaknesses, and having the courage to make decisions and take risks, all while developing a sense of purpose and meaning in your work. Self-leadership is an important building block for an engaged workforce, as it gives life to employee’s work and gives him motivation to move further in an engaged workforce

Importance of self-leadership

1. Helps recognising strengths & weaknesses

Self-leadership is an important skill for any employee looking to improve their engagement and performance. It involves taking ownership of one’s own development and success, and having the courage to make decisions and take risks. Self-leadership requires employees to understand their strengths and weaknesses, and to set goals and targets for themselves. It also requires employees to recognize their own motivations and desires, and to use these to their advantage. Self-leadership encourages employees to be proactive in their professional and personal development, and to take responsibility for their own success

2. Helps developing self-awareness

Self-leadership starts with self-awareness. Employees need to be aware of their own strengths and weaknesses, and to have a clear understanding of their own motivations and desires. Self-awareness helps employees to set realistic and achievable goals, and to recognize their own capabilities and limitations. Self-awareness is an important step in self-leadership, as it helps employees to recognize their own potential and to take ownership of their own success

3. Develops the sense of courage in employees

Self- awareness helps the employees to be strong while taking tough decisions, if when called for. This requires courage, as employees may be hesitant to make decisions that could lead to failure or disappointment. Employees also need to be willing to take risks in order to achieve success. Taking risks can help employees to develop and grow, and to gain a better understanding of their own capabilities and limitations

"A great leader possesses the courage to admit his or her mistakes, and to make the necessary changes to improve upon them." - Les Brown

4. Helps finding the purpose in one’s work

Self-leadership also involves having a sense of purpose and meaning in one’s work. Employees need to understand why they are doing what they are doing, and to recognize the importance of their work. Having a sense of purpose and meaning in one’s work can help employees to stay motivated and engaged. It can also help employees to develop a sense of pride and satisfaction in their work, which can lead to increased engagement and performance

While self-leadership is an important concept for an engaged workforce, there are some common problems that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills. In this section, we will discuss the seven problems in self-leadership and provide some tips for overcoming them

Problems are as follows

1. Lack of self-awareness

The first problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of self-awareness. Self-awareness is the foundation of self-leadership, as it requires individuals to understand their own strengths, weaknesses, values, and beliefs. Without self-awareness, individuals may struggle to set goals, make decisions, and take actions that align with their personal values and goals

"As human beings, our greatness lies not so much in being able to remake the world as in being able to remake ourselves." - Mahatma Gandhi

To overcome this problem, individuals can start by taking a personality assessment or engaging in self-reflection exercises. This can help individuals to gain a better understanding of their own personality traits, values, and beliefs

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2. Lack of motivation

Another problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of motivation. Without motivation, individuals may struggle to set and achieve goals, take risks, and make decisions that align with their personal values and goals

To overcome this problem, individuals can try setting small goals and celebrating small successes. This can help to build momentum and increase motivation over time

3. Lack of focus

A third problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of focus. Without focus, individuals may struggle to prioritize tasks, set goals, and make decisions

"Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have twenty-four hour days." - Zig Ziglar

To overcome this problem, individuals can try using time management techniques such as the Pomodoro technique or creating a to-do list. This can help individuals to prioritize tasks and stay focused on their goals

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4. Fear of failure

A fourth problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a fear of failure. Fear of failure can prevent individuals from taking risks, making decisions, and trying new things

To overcome this problem, individuals can try reframing failure as an opportunity to learn and grow. They can also try setting realistic goals and celebrating small successes to build confidence over time

5. Lack of accountability

A fifth problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of accountability. Without accountability, individuals may struggle to follow through on their goals and commitments

"Accountability breeds response-ability." - Stephen Covey

To overcome this problem, individuals can try setting up an accountability system such as a mentor or accountability partner. This can help individuals to stay on track and follow through on their goals and commitments

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6. Lack of self-discipline

A sixth problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of self-discipline. Without self-discipline, individuals may struggle to stay focused on their goals and follow through on their commitments

To overcome this problem, individuals can try creating a routine or schedule for their day. They can also try using self-rewards or punishments to motivate themselves to stay on track

7. Lack of resilience

A seventh problem that individuals may face when trying to develop their self-leadership skills is a lack of resilience. Without resilience, individuals may struggle to bounce back from setbacks or challenges

To overcome this problem, individuals can try practicing mindfulness or meditation to build resilience and improve their ability to handle stress and challenges. They can also try seeking support from a mentor or coach to help them build resilience over time

Conclusion

Self-leadership is an essential building block for an engaged and high-performing workforce. It requires employees to take ownership of their own development and success, and to have the courage to make decisions and take risks. Self-leadership also involves having a sense of purpose and meaning in one's work, which is critical for maintaining motivation and engagement.

While developing self-leadership skills can be challenging, there are several steps that individuals can take to overcome common problems such as lack of self-awareness, motivation, and focus. By taking small steps to improve self-leadership skills, individuals can become more effective leaders and contributors in the workplace.

Therefore, I call upon all the readers to take a step forward towards self-leadership and encourage their colleagues and teammates to do the same. This will not only lead to personal growth and development but will also contribute significantly to creating a more engaged and productive workforce. The time to start is now. Let's take ownership of our success and growth, and create a better future for ourselves and our organizations.

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