Innate and learned leadership

There are two business bestseller books that you can read to learn how to be a more effective leader.

"Now, Discover Your Strengths" by Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton, Ph.D. (The Free Press) helps you to identify your innate signature talents so that you can build them into leadership strengths.  You can find this book at your local bookseller or purchase online by clicking here: self-directed learning .   On the inside of the book jacket cover there is a code number to take the online Strengthsfinder.com self-assessment.  When you receive your top five "signature talents" report, you need to keep them in front of you so when a situation arises, you may refer to your top five signature talents and decide which to put into action when facing the situation.  Note: At your bookstore there is another book called "Strengthsfinder 2.0" that utilizes the same self assessment.

“The crux of leadership development that works is self-directed learning: intentionally developing or strengthening an aspect of who you are or who you want to be, or both.”   Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis & Annie McKee (Harvard Business School Press)   Your emotional intelligence competencies are not innate talents, but learned abilities, each of which has a unique contribution to making leaders more resonant, and therefore more effective.

Self-coaching helps you acquire useful leadership skills, clarify your values and guiding principles and actively build your reputation.  Self-knowledge provides the personal integrity to engage in powerful action oriented relationships.

Seeing ourselves clearly does many things:

• It allows us to control impulses and select the most appropriate behaviors.

• It shows us how to avoid reacting in negative and potentially self-limiting ways.

• Knowing our strengths and limitations makes us more understanding of others.

• Gaining an understanding of issues reduces conflict in ourselves and in others.

Being aware of the affect of your personality and default behavior on the people in your life helps you to engineer a better communication and leadership style.  Effective leaders know that what people value deeply will move them most powerfully in their work.  Because these leaders are aware of their own guiding principles, values, vision and assumptions/beliefs, they can articulate a vision that has the ring of truth for those they lead.