Personal Leadership is where it begins
Published by www.sagoodnews.co.za on 28 May, 2015
Every entrepreneur needs to develop personal leadership to be able to lead others. Developing as a leader is a continuous process that's shaped and guided by personal experiences.
To develop leadership abilities we need to know when and what to say yes and no to. This way, you allow yourself to identify which opportunities are aligned and not aligned to what you eventually would like to achieve. American scholar, Warren Bennis said “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Therefore, in your process of self-discovery, you'll also be able to identify how you can add value to other people's lives by creating opportunities for them to become leaders in their own right.
I believe that no entrepreneur can achieve all that is expected of them and lead others without knowing who they are. Paul J Meyers states that, “To know yourself, is to lead others”. Being an entrepreneur is about bringing solutions and at times challenging the status quo. To do this, entrepreneurs must be confident in their own abilities and affirm their personal leadership.
A strong leadership philosophy empowers you to remain committed to a cause that is greater than yourself, and allows you to serve others, understanding your role as leader or and an entrepreneur. It is your leadership that will make others seek you out and ask for your help. This is how your influence will increase and your impact as an entrepreneur becomes evident. The hallmark of every leader and entrepreneur is authenticity, remaining true to who you are and always responding to situations in line with your own set of values - personal leadership.
Due to the socio economic climate there's a great amount of social responsibility entrepreneurs have inherited. Entrepreneurs are esteemed and viewed as part of the solution to poverty elevation, opportunity creation, and are expected to lead development within society. Therefore, knowing who you are is the first step to personal leadership. In knowing who you are, there is clarity in thought and the direction of your life moves towards achieving those goals.
