To Know Thyself Is To Be Myself

Just as important as knowing who we are is knowing who we are not.

When our actions do not align with our identity, we create challenges for ourselves. In my own experiences and based on my observations of others, leaders run into trouble when we try to be someone else or when we try to apply the latest leadership “techniques”.

In some cases, this disconnect between our identity and our leadership behavior occurs because we are too fearful, too insecure, or too inadequate (in our own minds) to be who we truly are.

In my first assignment at the manager level, my boss had to pull me aside after a few months to say, “You don’t have to tell them you’re in charge; they know you’re in charge.” Out of my own insecurity about who I was as a leader I had been acting in a way (too directive, too controlling) that was inconsistent with my identity (which includes being easygoing). Needless to say, I was not leading well.

In other cases, the disconnect between our identity and our leadership behaviors occur because we are told, through leadership literature, that we need to behave in a certain way to be a successful leader.

So for those of us who don’t fit the “classic” leadership model take heart; we can be true to our identity and still be good leaders influencing people to good outcomes.