Setting Your Leadership Sails

Principle-based leaders are well aware of the values and beliefs that inform who they are as a leader.  Research has shown that those leaders who are able to articulate their leadership philosophy are far more effective, more trusted, and have higher levels of personal satisfaction that those who cannot. 

One ship sails east and another sails west, 
With the selfsame winds that blow;
‘Tis the set of the sails and not the gales
That tells them where to go.

Like the winds of the sea are the winds of time,
As we journey along through life;
‘Tis the set of the soul that determines the goal,
And not the calm or the strife.
- Ella Wheeler Wilcox, 1916 

A leadership philosophy is a personal mission statement that sets our sails correctly putting us on the right course, rather than our direction being set by the gales and strife we encounter every day. It is the articulation of how we see ourself as a leader and provides us the guidance for consistent and confident leadership. It is the how and why of our leadership. 

There are a number of reasons why being clear on our leadership philosophy is key to our leadership effectiveness. It: 

• guides our behaviours and decision resulting in consistency; those we lead know what to expect from us and what we expect from them

• enables us to engage in ongoing leadership development as it is a design for what type of leader we want to be in the future 

• provides a compass for problem solving and conflict resolution

• creates healthy and productive boundaries

• enables transformational leadership 

• addresses “imposter syndrome”.  When our  actions are aligned with our beliefs we can be reassured we are not making it up as we go along. 

Need some numbers to be convinced?

• Those who work with leaders who have a clear leadership philosophy are evaluate their leaders as 140% more effective than those who work with leaders who lack a clear philosophy

• Leaders who have a clear leadership score 135% higher on measures of trust than leaders who do not

• Leaders who know their personal leadership philosophy are 25% more engaged in their work and their team members are 40% more engaged* **

If you don’t have a personal leadership philosophy,
you don’t have a plan for leading every day.
You’re hoping to lead, you’re not planning to lead.
- Dudley Drew

So how do I create a personal leadership philosophy?

Building a philosophy statement is not the hydrofoil yacht of the leadership world. It is a highly reflective process and should take weeks if not months. At LEAD we have developed a seven step process for leaders to create their own personal leadership philosophy:

1. Identify your values 

2. Clarify your vision 

3. Know what motivates you 

4. Determine what you believe leadership is 

5. Envision what type of leader you want to be 

6. Identify your strengths 

7. Articulate what others can expect from you and what you expect of others. 

Now, more than ever before, as leaders we need to draw on all of our tools and resources to ensure our actions, decisions and responses support our people, organisations and communities to thrive. Having a personal leadership philosophy onboard ensures we do that in an ethical, balanced and positive way.

If you would like to learn more about developing a leadership philosophy, join Sandy’s online workshop this summer.  You will receive training, coaching, and support that will result in you pulling together your own personal leadership philosophy.