First Lead Thyself

In medicine there is an ancient mandate, primum non nocere, Latin for “First do no harm.” The idea is before you can help someone you have to be sure not to make things worse. In leadership there is a similar mandate, which is “First, lead thyself.” Before you can lead anyone else, you need to first understand how to lead yourself. Consider several principles of self-leadership:

Lead your priorities. Learn to put what you must do ahead of busy-ness. Many people get stuck filling up their time with lots of tasks, but miss putting the most important things at the top of the list. Learn to say no to secondary priorities so you can focus on what you must do. What are things others can do, versus things only you can do? You only have one opportunity to live—spend each minute on those things which are essential to your life and leadership.

Lead your initiative. Leaders get things started. Don’t wait for someone else to tell you to begin. When you see something that needs fixing, have a brainstorm for a new idea, see a new path to success, get going. Initiative is a powerful tool for a leader, and often leads to advancement. If you are always idling, wanting to be told what to do, you’re not leading.

Lead your growth. Leaders must look at decisions, transactions, and other facets of leadership as opportunities to learn and grow. Once you are in a leadership role you don’t stop learning. Over the period of your life you will be in a continuous mode of growth and change. Set targets, stay flexible, look for opportunities to add to your knowledge and experience.

Lead your thoughts. Leaders are thinking forward, thinking optimistically, and thinking productively. Complaint, ridicule, gossip, envy, negativity, defeatism, have no place in the mind of the leader. Consider your thoughts constantly and choose those that help you lead—in time this becomes a habit. Top leaders know that what you think, you eventually become.