Jun 13 2019 | Tags: Leadership Development, Emotional Intelligence
Tips for Building Self-Reliance
"To know oneself, one should assert oneself"
Albert Camus
The journey to becoming an emotional capitalist starts with accepting responsibility for yourself and your leadership role. It is essential that you decide to believe in the value of who you are and what you have to offer.
Once you make this decision, the emotional centres of your brain release an emotional energy that motivates you to lead as if what you are doing is the most important thing in the world.
Why do leaders need self-reliance?
All organisations need individuals who can articulate a shared idea of why they exist, who they are and where they are going. There remains a continual need for leaders who are self-reliant and independent at their core.
Men and women with solid levels of self-reliance and self-belief are emotionally independent, which means they can formulate and clarify vision and values and leverage the talent of others to achieve their full potential. Developing and expressing independence enables you to become the catalyst that drives the change you want to see in your business.
Today, providing direction is no longer a matter of command and control- and leaders who are still busy telling people what to do have already ceased to lead. Instead, leadership means accepting responsibility for providing a focus that allows and encourages people to concentrate on what really matters.
Emotional capitalists exercise emotional management rather than micro-management. In a fast-paced and pressured working world, people call out for individuals who are independent and can stand above the chaos and provide a coherent story for their professional lives. It's essential to make a declaration of independence from being judged by the estimation of others and decide to take responsibility for accomplishing something unique.
Improving your self-reliance
Here are eight steps to help you develop self-reliance and build your emotional capital.
Step 1
To become an emotional capitalist, you must accept personal responsibility. In fact, in your business there is a direct relationship between how much responsibility you are willing to accept for results, and your value as a leader.
Step 2
Remind yourself that you are a leader and have been called to do the work of leadership. You need to fully embrace this role and act the part.
Step 3
Become the ‘chief storytelling officer’ by regularly repeating the story of what the business is trying to achieve, and emphasise how each person fits into the big picture.
Step 4
Provide a description of why the business will change, where it is going and how it will get there.
Step 5
Suspend judgement of yourself and develop your personal power through believing in yourself.
Step 6
Build your self-efficacy by celebrating small wins, recognising small achievements and continuously commemorating milestones.
Step 7
Model yourself on leaders you admire, identify your signature strengths by listening to trusted advisers, eradicate negative thoughts and build a positive mood by practising right thinking.
Step 8
Remember the 4 M's of Management:
- Provide your people with opportunities to develop mastery experiences and model Emotionally Intelligent behaviours.
- Mentor high-potential employees by taking every opportunity to inject self-confidence into those who have earned it.
- Display your optimism and convey an upbeat mood.
Invest in EQ training today
Emotional Intelligence training is essential for any forward-facing company, leader or future leader who is determined to take control of their own destiny. An emotionally intelligent professional is equipped with powerful skills that others are lacking, giving them a critical competitive advantage that can reap rewards on an ongoing and long-lasting basis.