Dee Hock, the founder of the credit card company Visa, suggested this about those preparing to lead others: “If you look to lead, invest at least 40 percent of your time managing yourself.” It doesn’t occur to many leaders that before you are capable of leading others, you must first lead yourself.
Amen. Those words are actually the very inspiration for my newsletter/company name (by title only). Leadership isn’t about a title. It’s about behavior. I first got the CEO title at the age of 27. It took me 10 years to realize I was doing it all wrong and another 5 to get some of it right. As the article says, once I learned out to lead me, I became infinitely better at leading others.
Love this article. It’s a really important insight that isn’t directly talked about and more assumed.
Great stuff
So true... when people think about leadership being a position, it's assumed that promoted people already have the self-leading stuff nailed down.
You're right, Jeff, needs to be talked about more.
Amen. Those words are actually the very inspiration for my newsletter/company name (by title only). Leadership isn’t about a title. It’s about behavior. I first got the CEO title at the age of 27. It took me 10 years to realize I was doing it all wrong and another 5 to get some of it right. As the article says, once I learned out to lead me, I became infinitely better at leading others.
Our operating definition is similar, Jeff...
Leadership is what you do.
Always love to see someone else emphasizing a behavioral approach to development.
Great article! You’re correct you can’t lead well if your own “house” is in disarray.