Go Ahead, Be Self-Absorbed! How to Use Self-Strategy to Get Results in Others
Submitted by Dr. Rob Fazio, Consultant, Leadership Research Institute
What’s the best predictor of leadership success? I’ll make you a deal, you read this article with an open mind and a learning attitude, and I promise to answer the question with the next 500 words. This key question is on the minds of many Fortune 500 companies. The reason they want to get it right, especially now, is that they know perception of leadership effectiveness is directly related to levels of employee engagement, and employee engagement drives business results. Insert economic crisis, and we have a heightened need for strong leadership to retain talent and to keep people positive in a seemingly negative time.
What’s the best predictor of leadership success? A leader’s commitment to self-development. In LRI’s research based on over 4,000 manager’s 360-degree feedback reports, we found that a person’s dedication to developing themselves is the best way to increase people’s perception of leadership effectiveness. Makes sense right? Think Tiger Woods. Who is his biggest competitor? Yup, himself. The man who reinvented his swing when he was the best in the world.
So what? Now that we know how important it is to focus on ourselves we can all breath a sigh of relief. I mean it is everyone’s favorite topic isn’t it? Now it’s a matter of developing your Self-Strategy (self-focused action plan).
The process of a Self-Strategy is similar to putting things into a funnel. Start thinking big and then simplify and create small steps. These 3 W’s will help guide you.
- What do you want to happen?
- What is happening?
- What do you need to change?
Building on the 3 Ws, the two key processes of a Self-Strategy are: 1) behavior change and 2) impression management. You need to adapt your behavior based on feedback to better influence others, and you need to let people know what you are doing and why.
Whether you are in agreement with Michael Vick coming to the Eagles or being in the NFL, one thing is for sure - his team has done an amazing job with impression management since he has served his time. He is saying the right things and taking the right actions to demonstrate his commitment to self-development. Behavior change alone would not be good enough, he needs to be remorseful and communicate what he is going to change. While it may seem far-fetched, being a people leader is not that different. Everyone makes mistakes in their leadership. It’s essential to develop a Self-Strategy and part of that needs to be apologizing for when you make mistakes.
Key Takeaways:
- It’s OK to focus on yourself as long as it is for the benefit of others
- Answer the 3 W’s: What do I want to happen? What is happening? What do you need to change?
- Develop a Self-Strategy, communicate, and hold yourself accountable
- The more confidence you have in yourself, the more confidence you will be able to build in others
The Bottom Line: * Keep in mind that during the 2000 slowdown, of 1/3 of the companies in the top quarter of their industries, only 10% of them climbed back 5 years later. At the same time, 15% of today’s market leaders rose to the top during that recession. I’m not sure what that tells you, but it tells me that any competitive advantage is vital, especially in a downturn. My point of view is the best organizations focus on developing their people, and the best executives start by developing themselves.
* Williamson and Zeng (2009), Value for Money Strategies for Recession Times, Harvard Business Review
Dr. Fazio is a leadership and talent development consultant at Leadership Research Institute. Rob works with executives and organizations to enhance their effectiveness. He is the co-founder and president of Hold The Door For Others, a nonprofit dedicated to empowering people to grow through loss and adversity. He can be reached at (215) 514-5113 or Rob.Fazio@LRI.com.
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