In leadership, self-regard has a ripple effect

In Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge, Warren Bennis studied effective leaders and their leadership styles, and shares many invaluable points. One idea he posits is that leaders make use of characteristics many people have but few actually employ. He explores the management of self-regard as one of these characteristics. Self-regard is critical in an effective leader because of the ripple effect it has throughout the organization; indeed, without it leaders can do more harm than good.

Increased self-regard all around

Leaders need to recognize their own strengths and compensate for weaknesses. This allows them to nurture their skills and determine the fit between his/her skills and the organization’s needs. As part of the larger team of managers and staff his/her behavior generates ‘followership’ by those who willingly accept the direction of the leader. That means they must feel good about themselves. In other words, positive self-regard by leaders who serve as role models generate other-regard by followers, which creates a culture of increased self-regard by all.

The lesson: to lead others, we need to manage ourselves.

What experiences have you had in this area with leadership?

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