Why The Best Leaders Master Themselves Before They Lead Others

There’s a conversation I’ve had more than once with leaders who attend my workshops. They come in hoping I can give them tools and strategies to get their employees on board with some new initiative.

What they really want is a quick fix so they can get back to what they see as their real work.

But here’s the insight my guest Margaret Andrews challenges every leader to confront:

Being there for your people isn’t a distraction from the work of leadership. It is the work of leadership.

And the reason so many of us resist this truth isn’t that we’re afraid we’ll fail at becoming a better leader. Rather, as Margaret reveals in this episode of my “Leadership Biz Cafe” podcast, it’s because we’re afraid of the potential within us to be so much more than we are today.

Margaret is an instructor at Harvard University, where she teaches in the Division of Continuing Education. She is also the author of “Manage Yourself to Lead Others”, a practical, introspective guide to help leaders gain clarity over who they are, who they want to become, and what steps they need to take to bridge that gap.

I’ve invited Margaret to join me on my podcast to talk about her MYLO (Manage Yourself to Lead Others) approach, a four-stage framework that begins not with leading others, but with leading yourself first.

Over the course of this episode, you’ll discover why self-understanding is the critical starting point for leadership growth, how to use that self-understanding to develop the self-management skills that will change your behaviour without changing who you are, and how both of these stages transform the way you lead others and navigate upwards through your organization.

You’ll also learn how the MYLO approach equips leaders to handle setbacks, build resilience, and stay grounded and consistent in the face of today’s relentless uncertainty, without adding yet another overwhelming responsibility to your already full plate.

If you’ve ever wondered how the best leaders seem to stay steady, clear, and connected to both their teams and themselves even when under pressure, this conversation will show you exactly how they do it.

Noteworthy links:

• Buy Margaret’s book “Manage Yourself to Lead Others” on Amazon*
• Learn more about Margaret’s work at the Harvard Division of Continuing Education

* sponsored link that helps to support this podcast. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.