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Seven Habits of the Self-Aware Leader

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Leadership McKinley, class of 2018, shares seven must-do habits to move your leadership to the next level. Developing self-awareness and knowing your team means forging connections that count. Self-aware leaders are more effective because they foster communication and invite feedback, make efforts to inform themselves and others, synthesize ideas, and take action.

It’s TIME to become self-aware and move your leadership to the next level!

Part 2: Leading by Example, You Have NO Choice!

Contributor – Tony Major

Self-aware leaders understand that, by design and default, their example is followed, it is simply unavoidable. Leading by example is integral to what is known as “leadership branding.” Smart leaders want to build their brands. Some leaders prefer a prominent role while others will “lead from behind.” The lead-by-example stories executives tell sharpen their leadership brand propositions.

A Silicon Valley start-up CEO attended his company’s diversity/inclusivity training workshop for the entire day. “Everyone needed to know I took this seriously,” he said.

A manufacturing executive pointed to her on- and off-site Spanish lessons so she could better communicate with her workforce.

A senior project manager cited the highly public immediate dismissal of a direct report who had fudged a quality control audit and then lied about it.

A founder/entrepreneur immediately pointed to promoting the college drop-out into a senior management position over an MBA. He wanted his people to value performance over credentials.

A managing partner at a global consulting firm makes a point of coming to the office straight from red-eye flights and radiating productive energy.

At an Asian company, a hard-charging intrapreneur/executive referenced flying to a valued customer in Europe for a week to make sure a novel instrument installation worked as promised.

These brief examples share the revelatory self-belief that they merit admiration and emulation. They actively — not just verbally — communicate values the leader personally and professionally believes important (else why make it a lead-by-example story?) They are intended to define leadership behavior in the enterprise.

Part 2 in a series of articles from Gallup-McKinley Chamber of Commerce Leadership McKinley class participants.