Personal
You can do everything right at work and manage yourself well there, but if your personal life is a mess, it will eventually turn everything else sour. What would it profit a leader to climb to the top of the organizational chart but to lose a marriage or alienate the children? As someone who spent many years counselling people, I can tell you, no career success is worth it.
For years one of my definitions of success has been this:
having those closest to me love and respect me the most. That is what is most important. I want the love and respect of my wife, my children, and my grandchildren before I want the respect of anyone I work with.
Don’t get me wrong. I want the people who work with me to respect me too, but not at the expense of my family. If I blow managing myself at home, then the negative impact will spill over into every area of my life, including work.
having those closest to me love and respect me the most. That is what is most important. I want the love and respect of my wife, my children, and my grandchildren before I want the respect of anyone I work with.
Don’t get me wrong. I want the people who work with me to respect me too, but not at the expense of my family. If I blow managing myself at home, then the negative impact will spill over into every area of my life, including work.
If you want to lead up, you must always lead yourself first. If you can’t,
you have no credibility. I’ve found the following to be true:
- If I can’t lead myself, others won’t follow me.
- If I can’t lead myself, others won’t respect me.
- If I can’t lead myself, others won’t partner with me.
That applies whether the influence you desire to exert is on the people above you, beside you, or below you. The better you are at making sure you’re doing what you should be doing, the better chance you have for making an impact on others.
HOW WELL ARE YOU LEADING YOURSELF AT HOME?
