Leading yourself before leading others

Introduction

Over the past months, I've had so many incredible conversations and projects with startup and scale-up founders, business leaders, researchers, professors, and investors. These interactions have been leading to new insights and fantastic project outcomes. I've been thinking about how to share some of these experiences in a more organized way, and a recent conversation with Wouter Glaser inspired me to start this short blog series.

I've grouped the subjects for my short blogs into three clusters: people (leadership and teams), planet (sustainability and innovation), and profit (building sustainable business models). Every two weeks, I'll be sharing a new blog with my thoughts and viewpoints. Curious to hear what you think! I will start with people first.

Leading Yourself First: A Game-Changer

It might sound obvious, but it's a big deal. This blog is about personal leadership, whether you're in a big company or starting your own thing.

"I'm worn out, pushing too hard, skipping family and friends, not enough sleep, no time for exercise." I've heard this a lot, both from corporate folks and lately from startup teams. It takes time to realize this, especially when you feel like you're caught in a race for success, where everyone wants more, faster.

Wanting great results isn't bad. It spurs innovation and change. But in this fast-paced world, leading yourself before leading others is crucial.

I've seen many leaders (and I've done this myself too in the past) focus so much on their teams and the results, that they forget about themselves. It starts small, like working late on evening, missing family time for a meeting, or skipping the gym for work. But it can get a lot worse. Soon, you're working late every night, not exercising, and losing touch with loved ones. At first, it actually feels great – you're getting things done and your team's doing well. But it gets tiring. You don't have time to recharge, see clearly, or enjoy life. Your mental and physical health suffers, and you lose connections.

I know this sounds negative, but why do so many people fall into this trap? Sometimes, it's a whole team. Even senior leaders get caught up. Do you recognize this? Have seen this behavior in your line manager? Or in your team? Or... if you're really completely honest: in yourself?

Here's what I've learned: lead yourself first. Easier said than done, because it takes a lot of effort and commitment to change and stay on track in a demanding world.

Leading yourself means making yourself a priority. Plan your time and priorities carefully. Get back into exercise. Spend time with family and friends. Take time to relax and think.

But it's not a quick fix. You can't change overnight, because you'll be back to your default patterns in days or weeks. That's why small steps work best. Start with a first weekly workout or dedicate a few evenings to no work. Commit to family dinners on Wednesdays, no matter what. The hardest part is sticking to it. Sharing your commitment with bosses, colleagues, friends, and family helps. Take control of your life, and share your commitments with others.

Being a great leader for your team, whether in a startup, scale-up or a big company, always starts with leading yourself. Commit and make it a priority. Remember, on a plane, you put on your oxygen mask first before helping others. If you don't, you can't help others when it matters.

Want to learn more? Please visit www.68north.nl or contact me at [email protected].