From Knowing Yourself to Leading Yourself: The Evolution Every Leader Must Make
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Even the most authentic and accomplished leaders often find themselves at an unexpected crossroads. While many have mastered the art of self-awareness—understanding their patterns, recognizing their triggers, knowing their strengths and shadows—they discover there's another level of growth entirely.
May I introduce you to self-leadership—or perhaps, reintroduce you to it in a new light.
Not to be mistaken with self-awareness, self-leadership takes action on the observations and insights garnered through self-awareness. Where self-awareness is about pausing, noticing, and discerning key insights, self-leadership is about activating, experimenting, and implementing those insights. It's the bridge between knowing and becoming.
Why This Matters Now
At its core, self-leadership is the practice of intentionally directing your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions to achieve your goals and unlock your fullest potential. Studies featured in Harvard Business Review show that leaders with strong self-leadership practices are significantly more effective at navigating organizational change and building high-performing teams—capabilities that JB Coaching data also shows are in high demand.
Both seasoned and emerging leaders can become extraordinarily skilled at recognizing their patterns without fundamentally altering them. They can eloquently describe their stress responses, name their communication challenges, and identify their leadership shadows. But they can find themselves caught in the "insight loop"—endless awareness without choosing meaningful change.
The Self-Leadership Bridge
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Here's where it gets interesting. Self-leadership isn't just the next level—it's a fundamentally different practice. Charles Manz, who pioneered self-leadership theory, describes it as "the process of influencing oneself to establish the self-direction and self-motivation needed to perform."*
While self-awareness asks, "What's happening within me?", self-leadership asks, "How do I intentionally direct what happens within me?" It's the difference between being a skilled observer of your reactions and becoming the conscious architect of your responses.
Consider why this shift matters now. Leaders are simultaneously building high-performance teams, navigating unprecedented organizational transitions, and engaging in increasingly complex conversations. Self-awareness provides the diagnostic; self-leadership provides the impact.
From Theory to Practice
Consider the moments when the meeting get heated, the burnout continues to grow, or the difficult decision can't wait another day. In these moments, self-leadership transforms from concept to practice.
From Emotional Recognition to Emotional Mastery: Moving beyond "I notice I'm triggered" to "I'm in control of my response” even in the midst of activation. Take a moment to think of a leader that you appreciate for their exceptional Executive Presence. It’s as if they have a superpower to press pause, stand on solid ground, see through the chaos, and address the true challenge. That sense of agency and emotional mastery is their self-leadership at work.
“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. ”
From Energy Awareness to Energy Architecture: Shifting from "I recognize I'm depleted" to "I'm proactively designing how I invest, project, and restore my energy." Jim Loehr's research on energy management suggests that managing energy, instead of just time, is key for high performance, health, happiness, and a balanced life. This concept recognizes that the amount of time in a day is fixed, but the quality and quantity of available energy are not.**
And remember Einstein’s perspective that like energy attracts like energy— “this is not philosophy, this is physics” especially as leaders. Our teams, departments, organizations mirror the energy we put out, so I echo Dr. Jill Bolte Taylor request to “Please be responsible for the energy you bring into this space.”
From Values Identification to Values Implementation: Evolving from "I know what matters to me" to "I consistently choose what matters to me, especially when it costs something." Susan David calls this "walking your why"—the process of moving toward your values.***
Susan explains, "Values are not peripheral to our lives—they are essential aspects of who we are that we can weave into the fabric of our lives to carry us in the direction we want to go." This is where authentic leadership transcends personality and becomes disciplined practice—identifying choice points and consistently choosing alignment over ease. (Here’s a self-study guide to Identify Your Core Values.)
The Ripple Effect
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What's remarkable about leaders who develop genuine self-leadership is how naturally they create the conditions others thrive in. Teams develop psychological safety not because these leaders talk about it, but because they demonstrate consistent self-governance. They navigate transitions with a kind of calm that becomes contagious. Their authenticity feels less like personality and more like practice—something others can learn and develop themselves.
Perhaps the most profound development no longer is whether you're self-aware—most thoughtful leaders are. The true challenge is whether you're ready to move from observer to architect of your inner experience. Your team is watching. Your organization needs it. And frankly, your own sustainability depends on your self-leadership.
Choose one small experiment this week—not a grand transformation, but a single moment where you move from noticing to directing.
References
*Manz, C. C. (2015). Taking the Self-Leadership High Road: Smooth Surface or Potholes Ahead? Academy of Management Perspectives, 29(1), 132-151.
**Loehr, J. & Schwartz, T. (2003). The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance. Free Press.
***David, S. (2024). "Walking Your Why." Susan David Newsletter. Retrieved from https://www.susandavid.com/newsletter/walking-your-why/