Working from home, quick decisions, hardly any fixed structures - the days when someone dictated your every move are over. In the current world of work, you need one thing above all else: the ability to lead yourself. Self-leadership is more than just a buzzword. It's a key skill for anyone who wants to be truly effective at work, whether as a freelancer, project manager or team member.
In this article, we'll show you what self-leadership actually means, how you can develop it step by step and why it makes your day-to-day work so much easier.
What is self-leadership anyway?
Self leadership means that you learn to consciously and actively lead yourself. It's about taking responsibility for your thoughts, feelings and actions, both professionally and privately.
The term was coined back in the 1980s by Charles C. Manz, an American organizational psychologist. In his article "Self-Leadership: Toward an Expanded Theory of Self-Influence Processes in Organizations", he describes self-leadership as "a comprehensive strategy for self-influence"
Self-leadership does not mean self-management:
- Self-management means organizing your tasks efficiently (time, priorities, deadlines).
- Self-leadership goes deeper: it starts with your beliefs, your inner drive and the question of why you do what you do.
In the end, it's not about getting more done - it's about deciding more consciously what really matters.
Why is self-leadership so important today?
Recent studies show that self-leadership is strongly associated with job satisfaction, productivity and mental health.
- An analysis by Ho & Nesbit (2014) shows that self-leadership is significantly linked to improved performance and increased job satisfaction.
- In a PwC study, 77% of employees stated that autonomy at work is particularly important to them. However, you have to be able to deal with freedom in order to find it satisfying. Self-leadership is the basis for this: it combines personal clarity with professional effectiveness.
The three pillars of self-leadership
Self-leadership means getting to know yourself better in order to remain capable of acting in a complex, often contradictory working environment.
The following three key skills are central to this:
Self-awareness - understanding what moves you
Self-leadership begins with an honest examination of yourself: What are your values? What gives you energy and what drains it? What situations trigger stress or uncertainty?
This knowledge is your basis for making good decisions in your day-to-day work. Because if you don't know yourself, you will quickly end up in projects, roles or routines that don't fit.
Tip: Write down three things every day that were easy for you. Finally, write down three that cost you energy. This creates clarity.
Self-responsibility - make decisions within the scope of your possibilities
Leading yourself does not mean doing everything on your own or always being in control. Rather, it means taking responsibility for your actions.
Sometimes this means deliberately not doing something. Or asking for help. Or admitting mistakes without judging yourself for them.
Note: Self-responsibility does not mean: "I am to blame for everything." It means: "I am involved - and willing to look."
Would you like to improve your communication with colleagues or superiors? In this article you can find out how to strengthen your working relationships using non-violent communication methods.
Self-efficacy - experience that you can make a difference
Self-efficacy describes the feeling that your actions make a difference: for you and for others.
The feeling of self-efficacy is not a permanent state, but something that you can practice and realize. For example, by setting clear priorities, setting realistic goals or consciously recognizing small steps forward.
Example: Instead of ticking off an endless to-do list, ask yourself: What was meaningful today? What was good for me? This strengthens your sense of effectiveness, even in challenging phases.
Five self-leadership strategies for everyday life
Self-leadership manifests itself in small ways, for example in the way you manage your time, your thoughts and your energy. Here are five everyday approaches that you can use to practise self-leadership:
1. goals that suit you
Instead of letting yourself be driven by to-dos, formulate one to three weekly goals that are really important to you.
Example: "I don't just want to complete my project this week, I want to document it properly."
2. block out focus times
Plan 1-2 hours a day in which you work undisturbed. This means no emails and no meetings.
Tip: Make it visible: calendar block + cell phone on flight mode.
3. short written summary at the end of the day
After each working day, ask yourself three questions for more self-awareness and self-confidence:
1. what went well today?
2. what stressed me out?
3. what will I take with me for tomorrow?
Effect: More clarity, less brooding.
4. awareness checks with yourself
Ask yourself regularly: Am I currently in autopilot mode or am I making conscious decisions?
Example: Instead of saying "yes" immediately, take 10 minutes to think about it.
5. set boundaries (also digitally)
Self-leadership also means taking breaks, not answering emails on Sundays, switching off notifications.
To try it out: Switch your smartphone to "Do not disturb" mode from 8 pm.
In this article, we explain how you can set healthy boundaries at work outside of the digital sphere. this article for you in this article.
These strategies are not a must, but invitations. Start small and keep at it. Self-leadership grows through practice and continuity.
Self-leadership in a team context
Self-leadership does not mean doing everything alone. Especially in a team, self-leadership enables successful collaboration. Because if you know what you need, communicate clearly and manage your tasks independently, you not only take the pressure off others, but also strengthen trust in the team.
Concrete impulses:
- Communicate your way of working (e.g. "I'm most focused in the mornings")
- Address problems early on and not just when it's burning
- Get feedback before you get stuck
Self-leadership doesn't make you a lone wolf, quite the opposite: because you take responsibility for yourself and your tasks, you become a reliable team support.
Conclusion: self-leadership is not a trend, but an attitude
Self-leadership is not a technique that you learn once. It is an attitude that you develop in everyday life. It's not about having everything under control, but about being attentive to yourself and taking responsibility where you can shape things.
Perhaps there was a moment today when you paused, made a conscious decision or simply said no. That was self-leadership. Then that was self-leadership.
You don't have to change everything. But you can start to act more consciously - step by step, at your own pace.
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