Characteristics of Personal Leadership

June 8, 2010

From: Jay, J.K., (2009).  The inner edge: the 10 practices of personal leadership.  Santa Barbara: CA, ABC CLIO.

Respectful.  Personal leadership respects the extraordinary value of each human being.

Reflective.  Personal leadership means thinking about what you're doing, in a spirit of wholeheartedness, openness and responsibility.

Renewing.  A 2000 report from McKinsey and the Society for Organizational Development reported that "the most important tool for leading 21st century change is the leader's self."  Personal leadership offers an element of renewal - a way to slow down and advance in a powerful yet sustainable way.

Rewarding.  No matter what you do for a living, your work can be rewarding.  Personal leadership offers you the chance to create true prosperity - the kind of happiness that comes not just from financial gain but also from the richness of life.

Raising the Bar.  A focus on slowing down and thinking about oneself might seem at odds with traditional business goals of speed, profitability, and results.  On the contrary, there is no correlation between success and hours worked.  There is, however, a strong correlation between your ability to produce and the joy you take in your work.  Those who practice personal leadership don't just meet expectations; they exceed them (Jay, p. 10-11).

The Inner Edge is available on loan from the Ohio State University Leadership Center.  To borrow this resource or any other resource, please go to the resource search page http://164.107.48.88/winnebago/index.asp?lib=???

Learn how the Ohio State University Leadership Center is inspiring others to take a leadership role that empowers the world at http://leadershipcenter.osu.edu

To subscribe/unsubscribe from the Leadership Moments list  -- send e-mail to: flynn.61@osu.edu