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Leading yourself to lead others – setting your path

Self-leadership is a pre-requisite for leading others, as well as approaching your own life with purpose, focus and balance. To make this idea less abstract, here are a few questions to ponder:

  • Why are you in your current job?
  • Do your professional and personal relationships provide you with what you need to grow?
  • What are your main goals in life, and why are they so important to you?

As an example, think about the career path you are on at the moment. Do you feel like you got here by chance, maybe propelled forward by a momentum you set in motion years ago, but which doesn’t feel under your control anymore?

Or do you approach every day and decision with clarity, purpose and control?

Most of us are probably somewhere in between. Building regular time for planning, reflection, mindfulness into your daily (or weekly) schedules will increase your sense of control and presence.

Here are some ideas to schedule in time for self-reflection activities:

  • Think about reserving the first 30 minutes of your day to visualise your goals, do some journaling (eg. to develop a gratitude practice or to work through difficult decisions), or for meditation.
  • If you are not a morning person, a lunch-time reflection session (eg. on a walk outside, or a quiet room away from your desk) may work better with your schedule.
  • If it is impossible for you to find uninterrupted time during the day, try carving out time for your mindfulness exercises in the evening.

We all have different preferences, lifestyles and work schedules, and one solution won’t fit all. The important point is to find an approach that serves you on your journey to expand and deepen your self-awareness and self-management skills. When you know with clarity and authenticity what direction to walk in, how to keep an open mind along the way, and how to keep yourself honest and on track, you will be ready to take on the responsibility to take others with you.

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If you would like to learn more, don’t hesitate to reach out to the QLS Solicitor Support service on ethics@qls.com.au or p. 3842 5843 to speak to someone in a judgement-free and supportive environment.  

Rebecca Niebler is QLS’s Organisational Culture and Support Officer, QLS Solicitor Support (QLS Ethics and Practice Centre)

5 March 2020

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