If you're leading, then you are already guiding others. Sometimes this happens on its own, and you suddenly look up, and people are following you. A little intentionality with you're guiding can go a long way to your growth as a leader.
Take a second and evaluate these relationships:
Maybe you don't already have people you're formally leading. Are there others who are earlier than you in their leadership journey for whom you could play the role of a guide?
Here are a few places you could find people with whom you could be a guide:
Guiding others doesn’t have to look a certain way. It can be formal and structured or informal and sporadic. Consider what is helpful for the person you’re offering guidance to.
Guiding others has a good ROI. Teaching something to another person forces us to organize our experiences and mental models to communicate them.
Some questions to ask:
Also, consider what you can commit to. You don’t want to say yes to mentoring someone, but then always be too busy when they want to connect. That doesn’t help anyone.
Speaking of time, you may be thinking, “I ain’t got time for that!” As a leader, you probably have a lot on your plate and providing guidance or mentorship feels like one more thing piled on top.
Leadership is about prioritization, choosing what to give time and attention to, identifying what will have a solid return on investment. Guiding others has a good ROI. Teaching something to another person forces us to organize our experiences and mental models to communicate them.
This often results in a better understanding for ourselves and new insights. Teaching refines your knowledge and gives you a view to see from another person’s perspective.
We’re all on a journey in our leadership. If you're just learning to be a guide, I recommend using 1on1s as a simple and effective structure for you to use.
You want your life to have meaning and impact.
What if your everyday work and life not only felt natural and intuitive but also aligned with your priorities and positively impacted those around you?
If you want to grow in your leadership journey, take a look at my cultivating servant leaders guide where I share lessons learned from 20 years of leading and helping other leaders grow
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant leadership can be beneficial in the workplace in a number of ways, including:
Overall, servant leadership can lead to a more positive, productive, and fulfilling workplace environment, benefiting both employees and the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Servant leadership differs from many other leadership styles in several key ways:
Overall, servant leadership is characterized by a focus on serving others, prioritizing empathy and collaboration, and taking a humble and accountable approach to leadership. While other leadership styles may be effective in different contexts, servant leadership can be a powerful tool for creating positive change and empowering others to reach their full potential.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Team leadership is a management approach focused on leading and guiding a group of individuals working together towards a common goal. A team leader is responsible for providing direction, support, and guidance to the team members, while fostering a positive and productive work environment.
Team leadership involves setting clear goals and expectations for the team, communicating effectively, and building trust and relationships with team members. It also involves empowering team members to take ownership of their work and contribute their unique skills and perspectives to the team's success.
Some key characteristics of effective team leadership include:
Overall, team leadership is a collaborative and empowering approach to management that values communication, trust-building, and results-driven performance.
There are several different styles of team leadership, including:
Overall, each style of team leadership has its own strengths and weaknesses, and effective leaders may use a combination of different styles depending on the situation and the needs of their team.
There are several key skills required for effective team leadership, including:
Overall, effective team leadership requires a combination of interpersonal, decision-making, and management skills, as well as the ability to inspire and empower team members to work collaboratively towards shared goals.
Servant leadership is a leadership philosophy and management style that emphasizes the importance of serving others first before considering one's own needs and desires. It's an approach to leadership that focuses on the well-being and growth of others, rather than solely on achieving organizational goals.
A servant leader prioritizes the needs of their followers or team members, providing them with support, guidance, and mentorship. They are committed to empowering their team members to reach their full potential and achieve their goals.
Some common characteristics of servant leaders include:
Overall, servant leadership is about creating a supportive and empowering environment for others to thrive. By prioritizing the needs of their followers, a servant leader can inspire trust, loyalty, and commitment, ultimately leading to better outcomes for the organization as a whole.
Learn more about how to cultivate servant leadership.
Are you striving to align your goals with your values and passions?
Wondering how to measure progress or break down large goals into manageable steps?
Are you ready to transform your dreams into reality?
Our Goal Focus Guide + Worksheet is designed for you to discover how effective goal setting can transform your personal and professional life.
Download the Goal Focus Worksheet