One of the differentiating factors between novice and seasoned leaders is their predictability. Seasoned leaders articulate and share their leadership philosophy to the people they lead from the get-go. They may not call it Leadership Philosophy. They might not even put it in writing. But, they have a philosophy that guides their leadership. The philosophy incorporates their core leadership principles, beliefs, style(s), and expectations. I have had such bosses and mentors who shared with me their philosophy, and our relationships were great because they helped me understand who they are, their principles, and what matters the most for them, and their expectations from me.
Whether you're a junior or senior leader and in whichever industry you may be right now, if you haven't yet, use this opportunity to articulate, write down & share your leadership philosophy.
In my book 'Overcoming 1st Timer Syndrome', which became Amazon's #1 Best Seller within the first week of its release on August 26, 2021, I explained that whether they admit it or not, every leader has a philosophy that dictates the way the leader thinks, behaves, decides, & acts. You aren't conscious about your philosophy doesn't mean that it isn't influencing your attitudes and styles. Especially now, in this unpredictable world, you must be predictable. The latter gives you authenticity, credibility, and at the end of the day influence.
By the way, the people you lead may not be enthusiastic about all of your principles, styles, and expectations but they would be willing to follow you because they know what to expect from you & what you expect in return. They may not like you but they would respect and trust you.
In this free offer, I am sharing with you my own 1-pager leadership philosophy as a sample, which I shared in my online course for first timer Team Leads, Project Managers, Supervisors & Business Owners. Module 9 of the course is entitled 'Articulate Your Leadership Philosophy'. The sample Leadership Philosophy is one of the downloads available to those who signed up for the course. From the sample, you will learn:
1. How to articulate your core leadership beliefs.
2. How to clearly state your major expectations.
3. How to be upfront concerning what they should expect from you.
You can use the sample to articulate yours or help your mentees and coachees to have one. The end product doesn't have to look like mine. The philosophy I have now have been evolving and could be a little different in the future as I grow and evolve. It is a live document.
Your principles and expectations could be different than mine. That is okay too. We all are different due to our mission in life, what matters to us the most, our personality type, preferences, the stage of leadership we are at, and so on.
You can also add or remove some of the sections depending on your needs.