There’s a widely accepted belief in leadership development circles with which I strongly disagree: the idea that self-leadership ends when someone transitions from an individual contributor to a leadership role.
The prevailing notion suggests that individual contributors focus on leading themselves, and once they step into a leadership position, their focus shifts entirely to leading others. But this perspective is flawed.
While it’s true that self-leadership is a primary focus for individual contributors, it does not become obsolete once one assumes a leadership role. In fact, self-leadership is not just important for leading others—it is essential to it.
why does self-leadership matter?
The answer is simple: trust.
During a recent conversation with an executive coaching client, we explored the concept of trust in leadership. When I asked him to reflect on the leaders he trusted most throughout his career, a pattern emerged—these leaders excelled at leading themselves. Their personal clarity, self-discipline, and ability to align their actions with meaningful outcomes made them trustworthy.
defining "self-leadership"
Self-leadership is the ability to understand yourself, define what you want, and intentionally guide your actions toward that goal.
It encompasses a deep awareness of what you do, why you do it, and how you can align your actions with your desired outcomes. Leading yourself means equipping yourself with the right tools, clarity, and environment to perform at your best.
The term ‘self-leadership’ first emerged in organizational management literature through Charles Manz, who described it as a “comprehensive self-influence perspective that concerns leading oneself toward performance of naturally motivating tasks as well as managing oneself to do work that must be done but is not naturally motivating” (Manz, 1986).
More recently, Marieta Du Plessis (2019) refined the definition: “Positive self-leadership refers to the capacity to identify and apply one’s signature strengths to initiate, maintain, or sustain self-influencing behaviors.”
key factors in self-leadership
Your ability to lead yourself effectively depends on several factors:
- Self-control: The discipline to stay focused and manage impulses.
- Intrinsic motivation: The drive to pursue meaningful goals without relying on external incentives.
- Self-awareness and self-regulation: Two essential components of emotional intelligence (as defined by Daniel Goleman) that enable you to manage your thoughts, behaviors, and emotions in a constructive way.
the 8 core competencies of self-leadership
Self-leadership isn’t a fixed trait—it’s a set of skills that can be developed over time. Here are the eight key competencies:
- Self-awareness – Understanding your strengths, weaknesses, and values.
- Personal alignment – Ensuring your actions align with your values and long-term vision.
- Decision-making – Making thoughtful and effective choices.
- Goal-setting and planning – Establishing clear objectives and developing strategies to achieve them.
- Self-motivation – Cultivating the drive to take initiative and stay committed.
- Curation of personal environment – Shaping your surroundings to support productivity and well-being.
- Performance optimization – Continuously improving your effectiveness and efficiency.
- Embracing and learning from failure – Viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth.
self-leadership as the foundation of trust
Mastering self-leadership strengthens trust—both in yourself and among those you lead. When your team sees you as someone who is clear-headed, self-disciplined, and driven by values, they are far more likely to place their confidence in you.
So, take a moment to reflect: Which of these eight self-leadership competencies are you excelling at? And where could you improve?
About Laura
Laura McKenna
Senior Director at Perpetual
Laura is the lead for the leadership development practice here at Perpetual. A West Point graduate, Afghanistan Veteran, former Army Officer and Blackhawk helicopter pilot, executive coach and functional medicine health coach, Laura has nearly 20 years of experience developing leaders, leading high-performing people and organizations, teaching, coaching, and speaking.
The proud Mom of two amazing young adults, an enthusiastic border collie mix and a geriatric cat, Laura lives in Phoenix, Arizona. She’s addicted to CrossFit and seed bead earrings, enjoys hiking with her dog when it’s not 120 degrees, and can be found eating natural peanut butter straight from the jar.
