OWP 2022: Leading For the Future

Q&A →Self Being aware of the bright side, the inside, and the dark side of your personality will equip you with the resources to become a better leader and lead your team through turbulent times. LEADING SELF AS EXPLORER: EMBARK ON A DISCOVERY EXPEDITION TO PREPARE FOR YOUR (LEADERSHIP) FUTURE KATHARINA LANGE Affiliate Professor of Leadership at IMD WHAT IS YOUR HOT TOPIC? Leaders need to lead themselves first before leading others. To grow as a business leader, you need to embark on a voyage of discovery. This means looking at your inside (your value set and motivational drivers), while humbly considering your bright side (the behavioral traits positively associated with leadership effectiveness) and taking a courageous look at your dark side (the behavioral dispositions that can derail your leadership effectiveness). WHY DOES THIS MATTER NOW? In turbulent times, leaders need to be extra resourceful. You need to absorb chaos and negativity and transmit clarity and confidence to your teams. To do this over a sustained period of time, you need to tap into your inner resources and recharge your positive energy, while at the same time productively managing negative energy. This is when self-awareness becomes crucial. Leaders also need to be aware that the more powerful they

become, the more they give themselves permission to be themselves. Your personality becomes your leadership style. Consequently, as a top executive, you need to be hyper-aware of your strengths, value system, and leadership purpose. Even more importantly, you need to be conscious of your blind spots, triggers, and derailers.

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