Self-Leadership in 1 Sentence

I can write at length; I know that. I have been told, “You do talking story in writing.”

ALOHA ~ ~ ~ Have you newly arrived here at Managing with Aloha Coaching? Each month, we adopt a Hawaiian value to study together in a universal way, thus the tagline you see up top: Value Your Month, Value Your Life. I publish a new essay here every Tuesday. This month we are learning about Alaka‘i, the Hawaiian value of Leadership. Welcome! ~ Rosa Say

This week, I am responding to a challenge put forth by a manager I am presently coaching. He had read last Tuesday’s essay just prior to our weekly coaching call, and his challenge to me was:

“Rosa, I know you can write a whole book about it if you set your mind to it, but can you give me a definition for self-leadership in just one sentence?”

After giving it some thought, here it is:

Self-leadership is the growing process of arriving at your own choice, an arrival you will stand up for and articulate exceptionally well, feeling you are prepared to both defend it and inspire with it.

And, as this is our value study for the month, I would give that same definition to Alaka‘i, the Hawaiian value of leadership.

TO SELF-LEAD:
Think, learn, grow.
Arrive.
Articulate. Stand tall.

I will seldom ask you to defend your choice, but I will ask you to inspire me.

What is your current self-leadership choice?

Rocks and Ripples
So welcoming: Easy to imagine hearing the ocean call you, saying, “Please do step inside.” 

We make several such choices through-out the course of our lives; which would you say is the choice most pressing for you right now?

It is likely the open door to your opportunity for self-leadership; are you prepared to step through it?

Next Tuesday we will talk a bit more about the growing process of arriving in my definition. I hope you will join me.

• Last Tuesday: Why Self-Leadership?

• Day One Essay for August: Alaka‘i, Chiefs and Indians.

Comments

[Greg Balanko-Dickson]

Wonderful, I love this definition. It is concise, cogent, and brief! Thank you, thank you!

I love the image as well, phenomenal. I am happy your client challenged you.

May I have more please?

Mahalo Rosa!

[Rosa Say]

Too funny Greg! You love it, and you want more. Or do you mean more posts here that are one-liners ?:)

[Pete Aldin]

I think my decision is probably to stick with a shorter number of decisions and back them 100%!! Good question, coach!

I loved this, Rosa. The best definition of leadership I heard was from Rabbi Edwin Friedman who said "A leader is a self-defined person with a non-anxious presence."

[Rosa Say]

I like that Pete! The quote you share also reminds me of that terrific article you wrote for us at Joyful Jubilant Learning - still one of my favorites: Anxiety Writes the Script
http://www.joyfuljubilantlearning.com/joyful_jubilant_learning/2007/09/anxiety-writes-.html