If you want to make a name for yourself and be recognized as a leader in your field, remember: It’s not who you know, it’s how you know yourself.
Most people assume that the most efficient way to make yourself known is to meet the right people. And certainly that’s worth doing—but if you think meeting people is the only way to network, think again.
The best way to make a name for yourself is to carry yourself in such a way that your name speaks for you.
Let your life speak for you. Your effectiveness as a leader is tied to the image that others form about you, and your ability to project a leader’s presence is closely tied to who you are as a person and how you lead your life. Anyone can live to please others; the harder task is to live for yourself.
Let your character speak for you. You can spend a lot of time crafting your leadership skills, but it will be your character—as seen through your words and actions—that tells the story of your leadership. Spend the time to learn who you are and what you value, and demonstrate that knowledge in the things you say and do. A true character makes a great leader.
Let your virtue speak for you. The moral cement of leadership lies in virtue—right words and actions. They unite and preserve, while vices separate and destroy. For a virtuous leader, everything stems from that moral core. Be a person of virtue and you will be a great leader.
Let your integrity speak for you. Stand by your principles. Refuse to accept less than the best from yourself. Ask of others only what you yourself are willing to give. Speak the truth even though it may create conflict. True integrity and great leadership mean doing the right thing, even when nobody else will see or know.
Let your trust, and your trustworthiness, speak for you. Be careful with trust in even the smallest matter. Let your own trustworthiness be impeccable, and be a role model in building trustworthiness in those around you.
You don’t aspire to be anyone else, so let your words and actions make a name for themselves.
Remember, if you don’t know where you are going you will end up somewhere else, and if you don’t know who you are- you will become someone you are not.
Lead From Within: If you can speak; you can influence, if you can influence, you can change lives, if you can change lives you can change the world.
N A T I O N A L B E S T S E L L E R
The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness
After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
- 12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
- A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
- How to Succeed as A New Leader
- 12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
- 4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
- The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
- The Deception Trap of Leadership
Photo Credit: Getty Images
Of Lolly’s many awards and accolades, Lolly was designated a Top-50 Leadership and Management Expert by Inc. magazine. Huffington Post honored Lolly with the title of The Most Inspiring Woman in the World. Her writing has appeared in HBR, Inc.com, Fast Company (Ask The Expert), Huffington Post, and Psychology Today, and others. Her newest book, The Leadership Gap: What Gets Between You and Your Greatness has become a national bestseller.
sunil jogdeo
04. Nov, 2014
Leadership is a very unique gift and needs to be taken care of properly; that has been very aptly shared by you here Lolly. All these points need consistent efforts to be taken by leaders. Very few leaders show all these symptoms together. Nice one and thank you.
Bill Benoist
04. Nov, 2014
You speak the truth, Lolly
A few years back I returned to school to seek an MA in Leadership. I wanted to know what “advanced” leadership was all about. What gave the right to all though authors and speakers to call themselves authorities on the subject.
First class in the program: Emotional Intelligence – Getting to know ourselves 🙂
Panteli Tritchew
04. Nov, 2014
Many of us spend a good deal of our time and energy trying to meet expectations of others: family, friends, colleagues, and “society.” Counter-intuitively, this is the easy way,
Spending time to learn who we really are, to know who we really are, to not be afraid of who we really are, and to be who we really are is not fun. It’s hard work that requires time and perseverance. And it requires solitude.
Spending time alone is fast becoming a lost art, and even more so for the current generation of hyper-connected, socially savvy digital natives.
“It’s not who you know, it’s how you know yourself.” Powerful words, Lolly.
Priya Venkatesan
05. Nov, 2014
Very well said!!!! Knowing oneself & practising core values requires a lot of personal discipline. Thats why most people with authority find it difficult to practise what they preach & lead from within. As Stephen Covey explains in 7 habits, Private Victory precedes Public Victory.
Mitch Mitchell
11. Nov, 2014
Absolutely! Although I treasure the few big name folks who have connected to me, none of them know me well and will be with me everywhere I go. Thus, I know I have to make as good as and as honest of an impression as possible at all times. After all, I’ve still got to be me. 🙂
Andrea Hewett
12. Nov, 2014
Impressive, Lolly! Too many are confused by what leadership means; some think it is about always being right while others are too “afraid” to check on their team’s individual tasks for fear that they will be hated.
Most leaders don’t realize that a confidence in themselves and their team will earn them respect, even when things are difficult. Great article, thank you!
Ace-Nectar
24. Dec, 2014
Honesty Integrity Tenacity: A person with Leadership qualities is only trying to be a more a Human being. #YourLimeMatters so you have to learn to #LeadFromWithin.
Thank you Ms Daskal for providing such a thesaurus of Morals, Ethics and Motivational material in one place. It feels like Christmas every time I visit this site.
Seeing that it is so close to 2015 I would like to take the opportunity and wish everyone Health, Wealth, Lots of Hard Work & Wisdom for the New Year.
God Bless
lollydaskal
26. Dec, 2014
Ace thank you for your kind words.
God Bless you too.
Lolly
Sal Hanaif
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well said Terri
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