A Leadership Statement is a self-reflective exercise that asks you to think about your purpose in leading, your values, and your beliefs about who you are as a leader and how you lead others.
We will begin by identifying the core experiences and role models that have influenced their leadership. Many find this to be a chance to include a personal experience of leadership (think “Class President” in high school or Shift Manager at Starbucks). Others may describe someone who has led them in the past (think Pastor Rick from church, Sargent Rios from the Army, Mrs. Smith from middle school, or Coach Thompson from pee-wee football).
Leaders understand the ‘we’ vision – something that inspires an organization, investors, or a department. No smart leader would consider leadership without thinking about others first.
Yet few leaders can clearly identify their own personal beliefs on leadership. So, if leaders consider the ‘we’ vision vital to organizational success, why don’t they think it’s equally vital to have one for themselves, given that they are leading?
What You Need to Include
As you reflect on your Personal Leadership Statement should address some these questions:
What is your core purpose as a leader? Why are you here, doing what you do? Why would anyone want to be led by you?
What type of leader are you? What models of leadership speak to your experience and/or how you want to be perceived when you are in a position of leadership?