The key to leading yourself is self-management.

From Today Matters: Decision making is OVERRATED. We overate what happens when we make a decision. Oh, made that decision and life’s changed. Sometimes yes, sometimes no.
But decision managing is underrated. How we manage the decision we make is going to determine the success of that decision. You need the discipline to follow through DAILY on the decisions you make.

Let me share an example. Many people make a decision to diet to lose weight. Great… decision made. But the decision is just the start… it needs follow through and the daily discipline to make it work.

5 Things you can do to manage yourself exceptionally well

1. Manage your emotions.
   • Good leaders know when to display emotions and when to delay them.
   • Whether you display or delay your emotions should not be based on “what will make me feel better?” rather, it should be based on “what does the team need?”
   • Have you ever tip toed around someone? Poking your nose around the door to your bosses office and thinking, no not today.
2. Manage your time.
   • Actually you cannot manage time. Time ticks on by whether you manage it or not. What you can do is manage your priorities:
3. Manage your priorities
   • 80% of your time and work in your strengths
   • 15% of your time and work where you are learning
   • 5% of your time and work in those other necessary areas
4. Manage your energy.
   • Beware the ABCs of Energy Drain
   • Activity without direction – Doing things that do not seem to matter.
   • Burden without action -Not being able to do things that really matter.
   • Conflict without resolution – Not being able to deal with what’s the matter.
5. Manage your personal life.
   • Success is having those closest to me, love and respect me the most.

7. The Influence Challenge

Leading others beyond your position is not easy.

Think Influence not Position

How to become a person whom people will want to follow

• People follow leaders they know – leaders who care.
• People follow leaders they trust – Leaders with Character.
• People follow leaders they respect – Leaders who are competent.
• People follow leaders they approach – Leaders who are consistent.
• People follow leaders they admire – Leaders with commitment.

6. The Vision Challenge

Championing the vision is more difficult  when you didn’t create it

• The more you invest in the vision, the more it becomes your own.

How people respond to the vision challenge

• Attack it – Criticize and sabotage it
• Ignore it – And do their own thing
• Abandon it – Leave the organization

Or…

• Adapt to it – Find a way to align with the vision
• Champion it  – Take the leader’s vision and make it a reality
• Add Value to it