Why is it important to lead yourself? As you’re given more responsibility above the surface of your life, without doing anything to replenish what’s going on below the surface, you’ll be drained dry and collapse. This is video one in a seven-part series on how to develop self leadership.

—Why Is It Important to Lead Yourself?—

Wednesday, January 25, 2017

A Pennsylvania family was forced out of their suburban home when a large sinkhole opened up on their block.

The sinkhole grew to be 40 feet wide and 35 feet deep, swallowing up their driveway, two front yards, most of the road in front of their house, a tree, and a truck.

Thankfully, no one was hurt in the incident that occurred at 4 AM, but sinkholes like this are appearing at an alarming rate across North America.

What’s going on?

Hello, I’m Bill Zipp and I help sales leaders achieve long-term success with a people-centered approach to performance. This is video one in a seven-part series on how to develop self leadership.

Here’s what’s happening when a sinkhole occurs.

As states like Florida and California, and even Pennsylvania, pursue commercial development above the surface of the earth, there is a simultaneous depletion of resources below the surface. Groundwater is drained dry, and what’s left is a void, waiting to collapse on itself.

The same is true for sales leaders. As your career grows, you’re given more and more responsibility above the surface of your life. If you allow this to take place without doing anything to replenish what’s going on below the surface in your soul. You, too, will be drained dry and ultimately collapse, like a sinkhole.

This answers the question: Why is it important to lead yourself? Self leadership establishes important practices in our personal, privates lives that provide strength and vitality to our professional, public lives. There are seven self leadership skills, and we’ll look at each in turn in this series, but first let’s start with mastering your mindset.

No productivity hack can make up for a mindset that’s not focused on the things that matter most. As human beings, we’re hardwired to complete these four life tasks: the SELF task, the LOVE task, the WORK task and the SERVICE task. Self leadership begins when we know what’s important to us in each of these areas of life.

The SELF task asks: What kind of person will you be? How are you staying healthy and strong physically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually?

The LOVE task asks: What kind of relationships will you have? How are you investing in the family and friends who are closest to you?

The WORK task asks: What’s the best use of your gifts and talents, learned skills and life experiences?

And the SERVICE task asks: How will you give back? What lasting contribution will you make with your time, talent, and treasure?

No one can answer these questions for you. They are yours alone to discover, foundational to all ensuing self leadership skills.

The most important thing to understand about these life tasks is this: like a four wheel drive vehicle, all four—self, love, work, and service—must operate AT THE SAME TIME. This concurrence ensures that you’re a leader with inner strength and vitality. If only one wheel is moving—like the WORK task for instance—all you’ll do is spin in circles.

Or… drain the groundwater of your soul dry and collapse into a sinkhole. Take time this week to answer the questions I just posed. Put your answers in a prominent place so they are top of mind every day.

In my next video on how to develop self leadership, we’ll explore the second self leadership skill: self awareness.

Please subscribe to this channel, so you don’t miss a single session. Or better yet, schedule an appointment with me to discuss your specific sales challenges, because every salesperson deserves a great sales manager.

Thanks for watching.

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