Creating your Leadership Model
A leadership model can be used as a roadmap to your own personal leadership style, it can include your values, what is important to you in leadership and how you show up on a daily basis (not only at work). There are different components to a model, this can be used as a guide for yourself but also to communicate clearly to others you lead, interact, mentor, or people you surround yourself with.
Steps to creating your model:
1. Research:
Look at other leadership models or frameworks can be useful to see what you like or don’t like in your own. Inspiration can also come from a more specific area, for example related communication, coaching, or agile, the influence could also be outside of a “work” related area if you find it more relevant. The components, structure, or visual aspect could be what you take away from another framework or model.
2. Discuss and brainstorm:
Talk to others about how they describe leadership, especially people who you feel do it well. This can also be helpful to the process, even if it is a discussion around a certain model or training. You also don’t have to agree with everything, that is also telling you something about your approach to leadership.
3. Reflect on others:
Think about what comes to mind when you think of leadership, how do the bests leaders lead and what traits do they show, in your opinion.
4. Reflect on yourself:
Finally looking at yourself and how you show up when you are leading at your best, what feels authentic to you and what values are you exhibiting.
Questions to ask yourself:
What does leadership mean to you?
What traits do great leaders have?
How do you want to lead/show up?
Why is leadership important to you?
How does leadership look like from a big picture perspective?
What values do you see coming up while thinking of leadership?
What components play a part in your leadership style?
How do these components interact?
The initial stages might look a bit messy, looking at how the different areas connect, which parts are most important, simplifying and from there creating a structure is the next step. It could be that there is a clear visual diagram or infographic that comes out, or “just” a list or table, everyone’s leadership model is slightly different, personal, and individual.
The process of creating your model itself is significant, the end result could also develop with new information, new ways of looking at or percieving things over time, and as you learn and acquire different experiences. Going back to the model at different stages in time is also part of the process.