Captain Your Destiny: Taking Charge of Your Life with Personal Power

Imagine boarding a plane and sensing that the captain lacks confidence in flying it. Despite the impressive certifications and diplomas displayed on the airline’s social media page or website, you might still have doubts about boarding the plane, which can make the whole experience quite nerve-wracking. I believe most people share this sentiment, seeking security in their choices, whether in transportation or leadership.  

This desire for security is a fundamental human need. People want assurance when entrusting their lives to leaders or joining organisations. However, a leader cannot instil this sense of security if they lack it themselves. Even with hard work and credentials, instilling belief in ideals and abilities becomes challenging without personal confidence. 

Leadership's hard truth is clear: Everything rises and falls with the leader. 

So, if you are having this challenge in your leadership, if you lack confidence in your abilities, and you're still trying to seek the approval of others in everything that you do, then you may need to develop your Personal Power.
 

Personal Power: The Foundation to Living a Better Life

Personal Power is a sense of self-confidence and inner knowledge that will empower you to navigate life's challenges and shape your chosen path. With Personal Power, you will be able to have difficult conversations, express your beliefs assertively, and live authentically. 

People with Personal Power are happier and experience less stress in their personal and professional lives. Their calm conviction about themselves and their abilities fosters resilience. These people define themselves from the inside out. They rely on internal strengths rather than external titles for validation.

What makes these people stand out is that they make things happen. They reject the notion of fate or luck. Since they are able to speak their truth and stand by their convictions, people want to follow them and be acquainted with them.

Personal Power is the foundation of all the competencies we deal with in Emotional Intelligence. It is the underlying competency that affects all others. No matter how many skills you possess, you won't be able to utilise those skills effectively if you lack self-identity and self-worth.

Therefore, developing Personal Power is a must if you want to lead a better life. 

The Crucial Role of Personal Power in Leadership

Research shows that leaders with personal Power are more effective than those without. The reason is that people seek leaders who inspire and build a sense of shared mission and security.

When you, as the leader, embrace Personal Power, it will profoundly impact how you influence others. You will be able to articulate a vision that aligns with your team's values, leading to a culture of resilience during challenging times. Personal Power creates stability, and leaders who possess it are more authentic, resilient, and purpose-driven.

In essence, Personal Power is the foundation of effective leadership. It enables you to lead with conviction, build strong teams, and foster a culture of trust and collaboration.

Therefore, as a leader, developing your Personal Power is crucial for you to gain the respect and confidence of your team members. 

Cultivating Your Personal Power

Embarking to harness your Personal Power requires a thoughtful and reflective approach. Here are eight practical strategies tailored to guide you through this transformative process: 

1. List the things you've accomplished in your life. 

Start your journey by creating a comprehensive list of your achievements, big or small. Recount the emotions you've experienced during those wins. Doing this allows the positive energy and emotions associated with your wins to serve as a foundation for cultivating Personal Power.

2. Identify the things you excel in. 

Take some time to really understand your strengths and what makes you unique. Focusing on these positive qualities will boost your confidence and become a source of empowerment for you as a leader. So, embrace your strengths and the positive emotions that come with them. It can make a big difference in your leadership journey. 

3. Examine the causes of your lack of confidence or personal power. 

If you are feeling uncertain or lacking confidence in certain areas, it will be helpful to identify why and take steps to improve upon them. Seeking out a mentor or coach or taking classes to enhance specific skills are great ways to boost your confidence and become a more resilient leader.

At People Builders, we offer the guidance of expert coaches who can provide personalised coaching and mentoring to help you improve your confidence and develop the skills and competencies you desire. Our team is dedicated to helping you realise your full potential so you can better lead your and achieve your goals together. 

4. Embrace assertiveness. 

To improve your Personal Power, you will need to work on improving your assertiveness. This means learning how to communicate your thoughts, needs, and beliefs in a clear and confident way.

You could take a course on assertiveness or read up on the topic. Being assertive can help you become a more decisive leader and improve your ability to make yourself heard.

5. Refine your communication style. 

If you want to improve your personal power, you need to start paying attention to your communication habits. The way you speak can have a significant impact on how others perceive you. Using language patterns that convey powerlessness, like excessive apologies or indecisive language, can undermine your authority and credibility.

By making a conscious effort to refine your communication style, you can project a confident and empowered persona that commands respect and attention. 

Additionally, it's crucial to work on your self-talk, as how you talk to yourself will have a significant impact on your self-confidence and overall mindset. 

6. Set and keep healthy boundaries.

For you to feel empowered, it's essential to set boundaries for yourself and communicate them clearly to others. This means knowing your limits and expressing them in a confident and respectful manner. By doing so, you'll not only conserve your energy but also show others that you value and respect yourself. People who are able to establish healthy boundaries tend to come across as strong and decisive leaders. 

7. Move on from failures and learn from them. 

Failure is a part of life. So, instead of feeling discouraged by your failures, think of them as opportunities to learn and grow. Try to understand what went wrong and apply that knowledge to improve your future performance. Focus on things you can control and change, and use these experiences as stepping stones to help you achieve your personal and professional goals. By adopting this mindset, you will turn setbacks into valuable lessons that help you become a better version of yourself. 

8. Cultivate a vision of empowerment. 

To become a confident and influential leader, you need to picture yourself as one. Imagine yourself as a leader who is intelligent, competent, articulate, confident, and admired. This will help you create a clear mental image of the type of leader you want to be. By focusing on this vision, you can make decisions and take actions that align with your empowered self and move closer to becoming the leader you aspire to be. 

By taking action and following these strategies, you can transform yourself as a leader and create a strong, empowered organisational culture. Not only will you enhance your own leadership capabilities, but you can also contribute to a culture of resilience and empowerment within your organisation.   

Steering the Vessel: Leading with Personal Power

Being a great leader requires personal power. Leaders with this skill are like captains who guide their team through tough times with confidence and security. Personal power gives leaders the strength and assurance they need to be a beacon of hope for their followers. If you want to be a strong and resilient leader, it's important to develop this skill. It's an investment in yourself that will lead you towards a more empowered version of yourself and help you steer your team through any challenge.
 

We are Here to Help

At  People Builders, we have a team of expert trainers and coaches who will help you and your team develop your Personal Power and many other competencies.  Contact us today for a quick chat to see how we can partner with you to train and coach you and your team. If you want to become a certified trainer and coach in Social and Emotional Intelligence or Extended DISC Behavioural Profiling, find out how by visiting the People Builders Institute website.