Self-Leadership – The Key to Responsibility, Engagement and Motivation
There was a time when work was guided by manuals and detailed instructions. That time is over. In today’s fast-moving world, something else is needed – something more human, courageous, and conscious. What we need is self-leadership.
Change has never been faster. Roles shift, expectations evolve, and the answers are not always clear. In this landscape, it’s not enough to simply “do your job.” Today, employees must take ownership of their decisions, their priorities, and their contribution to the team’s shared success.
And yet, our ongoing research shows a striking gap: 85% of leaders believe that the need for self-leadership has increased during the last five years, while only 52% of employees share that view. Even more telling, 41% of employees think the need has not changed at all – compared to only 12% of leaders. This reveals a fundamental discrepancy in how we see reality and what we expect from each other.
Sometimes, employees perceive self-leadership as “doing the manager’s job.” But self-leadership is not about replacing the leader – it is about recognizing that all leadership starts with ourselves, regardless of whether you are a manager leading others or whether it is you leading yourself. Stronger self-leadership not only improves individual performance, it also enhances sustainable well-being and creates teams that function more effectively together.
We are not born with self-leadership. Some may feel they have a natural talent for it, but research shows it is a skill that can be developed and strengthened through awareness, practice, and the right conditions. The term self-leadership is sometimes used loosely, but in research it has a clear foundation:
· Awareness – developing self-knowledge and setting goals that are truly our own.
· Self-regulation – creating the right conditions to increase our chances of success, for example, by choosing the right environment for a task, using reminders, or reducing distractions. This helps us avoid the impulses that so often lead us astray and instead strengthens the likelihood that we achieve what really matters.
When people understand their drivers, values, and reactions, they can develop a stronger self-leadership. This enables them to set meaningful goals, make conscious decisions, and contribute in ways that strengthen both performance and well-being – even in times of uncertainty. And when organizations provide clarity, trust, and room for initiative, motivation and responsibility grow naturally.
In my talks, I explore how self-leadership:
- Builds courage by starting with self-awareness.
- Thrives when direction is clear and purpose is shared.
- Strengthens both the individual and the team through mutual trust and support.
Self-leadership is not a solo act – it is a culture. And it is the foundation for responsibility, motivation, and innovation in modern organizations. Are you ready to unlock the power of self-leadership in your team?
