Great leadership starts with self-leadership | Lars Sudmann | TEDxUCLouvain

About this Video

• Video Title: Great leadership starts with self-leadership | Lars Sudmann | TEDxUCLouvain
• Channel: TEDx Talks
• Speakers: Lars Sudmann
• Duration: 00:12:47

Introduction

This TEDx talk explores a different approach to leadership, emphasizing self-leadership as a foundation for effectively leading others. Lars Sudmann challenges the traditional "hero" model of leadership and introduces a framework for self-improvement that allows leaders to better manage the common challenges of time constraints, personnel management, and power dynamics.

Key Takeaways

• The Leadership Problem Formula (TLT): Leadership invariably involves "Too Little Time," managing "People," and navigating the complexities of "Power." Effective leaders master these challenges.
• Self-Leadership as a Foundation: Sudmann argues that effective leadership begins with self-leadership, focusing on self-awareness, self-reflection, and self-regulation. He draws inspiration from Marcus Aurelius's emphasis on self-improvement.
• Strategies for Self-Leadership: The talk proposes three key strategies:
  1. Self-awareness: Regularly assess personal leadership strengths and weaknesses using techniques like comparing oneself to bad leaders.
  2. Self-reflection: Dedicate time daily (even just 2-5 minutes) to reflect on challenges faced and strategies for improvement.
  3. Self-regulation: Employ techniques like reframing to manage stressful situations and maintain composure when dealing with difficult individuals or circumstances.
• Reframing as a Tool for Self-Regulation: This technique involves evaluating the importance of a problem on a scale of 1-10 to help prioritize and manage stress.