The Benefits of Personal Leadership for Your Wellbeing and Happiness

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What is personal leadership, I hear you ask?  Personal leadership is the ability to lead oneself towards a desired vision or goal.  It involves intrapersonal intelligences such as: self-awareness, self-regulation, self-motivation, and self-development. Personal leadership can have significant benefits for wellbeing and happiness, as it can help a person to achieve:

• personal and professional success
• the ability to cope with challenges and stress
• the way to living a meaningful and fulfilling life.

According to the PERMA model of wellbeing, proposed by positive psychologist Martin Seligman (2012), there are five essential elements that contribute to lasting wellbeing: positive emotions, engagement, positive relationships, meaning, and accomplishment. Personal leadership can enhance each of these elements in the following ways:

1. Positive emotions

Personal leadership can help you to experience more positive emotions such as joy, gratitude, satisfaction, hope, and optimism. By setting clear and realistic goals, pursuing your passions and interests, celebrating your achievements and progress, and expressing gratitude for opportunities and resources available, you can cultivate a positive mindset and attitude that boosts mood and happiness (Seligman et al., 2014).

2. Engagement

Personal leadership can help you to experience more engagement in your activities and tasks. By aligning your goals with your values and strengths, seeking feedback and learning opportunities, challenging yourself to grow and improve, and finding flow in your work and hobbies, you can increase your involvement and interest in your daily endeavours and achieve optimal performance and satisfaction (Dweck et al., 2014).

3. Positive relationships

Personal leadership can help you to develop more positive relationships with others. By communicating effectively, collaborating constructively, giving and receiving support, respecting diversity and differences, and building trust and rapport, you can foster healthy and meaningful connections with others that enhance your own social and emotional wellbeing (Bialik et al., 2015).

4. Meaning

Personal leadership can help you to find more meaning in your life. By identifying your purpose and values; serving a cause greater than oneself; contributing to the wellbeing of others or society; and reflecting on your impact and legacy, you can create a sense of significance and direction that provides the motivation to pursue your goals and aspirations (Seligman et al., 2012).

5. Accomplishment

Personal leadership can help you to achieve a sense of accomplishment in life. By setting SMART goals ; planning strategically; taking action consistently; overcoming obstacles and setbacks; measuring progress and results;  and rewarding yourself for success; you can attain  desired outcomes and feel proud for reaching your potential (Haimovitz & Dweck, 2017).

In conclusion, personal leadership is a valuable skill that can enhance wellbeing and happiness in various ways. By leading yourself towards a positive vision or goal, you can experience more positive emotions, increased engagement, positive relationships, and create meaning and accomplishment in life. Personal leadership can also help you to cope with challenges and stress, as it can foster resilience, confidence, optimism and self-efficacy.  In effect, personal leadership is not only beneficial to the individual, but it also benefits others who are influenced by the actions and behaviours of someone who demonstrates these personal leadership skills and abilities.

References

Bialik M et al. (2015). Character education for the 21st century: What should students learn? Boston: Center for Curriculum Redesign.

Dweck CS et al. (2014). Academic tenacity: Mindsets

© Gaynor Clarke, 2023

Gaynor Clarke

B.Ed (Teaching), Cert Tertiary Teaching, PGDip Ed, MEd Leadership

Reach. Teach. Lead.

Reach Education Ltd

Teacher Leadership Mentoring and Life Coaching.  Personal and Professional Development.

Gaynor is a teacher educator and mentor facilitating personal & professional leadership wellbeing outcomes for teachers.

About me

If you are an early childhood teacher or leader looking to enhance your leadership skills, I would love to work with you. As a leadership mentor and coach, I specialize in helping early childhood educators develop their leadership potential and make a positive impact for the ākonga they serve. If you are interested in learning more about my leadership mentoring services, please visit my website or contact me directly to schedule a consultation. I would love to work with you!

www.reached.co.nz