A Leader Should Do What He Likes

October 22, 2018 Open Leadership No Comments

A leader should be happy at his job. This is important to the organization, also as a matter of efficiency. An unhappy leader will not optimize the organization.

It’s also a matter of self-efficacy.

As a leader, you should be convinced that you do your job very well. This way you can authentically lead and be yourself at the same time. You can lead by being yourself. Being yourself, you can much better fulfill what is probably your most important role:

being an Open Leader as symbol and motivator for the group you lead.

What as a leader, you intuitively like, if you’re genuine, is probably good for the organization. Your liking something may lead the way, in a natural way.

With a lot of common sense, you should look for what most agrees with you. If you like to motivate individuals and you’re good at it, so should you do. If you rather like to be the professional face of the company, so should you do.

‘What you like’ is nature’s way

of driving (inviting) you towards that what you like. One can see it as predispositional. Within animals, this show itself at an instinctual level. Within humans, there is a lot more flexibility.

With flexibility comes responsibility: what you like, drives you towards nature. It’s an Open Leader’s responsibility to evolve – oneself and others – towards nature, in responsible ways.

So, Open Leadership is doing what you like.

I don’t mean ‘direct pleasure’ as superficial waves of the motivational ocean. I mean ‘εὐδαιμονία’ (eudaimonia): the ancient-Greek term for total-self-interested happiness or ‘human flourishing’. Eudaimonia naturally extends to the importance of other people’s happiness. Of course: with all possible caution.

This way you create a happy work environment.

Proficiency drives motivation and vice versa. Your enthusiasm is a very important asset. You can see it as your privilege to enjoy yourself and by doing so, also do something very good for the company.

As a leader, you should also know what you really like and are good at. Feedback is important!

Know yourself, then be yourself.

Really getting to know oneself is one of the most difficult things to do. Being a leader can help in this through specific experiences and opportunities, a flux of challenges. It’s a special chance to grow as a person.

Also, growing into leadership, a good leader naturally sharpens his leadership skills. Then, enjoying this makes him better.

If on the contrary you are stressed by doing the things that are ‘wrong’ for you, then you will probably create a stressful work environment for others too. As a leader, you should avoid doing what you’re not good at, because of some idea that this is what you as a leader should necessarily do. That’s the way many companies go down.

Doing good while doing well.

Of course there are the things that need to be done. A leader who doesn’t like to lead, shouldn’t be a leader in the first place. Delegating is an important leadership skill.

Is it something you like to do?

So, doing what you do best and like most, is not egoism.

It’s caring for the company. Knowing what you do best, you can go into that direction and try to become better. As a leader, you have an open playing field.

You should not only ‘lead’ – whatever that may be.

You should play.