Finding Your Own Identity to Become a Leader

In order to become a successful leader, the most important, first of all, is finding your own identity as a person and as a leader. This is the topic of my essay. Who are you? What is your purpose as a human being? What is your purpose as a leader? Who are you meant to be? What are your meant to do? What is your mission? When you will be able to give an answer to these questions, that will be the time when you will be fulfilling your purpose, as Myles Munroe said above, from existence as a leader.

The Importance of Finding Your Own Identity

Being or becoming yourself is probably the most important thing you can do if you want to discovery your true identity as a person and as a leader. Warren Bennis has said, 'Becoming a leader is synonymous with becoming yourself'. In the world that we live in there is a great push to people to be different and to align with a certain cliche to be able to be accepted or to have success. This metamorphosis from being yourself to being someone else has produced generations of people who ended up not knowing who they were and therefore, limiting the impact they could have had in their own lives and in the lives of those whom they associated with.

You are a unique human being with the capacity of achieving anything you set yourself out to, you are bound to success and to achieve all of your goals and dreams in your life. However, your worth as a person won't ever come from your achievements, money and status, but by the type of person you will become and how you will treat other people. The discovery of oneself and your mission in life is the most important thing you can do which will make it possible for you to leave an indelible mark on whoever you will associate with and whatever you will embark on.

There isn't any happiness or satisfaction on being someone different than oneself. This dissonance will only produce stress, dissatisfaction and misery. The ultimate actualisation of one-self occurs when you reach the best version of who you truly are and what you can accomplish because of this. It's only then when you are yourself, that you can discover the real you, and that authenticity will serve you as a leader to establish connections and good rapport with the people you will interact with. So, don't hide your true self away, be yourself, let your personality emerge. This will also help you to discover yourself as a leader, find your leadership style, love and be loved, and be successful in your career.

By working to become the best version of your true self, you will develop the foundation competencies that are necessary to effectively lead others as well.

I too had to discover my identity, my place and my mission in life. For many years I wandered around looking for it. I knew that I wasn't what I was supposed to be, but I couldn't quite grasp it and I struggled to find the real ME and the real purpose that I was born on this earth for. It took me quite a while to figure it out, almost a half lifetime, but it was totally worth it.

This discovery process to find my identity started long time ago when I began my career in the logistic industry and went on for many years climbing the corporate ladder up to senior manager. Of course, in order to reach this level, I had to change company a few times and even work in different countries. However, as I have previously said, no matter who I worked for and where, I couldn't find my real identity as a human being and as a leader.

All I know is that I knew that there was something more in store for me and that I didn't feel fulfilled, but I couldn't quite figure out what it was.

Then, an unexpected event in my life, opened up a completely new perspective and a new opportunity: I could actually make a big turn in my personal and professional life and move to London in the UK. This, at the time, seemed to be what I was looking for: a new beginning.

I thought to myself, 'That's it, I have to take this opportunity no matter what!'. So, I prepared everything and began this new journey which I didn't know then, exactly where it would have taken me in the future.

As a matter of fact, when I moved to London, I began to see a glimpse of my potential and my vocation. For example, as I came to know that a university was offering degrees by attending evening lectures, I immediately enrolled on a business psychology course. Of course, I graduated four years down the road and this experience made a huge impact on me because and gave me a clear vision of what was my real passion which ended up, by the way, to draw me away from a long career as a logistic manager to an unexpected but not totally unknown unforeseeable horizon. So, as I pursued my new direction, it became clearer and clearer where I was heading to and I loved it.

As part of my journey toward self-discovery I also enrolled in a coaching school where I received all the necessary training to become a qualified coach.

This learning experience together with the one at university have played a very important role in this process because they directed me toward what I really love doing in my life and, more importantly, to uncovering my identity, finding my mission, or, in other words, what I am meant to do in my life. I have to confess that I immediately fell in love madly with my new identity as I began to work with individuals and organisations to facilitate change and improvement at personal, professional and business level.

At this point my old working life as a logistic manager didn't have sense anymore. I felt like a butterfly finally stretching its wings and take off for a wonderful flight and not wanting to go back into the cocoon. What to do then? Well, there was only one thing to do, leave my job. I took a leap of faith and handed in my notice and left forever the logistics' world.

As I left my old working life for the new, I finally began to find my true self, my purpose, my higher calling and real meaning in what I do.

Now I run my own coaching business, I feel fulfilled, I have a purpose which is to serve individuals and organisation and I also know what is that I am supposed to during my life to make a difference and leave a mark in this world.

Now, perhaps you have already achieved this level of actualisation and of understanding of your identity and purpose in life, but if you haven't, I invite you to search for it and find it and live it as a human being and a leader in your organisation and in this world.

References

1. Bennis, W. G. (2009). On becoming a leader. Basic Books.

2. Munroe, M. (2007). The purpose and power of authority: Discovering the power of your personal domain. Destiny Image Publishers.

3. Johnson, C. E. (2012). Meeting the ethical challenges of leadership: Casting light or shadow. SAGE Publications.

4. Northouse, P. G. (2018). Leadership: Theory and practice. Sage Publications.

5. Deci, E. L., & Ryan, R. M. (2000). The 'what' and 'why' of goal pursuits: Human needs and the self-determination of behavior. Psychological Inquiry, 11(4), 227-268.

6. Goleman, D. (1995). Emotional intelligence: Why it can matter more than IQ. Bantam.

7. Kegan, R., & Lahey, L. L. (2009). Immunity to change: How to overcome it and unlock the potential in yourself and your organization. Harvard Business Press.

8. Seligman, M. E. (2018). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. Vintage.

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9. Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. Random House.