Lead Self First Before Leading Others ― A Life Planning Resource

Jack Welch, previous General Electric CEO, is quoted saying, ‘If the pace of change on the outside is faster than the pace of change on the inside, the end is near’. While he was referring to the ever-quickening pace of change in the business environment and how it impacts GE as well as other businesses, the same can be said about how individuals experience change. In a world rocked by accelerated change and increase complexity, the individual leader is often neglectful in reflection, planning and development of a conscious purpose. And leaders from all walks of life need to be good leaders of self before leading others, whether leaders of industry, public service, not-for-profit, or households.Many years ago, effective leadership development programs expanded from a focus on human intelligence with subject matter competence to include emotional intelligence and the advancement of relational skills. And now, the rapid and volatile environment requires leadership resiliency undergirded by a high level of consciousness. Life planning brings individual purpose, vision, values and goal path to consciousness. A leader with a strong sense of ‘who I am, where I am going, and the key values I choose to provide boundaries’ becomes hardy and robust. With extensive experience and research in the importance and practice of life planning by leaders, the authors address the compelling case for this investment. Next, they debunk the typical excuses for not conducting life planning, followed by a planning format ready to be completed by reader. This text takes the leader through an understanding of the power of life planning all the way through to completing an initial document.