Six tools to develop inner leadership

In an increasingly dynamic and complex business environment, the concept of ‘inner leadership’ emerges as a fundamental alternative. Beyond the necessary development of technical expertise, this humanistic approach fosters self-knowledge, empathy and humility as essential pillars of professional growth and team management. 

In an article published in Harvard Deusto Business Review, Esade Careers Associate Directors Carmen González and Roque Adrada lay out the basics of inner leadership and offer a list of useful tools for a professional development that takes this perspective as its starting point. 

Collaboration in the face of multifaceted challenges

Today more than ever, the complexity of the challenges facing society and organisations requires collaboration among actors. In this context, one of the main values that a leader can provide is the capacity to create collaborative environments that are in turn perceived as places of belonging for the professionals who take part in them. 

Effective collaboration requires a more flexible meritocracy, where secondary players sometimes step forward into the front line

González and Adrada claim that, in this new era of leadership, the idea of a leader who reasons and makes decisions alone is losing ground to the idea of network leadership. This need to pool different voices and perspectives puts people, in their most human facet, at the heart of the debate. Therefore, relationship skills such as empathy or active listening are fundamental for turning mere groups of individuals who work together into veritable high-performance teams. 

All this requires opening up spaces in which it is possible to express and consider different opinions, beyond those of people who hold senior positions. “The collaborative future that humanistic leadership embraces might involve having a more flexible meritocracy with second-line teams that sometimes step forward into the spotlight,” state the authors. 

Know yourself

The core issue of inner leadership is self-knowledge. Instead of limiting oneself to leading by ‘doing’, the focus is on leading by ‘being’. Therefore, leaders must have a deep understanding of themselves before addressing others. To this end, it is essential to think about questions such as ‘Who am I?’ and ‘Who do I want to be?’. This introspective process strengthens their ability to manage their emotions and their self-authenticity, which is subsequently reflected in their leadership style and their dealings with partners. 

Both aspects, stress the authors, can benefit enormously from neuroscientific knowledge. Understanding how the brain works enables leaders to develop strategies to enhance their performance and that of their team. In work contexts, this translates into becoming aware of our own cognitive biases when we make decisions or making room for lulls or quiet periods, which are conducive to a more creative and innovative work environment. 

Tools for inner leadership

Inner leadership requires specific practices to nurture this self-knowledge and facilitate personal growth. González and Adrada propose six practical tools that can help leaders to develop in this respect: 

1. Self-awareness: Thinking about one's own goals and values is the first step for effective leadership. It is essential for leaders to have a clear vision of where they want to get to and what their inner motivations are. 
2. Self-management: Once the goals are defined, it is important to take action. Self-management means taking responsibility for turning goals into concrete realities through consistent and deliberate actions. 
3. Visualisation: This technique enables leaders to project themselves mentally on their goals and aspirations, which helps to overcome doubts and maintain the focus and motivation needed to achieve them. 
4. Resilience: The capacity to adapt and rise above adversities is essential in leadership. Resilience also makes it possible to learn from failures and push forwards with more strength and determination. 
5. Self-care: Effective leaders know they must look after their physical and mental wellbeing. Practices such as mindfulness, regular exercise and digital disconnection help to maintain a healthy balance between professional and personal life. 
6. Self-evaluation: Evaluating one's own performance and progress is fundamental for growth. Self-evaluation allows leaders to identify areas of improvement and adjust their approach when necessary, and can include feedback from people close to them or mentors. 

Inner and humanistic leadership is a necessary response to create work environments where the collaboration, innovation and wellbeing of employees become strategic priorities. Both professionally and personally, emphasise the authors, it is an indispensable perspective for “consolidating true knowledge of ourselves, our motivations and our values.”