Questions can serve a unique purpose as leaders build a culture of engagement and a legacy of influence. Open your notebook and respond to the following:
- Who helped me get here?
- How do I define leadership?
- How will people know I’m committed?
- What do I recommend people do to become better?
Each prompt represents one leadership tool: Story, Purpose, Reputation, and Influence. First, create a five-minute version of your own origin story that highlights a mentor or manager who helped you get to where you are. Share it with others so they understand you for who you are. Second, tell people what you think “Leadership” is. Next, curate the collection of projects you work on to build a reputation so people know what they can count on you to do well. Finally, study the psychology of influence (start by reading Dr. Robert Cialdini’s book on the topic.) Help the people you work with by mentoring and coaching them based on your experience.