Leadership Starts with You: Building Self-Awareness and Growth with Mike Simmons

  In this solo episode of Find Your Catalyst, host Mike Simmons explores the concept of leadership, focusing on how true leadership begins with self. He emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, self-confidence, and self-worth in building strong leadership skills. Mike shares practical insights on how to develop essential leadership qualities like problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and execution. This episode is brought to you by the Leader Lab - learn more at https://www.findmycatalyst.com/leaderlab Three Key Quotes: "Leadership is how we move forward—how we advance from where we are today to where we want to go." "If you're looking for leadership, start with a mirror. Leadership starts with self." "Self-confidence, self-awareness, and self-worth—these are the foundations of leadership." Mike shares practical tips for improving leadership by honing skills like problem-solving, decision-making, communication, and execution. Mike emphasizes that understanding personal values and leading oneself is crucial before successfully leading others. 5 Key Takeaways: 1. Leadership Begins with Self: Leadership starts by looking in the mirror and recognizing your potential. Self-awareness is key to personal growth and leadership. Building self-confidence and self-worth lays the foundation for effective leadership. 2. Developing Core Leadership Skills: Focus on problem-solving to tackle challenges head-on. Improve decision-making to drive positive outcomes. Strong communication skills are essential for leading yourself and others. 3. Understanding Personal Values: Reflect on what you value most in life—time, relationships, or energy. Align your values with your actions for authentic leadership. Recognize that values change as you grow and evolve. 4. The Power of Thinking: Critical thinking helps solve problems and make better decisions. Creative thinking opens the door to innovation and new ideas. Life, like business, is a thinking process—embrace it. 5. Continuous Self-Improvement: Work on yourself first before leading others. Build leadership skills through experience and practice. Effective leaders are always learning and growing.