How To Develop Self-Leadership As An Entrepreneur

In my book LeaderX, how to step up, take control and lead with impact, I share what is self-leadership in entrepreneurship and how you become a self-leader; this is vital before you can begin to lead teams and businesses. It doesn’t matter whether you lead a small business or a huge corporation, the principles are the same, because humans are actually pretty alike. Believe me when I say people generally know more about their favourite sports team or holiday destination than they do about themselves. If you don’t have absolute clarity over your vision or your values, you will be easily influenced by others. You become the follower and easily distracted, resulting in chaos, uncertainty and instability and that leads to dire performance.

The first important question to ask yourself

I am going to assume you already have a clear vision and mission. I will also assume that you are super passionate about it. If you’re not, it’s the wrong vision. The entrepreneur journey is one hell of a rollercoaster and your passion and belief to keep you going through the hard times, the blocks and barriers and moments of self-doubt is essential.

Now ask yourself ‘What kind of leader do I need to be to deliver my vision?’

If you haven’t done any self-development work before, this might be a little uncomfortable as you will be asked to accept who you are, what you believe in and what you stand for. You will be asked to critically assess your strengths, weaknesses, values and attitudes, and to understand how these have an impact on your behaviour and decisions. If you don’t know yourself and trust yourself, how can you expect anyone else to trust you? Being a leader from within means you understand why you do what you do and think the way you think. You can objectively look at your behaviours, your values and your beliefs and understand how these have shaped your leadership approach. You have total clarity about your own particular strengths, and how you can best utilise them, but also embrace your weaknesses and how to build a team around them.

Your ability to solve problems, create and get stuff done got you this far, but now as a leader, it’s less about what you do and much more about how you do it. Leaders without self-leadership are unable to take accountability or responsibility. They blame others and external factors for life’s misfortunes. This is neither inspiring or healthy in any company culture. Blame cultures creep in subtly and take hold quickly. Don’t be that kind of leader.

Unless you understand yourself, you are not fully in control or in charge of the decisions you make. It means dropping the ego and developing character and presence. Whether you are leading

thousands or focusing on being the leader of your own life, the starting point is always with you. You are the one constant in all of your roles and responsibilities so become a master of your own life and create the legacy you dream of.

How to develop self-leadership

By doing the inner work and learning how to develop self-leadership, you will be confident with the person you are and won’t feel the need to hide anymore or pretend to be something you’re not. Your decision making will become congruent with your vision and values and everything becomes easier. There is no downside. You are going to care more about yourself, others and the world around you. That’s the kind of leader we all want to follow.

1. Behavioural style

Behavioural science is a great starting place as it helps you to understand why you behave, think and act like you do. You might be orderly, high detail, introverted or spontaneous. You might be a starter, but rubbish at follow through, or perhaps you are competitive and results focused and forget about people and the impact on others. Knowing this about yourself will help you to create strategies to improve and perform and ultimately build a team of people who compliment you. I use Everything DiSC as it’s easy to understand and actually meaningful. So start knowing your behaviours.

2. Strengths and weaknesses

Building on from your behaviours, find out what is easy for you and what is a challenge. Often we don’t realise our own strengths because they really are so innate within us. We dismiss them and don’t give them value. Take a moment to reflect on all of those skills and strengths that you have that you can do effortlessly. Perhaps you are a communicator, you can hold a beat, you inspire or can see complex processes simply. Perhaps you can code, draw, dance or build relationships – perhaps you can’t. Do a skills and strengths inventory and then decide how you can leverage or upskill to help you achieve your vision. If you really struggle with this – get feedback by asking others. Look at self-leadership entrepreneur examples to see how successful leaders have applied these principles to their lives.

3. Own your values

I like to think of your values as your moral and ethical compass. They are the way you choose to navigate life. When you live in accordance with your values you feel in flow. When you go against them you feel compromise, guilt and discomfort. Once you have discovered and claimed your values, it becomes really easy to assert your boundaries. You are able to give clarity around what is OK and not OK with you. You treat others as you wish to be treated yourself and soon your vibe attracts your vibe. You will fill your team with people who see the world in a similar way, even if they have different behaviours or strengths (which is the goal), your values are aligned. This creates the ultimate team.

4. Get to know your beliefs

Beliefs are make believe. They are a way for you to make sense of the world around you. They can be core beliefs which are aligned to your values, or they can be changed and adapted as you change and adapt. For example, one of my values is autonomy – the ability to make my own decisions and take responsibility for my actions. My belief is that everyone is happier and more motivated when they have autonomy over their work and lives. This in turn impacts my leadership approach as I choose to empower others. That’s how it works. So get to know your beliefs and tune into them. You will notice when you are listening to your inner champion, or letting the self-limiting beliefs drive your car. Keep hold of the useful ones and upgrade the outdated ones that hold you back.

5. Never stop

Self-awareness is a continual development journey. As you face new situations and overcome new problems, you will discover who you are now and make conscious decisions about who you want to be and how you want to lead. You are the master of your own destiny, the controller of your inner world. Learn, adapt and evolve.

When you have done all of this, you become the leader from within and a leader others will choose to follow. From this place you really can build the ultimate team around you and achieve the impossible. My advice is to get a coach to guide you. If it was good enough for Bill Gates, it’s good enough for you.

Further tips and advice can be found in the LeaderX book, it provides exercises and a roadmap for entrepreneurs to build the ultimate business and leave a powerful legacy. The world needs you to lead. Be the leader you wish you’d always had.

Self-Leadership Entrepreneur Examples

Understanding self-leadership is crucial for entrepreneurs, as it sets the foundation for leading others effectively. Here are some real-world examples of entrepreneurs who have mastered self-leadership and how it has contributed to their success:

James Dyson – founder of Dyson Ltd.

James Dyson is a prime example of self-leadership in the UK. His journey wasn’t smooth—he went through over 5,000 prototypes before finally nailing the bagless vacuum cleaner. Dyson didn’t just create a product; he shook up an entire industry with his persistence and vision. Every setback fueled his determination to succeed. It’s not just about being an engineering genius; it’s about having the grit to see your ideas through. Dyson’s story shows that resilience, self-belief, and relentless innovation are what it takes to make a real impact.

Oprah Winfrey – media mogul and philanthropist

Oprah Winfrey’s rise from tough beginnings to global media icon is a true lesson in self-leadership. She built her empire on authenticity and deep connections, always staying true to her values. Even in the challenging world of business, Oprah never compromised on her principles. Her ability to lead herself first, staying grounded in who she is, has been key to inspiring millions. Oprah’s journey proves that real leadership starts with managing and motivating yourself, and that’s what draws others to follow.

Sara Blakely – founder of Spanx

Sara Blakely,  story is all about self-leadership through creativity and resilience. With no business experience, she stepped into the fashion world and created Spanx, carving out a new market from scratch. Blakely embraced failure, seeing it as a way to learn and grow. Her success shows the power of trusting your instincts and leading yourself through the ups and downs of entrepreneurship. Blakely reminds us that self-leadership is about staying focused, adapting to challenges, and keeping your eye on the bigger picture.

Richard Branson – founder of the Virgin Group

Richard Branson’s entrepreneurial journey is a great example of fearless self-leadership. He’s always done things his way, from starting a record label to exploring space tourism. Branson’s leadership style is all about taking risks, prioritising well-being, and knowing when to push limits. His success comes from staying true to himself while running a global business. Branson shows that self-leadership isn’t just about business success; it’s also about finding personal fulfilment along the way.