The Naver Korean Dictionary defines identity as “one’s present self as a distinct individual, differentiated from others.” Yet this present self is continuous with both the past and the future self. In other words, identity refers to the unchanging essence of an independent person. As leaders, do we clearly understand our own leadership identity? It is difficult to expect growth from a leader who does not clearly recognize the consistent tendencies and dispositions that shape who they are. “Know thyself” is not a maxim that shines only in the sayings of Socrates. For a leader, self-discovery is the first step in leadership development.
There is a Chinese proverb that says, “Never ask a fish what it feels like to live in water.” Because a fish has lived its entire life in water, it has no concept of what life outside the water is like. Therefore, it cannot convincingly explain to humans what living in water feels like. Likewise, if a leader wants to know what kind of leader they truly are—or how effective they are—they must either evaluate themselves using an objective framework or ask those they lead to assess their leadership.
A leader who insists, “No matter what others say, I will maintain my own style,” and clings to such a dogmatic attitude can never become a good leader. The very word leader presupposes a community. If one is alone, there is no need for a leader. One defining characteristic of poor leadership is an inability to work effectively with others and to cultivate teamwork. An indispensable element of leadership that fosters harmony and teamwork is a leader’s clear leadership identity—one that fully embraces both strengths and weaknesses.
Leadership development begins with knowing oneself. When leaders understand themselves, they can begin to understand why they struggle to work in harmony with their team members. Understanding leads to improvement. Yet human perception is strangely limited. We often know others better than we know ourselves. This may be why the most difficult person for a leader to lead is oneself.
We often describe the inconsistency of human behavior with the saying, “When I do it, it’s romance; when others do it, it’s an affair.” This phrase points to our double standards. However, if we recognize that self-awareness is one of the greatest limitations of human cognition, such inconsistency may actually be one of the most consistent patterns of human behavior. Leaders are no exception. This is precisely why leaders must allow those they lead to evaluate their leadership. Furthermore, leaders must be refined and developed through mentoring.
One of the mentor’s most critical roles is to help leaders discover themselves. A mentor is someone who has already walked the path the leader is now traveling. Having crossed those mountains and rivers before, the mentor knows from experience what leadership skills are required along the way.
According to the Conscious Competence Ladder, leadership develops through four stages. The first stage is when a leader is unaware of the type of leadership needed to achieve personal and organizational goals. Leaders at this stage lack the leadership skills necessary for success (unconscious, unskilled). The second stage is when leaders become aware of the leadership they need, though they do not yet possess it (conscious unskilled). This awareness often comes through mentoring. In other words, mentors play a decisive role in helping leaders discover their leadership identity.
The mentor’s role does not end there. The third stage is when leaders, with a mentor’s guidance, intentionally practice and develop the necessary leadership skills. At this point, they are aware of these skills (consciously skilled). As leaders consistently apply their leadership to accomplish tasks, they eventually enter the final stage, where it becomes so natural that they no longer consciously think about exercising it (unconscious skill).
This leadership development process begins with identifying a clear leadership identity. And in this journey, the role of a mentor is indispensable. Woe to leaders without mentors! Their self-development will be delayed accordingly.