Module Six: Leading Yourself & Others
Have you ever been around someone who you could tell was a good leader by how they engaged those around them? Many times we think of leaders as being extroverted, assertive, outspoken individuals. I have studied and walked with leaders for many years and I want to challenge that line of thinking. I have found that there are attributes, characteristics, and behaviors that strong leaders exhibit on a personal as well as professional level that are different from what you may think.
I have boiled down these traits to one word… GRIT. I am not referring to the popular, tiny white grain that is eaten in the South. I am referring to an acronym that defines what an excellent leader looks like.
GRIT stands for: Get over yourself; Run toward the hard thing; Inspire others; Take time for your growth and renewal.
Leading yourself and others well is important to all of us. When we choose to become a person of GRIT we will make a difference.
Larry Little
Eagle Center for Leadership
Before anyone can rely on you, they pay attention to how you carry yourself. Not just in the big moments, but in the ordinary ones. The way you handle delay, the tone you use when things shift, and the discipline behind your habits all shape how others respond to you. Leadership doesn’t start with a title; it starts with what people learn to expect from you.
This final module in The MCPO Way turns the focus inward. It looks at how you lead yourself and how that shapes your ability to lead others. Leadership isn’t built in one decision or title. It shows up in daily habits, in how you manage stress, in how you keep your word, and in how you hold yourself to a standard even when no one is watching.
When you lead yourself well, others feel it. It brings clarity and builds trust. It gives people something solid to work alongside, and that kind of consistency stays with them. It becomes part of your leadership footprint—the way people remember working with you and what they carry into their own approach.
Over time, those patterns do more than leave an impression. They start to shape the systems and expectations others step into. What begins with your personal discipline becomes part of the environment that remains after you’ve moved on.
“A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.”
This module follows that path. It begins with how you stay grounded, looks at the choices that guide your daily behavior, reflects on how others experience your leadership, and ends with what lasts when you are no longer in the room. Here are the topics we’ll cover:
Staying Grounded Under Pressure focuses on how you manage yourself during high-stress situations. It’s about recognizing your triggers, responding instead of reacting, and staying steady when things feel chaotic.
Leading Yourself Well shifts the focus to your daily habits—how small, consistent choices shape your discipline, focus, and ability to show up with clarity, even on difficult days.
Your Leadership Footprint asks you to consider how people experience you. It’s less about what you do and more about the impression you leave behind through your tone, presence, and follow-through.
Building Your Legacy takes a broader view. It looks at the systems, habits, and culture you’re shaping that will remain after your direct involvement has ended.
Each session in this module ties back to the same idea: leading others begins with how you lead yourself. Thank you for the time and attention you’ve given to this work. What you’ve built so far doesn’t stop here. It continues in how you carry yourself, in the example you set, and in the leadership you offer to those around you.
We have a few questions for you to answer at the end of this module, to help us understand what worked, what could be stronger, and how we can keep improving The MCPO Way.
