Do you ever wish you’re the kind of manager who is skilled at creating structure and order out of chaos? The kind who approaches tasks in an orderly and well-planned fashion and, as a result, always meets deadlines.
There’s no question that leaders with strong discipline are talented at generating team productivity and efficiency. But if you’re not someone who is naturally disposed to self-discipline, don’t despair. It’s still within your reach to develop this leadership strength.
Let’s take a look at what self-discipline in a leader is, and how you can develop and use this leadership strength to your advantage.
What Is Self-Discipline in Terms of Leadership?
According to the Macmillan dictionary, the definition of self-discipline is “the ability to control your behavior so that you do what you should do.” While this might conjure up images of people sticking to strict exercise and diet regimes even through Thanksgiving and Christmas, the meaning is more nuanced when it comes to leadership.
According to Gallup, which developed the CliftonStrengths Assessment, Discipline is one of 34 natural talents. These talents are divided into four domains: Executing, Influencing, Relationship Building, and Strategic Thinking. Discipline falls within the Executing domain, the focus of which is very much on “completing tasks and achieving goals.”
In terms of leadership, therefore, self-discipline is about bringing structure, process and purpose to a team or organization.
How Do You Recognize a Disciplined Leader?
Spotting a disciplined leader may not be as easy as you think. Only 7% of the 18+ million individuals who have completed a CliftonStrengths assessment have Discipline in their top five talents. The main characteristics of a disciplined leader are:
- Precision: an eye for detail and an appreciation for clear processes
- Routine: a focus on timelines and deadlines and a dislike for surprises and errors
- Structure: a need for order and the enjoyment of feeling in control
Those who are exceptionally talented in the Discipline theme are likely to have tidy desks, organized cupboards, an internal calendar, and a predilection for color-coded spreadsheets, according to Albert L. Winseman, Senior Learning and Development Consultant at Gallup.
“They love to organize, categorize and straighten things up. As such, they never have to waste time hunting for an object, tool or important paper—because those items are exactly where they are supposed to be,” he writes.
What Are the Benefits of Being a Disciplined Leader?
Discipline may be one of the rarer signature themes, but that doesn’t lessen its importance as a talent. Routine, structure, and an attention to detail can be incredibly beneficial to any leader, whether they’re in charge of a small team or a large company.
Self-disciplined leaders are particularly good at helping colleagues understand their goals and showing them what success looks like. Their ability to see errors and mistakes, to sift through clutter and chaos, and to bring structure to business processes enables teams to achieve exactly what is expected of them.
Aren’t Disciplined Leaders Simply Control Freaks?
It’s true that leaders who have a naturally disciplined pattern to their thoughts, feelings and behavior want to feel in control. But categorizing them as control freaks is not only over-simplifying their nature but also diminishing the many positives they bring to a team.
First, they are dependable. They stick to their decisions and achieve their goals. Second, they’re the sort of people who focus on what’s important and communicate clearly. From a team member’s perspective, that’s incredibly important. You always know where you stand with them and what they expect of you.
However, that’s not to say that there aren’t drawbacks to having an abundance of self-discipline. As with each of the CliftonStrengths themes, there are characteristics that need moderating. Aspects that disciplined leaders may struggle with include adjusting to the unpredictable and resisting new suggestions.
Is Self-Discipline in Leadership Something You Can Learn?
Like any leadership strength, self-discipline can be developed, whether it’s one of your natural talents or not. It’s a question of developing good habits. Of course, some habits are easier to acquire than others, and much of it depends on your personality and your mix of natural talents (what Gallup calls your talent DNA). Nevertheless, discipline is a learnable skill.
The habits that self-disciplined leaders are well-known for include:
- Time-management (apply timelines, don’t procrastinate, respect the time of others)
- Focus (prioritize tasks, plan your day, break down long-term goals into short-term plans)
- Interaction (communicate clearly, concisely, and regularly with all key players)
- Positive attitude (create energy, share your vision, unite teams, and pursue excellence)
- Persistence (progress with patience and determination despite obstacles)
- Responsibility (take psychological ownership for anything you commit to)
- Consistency (treat people the same and provide a predictable environment)
All of these habits can be incorporated into a leadership development plan. If you have a personal coach who is trained in strengths-based leadership, ask them how you can develop Discipline as a strength.
And if you believe that Discipline is already one of your top talents and that you need to moderate some of its less favorable traits? Ask them to focus on complimentary strengths such as Adaptability and Inclusion.
Interested in Unlocking Your Talent DNA?
Gallup research finds that people who know and use their CliftonStrengths are more engaged at work and more productive in their role. Nancy Maki is a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach who helps front-line managers and senior leaders build the ultimate workplace teams. If you’d like to learn more about her strengths coaching services, please contact her for a free initial consultation.