Improving Your Self Regard

10 Ways to Improve Your Self-Regard EQ Subscale

To improve self-regard according to the EQ-i definition—“the ability to respect and accept oneself as basically good”—you can take practical steps that reinforce self-confidence, self-acceptance, and personal growth. In your leadership role, improving self-regard can enhance your decision-making, resilience, and ability to lead effectively. Here’s a list of 10 practical activities to improve in this area, along with helpful websites, further reading, podcasts, YouTube videos, and free tools you can try.

1. Practice Daily Self-Affirmations

  • Activity: Start each day by writing down or repeating three positive affirmations about your strengths and leadership abilities. This reinforces a positive self-image.
  • Tools:
    • ThinkUp – Free app to create and play affirmations.
  • Further Reading:
    • Psychology Today: The Power of Positive Affirmations
  • Podcast:
  • Ted:

2. Set and Track Personal Development Goals

  • Activity: Define specific leadership goals (e.g., enhancing team communication) and track your progress. Celebrate small achievements to build self-regard.
  • Tools:
    • Trello – Free tool for tracking goals and projects.
  • Further Reading:
    • Atomic Habits by James Clear (on habit building for personal improvement).
  • Podcast:

3. Ask for Constructive Feedback

  • Activity: Regularly request feedback from your team and colleagues to gain insight into your strengths and areas for improvement. Use the feedback to grow without taking it personally.
  • Tools:
    • Google Forms – Create anonymous feedback surveys for your team.
  • Further Reading:
  • YouTube:
  • Book:
    • Thanks for the Feedback – Douglas Stone and Sheila Heen

4. Keep a Leadership Success Journal

  • Activity: Record your leadership successes and breakthroughs at the end of each day or week. Reflect on them to reinforce your sense of accomplishment.
  • Tools:
    • Penzu – A free online journal for daily reflections.
  • Further Reading:
    • The Five Minute Journal by Intelligent Change (Focused on gratitude and success reflection).
  • Podcast:
    • The Tim Ferriss Show (Episodes on journaling and personal development) – Spotify Link
  • Article & Downloads

5. Practice Self-Compassion

  • Activity: In challenging situations, practice self-compassion by acknowledging your efforts and recognizing that all leaders face difficulties. Use this to foster a healthier self-image.
  • Tools:
    • Insight Timer – Free app for mindfulness and self-compassion meditation.
  • Further Reading:
    • Self-Compassion by Dr. Kristin Neff – Self-Compassion Book
  • Podcast:
  • YouTube:

6. Engage in Leadership Development Courses

  • Activity: Take free leadership courses to develop skills and build confidence in your role. Learning new skills can greatly improve self-regard.
  • Tools:
    • Coursera – Free leadership courses from top universities.
  • Further Reading:
    • Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek – On leadership and inspiring self-regard through service.

7. Use Strengths-Based Leadership

  • Activity: Identify your top leadership strengths using assessments like StrengthsFinder, and actively leverage them in your daily leadership tasks.
  • Tools:
  • Further Reading:
    • Strengths-Based Leadership by Tom Rath – Focus on identifying and leveraging strengths.
  • YouTube: 7 Tips on How to be More Confident – Vinh Giang

8. Engage in Public Speaking or Communication Practice

  • Activity: Enhance your public speaking skills by practicing in front of others. Improving communication can boost your leadership confidence.
  • Tools:
  • Further Reading:
    • Talk Like TED by Carmine Gallo – On public speaking techniques used by TED speakers.

9. Practice Mindfulness for Self-Awareness

  • Activity: Engage in regular mindfulness practices to enhance self-awareness and emotional regulation, which is crucial for building self-regard.
  • Tools:
    • Calm – Mindfulness and meditation app with free content.
  • Further Reading:
    • The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh – On cultivating mindfulness for greater self-awareness.

10. Mentor Others to Build Confidence