The winter months, when the elements seemingly encourage us to hunker down inside, almost call us as leaders to turn inward and practice introspection. With the coming year, it’s an opportune time to focus on the leadership journey, starting with the responsibility to lead the self. As outlined in MAP’s best-selling book, “The Disciplined Leader,” that leadership journey is best begun before you start trying to make a big impact on your team and the organization at large.​

It begins with holding up the mirror, reflecting honestly and deliberately at who you are as a leader—or how you’ve led both yourself and others. And it means answering key questions, such as:

What are your current values and beliefs?

What traits do you have that enhance or deflect from your leadership capabilities?

In your leadership journey, what you’ve been good at and not so good at thus far?

Use your answers to recognize how your personal and professional lives interconnect and serve one another. Notice what balance between the two looks like at the end of the day.

Why does this matter? Fail to understand these things about yourself and it will be hard to know how to make the right changes in your leadership going forward—the ones that will inspire you, your team and your organization at large to act and deliver results.

The changes you notice that need to be made aren’t just about “getting results.” They’re about caring for yourself, demonstrating you’re worth it. And without a discipline around understanding and truly caring for yourself, your credibility and impact as a leader can get cast into question, creating exponential problems personally and professionally.

This year, start building vital focus around your business by first focusing on yourself. As outlined in “The Disciplined Leader,” which walks you through the journey of leading yourself, your team and your organization, starting with the self is the best place to begin. As this year comes to a close and your turn toward a new year, take that step to focus on what matters.

“The Disciplined Leader: Keeping the Focus on What Matters Most” makes is a high-impact holiday gift for leaders, managers and their teams. Offering 52 succinct lessons, plus real-life case studies and action items, this guide can help you accelerate performance and get results.