Course · Self-Leadership
Staying grounded, even when life gets busy
0.1 / What it's about
Those who lead themselves well, create with greater freedom.
Self-leadership is about knowing your values, your energy and your boundaries, and acting accordingly. It’s not about having more discipline, but about shaping a way of working and living that truly fit together.
As a running example, you'll be accompanied by Mira, a graphic designer in Basel who is part-employed, part-freelance, with lots of ideas and little time.
Key questions of the course:
QUESTION 1
What is truly important to me, and how can you tell?
QUESTION 2
When do I have energy, and what do I use it for?
QUESTION 3
How do I say no without justifying myself?
QUESTION 4
Does what I am doing align with what matters to me?
Course framework:
TARGET AUDIENCE
Creators
Self-employed individuals, employees and trainees in creative professions who have a lot to juggle and want to feel more grounded again.
SCOPE
5 × 90 mins
Plus final project; each module can also be taken individually.
FORMAT
Hands-on
Brief input, tools and practice based on your own everyday life.
REFERENCE
Cross-references
Connections to resonance, pipeline & workflow, industry realities, work phases, and the self-audit.
0.2 / Learning objectives
After the course, you will lead yourself with purpose.
After the course, you will be able to:
01
identifying your core values and recognising them in everyday life
02
knowing your energy rhythm and planning your day around it
03
Reviewing requests and saying no politely, but firmly
04
assess your sense of coherence and bridge the gaps between your values and everyday life
05
nurture your own rhythm with reflections and small habits
0.3 / Course content
All modules and sections at a glance.
Five modules, each with a core question and a tool. Briefly explained, then applied directly to your own daily life.
MODULE 01
Where are you at the moment?
MODULE 02
When do you work best?
MODULE 03
What do you say yes to, and what do you say no to?
MODULE 04
Does what you do align with what is important to you?
MODULE 05
What carries you through the year?
0.4 / Procedure per module
Each module follows the same structure.
Every module follows the same structure, so you can quickly find your way around and stay on track.
01
Introduction (10 mins)
An observation from your own daily life.
02
Input (20 mins)
Fundamentals from psychology and practice.
03
Tool (15 mins)
Explore the topic in the interactive tool.
04
Exercise (35 mins)
Applying it to your own week.
05
Reflection (10 mins)
What do you take with you, what do you let go of?
In each section, you will find a key takeaway in bold and a task. Your entries in the tools remain yours and sync with your account across all your devices.
0.5 / Record of achievement
In the end, you'll have your personal compass on a single page.
Final project: a personal compass for the next three months, on a single A4 page or as a slide.
01
Values
Five values, each with an example from everyday life.
02
Rhythm
Energy curve and a weekly plan with focus windows.
03
Borders
Three do's and three don'ts for enquiries.
04
Coherence
The biggest gap between values and everyday life – and a first step.
05
Cycles
A regular review ritual.
Evaluation criteria: honest stocktaking, concrete steps, a harmonious connection between values and everyday life. There is no right life, only one that is more coherent.
0.6 / Literature and Sources
Many have thought about it.
• Antonovsky, A. (1987): Unraveling the Mystery of Health. Jossey-Bass.
• Rosa, H. (2016): Resonance: A Sociology of Our Relationship to the World. Suhrkamp.
• Clear, J. (2018): Atomic Habits. Avery.
• Newport, C. (2016): Deep Work. Grand Central.
• Roenneberg, T. (2012): Internal Time. Harvard University Press.
• Neff, K. (2011): Self-Compassion. William Morrow.
• Manz, C. C. (1986): Self-Leadership. Academy of Management Review 11 (3). · Duhigg, C. (2012): The Power of Habit. Random House. · Fogg, B. J. (2019): Tiny Habits. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. · Mark, G. (2023): Attention Span. Hanover Square Press.
Please note: The years indicate the first edition. This course does not replace therapy or counselling.