Trailhead Thoughts
“Leaders build leaders.”
- Mike Simmons
Trail Map - Learn. Think. Act. ™
Build Leadership of Self
📚Learn
Great leadership starts with one thing, you.
Before you can lead a team, you need the inner stability to lead yourself. That comes from three simple “self” foundations:
Self-Awareness - Knowing who you are and what you want.
Self-Confidence - Trusting you can do what you know.
Self-Worth - Believing you matter and bring value.
When these three are strong, you build a “leadership shield” that protects your focus, clarity, and growth. Only then can you grow the five core skills: communication, problem-solving, decision-making, goal-setting & execution and design.
🤔Think
Take a moment and ask yourself:
Which of the three “selves” feels strongest right now?
Which one feels weakest?
How often do you slow down enough to really notice what’s happening inside you before jumping into your leadership tasks?
If leadership truly “starts with self",” what does that mean for how you will show up this week?
Simple questions unlock deep clarity.
💪 Act
Pick one tiny action today:
For awareness: Answer the 7 reflection questions (Who am I? Where am I? When am I? What do I want? Why? How will I get it? What must I overcome?)
For confidence: Do one small thing you’ve been avoiding. Prove to yourself that you can do it.
For worth: Write one sentence about why you matter to the people you lead or hope to lead.
Small steps compound. Strong leaders are BUILT, not born.
Beyond the Trailhead
The Three Layers of Leadership: Mindset, Skillset, Toolset
If you’ve ever felt like leadership would make so much more sense if someone just handed you the manual, trust us, you aren’t alone. The reality is, most of us weren’t taught how to lead ourselves (much less others.) We were just dropped in the deep end and told to figure it out.
Becoming a stronger leader doesn’t happen through a massive leap. It happens layer by layer. Mindset → Skillset → Toolset, built the same way you’d build confidence on the trail, steady steps taken with intention.
Let’s slow down, simplify it, and talk about how you can start to put this into practice this week.
Mindset - How You See Yourself Shapes How You Lead
Your mindset (attitude, belief, clarity of definition) is the foundation. Mike’s “mindset” when it comes to leadership is - Leaders build leaders. Leadership starts with self. Leadership is how we move forward. “starts with self” - It’s the lens you use to understand yourself, your goals, and your leadership identity.
In the video, Mike shared three core components of leadership of self:Self-Awareness
Self-Confidence
Self-Worth
When these three are aligned, you create an internal “shield.” This shield makes you less rattled by other people’s expectations, chaos, or your own self-doubt.
To try this week:
Pick one of the seven self-awareness questions Mike referenced and sit for five minutes. Write whatever comes up. No editing, no performing, just honest thoughts. You just might be stunned by how much clarity five minutes can unlock.
Skillset - The Five Skills That Move Everything Forward
Once your mindset is stable, you can start layering in the skills that make leadership feel easier, not heavier.
Mike broke them into the five essentials:
Problem-Solving
Decision-Making
Goal Setting & Execution
Design
Communication
Think of these like your hiking skills - reading the map, checking the weather, picking the right pace. You aren’t aiming for perfection. You’re aiming for consistency.
To try this week:
Pick one skill to practice. Let’s use communication as an example. At the end of your next meeting, ask “What did you hear me say?” It might be an awkward second or two, but it has the possibility of building clarity for days.
Toolset - Your Leverage
Tools aren’t meant to complicate your work flow. They should be meant to make it lighter.
Mike shared several tools:
The problem-solving hexagon (use this to reveal blindspots) *also check out this previous newsletter - Six Simple Questions
Who, will do What, by When
The Call Plan - a Catalyst Effective Communication Tool
The lines of clarity for decision-making - the Catalyst “Know your Bullseye” tool.
Tools should help you zoom out, see blind spots, and stop guessing.
To try this week:
Pick one tool and use it once. Here’s one we think is an easy entry point. Who → What → When.
Use it for a project, task delegation, or a personal goal.
It turns ambiguity into action in under a minute.
Leadership of self isn’t about trying harder. It’s about building with intention. The more you practice connecting mindset, skillset, and toolset, the more momentum you create. Not just for yourself, but for everyone who looks to you for some clarity.
If you or your team want help building your own Leadership of Self framework or if you want to work through any of the five essential skills, Mike runs Strategic Whiteboard Sessions designed specifically for this. They’re practical, energizing, and perhaps most importantly, they work! Book your session now.
Voices from the Trail
Meet Mike – founder of Find My Catalyst
Mike breaks down key leadership skills, emphasizing how leaders can move teams forward through guidance, direction, and motivation. He stresses the importance of communication, decision-making, and problem-solving. Leadership starts with leading oneself, and when done effectively, it translates into leading others and organizations successfully.
Listen to this episode on Spotify
Hitting the Trail
Planning your 2026 SKO, offsite, or leadership retreat? Bring in a speaker who doesn’t just inspire, he equips and sparks action. Mike helps teams turn ideas into execution through clarity, communication, and actionable frameworks that stick.
Whether your goal is to reset strategy or to build momentum for the year ahead, Mike’s sessions are designed to spark alignment and drive results.
Click here for more information.
Announcements
Have you seen our Catalyst Countdown section on the Find My Catalyst website? If not, check it out.
We are sharing 12 reflections and actions to help you start the new year before it officially begins.
You can find the posts under the Catalyst Countdown tag or click here to go directly to the page.
That’s it for this week.
If this week’s issue sparked something for you, perhaps a moment of clarity, a question to sit with, or even a quiet and gentle nudge, chances are it will do the same for another leader in your world.
We believe that we grow faster when we grow together. If someone you know is navigating confidence, clarity, or the next level of leadership, forward this along.
The Find My Catalyst Team