You Are Growing, and the Growth Never Stops

Coaching Tips

12 Mar

In the spirit of the holiday season, I’d like to offer up a little gift this week: a sneak peek from my new book, It’s On You. It comes from the chapter titled, “Dedicate Yourself to Being a Lifelong Learner.”

Wherever the roads of leadership take you, it’s critical to maintain awareness of who you are and where you are at all points in the journey. As I share in the book and as I take further with CEOs, leaders, and aspiring leaders in one-on-one coaching sessions, here are some strategies you can implement to become a true lifelong learner and leader:

1. Remain True to You: A big part of the growth journey means wholly recognizing what you will bring to the role that will be beneficial to others and to you. Be real about what is and isn’t going right at this moment, and about where you want to go. Stay open to growing and sharpening your leadership on an ongoing basis.

2. Try Things On: Along your journey to leadership, finding your way may take trial and error. In those trial periods, you will intuit the things that are a good fit for you – the things that are part of your calling – and those that are not. Like changing gears on a bicycle, once you find the right mode, you’ll quickly hit your stride.

3. Have Something to Fall Back On: Not every idea is great. Not every idea is going to work. But every idea that comes into your mind is valid. As CEO, I always had this “other notebook” to write down what I think I know and the things I think will work. This notebook became that something I could fall back on as I encountered new experiences and situations as CEO. Reviewing your notes can prompt you to remember the emotional imprint that a certain situation or interaction had on you.

4. Review the Big Decisions: Messes are going to happen, and there is no shame in redirection, though a smart next step is always analysis. To unpack what occurred and figure out why it didn’t work, I recommend an After Action Review (AAR) based on four key questions:

• What was expected to happen?

• What actually occurred?

• What went well, and why?

• What can be improved, and how?

My final thought on this: being a lifelong learner requires living in a state of wonder. Push yourself to learn new things daily, because opportunities for discovery exist everywhere. It’s On You – and reach out if you need me to give you a little push first.