Leadership Development starts with a strong philosophy.
This month we focus our attention on why you must PRIORITIZE LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT. We are living in “the great resignation”, where employees are quitting without a backup plan and that means every choice you make that affects your employees matters more than ever.
Are you up to the task of creating an organization where your employees are seen, heard, valued, and cared for? Christine and I are in the business of developing confident leaders and helping them find the way forward. We have run programs for clients of all shapes and sizes, business models, industries, and professions. We have encountered leaders who are good, bad, and downright awful. Each one has taught us something about the work of leadership. Today I want to share with you the leadership philosophy that informs how I develop leaders. As you read, I encourage you to think through if you practice this or not. If not, why? Think about your own experiences working for people and ask, “Were they a great leader?” Great leaders are the result of intentional development. Here is what makes them different from everyone else.
Where, then, do you begin to become this kind of leader? As you might imagine, I have some opinions on this.
Take advantage of every opportunity offered by your organization to develop yourself. Attend workshops, courses, conferences.
ASK for what you need to develop. If your organization doesn’t offer it, ask for it. Need coaching? Ask if your employer will pay for it as they will benefit from your growth.
Read books, watch TED talks, listen to podcasts. I ask all the leaders I coach to calendar time every single week to learn. Even if it is listening to a Podcast in the car driving to and from your destination, this can be a big part of your development.
Invest in yourself. Your organization is not solely responsible for your development as a leader. If there is a need and the organization won't pay for it, why not you? Investing in yourself is a good choice as no matter where you go, you take it with you. I budget every year for my own learning because I am always in a state of becoming.
It’s an amazing feeling when your organization invests in you. But what investing are you making in yourself?
If the work of the leader is to create new leaders, prioritizing your development should be at the top of the list.
So allow me to offer an invitation to join us for our next C Factor Community Cohort kicking off September 20th. This is a space designed for managers and leaders who want more. You can learn about the program here.
AND…join us for our FREE summer series. We have three workshops left. You can learn more and register here.
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