The Point: You have been called to lead a company that is planning to expand nationwide or globally. You have the responsibility of leading a new team, keeping costs in check, and also to select the best people from the headquarters to lead those other offices. You will obviously need communication skills and financial know-how to achieve these goals. But this doesn’t end here, because leadership development is intimately linked with an individual’s personal development. The following are some of most crucial leadership development goals that you can set for yourself… Enjoy!
#5 Be More Open
Success leads to self-confidence, and self-confidence (many times) leads to arrogance. Many CEOs consider themselves intellectually superior to others, and thus, they don’t feel the need to listen to what people have to say. In fact, we have seen some really snobbish ‘leaders’ who don’t mind cutting off a person when contradicted. But what this does is stop people from sharing their ideas with you, and you will never get any honest feedback on any professional decision that you take. This, my friends, is the ultimate recipe for corporate disaster. Try to be more open to what other people are saying for the simple reason that you don’t know everything, and exposing yourself to a variety of viewpoints only leads to your intellectual growth.
#4 Listen Like you Mean It
Following from the previous point, being open doesn’t mean that you just sit like a dummy when people are talking. , waiting patiently for their turn to get over so that you can correct or enlighten them with your knowledge. This is not the way to go. Instead, when you ask for other people’s opinions, do listen carefully. Turn towards them, look them in the eye, and continue nodding from time to time. Even if you don’t agree to what is being said, your employees and colleagues will still feel respected by these small gestures.
#3 Take Command Over your Emotions
When times are rough and the economy is in shambles, your organization will look up to for directions. Even when you don’t have all the answers, your confidence and self-assurance can help calm them down. Consider the example of Winston Churchill. His personal emotional downturns and bouts of depression are well-documented, but he was always managed to assure the people around him and give them hope even in times as horrible as the Second World War. So learn to keep your emotions under your control.
#2 Health is Wealth
The corporate world is slowly accepting the wisdom behind this adage. As a leader, you are supposed to energize and mobilize your workforce. But how you can you do that, as you are on the verge of burnout due to lack of sleep, unhealthy eating, and excessively long work hours?. Not to mention, workplace stress is on the rise. To counter all this and to ensure your long-term success as a leader, start taking care of yourself. Learn to work smart and delegate more often. Go home, spend time with family, meditate, and get a good night’s sleep.
#1 Keep Yourself Informed
Finally, a trait of successful leaders is that they are constantly learning. This is a key attribute that will help you in the face of changing business conditions. Read voraciously, blogs, trade journals, and books. Teddy Roosevelt used to read at least one book per day when he was President. I think you can manage one a every week.!
In addition, attend seminars and trade shows to meet like-minded professionals. Best of all, consider taking on a mentor to help you with leadership development.
Summary
To sum up, while corporate training and financial wisdom helps you rise the ranks to become CEO, maintaining your effectiveness as a leader depends on personal development as well, especially in terms of how you engage with people and manage your physical/emotional health.
If you’d like more information about Tip of the Spear’s Business Advisory Services, consisting of Centered Executive Coaching, Leadership Development through ‘The Leadership Challenge’ methodology, and Communication Skills Training for Leaders use the CONTACT US page of this website.
