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My daughter, Grace went to college a few weeks back and before she left we had a talk about leadership and how it can become “old and tired.” It was an interesting conversation and it really got me thinking. Why does leadership get old?
#1 Leadership is never a finished project. You never “win.” The concept is always evolving – new characters and factors come into play. It’s like a batter getting pitches at different angle, speeds, and movement. Leadership requires constant improvement and assessment.
#2 Just “showing up” as a leader is an everyday occurrence. Being present, serving as the CEO, the coach, the director, or the VP can be a grind with expectation and attention heaped upon you to lead.
#3 Expectations are very high. Hey, I remember before I actually ran this company, I was an expert in the field! How naïve. I knew exactly what had to be done in any situation… “If I was the CEO I would….” However, leadership is certainly vastly different when you “own” the responsibility. Yes, high expectations exist; particularly from those who are not leading.
And, finally, leaders typically don’t have a plan for leadership. I feel energized and have real direction when I have a plan in front of me to execute. Leadership plans are rare in my view. I’ve been running this company for 8 years and never had a leadership plan.
All of these factors above are draining, difficult to manage the impact, and measure progress. That is why I’ve developed a process for planning to share.
Here are three thoughts to develop your leadership plan
#1 What are you going to learn this year – over the next 12 months, to become a better leader? How are you going to educate yourself about leadership?
#2 What is your plan to actively demonstrate leadership in your company? How are you going to do it? We have marketing plans, sales plans, budgeting plans – but, what is your leadership plan for your company?
#3 How are you going to evaluate and measure your progress on that leadership plan?
Leadership. Yes, it’s a grind. But, it is the most important thing that you can offer to your company regardless of your position. Go get, ‘em!