Developing the Leader In You
As a leader it is important to continue to grow and learn. Continuing to develop yourself personally and professionally will help your business grow as you do. Here are five things that you can do to help start your own personal leadership development activities.
Schedule the time
Work can get so busy that if you’re just running from one thing to the next there may not ever be time for personal development. Avoid this trap by scheduling regular time on your calendar, even just a quick half an hour a week.
Identify your weaknesses
Knowing what you need to work on will help you take a focused approach to personal development. It may be easier and more interesting to focus on areas that are your strengths, but focusing on weaknesses is where the real work is done and what will have the biggest immediate impact. If you’re unsure what your weaknesses are you can make a list of your strengths and see where your gaps are, solicit the opinions of your peers and take a personality assessment. AcuMax is one tool that you could use in this area to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses and improve your leadership skills.
Use a medium that fits your lifestyle
There are many different resources available that it will be easier to seamlessly squeeze learning into your routine if you use a medium that fits your lifestyle. Are you always in a car or on a plane? Listen to audiobooks or podcasts while you travel. Have to be in front of a computer screen all day? Bookmark authors, social media accounts and websites that have great articles on your industry and leadership development.
Solicit feedback
Getting feedback from a real person has value, and there are a variety of resources that can give you the opportunity to interact with someone live. For a longer lasting partnership I recommend that you check out Vistage, which gives you access to a peer advisory group of fellow CEOs, business owners and executives.
Take an online class
If you like a more structured or classroom style learning environment take an online class. There are free classes available; with topics ranging from “How to Organize and Manage Your Department to Meet Goals” to “Selecting Your Team” there will certainly be a class that addresses a skillset that you could improve.
