From time to time, people ask me, “How do leaders get better?” The answer can’t be explained or demonstrated quickly, like a magic trick. Instead, it involves an ongoing commitment to improvement.
Often, I can tell if someone is really interested in this kind of growth in how he or she responds to this news. Silence is usually a sign of a reluctance to change. When the person says, “Tell me more,” I know there’s good growth potential.
I’ve identified four areas that can lead to improvement. An awareness of them can also keep you from falling into bad habits.
Keep Learning
I received this advice at my college graduation and it has served me well. Smart leaders get better by wanting to know more about their industries. Thinking you’re done learning can be the kiss of death because somewhere, someone may be figuring out a better way to do your job.
It’s also good to search for best practices in other industries. Don’t just focus on the giants, like Amazon. Look at successful businesses in your own backyard.
Whether you’re reading an article or networking in an different field, discover the success formulas. Then decide if they can apply to your world.
Resist the urge to think you don’t need to learn anymore because you’re a leader.
Put Ideas into Practice
There are some businesses that brag about innovation and yet, if you were to ask, “What’s something innovative you’ve done in the past six to nine months?” you’d receive a blank stare.
Much like a diet, action defines success. Simply wishing you had time to do something new, rarely produces results.
Protect your schedule and reserve some time to try new ideas or at least give them serious consideration and review. Maybe it’s a midyear activity but designate time for something different.
Use Your Team
Leaders get better when they don’t feel like they have to do everything or make every decision. The leader of a great band doesn’t play every instrument.
Hire good people, make sure they buy into your vision, provide training, and hold them accountable for the results.
Don’t hold information hostage as a way to control employees or worry about them outshining you. When you let people know it’s okay to raise the bar, everyone starts jumping higher.
Respect Time
Stop thinking of time as an unlimited resource. For a short time, staying late every day or working from home can help you get more done. But soon, the mental mileage adds up and performance falls.
Don’t think of spending more time, on a problem, as the best way to solve it. Sometimes, the additional hours only mean you have less time to do other things.
For instance, if your copier jams after every third copy, the solution is not to continually fix the jam. The extra time doesn’t solve the problem. Buying a better copier will.
Final Thought on How Leaders Get Better
Today’s business world moves quickly and it can be easy to focus on day to day tasks and never consider improvement. Remember the sobering fact that not getting better probably means you’re falling behind as a leader.
Time to Bring Ken Okel to Your Next Meeting?
