LEADERS CAN REBOOT TO SEEK CLARITY
Sometimes our lives as leaders get so complicated or busy that we can lose sight of the big picture, taking our eyes off the ball and losing focus on what’s really most important.
Note that I said “important,” not urgent. Too frequently we confuse urgency with importance and take ourselves down a frustrating and unproductive path.
I was reminded of the need to periodically give ourselves permission to “reboot” this past week while coaching an experienced leader. He had been away from his job for an extended period of time because of medical necessity. During his time away from the job, he engaged in serious reflection – about his organization, his leadership style, his accomplishments and disappointments, and his role moving forward.
He decided to proactively engage in a “reboot” at work when he returns to the office. We discussed how he might best succeed at this goal in a “win-win” manner – a win for himself and a win for his team and firm.
Here are several areas we agreed this leader could focus on as he pursues a healthy reboot of his leadership. As you read, I invite you to determine if any of these strategies might be advantageous for you, whether you are seeking a reboot or just some positive changes:
-Review your existing annual goals and add a few new ones – or delete those that no longer resonate
-Strive to be intentional each day and to avoid falling into reactive traps
-Focus on what you want and need at this point in time
-Look internally at your faith in yourself and your ability to be effective
-Ask yourself what it would take for you to achieve full peace of mind in this job
-Give yourself permission to stop and pause on a consistent basis in order to ask yourself the important questions
-Ask yourself how you can best utilize your identified strengths
-Resolve to delegate more to your teammates so you can better focus on those areas where you excel
-Conduct check-ins with each of your teammates to collect their suggestions on how you can better help them grow
-Ask your own manager for feedback about how you could be a more effective leader – for your team and for the firm
-Resolve any lack of clarity about your position description and how your job meshes with the organization’s overall goals
-Adopt a healthy outlook that you are embarking upon a “new beginning”
-“Carry your own weather inside you,” not allowing minor frustrations to affect your overall attitude
-Resolve to eliminate things from your life that get in the way of your professional effectiveness, including volunteer activities for which you may have lost passion or existing relationships that no longer serve you
-Learn how to improve at saying “no” to outsider requests or activities that merely appeal to your ego
-Make space in your life for new projects or initiatives that feed your self-esteem
-When working with your teammates, refrain from engaging in enabling behavior and substitute empowering behavior
This is an admittedly long list of suggestions. Remember that I am not advocating you engage in a complete leadership reboot, as my client endeavored to do. Rather, peruse this list with a discerning eye.
Which items included here might help you take your own leadership to the next level?
Which might help your teammates maximize their potential?
Which might offer benefits that could cut across departments and benefit your organization?
You are the “expert” when it comes to your unique leadership journey. It is up to you to identify where you are on that career adventure. Please give yourself permission to make the time to engage in a partial or full job reboot when you feel that you could benefit from that valuable activity.
If you have experience with a successful leadership reboot, write me and let mw know about it. I’d love to hear your story.
If you believe this content would resonate with a friend or colleague, please feel free to forward it along!
-Larry