Leaders have challenges. All leaders do.

I often work with leaders who are facing serious challenges. I’ve never encountered a situation where the primary issue or solution for that challenge was a leadership skill or tool.

When leaders face significant challenges, they are confronted with themselves. Their fear or ambition. Their impatience or reluctance to act. Their lack of vision or lack of follow-through.

Leadership challenges aren’t mysterious.

When I work with organizations that are plateaued and floundering – I find leaders who are unable to clarify priorities and make hard decisions.

When I work with organizations struggling with internal conflict or toxic cultures – I find leaders who are negligent, absent, or toxic and disruptive themselves.

When I work with owners, founders or CEO’s who are struggling to find a successor or successfully exit – I find leaders who have based their identity and self-worth on their role in the organization.

When I work with fast growth organizations that suddenly hit a ceiling, they can’t get past – I find leaders who are unable to trust others and unwilling to take the time to clarify and communicate expectations.

Only once in a very rare while, does introducing a leadership tool or technique provide the solution to the problem.

The real work, always, is personal.

Leaders who are willing to grow personally don’t have ceilings

When a leader is willing to pursue personal growth, their leadership capacity and opportunities grow right alongside.  Consider these common leadership qualities:

Vision: Vision is simply the ability to imagine a desired picture of the future. Almost everyone can imagine the future. People do it all the time, accidentally.

However, for most people, this is a negative, fear-based imagining. Or it is escapist, wishful and helpfully vague.

The differentiator comes down to two things: A sense of self-efficacy (I can decide, act and make things happen) and a sense of opportunity or abundance (Good happens and, in fact, can be created.)

Encouragement: I’ve found that the ability to have a vision is what most separates leaders from everyone else, it’s the ability to be an encourager that has the largest effect on a leader’s ability to influence those they lead.

To be an encourager who creates results, a leader must be able to accept imperfection while being willing to help others feel encouraged to try again/harder/faster, etc.

To be an encourager you must deeply believe in and be able to communicate the value others bring – even if they don’t see it themselves and sometimes even when they haven’t yet demonstrated it.

This isn’t easy to do. To be frank, it is where I struggle the most in my leadership.

Any growth I’ve made in this area has had nothing to do with learning a new leadership skill.

There are many cute, little tools to help leaders be more encouraging and affirming. But regardless of how helpful a tool could be – it won’t work if the leader’s heart isn’t into it.

We all have areas we could grow in

We all have areas we could grow in. For many leaders, their area of greatest strength comes with its own affiliated area of challenge.

Confident, assertive leaders sometimes walk over people.

Kind, empathic leaders sometimes avoid holding others to account.

Visionary leaders are sometimes impatient and impractical.

Problem-solving leaders sometimes refuse to move out of a context of constant problems.

How to grow

1. Identify the area you want to grow in. Be clear about the personal development you want. Frame it positively. Not: “I don’t want to be so reactionary.” Instead: “I want clear priorities and to act intentionally.”
2. Develop your plan for growth. There are many ways to pursue growth. Here is a partial list, ranked from most DIY to speeding the process by getting help:
   • Cut Out Toxic Influences: People, news feeds, shows, social media…identify what seems to feed the side of yourself that you want to change. Cut them out or reduce exposure as much as possible.

Don’t feed the mindsets and behaviors you want to change.

• • Content Immersion: Marinate yourself with content (books, podcasts, whatever) – that is focused on the growth you want.

The constant messaging starts to shape your subconscious and cultivates awareness. Plus, sometimes, someone will say something you find helpful.

• • Relational Immersion: Spend more times with friends or peers who have the qualities you desire.

Find like-minded networks, peer-mentoring groups or leadership roundtables where you can spend time with other leaders who are focused on their growth.

• • Get Help: This might be an actual leadership coach, or a counselor, or a group facilitator. But place yourself in a position to be influenced and challenged by another person.

Dig into the areas you want to grow in.

• • Recruit Those You Lead: The very fastest and most assured way to grow is to recruit those you lead to help you. This method, when done well, leads to consistent results.

The people you lead have the clearest sense of how your strengths and weaknesses are experienced by them.

Ask them, “What are 1 or 2 ways that I can grow (in the leadership behavior you are focused on)?  Listen to what they have to say. Don’t argue with them or explain. Just thank them and then use their input to inform your plan.

You can do this on your own – but most leaders won’t. It’s just too intimidating. I typically recommend doing this with the support of a coach.

3. Create Accountability: In a way, this is just going back to getting help. But it is easy for busy, intelligent, curious and involved leaders to get distracted or find excuses to avoid growth.

Whether you hire a coach, get together for a weekly lunch with peers in the industry or join a formal peer mentoring group or roundtable – accountability and relationships are key to personal growth.

Here is the good news!

If you are struggling with a challenge, in particular, if it is a repeated challenge, the solution is likely dependent on your personal growth.

That may not feel like good news. But it is. Here is why:

No one can stop you from growing!

You don’t need the agreement of others, a change in the markets, an opportunity to open or something to go away.

The challenge may not magically go away just because you grew. But it won’t feel the same and you’ve now opened yourself up to different and better results.

You just need your own willingness and commitment.

What is one area you of challenge that you are facing?

What is one area of personal growth that you think you need?

What are you willing to do to become the kind of leader who can successfully face this kind of challenge?

Take good care,

Christian

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