Here's something I see in my leadership coaching practice every day: willingness to know and work on self is key to leadership development.
How satisfied are you with where you are today? How willing are you to develop yourself as a leader?
Theories and systems of leadership are in abundance these days. The bookstore discount sale bins are brimming over with yesterday’s NEXT BIG IDEA books chock full of the “101 Tips,” “Five Secrets…” and “Ten Ways… “ to be more winning / successful / influential / fierce / entrepreneurial / intrapreneurial / warrior-like / appreciative / loyalty-inspiring / effective / and so on!
My recent crop of clients are an honor to work with, because they are all willing to go beyond their current ways of managing / leading / operating, and to make the changes they need to make.
What do I notice about them? They signed up to learn about themselves before they ever called me. "I know I can be better, achieve more, and that there's something more in store for me than where I am today" is the fuel that fired them up, along with the willingness to:
- Seek out your uncomfortable and even ugly-seeming "learning edge."
- Accept feeling like a beginner again, when your current role, position, or sense of self casts you in the role of expert.
- Confront your blind spots.
- Make changes in the way you operate.
Coaching, teaching, or mentoring someone who is highly willing to be on that edge--and to face themselves with brutal honesty--is both an honor and a highly effective platform from which to launch the mission to a leader's full potential.