Today’s competitive and global business environment requires multi-faceted leaders who can apply new strategies to introduce change, energize business, encourage innovation, and sustain competitive advantage.
Last month I wrote a post about Why leadership development matters! In today’s environment, you can’t leave your leadership development to chance, or to other’s initiative. Therefore, right NOW take a break, maybe grab a cup of coffee, pen and paper, or your electronic device, and ask yourself these 3 critical questions:
1. What do I really want?
Be totally honest with yourself. This is not a question about what you should want. Not about what you don’t want. Not about what your boss or your team wants. The really transformational question is: What do I really want? Think about all areas of your life: career, family, financial, physical, emotional, and spiritual.
William was in a fast career path to the executive suite. Everybody thought he had great opportunities ahead. But he started to feel more and more dissatisfied with the way his life was going. When he finally gave himself permission to ask what was it he really wanted, a totally different picture emerged.
William realized the more he learned about the global impact of his company, the more he became concerned with social issues tied to the way they were doing business. This eventually lead him to a change toward the non-profit area where he became very involved in solving third-world countries challenges.
2. Do I truly want to change?
You see, many people know what they want, but they don’t want to go through the work to make personal or career changes. They want something “different” or “better” without having to work at changing their way of thinking, their beliefs, or the way they do things.
I too often hear things like: “I wish I could, but I can’t.” Or, "I want to change, but now is not the right moment.” If you don’t make the effort, who will? If not NOW, when? If you really want to, you will find a way.
Some people are so self-motivated that they develop a reading and action plan and are able to make the needed changes. Others need the help of someone else, like a mentor, or a coach. Others prefer to join a small group of likeminded people and form a community for change. And others realize they have deeper problems or issues and need the help of a psychotherapist or counselor.
No matter what modality you choose, the important thing is to take action for change NOW. There will never be a better moment.
3. How can I make this happen?
If you answer a definite YES to questions # 2, then you need to turn your fears and reservations into how to make it happen. For example, if you are one of those that said: “I wish I could, but I can’t do this,” you can turn that statement into: “How can I do this?” You would be surprised at how many answers you can generate by asking the HOW question.
For every goal you want to achieve in life, you need to write some concrete, measurable action/plan. You don’t have to change everything at once. The key is to take action, even if it is small steps action, to move forward in the direction you want your life and career to develop.
When Linda asked herself this question, she decided to hire me as her executive coach for six months of intense work. In her words,
“Before I started working with Dr. Ada the stress of my job was giving me daily headaches. I felt overwhelmed and quickly got upset or angry. My relationship with my team was strained and mostly negative. By working with Dr. Ada I was able to learn how to reduce my stress level. With her one on one support I was able to successfully learn to deal with difficult management tasks and was able to make a major career change with minimum stress and no headaches.”
Take action NOW
The end of the year is almost here. This is a good time to think about and take action regarding your developmental needs. I have a few coaching spaces open. Give yourself the gift of growth and simply click here NOW to find out how executive coaching can help you.
Another alternative would be to join a select group of peers. I’m starting soon the next REWIRE program, a 6 months interactive experience designed to help you make the changes you want. Click here NOW to find out more about the program.
If you found this information useful, imagine how much more successful you will be, working with me. To find out more, simply click here.
Photo by: Casey David