The big topic of conversation for many leaders I speak with is the next step in their pandemic journey. No one knows for sure how we will maneuver forward but key is taking some type of action. I can almost feel the earth moving and beckoning leaders to put one foot in front of the other and try something new. No matter the organization nor the environment, there are a slew of heavy duty questions being posed frequently:
Can you see the light at the end of this COVID tunnel?
What will our offices look like?
Will we continue to work from home?
What skills will we need to grow to be able to survive?
Is it time to remodel my job and career?
This is not the first time in most of our career trajectories that we have been thrown off balance and it certainly will not be the last. How many of us have switched careers due to conditions beyond our control? I began as an English teacher which turned into a MBA banker eventually landing in Leadership training and coaching. Thinking of our professional paths in a macro way can help center us to know what each of us must do to propel forward. You got this! Let’s give it a try together.
Four innovative strategies to grow your leadership:
1. Step Back and Take a Breath
Truly the best first move before deciding on which road to take involves stepping away from a current situation. When leaders try to analyze their choices for a possibly new direction it can be frustrating without creating space to think. That distance can be as simple as taking a long walk through a beautiful place to going on a vacation to escape. I just spent a week in a restful and dreamy spot where I was able to clear my mind. It could be attending a virtual seminar where the topic excites you. Just carve out room and time to explore alternatives that may kick-start your leadership.
An innovative first step to grow your leadership is disconnecting from your daily routine. Share on X2. Reexamine Your Goals
Once leaders have the opportunity to think and dream, it can be helpful to perform a deep check-in with your goals. Goals should never be so fixed in our minds that we can’t undo or expand them. What I have found helpful is to pull out a written form of your goals while asking yourself these empowering questions:
- Do my goals reflect where I am in my career at this very moment?
- Which goals are still spot on and which ones need to be adjusted or dumped?
- During the pandemic what new goals do I need to add?
- Who should I be connecting with to gain a better understanding of any of the goals?
3. Build On Your Strengths and Fascinations
Each leader has a unique set of gifts and strengths. It is important for leaders to draw upon the talents that they can bring to their professional life. The old adage of playing to your strengths is one worth pursuing. To identify those gifts, think about what comes naturally to you as well as what colleagues are asking your advice for. If a leader excels in a particular area, teammates notice and will reach out to us for help. In addition to offering our expertise leaders need to follow their curiosity. Children are excellent in allowing themselves to explore what is interesting to them. Why shouldn’t adults embrace and delve deeper into what fascinates us? To be innovative we need to lead with our curiosity.
During this time of reentry, leaders will be highly innovative if they allow their curiosity to steer their path. Share on X4. Create a Short and Long-Range Plan
To stay on target and measure how well we are moving, designing short and long- range plans are best. The reason both are necessary is that we may be a moving target after this pandemic due to environmental changes. So why get caught off guard when we can plan for different scenarios?
- Create short term goals for the next 6 months to 1 year that reflect immediate needs.
- Breakdown the short- term goals into manageable objectives and steps.
- Formulate long-term goals for the following 2-3 years to have a bigger picture of where you are headed. Make sure these goals fit into any team or organizational goals.
- Keep the plan close and check back continually to assure you are on target.
How are you planning to grow your leadership as the light at the end of the COVID tunnel begins to shine?
Perfect article for what’s going on in business and life! I love all of your points, but I was struck by one sentence: “Thinking of our professional paths in a macro way can help center us to know what each of us must do to propel forward.” By stepping back and taking a long, hard look at how we’ve overcome difficulties and the unknown in the past can truly give us guidance on what’s worked and what hasn’t. It’s not to dwell on mistakes but to learn from them. Or, to build on our successes. Our past has so much to teach us IF we’re willing to revisit it…
It is so true that our past twists and turns along our professional continuum can remind us how we dealt with challenges. The actions that helped us move forward and pivot in a successful way are what leaders can utilize again at this uncertain time. And decisions that were not as impactful we can make sure to work around. Thanks LaRae!
So important. We get so busy at work we forget to take a beat and consider what lights us up and what’s dragging us down, Only when we are thoughtful can we come up with meaningful goals. Otherwise, they are should do’s which only adds more pressure because we forget that we need to feel connected to our goals. Appreciate that you end with tips to put some accountability and timelines around the goals too. So often I work with people who state a goal but there’s no real teeth or plan behind it.
I agree that we sometimes get so caught up in our routines that we don’t realize that we are focusing on areas that aren’t very important. Especially during the pandemic, many leaders saw their goals dissolve. That is why now as we begin reentry into the workplace it is so important to take stock in where we are and what are the real priorities. Timelines drive the whole process.
Thanks for the great additions Alli!
Thank you so much for the pointers you gave. The article perked me up on a day when I felt myself down in the dumps and questioning everything. I felt re-energized by your simple, uncomplicated article. ‘Step Back and Take a Breath’ is just what I needed to hear.
I am glad my post resonated with you Vernetta.
Thank you for stopping by. Terri