No matter who you are or how successful you’ve been, you’ve most likely discovered that you can’t do everything on your own. We know you’re good! – but you “occasionally” benefit from the assistance of others. Even leaders need help!
In fact, when you think you don’t need help, you are telling others that they don’t matter to you. Do you really believe that?
The truth is – all of us together are smarter than any one of us. And all of us together are smarter than all of us apart.
You get that – and so do I. Which is why we occasionally seek feedback or advice from a colleague, a mentor, a coach, or a friend. And we’re better for it!
Why leaders seek help
Over the years, in our work with clients around the world, we identified the top four reasons leaders seek help:
To…
- Increase revenue or income
- Improve efficiency or effectiveness
- Improve leadership skills
- Lead more effectively in the changing marketplace
The conversation with a mentor or coach often begins with a request for immediate help with a work-related challenge. Yet diving into business and organizational challenges too early is risky and can lead to disaster.
Why? Because leaders can waste months, even years, adding products and services, squandering resources, siphoning off profits, diluting focus, all while frustrating their teams. The resulting damage of this ill-advised path often affects relationships far beyond the workplace – reaching into the personal and family life of the leader.
Hold on now
Now, we always respond the same way to inquiring leaders who are seeking help:
It wouldn’t be wise for us to focus on your daily priorities and disciplines until we have greater clarity around your business plan. And we can’t appropriately align your team and resources around your plan until we understand your vision and strategy – what drives you and what your organization will become. And since your career is just one component of who you are, we can’t effectively develop your business vision until we understand how your work fits into your overall life.
Phases of SIMPLE Leadership
You may want to go back and read the previous paragraph – there’s a lot packed into those 3 sentences. Notice the 4 bold words.
No matter where you are in your leadership journey, these 4 words illustrate the core components of leadership development…
1. SIMPLE Personal Plan. Every leader and team member should clearly understand what is most important in life and how they can achieve those things. Life planning has been transformational for my personal and professional life. I explain how life planning can bring dramatic improvements to your life and work in these posts:
- Your Life Matters
- Get Better Results in Life
- 3 Reasons Everyone Should Have Life Plan
- Why I Changed my Diet and How I Lost 30 Pounds
2. Career and Business Vision. You, along with every member of your team, must have clarity around what you are building and what you are becoming together. Why are you trading a substantial part of your life every day to serve your organization? Is your current work worth it?
Check out these posts on vision and get your FREE copy of my new eBook, Creating Your Business Vision:
3. SIMPLE One-Page Business Plan. Every member of the team should know the specific disciplines, outcomes, and improvements that will move you toward your bold vision for your work. This one-page document serves as the road map for your success.
4. Priority Management. Everyone on the team can then put together a plan for effectively managing their time and decisions. Much of our time is consumed by activities that are of little value and low importance. At some point we all realize – I’m wasting a lot of time!
So we decide that we want to improve efficiency and effectiveness. Or we work through changing our behaviors and habits. Or we improve our leadership skills. I’ve done it too! And, yes, we need to work on all of these things!
But, you cannot effectively prioritize your day until you can clearly see what items are most important for your calendar. You cannot adequately setup your calendar until you identify in your business plan those behaviors and disciplines that will allow you to succeed. You cannot create an effective business plan until you articulate a clear vision for the future of your team and what you see it accomplishing. And you cannot discover and clarify your business vision until you know how your career and organization fit into your overall life.
Just do it!
Let’s face it – most people don’t consider life planning until they’ve hurt enough, had enough, or heard enough. If you haven’t already experienced one (or all) of these, don’t wait until you do!
BONUS: I’m so committed to helping you succeed in your life and work that we developed the Personal Life Plan Guide just for you! I want you to enjoy the freedom and clarity that comes from identifying your top priorities and I want you to avoid the struggles that I faced personally. Purchase the Guide – 50% Off!Question: How do you think these four phases of development can help you and your team set a course for growth and success? Share in the comments.
Good stuff Michael!
Thank you sir. I appreciate your insightful interaction on Michael Hyatt’s blog. Enjoy your evening.