As a leader, it’s not enough to just stay where you are, it’s also important that you grow. Doing so requires giving up the things that are familiar to you and taking new steps in order to make changes that will benefit you. The rewards of growth are not what you get from it, but what you become because of it. Even if you’ve been in a leadership role for the majority of your career, it’s important that you challenge yourself to grow as things are constantly changing, such as the people you lead and the way the world operates. Here are a few things you can do to help you grow as a leader.
Find Leadership Coaching
Having the support of a coach is a great way for you to grow as a leader. They can help you develop better self-awareness and manage your time more effectively. They can also help you learn from your mistakes and successes. The coach can be someone who acts as a leadership coach professionally, or it can be another leader you know who has many years of experience. It’s always good to learn from others, seeing what has worked for them and what hasn’t so you can get more insight into the leadership role.
Find Ways To Grow Outside of the Workplace
A great way to grow as a leader is to find leadership opportunities outside of your job. Get more involved with your community by coaching a sports team or running a nonprofit organization in your free time. Since these leadership roles aren’t typically leadership in a business sense, they can introduce you to conflicts you may never run into at your job. This can provide you with unique opportunities to grow your leadership abilities in all aspects of your life.
Ask For More Responsibility
If you’re a leader who tends to develop skills by applying what you’ve learned, try asking for more responsibility. This will allow you to demonstrate what you’ve learned and develop new capabilities, ultimately discovering what works for you and what doesn’t. For instance, if you’re a leader who likes to organize meetings, try asking to lead a project. Doing so will allow you to develop new skills and put them into practice.