Here come the holidays and with them, I usually end up with a few extra pounds. The 3 biggest traps for weight management after the holidays are:
I don’t have the time
I will always be a little overweight (settling for the status quo)
I need to find the latest fad; the old programs don’t work for me
The first 2 excuses have nuances of losing weight not being a priority to the speaker. The last one is always risky because there is not a long history of proven positive results.
The 3 biggest traps for leadership growth sound eerily like those above. I hear leaders use the following excuses for not investing in their future:
I don’t have the time
I am fine with where I am at (settling for status quo)
I need to find the latest fad, I have been through all the old programs
Let’s explore all three independently.
“I don’t have the time.” There are 24 hours in every day for everybody. Why do some people have time for educational opportunities and others don’t? I believe that learning has a higher priority for some leaders. When it comes to time, we all have a level playing field to start. We get to choose how we spend each hour of each day. Some tasks make us feel like we don’t have a choice due to their heavy responsibility or long commitments (caring for children, parents, pets). If you are honest and come to me saying you are choosing another priority ahead of mine, I am good with that. You have the right to choose and put a value on every choice.
“I am fine with where I am at!” Settling is a different story altogether. The world is changing so fast that just staying afloat isn’t enough. If we do not continue to grow, we soon find ourselves behind. Like a tall tree in the forest, other trees will grow taller and take our spot in the sun, and we slowly decay. There are some places “off the grid” where your current skill set will allow you to survive. If you are still in the game, you need a whole new set of skills. Don’t kid yourself.
“I need to find the latest fad, I have been through all the old programs.” When it comes to exciting new programs, please check them out thoroughly. Many are solid learning opportunities that resulted from a positive experience. Others are retooled programs from timeless lessons. There are also fads that will only benefit some in certain situations or come complete with smoking mirrors. I have a few questions for those leaders that respond this way:
If you have been exposed to this program before, did you find it a valuable program?
Are you using the skills or practices effectively? Consistently?
Could a reintroduction be a benefit?
Research shows us there are advantages to repetitive learning practices if we ask the participants to recall what they have learned, and how they have applied it to their work environment.
To summarize, most of us in leadership roles still have room to grow. If you don’t value the opportunity to grow, say so. Be sure to find a way forward, because January starts a whole New Year, and we need you at the top of your game.
Photo credit: ID 80470548 © Prudencio Alvarez | Dreamstime.com
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