Yesterday I talked about leaders being perpetual learners – my thoughts today are around the intentional aspect of learning, growing, developing. Sometimes when I set out to grow – when I purpose to go to a new level there are different motivations behind it. When I first started in leadership – I was motivated to grow because I knew enough to know that I didn’t know enough. I had experiences that brought me face to face with personal and professional deficiencies or short comings. Case in point: At age 18, I was #1 in sales for the department I was working in and when the department management position became available – they turned to me to fill it. (There are a number of leadership lessons to be learned from that last statement – but those are for a different series of blogs) I called my first managers meeting for the next Saturday with the agenda to teach everyone else in the department how to sell better – long story short – no one showed up for the meeting. The pain of that event – caused me to want to grow and learn.
Today, I want to grow and learn because I still feel that I have not reached my potential. There are still better ways to do what I do, better ways to lead, teach, speak, facilitate, sell, etc.
Still, at other times, I become agitated that I feel stagnated or in a bit of a malaise or “funk” (if you will) and I INTENIONALLY start a fresh growth program – to use Emeril’s words – I “kick it up a notch”.
The trail of Iditarod Leadership is a lifetime – a journey. Of the reasons I’ve listed here (Pain, Potential, or malaise) which is most relevant to you today? Is there another reason for you to grow? The possibility of promotion or the threat of lay-offs?
In order for us to keep excitement and enthusiasm or “Adventure” in the journey, we must stretch out to new growth, new challenges – new “Life”
Purpose today – to grow with me – “INTENTIONALLY”