Investing in yourself is by far the best way to give you a competitive edge in Leadership. So why do we hesitate on investing in ourselves professionally?
I believe that often as leaders we do not value ourselves or our potential. We are so heavily focused on the development of others that we miss the opportunity to develop ourselves.
I’ve had very senior leaders in my Mentoring programs over the years who have come to me saying “I’m sick of being the Mentor and investing in other peoples development, I want someone to invest in mine.” This is a common frustration for leaders. But you’ve got to make it happen – you have to get off your butt and seek out opportunities to grow and extend yourself because clearly, no one else is going to do it for you (OUCH I know right, but unfortunately it’s true).
In particular, high achievers sometimes fear the feeling of vulnerability in asking for additional professional development. That little voice of insecurity awakens “Maybe they’ll think I have gaps, maybe they’ll think I’m not strong enough, maybe they’ll doubt my ability, maybe I’ll get dropped from the team.”
We’ve all got strengths and even the best leaders still have opportunities to develop (otherwise known as weaknesses). So, what are your strengths? What are your opportunities to develop? What are you going to do about that?
Proactively seek out opportunities that will set you up for Leadership success. Know the value you bring to your organisation and ask for an investment in that. The organisation will get a return on investment.
Leadership can be lonely enough without putting these additional pressures on yourself. Surround yourself with people who will challenge you, grow you and support you to achieve things you never thought possible.
Investing in your development can be a game-changer. So, make it happen for you! Do not wait until your performance review or development conversation to start thinking about what professional development will look like for you.
Focus on progress rather than perfection, we’ve all got gaps, it’s what you do about them that matters.
You’ve got this!
Sm xx
PS: If you would like some more info on how myself or my team can be in your corner as a leader, get in touch. We have loads of ways to support you to become the best leader you can be. You do not have to be alone, but it is completely up to you. You’ve got this and we believe in you!
