I’ve seen leaders deprioritize their development again & again. It makes sense given the pressures and pace that many leaders face.
I think about it as a form of self care (self-love)… If I don’t prioritize it, no one else can do it for me. And, if I don’t do it, there will be implications, for myself and my work. It’s “putting your air mask on first” before trying to help others. If your tank is empty, or your own ongoing learning is indefinitely shelved, then how can you support others in their development?
And I appreciate that it’s difficult! Especially for you executives or creator-leaders who just want to focus on your craft!
My proposal is to try something small. One little change that you commit to every day for a week at a time, something you can learn from as you go.
Improvement wizard John Dewey said, “We do not learn from experience. We learn from reflecting on experience.”
What is one small thing you could try doing every day for a week that moves you closer to your goals?
At the end of that week, you could ask yourself:
What is working well? Where is there friction? What could I try differently next time?