You cannot give what you do not have
So you made it to a leadership role in your organization when suddenly! You start to feel that your skills are inadequate, and anxiety starts to kick in. Bad news, you’re out of your depth.
I was never a natural at this leadership thing. The truth is that I was a terrible leader back then, the controlling commanding kind, and there was and still is a lot of intentionality in developing my leadership skills today.
According to leadership expert John Maxwell, there are only 2 questions that will determine how successful you will be in this ‘business of leadership’.
Here’s the first question you should ask yourself:
1. What are you intentionally doing to develop yourself as a leader?
If your answer sounds something like, “Well, I’m doing a fair bit, I listen to hours of podcasts on leadership and related topics every week, I have a coach who helps me be self-aware, I seek out business leaders in the industry to engage and learn from them, research and share my perspectives on this topic on social media, and every night before I sleep, I reflect on how I served my people today, be grateful about it and find ways to improve my approach.”
Then you’re in good shape! To stay confident and unlock your potential as an effective leader, there must be an intentional growth plan. But if you’re struggling to answer this question, it’s no wonder you’re feeling overwhelmed.
You might be asking “Why do I have to start with myself?” It’s because you can’t give what you don’t have, so you have to start with yourself. And here’s the second question:
2. What are you intentionally doing to develop others?
John Maxwell concluded, “On the first question, you’re foundational for your future. The second question is all about compounding multiplication. That’s how you will build a huge business when you know how to develop other people.”
Grant added that imposter thoughts happen when our competence surpasses our confidence. In theory, competence and confidence go hand in hand, but in practice, they often diverge. What’s actually worse is the opposite - when our confidence surpasses our competence. This is known as the Dunning Kruger Effect: where we have an inflated assessment of our actual skills, resulting in overconfidence, an unwillingness to upskill, and an inability to see our weak spots.
As leaders, it is our responsibility to help our people find their “confident humility” so that they remain curious, open-minded and willing to grow. ●