Mark Twain said it is not what we don’t know that hurts us. It is what we know that is just isn’t so. You should always question what it is that you really know? How do you know it? Did you research these facts or just accept them as gospel? It is vital that you spend several minutes every day quietly thinking because it causes us to reexamine things that we often take for granted.
Take the time to find a place each day where you feel relaxed and can be alone with your thoughts away from the computer, telephone, staff interruptions and all social media. Learn to focus your thinking several ways, focus on an issue or problem you need to resolve or a challenge you need to overcome. Another way you can target your thinking is to focus on an opportunity that can be exploited or an improvement that needs to be made. Focus on success mode solutions and not treading water decisions that leave you in the same place.
Thinking each day allows us to learn new things but most importantly it allows you to discontinue following ideas and thoughts that are inaccurate. Make sure you keep detailed records of your thought process so that you can go back and recall your thoughts at the time. I often told prospective students to keep detailed notes in a journal about every school they visited. Over time the visits and schools will all run together. By creating a journal, you can go back and review what you felt on the day you created your journal and not a false impression blurred by time. Nothing is more frustrating than to have a great thought and then forget what it was. And everyone forgets something at some time.
Introduce new concepts or thoughts into your mind and stimulate your brain daily. You can usually learn something from everyone—including those you lead. Surround yourself with people who have developed the skills and abilities you desire to develop. Here is a creative out of the box thought on creating success, focus on keeping yourself happy by measuring your success by how much fun you are having and not by your wins and losses, your profits, or losses. Create an environment in which your staff can get better. One that is motivating and challenging and above all it must be fun. Success will come to those who do.
Explore outside your comfort zone and be open to new and creative thoughts that cause you to open your mind to new ideas. Leadership doesn’t make a difference; leadership makes the difference, personally and organizationally. Great leaders make time for what’s important. Taking time to thoughtful think through your concerns and issues will benefit everyone. Continue to grow as a leader, adjust your thinking and your staff and organization will benefit.
Additionally, find someone who you can talk candidly to about your experiences, challenges, and opportunities, your strengths, and your weaknesses. Find a mentor who helps you think and will provide you suggestions on getting better. Great mentors encourage but also instruct. Proverbs 15:22 says, “Plans fail when there is no counsel, but with many advisers they succeed”.
Who are you going to enlist to help you become a better leader? Let EMP help!