“Renewal is the principle—and the process—that empowers us to move on an upward spiral of growth and change, of continuous improvement. “ — Dr. Stephen Covey
All too often people choose to stop investing the time and energy to further their learning once they’ve quote “made it”. It is as if they’ve gotten themselves into a position of leadership and feel there is no longer the need to continue the process of learning. But learning should be a way of life not a goal one can expect to ever complete. If you have people on your Team that are like this, know that this is a direct reflection of your leadership. The second we as leaders start to coast with continuing to sharpen our saw, the Team checks out! And it’ll happen quicker than we might think.
We have to stay on top of our learning game. This is an intentional act, which requires discipline, curiosity and the humility of the “beginner’s mindset.”
Here are just a couple of Saw Sharpening habits that’ll help you if you feel like you’re stuck in your patterns.
- Read every day – The best leaders I know and have learned from read on average sometimes four books a month while the average person reads maybe one book per year. I know I need to get better at this, but I make it a point to read a little bit every day with a goal to minimum read (5) books each year. This is in addition to studying God’s word each day and listening to podcasts.
- Get training or coaching. There isn’t any leader out there who couldn’t become a better communicator, motivator or listener. Those who want to improve these and other skills are the ones who seek out training or coaching.
- Ask the right questions. In the course of trying to determine the right decision, it is not so much talking about the challenges and the opportunities as it is asking the right questions of the right people to learn how best to move forward. The best leaders recognize their role is asking the right questions at the right time. I used to think that leading my Team at my best meant knowing the answers to everything. Like a leadership dictionary. I can assure you that learning the right questions is far more important than being a human dictionary with answers to everything.
- Listen really well. The best leaders don’t just ask the right questions, they also take the time to hear what is spoken and continue listening for what is not yet said. At a time when people are expected to get to the point quickly, sometimes simply asking “and what else are you thinking?” can bring forth the most important things to consider.
- ALWAYS Remain open and humble to new ideas. The farther along I get in my leadership journey, the more I realize how little I really know. There is an overwhelming amount of information out there and this requires a certain humility for continued growth. The best leaders are those who are open to what they do not know and remain curious to know more.
Remember this… Learning began with your first breath of life as a newborn baby and it should remain your mindset throughout life. This is because only through lifelong learning can you continually sharpen the saw to attain and keep you at the top of your field. Feeling good about yourself doesn’t just happen naturally. Living a life in balance means taking the necessary time to renew yourself. It’s all up to you. It’s your turn to sharpen your saw. Pick your areas, invest the time and watch how you come back to the tree, ready to bring that sucker down.