Friday FAQs June - Questions from Today’s Future Leaders

June 22nd, 2018One Friday each month I dedicate the post to looking at some questions I have heard recently from developing leaders. Sharing those questions and my thoughts for them is a way for me to spread the information to as many leaders and future leaders as possible. If you have a question about leadership or just a situation you would like some additional insight on, please email me at Effective Retail Leader. Let’s take a look at this week’s question.

My Company doesn’t offer a lot of development but I want to grow as a leader. How can I do that?

This is a very common question, unfortunately. Many companies struggle to keep up with the developmental needs of their top performers. They end up getting caught up in providing the mid-level training that supports the average and not the top tier leaders. That is not necessarily a knock against training departments or the team members in those areas, it is simply the reality of expense management, resource constraints, and lack of time availability. With that said, what is one to do if they want to further develop themselves for future opportunities?Here are a few ideas that you can take to help create your own self-development plan to achieve the success you desire.

Read

It doesn’t have to be long, complicated business books. Too often at the top of the list are the business best sellers. But, if you are like me, you may not necessarily care to read long, analysis driven books. I do have several books that I would recommend, I have found these to be quicker reads for a foundation of knowledge or practical situations that allow for immediate implementation. They are also available as audiobooks - my preferred method of ‘reading’.Books are not the only things to read. Again, since I tend to stay away from long, data-driven business books, I find that getting good information in small, short bursts from reading articles is a better way to find new ideas on areas that I am most interested in. I share articles on a weekly basis that I find valuable in skill areas that can help any developing leader. You can sign up to receive those HERE.

Listen

I already mentioned audiobooks as an alternative to reading the books. But a growing area for knowledge sharing is podcasts. There are countless options in this area and can range from 15 minutes to over 2 hours. These are excellent for listening to in the car, or on the bus, or train to or from work. Simply search the topic you are interested in within your podcast app. (I use Overcast as my podcast player and love some of the features that can speed up the playback saving me a few minutes with each one I listen to). A couple of podcasts you may be interested in are, Coaching for Leaders, EntreLeadership, Lead to Win, Follow my Lead.

Watch

Much like podcasts, watching videos on a site like YouTube can be an excellent way to gain new knowledge and insights. It is an excellent medium when used well to involve multiple senses for learning. Beyond videos that are posted on YouTube, look for webinars on subjects that you have an interest in. Many of these are free to watch and can contain excellent ideas on how you can develop your leadership skills. Finally, sites like TED.com home of the TEDTalks is another source of fantastic information. I challenge you to watch some of the talks on subjects that you may not necessarily think will be of interest. So many of the ideas that are shared through these talks have uses and value far beyond the subject matter they categorize it under. I cannot think of a single TEDTalk that I have watched that I didn’t enjoy or gain some new insight from. They are truly remarkable learning tools.As you can see, there are many things you can do to take your development into your own hands. Don’t wait for your supervisor or training department to come to you with training tools. You can and should own this yourself. Whatever your preferred learning style is, there is an option available that can make a difference in building your long-term success and personal growth.Good luck!What new option will you take to control your own developmental destiny? Share your ideas in the comments section.