6 Ways Leaders Encourage Themselves and Others to Improve

As a leader, you’re constantly challenged by new and unexpected situations. Your team will inevitably hit roadblocks in their work, meet with resistance from customers or clients, and face challenges that test your team’s ability to react effectively and efficiently. Often, the best way through these trying times is by developing a personal growth mindset that enables you to tackle any challenge head-on. This means focusing on areas for improvement rather than dwelling on past failures. Here are six ways leaders can encourage themselves and others to improve their skills as an employee or team member:

Read and Learn About Your Craft

One of the best ways to grow as a leader is by regularly reading and learning about your craft. Reading about your industry, company, and the challenges your clients face helps you develop a more thorough understanding of your challenges. This, in turn, allows you to be more effective in your solutions and identify improvement areas. Similarly, reading about your own industry, company, and the challenges your employees face allows you to support your team more effectively. You’ll be able to identify areas for improvement and offer your team targeted advice on how to better meet the needs of your clients and how to overcome roadblocks in their work.

Build a Support Network of Like-Minded People

Alongside reading and learning, it’s vital to build a support network of like-minded people regularly. Whether you are part of an in-person networking group or a virtual network, periodically connecting with others actively pursuing growth in their own lives and careers allows you to share challenges and triumphs. This enables you to get outside perspectives on your challenges and identify areas for improvement. It’s also a great way to encourage your employees to build their own support networks. By encouraging your team to connect, they’ll be able to bounce ideas off others, get advice, and be supported in their pursuit of growth and development.

Commit to Achieving Small Wins

It’s essential to commit to achieving small wins. When you consistently set goals for yourself and then achieve them, you can build confidence in your talents, knowledge, and skills related to your leadership responsibilities. It also helps you identify areas where you can improve your skills. When you commit to achieving small wins, you’ll be able to identify areas for improvement. You’ll be able to reflect on the goals you’ve achieved and understand the steps you took to get there. This will help you identify areas for improvement as you move toward your future goals and achievements.

Be Mindful of Your Body’s Physical Responses

Be mindful of your body’s physical responses to challenges, roadblocks, and when you feel overwhelmed. If you’re experiencing physical symptoms like a racing heart, sweating, clenching your fists, or having a racing mind, those are signs that you’re experiencing a stress response. It’s important to be mindful of these stress responses and regularly take action to calm them. Taking deep breaths, using guided meditations, and/or just taking a few moments to sit quietly help to bring your stress response under control so that you can more effectively deal with the situation at hand.

Celebrate Small Wins with Your Team

There are reasonable times throughout the year when you can celebrate small wins with your team. Celebrating your team's progress toward achieving their goals and milestones is a great way to encourage them to improve their skills and grow as employees. Beyond regularly celebrating the progress your team has made, you can also encourage your team to celebrate their own small wins. Encouraging your team to reflect on the progress they’ve made, and to celebrate their successes, will help them build confidence in their own skills and identify areas for improvement.

Take Care of Yourself Physically and Mentally

Finally, taking care of yourself physically and mentally will allow you to be more effective in your role as a leader. It’s important to ensure that you’re setting aside time for activities that help to promote your health and well-being. Whether exercising, practicing meditation, getting enough sleep, or eating a healthy diet, regularly prioritizing these activities will help you remain calm and effective under pressure. Beyond the regular practices that help to promote your physical and mental health, it’s important to regularly take time to reflect on your progress. Taking time to reflect on your progress, as well as your challenges, allows you to identify areas for improvement better. This can be as simple as writing down what’s on your mind or reflecting during a walk.

Final Thoughts

Developing a growth mindset doesn’t mean you don’t accept your shortcomings. It means that you look at these things, and others, as opportunities to improve. You don’t beat yourself up for the things you can’t do; instead, you focus on the things you can do and, more importantly, the things you can do better. When you have a growth mindset, you view challenges as opportunities for learning, and you keep working toward your goals and dreams. More importantly, you take others along the journey with you as you continue to feel, do, and become better together!