Change is Inevitable - Growth is Essential

Dean Gialamas, Strategic Advisor/General Manager of Business Strategy, Los Angeles County Internal Services Department

This past week, my organization hosted a spectacular event. We called it the Empowerment Conference. It was a day full of concurrent motivational sessions designed to empower and energize our staff. It was primarily led by our executive management team who taught concurrent courses regarding leadership, self development, and empowerment. We had over 600 attendees and the results and comments were extraordinary.

The session that I was involved in was called “leadershift.” It’s based on the new book from John Maxwell called LeaderShift. The concept is straightforward and simple: In order to advance in your leadership journey you must learn to “shift” the attributes that got you to where you are today. For example, you need to shift from personal goals to team growth, from pleasing people to challenging people, and from ladder climbing to ladder building for others to name a few of his concepts. As leaders, we must be willing to let go of what worked yesterday to learn new ways of seeing, doing and leading to enhance organizational and personal growth.

One thing is for certain, you cannot be the same, think the same and act the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not stay the same.

The transition from successful producer (soloist) to successful leader (conductor) is not an easy one without the proper “shift” in mindset and approach. When you’re placed in a leadership position, it’s no longer about you; it’s about the people, the organization, and its mission. As leaders we have to shift our way of thinking and being in order to positively affect the growth of our organization, our people and ourselves. Good leaders adapt, they shift, and they don’t remain static because they know the world around them is changing constantly.  

You see, in order to be a leader, you need followers; in order to have followers, you need influence; and in order to have influence, you need to grow others. Therefore, in order to be a leader you must grow yourself and others (in order to create influence and followers). So how are you doing in your “leadershifts?” Are you challenging yourself and others to grow? Have you become comfortable with being uncomfortable? As John Maxwell says, “One thing is for certain, you cannot be the same, think the same and act the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not stay the same.”

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