Hard work isn't enough to make you stand out
Here's what's on my mind this week as we're wrapping up 2022.
Have you ever felt like no matter how hard you work, your efforts just aren't paying off?
In a recent all-staff meeting, our Co-Founder, Chris Heaslip gave a fantastic talk about what it takes to rise to the top.?You can read the recap here, but it boils down to this:?Hard work is not enough to make you stand out as a leader.
To become extraordinary, you have to "sharpen your axe." In other words,?you have to consistently invest in your growth.
There are a number of ways to do this. For me, it looks like this:
1. Learning from leaders I admire?- Studying the path of those who have already accomplished what I am looking to achieve is like a cheat sheet. While success isn't a formula, learning the habits and mindsets of those who have walked in my shoes only gets me closer to achieving my goals. ??
?2. Asking for feedback?- There is always room to improve. Hearing from those you work with about where you're excelling and where you could improve is the greatest growth tool you have. Knowledge is power when it comes to understanding how others perceive you as a leader. If you want to get better, take the opinions of others to heart. ??
?3. Seeing challenges as opportunities?-?"There is no losing. There is only winning or learning." I love that quote. I recommend writing it on a sticky note as a constant reminder that challenges are our greatest catalyst for growth. Letting fear of failure hold you back is the quickest way to stunt your growth as a leader (and in life). ??
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We've all felt the letdown of working extremely hard with seemingly no ROI. In these seasons, ask yourself, "where could I spend time sharpening my axe?"
What does sharpening the axe look like for you? How are you putting in the work to invest not only in your success today but also in your future self?
PS. Learn how to help your team sharpen their axes by creating a personalized development plan (PDP). We're going to walk you through how to implement PDPs within your organization in a webinar on January 12.?Register here to join us.
Until next time. Lead on,
SVP of Growth