Lead Unique #002 6 Steps to Accelerate your Leadership Success - The exact steps I'd take if I was starting from scratch!

In today's newsletter, I breakdown 6 steps that will drastically accelerate your leadership success. If you do them, that is.?

In a world of complex leadership frameworks, outdated career development plans and advice overload, I'll share a simpler approach to help collapse time in your quest for success!?

?Let's dive in.?

?1. GET A SPONSOR INSIDE YOUR ORGANISATION

A sponsor is someone who holds a degree of power and influence, and who'll use it to help you progress in your career. Whether that be through advocating for you, providing you with access to their network, or endorsing you for crucial career opportunities. Pretty neat, right??

?Here’s?5 steps?you can take to get a sponsor:

?1.?Be strategic?with who you seek out. Ask yourself,?“where do I want to be in 3 years?”. Then work backward?to determine who needs to see you and support you to get there.

?2.?Start Simple.?Use?your company directory or ask your boss or HR directly for help facilitating an introduction.

?3. Get noticed.?Visibility is the key to getting a great sponsor. This sounds a bit chicken and egg because you’re seeking a sponsor to increase your visibility, but pre-visibility is important.

?4. Be great.?Don’t just tell people how great you are, show them. Your sponsor is putting their reputation on the line, so they need to be sure you’re the REAL DEAL!

?5. Be Impatient!?It’s not often I tell people this and, whilst you do need to allow time for relationships to build, don’t let yourself get forgotten. Find reasons to contact your potential sponsors, an interesting article, book recommendation or process improvement suggestion!

?Don’t take it personally, but people are busy and the more regularly they hear from you, the more quickly you’ll pop into their mind!

?6. Stop Being Selfish!?Flipping the script to think about what a potential sponsor wants rather than what you want will help you influence like a boss.

?Find a sponsor now. Thank me later.?

?2. GET A COACH / MENTOR OUTSIDE YOUR COMPANY

Coaching and mentoring is an accelerator. You can do stuff on your own sure, but it’ll take that bit longer! Coaching and mentoring with someone outside your organisation will give you access to independent support and an unbiased perspective!

This upped my game big time and it’s the reason I continue to invest heavily in coaching and mentoring today.

?Set yourself up for success by doing these?three things:?

?1.?Understand your goals and explore if coaching, mentoring or hybrid is best

2.?Make sure the coach is the right fit: stalk, research, book a call first!

3.?Be coachable; open, honest, prepared, committed, and ready to learn

?3. JOIN A LEADERSHIP COMMUNITY

There’s power in proximity. You’ll have heard by now you’re the average of the 5 people you’re surrounded by? So, if you surround yourself with people on the journey to successful leadership, you’re much more likely to get there.??

With so many options, the trick is to get clear on what you want. Do you want a women’s only group or mixed, a small or large community, online or in person, a free network or paid with extra learning? Trial some out and find what works for you.

?4. GET CLEAR ON YOUR UNIQUE TALENTS

There’s only one YOU. What better way to stand out than by figuring out what makes you, you! It’s also going to ensure your leadership style is super authentic!

Spend some time thinking about what sets you apart from others, what people come to you for, what your strengths are. Then, write an edge statement or elevator pitch so you can share it easily with others!

Now seems like a good time to break up this newsletter with pic of uni-dog to represent you unleashing all that uniqueness??

5. HARNESS YOUR UNIQUE TALENT TO STAND OUT

Because it’s going to make life and leadership EASIER. The minute you start using your natural superpowers instead of trying to be someone else, your confidence will soar and you’ll stop feeling like your skiing through cheese.?

?Be super intentional. Share that new edge statement with everyone that’ll listen. Weave it into everything you do. For example, if you’re superpower is developing other people, get those 1:1’s booked with your team!

?6. CREATE A 90-DAY, 1 YEAR AND 3 YEAR PLAN

Proper planning prevents p*ss poor performance! Write the plan and stop fluffing about. If you’re struggling, I beg you to seek support to get this one over the line! Sounds harsh, but you’re never going to get to your destination if you don’t know where you’re going or how to get there!?

?Here’s?four top tips?to get this done:

1.?Set some specific time aside in your diary?

2.?Treat it like a retreat. Light a candle, get dressed up, go to a nice café, hotel, cosy room in the house, somewhere that reflects the vibe of your future.

3.?Write it out in a way that works for you (massive paper, digital, mindmap)

4.?Once it’s defined, break it down EVEN further (Monthly, Weekly, daily!)

?So there you have it, easy peasy lemon squeezy right?!???

IN SUMMARY:

??Get a sponsor inside your organisation

??Get a coach / mentor outside your organisation

??Join a leadership community

??Get clear on your unique talents

??Harness your unique talents to stand out

???Write a 90-day, 1 year and 3 year plan

Whenever you're ready, here's 4 ways I can help you:

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????Propel Leadership Accelerator?-?Starts Sept (6 spaces left)

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???Four-Week Intensive?-?2 spaces to start Sept

???The Leap Membership?-?Doors closed - limited intake coming Sept

See you next week!?