Reinventing Yourself - The Single-Most Important Career Attribute for Today's Leaders

REINVENTING yourself is something all good leaders are mindful of.

This is partly because of digital disruption: and the constant changes (technological and otherwise) we are all subject to in the workplace every day.

And it is partly because if we fail to reinvent ourselves as leaders, we can soon become trapped in the routine, sameness and sheer ‘comfort’ of being the boss or manager.

There is an old saying that “comfort is the enemy of achievement”.

And you only have to look at the ancient Roman Empire and its classic demise at the hands of the Barbarians, to be aware of the dangers of complacency.

Any leader worth his or her salt should always be wary of the inherent danger of sitting back and letting things slide, becoming slack, or simply losing their ‘mojo’.

And of course, if this does happen, leaders should consider reassessing or ‘resetting’ their careers and, in some cases, even starting a new career, should the old one become stale and unpalatable.

Also, should the worst occur and you lose your job, remember all is not lost.

In a recent article, leadership expert Selma Wilson closely examines some of the best ways for leaders to reinvent themselves, including:

1. Take ownership of your career

Should you lose your job, be demoted or simply not get that bonus or promotion you were hoping for, do not be disillusioned! Take ownership of what happened - and move on. Don’t blame yourself, and use the setback as an opportunity to do something new and positive instead 

2. List your strengths and weaknesses

Any leader who wants to reinvent themselves - needs to know exactly where they are coming from. Thus, you need to take the time to ‘get to know yourself’ by making a list of strengths and weaknesses. This will not only give you a better insight into leading successfully, but also help you on the path ahead 

3. Keep on learning

Whatever field you are in, it is essential to keep learning. This is because the best leaders regard themselves as ‘lifelong students’ and are constantly curious about the world, and what is happening around them. They also read widely and often to keep abreast of the latest developments in their field

4. Network - and network some more

When reinventing yourself, it is essential to let your networks know that you are looking for a new challenge or, at least, making some important changes in your life. And by sharing this information with some of your closest allies, you may be surprised at what comes up, and the new opportunities that may present themselves

5. Follow your dream

Sometimes as a leader, you are simply ‘going through the motions’, when you really want to do something else. For example, you may have always wanted to be an Economics teacher, but never had the time to study. In such cases, reinventing yourself is essential, but remember that the longer you take to ‘follow your dream’, the harder it can get.

6. Use Emotional Intelligence (EI)

EI is basically ‘intelligently using emotion to produce a desired result’. Indeed, experts in Emotional Intelligence, such as world-renowned US author and psychologist Daniel Goleman, highlight how it can affect our performance in the workplace. According to Goleman, EI can greatly affect the quality of our decisions, behaviour and responses towards each other, and it is therefore an excellent tool for leaders when reinventing themselves.