The Leadership Time Machine
As leaders, we often get caught up in the day-to-day tasks of managing teams and driving results. We forget to take a step back, take stock of our experiences, and reflect on what we have learned. Yet, the process of self-reflection and learning from our past experiences is critical to effective leadership. In this post, we will explore the importance of self-reflection in leadership and what advice we would give our younger selves if we could turn back time.
If you had the opportunity to go back in time and get in a leadership time machine, what advice would you give your younger self about leadership? What do you wish you had known then that you know now?
Reflecting on the past gives us insight into our journey and reminds us of the critical lessons we learned. Whether learning to trust our instincts, communicating more effectively, or building a stronger team, every experience is an opportunity to gain skills and knowledge. By reflecting on past events, we can apply what we have learned to our current roles and make better-informed decisions.
What are the top three lessons you would give to your younger self? Think through this and communicate it with your team. This vulnerability and insight could be incredibly helpful for you to process and for your team to learn from. I have seen this exercise in self-reflection be a great conversation starter to help leaders create a culture of growth within their team firsthand.
I highly recommend you identify at least two, if not three, specific lessons you have learned, write them down, and share them with those who could glean from them.
Here are my top two pieces of advice I would give to my younger self:
1) Spend More Time Developing And Less Directing
As a young leader, I felt I needed to direct everyone. I thought a great leader gave everyone their marching orders every day. I prided myself on always being able to have an answer and knowing what needs to be done at all times. This not only was exhausting but also limited the development of others on my team. I never let anyone wrestle with problem-solving, think for themselves, or be open to the ideas and strengths they brought to the table. I would go back and tell myself to develop those around me rather than always trying to direct them. This means developing them by listening, giving them opportunities to run with their ideas, and giving them time to learn and grow. Remember what Jack Welch said, “Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others.”
2) Focus On Impacting Rather Than Impressing
As a young leader, I wanted to prove myself to those around me by trying to impress them. Little did I know that a great leader spends more time impacting people rather than trying to impress them. I would tell myself to be more humble and real with people rather than always trying to show everyone my worth. I thought the way to grow my influence was to impress everyone with how good I thought I was. I quickly realized that the greatest way to influence others was to help them and impact them in a way that moved them forward rather than moving myself forward. Remember what Zig Ziglar always used to say, “You can have everything in life you want, if you will just help other people get what they want.”
If you are a young leader who is new in your position, I would encourage you to keep a leadership journal of things you are learning along the journey. One day, this will come to be highly valuable to your success in the future. You can track your growth and help younger leaders down the road, gaining you massive influence in the long run.
