leadership development

How to Make Friends with Discomfort

“Really? You want me to solve this problem on my own? I came to you because I don’t know what to do. You’ve always given me great advice in the past,” Justin exclaims, then leaves the office.

“Well, that didn’t go well,” Philip thinks. “What am I doing wrong? I’m trying to practice what this leadership program is teaching but I don’t seem to have the knack. I’m supposed to ask questions that help people think for themselves. My mind goes blank and I feel completely awkward. Now I have to tell my learning partner that I failed miserably. And Justin doesn’t feel supported. Oh, boy, I’ll never get this!”

Sound familiar? Chances are you’ve felt awkward or uncomfortable when learning a new skill.

How Is Leadership Like Flower Arranging?

There’s a mistaken belief that once you’ve gotten really good at your job, you’ll automatically be a leader. It doesn’t make much sense. It’s not at all unusual to have a way of measuring progress for the acquisition of any new skill. There are stages of competency development for everything ranging from chess to weight lifting to flower arranging. Seriously, there actually is a title of Master Florist. And yet a commonly held assumption about leadership is that you either have it or you don’t.

"Life as Coach": How to Grow as a Leader with 3 Simple Practices

I am all for investing in in-depth leadership development. This is one of my main passions in life. In fact, I’d almost rather take a course that helps me grow as a leader than take a vacation.

But there are times when formal leadership development might not be a top priority.

That doesn't mean you have to give up developing. Using a "life as coach" approach, you can still grow by using your day to day experiences as a springboard. Sound intriguing? Read more for simple practices to keep growing even in the most challenging times.