Welcome back to another edition of the weekly Tuesday Leader! I'm Rachel, and I'm thrilled to have you here. I really hope your week is off to a great start so far, and I'm glad you've decided to set aside a couple of minutes to reading this for your professional development this week. As you might have noticed, this newsletter/blog will now update monthly as opposed to weekly. This is to ensure I am able to continue delivering exceptional content to you and all my readers at Forbes.
Can you imagine we are nearing the end of Q1 already?
It almost seems like the year is slipping away from our grasp, just as we're getting started.
If you're anything like me, you enjoy planning and strategizing. I absolutely love a good plan! One of my favorite aspects of leadership and management, and specifically when I was a project manager, is that I enjoy setting goals and objectives, and watching progress being made. There's something so thrilling about knowing you're making traction and working towards a shared vision, isn't it?
But if you can't lead yourself, you won't be able to lead others.
To lead others, you must first lead yourself.
If you're progressing up the ladder--or already up the ladder--and seeking to be a more effective leader, you need to turn your attention to creating goals and objectives, not only for your team or projects, but for yourself, personally and professionally.
This will ensure greater job satisfaction and help you bring the most energy to your work.
Some examples of personal leadership goals you should set for yourself each year, quarter, and month include:
Leading more efficient team meetings, cutting back excess time spent on meetings by ___ hrs
Improving employee performance within the team by ___%
Completing a leadership book each quarter
Practicing active listening in every employee performance review meeting
Engaging in a wellness activity once a week at the start of the work day
Delegating more to free up __% of your time
Here are eight steps you should take into consideration when setting your personal leadership goals as we end the quarter and prepare to embark on Q2:
1. Assess Your Current Reality
Take dedicated time to reflect on where you currently stand in your leadership journey. You can look back to experiences, achievements, and challenges you've faced, and take into consideration the feedback you've received from peers, stakeholders, or your performance evaluations. This introspection will provide valuable insights into areas where you excel and areas where you have opportunities for growth.
2. Define Your Objectives
Once you've reflected on where you currently are in your professional journey as an aspiring leader, you need to start identifying what specific objectives you would like to achieve this coming month and quarter. Always ensure you use the SMART goal-setting method so that your objectives align with your overall career aspirations and address areas where you want to improve as a leader.
For example, you might want to enhance your conflict resolution skills, improve team morale, or refine your strategic planning abilities, or use one of the examples listed above.
3. Prioritize Your Goals
Now that you have your list of potential objectives in hand, prioritize them based on their importance and relevance to your professional development. You might want to consider factors such as urgency due to market demands and changes, or deadlines set by your employer which could have a potential impact on your career advancement.
And of course, as a leader you'll need think beyond yourself. You need to ensure that there is alignment with your organization's goals and values. Focusing on a few key goals will help you allocate your time and resources more effectively.
4. Break Down Your Goals Into Actionable Steps
Once you've identified your top goals using the SMART model, you'll want to break each one down into bitesize, manageable tasks or action steps. These steps should outline the specific actions you need to take to make progress towards your overall professional objectives for the year. As you break your goals down into smaller tasks, they will be less daunting and much easier to tackle on a day-to-day basis.
For each of these bitesize tasks, assign realistic deadlines to help you stay on track and be motivated. It's easy to over-commit and get overwhelmed by the prospect of professional development, but if you plan appropriately and make use of bitesize learning resources including platforms such as LinkedIn Learning, while factoring in your commitments and deadlines, it's possible to stay on track.
5. Identify Resources and Support
OK, I might have gotten ahead of myself there when talking about resources...but here we are. You need external support and guidance to achieve your goals. No one is an island. For example, you could try books, book summary apps such as Headway, podcasts, articles, attending workshops and events, or getting the support of a mentor or leadership coach. Reach out to colleagues for peer support in your leadership development journey as well.
6. Monitor Your Progress and Adjust as Needed
Finally, it's essential to regularly review your progress towards your goals and make any adjustments to your plan. Be prepared to be flexible. Business priorities may change, your life may go off track. So don't beat yourself up for it, but adjust accordingly. Your goals are only there as a framework; they're not etched in stone.
Set clear objectives that inspire you and deliver tangible value to your organization; and while you're at it, track your progress, celebrate your successes, and learn from any setbacks or challenges you encounter along the way. The overall goal is to stay focused regardless of what may happen in the month or next quarter.
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As a LinkedIn Top Voice, Forbes Contributor, and corporate coach, I have had the privilege of mentoring and coaching numerous managers throughout my career. From recruitment to tech, non-profits to education, and even hospitality. I have seen first-hand the transformative power of effective leadership. Seven of my own employees were promoted and progressed to other roles internally as a result of my coaching leadership approach.
Imagine the incredible possibilities that await your organization when you fully leverage your existing talent. If you're ready to witness transformational results and take your business to new heights, join forces with me.
There are are a few ways that I can help you:
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