Not another goal setting post

This is not another goal setting post. In fact it’s kinda the opposite.

As it’s almost time to pop the corks, wave the sparklers and kiss random people, I thought I’d nudge you for a moment.

As the year comes to a close and we herald in a new one, it’s exciting to pack up the old memories, the highs and lows, the lessons the achievements, and look forward to the shiny possibilities of a brand new chapter in our lives.

Some people I know spend big chunks of time in solitude jotting down all the moments, learning from the stuff-ups, from each hard conversation, each A-ha moment, and patting themselves on the back for the glorious times. They then plug these learnings into their elaborate goal setting process, their personal and professional development plans, and they continue to mull over them to ensure they don’t repeat the crap.

I’m not one those people.

Never have been.

And have finally stopped beating myself up about not being one of those people!

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Go beyond satisfaction

As the year draws to a close, I’m reflecting on what impact I had this year. On my husband, my kids, my clients, my suppliers and my prospects.

I wonder …did I do everything I possibly could during those interactions to add value, to be kind, to be generous, to add positive pages to the story they will tell about me..?

Once upon a time, meeting expectations was enough for a business to be considered ‘doing well’. If every meal was served piping hot, served in a timely fashion, with a smile—the restaurant owner won. If the stylist was on time, didn’t pull or burn your hair and said ‘thank you’ as you left it was a ‘good experience’.

Now, efficiency is expected. It’s the minimum requirement for operating any business.

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The lost art of listening

Listening is one of the key areas of leadership I discussed in last week’s blog about 3 Simple Ways to Elevate Your Leadership. I had some interesting reactions to this so wanted to dive a bit further into the notion of truly LISTENING and its ability to make your leadership soar.

I’m sure there has been a time in your life when you’ve had a conversation with someone and knew for sure that he or she wasn’t really listening, right? And it’s pretty easy to tell when it’s happening too….usually through lack of eye contact, facial expressions, or the loathed phrase “What did you just say?” Unfortunately, unless you’re an angel, chances are that the shoe has also been on the other foot and you have been guilty of the same behaviour (guilty as charged – particularly with children who take forever to get to the point!!!) People know when we’re distracted and not actually ‘present’.

So I’d like to discuss the lost art of listening.

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3 simple ways to elevate your leadership – without an MBA!

I asked a question in my Facebook group, The Content Couch, a few weeks back about leadership. I wanted to know who they considered a leader in their field and, most importantly, why.

The overwhelming reasons for ‘why’ people were considered leaders were these:

– credibility
– visibility
– likability
– great content
– organised

The thing is that it’s easier to appear to be a leader in the digital age than ever before.
Just talk more, talk louder, be more places, offer more things.
Be funny, be everywhere, be everything.

Right?

Wrong.

The problem with many so-called leaders in entrepreneurial land is that there is a lot of smoke and mirrors. You may talk the talk, but can you actually waltz and jive and floss the walk too?

In my opinion, great leaders aren’t necessarily born leaders. They also aren’t created overnight. And they most certainly aren’t created by having the biggest social media following or most expensive program. Leaders rise up as circumstances appear, but it takes work and a willingness to grow to become a GREAT leader.

And, of course, growth doesn’t happen overnight either. However you dno’t need more training or an MBA to improve your leadership.

Take 3 simple steps, TODAY, to elevate your leadership quickly:

1. Serve

Serve your team both internally and externally. Meet their needs personally, but also lead by example in serving those beyond your business, into the wider community. The younger workforce are increasingly interested in how a business can give back and make a difference; a social conscience is a huge selling point as an employer.

2. Listen

Great leaders listen more than they speak. Never ask questions if you’re not prepared to hear the answers. Listening is a powerful way to engage people and it makes you more intelligent about your team, your customers, your processes, your community. Two ears, one mouth.

3. Seek discomfort

This may sound odd at first, but getting uncomfortable is the only way to grow. Push your boundaries and be alert to areas you can improve. Be delighted by discomfort so that you can be purposeful when it arrives and then quickly move through change phases. If you don’t embrace change, you limit your life to that which is already known.

By listening to your team and your followers you will naturally serve them better, increase your likeability and also do wonders for your credibility. By embracing change you will become more visible, by necessity you’ll be more organised, and you’ll also generate awesome fodder for stories to share!

These 3 things don’t take a university degree to figure out, they don’t require money to do and they aren’t time-consuming.
Make a shift in your perception of leadership, and create some simple habits, and you’ll be perceived as a genuinely great leader before you know it.

Happy storysharing.
JJ x

ps. We are going to be working through this leadership framework in much more detail on retreat in Bali. Will you join me? Don’t forget the Super Early Bird price of $2497 (single room) and $2197 (twin share) is on until December 31. What better Christmas present could you gift yourself? Comment below if you’re keen to find out more.