“People tell me they don’t have time to work on their development as a leader (or for that matter, the development of their subordinates either).” Always chasing fires. Running at a hectic pace. Always pulled away. “If I could spend more time in my section, I could be more available to teach and discuss things with my people.”
So if you’ve been waiting for a big chunk of time, or a golden opportunity to do some of the things you say you want to do, good luck. It’s probably not to be.
But what you do have, are plenty of minor moments. Short interactions, brief encounters, small visitations, little bits of time that you can use to take a “one step forward.” A year of these singular steps offers significant progress. And when you’ve learned to harness time in this way, you’ve significantly separated yourself from the crowd.
But you first need to choreograph your moves.
That means, to use these small times for big ends, you need to first think about the growth you want to generate. Second, decide what the steps are. And third, act on your vision. As you weave this thread through your daily routine, you’ll reap the rewards of a life well led.
One step at a time works. John Maxwell wisely said, “Leaders grow daily … not in a day.”
Yes. We all have the time to learn and grow. It’s just hidden in the moment.
– Jerry Strom
Twitter: @JerryRStrom.
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This article is based on the *’The Limiting Factors Leadership Study: A Critical Look at the Leadership Development Experience,’ copyright 2015, by Jerry Strom & Company, Inc. Find the Research Abstract, along with descriptions of many of our other research projects at http://www.jerrystrom.com/js_research.html . Find short insights on Twitter at #LimitingFactorsRPT