6 Reasons for #LeadersLead

I’ve been asked why I decided to start the #LeadersLead sessions so I thought I would share it on the blog. We are all familiar with the power that comes from attending a solid training/development session. The new ideas, the fresh perspectives, the excitement of putting them into practice. But when you get back, life happens and implementing becomes a challenge because it wasn’t a transformation, it was an event.
 
I saw this as a way to expand the positive impact of one-on-one mentoring that is more than the group-coaching trend that has gained traction. Because it’s not about me. Leadership is not about you. It’s about the people you are impacting. This is what led me to the concept of we need to learn from each other. To have those safe, small-group discussions on a larger stage. To maximize the impact and outreach. To establish a community where people are committed to impact others by being impacted themselves.
 
When leaders have a growth mindset, they seek out opportunities to learn and improve. When leaders have an IMPACT mindset, they are seeking opportunities to grow AND help others grow as well. Let's build this community together.
 
Our first session will be on July 26th at 12pm CST. The first topic will be Employee Engagement. You can register by clicking HERE.  I scheduled this for 30 minutes because while it may not be enough time to have an in-depth discussion on the topic, we are all busy and it should be enough to stir the drink, to turn the soil, and start the growth process. For those that have more time, we can keep the discussion going.
 
NOT EVERYONE HAS A MENTOR
The reality is that not every leader has a mentor. Official or unofficial that they are comfortable going to and have some tough conversations. While I highly suggested having a mentor or a coach to help you on your leadership journey, it can be costly to pay for the services and some companies frown on the approach. This won’t take the place of a quality mentor/coach, but there are some benefits as well due to variety of perspectives and experiences that you will hear.
 
IT’S A SAFE PLACE
Some people are not comfortable discussing certain situations with coworkers. It could get back to others who might be the focus of the issue. Coworkers may think that you are not capable and lack the leadership necessary for the position if you ask for assistance. Maybe politics are practiced, and you are afraid of retribution or a hit on your reputation. Here, it’s a virtual environment where you can choose to share or simply listen and gather ideas. You can grab the mic, type in the chat or just participate in the polls.
 
NOT EVERY LEADER IS AN EXTROVERT
It doesn’t matter if you do personality tests like Myers Briggs or DISC, or you move into the behavior and communication styles like Social Style™, being a leader isn’t about being an extrovert or an introvert. Some leaders are more comfortable holding the mic while others just want to listen. That’s okay. The hope is that as trust and respect grows in this environment, people will be open to being vulnerable and transparent. When they are ready, we can hand them the mic and they can share their stories and experiences.
 
EXPAND YOUR NETWORK
You will meet, hear, and observe other leaders who are committed to a growth mindset. They recognize and accept that they don’t know everything. You have a community where you can find people that you could connect with outside of #LeadersLead to get advice, share experiences, and create benchmarking opportunities.
 
I’M SELFISH
Sometimes, it’s okay to be selfish. This is a way that I can continue to grow for all the same reasons I have written here. Remember, it’s about Leaders Growing Together. We learn from each other's success AND failures. We gain perspectives that may be different from our own and expand our understanding of different situations.
 
FACTORIAL > ADDITION
This is really the best representation of the power of #LeadersLead. It’s not about the sum of the knowledge of the participating leaders. I hate to pull out the Buzzword Bingo, but the “synergy” created by having everyone participate really has the potential for exponential IMPACT. During regular one-on-one type of coaching sessions, you have two people that are directly impacted, and multiple other people can feel the ripple effect. But in this setting, it’s a bigger conversation where everybody is taking away something different. Everyone is applying what is said to their similar but unique situation. That is why I call this Factorial IMPACT. The impact on every person is multiplied by that person’s ability to impact others.
 
So, there it is, 6 reason on why I started #LeadersLead, which hopefully are reasons that resonates with you. We would love to have you take 30 minutes out of your day to spend some time with us. Share, listen, and grow with us. To make an IMPACT in your life and the life of others. Because leaders just don’t lead today, they lead Beyond Today.

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