Challenging Your Leadership

By Doug Franklin January 21, 2014

In leadership, it’s sometimes nice not having someone challenging your leadership. Challenges to our leadership actually can make us grow. We have to take a long look in the mirror and make changes that affect our maturity. While sometimes painful they produce real leadership growth for us.

So what do you do when you don’t have any challenges to your leadership but you still want to grow? You have to challenge yourself. Ask yourself these questions in order to challenge your own leadership.

1. Are you doing the same things you were doing last year?
Repetition can rob us of creativity. It’s easier to do what we did last year, less stress. When we force ourselves to create, we have to challenge status quo, think outside the box. In doing so we push ourselves to go beyond what we have always done.

2. Who is a young leader I can develop?
We grow as leaders when we help others grow as leaders. When we are forced to verbalize our leadership process we become more intentional. This intentionality will drive growth for us personally.

3.  Who is doing what I am doing but better?
There is always someone doing the same job we are doing but better. Connect with them and find out why they are doing what they are doing. Ask them lots of questions and listen for successful actions and past mistakes. Come away with one action step you can take to grow your leadership.

4. What is one risk you can take in your leadership in the next month?
I am not talking about setting a goal; I am challenging you to take a risk and do something in leadership that you have never done before. Something that will stretch your leadership and cause you growth. This should not be easy but should require you to interact with people in ways that will humble you.

“Image courtesy By Stuart Miles/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net”.