Sometimes those who are more than qualified for senior management roles don’t put themselves forward and wind up stuck in a position that doesn’t play to their strengths. Why? It can be tempting to stay where it’s comfortable, especially if you feel like (or have been told) you’re missing the “it” factor needed to lead. As a result, many capable individuals never realize their true potential, despite having the expertise and drive that would make them inspiring leaders.
The good news: Reframe your thinking and you can get unstuck and move forward. Positive psychology expert and executive coach Homaira Kabir outlines strategies in this The Upside article to help you become your best self as a leader, whether you are aspiring to take on more responsibility at work or already in a management position and looking for ways to improve.
Her five recommended strategies include:
- Ditch Perfection
Perfectionism can be an impediment to progress. Obviously don’t be sloppy, but evaluate if aiming for perfection on every single project is holding you back. As Kabir explains, the drive to do everything perfectly “slows down decision-making, creates needless backlog, and adds a whole lot of stress for you and your team.”
- Risk Being Vulnerable
A natural part of being a leader is making decisions that not everyone is going to agree with. However, it is important to stand your ground and take criticism throughout the process as well as after it has played out. A good way to develop this skill is to always know the “why?” behind what you are doing.
- Banish Busyness
Having too much on the mind can hinder the creative process. Picking which tasks are most important to work on is crucial when getting things done. Once you have made that decision, facilitate an environment best suited to achieve that goal, i.e. closing all other tabs or setting your status to “do not disturb.”
To see all of Kabir’s tips, access the full article here.
