You decide to get in shape. To you, this means increased strength and better health.
As one who has taken that journey in recent years, I can tell you that between that decision and that result is an intense cycle of challenge and growth. You challenge muscles you have not used in years. You push them to their limits. And they grow.
As they grow, you become stronger, more stable, and healthier.
And, despite millions of dollars spent on magic formulas, there really are no shortcuts.
No challenge…no growth…no strength.
In today’s business world, there are companies, leaders, and teams who need to get in shape. Maybe their earnings are anemic; their expenses are out of control; their leadership is weak; or their teams are apathetic.
How do you create your own business health plan?
You do it the same way you gain health physically. You apply challenge.
Here are the three areas of growth.
1. Grow Yourself
What you learned decades ago in business school was just the start of your education. What have you done this year, this month, and this week to grow personally and professionally?
Have you read a book, attended a workshop, gotten counsel, or taken a class? Have you taken the time to learn from your people?
Good leaders constantly look for opportunities to be coached, challenged, and inspired. You have to – because others depend on you to be the best you can be. You will never be perfect; but you can always be growing and learning.
Strong companies are dependent on strong leadership. There are myriads of examples out there where an otherwise strong company was taken down by a weak leader. You owe it to yourself, your team, and your company to grow and strengthen yourself as a leader.
2. Grow Your People
Just as much as you need to grow as a leader, each person on your team needs opportunities for growth, challenge, and inspiration as well. The act of being challenged, then coached and guided through that challenge to a new plateau, builds a person’s self-esteem just like exercise builds muscle.
Leaders can be good at issuing challenges; but they may not be as good at coaching and guiding. This leads to employees – perhaps even some of yours – who may be thinking or saying some of these statements.
“I used to love my work; now I get a knot in my stomach every Sunday night as I get ready to go back to work on Monday.”
“I am not sure I am up to the challenge of this new position.”
“I have lost my creative inspiration for my work.”
“I have no idea what is expected of me. I feel like I am just putting in time until I can retire…and retirement is years away.”
“I have given my heart and soul to several companies; and, in the end, I am just as unemployed as the next victim of downsizing. Why bother?”
Today’s employees have been through more than their fair share of employment issues. In many cases, their self-esteem has taken a proverbial beating in the last few years of corporate downsizing and increasing adoption of artificial intelligence.
It has affected their vocational health.
What they are really saying is, “Challenge me. Coach me. Inspire me. Give me an opportunity to grow.”
As a leader, you are responsible for advancing the vision of your organization. In order to do that, you need a strong team. You are given the opportunity to not only build a strong team, but to build strong people. Meeting this opportunity and challenge not only strengthens you as a leader; it strengthens each team member. It is a win-win situation.
There are no more loyal employees than those who are given the chance to grow personally and professionally in their work – and who are guided in doing so by a leader who truly cares about each individual.
Will you be that leader?
3. Grow Your Business
How can you build a healthy business? The same way you build a healthy physical body – you grow intentionally.
Ask yourself:
- What challenges can my company help others overcome?
- What guidance or solution can we offer our clients and customers?
- How can we inspire others to improve their lives or businesses as well?
Take some time to assess the functional health of yourself, your team, and your business.
- Vision – What does good health look like?
- Assessment – Where are you now? What are your numbers? What is working? What is not?
- Challenge – What challenges do you face?
- Fitness Plan – How can you overcome those challenges?
- What new habits do you need to incorporate?
- What old habits do you need to release?
- How will you hold yourself, your team, and your company accountable?
Do you want a healthy business and life?
Start with vision, assess where you are, face the challenges, and create a plan for growth!
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Dave Ferguson is “The Leaders’ Coach”, an internationally recognized executive leadership coach, speaker, facilitator, and author. Are you interested in talking to Dave about coaching or having Dave speak to inspire and motivate your team? “ASK COACH DAVE” at 704-907-0171 or at Dave@AskCoachDave.com.