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I’ve never let my fear of academic settings be an excuse to halt my progress as a learner. Try thinking of yourself as a business. What would be the result of ceasing to grow as a company? Bankruptcy or extinction. Learning works the same way. The reality is if you’re not growing forward, you’re going backwards! Try these 3 steps towards becoming a lifelong learner:

1) Read. Readers are leaders. Books are packed with rich information. Industry magazines stay up to date on the latest news. Internet articles and blogs are full of insight and trends. Whenever I have “down time” I try to read so I can learn more and get inspired with new ideas. No one is too “busy” to read. You just have to put a priority on it and stay disciplined. Take advantage of this age of information and fill your brain with new knowledge!

2) Research. Let’s focus on online research. The power of the internet is at your fingertips. With all the search engines available, it makes looking for statistics, expert interviews and data on your industry competitors simple. Leaders of every industry do research to stay ahead of the trends. All you need to do is turn on your computer, punch in your desired keywords and read!

3) Reach Out. There’s only so much you can learn on your own. To be the best, stay connected to others. Learning does not happen in a vacuum. Set time aside for networking and meeting with people. As a sole proprietor, I reach out to multiple contacts per week. Don’t focus on trying to “sell” yourself, instead offer your help and collaborate with others. Eventually opportunities will arise. You can learn so much from others who have a different perspective and experience than you do. With an open mind, you can always learn from others.

Being a lifelong learner is journey. There is no “finish line.” Self-motivation, discipline and focus are necessary to succeed. If you have a hard time staying consistent, hire a coach to create a strategy and keep you accountable. At times you won’t feel driven to learn because it’s hard. Just remember the most successful people don’t depend on “feeling” motivated to learn, they just do it. Start your journey of being a lifelong learner today!

Organizations always talk about succession planning, yet few implement effective mentoring programs. The heart of leadership development is desiring your successor to be more successful than yourself. True succession planning is taking your ego out of the agenda. Here’s three steps for effective succession planning.

1) Invest. Choose someone. There is no “perfect” candidate. Most people think leadership development is finding someone who is just like you. Leadership is about results, not style. The first step is about pouring your heart and mind into someone else’s life. Teach them what you’ve learned. Share your experiences with them. Prevent them from making the same mistakes you did.

2) Develop their Style. It’s not about you. Identify what your potential successor’s strengths are and give them opportunities to maximize them. Part of knowing your strengths is realizing what your weaknesses are too. Learn to delegate tasks that others do better. Help your successor stay focused on the big picture (mission, vision, etc.) How they decide to reach those goals is their business. Put yourself in their shoes. Would you want someone telling you how to do your job?

3) Let them Go. After proper training, it’s time for you to move on. The current leader needs to step out of the way in order for the future leader to step into their new role. This can be the most difficult phase because it’s realizing that the current era is over and a new era is beginning. Reject the idea to micromanage. Part of learning is trial and error. The best thing you can do as a leader is just be supportive. Your season is up. Their season is starting. Measure how successful of a leader you are based on who you develop.

Leadership development is a long and challenging process. It takes humility to know when your time is up. Focus your attention on the legacy you want to leave. A litmus test is seeing how your successor functions when you’re not around. A leader is never bigger than the process. Start today by investing, developing and releasing your future leaders!

by John P. Kotter
Success easily produces complacency. In business or in life, our biggest detractor to acting with urgency is reminiscing about past successes. Complacency whispers, “Nothing is wrong. Everything is great!” In John P. Kotter’s book, A Sense of Urgency, he believes a true sense of urgency focuses on the critical issues and is driven to win now! Here are some practical ways to apply his principles:

1) Behave with Urgency Every Day. Learn to purge and delegate: eliminate activity that no longer adds high value. Next, move with speed: respond fast, move now. Thirdly, speak with passion: attitudes, feelings and actions are contagious. Try creating a strategy aimed at the hearts and minds of others. Past success tells us nothing about the future. Be “urgently patient”: act each day with a sense of urgency, but have a realistic view of time.

2) Find Opportunities in Crisis. Crisis isn’t always bad, it may actually be required to succeed under certain conditions. The next time you encounter a dilemma, try using the crisis to develop the urgency needed to create a better organization. Create a carefully considered strategy, then get buy-in from others. Create goals that will “stretch” others and seek to find more powerful partners. Overall, be proactive in assessing how people will react to change then do your best to turn disaster into triumph.

3) The Future Begins Today. Try something new. If an action doesn’t help, abandon it. If it works well, consider doing it more. Ask, “Is the way we do things around here a barrier to success?” Acting urgently is the tactic that creates results quickly. Action is the true test. You need to activate alertness, movement and leadership NOW!

Acting with a sense of urgency decreases complacency in your organization. It takes discipline to see the external world clearly. Don’t be a “victim” of “what’s worked in the past, will work in the future.” Start today by identifying new opportunities, avoiding hazards and finding ways to win!

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True or False?
My perception of networking used to be attending group functions to pass out and collect as many business cards as possible. I carried this assumption with me until just a month ago. Just recently, I learned the following lessons…

1) I Have to be Extroverted. False. Those who are extroverted probably do thrive at large group functions because they are energized by meeting new people and sharing stories. For those who are more introverted, think of ways to connect on a smaller scale. Try scheduling meetings one-on-one. Build the depth of your connections over time.

2) A Bigger Network is Better. False. You may have a large number of acquaintances, but very few “friends.” True, a bigger pool of connections helps, BUT still doesn’t guarantee anything. Think Quality over Quantity. I’d rather have 5 connections that I can depend on, than 100 whom I barely know.

3) The More Events I attend, the Faster Results will happen. False. Networking takes time. Success doesn’t happen overnight. Just because you are “busy” with many groups, doesn’t mean you are being “productive.” Managing your time is an essential skill in today’s world. Joining a group isn’t a bad thing, just make sure it serves a long-term goal. Get focused and prioritize your time. Knowing what NOT to spend your time on is just as important as what to spend your time on.

No one formula works for everyone. You have to know your personality, strengths and weaknesses, then go with what strategy “fits” you best. Networking is about building, not just making connections. Don’t “sell” to people, try to help them. Be genuine and have normal conversations. You’ll be amazed at what opportunities will pop up when you’re just being yourself…

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