5 Leadership Tools

What if you had the support and resources you needed to thrive and lead well.  What if, every morning you met your day thinking “I’ve got this!”?

Here are 5 tools that can support you in becoming a stronger leader.

1)    Clarity of Mission and Your Purpose – What gets you out of bed each morning? What do you hold most important? Are the two connected and do you spend most of your day focused on meeting them? Your mission and your purpose are what motivate and drive you. If you are not clear on either of these, then stop what you are doing and get clear.

2)    An Executive Coach – It can be lonely at the top. One way to alleviate your loneliness is through a Coach, a partner who creates a safe and supportive space to process challenging situations and develop action steps and helps you maintain focus on what is most important. Your Coach helps you pause and reflect on where you want to go and who you want to be when you get there, supports your growth, and celebrates your success.

3)    A Time Organization/Prioritization System – Finding your perfect system could be the holy grail of your leadership. Do you start your day with a list of tasks that will take longer then you have hours in your day? Are you often getting pulled in multiple directions? It is imperative that you stay focused on what is important and urgent. There are as many time management systems as items on your To Do list. I use the Best Self Journal and Planner but you don’t need a special notebook you just need a system that works for you. Schedule time on your calendar to play with different systems. In the meantime, no more than three major tasks a day and schedule what you need to do on your calendar.

4)    Your team – You hired smart people, now use them. Ask your team for their input and then really listen to them. Yes, ultimately, it is your final decision but I would encourage you to talk to your team, ask their opinion. Your team will be more invested in the final outcome which will probably be a better one because you’ve integrated different perspectives.   

5)    Strong Self-Support System – What are your non-negotiable activities that keep you mentally and physically healthy? To take care of others you must take of yourself first. It is not all about bubble baths and massages but activities that you incorporate into your daily schedule just like brushing your teeth.  Whatever you chose should be easy to incorporate into your day.   Figure out what works for you both in the office and out.  Taking care of yourself can take many forms and will look different for different people.

Looking at this list, where do you feel strong? What do you need to focus on? Each of these tools will enhance and strengthen your leadership in a different way. Put them all together and you will thrive!