As we enter the second month of the new year, many leaders may already be wondering where the time is going. We begin to reflect on the lofty goals we set for ourselves at the end of last year, not totally sure how we will meet them at the rate we are moving. We seemed so excited to try out some new strategies and take on stretch assignments. Yet now that we have begun our 2023 journey, we may be questioning our choices. We may be asking ourselves:
“What was I thinking taking on these time-consuming responsibilities?”
“Do I really have the skills and experience to pursue this path?”
“I want to grow my leadership but why am I feeling totally out of my league here?”
“How can I gain some confidence?”
STOP! Although these questions are worthy of asking, leaders owe it to themselves to understand what is happening in their personal and professional lives. They are deserving of taking a moment to breathe and analyze their beliefs.
Here are five beliefs to toss aside to allow your leadership to soar:
1. The Goals I Set Are Way Too Big
Really? The goals you set for this new year were perfectly acceptable and reasonable a couple of months ago and the only thing that has changed is taking them on. Now is a good time to remind yourself what was important about how you wanted to work in 2023. Focus on the successes you want to achieve and break down the goals into chunk size objectives. Unless something really gigantic changed, take this crazy belief and kick it to the curb.
2. I Don’t Have Enough Experience
This belief trips up many leaders so often. It’s laughable that we can be working in a job or career for a bunch of years and still feel the sense of imposter syndrome. Of course we keep learning and fine tuning our leadership every year with our new experiences, but that doesn’t mean we don’t have enough background right now. Take stock in your experience level by asking:
- What actions did I take the past few years that I am most proud of?
- Where have I received recognition in my past assignments?
- Which experiences have brought me to where I am today?
3. I am Missing the Right Skills
There is no such thing as having the “right” skills. The better way to think about skills is acknowledging our abilities to tackle projects. When you decided how you wanted to approach this year, you must have felt some clarity on what skills were needed to perform well. Perhaps there are a few areas of development you are still eager to improve, but that that doesn’t mean you aren’t well-equipped to forge ahead in a meaningful way. Stop pondering and start propelling forward.
4. There Is Just Not Enough Time In My Day
Is there really not enough time in the day to do the job or is it something else? Time is a funny thing and how each leader chooses to use it is unique. We can sometimes get caught up in not wanting to follow through on an assignment because we aren’t that interested. However, if that task is critical to the outcome, we may need to own it. When leaders find themselves in a time trap some helpful ways to look at it include:
- Identifying the priorities of what has to be accomplished.
- Gaining clarity on the true timeframes and deadlines.
- Delegating tasks that can help others develop their leadership.
5. This New Role Is Not for Me
Finally, a belief to definitely toss aside is allowing our fears to take over our mastering a new role. It can feel overwhelming to be in an unfamiliar workspace with new team members as well as new responsibilities. It can take every ounce of energy and focus to remain strong to own a new position or career. However, don’t give up and not allow your leadership to blossom into the magnificent butterfly you are destined to be.
What beliefs have you tossed aside to grow your leadership?