ELI Group's Blog

Living in the Past or the Future?

One of the most challenging tasks for most leaders is finding time to think.  While leaders may claim that they spend all day “thinking,” what they’re actually doing is “reacting.”  Consider where you spend a majority of your day:  responding to email, sitting in meetings, answering phone calls, dealing with emerging employees issues, etc.  While these are all necessary activities, how much time is actually spent in planful consideration of the future? 

The risk of continually operating in “fire-fighting ” mode is that you’re primarily living in the past — the issues have already occurred and you’re responding to them in some way.  In order to be a more effective leader, time and energy should also be directed towards the future — planning for upcoming opportunities, considering creative new solutions, preparing your group for what’s around the corner.  The challenge is finding ways to actually make this happen:

1. Block time on your calendar on a weekly basis for thinking about the future.  Protect this time by yourself as much as possible so that you can truly engage in thoughtful reflection.  Resist the tendency to use this time to simply catch-up on email.
2. Set personal targets for where you want your group to be in 5 years.  While this may align with established organizational goals, don’t feel like you need to limit yourself in that way. 
3. Allow some group time in your team meetings for brainstorming.  Avoid slipping into problem-solving mode and focus instead on proactive planning.

By carving out time to really attend to the future, you’ll find that you can actually lead in a more intentional and impactful way.

Continued Development for High Potentials

Companies are paying more attention than ever to identifying high potential employees within their organizations.  However there is much debate about whether or not to let these high potential employees know that they have been identified as such.  Unfortunately many people who are labeled as “high potential” tend to derail.  This happens because, sadly, these employees begin to feel entitled to promotion opportunities and lose sight of crucial self-awareness.  So what should you do if you’re identified as “high potential” within your organization?

1. Reflect on what additional skills are needed at the next level.  Don’t make the mistake of assuming that you will just be doing more of the same.  Focus on what is new and unique in more senior-level roles.  This shows that you understand how the next level is different from your current role.
2. Continue to pursue personal development opportunities in all forms (e.g., training, coaching, mentoring).  See all new experiences as learning opportunities and seek out different ways to expand your thinking.  This shows that you recognize the importance of life-long learning.
3. Identify mentor(s) from other parts of the company to broaden your organizational understanding.  If possible, also seek out people from other organizations to establish peer-mentoring relationships.  This shows that you value and cultivate professional relationships.

By continuing to focus personal development, you actively demonstrate the wisdom of strong leaders — the awareness that we all have significant strengths and weaknesses and that there are always opportunities to learn and grow.  While confidence is often seen as a key trait for leaders, self-awareness is actually much more important in the long-term.