The start of a new year.  The perfect time to take stock and plan for the year ahead.  For some of you that includes an interest in developing your leadership skills.     

Leaders I work with have learned everything they know on the job.  Without the benefit of any structured process. And they’ve made it work.  But at this point in their career, they’d like to take a more deliberate approach.  Focus their efforts. And evaluate their progress.

They just aren’t sure how to get started.  

Sound familiar?

Here’s three ways to structure your leadership development efforts in 2020. And the decade ahead. 

Level 1: Learn a Little       

Level 1 may seem a little too easy for you overachievers.  But don’t underestimate the ROI of reading 30 minutes/day. It punches way above its weight class.  

A little every day adds up.  Just 30 minutes a day and in a year you’ll have spent ~23 days reading. 

Impressive. 

Now, when I say reading, I’m including podcasts, videos, magazines, audiobooks, hardcopy, articles…..… I’m including everything.     

If you’ve thought about doing this in the past, but never got around to it, this time can be different.  There’s a reason you never started before.   

It’s the paradox of choice

There are so many options it makes it hard to know which book or podcast or…… It makes it hard to know where to start. 

A few simple steps will change that.    

1. Start by Scheduling:    

   • There isn’t a lot of free time in your day, so you may need to get creative. 

   • If you commute - that’s perfect.  Lunch hour? Maybe steal away to a nearby park or library a few days/week?  Read a little at bedtime. Popular choice.  

   • How about a little multitasking?  During a workout or a run? When you’re making dinner?  If you’ve got sporty kids, how about pop in your air pods during practice?   Unless you’re the coach. I’m told that’s frowned upon.  

   • Stay flexible with the amount of time.  If 15 minutes/day is all you have, it’s enough.  Or maybe you read on weekdays and take weekends off.  You get the idea 

2. Pick your Format(s):  The reason to schedule first is that it often dictates the best format for you.  Read, watch or listen from your various devices. Go old school with print. Whatever works.  The only caution is using your device at bedtime. It can mess with your ability to fall asleep.

3. What to Read:  Here’s where things get a bit complicated.  When it comes to leadership, the options seem infinite. I had a few suggestions.  But when I started writing …...things got a little out of control. It was a LOT. So I’ll have some suggestions in the months ahead. And you can check out my recommendations from 2018.     

Level 2:  Change a Thing or Two

In Level 1, you worked on changing what you know. Level 2 - it’s about changing what you do.  

For some changes, all you need is a reminder and you’ll get right on it. Maybe there’s a time management suggestion you’ve been meaning to try.  

But some changes are harder to make. If there’s something you’ve tried in the past and not had much success, it could be you haven’t given it the attention it requires.  

It’s hard enough to protect your time. But attention? Who even thinks about that?  

The demands for your attention are ceaseless. Making a change - that requires your full attention. Frequently through the day. Often at unexpected times. Multi-tasking is not an option.   

Devoting the attention you need is no small thing. Once you've decided what to work on, mentally walk through your day. When will you need to fully focus on this new behaviour? What other demands will there be for your attention? Do you have a strategy or two to keep your focus where it needs to be?   

No wonder you haven’t been able to make the changes you wanted. There’s a lot to this changing behaviour thing.      

And that assumes you know what to work on. If not, time to ask for a little feedback. From your boss, team and colleagues.

Level 3:  Hire a Coach

Okay…. Perhaps a slight bias here. But shameless plug aside, hear me out. Hiring a coach is a great option. And I’m not the only one who thinks so.  While only a 1/3rd of CEOs and senior executives work with coaches, almost all want to according to a survey from Stanford Business School.

This is a great option for those who’ve gotten as far as they can on their own. Don’t have the time (or patience) to set up their own plan/program. Can’t get the feedback they need to focus thier efforts Or want genuinely want outside leadership coaching and advice. It’s tough going it alone.     

Then there are the blindspots. We all have them. Coaching is an ideal strategy to figure out what they are. And work to eliminate them. Or at least minimize their impact.      

An Executive/Leadership Coach (they’re the same thing btw) will have a process to help you figure out what to focus on. Set goals/objectives and develop a plan to reach those goals.  

An added benefit is that executing on your plan becomes non-negotiable. It doesn’t end up at the bottom of your very long to-do list.  

This is also the most time effective way to learn new skills. You can learn a new skill in a single meeting. And still have time left to work on more. 

There’s a coaching program to fit any schedule and most budgets. And because they’re easy to customize you can find one that’s perfect for your needs.

I could go on for days, but let's end it here. If you have questions about coaching, drop me a note and I’ll get back to you tickety-boo.  

Wrapping Up 

Is 2020 the year you up your leadership game?  January is the perfect time to start. Try out of one of the options above to get started. 

A word of caution.  Don’t underestimate the power of inertia.  It’s tough starting something new. Sart small.  You can always amp up your efforts once you’ve got a little momentum. 

Cheers to the year ahead.