I love back to school. I love the excitement, anticipation and opportunity of looking forward to a new teacher, new subjects to learn, new friends and (of course) new clothes. Even though my back to school days are far behind me, I still feel the same excitement and anticipation each September. That got me thinking, how could we as leaders translate that same feeling to our businesses and our teams. What’s in our backpacks to help us create that same sense of energy and renewal? Here are some ideas to think about.
Bold; new learning and new projects take bold thinking. They also generate energy and anticipation of what could happen with a bold new undertaking. Have you been playing it safe in this difficult time? What’s a bold new educational opportunity or business line you’ve been thinking about that can create forward momentum for your team and business?
Agility; an all-important attribute to navigate our rapidly changing business landscape. It is also an important attribute to take advantage of the opportunities presented by change. Treat agility as a valued skill in your organization and make it exciting and fun to be able to pivot.
Curiosity; how do you identify those bold new projects you want to take on? Are you curious about new technology, about how current events may shape your business, about how you might restructure to make things work better, about what your competitors are doing?
Knowledge; be a life-long learner. Read and listen. Create opportunities for your staff to do the same. Place a high value on continued development in your organization. How about setting September aside as the month you create development plans with your staff? Make it back to school for them.
Passion; bring that original passion you had for your business and what you do back to life. The past 18 months have taken a lot out of all of us. Take some time to reflect on what drove you to achieve and what brought joy in your work. Create a plan to get that back if you’ve lost it.
Authenticity; every great leader is authentic and true to herself. The trust you build through showing your vulnerability and caring for others serves you throughout every situation good and difficult.
Clothes; you didn’t think I would skip this one did you? We have all gotten pretty casual as we moved to virtual meetings. I’m finding as I move back into some of my business clothing that it feels great and I feel ready for success. Try it and see- you’ll be surprised.
Keep; keep on experiencing the excitement, anticipation that a new school year used to bring to us. Find ways to keep re-energizing yourself and your team. And keep having fun.
Let me know if you need some help filling your backpack. I’m excited, enthusiastic and ready to help. [email protected]
