Where You Need To Be Learning

When I was fresh out of college I knew everything.  There was not one thing I did not know, at least that’s what I told myself.  As a leader I bought the lie, “I had to have all the answers, even if it meant making it up.”

Courtesy of lethaargic/Creative Commons License

A true leader is always going to be learning.  He or she is someone who wants to learn because they know they don’t have all the answers.  As a leader you need to be a sponge where you are taking in wisdom, and information to better yourself.  And to continuously better yourself you need to be:

LEARNING FROM OTHER LEADERS

You are not the first to tackle a problem or overcome an obstacle.  There are men and women who have had immense struggles followed by incredible accomplishments.  Find those leaders and learn from their journey.

IMMERSED IN OUTSIDE THE BOX EXPERIENCES

Sometimes you need to look outside your field to grow further in it.  Often time we get tunnel focused on what we do.  Participating in something fresh and outside of the box will stimulate new approaches.

Look at team building exercises (i.e. ropes course) or take a class at a local community college that challenges you to to outside the normal routine.  Use those experiences to learn how you handle stress and limitations.

ENGAGED IN A VARIETY OF PERSPECTIVES

Learning together is more powerful than growing on your own.  Whether it’s attending a conference or reading a book when you get people together it opens you up to new perspectives.

Find a group of people who aren’t afraid to be brutally honest.  Attend a conference or read a book together.  Meet regularly and ask questions.  You’ll discover some powerful insights you might have missed if learning on your own.

HUMBLED BY GOD

God knows you don’t know everything, so quite pretending with Him.  Instead spend time asking God to introduce you to people, places and opportunities that will challenge you to grow.  He knows what you need to know and learn.

As a leader you do not have to have all the answers. But, you should always be growing, which means constantly learning.  The pursuit of wisdom, and Truth will keep you humble and help you recognize that you cannot do this on your own.