Summer is the Time

Summer is the time millions of Americans head on vacations to recharge and rejuvenate themselves. But summer, even late summer, is also the ideal time to recharge your leadership. One of the fastest ways to re-energize your approach to leadership is to take a short break from it. But just taking a quick break won’t take you to the next level in leadership skills. To do that, you need a leadership community. You need a place to go where you can hear fresh perspectives from other professionals developing their own leadership skills.

Having a company with employees doesn’t automatically make someone a leader. Conversely, running a company while inspiring those employees to achieve remarkable feats reveals great leadership skills. Unfortunately, over time we all tend to lose our edge and our perspective narrows. It takes a conscientious effort to expand those horizons.

Shift your Perspective

Your perspective shifts when you move. Opening up to a different point of view is the first step to broadening your horizons. Engaging with other leaders as each of you Sharing leadership experiences and challenges is a step toward that new perspective.

Try Something New and Uncomfortable

Most of us are built to prefer routine, but new experience is invaluable. By trying something new, you challenge your comfort zone and stretch your skill set. When it isn’t easy or comfortable, your brain kicks into the next level of problem solving. Every new experience, even if it’s just trying a new food, stimulates your brain’s fluid intelligence.

Fluid intelligence involves the ability to think creatively and abstractly to problem-solve. Your new experiences are training your brain to consider things in new ways; they definitely recharge your leadership skills.

Engage with Other Leaders

Engaging with other talented leaders, opens you up to innovative approaches to ways to reach your team more effectively. Though companies want communicative, interpretive and other collaborative skills in their staff, traditional training isn’t delivering it. It isn’t enough to talk to other execs at your office. A step outside traditional training by reaching out to other industry professionals will expose a fresh approach to communication.

Leadership needs more from a communication than to efficiently convey information to others. Great leaders use communication to move people to think and act differently, both  alone, and in conjunction with the team. They use communication to create action as well as understanding. Interacting with other peers who have mastered this skill helps all of us learn how it is done.

Work on Fitness

There is never enough time for all the things you need to do. Sadly, what you want to do begins to feel like an indulgence.  But leaving out exercise can lead to brain drain. A cup of caffeine won’t give your brain nearly the same boost that exercise delivers. Stress is part of the daily grind. Exercise is proven to alleviate both stress and negativity and the effect both have on your body. Stop to think about your blood flow, which is much better when you work out. Summer is a great time to work out, feel better and recharge your leadership skills, so use it and enjoy how fitness enhances all the other aspects of your life.

Recharge Your Leadership Skills With Other Leaders

With the Sun on overtime, summer feels like the right moment to take a fresh look at your goals and your leadership. Leaders create culture, so it’s valuable to remember that your team depends on your engagement. The good news is that none of us has to do everything alone. When you need to shift your perspective, new experiences and the input of other leaders, take a moment to check in at The Leader Core. We think the community will help you as you recharge your leadership.  After all, TLC is leader powered, leader driven and leadership enriching. See you at the Core.