Is Now the Right Time to Invest in Your Leadership Development?
By: Patty Prosser, Co-Founder
We are navigating in uncharted waters. The challenges our current situation is presenting to corporate leaders is both rare and unusual. Most, if not all of us, have never experienced anything like this before, in our lives, let alone our careers.
Having to practice social distancing and operate virtually, for many of us, has been a game changer. While many of us are just trying to keep our businesses afloat, others are now faced with leading virtual teams that are still responsible for delivering on major projects or goals. This new way of “working” and the current business landscape makes the challenges of “leading” even greater than ever before.
This week, I was on a call with a leader I am coaching, (normally held face to face), when she raised the question, “How can I effectively report to other leadership, the highlights and value of my team’s contributions, in the midst of a global pandemic with a virtual workforce?” Her concern was that the team may not be getting the recognition they deserve for the important work they were doing, because they were working virtually. She wanted advice on ways that she could ensure their hard work was acknowledged by the leadership of the company.
There are a number of ways to ensure that ones team gets recognition in a virtual work environment, but it requires a leader to be intentional and communicative with leadership. The recommendation I made was to start a weekly “Success Update” to the leadership, highlighting her team’s accomplishments and contributions to the business outcomes, each week. By providing weekly updates, the information is timely for the leadership, but also constantly in front of them. This becomes critical as businesses need to make decisions about staffing, layoffs, and expense cuts – because they’ll always have timely and current information about the work of your team and their contributions to the success of the business.
My client thought that was excellent advice. In these times of adjusting to the new normal, I am certain that this client is not alone in her desire to get recognition for her team and for her own accomplishments, as well as needing advice on how to lead in these uncharted waters.
As female leaders, we often struggle with promoting what we and our teams are doing that is making a difference. We’d like to improve those skills, but often don’t find the time or seek help in our development. We also struggle with asking for help, much less knowing who to seek the help from when we actually ask.
Now is the time to invest in your leadership development – to not only gain guidance on how to lead during these difficult times, but the development that will allow you to THRIVE in them.
The path to your own professional success starts with a critical look in the mirror. What you see — your greatest strengths and deepest values — are the foundations you must build on. A coach can help you do that – to take a look at where you are now and provide education, coaching, and support to help you manage the current reality, as well as advance your skills and your career. Even the most competent woman leader can benefit from taking a step back and gaining clarity about her leadership effectiveness and what she can be doing differently.
Make now, the best time, to make and investment in yourself!
Find out more about how The Center for Leadership Excellence‘s Coaching for Women Leaders can help you capitalize on your strengths while building new skills for even greater effectiveness.
For more information, call Patty Prosser at 317-264-4178 or pprosser@cciindy.com.
Or visit our website at www.cleindy.com.