Integrate being curious into your daily routines. Challenge yourself and your team to think differently, question assumptions, and relentlessly pursue new knowledge and understanding. The future of your organization could depend on how effectively you cultivate this essential quality. As Walt Disney said, “We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things because we’re curious, and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths.”
When I come across a leader who consistently remains seated at their desk or in meetings, it raises red flags for me. While I am not a fan of a constant open-door policy, having your door closed all the time is much worse. You must get up from your chair, leave your office, and circulate among your employees. In addition, you also need to be in the field regularly, meeting with your top customers and business partners. Leadership is an active, not a passive, activity.
You can never lose your edge in business as a leader. The moment you get complacent your organization becomes vulnerable to its competitors and the vagaries of the marketplace. I’ve seen many good companies and talented leaders get caught off guard by changes taking place in their industry or economic realities they were slow to identify and adapt to. The pace of change is only accelerating as the world becomes flatter, technological innovations come more quickly, and customers push for more options at lower prices. Being good enough no longer works, at least not for any extended period of time. Today’s champion is tomorrow’s goat if he/she gets complacent or rests on his/her laurels.
Leadership requires diligent work and study. Very few people can just show up and make it happen. You might be able to depend on your instincts and work ethic for a while, but eventually, these methods won’t be enough. The opportunities and challenges confronting the organization will be greater and more complex than your own personal experience (and capability to solve them). The stakes will get higher, and so will the risk. You won’t always find the answers easily, and at times, you may feel overwhelmed.
Knowledge doesn’t just mean being book smart, although this is often an important variable and shouldn’t be downplayed. It becomes wisdom when it is complemented with life experience and cultivated by a keen interest and/or passion in something. It involves both breadth and depth. There is no such thing as a one-dimensional expert.
You shouldn’t view reading as work. If it doesn’t come naturally, start small and avoid pushing yourself too hard too soon. The good news is that your reading capability will develop like a muscle, and it will only get easier with practice and time. You can also listen to audiobooks.
I understand the need for people to take a mental break, but this shouldn’t be a lifestyle choice. When media programming preys on your vulnerabilities, stokes your fears, and deliberately misinforms you and/or distorts the facts, there is something wrong. Even worse (in my humble opinion) is when what you are watching or reading “dumbs down” your perspective on things and acts more like “brain candy” (which is defined by the Urban Dictionary as an enjoyable experience because it stimulates the mind pleasantly but doesn’t actually make it work)…
If you condition yourself to be in a constant earning mode it will happen. Your brain can’t help but listen to what you tell it. One way to ensure this happens is to keep a daily log/diary of your learnings. At the end of just one month, you’ll be surprised what you’ve accomplished.
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