Last week as I wrapped up my virtual leadership talk on ‘The Unstoppable Leader’, for the sales team of a fashion house in Paris, Mike approached me offline with a very thoughtful question. “Payal, I have been a great worker, and have the skills to get into a leadership role but I have had no luck. I am desperate to change my life and would like to know what I need to do to get into a leadership role.”
Mike’s question reminded me of the thousands of people who have similar concerns — that despite all the talent and hard work, they struggle to step into leadership roles.
Most of us associate leadership with a role or title, while ignoring the finer elements that make a great leader. Leadership is an attitude you carry with yourself each day and does not wait for the formality of being bestowed a position or title. In my work with some of the most successful leaders and entrepreneurs globally, I have observed what their everyday routine looks like. So here are three unconventional habits gleaned from these interactions, which can help you inculcate leaderships skills.
Take things personally: Exceptional leaders aren’t in a rush to get to the next level. They take their work personally. They care about those who are associated with them and work hard to help people rise. They are devoted to their craft and they want everything they release to be their best. Those aiming for greatness begin by taking ownership of the minute details.
Have a morning routine: What does your morning look like? Do you wake up to emails and messages on your phone? I once coached a client who said that the first thing he does as soon as he wakes up is respond to all emails that come from his team in India and China.
Leaders who I have shadowed have a different morning routine. Technology isn’t on their mind. They start off their day with meditation, exercise and journaling.
Chunking: In a constantly connected world, it can seem hard to get anything done. A never-ending stream of emails, notifications, and messages mean there are endless demands on our attention and time, and it is increasingly hard to focus on one specific task. Successful leaders navigate through distractions by using what I call the ‘chunking technique’. And one of the elements of this technique is pre-planning. Most of the high-end executive’s days are planned the night before.
They intentionally plan out their day by chunking it down by every hour for productive and result- oriented tasks. This is very different from a to-do list that most of us create. Chunking is action-oriented and is proven to increase productivity. So it’s possible for everyone to achieve their leadership dream. Being a leader is more than just having skill sets and training. What will you do to be the leader that you are destined to be, today?
(The writer is a leadership speaker, author and executive coach)