At a recent speaking engagement, a member of the audience asked me what leadership advice I would give myself when I first began my career. While I enjoyed the thought of talking to a younger version of myself, I would much rather offer guidance to today’s young leaders, who work in a drastically different workforce and face unique challenges.
When I started my career in business over thirty-five years ago, I was grateful for suggestions, advice, and tips I received from my seniors. Yet through my experiences as a CEO and corporate advisor, I have seen that today’s young professionals need to approach leadership quite a bit differently.
Here are six recommendations for young leaders trying to achieve a new level of success:
1. It’s your responsibility to make an impact
Let’s face it– no one else has it in their job description to help you make it to the top. It’s up to you to be the best leader for your team and company as a whole. It’s like the slogan we have in New York City — “if you see something, say something.” Identify issues, problems, and opportunities and work with your team to develop and implement solutions. Don’t either ignore or complain — that is how you make an impact.
2. Don’t focus on yourself
While of course, your personal career growth is important, as a leader it’s not about just you anymore. When you are in charge of a team of employees, you need to make sure their needs are met, and that they have opportunities for growth and success. Evaluate each employee’s strengths and weaknesses, and coach them to improve so that they, and the whole company wins.
Visit Inc.com to read the rest of my article: http://ow.ly/JDfB30bBszr