As a leader, it's your job to take the reins and inspire change. But you can't reach your full potential unless you challenge yourself. And by setting high expectations--and striving to meet or exceed them--your productivity-boosting mentality can become contagious.
Fortunately, I've been able to surround myself with leaders who consistently challenge themselves and motivate me to do the same. My co-founder was 22 when we started our company. Being slightly older, I initially thought I knew more than I actually did. But seeing her constant desire to improve inspired me to never stop finding ways to grow and educate others.
Becoming an effective leader isn't a one-time goal. As you continue to brave uncertainty and build confidence in your abilities, challenge yourself both personally and professionally with these simple steps:
1. Start writing. Writing sounds basic, but putting pen to paper isn't always easy. It takes time, which often comes at a premium. When you have a spare moment, try to write and share your expertise. Actively thinking about your experiences and opinions can serve as a self-coaching session. But don't write on a huge variety of topics; write more about less. This forces you to think deeper into a specific topic and challenge your beliefs.
To get the ideas flowing, ask yourself what's important to write about. What does your audience need to know? Where are new industry trends taking your company? I recently wrote an article about emerging marketing trends, which forced me to think about how they will affect our company. As a result, I've implemented several processes to help us stay ahead of the curve.