No one wants to admit they’re lazy. I don’t. But if we’re not careful we end up getting into ruts, stagnating, going in the same circles, getting less results each time.
So, how to stop this? In no order:
- Read outside your comfort zone.
- Ask for feedback, but not from your staff.
- Go to events and talk to people you don’t know.
- Learn to code.
- Learn Chinese, or maybe Arabic, but not Spanish, that’s easy.
- Host an event. See what you can learn by moderating it. Putting yourself in the spotlight might show you things about yourself you hadn’t seen before.
- Join the Toastmasters. Learn to talk with a little more confidence.
- Buy an expensive business suit or dress. Make sure it’s something you value.
- Start to write a business book. If they can write it, why not you?
- Ask why at meetings, not to be difficult but to learn.
- Become indispensable.
- Take responsibility. Look for ways to accept more responsibility. Suddenly doors will open.
- Give honest feedback. Not in a crude or hurtful manner but if someone has a blind spot, see if you can help them see it.
- Mentor. You’re an expert in several areas. Look for ways to share this. Why? It gives you energy.
Use this Vision template (MS Word 36 pages) to collect, analyze, and define the high-level needs and features of your new product or service. The Vision template is one of the first documents required in the software development lifecycle as it describes the features required by users and the benefits for each user group.