The Path to Continued Success: Personal Development for Experienced Leaders
Let me begin by saying that experienced leaders bring a wealth of expertise and knowledge to their roles, which is instrumental in guiding their teams to success. It is essential, however, to recognise that leadership is a multifaceted journey, and even the most experienced leaders encounter challenges along the way.
I want to raise awareness about three common traps that experienced veterinary leaders often encounter, along with creative and enjoyable methods to identify these patterns and avoid repeating them:
- The Experience Trap
As leaders gain more experience, they become more skilled at handling common leadership challenges and situations. It can create a level of confidence where a leader starts to believe they have all the answers. However, this can blind you to the complexities of new and unique situations, potentially causing errors in judgement and decision making.
A unique way to avoid the experience trap and embrace humility is reverse mentoring. Become the mentee for the day while a younger or less experienced team member becomes your mentor!
- The Resistance to Change Trap
Some experienced leaders may become set in their ways and resistant to embracing new ideas or technologies, or new and unique approaches to leadership and management, which can limit improvement and growth. The world is constantly evolving, and successful leaders need to stay relevant. Being inflexible can lead to a lack of self-improvement for the leader, and also limit opportunities for autonomy and growth within the team, impacting their job satisfaction and motivation. More than ever, vets are looking for forward thinking leaders who encourage and inspire them. If a leader resists change, it can become challenging to retain great vets, and attract new vets into the business.
Breaking down the walls of resistance to change can be a fun and creative process. You could host an Innovation Day at the practice, where team members are encouraged to come up with creative ideas and solutions to improve different aspects of the practice, offering rewards and recognition for the most innovative and feasible ideas.
- The Lack of Self-Awareness Trap
It’s possible for experienced leaders to become complacent and fail to regularly reflect on their strengths, weaknesses, and how their actions impact others.
If a leader is lacking in self-awareness, this may show up as micromanagement tendencies, limited ability to manage their emotions which could lead to poor decision making and strained relationships, and defensiveness or dismissiveness when receiving feedback even if it is constructive.
Self-awareness is a critical aspect of leadership development and requires a willingness to be open, introspective, and receptive to feedback.
Embracing self-reflection can be an enjoyable and enriching experience for leaders. You could dabble in some creative journaling, perhaps combine that with some self-reflection art where you express your thoughts and emotions through painting or drawing. You could also start your own personal growth book club where fellow leaders read and discuss books that focus on self-reflection, personal development, and leadership.
In conclusion, experienced leaders play a crucial role in guiding their teams to success with their wealth of knowledge and expertise. However, it is essential for them to remain vigilant of common leadership traps that can hinder their growth and effectiveness. By proactively addressing these traps and employing creative solutions, experienced leaders can continuously grow, adapt, and lead effectively in an ever-changing veterinary industry, ultimately fostering a positive and successful work environment for their teams.
