10 Ways to Maximize Your Professional

Development
If you are reading this article, then you are ahead of most when it comes to
furthering your business and leadership knowledge. Great leaders are great
learners. Many businesspeople scoff at leadership advice, thinking that no
article or book - or even a training class - is a good substitute for real-life
experience.

That may be true, but real-life leadership experience can be hard to come by
for those who seek to advance. I believe that anyone can succeed if they
prepare themselves for the next level in their careers. To do so, you must
exploit every opportunity to learn. Here are 10 ways to take control of your
leadership development.

1. Hone a Learning Mindset: Having a positive attitude towards

professional development is vital. In an interview with McKinsey
Quarterly, Tom Peters discussed the importance of leaders having
"unscheduled time" (up to 50 percent). What should they do with that
time? He advised, "One way to deal with the insane pace of change is
by living to get smarter and to learn new things." Set aside time to learn
on a regular basis.
2. Examine Your Decisions: One difference between great leaders and
mediocre ones is a willingness to examine past actions and decisions in
order to improve. For CEOs and executives, designate a devil's
advocate for all major decisions. This can help you make better
decisions and prevent any decision-making biases.
3. Read Regularly: In the same interview with McKinsey Quarterly, Peters
said, "I was at a dinner party recently with a guy who's probably one of
the top ten finance people in the world. At one point he said, 'Do you
know what the biggest problem is with big-company CEOs? They don't
read enough.'" Read widely, not only about current events but also
subjects that can broaden your horizons, such as history. I am an avid
 reader of business books and almost always find an idea or two that I
can use in my businesses.
4. Write Regularly: Writing has multiple benefits for leaders. It can help
you master the content, improve your critical thinking skills, and
enhance communication with your various audiences, including
employees. The more you publish, the better your writing will become. It
can also help build awareness for yourself as an expert in your field.
5. Attend Training Programs: Books and articles only take you so far. I
teach an annual class for CEOs, and in my experience these CEOs are
already ahead of the game just by showing up. They are committed to
learning and even at their level have figured out how to make time for it.
You can also find valuable networking opportunities here.
6. Teach What You Know: Ana Maria Sencovici of The River Group
recently wrote that teaching is one of the most underused tools in
leadership development. I agree. There is no better way to master
something than by trying to impart your knowledge and skills to others.
It makes you think about the material in new ways. In my experience,
sometimes you learn more from your "students" than they do from you.
Take advantage of opportunities to teach.
7. Build Self-Awareness: While it may sound cliché, self-awareness is
critical to effective leadership. Executive coach Mary Jo Asmus recently
wrote that the best leaders "discover their development goals by staying
aware." They deliberately "observe themselves as they go about their
workday while focusing on others' reactions at the same time." Then,
they take the time to think about what they've observed, in order to
make improvements.
8. Gather Feedback: Asmus also wrote that great leaders ask for
feedback. You should actively solicit feedback from your employees,
your board, and anyone else in a position to provide valuable input.
Institute an anonymous feedback mechanism for your employees or
engage with a third-party gatherer. 
9. Find Mentors: Develop relationships with people who have been in
your shoes. Speaking of feedback, mentors or coaches are often in a
 position to give you objective advice that you may not get on the job.
Find someone who will give you honest, unvarnished input.
10. Cultivate Peer Relationships: You should develop relationships
with as many people in your industry as possible. This is important for
keeping up with developments and gaining new perspectives and ideas.
The relationships I have formed within my industry have often provided
great value to my companies.

Don't let the fast pace of business prevent you from developing as a leader.
After all, the dynamism of today's markets is partly why you need to keep
learning in the first place.

I. 25 Ways to Develop a Growth

Mindset
1. Acknowledge and embrace imperfections.
Hiding from your weaknesses means you’ll never overcome them.

2. View challenges as opportunities.

Having a growth mindset means relishing opportunities for self-improvement. Learn more
about how to fail well.
3. Try different learning tactics.
There’s no one-size-fits-all model for learning. What works for one person may not work for
you. Learn about learning strategies.
4. Follow the research on brain plasticity.
The brain isn’t fixed; the mind shouldn’t be either.

5. Replace the word “failing” with the word “learning.”

When you make a mistake or fall short of a goal, you haven’t failed; you’ve learned.

6. Stop seeking approval.

When you prioritise approval over learning, you sacrifice your own potential for growth.

7. Value the process over the end result.

Intelligent people enjoy the learning process, and don’t mind when it continues beyond an
expected time frame.

8. Cultivate a sense of purpose.

Dweck’s research also showed that students with a growth mindset had a greater sense of
purpose. Keep the big picture in mind.
9. Celebrate growth with others.
If you truly appreciate growth, you’ll want to share your progress with others.

10. Emphasise growth over speed.

Learning fast isn’t the same as learning well, and learning well sometimes requires allowing
time for mistakes.

11. Reward actions, not traits.

Tell students when they’re doing something smart, not just being smart.

12. Redefine “genius.”

The myth’s been busted: genius requires hard work, not talent alone.
13. Portray criticism as positive.
You don’t have to used that hackneyed term, “constructive criticism,” but you do have to
believe in the concept.
14. Dissassociate improvement from failure.
Stop assuming that “room for improvement” translates into failure.

15. Provide regular opportunities for reflection.

Let students reflect on their learning at least once a day.

16. Place effort before talent.

Hard work should always be rewarded before inherent skill.

17. Highlight the relationship between learning and “brain training.”

The brain is like a muscle that needs to be worked out, just like the body.
18. Cultivate grit.
Students with that extra bit of determination will be more likely to seek approval from
themselves rather than others.

19. Abandon the image.

“Naturally smart” sounds just about as believable as “spontaneous generation.” You won’t
achieve the image if you’re not ready for the work.

20. Use the word “yet.”

Dweck says “not yet” has become one of her favourite phrases. Whenever you see students
struggling with a task, just tell them they haven’t mastered it yet.

21. Learn from other people’s mistakes.

It’s not always wise to compare yourself to others, but it is important to realise that humans
share the same weaknesses.

22. Make a new goal for every goal accomplished.

You’ll never be done learning. Just because your midterm exam is over doesn’t mean you
should stop being interested in a subject. Growth-minded people know how to constantly
create new goals to keep themselves stimulated.

23. Take risks in the company of others.

Stop trying to save face all the time and just let yourself goof up now and then. It will make it
easier to take risks in the future.

24. Think realistically about time and effort.

It takes time to learn. Don’t expect to master every topic under the sun in one sitting.

25. Take ownership over your attitude.

Once you develop a growth mindset, own it. Acknowledge yourself as someone who
possesses a growth mentality and be proud to let it guide you throughout your educational
career.
II. Step 1: Identify the decision
You realize that you need to make a decision. Try to clearly define the nature of the decision you
must make. This first step is very important.

Step 2: Gather relevant information

Collect some pertinent information before you make your decision: what information is needed,
the best sources of information, and how to get it. This step involves both internal and external
“work.” Some information is internal: you’ll seek it through a process of self-assessment. Other
information is external: you’ll find it online, in books, from other people, and from other sources.

Step 3: Identify the alternatives

As you collect information, you will probably identify several possible paths of action, or
alternatives. You can also use your imagination and additional information to construct new
alternatives. In this step, you will list all possible and desirable alternatives.

Step 4: Weigh the evidence

Draw on your information and emotions to imagine what it would be like if you carried out each
of the alternatives to the end. Evaluate whether the need identified in Step 1 would be met or
resolved through the use of each alternative. As you go through this difficult internal process,
you’ll begin to favor certain alternatives: those that seem to have a higher potential for reaching
your goal. Finally, place the alternatives in a priority order, based upon your own value system.

Step 5: Choose among alternatives

Once you have weighed all the evidence, you are ready to select the alternative that seems to
be best one for you. You may even choose a combination of alternatives. Your choice in Step 5
may very likely be the same or similar to the alternative you placed at the top of your list at the
end of Step 4.

Step 6: Take action

You’re now ready to take some positive action by beginning to implement the alternative you
chose in Step 5.

Step 7: Review your decision & its consequences

In this final step, consider the results of your decision and evaluate whether or not it has
resolved the need you identified in Step 1. If the decision has not met the identified need, you
may want to repeat certain steps of the process to make a new decision. For example, you might
want to gather more detailed or somewhat different information or explore additional
alternatives.
III. 6 Reasons You Should Read Regularly

I have recently fallen in love again with an old hobby - reading. There is
something magical about being so lost in a book and how it actually takes the
reader to the setting of the novel and makes the reader feel like they are there or
looking through the eyes of the narrator. I can't for the life of me sit through a
two-hour movie without getting distracted, but I have no problems reading a good
book for hours on end.

Reading seems to be a dying art but people don't realize how many of the
greatest television shows and movies are actually based on books. And in my
opinion, the book is always better than the movie/television series. While
reading, you are provided with more details and information on the main
characters that make the reader either love/hate them more passionately than
you ever would when watching them on a TV. You picture a world in your head
that the characters reside in and what each character looks like and how they
behave. When a book is recreated for television, details have to be let out and
the directors vision never matches or lives up to your expectations.

Besides the entertainment benefits, there are other health benefits that
accompany reading a book regularly and hopefully these encourage you to pick
up a book and get reading.

1. Reading exercises your brain

People who regularly read can slow down the process of Alzheimer's and
dementia since reading exercises your brain power and keeps it stimulated.
Reading is also a fun way to keep your brain stimulated during winter break,
spring break and summer break between semesters. (Huffington Post)

2. Reading reduces stress

Getting lost in a book is a great way to distract yourself from whatever is
bothering you in real life. Depending on what you are reading, there are plenty of
positive and self-help books that may ease depression.
3. Reading can save you money
Books are usually about $8-15 give or take. One book can be hours to days of
entertainment depending on how slow/fast you read. Let's not forget about the
public library where you can take out books for free. Compare that to the price of
going to the movies or the amusement park for the day.

4. Reading can make you more

empathetic
While reading, you are putting yourself in somebody else's shoes and it
encourages to think a way you may not have if you didn't read the book. It helps
enhance your ability to understand other people's feelings.

5. Reading enhances your vocabulary

Studies have shown that humans learn five-15 percent of all the words they know
from books. )

6. Reading helps you sleep better

An established reading routine can help calm your mind to help you fall asleep
faster. Plus, it is better than look looking at bright lights from electronic devices
or TVs, which stimulate your brain rather than indicate it is time to sleep.

So now, are you ready to get reading? There are millions of choices to pick from
between magazines and novels and series. Here are a couple of my favorite
books to help you get started.

"The Kite Runner" by Khaled Hosseini

This is one of my all-time favorite books that I had to read in high-school. It starts
in Afghanistan during the 1970s before the Taliban and war with America. It is
about a friendship between two boys - Amir and Hassan. Amir is the son of a
wealthy man and Hassan is the son of their servant. They are the best of friends
until an unspeakable act wedges between their friendship and haunts Amir for
the rest of his life. "The Kite Runner" is a novel that will help with your empathy
when you see the way Amir is treated when he moves to America.

"The Nightingale" by Kristin Hannah

This is a historical fiction novel set in France during World War II that I just read
recently and fell in love with. The story follows two sisters, Vianne and Isabel, and
the two couldn't be more different. Isabel wants to do whatever she can to fight
against Hitler and save France, while Vianne is more content following the rules.
It is a story of history, romance, suspense, a little bit of everything, that I highly
recommend to everybody.

"Burying the Honeysuckle Girls" by Emily

Carpenter
A mystery novel I recently read about a family full of deep, dark secrets the
main character, Althea, is desperate to find out. She's quickly approaching her
30th birthday and the woman in her family have a history of going crazy and
dying on their 30th birthday and Althea has no idea why. She goes on an
adventure based on the few items of her mother's that she has left, while trying
to avoid her brother who is dead-set on putting her away in a mental institute so
she cannot find out the truth. This novel leaves you on the edge of your seat until
the end.

"The Maze Runner Series" by James

Dashner
If you liked "The Hunger Games" or "Divergent" series, then this is a must read.
The books start with Thomas who wakes up in an elevator with no clue of his
past or how he got there or where he is going. The elevator brings him to the
glade, a little town of boys who rely on the elevator to bring them the supplies
they need to sustain life, while they try to find a way out of the dangerous maze
that surrounds their living space. With three books in the series, read on to find
out why they were put there, why their mind was erased, and what is going on in
the outside world that they had to be sent there.

"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee

A classic, must-read for everybody. The novel is set in a small town in Alabama
during the Depression. The novel is told from the eyes of an 8-year-old girl, Scout
Finch, and tells the story of a trial regarding a young black man accused of raping
a white woman. The novel tackles quite a few big themes and is a book people of
all ages will fall in love with. Also, if you like this, Harper Lee's sequel to "To Kill a
Mockingbird" just came out, "Go Set a Watchman."

IV. 10 Benefits That Writing Gives You

Jason Fried says in his book Rework that in Basecamp, company in which he is co-founder and

CEO, one of the abilities that they are interested in when hiring people is their writing ability, no
matter if they are sales people, programmers, or designers. The reason is simple: Clear writing is
a sign of clear thinking. Good writers know how to communicate, they make things easy to
understand and they know when to leave out the unnecessary.

 You learn how to write by writing. If you get used to express this way your ideas, feelings, goals, etc.,
you will achieve important benefits:

1. You will communicate with clarity. Unlike talking, when you write you look for more
sophisticated words and expressions to describe what you have in mind. This helps you
build a structure that will allow you to express yourself better and communicate complex
ideas in a much more effective way.
2. You will eliminate stress. In the same way as in GTD you empty your mind—by
capturing everything that comes to it—in order to eliminate the stress that causes having
many things hitting your head, writing and developing your ideas produces an amplified
effect since not only you take them out of your mind but also the whole process of
rationalization that otherwise would abstractly stay in there.
3. You will be more productive. Writing activates the neurons in your brain and gets it
ready to overcome the rest of the tasks (you can use it as a kind of warm-up at the
beginning of the day). In addition, writing down your tasks with the appropriate
words prepares you to carry them out properly. Finally, it’s demonstrated that setting
your goals in writing increases significantly the possibilities of achieving them.
 4. You will learn more. Writing in your own words the information that you receive helps
you assimilating and consolidating knowledge that otherwise you would forget soon.
5. You will gain awareness of your reality. If you write down what you have in mind each
day, what you expect to achieve and how you feel according to this, you won’t need a
psychologist to explain you who you are. You will realize yourself.
6. You will make better decisions. When writing you clear up your thoughts and, obviously,
a clearer thinking allows you to make better choices.
7. You will be happier. It’s an immediate consequence of the two previous points. There is
no need to write a public blog, a sort of personal journal is perfectly valid.
8. You will live more focused. If you constantly write about your thoughts you will never
get out of sight what you want to achieve, which your dreams are.
9. You will overcome tough moments faster. There is some research that suggests that those
that write about what is happening overcome tough moments quicker than those who
don’t.
10. You will have a lot of written memories. If you write each day, you will have a historical
record of your thoughts, probably something much more interesting than a simple photo
album. And, who knows, maybe you end up publishing a book ;)

So write a lot and write every dayf Training and Development in The Importance of Training and
Development

So what are the benefits?

Improved employee performance – the employee who receives the necessary

training is more able to perform in their job. The training will give the employee a
greater understanding of their responsibilities within their role, and in turn build
their confidence. This confidence will enhance their overall performance and this
can only benefit the company. Employees who are competent and on top of
changing industry standards help your company hold a position as a leader and
strong competitor within the industry.

Improved employee satisfaction and morale – the investment in training that a

company makes shows employees that they are valued. The training creates a
supportive workplace. Employees may gain access to training they wouldn’t have
otherwise known about or sought out themselves. Employees who feel
appreciated and challenged through training opportunities may feel more
satisfaction toward their jobs.

Addressing weaknesses – Most employees will have some weaknesses in their

workplace skills. A training program allows you to strengthen those skills that
each employee needs to improve. A development program brings all employees
to a higher level so they all have similar skills and knowledge. This helps reduce
any weak links within the company who rely heavily on others to complete basic
work tasks. Providing the necessary training creates an overall knowledgeable
staff with employees who can take over for one another as needed, work on
teams or work independently without constant help and supervision from others.

Consistency – A robust training and development program ensures that

employees have a consistent experience and background knowledge. The
consistency is particularly relevant for the company’s basic policies and
procedures. All employees need to be aware of the expectations and procedures
within the company. Increased efficiencies in processes results in financial gain
for the company.

Increased productivity and adherence to quality standards – Productivity

usually increases when a company implements training courses. Increased
efficiency in processes will ensure project success which in turn will improve the
company turnover and potential market share.

Increased innovation in new strategies and products – Ongoing training and

up skilling of the workforce can encourage creativity. New ideas can be formed
as a direct result of training and development.

Reduced employee turnover – staff are more likely to feel valued if they are
invested in and therefore, less likely to change employers. Training and
development is seen as an additional company benefit. Recruitment costs
therefore go down due to staff retention.

Enhances company reputation and profile – Having a strong and successful

training strategy helps to develop your employer brand and make your company
a prime consideration for graduates and mid-career changes. Training also
makes a company more attractive to potential new recruits who seek to improve
their skills and the opportunities associated with those new skills.
Training can be of any kind relevant to the work or responsibilities of the
individual, and can be delivered by any appropriate method.

For example, it could include:

 On-the-job learning
 Mentoring schemes
 In-house training
 Individual study
Blended learning is becoming more and more popular and as a company
we have seen a definite increase in this method of training over the last
year. Blended Learning is the effective combination of online learning and
classroom learning. Many of 20|20’s clients prefer their staff to learn on-site
rather than attend off-site training programs – especially in industries like
oil and gas where it is often very impractical to attend off-site courses. On-
site learning programs like the blended learning approach, allow 20|20 to
train more people working across a larger international footprint than just
the UK. This makes it much more cost-effective and allows for greater
process consistency.

The importance of training your employees – both new and experienced –

really cannot be overemphasized.

VI. Five benefits of teaching are that it is rewarding, it keeps your mind
active, it keeps you around people, you never know what will happen
and you never stop learning new things.

First of all, teaching is rewarding because you are touching lives.

Second, teaching keeps your mind active because it is very difficult and
there is always a new challenge to work your mind on.

Third, teaching keeps you around people.  You cannot isolate yourself,
because you are constantly with parents, other teachers and other
adults.

Fourth, teaching is exciting because anything can happen.  Children are

unpredictable, and the classroom is an ever-changing place.

Finally, the best thing about teaching is that you never stop learning!
VII. How to Be More Self Aware: 8 Tips to Boost Self-Awareness
If you are self-aware, it is easier for you to understand other
people and detect how they perceive you in return.

While you develop self-awareness, your own personal thoughts and

interpretations will begin to change. This change in mental state will
also alter your emotions and increase your emotional intelligence,
which is an important factor in achieving overall success.

Learning how to become more self-aware is an early step in the

creation of the life that you want. It helps you pinpoint what your
passions and emotions are, and how your personality can help you in
life.
You can recognize where your thoughts and emotions are leading
you, and make any necessary changes. Once you are aware of your
thoughts, words, emotions, and behavior, you will be able to make
changes in the direction of your future.

However, self-awareness can help you identify opportunities for professional

development and personal growth. If you want to improve your self-awareness
and develop your potential, I listed down 12 tips that might help you.

1. Know your strengths and weaknesses

Knowing your strengths and coping with your weaknesses, will help you
improve self-awareness. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses that
compose of who we are and this will help you shape how to reach your goals.
Your weaknesses hold you back from achieving many great things while your
strengths are something that comes very easily for you to take. You should
take ownership in assessing yourself because it is for your own personal
development.

2. Ask for feedback and listen

This might not be easy, most especially if you are close minded and defensive
to people who give critiques to you. Remember that without correction, your
weaknesses would limit how far you could take yourself. Asking feedback can
be as hurtful as it can be empowering. Although no one enjoys it, but we
should try to view criticism as a useful feedback to improve ourselves. It will
help you learn more about the traits that you need to develop, personally and
professionally.

3. Develop intuitive decision making skills

Intuition plays a significant role in developing your self-awareness. This can
be the source of significant errors in the course of decision making. Your
intuition will help you navigate faster yet, this can also be misled if too many of
your facts are wrong. Moreover, this will help you even more, this is an
effective way to feed your subconscious mind.

4. Know your emotional triggers

Identifying what exactly emotionally triggers you can be challenging but
getting to know and understanding it, can help you improve yourself. The key
to cope with it, is to catch yourself reacting when your emotions are triggered.
As long as you noticed that you are emotionally reacting, you just have to shift
your emotional state in order to think through it.

5. Set boundaries
Keeping your boundaries firmly will help you maintain the integrity of your
goals and the work you put in it. Setting your boundaries and sustaining it, is a
skill. However, it is a skill that many people don’t learn. Recognizing it means
knowing and understanding your limits. Also, it takes courage and support but
is a skill you can master that will help you develop yourself.

6.  Practice self-discipline
In every area of your life, you need to practice self-discipline. It is a trait that
provides you with the enduring focus necessary for you. If you want to control
your desires and impulses to stay focused on what you think needs to get
done to successfully achieve that goal, you need to practice self-discipline.
This will also help you develop your potential and improve yourself
awareness, since self-discipline help you form habits to attain your goals in
life.

12 Tips to Improve Self-Awareness and Develop Your Potential

BY MARYDEL MITCH FLORES

Before knowing anything else, you need to know yourself first. You need to
know your weaknesses, strengths, beliefs and desires in life. Keeping in touch
with your emotions means, you have to be self-aware.

The most important characteristic of a leader is self-awareness, the ability to

monitor one’s own emotions and reactions. Learning how to be aware of
yourself might not be easy , but if you can master this skill, it will help you
become a much more effective leader. Many of us are not fond of spending
much time on self-reflection. And even though personal feedback is
presented, people are not always open to it because honest feedback isn’t
always flattering. Thus, many people indeed have low level of self-awareness.

However, self-awareness can help you identify opportunities for professional

development and personal growth. If you want to improve your self-awareness
and develop your potential, I listed down 12 tips that might help you.

1. Know your strengths and weaknesses

Knowing your strengths and coping with your weaknesses, will help you
improve self-awareness. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses that
compose of who we are and this will help you shape how to reach your goals.
Your weaknesses hold you back from achieving many great things while your
strengths are something that comes very easily for you to take. You should
take ownership in assessing yourself because it is for your own personal
development.

2. Ask for feedback and listen

This might not be easy, most especially if you are close minded and defensive
to people who give critiques to you. Remember that without correction, your
weaknesses would limit how far you could take yourself. Asking feedback can
be as hurtful as it can be empowering. Although no one enjoys it, but we
should try to view criticism as a useful feedback to improve ourselves. It will
help you learn more about the traits that you need to develop, personally and
professionally.

3. Develop intuitive decision making skills

Intuition plays a significant role in developing your self-awareness. This can
be the source of significant errors in the course of decision making. Your
intuition will help you navigate faster yet, this can also be misled if too many of
your facts are wrong. Moreover, this will help you even more, this is an
effective way to feed your subconscious mind.

4. Know your emotional triggers

Identifying what exactly emotionally triggers you can be challenging but
getting to know and understanding it, can help you improve yourself. The key
to cope with it, is to catch yourself reacting when your emotions are triggered.
As long as you noticed that you are emotionally reacting, you just have to shift
your emotional state in order to think through it.

5. Set boundaries
Keeping your boundaries firmly will help you maintain the integrity of your
goals and the work you put in it. Setting your boundaries and sustaining it, is a
skill. However, it is a skill that many people don’t learn. Recognizing it means
knowing and understanding your limits. Also, it takes courage and support but
is a skill you can master that will help you develop yourself.

6. Practice self-discipline
In every area of your life, you need to practice self-discipline. It is a trait that
provides you with the enduring focus necessary for you. If you want to control
your desires and impulses to stay focused on what you think needs to get
done to successfully achieve that goal, you need to practice self-discipline.
This will also help you develop your potential and improve yourself
awareness, since self-discipline help you form habits to attain your goals in
life.

7. Keep an open-mind
One of the most difficult things to practice is to keep an open mind.
Understanding someone’s point of view even if you disagree can change and
free your mind. Change the way you think and don’t get stuck in a mindset
that makes you frustrated or helpless. This is one of the best tools in order to
simplify life. Try to comprehend every situation on your path and it will help
you improve your self-awareness and develop own potential.

8. Take psychometric tests

While there are plenty of online tests , grab it as long as you can, because this
might help you find out if you are an Idealist, rational, artisan or guardian.
There are also, other best known tests like Myers-Briggs and Predictive Index
but all of these are aimed at serving as a data point towards greater self-
awareness. Reflecting on trade-off questions helps test-takers better
understand their own true characters.

9. Try new experiences

Exploring new things will teach you a thing about yourself. This is all about
stepping out of your comfort zone and trying to do something you’ve never
done before. Unfamiliar things will help you respond in different ways that you
never thought is possible. Travelling alone is also another way to discover
things about yourself.

10. Discover your physical limits

What has physical exercise got to do with self-awareness and in developing
yourself? Well, it will teach you, that your limits are not fixed but temporary.
Most importantly, it will show you that everything you’re holding back is just in
your head.

11. Motivate yourself

Whatever has to be done, is always your choice. Sometimes you might feel
heavy as you rise and it is hard to get going. However, feeling less motivated
too often has been unhealthy. Motivating yourself and viewing life in a positive
side will help you develop your potential and self awareness. In addition,
awareness of your psychological needs can increase your motivation by
helping you understand and seek out the reward that you desire.

12. Meditate
Meditation is a practice of improving your moment-by-moment awareness.
Meditation usually begins with appreciating of, focusing on, inhaling and
exhaling. However, this doesn’t need to be formal or ritualistic. Just simply find
a few seconds to focus on your breathing , often before sleep. Also,
meditation can be helpful if you ask yourself set of questions like “what can I
do to change?”, “what am I trying to achieve?”, or “How am I going to cope
with my fears?”

Being self-aware and understanding how you are perceived by others are
important components of personal growth and developing your potential.
Some might ask, what is the importance of self-awareness? Well, self-
awareness will help you improve yourself, establish your own identity and will
help you have a harmonious relationship.
 Thus, developing self-awareness takes time, a lot of effort and practice. It
requires a person to pay attention on his own personality and behavior.

VIII. gather feedback

1. Show Interest
The best way to get candid feedback from your team is to create a culture of open
and honest communication.

To do this, start by showing a genuine interest in how your people are doing,
what’s causing them problems, and how you can help. Ask questions that will
help you gauge how your employees feel about their environment, workload, and
productivity.

For example, when inquiring about an employee’s assignment, you might ask:

 How is your project coming along?

 What’s going well?

 What’s stopping you from reaching this goal?

 What do you need in order to reach your goal?

 Think of a time you’ve been highly productive: What factors influenced this
productivity? What factors get in the way of it?

This will help you determine when and where you need to offer more support and
when you might need to back off.

You can also throw in questions specifically about you and your performance, as
long as you don’t come across as an egomaniac or, conversely, someone who
needs constant reassurance. Instead, you want to ask these questions in a way
that encourages dialogue, such as:

 How can I help?

 What could I have done better to support you?

 What do you need from me?

 How can I best support you on this project?

 What can I do differently next time that will be more helpful?

2. Pay Attention to Non-Verbals

Look around the room when you speak to your team. Do you see downcast eyes?
Averted gazes? Tight faces? At times, such reactions may be appropriate—like if
you announce bad news, or if an employee really messed up and you call her out
on it. However, if you regularly see body language or non-verbal reactions that
convey distrust or frustration, you may have a problem on your hands, and you
should take the time to dig a little deeper.

Again, you need to ask meaningful questions at the right time. For instance, you
might approach an employee individually and note, “I noticed tension when I
announced the new project assignments. I was obviously hoping for a different
reaction. Maybe I missed something in planning for this project. Can you tell me
a little bit about what’s going on?”

This lets your employee know you’re aware of his frustration and provides him an
opportunity to enlighten you. Whether you believe your employee’s frustrations
are warranted or not, it’s better to know why discontent is breeding than to
dismiss or misunderstand it. You can’t adequately address something you don’t
understand.

3. Ask for Feedback From Others

You want to know how you’re doing as a manager? Take a deep breath and ask
some of your contacts within the company for their insights. If you’re really
brave, you can even ask what they hear about you.
A helpful starting point is to ask your own supervisor about his or her
observations of your management style. You can also ask your colleagues who are
also managers about their own styles, which can open the door to a discussion
about the way you manage your team and any feedback they may have for you.

Do you have a trusted friend or mentor in the company? Let her know your
interest in strengthening your leadership style, and ask if she has heard feedback
that she would be willing to share (without disclosing the sources, of course).

Now that you know how to get the information, it’s equally important to consider
how you respond—which brings me to:

. Avoid Defensiveness
This one may seem obvious, but I hear stories about managers’ defensive
reactions to their employees all the time. However, one poor response can shut
down all your efforts to build rapport and get feedback. For example, if an
employee shares with you her disappointment that a colleague’s part of a project
isn’t coming along as planned, you might be tempted to shut her down with a
sharp, “Well, there are things going on behind the scenes that you don’t know.”

A more productive response would be, “I get what you’re saying. Our CEO made
some last-minute changes that were out of Sarah’s control, and she’s working
diligently to complete her responsibilities. I didn’t realize that I hadn’t updated
the rest of you about the situation. I’ll call a meeting this afternoon to make sure
everyone is up to speed. We can look at our overall timeline together and address
any other issues.”

When an employee tells you something that makes you think, “Wait, she doesn’t
know anything about this situation,” just clamp your lips shut for a minute.
Breathe. Think. Yes, as the boss, you have a high-level perspective on many
things that your subordinates don’t have. But they have a perspective you don’t
have. Your employee just trusted you enough to tell you her perspective. Listen.
Turn the feedback over in your mind. Then respond.
5. Own Your Mistakes
The most effective thing you can do to endear your employees to you and gain
their trust is to be genuine with them. That includes admitting to your
shortcomings and saying “I’m sorry” if an apology is warranted. Being honest
about the ways you can encourage your employees to communicate more openly.

Once you do this, you’ll find that your employees will be more likely to tell you
when they need your support instead of resenting you when they don’t get it.
They’ll more often come to you with an issue before it escalates into a major
problem that can cause resentment and anger. They’ll be more likely to tell you
when they’re upset about something—before “upset” evolves into “enraged.”

Remember what it was like to work for someone you didn’t like? If you don’t want
to be that person, you need to actively build a team culture that allows you to
receive real-time feedback from your employees, so you can fix what needs fixing
before you drive people away. Or, you know, you can just wait for the feedback
from those exit interviews

IX. Find Mentors: 

Common misconceptions of mentoring

I have a passion to see that change. There is a lot of misunderstanding about how
mentoring works, including how to begin a relationship with a mentor. Here are some of
them:

 Mentoring is about me.

 I need to wait for a mentor to find me.
 Being mentored is more passive than active.
 I need to ask someone to mentor me up-front.

Face it: Everything you know about mentoring may be wrong. It’s time to start seeking
out a mentor the right way. In finding a mentor, there are 10 important steps I’ve found
that usually work:
 1. Find someone you want to be like
Don’t just find someone who has a job you want or a platform that you covet.

Find someone that is like you, someone with a similar set of strengths and skills you want
to emulate. Otherwise, you’ll just end up frustrated.

Spend some time finding the right person. In fact, have several candidates before
committing to a single mentor.

2. Study the person

Follow his blog. Get to know people who know him.

If you don’t know the person well, see if he is really like his public persona projects.

Make sure you understand his strengths and weaknesses. Set your expectations
realistically.

3. Make the “ask”

Don’t ask for the person to “be your mentor” right off the bat. That’s a big ask. Far too
big for the first meeting.

Rather, ask for an initial meeting — something informal, over coffee maybe. Keep it less
than an hour.

Come with questions that you’re prepared to ask, but let the conversation flow
relationally. (Note: the formality really depends on the potential mentor’s communication
style — something you should be aware of before the initial meeting.)

When in doubt about when to make the ask, just go for it. (That’s what I do, and it
usually works.)

4. Evaluate the fruit

After meeting, do you want to spend more time with this person?

Did she begin the meeting by encouraging you or telling you what to do? Did she ask
questions, or wait to provide answers?
Did you leave the meeting feeling better about yourself? Was a connection made? If not,
feel free to let the relationship go and seek out someone else, instead. You don’t have
time to waste on a self-centered tyrant.

If it went well, then immediately put together a follow-u

5. Follow up after the meeting

This is not like dating. It’s okay to appear overly ambitious. You want this person to
know that you’re serious.

It’s appropriate to follow up immediately, thanking your prospective mentor for her time.

A good way to do this is via email or other form of passive communication, so that you
don’t appear overbearing or waste the person’s time.

This is also a good time to mention that you’d like to do it again. If she reciprocates, offer
to get something on the calendar. (You may need to suggest a time.)

Make sure that it feels relaxed and not contrived. You’re still vetting each other at this
point.

6. Let the relationship evolve organically

We sometimes place too high of expectations on mentoring. We want to give it a name,
because it gives us a sense of status and importance. But really it’s just a relationship.

Mentoring is organic. It’s healthy to let it grow like any other relationship — over time
and based on mutual respect and trust.

Don’t force it. That will kill a potential mentoring relationship faster than anything. Give
it time; it needs to grow.

7. Don’t check out when you feel challenged

I was recently speaking with a friend who’s mentored a number of young men over the
years. He said the saddest part about what he does is that a lot of guys check out
whenever he challenges them.

It will happen. You’ll get to a point where your mentor will feel comfortable enough to
call you out. And what you do next is crucial to your growth.
Remember: this is what you signed up for. Don’t wimp out when it gets tough; this is
where the really good stuff happens.

8. Press into relationship

Don’t wait for the mentor to initiate. Learn how to manage up. Persevere. Ask for more
of your mentor without demanding it.

This doesn’t bother him (at least, it shouldn’t). It honors him. It shouldn’t be a big deal to
ask this person to coffee or lunch, outside of your normal meeting time.

If a mentor can’t be a friend, then he’s probably not a mentor. Finding ways to solidify
the bond you’ve created will only strengthen the relationship.

9. Ask your mentor for feedback

Feedback can be hard, but it’s good. As your relationship with your mentor progresses,
this will be the #1 way you grow. It will be a highlight for the both of you.

While asking for feedback may initially feel weird, eventually it will become almost
second-nature. You will find yourself thirsting for those words you used to fear.

Similarly, a good mentor will treat these times with great care and sensitivity.

10. Commit to the process

You can’t be mentored in a summer. That’s an internship. Mentoring takes real time and
real work.

In order for it to be a real mentorship, you have to commit to the relationship. Come hell
or high water, you’re going to make it work.

Then, you will begin to understand what it means to be a student, a disciple, a protege.

 X. The Value of Peer
Relationships at Work
Positive peer relationships are one of the most valuable
things you can cultivate in the work environment. Here's why:

Less than a third of employees without friends at work are highly

engaged. This is in stark contrast to the 69 percent of employees
with multiple friends at work who remain highly engaged.

With an employee's engagement level affecting nearly every aspect

of their work, it's crucial to ensure your organization provides an
environment that promotes and encourages the development of
strong peer relationships in the workplace.

We recently shared some of the top reasons friendships at work

are so important, and some easy ways to inspire camaraderie and
help employees build excellent peer relationships:

Peer relationships help increase loyalty.

This might be hard to take: your employees aren't loyal to your

company — but they are loyal to the people that built it, and those
who keep it running. Employees with strong bonds of camaraderie
are more likely to remain loyal to their team, and stay longer as a
result.

Employees with strong bonds of camaraderie are more likely to

remain loyal to their team, and stay longer as a result.
Implementing peer recognition makes it easy for employees to
celebrate achievements together, and see firsthand how their
work and dedication to the team benefit everyone as a whole.

Work friendships increase job satisfaction.

The satisfaction of a job well done provides its own intrinsic

motivation, but employees with friends at work who regularly
celebrate their contributions and accomplishments are more likely
to love their job, and even more likely to love the company they
work for.

Make it easy for members of your team to share the things they
love about their job and their colleagues. Encourage and model
this kind of interaction to help build stronger bonds within your
organization.

Friends provide a built-in support network.

In addition to being there to celebrate the good times, friends at

work offer a priceless support system when things get tough. Sixty-
one percent of employees mentioned support from their
colleagues at work was instrumental in helping them through life's
challenges.

Sixty-one percent of employees mentioned support from their

colleagues at work was instrumental in helping them through lif

It's important to identify and praise members of your team who

regularly offer their support to others. These people are bringing
an incalculable value to your organization, and it's important to let
them know that.
Peer recognition is a powerful motivator.

We're all familiar with the strength of peer influence, but many fail
to consider the potential for peer pressure to act as a positive
motivational force in the workplace.

The TINYpulse Employee Engagement and Organizational

Culture Report found that 58 percent of the happiest employees
will recognize and encourage their peers' success when given tools
to make it easy. That recognition provides positive peer influence,
and solidifies the notion that good work is valued by everyone in
the company.

Make sure you're providing an easy way for your team

to recognize and celebrate one another's contributions. These
interactions build a stronger team, and help motivate employees
to continue doing their best work.

Although it's impossible to force your employees to forge

friendships, you can implement strategies that will make it very
difficult not to. Start by establishing a culture of appreciation and
recognition. It's also helpful to design spaces that encourage
collaboration, encourage cross-functional team projects, and
introduce effective team building activities.

Take these first few steps — get the ball rolling, and you'll be
surprised how far it takes you. Need some extra inspiration?