How often do you actually block time in your busy schedule to “Develop” yourself? When was the last time you developed yourself in your area of your professional life, your career, your skill set, or your strengths? Do you know that if you do not “Raise Your Lid” in your professional life, you will actually cause not only yourself, but those you lead or those who report to you to stagnate? This principle is a very important one, because each of us has to keep growing in our knowledge and skills, and other tools so that those under us can continue to grow and move upward. If you stop growing, your team stops growing, your business will stop growing, and the result of that will not be a pleasant to be in your professional life. This lack of intentionality in your professional life is called “The Law of The Lid”.
If you see your team not engaged, not producing, or your sales are flat….ask yourself, “When was the last time I developed myself?” If you have not attended a conference, seminar, workshop or any other event where you unplugged from the bus-i-ness of conducting business and professional grown, it has been too long! There is a Risk and a Reward for every decision you make in your life. There are three questions you want to ask yourself:
- “Are the potential rewards of attending a professional development event outweigh the risks of attending the event?” The answer here is “YES”! You will be acknowledging you are equipping not only yourself, but those with whom you work. You and your team have tremendous VALUE!”
- “Will the knowledge, tools and skills you gain by attending a professional development event help you achieve your goals and dreams in your professional life?” YES, of course they will, because, even if your goals and dreams are lofty you are now operating from a place of strength from which to achieve those goals and dreams. Before you attended the event, you were unaware of the information and therefore, missing a piece of the puzzle to complete the map of getting to those dreams and goals.
- “Can you recover from the downside of attending the event?” Again, the answer is yes, if your attitude is correct. We will all have those who “disappoint” us. Here’s what I mean; the value of people is more important, than the disappoint you receive when you are trying to add value to people. We have all experienced this in our professional life, however it is your attitude that makes all the boats rise, or sink your ship.
“Champions take chances and Pressure is a privilege.” Billy Jean King
You know our personal lives are no different from our professional lives when it comes to “Development”. Why? Well, the same things that are true in business are true in on our personal side of our lives. When was the last time you learned something new which would enhance your personal life? Let me ask you about your knowledge base around some key informational pieces which impact your life right now…
- Are you thoroughly informed about your insurance policies for each item, person, or thing you have insurance in place and are paying for today? If you have not read your policies in some time, you may be unaware that terms, conditions, and rates may have changed. What about your password? Have you updated it lately?
- We are coming to the end of another year, what did you do this year about learning more about your own health, nutrition, and exercise for your age group? Did you know that as you age you requirement change in number of hours you need to sleep, your nutritional intake changes, that you may need to look at exercise differently that when you were say 20, 30, 40, 50 or even older, depending on your current age?
- When was the last time you went to a conference, seminar, course, or experience in something that you love to do such as a hobby, a passion, or interest that you have, in order to enrich your life? We are all very busy and over scheduled and this is one of the places we never seem to be able to block off time for in our calendars. However, it is a vital part of who we are, in that we need to fill this void in our being in order to maintain balance in our lives, otherwise we become bitter, cynical, and someone who no one wants to be around.
- When was the last time you experienced “Spiritual Growth”? No matter what faith you follow, you need to keep this area of your life alive, vibrant, and active. Here again, when we do not pour into this part of our lives we begin to feel a deep void. “Fellowship” with others of like-mindedness is an important component of our lives. As a coach, mentor, author, trainer and public speaker, I am continually amazed at the number of folks I personally talk to daily who do not seem to think they need nor do they want nor are they looking to “GROW, DEVELOP, or LEARN” anything new or to hone their own skills in either their personal lives, or their professional lives.
Why do you think that is the case?
I am not sure I know the answer here myself. What I am told goes something like this: “….I just don’t have the time…..I already have “something” on that day at that time…….I don’t know who the speaker is…….I don’t need to learn anything more in my life at this point…..what’s the conference about?…..I’m not interested in that at all…..I don’t get time off for professional development…..It’s too expensive….” and the list goes on and on.
Here’s what I do know for sure, when someone hires me to help them bridge the gap from where they are today, to what their dream or goal is, it is one of the first questions I ask them….”When was the last time you attended a professional/personal development event?” The answer is just about 90% the same…..“….I don’t have time to attend something like that, I would lose valuable work time…..I don’t need any more training…..I don’t get time off for professional development…….” No one can know everything about those pieces of the puzzle we need knowledge, skills, tools, ideas, and training in, in our professional or our personal side of life. We are the sum total of all of our experiences and knowledge. If we have not yet experienced something or technology, knowledge or skills and tools have advanced beyond what we learned in the past and are experienced in…..we are all behind the curve. When we know better, know more, we are now equipped to make that all important decision to add VALUE to those we serve in our professional lives and in our personal lives.
This Friday, you have an opportunity to add value to yourself, those you work with, your family, your community, the organizations you volunteer with, and those who are looking up to you as their role model; by attending a LIVE2LEAD event in your area. This will take “INTENTION”, by blocking off the morning for your personal and professional development. There is a site near you! To find out where your local LIVE2LEAD event is taking place, simply go to: http:/l2l.johnmaxwell.com
LIVE2LEAD is a GLOBAL event which will be streaming live from the John Maxwell Leadership Center in Atalanta, Georgia, this Friday, October 9, 2015. The four speakers are leaders in their own respective areas in the business world, as well as authors, they own and or run large companies and have between them over 200 years of knowledge in the areas of business, teams, leadership, organizational development, organizational health, and many more topics. Do you have that kind of knowledge in your tool belt? Join the tens of thousands who will be learning, growing, and equipping themselves and their organizations by attending LIVE2LEAD at a site near you.
John Maxwell, the #1 LEADERSHIP expert in the world will be discussing how living and working with an “INTENTIONAL” mindset changes everything. He will also be unveiling his global movement of living a life with intention. You will want to be a part of this discussion and find out how you can live and work with INTENTION.
Patrick Lencioni, is a best-selling author whose books on teams are required reading inbusiness organizations globally. His seminal book, “The five Dysfunctions of a Team” are on the desks of most Fortune 500 businesses in the US. Pat’s organization, “THE TABLE” is renowned for its work with the “health of business teams” and it is a passion for Pat.
Valorie Burton, is a best-selling author whose passion is “RESILIENCE” and she will be talking about getting back up and getting back on the horse after you have been face down in defeat. Valorie is a certified professional executive business coach who works with people and organizations in transformational leadership.
Kevin Turner, is the COO of Microsoft and John Maxwell will interview Kevin about how he runs the huge global corporation which is Microsoft. Kevin’s information will benefit anyone who is running an organization, large or small. This is a rare opportunity to learn from this giant in the high-tech world first hand.
Interested in attending a LIVE2LEAD event near you in your state? You can by going to the website below and you will be able to input your state, city or zip code and find a location site near you where you can attend LIVE2LEAD……
I am hosting a LIVE2LEAD event in Northern California, at the San Ramon Valley Conference Center at 3301 Crow Canyon Road, San Ramon, CA. We will by opening our doors for new registrations and continental breakfast at 7:15 am. The live simulcast begins at 8 am sharp. The event will end at noon. Continuing Education credits are available. There are still sponsorships available. VIP seats are $99, general seats are $80, and a table of 5 is $450. Bring your whole team and lift all their professional development this Friday.
To purchase your tickets in the Northern California, East Bay area go to:
http:/www.janicebastanicoaching.com/LIVE2LEAD