As a leader, you need to be confident to take on challenges and dare yourself. If you have started practicing some exciting new habits though, you may be, as any human being, experiencing some negative self-talk.
If you are looking to improve your positive leadership impact, who you are and what you do, learn to reframe. It is a simple but very effective way to stop limiting thoughts and defeatist behaviour to help you persist.
We talked about planning to undo bad habits as much as acquiring new habits in the first phase. If you are a week into your practice, your new habits may not have settled in quite yet, whilst opposing behaviours may be starting to plant the seeds of doubt.
It is completely normal.
In our adaptive change session, we work to uncover limiting assumptions to enable leaders individually or within their team to make progress with important but persistently resistant leadership development goals.
If you are feeling that your practice is stuck, make a list of the behaviours or actions that are getting in the way. Take stock, what are you doing/not doing, as you try to establish these new leadership habits?
Secondly, reflect on what is going on in your head. What are you telling yourself? Let’s make it very obvious. Are you thinking I don’t have enough time or energy for this? Or I’m glad I chose a very simple task and can get it done every morning first thing?
Are you wondering if it’s worth it, or will it have any effect? Or are you planning to ask for feedback from others and celebrate the effect it’s already having on yourself?
Did you think this would be easy and over within a few weeks or believe it is a real improvement to stick in the long run?
Reflecting and reframing will be two constants alongside your practice. It is absolutely human and natural to want to revert to the status quo but remember, what got you here, won’t get you there. It is the desire and intrinsic need of all leaders to challenge and seek change. It is the ambition to make things better and brighter that drives you towards your goals.
But, what keeps effective leaders really going?
Mostly a well-planned out system to stay the course and a solid support network. No one is immune to feelings of self-doubt or bouts of insecurity. But if you spent time in April planning what it was you were going to tackle, are you going to give up now, a week in? No. If you have to adapt something to make it more obvious, more accessible and appealing, do so. That’s what it’s all about. If you have to call in a mentor, supporting buddy or encouraging friend, do so. That’s what they’re there for. If it is your negative self-talk that needs to be kept in check, reframe.
If you need us for guidance, coaching or to work out how to make adaptive change stick, connect with us.
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