Getting older is automatic, but getting better isn’t

All of us have something in common and that is, we get older with each passing year. However, what is not automatic is the fact that as we grow older, we become better.

This week, we continue the series on questions to use to advise the youth in the decision-making phase by answering the question, “How can I expand my potential?”

The youth have the potential and can harness their abilities and develop their skills and become leaders that can bring about positive change in their communities. 

What is imperative is that they keep in mind that when it comes to growth, there is no finish line. This is because leadership growth is a lifestyle and not a destination we aim for.

John Maxwell, in his book No Limits: Blow the Cap off Your Capacity, draws on the work of Carol Dweck who observed that people with a growth mindset believe that their personal qualities can be developed and that we can all grow through effort, application, and experience. 

It follows, therefore, that we all possess potential for growth that can be developed when we are in the right environment. To ensure that we not only grow old, but also become better, we need to operate in an environment of growth.

Growth occurs when we recognise that there are those who are not only ahead of us, but may also be smarter than us. Therefore, as we learn and reflect, we will get more from them when we ask more questions and listen as they share their experiences.

It may be argued that when it comes to the potential question, ours is to remain open and remember that we all have capacities that can be enlarged if we are willing to put in the work to bring about that expansion.

We must look for challenges that push us out of our comfort zones into the discomfort zones where growth happens.

In addition, we need to remember that our best days are ahead of us and look forward to making those days count.

I like this quote from John’s book No Limits, “When you are out of your gift zone and out of your comfort zone, it is a catastrophe. When you are in your gift zone and in your comfort zone you are coasting. When you are in your gift zone and out of your comfort zone you are creating a new you.”

For one to operate in their gift zone, calls for self-awareness given that this is the cornerstone for great leadership. This is what illuminates to us where we are strong so that we can focus on these areas. In addition, we grow in self-awareness when we make space for feedback and allow others to point out the blind spots, we have so we can work on them. 

Similarly, as a young leader in the making, it is incumbent upon you to grow in areas that will enhance your leadership.

For example, improving your communication skills will ensure that you are able to connect with those you may be communicating with. Another area to grow in is emotional intelligence by managing your own emotions, recognising, and responding to the emotions of others, ensures that they feel understood and supported.

Finally, in answering the potential question, we need to keep in mind that we can only get better when we give up so that we can go up. The journey to growth requires that we make certain trade-offs.

I am learning that the higher one goes, the bigger the trade-offs get, perhaps this is because good is the enemy of great.

Sometimes this may require that you spend less time on certain activities so that you have more time to invest in your growth and remember that the best leaders know that leadership is all about serving others. 

Our reflection question for this week is to answer the question, “How can I expand my potential?”

Ms Rosette Wamambe is a transformational leadership coach with the Maxwell Certified Leadership Team, [email protected]