Self-Improvement and Self-Investment There’s an announcement they make on airplanes as you taxi in preparation for take-off that rings true for leaders. “In the event of an emergency, put your mask on first BEFORE you assist others.” This always strikes me as profound but blissfully simple. It means that you can’t help others before you first help yourself. When we talk about this concept in the context of self-improvement and investment, good bosses know that if you don’t invest in yourself, it’s difficult to encourage others to do it. We, by our actions or inactions, model the desired behavior to others. Studies have shown that 70-90 percent of communication is nonverbal. If that is true and we say as leaders that we encourage self-improvement to our teams but don’t live that in our own actions, what are we really saying as leaders? Self-improvement and investment not only makes you better, it makes those around you better. It leads to better relationships, better thinking and richer experience brought to decision making. In the end, this not only builds the team but enriches the organizations we all serve to include their bottom line. Set an example and build a climate of trust. If you hired correctly, your mentee has skills and knows how to do some things better than you do. Let them shine. Ask the person that reports to you for advice. Ask them to troubleshoot your ideas. Give them credit and take their blame. Then ask them where they are weak, and how you can help them and what they need to do to improve. Then hold them to their plan. At the same time, make sure to hold yourself accountable to continued self- improvement. Never be afraid to say that you do not know how to do something, because those aren’t words of defeat, it just signals it is time to crouch in the starting blocks and begin something new.
36 I ACHIEVENEXT HELPING YOUR MANAGERS SUCCEED
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