It’s always a buzz to see people complete a leadership program. Sometimes the program is a year long, sometimes just a couple of days. I love seeing people achieve new knowledge and skills. You have a choice when you complete a leadership program. You can either sigh and say “OK, phew that’s over,” or you can maximise the outcomes by implementing new knowledge, tools and models.  The more you put into action, the more positive changes you will make and the more impact you will have. Over many years of facilitating leadership programs, I’ve seen many graduates return to business as usual, my sincere wish is that this isn’t you. I’ve put together these suggestions as to what you can do to create impact – for yourself and for others. Take a look and give them a go, or share with others you know are completing a leadership program.

1. Make a Commitment

As soon as you finish your leadership program, make a commitment that you will put some changes into place, use some of the tools and models from the program and commit to ongoing practise. Rome wasn’t built in a day and neither is new leadership, you have to work at it. Give it your best and remain open to trialling new things. Even if they don’t work the way you want when you put them into place the first time around, stick at it and give it another go. And maybe even another! Everyone can tell when you make this commitment or you don’t!

2. Make a Plan

Write up a plan. First, think back over your leadership program. Think about the tips, tools, models etc that you think will be really valuable for you. Make a list of these and put the list where you will see it often. Plan to introduce something new into your leadership each month. This will give you time to introduce it, practise it, review it and then integrate it into your everyday. Remember all good things take time, no need to rush here.

3. Integrate New Leadership Traits

Leadership is all about developing your potential and identifying and developing the potential of others. Developing your existing and introducing new traits is the best way to do this. Become consciously aware of your traits and when and how you use them everyday. Take time to reflect on which traits you want to develop to be more authentic and to positively impact others. And then hey presto use them more and more. Over a short time you’ll see people respond more positively to you and you’ll increase confidence. Switch out a fixed mindset for a more open mindset. Switch out a task focussed approach to a more people focussed approach.  

4. Share Your Learning with Others

Don’t keep all your new leadership knowledge to yourself. Share it around. This will help you cement your learning and will inspire others to become aware of their leadership too. Think about giving an update at a meeting, running a mini training session, passing on knowledge to a colleague, write an item for your work’s newsletter, create some checklists or new processes, get yourself an interview on a Podcast or a guest speaker at an industry forum.

5. Become a Mentor

Consider becoming a mentor. There are both formal and informal programs so you will find something that suits your style. I think mentoring is an amazing way to support another and while doing it enhance their work capacity as well as impact their lives as a whole positively. Mentoring is all about having committed conversations and being a catalyst for change. And its about passing on information, advice, tips, stories and experiences that will create change. Mentors tell me they often get more from a mentoring partnership  than they give. 

6. Reflect and Review

Now you have thought threw ways of maximising impact from your leadership program, stay honest, hold yourself accountable and check in on the impact you are achieving regularly. Could be each fortnight or monthly. Set aside 15 mins and jot down the impact you have seen, heard or have a good feeling about. Try these questions to guide you;

• What have you done differently?
• What has it achieved for you and for others?
• What do you need to do for yourself or others to achieve even more impact? 

This helps you to be able to direct your time and energy for maximum return.

7. Action, Action and More Action

Leadership change requires action. It’s important to practise things and put new things into action. It can be scary doing this as you’re putting yourself out there, it might not go to plan, you might not achieve what you want and you might get negative feedback along the way. In many ways its safer not to put yourself “out there.”. I encourage you to come out of your safe or comfort zone and actually try things and give them a good go. And then repeat the same process in real time in the real world with colleagues, staff etc. Change comes to those who are courageous enough to take this step.    

8. Build and Maintain Your Networks

Leadership is a people game and networks are extremely valuable. Opportunities can come from knowing others and importantly from them knowing you. Develop networks to share your leadership knowledge. Meet, greet and then consciously nurture and develop relationships that align to your leadership aspirations. Maintain contact. Social media is great for this.

Over to You

I hope you’ve gained some tips here to help you put your new leadership knowledge into action. Which ones resonate the most? What are you going to do about them? Remember it’s up to you to develop and implement a leadership change plan. We have seen people leave Programs and progress their careers, become mentors, work with others better than ever before and feel gratitude that they pushed themselves out of their comfort zone. I want the same for you. Please take one or two or maybe even three things from this article and put them in place today. Good luck. And please feel free to reach out to me here if you think I can help in any way.

Until next time!