Conscious Leadership Requires Embracing Your Dark Side

Some leadership development strategies only focus on your strengths. This is dangerous! Being in denial about your development areas or your "dark side" ultimately does not serve you. Being unconscious about these areas only gives them more power over you and your life. Go in with your eyes wide open.

We all have those people, places or things (reports, deadlines, presentations) that press our buttons and "make us" do and say things that "aren't us."

The best strategy is to acknowledge your development areas and make friends with them. They can be your greatest teachers. Be realistic about what you can, and most importantly - want and WILL to change. If there isn't the will, don't waste your time or the time of those around you.

Be honest with yourself about who you really are, what you want and what is required of you, personally, to make happen. If you can "delegate" or hire someone who can address your development needs - all the better! Great leaders surround themselves with those who are good at the very things they are not.If you can't delegate then this is your growth area. A key will be to get the support you need to work on what needs to change. You can change your circumstances to "get out" of it but chances are it will resurface wearing a different mask. Sometimes, the only way out of something is through - embracing the challenge.

A well-rounded development plan balances personal responsibility, accountability and change with leveraging others - delegation - to get the results you want. No matter what your role is - CEO, Manager, Wife, Sibling, Father you have the ability to delegate somethings to someone else. Give it a try!