The best quality of a good leader

There are many essential qualities of a good leader, but the best quality is that leaders have a growth mindset.

It is like the game you played when you were a child, and someone asked you what you would wish for If you received three wishes. Most of us would have said material possessions like a large house, plenty of money, and so forth. The brightest kids pretty fast said that they wanted more wishes.

The same is valid for leaders as well. They have understood that knowledge is power and continuously seeking ways to grow their minds. Development as a person is the best thing you can do for yourself.

Here are some reasons why personal growth is so robust and how you can go about and set up your growth plan:

Get smarter

By reading a lot, you will obtain a more extensive vocabulary. Studies have shown that you become more intelligent, both with regards to IQ and EQ (emotional intelligence). By reading, you train your brain, and as it behaves like a muscle, the more you work out, the stronger it gets.

You can see this at the elderly. My grandfather became over 90 years old, and he read the newspaper and other things every day.

Compounding effect

Einstein was very fond of the compounding effect and called it one of the most potent forces in the universe. If you are persistent and do a little reading every day, you will be amazed by what that can do for you.

You might not be able to see it yourself, but your surroundings will notice a big difference if they haven´t met you in a while.

Better decisions

When you have more knowledge, you will make better decisions. When you put your learning into action and get a result, you will have an opportunity to learn.

Evaluated experiences are the best and will make you grow faster.

Increased ability to grow others

You cannot give something you don´t have. The better the leadership knowledge you have, the better able you will have in developing new leaders. When you start growing new leaders, you will see a rapid change because the leaders will build the people and the people will grow your business.

Another great advantage you will have with increased leadership skills is when you recruit new people. You will be able to hire the right people and avoid hiring the wrong people, which can be very costly for the company.

Evaluate your day

One way of learning faster is to write down in a diary every evening your learnings of the day. Answering the questions “What went well and why” lets you focus on the right things.

When you write it down, you will anchor your learnings better as well.

Mobile University

Many people say that they don’t have time to read. You will always have time if you want to. One effective way is to listen to an audiobook in the car on the way to work.

I have listened to more than a hundred books that way. Remember the compounding effect

Learn from the best

Do your research and find the best in the world and learn from them. Even though it might be expensive to travel and see them, I will tell you it is worth it.

You should spend 33 % of your time with people who haven´t come as far as, 33% with those who are equal with you and 33% with those who have grown themselves further than you.

Evaluate where you spend most of your time. Get yourself in a growth environment as often as you can. Attending or facilitating a mastermind group is a very effective way of sharing experiences and discussing leadership issues.

Read your books again

Repetition is the mother of skill, and I recommend to read good books more than once. Your learning is happening gradually, and you will forget a lot of information over time. If you practice and repeat the things that you have learned and at the same time, add new learning, you will remember more.

Knowledge is available from more places than through books.

I today’s society books still play an essential role. However, there are so many other forms of media that you can apply to receive information. In your hand, you possess more information technology than the first astronauts had access to when they went to the moon.

I am referring to your I-phone or Samsung. Google search, YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, etc. are all very effective ways to learn new skills.

Get a mentor

If you want to grow faster, you need to get yourself a mentor. A person that can challenge you and hold you accountable for the goals you set up.

I have had several mentors in my life, and my growth rate has always been higher when I had one compared to when I didn´t.

Create your growth plan.

Decide how you should grow in the next year and what you should do. How many books you are going to read and what seminars you will attend.

If you are getting started my advice is to go to any of John C Maxwell or Tony Robbins event.