SmartPulse — our weekly nonscientific reader poll in SmartBrief on Leadership — tracks feedback from more than 190,000 business leaders. We run the poll question each week in our e-newsletter.
Last week, we asked: How willing are you to step outside your leadership style “comfort zone” and try new techniques?
- Very — I try new leadership techniques all the time: 42.06%
- Somewhat — I occasionally try new things: 53.05%
- Not very — I’m reluctant to try new leadership techniques: 3.84%
- Not at all — I hate going outside my comfort zone: 1.05%
Growth occurs outside of comfort. Clearly, getting outside your comfort zone will create new opportunities for learning and many of you say you try to do so. I’ll challenge you to step way outside your comfort zone from time to time. Take on a project you have very little background or expertise on. Mentor someone who is your polar opposite. Go to someone who you don’t get along with and ask them to coach you. Yes, that uncomfortable. If you don’t recoil at the thought of doing something, you’re not pushing hard enough. Don’t act like a reluctant 8-year-old boy and refuse to try things way outside what you’re comfortable with. It’s those uncomfortable moments that hold the key to new experiences and development for you.
Mike Figliuolo is managing director of thoughtLEADERS and author of “One Piece of Paper: The Simple Approach to Powerful, Personal Leadership.”