Today I am sharing a moment of pause and reflection with you. This year I have reached a milestone; 20 years in my own business as an Executive Coach and Leadership Facilitator, preceded by 15 years in people-centric roles in professional and financial services.
As I reflect on my working life and a variety of experiences, I have been thinking about the lessons I have learned, some of which I wish I had known when I was 20 years old when I started out!
And yet it is the discovery of these lessons which helped me grow and develop the most and into the person I am today. I am grateful to the many leaders, mentors, colleagues, teachers, and friends who have been part of my learning journey. Here’s what I’ve learned:
1. Treat others as they want to be treated, with respect and honouring their dignity
2. Listen to others free from interruption and judgement
“When you talk, you are only repeating what you already know. But if you listen, you may learn something new.” ― The Dalai Lama
3. Encourage others to think as themselves, for themselves
4. Always look for the goodness in others
5. Celebrate what is right with the world
6. Go to the edge of your comfort zone where you’ll find the most growth
“Develop a passion for learning. If you do, you will never cease to grow.” ― Anthony J. D’Angelo
7. Align your behaviour to what’s important to you; your values
8. Listen to the perspective of others to widen your own and connect more deeply with another
9. Do what energises and strengthens you as a person
10. Lift others up, appreciating their positive qualities
“The thing to do, it seems to me, is to prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in somebody else’s cloud.” ― Maya Angelou
11. Create a sense of hope for yourself and others
12. Be self-aware and recognise the profound impact you have on the lives of others
13. Be wise with your words; our language creates our reality
14. Create and pursue personal development stretch goals
15. Hold yourself accountable for accomplishing what you set out to
“Accept responsibility for your life. Know that it is you who will get you where you want to go, no one else.” ― Les Brown
16. Don’t beat yourself up! If things don’t work out, look at the lesson within
17. Apply what you learn regularly
18. Ask for help, especially in doing the things that de-energise you
19. Invest in mentoring for yourself and become a mentor for another
20. Adopt an attitude of gratitude
I wonder, what lessons have you learned along the journey of your professional life?
Thank you for listening!
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