In a recent podcast hosted by Encouraging Leaders, our CEO, Chris Wallbank, shared his lessons and experiences as a leader of PJ Wallbank Springs.
Here are 7 leadership lessons we can learn from Chris’ experience:
- Embrace Learning Over Winning: If you don’t win, it doesn’t mean you lose. True failure is the inability to learn. As a leader, create an environment where your people aren’t afraid to fail but rather willing to learn from setbacks and adjust their approach. Failure is an opportunity for growth, and success isn’t always about winning but about continuously learning and improving.
- Align Purpose and Profitability: Most businesses think you can’t do one without sacrificing the other. But the most successful leaders are intentional about staying true to their values while aligning their business purpose with a profitable business strategy.
- Seek External Support: Recognize the importance of leaning on others for help. As a leader, we often think we need to know all the answers, but that’s not true. Just as athletes at all levels have coaches, leaders can benefit from mentors throughout their careers.
- Foster Collective Achievement: Collective achievement drives business momentum. Be mindful about how you’re encouraging teamwork and collaboration vs. individual performance.
- Set the Pace: As a leader, you set the pace for your team and company’s growth. It’s your responsibility to help everyone understand their role in the strategy and encourage them to take ownership of their role in moving the business forward.
- Values Guide Decisions: “I love diversity of thought, but not diversity of values.” Your values as a leader should align with the business and ultimately guide your decision making. Surround yourself with people who align with your core values and are better than you, and especially at the function they’re leading.
- Document Your Vision: While it may feel vulnerable at first, the sooner you document and communication your vision with the business, the sooner you drive clarity and alignment within the organization. Your vision gives employees a clear roadmap of the business direction and provides potential recruits an indication of what you’re about and where you’re heading.
By applying these lessons, leaders can foster a more resilient, aligned, and growth-oriented organization. Remember, great leadership is an ongoing journey of learning and adapting.
Tune into the full episode to hear more leadership insights from Chris:
