“Come to the edge.
We might fall.
Come to the edge.
It's too high!
COME TO THE EDGE!
And they came,
and he pushed,
and they flew.”
Christopher Logue
When I recently asked one of my coaching clients, a finance executive, to describe her most memorable and rewarding career experiences, she very quickly cited two different roles in two different companies. “What was the consistent theme?” I asked. With no hesitation she shared that in each case, her then boss provided her with significant “stretch” opportunities. Each leader encouraged and supported her along with challenging her to expand her capabilities. Her bosses believed in her and her capacity to learn and develop new skills even when she might have doubted her own ability to rise to the challenge. She learned much from these two leaders and has incorporated the same traits into her own leadership style.
My client’s experience is consistent with the results of research on “extraordinary” leaders published by Zenger and Folkman in a book by the same name. The authors identify 16 competencies that set exceptional leaders apart from average leaders. It turns out that outstanding leaders, (those that produce high productivity, low turnover, high profitability, innovation and positive relationships) establish stretch goals for themselves and others and promote a spirit of continuous improvement in those they lead.
How about you? Do you encourage those you lead to step out of their comfort zone? Do you provide stretch opportunities, along with support and encouragement to your direct reports?
Do you stretch yourself by taking on more challenging projects and engagements or are you comfortable with the status quo?
Are YOU ready to fly?
To your success,
Mary
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