Coach Dan Foster

A recent survey by the international consulting firm, BlessingsWhite revealed that overall employee engagement at work is directly tied to how much an employee feels they are appreciated by their manager and the company executives. In these challenging economic times it is easy for leaders to overlook the needs of their employees because they are so focused on profitability and survival. This may manifest itself in a failure to recognize and reward achievements, provide resources necessary to do the job, provide feedback on performance, and ask for input on projects and initiatives.

The best leaders at some point in the their career realize they cannot do it all alone. The late nights at work, the juggling of responsibilities, and the expectations for performance in all key areas of life and business become too much for one person to handle. A failure to realize this can lead to burnout, poor performance, the ultimate demise of your company. In the past I’ve written and spoken about the attributes of a great leader, and one of these attributes is that a leader has the support of a great leadership team. Defining the attributes of this leadership team is the first step in developing a cohesive group which a leader can rely on to delegate responsibilities and achieve the overall vision of the company.

This past weekend I ran the Hood to Coast Relay race with my friends at Building Champions and a few of their clients from around the country. Competing in the Hood to Coast Relay was a Big Hairy Audacious Goal (BHAG) that I set for myself back in early May of this year. I was looking for something to take me out of my comfort zone and challenge me in area of my Life Plan that needed something more than just daily routine and activities. When my friend, Steve Scanlon, called me and asked me to join the team, I knew I had found what I was looking for. Now, almost four months later this BHAG goal has been accomplished and I’ve learned so much from the experience.

In these challenging times, I believe that we need great leaders and we need them now! A little over a year ago I wrote a post entitled, The Ten Attributes of a Great Leader. It has since become the most popular post I have ever written. This past week I had the privilege of speaking to the Newberg Rotary club about leadership development and the need for everyone to discover their unique leadership style.

The most successful professionals I know are lifelong learners. They always seem to be reading books, studying best practices, networking with successful people, and applying what they learn to their own life. For many, the idea of finding time to focus on their personal development is almost a joke. Managing the high priority relationships, deals, and deadlines can take all of your time, leaving you with just enough energy to crawl into your pajamas, turn on the TV, and crash on the couch at the end of the day. I’ve learned that having a detailed plan to help you be intentional in your pursuit of personal development is essential to your overall success in life.