If you have a good circle you don’t need consultants
It’s sometimes proper to be contained within a circle. Being inside a circle and thinking outside the circle is actually one of the best things to do. Yes, people sometimes run round and round in circles but forget to think outside the circle. The answers could go beyond your circle which is why we may call for an extension of the self.
On your journey to Leadership development, it is critical to know that forming, finding and nursing circles are key to your progression as you continue to lead. Get to find, know and form your circle and start circling. You don’t have to be a kingpin or a honcho.
Just know your circle. Find one and form it. It could be boundaries. It could also be a territory with like-minded colleagues as members and players. A circle should help you learn quickly from the kind of friends you make within an organization or even a society- I mean your circle of friends. If you have a good circle you dont need consultants.
Just like every opportunity, there are also implications in keeping close friends within a circle at the workplace. It’s not about how wide your circle is. It’s about how effective your circle is. Don’t expect too much from your circle because the members may not be the giving type.
So you have to learn to contribute to the circle just so members may learn from you. Think of what you can rather give. Giving also makes you happy. If you find a circle, take time to know the players. Keep the circle close, keep it protected, secure it, respect it, grow with it and grow it. You don’t know when you’ll be asked to carry the mantle.
In circles, members err. It’s only a sign that they are human too. Allow space to be hurt because these instances are sure to happen. Those who sincerely like you shall correct you. They will demand performance and also stretch your competences to sometimes make you feel worked out. These are the colleagues you surely need in your circle. Annoying. Aren’t they?
Those who had this thinking have always been smart to keep tough circles with tough colleagues. The circle should have a mix of associates who would dare to ask the most difficult questions you always wished nobody did. Don’t build walls so high that people can’t climb. You can build transparent walls where you will be very approachable and you will still earn your respect. A leader should stay close to the team so he can teach them and must be far so he can lead them. In the circle, play the follower and the leader at the same time to increase cross-learning.
The circle works well if you do have a mix of controversial cronies and some parent-like friends. Blend the circle with junior and senior colleagues. To make you a better person, get more of the constructive critiquing extroverts who will shape your deeds by day. Get the worriers and some fearful hearts who will help you manage your exposures and risks. Manage them and keep them at every stage of your career decision. Dance with them when you are happy. A dancing circle is a happy circle. It’s however smart to cry alone on the journey to Leadership development, but share challenges for solutions with them if you have to.
Within the circle, deal with issues and not people. Stay above the fray and lead people. See the best in situations, and know that no situation is permanent. Worries, happiness and even achievements are not permanent. Have a family within your circle. Family may not be part of the workplace, but when the chips are down, they are your support. Hold yourself well and push your teams.
There are several reasons why a team may underperform and may not want to flow. What some leaders often forget is that, there are equally several reasons why the team must work harder, exceed performance and flow.
In the office circle, work ethics must be high and must be on point. Plant some hard work in your system and contribute to the circle. In circling, you should be seen connectedly inspiring, exuding doses of passion and showing the way.
In the circle, learn not to regret. Learn through mistakes and rather think about your actions and your inactions. See leadership as an enterprise. Make things happen and enjoy the profits thereof.
In the circle, love life and love yourself. Be strong and be confident. Never be the weakest link. Bring something to the table. The book, ‘Teach your team to fish’, by Laurie Beth Jones hints that successful teams are those that understand that the desired end product is transformation, not transaction.
That is all there is in circling. Always think like you’ll be part of the circle forever. This is how to get something out of the circle. Don’t just make friends within the circle, be a friend within the team. Circling would not allow you to sit all alone by yourself. It helps you find solutions to your matters by connecting to other people’s lives and understanding how problems are solved with experience.
Interestingly, it has a spiritual view in the transformation process of things relating to you, your immediate environments and the world at large. Just being part of a circle creates that platform for up-skilling, networking and enriching the art of appreciating self and others.
Circling gives you that magic experience of being noticed. Remember that a friend of your friend becomes your friend. Networking. Being part of a circle reveals your blind spots and thus gives you another eye.
You will also enjoy life and most often flow with your team. You never miss out on key events and thus circling creates very deep and sharp opportunities to get you connected. Circling is good for business generation and building a good portfolio of friends. Circling transforms your psychology in career development and your personal growth curve. Circling is not the same as coaching. Here, the onus falls on you to transform through quality, authentic and strategic relationship aimed at building you and more importantly your competencies.
Let’s learn to be part of circles. At least start by being part of a selected team by either joining or facilitating one, aiming to solving, assisting, fixing and ultimately connecting with a team to better every member. It’s key to share moment-by-moment experience in a bid to transfer knowledge and show the way.
Find a circle. Form a circle. Circle well and get connected. It’s good to pause sometimes to create new circles to learn again as part of the learning cycle. This is key to your leadership development journey.
