We have any number of experiences in any given day – some are good, some bad and others just plain ugly. We can learn from any of them. The most effective leaders learn from their experiences. From a good experience they capture what went well so they can do the same thing the next time. From a bad experience, they analyze where improvements can be made so that they don’t make the same mistake. From those downright ugly experiences, they may not only analyze what went wrong but may ask others for their perceptions of the situation; using the data gathered to determine next steps to fix the situation.
Learning from our experiences enables for increasing our emotional intelligence skills, improving our communication skills and doing a better job leading the team. Every day should be seen as a learning experience. Nearly every interaction enables for us to learn something new – no matter how small.
Try this at the end of today:Think about your day. What went well and why did it go well? What did you do, say or how did you act that enabled for success or progress? What did not go as well and why did it not go well? What happened that did not enable for success or progress? Jot down in a journal what you learned from that day and include a few action items to ensure that you can improve upon those actions that need improvement. Remember – our everyday experiences are our best learning opportunities.
