Page 260 - Just Promoted A 12 Month Road Map for Success in Your New Leadership Role

Settling into Your Renewing Organization 245

always something new with which to contend. In leadership you must simul-
taneously manage a complex of human, work flow, technology, planning, and
competitive pressures that make leadership at once the most difficult, mad-
deningly complex and perhaps the most challenging and rewarding thing you
will ever do.

Never Fail to Develop as a Leader
Never fail to achieve your goals to develop as a leader. We spoke earlier about
the importance of improving your technical, professional, leadership, and per-
sonal competencies. Your knowledge, skills, and attitudes are the “qualifiers,”
the tickets to get in the door and stay there. Managers mature into superior
leaders partly by setting challenging self-development goals. Leaders on the
rise who follow through with such plans develop their own skills and abilities
while communicating a clear message to their people about personal and pro-
fessional growth.
We suggest updating and reviewing your executive development plans with
your boss every six months and using every resource at your disposal in and
outside of your organization.

Gain an Understanding of the Impact of Moving Up on Your
Family, Health, and Time
The seventh and final principle in SOARING is to gain an understanding of
the impact of moving up on your family, health, and time. The importance of
this principle is so great that we have dedicated the entire last chapter of the
book to it. Managing your personal life can be the quintessence of tap danc-
ing on marbles. It is slippery, complex, elusive, and full of difficulties. Just when
you think things have settled down, you will discover a new set of difficulties.
Chapter 10 looks at suggested approaches to the challenge of successfully inte-
grating your professional and personal life.

Quick Reminders to Keep You on Track

■ Since planned organizational growth takes a toll in time, effort, and
money, there comes a point when it is best to pull the reins in and slow
the pace of change. This usually occurs after some of the major change
goals have been achieved, while enthusiasm for the new vision and
direction is still strong.