Leadership development has always been a cornerstone of my career. From my earliest days as a leader in the television newsroom, serving as a producer, to my position at Lockheed Martin as the inaugural program manager for the Communications Leadership Development Program, to participation in Leadership Greater Syracuse and other similar programs, I continue to hone my skills in this area to grow as an employee and a person.
This year, I’m fortunate to be a part of the first-ever Syracuse University Advanced Leadership Development Program. The course meets monthly, focusing on all aspects of leadership. Part of the learning so far has been introspective; we’ve taken an Emotional Intelligence assessment, as well as the Strengths Finder assessment from Gallup. What’s more, we selected supervisors, peers and colleagues to complete 360 assessments of ourselves, all in an effort to learn what makes us tick, what we do well and where we could improve.
It’s interesting to take a long hard look at yourself in this way. After completing the Strengths Finder, I learned that my top strengths are: Achiever, Consistency, Discipline, Activator and Responsibility, which are all aligned with an “Executing” type of leader. None of this surprises me. I’m the one who gets things done. I’m extremely disciplined both at work and at home. My life is governed by routines and plans and I can always be counted on to “get ‘er done.” While this all might sound terrific to most, it has at times been a challenge for me. For example, I often find it difficult to say “no.” Plus, it’s easy for people to assign me projects and tasks because they know I’ll get it done so I’ve often found myself in a “burnout” situation due to the volume of activities in which I end up involved.
But while there are drawbacks, I am still proud of the kind of leader I’ve been. I like that I have discipline and am an active participant in my professional and personal life. This has helped me complete a graduate degree online, while continuing to work full-time. It also has allowed me to stick with a regular fitness routine, complete with a virtual trainer and significant improvement in my overall health. My focus and determination to get things done is an asset!
So, as I viewed this morning’s sunset on my way out of the gym (see featured image with this post), I thought about who I am and who I aspire to be in the future. I think during this leadership course, I want to broaden my world view so I’m not so insulated and focused in my thinking. I want to think about things more and take more time instead of just going, going, going to get things done.
What kind of wine goes with leadership development? Well, a “game changer,” of course. Leaders challenge us to extend our view, see what’s possible and experience success. The 2013 Magnus Nox Merlot I enjoyed last night is a perfect example of these characteristics.
Its description at First Leaf Club says, “Dark and smooth, the Magnus Nox 2013 Merlot is part of an epic vintage with high praise from some of the most revered critics in wine. Wine Spectator Magazine called 2013 California wines “golden” for the Golden Coast, and critic Robert Parker said that 2013 was “a game changer,” and the Magnus Nox doesn’t disappoint. Light sage and plum accents play off of the oak flavors in this well-balanced, silky Merlot. Our experts have been trying it with anything they can think of, so far it’s been best with flatiron steak and roast chicken, but we think it may very well go with everything.”
The words I’ve highlighted can also be applied to great leaders. Who wouldn’t want to be revered, praised and epic? And the best leaders I’ve encountered can lead everyone and are balanced in their skills and views. I’d say this wine is a great way to describe leadership. Plus, it was extremely tasty, as well!
For more information about some of the leadership concepts I’ve mentioned in this post, please see the below resources: