Maximize Your Leadership Moxie
FLEX YOUR MUSCLES : Understand and use your strengths . Know your limits and respect them . Make time to work on weaknesses .
INCREASE EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE : Self-awareness and deeper empathy for others are skills that can always be improved .
GO WITH THE FLOW : Stick to your priorities and goals , but don ’ t be so rigid that you ’ re thrown into chaos by change . Embrace the opportunity to think on your feet and improve your resilience .
BE SOCIAL : Fostering authentic relationships — with active listening and thoughtful responses — is the foundation of productive networking that allows you to increase your influence .
FIND YOUR TRIBE : Surround yourself with like-minded people and leaders you admire , but make sure they ’ re as supportive of you and your priorities as you are of theirs .
SET PRIORITIES
Practical Tips
Your destination is a place where both your home and work lives are manageable , enjoyable and productive . Your map to get there ? A list of goals informed by a list of your priorities .
• Use the S . M . A . R . T . format . Make them Specific , Measurable , Achievable , Relevant ( to your stated priorities ) and Time-Bound .
• When you hit your goals , set new ones . This trains you to make continual goal-setting a habit .
• Always be flexible . Review goals often and tweak when needed . It ’ s your list ; if circumstances change that affect your priorities , change your roadmap too .
• Write your goals down . Multiple studies show that you ’ re more than 40 percent more likely to reach goals and make choices in keeping with your priorities when you do .
Finally , use your priorities as the foundation for other actions , like self-care plans , time management and drawing boundary lines .
DITCH DISTRACTIONS
Practical Tips
For most of us , the most attention-grabbing and time-sucking distractions are digital .
• Set time-limit restrictions on your social media apps . Don ’ t look at your phone when you first wake up and for 30 minutes after you wake up .
• Lose the IRL distractions , too . Look around and ask yourself , is this activity or this relationship in line with my priorities and goals ? If not , dial back the amount of time and energy you give them .
Mentoring Matters
Women-to-women mentoring is valuable for both mentor and mentee . Here are the top reasons to make the time for a mentoring relationship .
For Mentors
• Sharing struggles and triumphs lets you unburden yourself and possibly gain different perspectives on challenges , leading to better solutions .
• Sharing skills helps you continually hone them ; leadership skills in particular are often boosted in the mentoring process .
• Building a new relationship means you ’ re also building a new layer of support for yourself .
For Mentees
• Experience is the best teacher . Allowing a female mentor to gift you with her “ been there , done that ” knowledge is a smart career advancement step . Several studies show those with work mentors are up to five times more likely to be promoted .
• A mentor can be a strong source of continual encouragement and empowerment that cultivates the confidence essential to success .
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