It was the question ‘What is your plan for your personal growth?’ that made world-renowned leadership expert John C Maxwell ponder about his career aspirations and that ignited his journey to becoming one of the most respected authors about leadership and personal growth.
My sister and I have a big vision for where we want to take our employee wellness and leadership development company in the next 10 years. This vision resulted in me doing intense studying and research the past two years. I have added multiple qualifications and accreditations to my CV: NeuroCoach and Mentor; High-Performance and Resilience Practitioner; Enneagram Practitioner; Whole-Brain Practitioner; Executive Leadership Programme through Oxford University; Dare to Lead Trained by Brené Brown; John Maxwell Leadership Trainer, Coach and Speaker. I gained extensive knowledge and experience to add more value to clients. It is, however, the significant personal growth gained that I value the most.
I now have a deep understanding of my personality, my brain profile and thinking patterns, my conflict style, how I behave under pressure, the type of environment where I function best, what motivates me, and my blind spots.
I communicate more effectively, and my personal and professional relationships have improved. I understand other people better, have more empathy, became
a better listener and ask powerful questions to resolve problems quicker. Overall, I am a better person and a better leader who truly know myself.
As Nathaniel Branden said: ‘The first step towards change is awareness. The second step is acceptance.’ You first need to know who you truly are to grow to your full potential. Personal awareness goes much deeper than ‘I am an accountant’, ‘I am an introvert / extrovert’, ‘I am a team player / leader’. It also involves much more than acquiring soft skills: you need to accept who you are and that you are a unique human being with strengths and weaknesses.
One of the most common growth gap traps is referred to as ‘The Assumption Gap’ where people believe that personal growth will happen automatically. When we are children, growth happens automatically – we grow stronger, taller, and acquire more capabilities and knowledge. As a result, when we are adults we subconsciously carry the belief that spiritual, emotional and mental growth will follow the same pattern. This is simply not true. Once you have completed formal education, you need to take ownership for your personal growth.
Become intentional about your personal growth path – know where you are now and where you want to be, identify the gaps, and put together a plan to help you achieve your goals. Build time into your weekly schedule for personal growth.
IN BRIEF
Most people have a well-thought-out plan to become a chartered accountant, internal auditor or risk analyst. After completing articles, you start climbing the ladder from junior to senior to management to Exco. There is a vision, plan, milestones and structure in place. Once qualified, some might explore further studies, maybe a master’s degree, MBA or leadership course. CPD requirements keep finance professionals up to speed with IFRS updates and new tax regulations for professional growth during their careers. But what about personal growth? What is your plan for your personal growth?
Author
Ronel Jooste CA(SA)
Director at FinanciallyFiTLife, author, speaker and radio talk show host
