By Dave Ramsey
*Published with permission in the November, 2015 newsletter*
One of the most important things you can do as a leader is to take time to grow. Running a business can leave little time for anything else, but, believe me, when it comes to your professional life, it’s always worth the investment.
Hire thoroughbreds
One of the easiest ways to do this is to surround yourself with winners. We call them thoroughbreds at my office. Taking extra time and doing your due diligence in the hiring process is a great way to ensure that you’re hanging out every day with people who can help you grow. You’ll become more astute as a business person and become a better human being just from hanging out and working with quality people day-to-day.
Seek out experts
Spending time with the best of the best may not be as difficult as you think. Many of the top minds in business regularly host live events and write books. Did you know that the average millionaire reads one or more non-fiction books a month? Learning from the best and brightest will open new doors, generate ideas and show you what you’re doing well and where you can improve.
Connect with peers
Living in a technology-driven world, it’s often easy to forget that the best relationships are made when people talk to each other face-to-face. So, get out of the office and meet people! Don’t make the mistake of being the person who is constantly trying to sell themselves or their company. The objective here is to meet people and gain knowledge and insight. Plus, you’ll make lots of new friends along the way who actually get you.
Leaders need mentors, too
Finding a mentor probably isn’t as difficult as you think. In fact, most successful people are flattered by such a request and happy to help others. You’re not going to be able to simply call up Bill Gates or Warren Buffet on the phone, but that’s okay. All you’re looking for is someone you respect and admire, who is bit ahead of you in terms of experience and development. You may even find that you need different mentors for different areas of your life.
We host numerous EntreLeadership events each year. In them, we teach small business owners the principles we used to grow our company. Yes, growth is that important to me. It should be to you, too. It’s one of the simplest and most gratifying things you can do to become a better leader and win the race!
