Why it is Important to Go "Back to School" as Leaders

by Karen Kimsey-Sward

Each year around this time, I watch as school supplies hit the store shelves, school uniforms replace swimsuits on the racks and the promise of cooler temperatures appears on the horizon. As we head into another Fall season, I once again feel the familiar “back to school” buzz. For years as a student, and more years than I care to count as a parent of two, this transition of seasons always seemed to usher in other exciting (and stress-inducing) changes and new beginnings. We grew through these new experiences, without fail, as they stretched us in ways we never expected.

I recently contemplated this feel in the air—the sense of anticipation, the thrill of entering a new season, not knowing what lies ahead but fully embracing the potential for growth and change—and I couldn’t help but think about how this plays out for us as business leaders. We should be lifelong learners, living with a continual expectation of growth and change. We may not be sitting in a too-small desk, hitting the books to improve our GPAs while being distracted by varsity sports, but we face our own versions of this.

For us as business leaders, these distractions create challenges that prevent success. Inevitably, our focus turns to our teams and finding ways to help them to continue to grow and learn. That's a good thing. This is a key part to learning new skills, strengthening existing skills and building connections within our company, all of which are vital to success.

But what about our growth as group; ask yourself who leaders? We think we don’t have time to focus on ourselves. We treat ourselves as afterthoughts, putting our employees, customers, family, etc. first. Over the past year, most of my conversations with business owners have centered on a similar theme: unsustainable stress, the pressure of continual changes and the strain of dealing with "surprises". Many are overwhelmed and candidly exhausted.

Yet, I observe another truth in these conversations. When these leaders do stop and take the time to commit to growing as a leader, both personally and professionally, they learn that spending the time and money is a worthwhile investment. While it seems hard, taking that step is possible and it benefits not only them, but those around them and their business.

In my conversations with my peers, and from my own experiences, I identified four ways leaders can go “back to school” to re-learn how to connect, learn, and grow.

1. Join a business or networking group. These groups provide countless opportunities to finding “your champions,” the right group of professionals to learn from and network with. They help you expand your knowledge and can connect you to other business owners with similar challenges to yours. Take some time to understand what you need in a peer group; ask yourself who you want to grow with, and consider the quality of the overall group.

2. Find a mentor. A mentor relationship between two individuals should be reciprocal and collaborative. As a business owner, look for someone who might have a role or experience like yours so you can gain new thoughts and ideas. Some business leaders participate in a mastermind group which is a mentoring group of six to eight individuals who help each other solve their problems with input and advice from another group member.

3. Intentionally expand and increase your knowledge through classes, books and podcasts. Depending on your budget and time, a plethora of resources exist to help you grow in every area of your business. Create a personal SWOT analysis or take a personal assessment to determine what you should focus on and create a growth plan with specific goals and timelines.

4. Work with a coach. I know many franchisees who find that hiring a personal coach is a great resource to help them grow both personally and professionally. The coach guides them through decisions, keeping them grounded in difficult times and helps them solve issues in their company.

Yes, it is Fall and "back to school" season for our students; a time of promise for new beginnings. Lucky for us as business owners, we don't have to wait for Fall or any other season of the year to feel that excitement for change and growth. When we are intentional, take time for ourselves and invest in a healthy mindset, we truly embrace our highest potential as leaders. Let's go our there and "get back to business!"