Leadership Journey

Leadership Journeys Leaders of organizations are entrusted to lead the way, which frequently involves carving out and clearing new pathways for others to follow. They shine light on unchartered territories, and test unknown waters as they begin to break new ground. But what happens when you are a leader placed in a situation where you have no idea where you are going or how you are going to get there? Have you ever found yourself in a place that is murky and dark? Have you ever felt alone, isolated, and unsure of where to get help as everything swirls around you and overwhelms you? But there is hope. Preparing for your leadership journey will better equip you to navigate through it, and enhance your chances of emerging with your team fully intact and feeling a sense of accomplishment and success that inspires both you and your team to look forward to the opportunity of being able to flourish through the next adventure.

What is a leadership journey?

Leadership journeys are the trips you take as a leader that bring you and perhaps your entire organization through a different route or to a new destination. They can be challenging, breathtaking, frustrating, and exhilarating. It may be bidding on a new contract, starting a new program, or venturing into a new type of service. The journey might involve changing organizational structures, switching positions within an organization, or picking up a time-limited task such as re-writing the policy manual, leading the accreditation process, acquiring a new building, or providing coverage for someone for a period of time. A leadership journey is about walking an unfamiliar path, and without adequate preparation, these journeys have the capacity to wreak havoc on your body, mind, and soul, and to negatively impact your organization and your people.

Is this the right journey for me?

Leaders first need to assess if they are prepared for the potential journey. While I might be excited for a challenging mountain bike ride, I am nowhere near skilled enough to go mountain biking in the Rockies, as least not without first acquiring the needed training, tools, and support.

Unfortunately, leaders often take on new journeys without the proper resources, training, or tools. Before embarking on a new leadership journey, be sure you have evaluated if it is the right path for you.

Where is this journey going to take you? What does the terrain look like? What is the climate like? What wild animals lurk there? I might be very excited about an exotic trip until I realize that I have to go on camel back through sweltering heat and fight off deadly insects to get there. In organizations this may look like unionized environments, archaic technology, lack of resources, underpaid and under-skilled employees, vast regional areas to cover, toxic work environments, or heavy workloads. Although these challenges are expected to some degree, being aware of the specific challenges for you and your organization helps you to prepare to address them.

Are you keenly aware of the risks involved? I know that travelling abroad to a war torn country increases the risks to my safety and wellbeing. I also know that if I choose to take my vehicle down a rough mountainous trail I risk damaging my drive train. Identifying possible risks of the leadership journey informs my decision regarding whether I will embark on the trip. Be sure to put your decisions through your risk management systems. What are the financial risks? What impacts will it have on staffing, other programs, clients, and communities? How will you account for increased working alone risks, OHS implications, and drains on your accounting and HR systems? Moving forward in business and leadership will always involve risks, but an awareness of the nature of the specific risks allows you to determine if they are risks you are prepared to take.

What impact does choosing to go down this path have on your personal life? Often new ventures require extra time and effort. Consider how much extra you are willing to invest, and what areas of your life will consequently receive less time and effort. How will the added stress affect your health, your marriage, and your relationship with your family? How will this impact other personal commitments? What are the benefits in terms of future opportunities, financial gains, and recognition?

Preparing ready for the trip Preparation involves more than making sure you have an office, desk, computer, and program site. When preparing to travel, I might learn a new language, update my passport, obtain new gear, or get immunization shots. I also research the location on the internet, call a travel agent, and talk to friends who have been there. What will you need to help you prepare? What training (formal and informal) do you and your team need? Leadership ventures may require you to learn new lingo or acronyms, such as new medical or physiological terms. Preparation includes understanding your funding source and funding model. It is also helpful to know specifically who you will be working with. What do you know about them? What are the expectations for reporting? Talk to your peers both internally and externally. Connect with the Alberta Association of Services for Children and Families (AASCF), the Alberta College of Social Workers, and accreditation organizations. Get as much information as you can and arm yourself with all of the resources available to you.

Just as you wouldn't start a journey with half a tank of gas, or without your luggage or passport, leadership journeys require you to have all your resources in place. Aside from technology, office space, HR, and accounting systems, you will need to have your staff group in place.

Starting a journey with half a crew will surely lead to errors, fatigue, and burnout. What are the crucial pieces that need to be in place for a strong foundation? Where can you get by with a skeleton crew until you can put the rest of the pieces in place? Just as most of us would not want to be in Hawaii without a bathing suit, you would not want to start a new venture short of the most critical resource you will need.

Navigating through it all As you navigate through your journey, remain aware of the resources that are available to you and know when to use them. When backpacking, I know to use the heavy items first to lighten my load. This might mean delegating time, consuming tasks to others, or restructuring your staff group so you have an assistant that will share some of the burdens. Another option might be to resign from a board that you currently sit on to free up some of your time and energy.

Protect yourself and arm yourself against the elements, creatures, and personal limitations.

Sunscreen, bug spray, rain gear, life jackets, hiking boots, and walking poles all serve to protect and help us in real journeys. What are you doing to protect yourself? Remember the wild animals’ metaphor? They are real in leadership; competition from other individuals and agencies, mean spirited co-workers, board members with old fashioned ideas, or contract personnel that focus primarily on dollars. How will you protect yourself in these situations? Just as you wouldn't go deep sea diving alone, build your support team and take time to develop a strategy. In a boating adventure everyone can't be on the same side of the boat or it will flip over. Balance out your roles, workloads, and commitments.

When I travel I want to see it all, experience everything along the way, and not miss a single attraction. If I am not careful, I will get blisters on my feet, run out of energy, and frustrate the people travelling with me. Just as it is important to prioritize and pace yourself on a trip, it is

important to be acutely aware of your own self care and that of your team. Watch out for the tendency to push the limit on how many hours you are working in a day or week. Remember weekends are there for a reason. Watch your team members and encourage them to head home at the end of the day rather than burning the midnight oil. Take care of your body; exercise, eat well, meditate, book massages, and get sufficient rest. Pace your days; take coffee breaks, well deserved lunches, and try going for a short walk to regain your perspective on particularly stressful days.

Don't forget to enjoy the ride Putting blinders on and ploughing through may get you to the end but at what cost? What will you miss along the way? When driving to a new place, there may be many hidden gems along the way; an antique shop, breathtaking waterfalls, or picturesque views. Milestone markers anchor the points of a trip. A typical family trip to Disneyland includes pictures at the airport, the hotel, and the family in front of the Disneyland sign before they even get into the amusement park. Take pictures of the bare offices or program sites before the initial "decorating". Gather together the initial team for a picture and another one a few months later as it grows. Cut out newspaper articles, and keep a copy of old brochures and business cards etc. to have gentle reminders of how you and the organization have changed and grown. Remember to stop to appreciate how much has been accomplished rather than focusing only on what you have left to do. Looking up at the rest of the climb may be daunting, and seeing how far you have come can be exciting and affirming.

In the human service field, leaders are under compensated, faced with continual challenges, and have limited resources to work with. The reason you may have gotten involved and stay involved is not to get rich, but because you are passionate about the work you do. A trip to Scotland might reconnect you to your roots, and a hunting trip with your grandfather might uphold family traditions. As you travel along, stop to visit the clients, programs, and communities. Reconnect with why you chose this path. Remind yourself that you are here to make a difference, make a better place, improve conditions, offer alternatives, or provide a better life for the clients.

When the going gets tough.

It is not always easy nor do we necessarily want it to be easy in this field. Challenges excite us, get our adrenaline flowing, and stretch us to provide better services. At times the challenges can seem overwhelming, and it is important to know when to ask for help. On trips, we use maps, GPS, and compasses. Some people even stop to ask for directions. As a leader, there is often a mistaken belief that we will appear weak if we ask for help. But in reality, trying to do it all by yourself will be a determent to the effectiveness of the new venture. Delegate work, ask for another staffing position, borrow resources, and take breaks. When it gets to be too much, reach out for personal help. Use your EAP program, connect with a therapist, hire a coach, or book a doctor's appointment. Missing the peak because you were too stubborn to ask a friend for a Band-Aid for you blister that turned into a serious wound is heartbreaking.

Celebrate what you've accomplished You made it! Take a deep breath. Enjoy the view. You have worked hard and deserve the time to look around and soak in the surroundings. Acknowledge what you have accomplished. Be grateful for all those that helped you. Stop for a moment before leaping into the next thing.

Each time you embark on a new leadership journey, evaluate if it is right for you, and measure your preparedness. As you travel along, be purposeful, ask for assistance when needed, and

most of all, enjoy the ride. Your current situation is, after all, a once in a lifetime experience you will never be at this stage in your leadership again.

Kathy Archer CPCC is a certified leadership coach and owner of Silver River Coaching. She specializes in coaching leaders who have sacrificed their health, personal and family lives for the sake of their career and who are seeking a more balanced and fulfilled life.