Learn some practical tips and strategies to stay sharp and relevant as a change leader and innovator. Enhance your skills, mindset, and network for change and innovation.

This is something we seldom do, and it brings many rewards when we do it. We have to be open to feedback and actively listen when it comes our way. It's the only way we are going to improve, because without it, we tend to plateau and not know where we should be concentrating on improving. Having a growth mindset and being open to ideas from others helps us to expand our point of view and create opportunities for advancement through change

How do you stay sharp as a change leader and innovator?

As a change leader and innovator, you face constant challenges and opportunities in a dynamic and uncertain environment. You need to adapt, learn, and create value for your organization and stakeholders. But how do you stay sharp and relevant in your role? How do you keep your skills, mindset, and network fresh and aligned with your goals? In this article, we will explore some practical tips and strategies to help you stay on top of your game as a change leader and innovator.

1 Assess your strengths and gaps

The first step to staying sharp is to know yourself and your current level of competence and confidence. You can use various tools and frameworks to assess your strengths and gaps as a change leader and innovator, such as the Change Leadership Competency Model, the Innovation Skills Profile, or the Creative Confidence Assessment. These tools can help you identify your areas of excellence, improvement, and development, as well as your preferred style and approach to change and innovation. By knowing your strengths and gaps, you can set realistic and meaningful goals for your growth and development.

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Gijsbertus J.J. van Wulfen

Innovation keynote speaker, Number One Thought Leader Design Thinking 2024, LinkedIn Top Voice helping you and your organisation, to become amazing innovators with keynotes, workshops, and a proven innovation method.
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10 SOFT SKILLS YOU NEED LEADING CHANGE As facilitator of 100+ strategic innovation projects I like to share 10 important soft skills you need to be successful: 1. Communication: to inspire your team, and top managers. 2. Creativity: to think outside the box and to solve isssues. 3. Adaptability: to navigate all the uncertainties. 4. Empathy: for great stakeholder understanding. 5. Emotional intelligence: to help build team relationships. 6. Problem-solving: to drive change forward. 7. Resilience: to bounce back from failure. 8. Leadership: to inspire and motivate others to embrace new directions. 9. Collaboration: to build a diverse and inclusive environment. 10. Strategic thinking: to effectively lead your change initiative.

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2 Seek feedback and coaching

The second step to staying sharp is to seek feedback and coaching from others who can help you improve and learn. Feedback and coaching can come from various sources, such as your peers, managers, mentors, coaches, customers, or experts. You can ask for feedback and coaching on specific aspects of your change and innovation projects, such as your vision, strategy, communication, collaboration, execution, or evaluation. You can also seek feedback and coaching on your general skills, mindset, and behavior as a change leader and innovator, such as your emotional intelligence, resilience, creativity, or curiosity. By seeking feedback and coaching, you can gain valuable insights and perspectives that can help you grow and perform better.

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Sean McPheat

Follow for daily infographics on leadership, L&D, business, and personal growth | Founder of MTD Training & Skillshub | Speaker | Entrepreneur and L&D Awards Winner | 6x business books |
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This is something we seldom do, and it brings many rewards when we do it. We have to be open to feedback and actively listen when it comes our way. It's the only way we are going to improve, because without it, we tend to plateau and not know where we should be concentrating on improving. Having a growth mindset and being open to ideas from others helps us to expand our point of view and create opportunities for advancement through change

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3 Learn from diverse sources

The third step to staying sharp is to learn from diverse sources that can enrich your knowledge and skills. Learning from diverse sources means not only reading books and articles, but also listening to podcasts, watching videos, attending webinars, taking courses, or joining communities. Learning from diverse sources also means exploring topics and domains that are not directly related to your field or industry, but can inspire you and broaden your horizons. For example, you can learn from art, history, science, or psychology to enhance your creativity, critical thinking, or empathy. By learning from diverse sources, you can expose yourself to new ideas and approaches that can spark your innovation.

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Artur Abramyan

Sales Management, Operations & Business Development
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Curiosity is THE key. If you catch yourself thinking: "heh I know it all, been there, done it" - you kill it. Life is of course repetitive in general, but very different in details.. so curiosity towards those details that makes you sharp leader

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4 Experiment and iterate

The fourth step to staying sharp is to experiment and iterate with your change and innovation projects. Experimenting and iterating means trying out new or different ways of doing things, testing your assumptions and hypotheses, collecting feedback and data, and making adjustments based on your learnings. Experimenting and iterating can help you validate your ideas, solve problems, optimize your solutions, and create value for your customers and stakeholders. Experimenting and iterating can also help you learn from your failures, mistakes, and surprises, and turn them into opportunities for improvement and innovation.

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5 Reflect and celebrate

The fifth step to staying sharp is to reflect and celebrate your change and innovation journey. Reflecting and celebrating means taking time to review your progress, achievements, and challenges, and recognizing what you have learned, done, and contributed. Reflecting and celebrating can help you appreciate your growth and development, as well as the impact and value of your change and innovation projects. Reflecting and celebrating can also help you identify your key learnings, insights, and feedback that can inform your future actions and goals. By reflecting and celebrating, you can reinforce your motivation, confidence, and passion as a change leader and innovator.

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6 Connect and collaborate

The sixth and final step to staying sharp is to connect and collaborate with other change leaders and innovators who can support you, challenge you, and inspire you. Connecting and collaborating means building and maintaining relationships with people who share your vision, values, and goals, as well as those who have different perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences. Connecting and collaborating can help you exchange ideas, resources, and feedback, as well as co-create solutions and value. Connecting and collaborating can also help you expand your network, influence, and opportunities as a change leader and innovator.

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7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that donâ€™t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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How do you stay sharp as a change leader and innovator?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your strengths and gaps

2 Seek feedback and coaching

3 Learn from diverse sources

4 Experiment and iterate

5 Reflect and celebrate

6 Connect and collaborate

7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Management

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Directory

How do you stay sharp as a change leader and innovator?

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

1 Assess your strengths and gaps

2 Seek feedback and coaching

3 Learn from diverse sources

4 Experiment and iterate

5 Reflect and celebrate

6 Connect and collaborate

7 Hereâ€™s what else to consider

Management

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