10. Excellence Takes Time
Any type of human excellence, whether it is playing an instrument, learning a craft, or mastering a profession, takes time. Of course, leadership is no different, all the more so that it is both a demanding endeavour and a holistic art.
We should not be discouraged by this, since, in reality, it is simply a universal principle. On the contrary, we should embrace this central facet of the leadership path – excellence takes time – because, in fact, it will help us to be more realistic, to better manage our expectations, to be prudent, to take better care of ourselves, and to be more strategic in our career development.
Excellence is an art won by training and habituation.
– Aristotle
If you were running a marathon, you would not attempt to sprint the whole way - indeed, you know already that this would be a sure way to not even finish the race. Then why would we ever attempt this with leadership? And yet, apparently, so many people do just this: they are always in a rush to succeed and to ascend. For all sorts of reasons, this is not wise, not wise at all ...
Indeed, rushing for years on end most often leads to bad outcomes, such as: constant stress, anxiety, overreach, poorly handled promotions, improperly developed skills, major strategic blunders, burn out, reaching higher positions and then shining… badly. Simply on account of prudence, leaders really should take the time to properly cultivate themselves and their careers.
A real leader knows that excellence takes time, and so she takes the road less travelled and does right by the principle: she puts in the time. She humbly, and diligently, puts in the time to really learn the art and to practice the craft, becoming better and better at it over the years, until eventually she embodies actual Excellence.
We all know what a real leader looks like when we meet one. Indeed, the excellence quietly speaks for itself. If we to wish to become such a person, then we must be real about what it takes. The way to reach excellence is not “The Greatness Bootcamp!” and “The 7 steps to Mastery.” The less glamorous truth is that the only way to reach excellence is the old-fashioned way: by actually earning it.
Putting it into Practice
Seek out mentors who can help you guide your professional development with wisdom.
Make a point of cultivating your self-knowledge and improving your personal abilities, in an on-going, methodical fashion, over years.
Carefully consider promotional opportunities to ensure you are advancing at a sustainable pace, and that you are stretching yourself, but not to a breaking point.
If you find you are getting anxious to move on from a role, find ways that you can still deepen your learning or expand your experience, without necessarily changing positions right away.
Realise you are necessarily playing a long game, and learn the subtle art of playing the long game, through books, mentorship, and leadership advising.