How Do You Approach Personal Development?
We tapped into the wisdom of CEOs and top executives to uncover their strategies for personal development within their high-powered roles. From hiring a coach for role transition to setting benchmarks with competency assessments, explore the four distinct insights these V-level leaders have to share.
- Hire a Coach for Role Transition
- Self-Driven Leadership Development
- Embrace Feedback for Growth
- Set Benchmarks with Competency Assessments
Hire a Coach for Role Transition
The first step I took when being placed in a vice president role was to look for a coach. I wanted someone who could guide me in transitioning to this role and to be sure I was not falling into what was comfortable and continuing to perform as a director.
I learned how I needed to grow my resiliency and to depend less on external validation and more on my own informed decision-making.
Ironically, the higher you go in the level of responsibility, it seems to me the less direction and support you receive. It is up to you to grow in self-awareness, humility, and vulnerability while maintaining your confidence and growing in your business acumen.
It is also critical to accept that you do not know everything and do not need to, but you do need to never stop the willingness to listen and learn.
Self-Driven Leadership Development
One of the biggest things to understand about developing yourself as a V-level leader is that it will most likely need to be self-driven rather than an opportunity presented to you by the organization. The C-suite will typically assume you've got what you need to be at your level, and most organizations' internal leadership programs are aimed at people who are earlier in their leadership journey.
My suggestion would be to find a leadership coach whose style and approach resonate with you and commit to working with them for a minimum of six months so you can make some significant progress with whatever your goals are. Work with that coach to define your goals, benchmarks, and what success would look like for each goal, then continue your collaboration with that coach to see you through to the finish line on each of your goals.
While most organizations don't proactively think to give their V-level execs leadership training or support, most of my clients have found that many organizations will gladly grant you professional development funds to pay for leadership coaching if you make a compelling business case about how this will add value to you, your team, and the organization. You deserve to keep growing and expanding your leadership abilities just as much as you did earlier in your career—you typically just need to ask for it proactively to make it a reality.
Embrace Feedback for Growth
In my role at Spectup, personal development is crucial, not just for my growth but for setting a standard for the team. One approach I've found effective is actively seeking feedback from peers, mentors, and even team members. Regular 360-degree feedback sessions have been instrumental in identifying areas for improvement and strengths to build upon.
A specific example comes to mind: early in my leadership tenure, I received feedback that my communication style, though clear, sometimes lacked emotional connection. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I took it seriously. I enrolled in a leadership communication workshop and started practicing more empathetic listening and storytelling techniques.
One time, during a particularly challenging project, I applied these new skills by sharing a personal story about a past failure and the lessons learned. This not only humanized me to the team but also encouraged open dialogue about their own challenges and fears. The result was a noticeable increase in team cohesion and trust, which translated into better collaboration and project outcomes. Personal development is an ongoing journey, and embracing feedback as a tool for growth has been a game-changer in my leadership approach.
Set Benchmarks with Competency Assessments
One specific example of how I approach personal development within my leadership role is to set clear benchmarks for myself using competency assessments. Competency assessments measure my knowledge, skills, abilities, behavior, and personal attributes—and how they relate to how well I can do my job. Competencies demonstrate not just what I can do, but how I do it, reflecting both my capabilities and my approach to work.
By taking a competency assessment periodically, I can pinpoint the exact areas where I can improve. This helps me streamline my own training and development, and invest resources exactly where I need them. It's so interesting and rewarding to go back over old results from previous competency assessments and see how I've improved!
