We believe your career is like a well-placed bounce pass (see The Bounce) – it is based on vector and velocity. The vector is your direction (think vision, values and strengths) and the velocity is the speed with which you want to move.
Start with mastering your discipline (for CPAs that means technical application of a specific area) and learning how to lead yourself well. Then you are given responsibility for people and projects and your direction needs to shift. This is the point where the ball hits the ground and changes direction. It is the critical turning point where you will need new skills to increase your momentum as you transition from leading yourself well to leading others well.
This is the purpose of the Leadership Academy and our work at the Business Learning Institute.
We believe the leaders of tomorrow will need to be positive, flexible and future-minded, self-aware and attuned to the rapidly changing context around them. This means “What Got You Here Won’t Get You There” and that you will need to develop new skills, as our MACPA 2011 Leadership Academy class said in that whitepaper.
Here are our closing thoughts for the 2014 AICPA Leadership Academy that we ran this past week. I hope you enjoy!
Here are five ways to to maximize your bounce and career trajectory:
1) Self-awareness – strengths, values and positivity.
2) Attuned to the changing context.
3) Have a vision and purpose and align them with your organization and activities.
4) Engage and empower people through collaboration and co-creation.
5) Continuous learning: Keep your L>C2. That is, your rate of learning must be greater than the rate of change and your competition.
Here is to maximizing your bounce!
The Leadership Academy is based on the i2a: Insights to Action Strategic Thinking System and the P.Link Positive Executive Presence programs jointly developed by BLI and Sounding Board Ink.