Why Nonprofit Leaders MUST Continue Learning – Tracy Spears

Tracy Spears – Why Nonprofit Leaders MUST Continue Learning. You can’t lead anyone if you aren’t committed to your own personal growth. How can you be trusted to help cultivate other people’s potential when you aren’t living up to your own? It’s one of the biggest reasons people ultimately fail at developing other people…their people simply outgrow them.

Most people are utilizing the phrase “fake it ‘til you make it.” Let me be clear…it’s okay to fake it for a while, provided you are also doing the work that will ensure you continue to grow in your role.

How can you be an amazing leader if you aren’t continuing to improve personally? If deep down you don’t feel deserving of success? I can’t tell you how many incredibly talented people I’ve met that have no idea how special they are. How does that happen? Was it something their parents said? A teacher that embarrassed them during class? A coach pushing too hard? A spouse? (or ex-spouse) A sibling? How can someone give all of their power to someone who is probably not even living up to their own potential?

People spend millions of dollars on books, seminars, psychologists, and life coaches, trying to “live their best life,” yet never really master it. Hey, just the fact that you want to “up your personal game” is a huge part of the battle, but what more can you be doing?

Have you ever met or spent time with someone that has made a commitment to grow or improve their life? Do they continue to be curious about new things? Do they seem to be living a BIGGER life than you? Don’t you love spending time with them?

Or maybe you were that person! You were on the right path, you had it figured out, and then one day…poof…the spark was gone. The energy that made you jump out of bed somehow disappeared. Perhaps someone you value threw a big bucket of water on the “fire” that was fueling you. Maybe you just jumped in a big pool and extinguished yourself by being complacent. Over time, you started to buy into what you believed were flaws about yourself. You accepted them as the “truth.”

Here are a few questions for you to consider:

• Do you think you need to make some changes in your routines?
• What do you think is holding your back?
• What are you most passionate about?
• What are your self-limiting beliefs?
• What is the worst thing someone has ever said about you?
• Is what they said true?
• How does that statement play out in your life day to day?
• Who is on your personal Board of Directors? (who is giving you counsel?)
• What are you proactively doing to make your life BIGGER?

It would take days to answer these simple questions. Most people have never thought about their own self-limiting beliefs, the deep-down feelings of self-worth. After a lot of introspection, I can absolutely guarantee you people come to the conclusion that there are things they are unconsciously believing that aren’t even true.

I love the title of Byron Katie’s book, “Who Would You Be Without Your Story?” You don’t even have to read the book (but you should) to understand the point. What is your success story? What do you believe deep down in your gut you truly deserve? It’s important to know because it will define you at some point. It will drive you or sabotage you, and it’s totally your choice.

Leading people effectively requires an in-depth understanding of your own self-limiting beliefs and a huge dose of personal awareness, neither of which is easy to ascertain.

Let this be the time that you finally do something about the old tapes playing in your head that have been holding you back. There are people depending on you…co-workers, spouses, bosses, children…and YOU.

Tracy Spears is the founder of The Exceptional Leaders Lab and the co-author of the best selling book, “What Exceptional Leaders Know.” As a national business consultant for over 25 years, Tracy’s dynamic and comfortable approach has led to her addressing thousands of people, whether it is during a keynote speech for an association or working with a specialized team. Tracy Spears specializes in developing leaders, inspiring teamwork, and enhancing inter-office communications. Tracy Spears two signature topics are: “What Exceptional Leaders Know” and “Why People Do What They Do.”

Tracy Spear is a graduate of the University of Oklahoma and an accomplished athlete who played in Japan as a member of the U.S. National Softball Team.

If you’re interested in learning how you can improve your capacity-building skills read Louis Fawcett’s NANOE Experience: Why It’s Unique And Here to Stay.