Your Leadership Toolbox

Your Leadership Toolbox As more and more people discuss leadership and its importance, I think it’s important to talk in practical terms of this theoretical construct. Think of your leadership skills as the tools you need to build something. In this case, the leadership skills are the “tools” that go into the toolbox that is building your professional abilities. So, what tools do you currently have in your toolbox? Do you have the years of professional experience and maybe no formal education? Or, do you have the formal education with little to no hands-on experience? Imagine a builder wanting to construct a new building and having the hammer, but no nails. Or, imagine the painter that has the paint roller, the ladder, but no paint. What types of tools are you lacking? More importantly, are their tools in your toolbox that you can share? For example, do you have years of experience and knowledge that could be shared with co-workers or mentees? (Think of this as having an extra hammer and loaning it to a friend) Make a list and check it twice. Utilize the toolbox analogy to discover what you have and what may be missing. Then, figure out a way to achieve your leadership goals â€" and write that down, too. Most importantly, be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and allow yourself to explore the possibilities.