Ron Williams is a successful executive leader who is best known for returning a Fortune 100 company (Aetna) to profitability. His new leadership book – Learning to Lead: The Journey to Leading Yourself, Leading Others, and Leading an Organization (Greenleaf Book Group Press, 2019) – is filled with actionable wisdom.
In the closing pages of Learning to Lead, Williams challenges his readers to focus on continual growth. To quantify one’s progress, Williams recommends setting a goal of becoming 15% better each year.
So What?
15% annual personal growth is demanding. It is a goal that is intended to push beyond one’s comfort zone and toward growth. At it’s core “it’s about setting new goals, mastering new skills, learning new technologies, conquering new territories, and becoming a subtler, deeper, and more creative thinker.”
Setting SMART goals that include 15% annual growth is easier for those in roles with clear quantitative success metrics, but is possible for everyone.
As we approach mid-year, I encourage you to reflect on your growth year to date. After doing so, consider revising your personal goals for the rest of 2019 (or setting some goals if you’ve not already done so). What does 15% growth look like for you?