Journal Question: 

Life is a journey and we are always in the process of becoming and evolving into something new.

Who are you in the process of becoming?

Do you have a learning plan?

If not, make one quickly. Don't overthink it. Make a list of 5 things you’d like to learn to do this year. You can always revise it later. Put the list somewhere you will see it often and will be reminded to integrate it into your planning efforts.

"If you want to build a ship, don't drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea." - Antoine de St. Exupery

Reflection Question: How much time did you spend talking about your vision and mission last week?

The higher you go in an organization, the more likely you will find yourself in a leadership bubble - a good news “cocoon” where people hesitate to tell you what’s actually going on.

Take a few minutes today to ask people in your organization how it’s going. Ask open-ended questions, ask about what’s not working, and just listen.

(To dive deeper into this, check out this great HBR article called Bursting the CEO Bubble.)

In his book Deep Work, Cal Newport distinguishes between “deep work” and “shallow work.”

Deep work = The ability to focus without distraction on a cognitively demanding task. It's a skill that allows you to quickly master complicated information and produce better results in less time.

Shallow Work = The frantic blur of e-mail, social media, and simple, logistical tasks that leave you feeling like a human network router.

Identify 1 thing you’d like to go deep on this week. Carve out 3 hours of uninterrupted time on your calendar. Ideas for leadership topics to go deep on include clarifying your vision, goal setting, planning, preparing feedback for your team, and reading about a management challenge you face.