In the book The Portfolio Life, author Christina Wallace writes, “The simplest definition of a portfolio is a curated collection of items that meet a specific aim or objective.” The overall premise of her book is that we should develop a life similar to that of a portfolio: a variety of work that aligns with our interests. Highly-effective leaders should also develop a portfolio that allows them to improve as leaders:
- Varied Experiences: Highly-effective leaders consistently explore varied experiences to help them develop as leaders. Although the varied experiences still align with leadership, they explore different areas that challenge them. Leaders in education might explore sitting on a board for a business in order to see different forms of leadership. To improve as a leader, it’s critical to seek out unique experiences. How consistently do you find varied experiences?
- Community of Supporters: Great leaders curate a group of people who both challenge and support them in their leadership experiences. Other leaders often talk about their personal board of directors who they can talk with when they need support. Supporters in a leader’s portfolio allows them to rely on these people when times are challenging, but also celebrate success together. How well have you developed a community of supporters?
- Writing for Learning: Strong leaders spend time writing and reflecting on their ideas. For some leaders, this means writing down bullet point ideas to help clarify their thoughts. For other leaders, it’s a well developed blog or newsletter that allows them to share their insights with followers. Writing allows leaders to explore ideas they’ve been thinking about and further refine their thinking around strategies. How often do you explore ideas through writing?
- Reading for Insights: Thoughtful leaders consistently read in order to learn more about their area of expertise. It’s been well documented that many leaders spend time reading and exploring ideas in their field. Part of developing the leadership portfolio is reading widely around leadership, but also exploring other areas in order to learn more. Leaders in coaching may really benefit from reading business related ideas. How consistently do you read to learn more about leadership?
- Receive Coaching: Leaders who continuously improve often utilize coaching to develop their skills in more depth. While this isn’t an option for every leader, at some point in the leader’s life cycle, coaching is a way to develop into the best leader possible. Through coaching, leaders can figure out where they struggle and improve them, but they can also double down on their strengths. Coaching is another opportunity to develop a diversified portfolio for improvement. How often do you receive feedback on your work?
A leadership portfolio means developing varied aspects that help leaders improve into a well-rounded, highly effective leader. Leaders should curate multiple activities that help support continuous improvement. Leaders will often explore a variety of portfolio items, audit effectiveness, and focus on 3-5 that help them improve. An important aspect of leadership is to never stop learning and growing as a person and leader.
What do you include in your leadership portfolio?