Self-reflection is scary but necessary for growth.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about growth and the possibility of measuring it. How feasible is it to track it?
Walk with me as I reflect on this growth journey.
A year ago, our organization, Impact Africa Network implemented learning and development internally. This would involve a series of different forms of learning and mentorship, all designed to shift mindsets. The mental models and entrepreneurial structured books we have read so far have instilled the spark of mindset growth we didn’t know we lacked.
Looking back, the progress we’ve made is truly impressive.
“The good-to-great companies understood a simple truth: Tremendous power exists in the fact of continued improvement and the delivery of results.”
~Jim Collins
Gradually, I’m learning that growth means respecting the flywheel concept, understanding that every little effort counts, and your personal effort builds momentum for your team and colleagues to yield continuous results. Stay woke fellas!
Additionally, having the right people on the bus has proven to be the right answer to most questions in the entrepreneurial books that we have perused so far. How do we ensure a company becomes successful in 10 yrs? Or, how do we consistently deliver results? Well, this exactly means that when you have people who practice a culture of discipline on a daily basis, people that think beyond their limits, act beyond their limitations passionately, and are obsessed with the mission, then you have the right kind of people.
According to Ben Horowitz, in his book What you do is who you are; your life is truly a function of the quality of questions you ask yourself. If in any way they are geared towards the value of inclusion in any organization or environment you are in, then you're being selfless and loyal to growth.It’s key to always adapt the inclusive culture as it steers collaboration and effectiveness.
Just recently as I was having a conversation with a dear friend, the concept of patience kept coming up, and we acknowledged how we had practised delayed gratification over and over(a mental model we learned), even without realizing or forcing it. We came to understand that when you’re in it for the mission and you have good intentions, the world conspires to give you what you deserve.
Since we are on a reflective journey, here are some of the ways you can actually track growth;
- Be inspired by others achievement- Your colleagues' success should fuel you to aim at doing better
- Be a curious learner- Discover the beauty of exploring new things and the satisfaction that comes with it when you hack them.
- Enhance your self-awareness- Comprehend your key strengths and weaknesses fully. This will be possible when you positively take feedback on areas of improvement to better enhance your current status. Accept when you are wrong.
- Perseverance is an essential prerequisite for growth, the feeling of frustration has been cited as the quickest way of giving up long before we should, especially working in a startup. Frustrations are often expected, but don't focus too much on what is happening to you, devote your energy to what’s happening for you.
“The future is nearly at hand. No one can predict the future exactly, but we know two things: it’s going to be different, and it must be rooted in today’s world. “
~Peter Thiel, Zero to One
Amongst the many ways in which we are fueling our growth, is through the Power To Our Women live cast series by the women of IAN. We are inspiring the next generation of female leaders in Africa, and we are happy to see the impact. Join the conversation!
P.S. We just recently marked our two-year anniversary. Spare five minutes to watch our journey.