Does It make sense to document your experience when the world is changing so fast? You know, my answer is a resounding “Yes!” But there is a twist to it.
Does It Make Sense To Document Your Experience When The World Is Changing So Fast?
I came across an interesting article by Gary C. Laney entitled “Leadership Competency #9: Become A Leader Known For Being Agile And Adaptable.” In this article, he discusses the ninth of the top 10 leadership competencies he has found to be vital. Excellent! I recommend you take a look at them.
As I got deeper into the article, I read this:
“If disruption is the only constant, then discomfort is the new normal. Agile leaders adapt to current conditions, even if doing so makes them feel uncomfortable. An agile and adaptable leader is always listening to their stakeholders, their markets, employees, clients, and even competitors. It requires being present in each moment ….
A knowledge of history is a good thing, and so is a knowledge of past solutions. But to solve tomorrow’s problems, the agile and adaptable leader won’t rely on what worked yesterday. Leaders should always use their experience as a resource, but not rely on it solely to solve problems.”
Gary C. Laney
I agree! Let’s talk about what this means with respect to documenting the knowledge you carry in your brain. The knowledge is a unique mix of experience, expertise, and wisdom. I call it “brilliance.”
How Can YOU Be Agile AND Document Your Brilliance?
Gary’s sentences I quoted here bring up a great question: Is it even worth documenting your experience, expertise, and wisdom (aka brilliance) when the world is changing so fast?
The answer is, “Absolutely, yes!” And, “You must remain, of course, agile and adaptable.”
How do we do that practically with what I call “Brilliance systems,” i.e., systems where you have documented your expertise, experience, and wisdom so that you can share it with others?
As we have discussed in other Brilliance Nuggets, these systems are vital for delegating tasks that only you (or a minimal number of people) could do beforehand. That way, you can
- Grow and scale your business
- Improve processes by documenting them and making them visible to others
- Stay at the innovative edge
- Gain your freedom back
- Transfer leadership when needed
- Sell your business when you are ready
- Leave a legacy that can continue without you
Your Knowledge Transfer Systems Must Be “Living and Breathing”
When I talk about creating systems that pass on expertise, experience, and wisdom, things that have worked thus far, I always strongly recommend making these systems “living and breathing.”
The reason for that recommendation is the world is changing very fast. Therefore, it is impossible to treat your information and experience as static. We have to learn and even unlearn things constantly. Consequently, we have to update these systems often and quickly.
One More Thing: You Must Ditch Perfectionism!
To be agile and adaptive as a leader, including having updated systems for transferring your experience and knowledge, you must ditch perfectionism. Yes, you and me both!
I’ve talked about that in other nuggets. Perfectionism can cause us to spend a long time creating a system. Quite frankly, perfectionism often stands in the way of making these training systems as living and breathing, as agile and adaptable, as they need to be.
Let’s be the great leaders we need to be, which involves being agile and adaptable. That agility and adaptability also need to be reflected in our training systems.
I’m Curious
What are your thoughts about it? How do you keep your training systems? Agile? Let me know.
Dr. Stephie
P.S.: I appreciate you commenting and sharing this with others. Thank you!
