Tom Lemanski's

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Hobbyist or Professional? Exploring Your Leadership Approach

Hobbyist Manager
Hobbyist vs Professional Leader

I believe that self-leadership is a prerequisite for formal leadership success.  So. let’s examine your approach and mindset.

Your Approach to Professional Success

Are You a Hobbyist or a Professional?

What's the Difference?

With the help of Dictionary.com…

hobby is an activity or interest pursued for pleasure or relaxation and not as a main occupation

vocation is a strong impulse or inclination to follow a particular activity or career.

Professional: Done by an expert

Those who can honestly affirm they treat their personal goals as their vocation are in the minority.  Most of us have the commitment of a hobbyist.

If you view your personal success as a “must have” vs. “nice-to-have”, how much happier could you be?

Do you approach your role as a leader like a professional or a hobbyist?  

How would others rate your level of professional leadership expertise?

Your Personal Success Plan

Imagine if you pursued your personal success as methodically as a well organized business? If you had a written vision, mission, core values and specific (SMART) goals.

What are YOUR Key Assumptions?

If you’ve ever written a business plan, you know that the process should begin with key assumptions. What are the assumptions that you’ve made that must hold true for your plan to work?  And if you should discover that any of your key assumptions are no longer true, it is time to re-evaluate the plan to avoid setting up the business for failure by pursuing a fantasy.

The Most Important Key Assumption

Let’s assume that, at the very least, you’ve set some clear personal and professional goals for yourself.  I’d like you to examine your recent efforts to pursue your goals.  Take an objective look in the mirror at your level of commitment.  Then ask yourself:

Let me pose a question that an interviewer might ask a strong job candidate.

“When can you start?”

Acknowledgement

Thank you to my first coach, Arnie Rintzler, for introducing me to the hobbyist concept and inspiring me to improve my personal commitment and approach to my profession.

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