As a leadership consultant, I am often surrounded by ever-flowing fonts of innovation—otherwise known as the phenomenal leaders I am fortunate enough to work with. Such leaders reflect their organization’s core values that we might all aspire to embody, from humility to hard work to investment in themselves and their team! This blog will explore five of the top pieces of advice I received during a rich conversation with these incredible movers and shakers.
So, who’s ready for their daily dose of leadership inspiration?
1. Advancement comes through going above and beyond
As one leader wisely put it: “Going above and beyond really is where you get noticed, I feel like. I think the answer should always be yes. Unless you have to say no, you try to find a way to say yes.”
In other words, advancement in the workplace comes from doing—we must invest in ourselves to ensure we keep growing and learning! While the unknown may seem frightening, when we steel ourselves and find the courage to say “Yes!” in the face of new tasks, expectations, and assignments, we will reap the rewards in the time to come.
When in doubt, this same leader offered a key question we can pose to ourselves: “What are you doing special within your department to make it stand out?” If we are unable to answer that question, then infinite opportunities for growing ourselves in our current position await!
During our conversation, another leader also spoke to the necessity of navigating uncharted waters: “If somebody would ask me to do something, it’s like yeah—I’ll give it a shot…. I’m not scared to try things, I’ve never been scared of work, I’ve never been scared to be challenged—I enjoy that. I like figuring out stuff, I love learning, and I think part of what’s made me successful over the years is I do love to learn.”
In short, the more we try, the more we learn and improve! And speaking of learning…
2. Discover your unique learning style
Multiple leaders emphasized the importance of investigating and embracing their own learning style. Are you a visual learner—do graphs and charts speak to you? Or maybe an auditory learner—do podcasts call your name? How about a hands-on learner—do you just need to jump in the pool first and figure out how to swim afterward?
Once we know how we learn best, we can tailor our educational materials accordingly! These leaders jokingly affirmed that books never spoke to them, but they were able to engage their curiosity in other ways, including YouTube tutorials and TED Talks. In other words: it doesn’t hurt to be a self-starter! As one leader quipped, sometimes we just need to teach ourselves Excel rather than waiting for someone else to teach us. Or rather—sometimes we just need to ask others to offer us guidance!
“I would go to different departments,” the same leader mentioned during our conversation, “and I would sit down with them and say, ‘What are you doing? How are you doing it?’ That’s the way I would learn.” Again, there’s no shame in seeking knowledge from others—indeed, doing so may better illustrate our go-getter attitude.
But above all: “Learn at your own pace and in your own way,” these leaders reminded us. “And whatever is comfortable, use it.”
3. Be motivated by career fulfillment, not financial gain
When walking through the many years of their career journey, one leader wisely commented: “I was never driven by money. I was driven by being happy. And in my career, I feel like I’ve always been happy… and the rest just came.”
(This leader also jokingly commented, “I didn’t wake up when I was 17 and say, oh, I wanna be a banker. I just thought it was gonna be a part-time job, and my part-time job lasted for 44 years now.” Life throws us all curveballs—we just have to catch them when we can!)
I won’t belabor this point, as it has already been summarized perfectly, so all I will add is simply that career fulfillment looks different for everyone. Some crave advancement, others thrive in specialization and stability, still others fall somewhere in-between. We must embrace whatever sparks the most joy for us as individuals!
4. Embrace adaptability and the inevitability of change
First and foremost: we will all make mistakes in the workplace—what matters is how we handle the aftermath. Like one leader observed, “I feel like it’s not the successes that make us. I think it’s the failures that make us what we are, ‘cause we overcome, and don’t do it again.” The ability to learn from our errors is key to growth, because—as another leader keenly pointed out—we have to “be willing to make those changes and pivot,” where adaptability is thus a crucial tool in our workplace toolbox for success.
Relatedly, part of embracing adaptability is learning to take tasks one day at a time. One leader shared advice for giving ourselves grace that struck a chord in me: “At the end of the day… you just have to do what you can do and be at peace with yourself, where if you go home and you didn’t get everything done that day, you make your list for the next day and just tackle it then.”
I have nothing to add to this incredible insight—I just know it was wisdom I deeply needed to hear.
Before we move on to our final key tip, we must remember that embracing adaptability and the inevitability of change also applies to how we engage with our team. As one leader reminded us, sometimes our staff end up leaving for greener pastures, and when that happens: “You want to see the staff grow, flourish, [and] do good for themselves. And sometimes they can’t do that under you…. If that [doesn’t] work for them personally, then you have to cheer them on and let them go and be proud.”
5. Perception = Truth
“Perception is truth,” one leader mentioned during our conversation, “whether it’s true or not. What you put out there, you will get back eventually. There’s no way you won’t. Even though perception may not be true, if somebody sees it, that’s what they believe because they don’t know what’s going on behind a closed door.”
In other words, if someone’s perception of us feels inaccurate, that perception nonetheless remains true for them, meaning we must do the work if we want that truth to change. Whether that effort involves putting ourselves out there more (after all, advancement does require going above and beyond!) or honing our communication skills, we will find it beneficial to both take constructive feedback in stride and acknowledge our strengths as leaders.
Remember, perception is truth—that includes our perception of ourselves!
Is anyone else feeling awed and inspired right now? As we reach the conclusion of these snippets of wisdom, I must reiterate that this advice was all generously shared by the incredible leaders I have worked with throughout my career! Everything we have discussed here is developed and divulged from their own leadership experience and worldly savvy, and as we internalize their advice in our own work lives, we will ultimately contribute to a powerful ripple effect—modelling the innovative leadership we want others to emulate.
I hope this wisdom motivates us all to invest in ourselves and grow into the greatest leaders we can be! Until next time!
Dima Ghawi is a global leadership catalyst, igniting bold transformation in individuals, teams, and organizations. With a powerful blend of storytelling, strategy, and real-world leadership insight, Dima empowers professionals to shatter internal barriers, unleash untapped potential, and drive lasting impact. Through keynote speeches, leadership training programs, and executive coaching, she has guided thousands across six continents to embrace change, rise with resilience, and lead with courage.
If you're ready to break through the barriers that limit your growth and create a new legacy of leadership, connect with Dima at DimaGhawi.com and explore the journey of transformation at BreakingVases.com.
