The only person who is educated is the one who has learned how to learn and change – Carl Rogers
This is the paradox of being a leader: on one hand, you’re the person showing others the way, but on the other hand, you have to be humble enough to be shown the way.
A leader never stops learning. In the moment that you think “I know”, your mindset becomes fixed and you are less open to those little things that make a big impact on your team.
A leader always listens. On the face of it, your life revolves around what’s concrete: menus, numbers, rotas, orders, costings, targets. But equally, you have to open up to the intangible: the team dynamic, industry trends, the winds of change, whispers of discontent, voices that are not being heard.
A leader doesn’t necessarily have all the answers. You’ll notice that they surround themselves with people who have better informed opinions. And the leader bases his or her response on their feedback.
So, if you’re yearning for leadership thinking you know how to do it better, you’re in for a surprise, chef!