The 6 steps leaders use to experience massive breakthroughs

Most leaders think breakthroughs are rare, and if they do happen, they happen to other people. I am here to tell you can have breakthroughs and that you can make breakthroughs every day. 

Discovery + Action = Breakthrough

It’s simple. You make a discovery about yourself, your work, your relationships, or your leadership, then you act on that discovery. This results in a breakthrough. Breakthroughs can be small, large, and everywhere in between. The key is that you are organizing your life, leadership, and work around Discovery + Action = Breakthrough. 

I want to show you a simple tool that you can begin to understand how breakthroughs happen so that you can start having them yourself.

Observe - Make 1-3 discoveries about your life or work today.

The #1 reason we are not making discoveries about our life and work is that we are not looking for them. We are either too busy or too distracted. Making a personal or professional discovery requires that you look for it. Slow down and take time to observe the discoveries that are available. 

Reflect -  Take 15 minutes to reflect on what those discoveries mean.

Bold questions and conversations will lead you to greater clarity and insight. Some questions include: What does this discovery trying to tell me about my work? Leadership? Relationships? What is this discovery trying to tell me about myself? The way I operate with others? The lens through which I view my work or my leadership? What should I be learning from these discoveries? Some people like to journal as they reflect. Others like to reflect as they walk.

Discuss - Invite at least one other person into the conversation.

I have noticed that many people do not feel like they have a safe place to discuss the discoveries they are making in their personal and professional lives. We often don’t feel free to invite others into the conversation. Yet inviting others into our discoveries helps us go deeper and creates opportunities for them to open doors for us. Whether it be a coach or someone else, you need to find a safe person you can invite into the conversation.

Plan - Plan your first step. 

It’s tempting to stay in the discovery stage when you realize you need to take action. Don’t fall into this trap! You gain momentum when you plan action steps immediately. Don’t let your planning and action lag too far behind your discovery. When your discoveries are big and require many steps, you risk stalling out mid-process. Instead, ask yourself “What’s the next step?” and use that as your guide forward.

Account -  Create your own accountability metric.

Self-generated plans and accountability metrics propel breakthroughs. One of my favorite questions to ask others is “What do you want me to ask you in two weeks?” This causes the person making the discovery to make the accountability metric. Create for yourself an accountability question that you or someone else will ask in two weeks.

Act - Do it!

This is where breakthrough happens! When you act out your discovery a breakthrough happens. Here’s the best thing: Breakthroughs beget breakthroughs! The more you have them, the more breakthroughs you have. They build on one another. The goal is to turn this tool into your way of life. When this happens, you are ready to have breakthroughs every day.

*The Breakthrough Circle is a modification of the Learning Circle by 3DM. Used with permission.