Use "halftime" to refocus your leadership priorities

"Halftime" is a common experience for leaders where you go from seeking success to finding significance in your work, writes Jason Smith, founder of the Iceberg Leadership Institute, who recommends taking time to reassess goals, putting your time and resources toward making a difference and shifting your ambitions. "In my experience, this shift not only benefits society but also enriches the leader's life in ways that pure success never could," Smith writes.

Put it into practice: As a leader, you must constantly ask yourself what kind of legacy you want to leave and then find ways to use your skills to make a lasting, positive impact on the world, Smith writes. "The choice to move from success to significance is not just a personal one; it's a leadership imperative."

Leadership development programs can fail for reasons ranging from a lack of focus on capabilities to a lack of measurement on ROI, writes Michael Peterman, a senior partner at RHR International. "Each component of a high-impact development program should link directly to the core capabilities of enterprise leadership," Peterman writes.

Put it into practice: Leaders can emphasize coaching and real-world issues companies face to get the most out of leadership programs. "Insights are more robust, and new behaviors are more easily acquired when leaders work through real business challenges that need to be addressed," Peterman writes.

Navigating the workplace after the presidential election can challenge even the most seasoned communicators, but experts recommend following five principles for clear communication that include stressing civility, safety, support and a refocusing on the company's collective goals and mission. "Communicators considering a postelection communication should be prepared for heightened emotions and various reactions to the outcome," says Megan Noel, global president of corporate affairs at Golin.

Put it into practice: Refocusing workplace discussions on company goals can build a sense of community even in an organization fractured by politics. Noel recommends giving people space by granting "the permission to not engage in political discussion, especially during the immediate days following the election."

A clash with a high-school coach about wearing a bandana during football practice taught Century 21 CEO Mike Miedler the value of following rules and managing small things. "The team is big, and everyone needs to fall in line and follow those rules. Because if you're not following the rules, it causes dissension among the team," Miedler says.

Lego unveiled Cataclaws, a black-and-white cat made from Lego bricks, as a new holiday hero in a global campaign to spread playfulness. The push, created by Our Lego Agency, features a film where Cataclaws comes to life, turning stressful situations into fun. The initiative spans social media, 3D digital out-of-home and in-store activations, with events in the US and Canada.

Researchers are exploring electro-agriculture, a method that uses solar energy to enhance photosynthesis and grow plants in complete darkness without soil. The process involves converting carbon dioxide into acetate, a molecule that genetically modified plants can "eat." While still in the experimental phase, electro-agriculture has the potential to significantly reduce land use and carbon footprint, according to a study by researchers at the University of California, Riverside.

After I retired last year from my position as the leader of the spiritual community I founded nearly 15 years ago, I had an identity crisis of sorts. If I was no longer a pastor/preacher/congregation leader, what was I? I have wrestled with that question for more than a year. Jason Smith has given me the answer: I am experiencing "halftime," that season in your professional life when you're no longer striving for some sort of "success" (however you define it) but long for your work to have significance.

After my church experience, I am confident that I don't want to do that kind of work anymore. It's rewarding, for sure, but it's also difficult work in so many ways. Even after all those years, we didn't experience the conventional success of large attendance or a sufficient bank account. "Success" is always in the eye of the beholder, though, and I'm proud of the work we did and the lives we touched.

Now, though, I find I have no desire to "succeed" in another endeavor, spiritual or otherwise. I want to do something of significance. Something that leaves a legacy. What is that? I don't know yet, but Smith's advice is a great place to start if that's something you're after, as well.

Stepping back and assessing where you are right now in your career journey and where you want to be is the first step. Then, we reframe our goals away from "How can I succeed?" to "How can I help others succeed?"

This is key for leaving a legacy because you want your influence to last far beyond your career or even your lifetime. By helping others, you will always be remembered as someone who mentored them, coached and supported them.

Finally, realign your life to pursue that significance, which may entail leaving a job, a relationship or something else in pursuit of your new goal.

Halftime is a gift, Smith writes, because it gives us a chance to readjust our priorities and ensure that we're leaving behind something for those who come after us.

"For those of us in leadership, halftime offers a chance to redefine our goals and use our influence for a purpose greater than ourselves," Smith concludes.

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