Professional growth is one of your main goals, but what does that mean for you? More importantly, how are you going to achieve it? Striving to enhance your leadership skills and climb the career ladder is admirable, but the process isn’t linear. What works for one person may not work for you.
One powerful framework that can support your career journey is the Be-Do-Have model, a key shift that can transform how you approach leadership and career growth.
What is the Be-Do-Have Model?
The Be-Do-Have model challenges a common misconception about success. Many people operate under the Do-Have-Be mindset: “If I work really hard (do), I will have lots of money, and then I will be successful.”
Logical on the surface, perhaps, but this backward mindset places external conditions as prerequisites for progress.
The Be-Do-Have model flips this script:
Be: Show up as the best version of who I am (Authentic Self aligned with my vision) to engage in and facilitate any interaction.
Do: As my authentic self, choose clearly the best steps to achieve my goals and vision.
Have: By clearly choosing the best path forward, I am far more likely to achieve my vision and create the results I want to have in my life.
Applying the Be-Do-Have Model to Career Leadership
1. Be: Cultivate Leadership Identity
Leadership is not a title but a state of being. To grow as a leader, start by identifying the qualities of the leader you wish to become. Are they empathetic? Decisive? Visionary? Then, begin to embody these traits daily.
- Practical Steps:
- Reflect on your values and strengths.
- Practice self-awareness and mindfulness to align your behavior with these qualities.
- Use affirmations or visualization to reinforce your leadership identity.
2. Do: Align Actions with Your Leadership Identity
Once you’ve embraced the mindset of a leader, your actions should naturally follow suit. This means taking initiative, seeking opportunities to solve problems, and consistently showing up as the leader you aspire to be.
- Practical Steps:
- Volunteer for leadership roles in projects or committees.
- Invest in continuous learning, such as taking courses or attending seminars on leadership. Consider hiring a leadership coach.
- Build and nurture professional relationships that align with your vision.
3. Have: Reap the Rewards of Leadership Growth
When you consistently be and do, the outcomes you desire will follow. These might include promotions, greater influence, or even the satisfaction of knowing you’ve made a meaningful impact. By focusing on being first, the having becomes a natural byproduct rather than the sole aim.
- Practical Steps:
- Celebrate milestones, big or small, as a reflection of your growth.
- Stay adaptable and open to new possibilities, as growth often leads to unexpected opportunities.
- Share your journey to inspire and mentor others in their leadership paths.
The Transformational Impact of Be-Do-Have
The Be-Do-Have model is not just a tool for career leadership—it’s a philosophy for life. By focusing on who you want to be, you unlock the power to transform your actions and, ultimately, your reality.
In leadership and career growth, the model teaches us that success is not about waiting for the right circumstances or opportunities to come along. Instead, it’s about creating those opportunities by showing up as the person we aspire to be and choosing the best way forward from there.
Start today. Who do you aspire to be? What will you do to reflect that? When you make this shift, you’ll find you already have more than you ever imagined.
Check out Hallett Leadership for more career advice as well as services catered to help you successfully develop your leadership skills.
