In this episode of Design Development, host Rens dives into the intersection of strategic planning, leadership development, and personal career growth. As strategic planning season kicks off, Rens shares insights from years of building a business, writing content, and recording podcasts—all while balancing the demands of leadership.

Key Takeaways:

1. Content Creation & Business Growth:
   • Content creation is a powerful tool to gain visibility in your industry. "It’s not who you know, it’s who knows you."
   • Consistency is key: sticking to a schedule (e.g., weekly podcast episodes) helps build credibility and a lasting impact.
2. The Essence of Strategic Planning:
   • Involving team members in strategic planning fosters alignment and inclusivity.
   • Strategic planning is about stepping back from day-to-day tasks to set a clear vision and priorities for the future.
3. Leadership Development Drives Growth:
   • Scaling a business requires forward-thinking leadership. Leaders must continually develop their skills to meet future needs.
   • Misplacing top performers in leadership roles without proper preparation can stagnate growth and lead to employee turnover.
4. Breaking Through Plateaus:
   • When businesses hit growth plateaus, the challenge often lies in leadership blind spots. Addressing these requires identifying and removing obstacles, whether operational, strategic, or talent-related.
5. Career Development as a "Company of One":
   • Reflect on your personal goals annually. Consider what skills you want to develop and how they align with your company’s vision.
   • Proactively contribute to your company’s success to open doors for career advancement.

Thank you so much for listening and thank you for joining the Design Development community. Don't forget to subscribe to hear about the latest episodes dropping every Wednesday. If this episode resonated with you, share it with a friend.

Our goal is to help people in the industry identify opportunities for growth by sharing the journey of top performers. There is no one path. Success isn't a straight line. There is something to learn from everyone's story. Let's go!

Leave your thoughts in the comment and reach out if you want to be valuable guest on the show!
Design Development Podcast!

Follow us on LinkedIn, Instagram & YouTube

Find out more at https://h-o.engineering/podcasts/