The Daily Leader – A Chance to Step Outside the Comfort Zone

by Timmy Duggan, AILC Trainer

During our accredited training programs, we create moments and opportunities for students to lead. AILC trainers will introduce a concept around exiting the “comfort zone” and utilising your stretch points. Exiting the comfort zone (as indicated by the stretch points of the red arrows), signifies doing things you may not be comfortable with, or doing things you may not always do.

  

Leaving your comfort zone ultimately helps you to deal with challenges and making better decisions when faced with challenges. We emphasise life’s challenges, decision making, and barriers to change. The stages of leaving the comfort zone provide opportunities for change, transformation and individual growth.

 Benefits of leaving the comfort zone include: 

• Life transitions can transform you
• Exploring untapped potential
• Being comfortable with uncomfortable
• Growth and learning

At the commencement of the course all students are allocated a date to be the 'daily leader'. They will do this role once during the course. The daily leader responsibilities include: 

• Develop and deliver a 10-minute presentation
• Introduce and close the day. Check in after the breaks with students.
• Facilitate an energizer or ice breaker activity
• Be part of a feedback session and develop their own feedback form. 

The presentation

Students are required to develop and deliver a 10-minute presentation. This presentation can be about yourself, family or workplace. All students are encouraged to prepare their presentations in a format that is engaging and utilises appropriate resources. 

Leading the day

Students are required to open the day and also close the agenda. They are also required to ensure things are running smoothly and are encouraged to take-over and steer the ship for the day. 

Ice Breaker or Energizer

Students are required to research or develop their own energizers or ice-breakers for the day. It is envisaged that these energizers or ice breakers have some leadership connotation attached to it, but it isn’t compulsory. 

Feedback Session

Prior to being the daily leader, students are encouraged to develop a feedback form. They will then nominate a peer to provide individual feedback on their performance as the daily leader. To conclude the day, a group feedback session is conducted to provide opportunities for the daily leader to be critiqued by their peers. Trainers will encourage and alert all students that this feedback session is about growth and development and not necessarily to look at what went wrong, but what could be done better and improved.

Preparation for the Daily Leader

The majority of our students will feel some type of anxiety or nerves prior to their turn as the daily leader. To support our students throughout this process and to calm the nerves, students will be briefed the day before by the trainer and debriefed at the end of the session. 

“Being nervous is a good sign, as this shows you are ready and therefore have a sense of urgency to be prepared for the day”, says Timmy Duggan, AILC Trainer. 

Stretching yourself to grow

As mentioned to start this article, the comfort zone is a place to explore personal growth. Challenging yourself to exit this comfort zone helps explore untapped potential inside yourself.  Taking considered risks, irrespective of the outcome,  leads to growth. The daily leader role challenges students to step outside their comfort zones in a safe and supported environment.