Sometimes (especially in election years), a participant in a leadership workshop asks the question, “How does this content relate to political leaders?” I used to try to find some correlation — to point out that my definition of leadership, “meet needs,” ought to generate the guiding question, “What is needed?” and then, act on it. … Read more
We’ve explored the idea of the Success Deception before; how our success can keep us from exploring growth opportunities. Well, there’s another danger related to that idea. It comes when we stop learning from those we serve. This happens when we fall into the trap of thinking we’re always wiser than those we lead, and perhaps … Read more
Please give frequent feedback to the people you lead. This is your responsibility. But please avoid giving feedback to the people who lead you, unless they purposefully request it. It’s not your role. Also, avoid giving feedback to your peers, unless they purposefully request it. It’s not your role. When peers or leaders do ask … Read more
Want the perfect New Year resolution? One that will advance your career, generate loyalty, and make the world a better place? Resolve to do these two things: Deliver everything you promise, and that you are expected to deliver, on time. Always. Track yourself on delivery; never rely on outside accountability. Instead, report completion. These two … Read more
There is a sweet spot when it comes to personal development. It’s this: “I know I don’t know it all, but I’m open to learning more.” The most successful leaders embrace this. Yet, we’ve all seen the leader who says, “I’m doing just fine,” but is really insecure and doesn’t really know how much they … Read more
My favorite definition of leadership comes from Kouzes and Posner: “Leadership is the art of mobilizing others to want to struggle for shared aspirations.” That’s a great, dense package that generates discussion about the complexity of leadership. However, sometimes we need something more active. That’s why I like: “Leaders Meet Needs.“ I know I’ve written … Read more
No matter how far you’ve come, a leader always asks: “What’s the next step?” True to my DiSC® style of a strongly inclined iD — I’m impatient. It’s been a lifelong tendency of mine to interrupt, or at least formulate my response before the other person is done talking. A college professor I had called … Read more
We all need a starting point for discussions about vision, direction, prioritization, and hiring. That’s precisely why leaders love rubrics. Simple rubrics are easy to implement, and help make things clear. Consider using a scale of 1 to 3, or 1 to 5, to keep it simple. Example 1 You’re considering candidates for a position, and they’re … Read more
Feedback from leaders drives engagement and performance, yet workers report that feedback is lacking. Leaders even know this truth, but still avoid giving feedback. Last week we explored five common reasons leaders can be uncomfortable giving feedback, with reasons to do it anyway. This week – two reasons why it might be wise to delay giving feedback: … Read more
Feedback from leaders drives engagement and performance, yet many workers report that feedback is lacking. Leaders even know this truth, but still avoid giving feedback. Here are five common reasons leaders may be uncomfortable giving feedback, and reasons to do it anyway: “It’s just a small thing – no big deal.” – Do it anyway. When … Read more