Effective communication stands as the cornerstone of successful leadership, especially for senior executives who are responsible for guiding organizations towards their vision. It is a dynamic skill that enables leaders to articulate a clear vision, inspire and motivate their teams, and build strong relationships with stakeholders.
Read MorePower is a goal that many strive to gain. In a workplace, people have different levels of power. Leaders may use their power in a variety of ways, and informal leaders in an organization may also exert power in other ways. But what exactly is power? What kind of impact does it leave, and how does it connect with opportunity and responsibility?
Read MoreIt’s hard to find a one-trait-fits-all for leadership. None are always effective, and no one trait works the same in every situation. In the right hands, most approaches or skills can be highly impactful for a leader who truly understands their potential and can modify their approach to the situation at hand. However, when traits are misinterpreted or used incorrectly, they can have unintended consequences to the team and organization's detriment.
Read MoreWhen working with clients, I often get asked to break down the difference between Leadership, leadership, Leader, and leader. While it may seem on the surface to be mere capitalization or semantics, we learn and ascribe key differences to each of these terms that it’s important to unpack.
Read MoreLeadership is not about controlling or having more power than those below you in the corporate environment. In many cases, a leader who abuses their power over their team and organization will inevitably build a poor reputation within the industry. This can be demonstrated through high turnover, low retention, or difficulty filling open positions.
Read MoreWhen leading an organization or place of business, the leadership methods in place must be as effective as possible and work fluidly. To employees, compensation, being respected, and proper management are critical, and these factors should be handled with the appropriate leadership style. With the right models in place, effective leadership can ensure that employees are motivated and productive, leading to better results for the organization.
Read MoreOrganizational knowledge is a powerful tool that can be used to reach professional goals without having to rely on formal power. It is the collective wisdom and understanding of the organization, including its people, processes, and procedures. By understanding organizational knowledge, individuals can identify areas for improvement, find solutions to challenges, and facilitate successful change initiatives that can help teams reach their goals.
Read MoreIt isn't uncommon for a business to use collected data to make vital business decisions, hopefully propelling the company forward. Upper management generally makes these decisions, but if they aren't educated on how the frontline operates, they may not be fully equipped to analyze the data correctly. This can lead to a misstep in decision-making, which can hurt the business in the long run.
Read MoreI recently revisited the work of Kouzes and Posner and I’ve been considering the different meanings the simple title can take on. Is it the challenge (difficulty) of being a leader? Is it the challenge (opportunity) that we accept in becoming a leader? Is it the delicate balance of becoming, being, and evolving as a leader to the changing needs of our team, organization, and industry?
Read MoreWorking for a difficult boss can be frustrating, but it doesn't have to be untenable. Although your boss won't change their ways, there are steps you can take to manage the relationship and set yourself up for success on the job.
Read MoreIn business, calculating the ROI, or return on investment, is a key indicator of the success of a product or service. What is the cost of delivering that product or service and what is the return on that investment in cost…
Read MoreWhen you think of leadership, how would you define a good leader? Many of us would use performative traits like: strong communication, excellent people skills, or being skilled in leading others toward and completing a common goal. While these are all things we hope to see on a leader’s resume, what would we want to see behind the scenes?
Read MorePre-pandemic, most of our meetings were in person; however, once the pandemic arrived, this scenario flipped 180 degrees to where the majority of meetings were being held over applications like Zoom, Teams, and Webex overnight. While it may seem that only the modality of the meeting changed, we also lost something very important along the way: travel time.
Read MorePlease stop speed networking! It's not that I don't like meeting new people or the adrenaline rush of trying to do the impossible quickly. I love meeting new people and getting to know their story, their interests, and their hopeful destinations. I also enjoy experiences where I'm challenged to do difficult things in unusual ways. However, networking is not the time to be speedy.
Read MoreIf you took some of the world’s most successful leaders and dropped them all into completely new situations, some would be able to pivot while others simply wouldn’t (as the pandemic has readily shown us).
Successful leaders set up systems of accountability that apply to everyone, including themselves. They take responsibility for their actions and the consequences that occur as a result. I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “to err is human.” It would be irrational for any leader to expect perfection from their staff or themselves personally. In my experience, successful leaders don’t dwell on mistakes. Instead, they focus on developing action plans to mitigate the consequences of their mistakes.
Read MoreOrganizational culture is the personality of your organization. Culture is made up of the attitudes and core values that the organization holds dear and stands firm to. It trickles from the top down and is often reinforced through company policies and ethos. Organizational culture plays a large part in establishing the working environment your people operate within, so it has a direct impact on the well-being and productivity of employees.
Read MoreWhen you hear the word “leader”, certain expectations come to mind. We look to our leaders for guidance and inspiration, which means they wield a great deal of influence. However, since not every leader is an effective leader and how do you spot ineffective leadership? And even if you’ve seen it, you may not immediately recognize what those traits are.
Read MoreConsistency is important for anyone in a leadership position. Where your values are concerned, you can’t be moving the goalposts back and forth. However, when you’re leading people in an individual or team setting, you have to be willing to adapt the way you lead in order to get the best out of your people.
Read MoreRalph Waldo Emerson said, “Money often costs too much.” In today’s world, it takes a lot more than a periodic pay rise to keep employees happy and motivated at work. It seems like many employees have taken Emerson’s words to heart. More than ever before, they’re leaving high paying jobs in search of more fulfilling work. Organizations everyday run the risk of losing skilled labor to their competitors if they don’t offer the right motivation to their employees.
Read MoreI recently shared a Harvard Business Review podcast titled Why Technical Leaders Make Great Managers and the response was notable. And I'm not surprised at all. When I speak with experienced professionals, one of their most common frustrations is that their managers have no idea what they actually do.
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