LeaderShift Project Articles Archives - The LeaderShift Project: Recent Episodes
Shani Magosky
While the concept of psychological safety in the workplace may sound like a gimmick, it’s worth unfolding. Why? Because it’s a powerful concept that can potentially transform your workplace. As a leadership coach, I tell all my clients that establishing workplace psychological safety is necessary. And if the Surgeon General mentions it as part of his…
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I had such a blast on today’s episode speaking with the three badass (pun intended!) cofounders of #femtech startup, Panic Panties. Alex Bernstein, Maria Marino, and Katherine Anne Coury, who went to Syracuse University together, hatched the idea over dinner one night in NYC. Panic Panties is doing for underwear what L’eggs did for pantyhose…making high quality options available ubiquitously on-the-go. Panties are already available at CIBO in airports, urbanoutfitters.com, and through delivery service, GoPuff, with more locations coming soon. Their products are individually packed panties that can be bought on the run or have as a staple in your handbag or office desk for when you’re in a … well, panic. You know, like when you unexpectedly get your period or want a fresh pair after 12+ hours in the office. Or when you leak a bit thanks to a big hardy laugh or cough (If you know, you know…). These ladies have bootstrapped their way to success so far, even though the pandemic hit just as they were launching. Learn about their recent Kickstarter campaign to fund the launch of a “brand-spanking” new product line in a big national drug store chain. We also discussed their corporate values (it wouldn’t be a LeaderShifter Show without it!), which are exemplary and truly define the brand and their journey:
- Inclusivity – panty sizes range from 2-26 for all shapes, and options include various colors to appeal to various skin tones.
- Quality – these are not granny panties! They are premium, soft, beautiful, and durable.
- Sustainability – fabric and packaging are ethically & thoughtfully sourced: OEKO-TEX certified—AKA free of harmful chemicals.
- Purpose – all sales help fund ocean cleanup.
- Women’s wellness – panties have an antimicrobial lining to prevent bacteria and odor. And panties are pre-washed.
- Fun – I mean, the use cases really lend themselves to lots of laughter!
Follow @panic.panties on IG and #panicpanties on TikTok or place an order on their website. You can also catch Alex, Maria, and Katherine Anne on The View on March 6th, 2023. @theviewabc
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As we approach the end of 2022, most business leaders are shifting their focus to year-end responsibilities, such as delivering reviews, announcing promotions, and repositioning team or organizational roles.
It’s fun and rewarding to share good news, but it can be hard to communicate and manage disappointing news or potentially unsettling changes announced this time of year.
There are generally three choices for dealing with the “elephant in the room”:
- Choose to ignore them
- Dance around them
- Address them in an open, direct, and constructive way
I will always recommend the last approach, accompanied by a manager-as-coach mindset.
Leaders can coach their people through difficult situations by following the four Ps: Process, Probing, Perspectives, and Planning.
The 4 PsProcess. Encourage your people to process setbacks rather than bottling them up. Emotions are energy in motion, so it’s not healthy to ignore disappointments. Emotion must be processed; otherwise, it gets stored in our bodies in such forms as tight shoulders or chronic back pain.
While you may certainly offer to be a sounding board, most people process unsettling circumstances best in an environment outside of the office, for example, at home or in the gym. Give them the space and time they need, within reason.
Probing. We learn so much more from our frustrations and failures than we do from our successes. When someone has processed the disappointment, help him/her find the valuable gems they can mine from it. The only real failure in any setback is to learn nothing from it and cease to grow.
Ask some probing questions in order to prompt meaningful self-reflection, such as:
- What do you know you do well that you want to keep doing or do more of?
- With the benefit of hindsight, what could you have done differently to realize more of what you wanted?
- How might you approach a similar situation in the future?
- Imagine you’re recounting this experience five years from now. What do you think you’d tell people that you learned?
Perspectives. A complementary approach is to help them consider the experience from a different perspective. Human nature is to create stories to fill in the gaps when we don’t know the full truth about what happened.
Sadly, the stories we tend to make up are often negative, self-critical, discouraging, defensive or all of the above. We can choose to adopt any mindset we want, so why not adopt one that’s constructive and propels us forward? It’s not delusional, but realistic.
Perhaps it was a dress rehearsal for an even better opportunity? Or maybe it wasn’t the opportunity it appeared to be on the surface. Was it a much-needed wakeup call to reevaluate what you really want? What might be better about the new situation? What decision might you have made in management’s shoes?
Planning. Your people will now be able to plan next steps and revise their goals with some emotional catharsis, honest reflections, and constructive perspectives. We can’t change the past, but we can control the decisions we make and the actions we take moving forward.
There are a variety of effective processes leaders use to help people think through ideas and get into action, and the key is to keep it simple, collaborative, and S.M.A.R.T. (guidance ensuring that objectives are “specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound” objectives – developed by George T. Doran).
Coaching is more important than everChange and disappointments are inevitable, but a good coach can help teams embrace it and use it as an opportunity for growth.
Utilizing this four-step approach to engage with employees affected by setbacks or unwelcome changes will not only boost their well-being, self-awareness, and productivity, but it will also increase accountability for finding success.
Furthermore, the process positions leaders to move swiftly to the other undertaking that naturally springs from the year’s end: tackling those largely looming objectives for next year!
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Giving feedback is one of the most important skills a leader can have. It boosts confidence, boosts abilities, and helps people understand what they need to do. However, leaders can find it challenging to give feedback. Even harder is giving feedback in a way that allows their direct reports to develop, grow, and accept their guidance with open minds and hearts.
Let me tell you about some necessary feedback I received from a colleague.
A story from my Goldman Sachs daysLate in my tenure on the high yield team at Goldman Sachs, we got a new manager and he started doing things very differently. A lot of us were resistant to the changes. There was a fair amount of water cooler talk going on, a lot of complaining behind closed doors.
I started connecting with this clique of more senior colleagues who were so cynical they almost made it into a sport. They were having an impact on me– specifically, on how much I bitched and moaned. One day, another coworker pulled me aside.
“You know what, Shani, this is really none of my business, but I want to tell you anyway, in case it’s helpful. I’ve noticed a few times lately that you’re speaking rather publicly with some cynicism. I would just ask yourself what impact that could have on your career. I’ve been around this block before, so I would encourage you to just keep working hard as you always have, and adjust to the changes instead of bucking them. But that’s just my two cents; you can take it or leave it.”
Effects of necessary feedbackI remember it vividly to this day because of how courageous it was for him to give me that feedback. He made an impact on me by saying something and having the courage to say it.
I didn’t want to be perceived as a cynical, non-team player. I thought, “Damn it, I’m the culture-carrier around here; how’d I let this happen?” His feedback/forward resonated with an intrinsic motivation around how I wanted to be perceived and a more extrinsic motivation around the career trajectory I had in mind for myself. It was extremely valuable then and remained with me well into the future.
Sometimes the hardest feedback to give is when there’s nothing in it for you, as was the case here. My attitude had very little impact on his performance, nor did I report to him. He was just a fellow colleague who cared enough about me to say something. That’s what really mattered: he cared.
Giving feedback and feeding forwardGreat leaders need to be excellent at giving frequent, balanced, and timely feedback– and feedforward. We give feedback based on things we’ve seen in the past. It’s commentary and discussion that looks backward. Feedforward is taking feedback a step further– to make it actionable and relevant to future performance.
Giving feedback is the best way to help people grow and develop, and it’s also a great way to build trust and foster engagement. However, delivering it in a vacuum with no connection to future performance is not going to be very useful.
Feedback should be stigma-free. If someone states, “I have some feedback for you,” more often than not, our guard goes wayyyy up. We can quickly get defensive, because our culture teaches us to assume feedback is negative. That shouldn’t be the case.
The purpose of giving feedback is to support others, help them improve their performance, and celebrate their successes. The key is to make sure it’s done in the right context.
Giving feedback that leads to growthStart by sharing what’s working, so that each conversation feels balanced overall. It’s tempting to start by sharing what isn’t working, but this approach can leave people feeling defensive and discouraged.
Say “thank you.” First, let the employee know that you appreciate the work they are doing and how it is impacting your team’s goals. Then share what they could do to make their performance even better.
Too many managers don’t give enough positive feedback and reinforcement. In the event that they do, it’s totally useless. “Great job” or “Nice work.” I’m sorry, but that’s lazy.
Be specific. Exactly what about it was great? What was the impact the great job had on people? What do you want them to continue doing or do more of? In addition to constructive or negative feedback, great leaders provide positive feedback, if not more so.
Give context and background. Explain why you are giving feedback at that particular moment and what has led up to this point. This can help people make sense of your comments and put them in perspective.
Prep the receiver. Ensure the other person is in the right frame of mind before giving feedback. Make sure the person is receptive to your feedback. If they’re busy, distracted, or preoccupied with other things, it’s better to wait until they’re able to focus on what you have to say.
The gistFeedback isn’t just about the person receiving it or their career. It’s about the person giving it, too. Showing your employees you care and are invested in their growth by providing feedback.It can also be an important form of communication with others on your team, who will grow, learn, and contribute to the organization’s success over time.
The biggest excuse I hear from managers in terms of why they aren’t delivering more frequent feedback and feedforward is that they don’t have time. It doesn’t take much time to shoot a quick email or text message, or have a 30-second conversation.
The other pushback I hear is ”I don’t know how” or “I don’t do it well.” I actually developed a curriculum that can help leaders become feedback masters.
My Masterclass will walk you through giving and receiving feedback effectively: https://theleadershiftproject.com/course/feedback-is-the-3rd-currency-how-to-turn-feedback-into-profits/
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Many organizations are stuck in the same old rut, generating the same results. But in doing so, organizations overlook one of the most important components of success– failure! Failure is a part of success and normalizing failure is how you will empower people. When you want to do something new, whether it is marketing or…
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It is now the norm for many workers to work flexible hours. There’s a good reason for that. A flexible work schedule can boost the performance of employees and enhance organizations’ profitability. Flex time enhances productivity, job satisfaction, and reduces employee stress levels. Not only that, but it also improves employee quality of life and…
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Jon Rennie is seriously one of the coolest guests I’ve interviewed…if you agree with me that a former U.S. Navy Cold War nuclear submarine officer who had seven deployments is a total badass! So, what does it mean to “earn your oxygen”? Well, on a nuclear sub a newbie is jokingly referred to as a NUB…
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You might benefit from shifting your mindset for a variety of reasons. For example, you might find that your mindset is holding you back from achieving your goals. It is possible to change the way you think in order to achieve more and be happier. You might also benefit from shifting your mindset if you…
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Today’s guest joins us from the U.K. with some great advice on team resilience, which remains prominent in the organizational zeitgeist post-pandemic and going into a potential recession (at least in the U.S.). Julian Roberts coaches high performing leaders, athletes, and teams with extreme ambitions and will “challenge their bullshit.” He is also the host…
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Being burned out at work is something many people have dealt with. You feel overworked, stuck in a rut, and tired of it. I’ve been there, and I know how it feels. There have been times when I worked countless hours and the feeling of burning out was creeping in. I remember after a day…
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We all know the feeling. You have a task that you need to do, but it feels overwhelming and tedious, so you put it off for another time when you’ll be more motivated. Most of us have some form of distraction or procrastination that gets in the way. One of my personal weaknesses is Netflix.…
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As Millennials reach their 40s, Boomers are retiring in droves. Workforce demographics are shifting quicker than ever, and so are the expectations of the young workforce. While it may seem like an easy task to engage a younger workforce, it is usually anything but. Younger workers are making up a greater percentage of the workforce…
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Rock cairns are a marker for adventure-junkies like me, showing the right way on a not-so-well-defined hiking trail. It’s a neat solution! So how does this rock cairn relate to employee check-ins? Leaders need to build a metaphorical cairn each time they check-in with employees. Never has the metaphor of “building cairns” been more…
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Have you ever been told you are “too direct,” or questioned why you don’t sugarcoat the truth? HAVING A DIRECT LEADERSHIP STYLE ISN’T A BAD THING. With apologies to Nathaniel Hawthorne, let’s stop metaphorically branding directness with a “Scarlett D!” One of the biggest mistakes that leaders with a direct leadership style make is complicating…
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In my ebook, 8 Creative Solutions to Overcome Post COVID Hiring Challenges, I explore this topic and other recruiting strategies for employers to attract the best talent in 2022. Returnships are on the rise, but many employers still overlook them. But now is not the time to hold on to old habits. There’s a need…
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After four direct reports resigned in less than a year, a senior operations manager at a Fortune 500 company realized he needed to get his “shift” together. He hired culture change consultant and executive coach Shani Magosky to improve his team leadership skills. “The results have been phenomenal,” he testified. “I now have a happy…
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Dear Leadershifters, Happy Holidays! As 2021 comes to a close, I wanted to send a quick email with a few laughs, some inspiration, and gratitude! A day with laughter is a success in my book. These are a couple of my recent faves: Inflatables Anthem by The Holderness Family – this original song pokes fun…
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Are you also one who thinks that the terms “agreement” and “alignment” are identical? Actually… both these words are not synonyms. Normally people think that agreement between different group members is made by alignment. But stay tuned because I am here to further give some words for these two terms. As agreement leaders, we persuade…
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As many of my fellow LeaderShifters are, I’m a lifelong learner. Besides the obvious topic of leadership, another subject I’m very passionate about is WINE! This should not be surprising to folks who are familiar with the SIP™ and PINOT™ acronyms I developed for teaching people about effective feedback as well as my playful workshop…
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Belonging is a fundamental human need. It can be defined as the emotional connection and feeling of closeness to other people and groups. The longing to belong is a natural part of our existence as social beings, yet sense of belonging doesn’t always come easily. Especially in the workplace. More than 40% of people in…
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Have you ever wondered what makes The LeaderShift Project so different? Have you heard someone from a company we’ve partnered with talk about our values or stories and said “I wish I could understand this better?” Then welcome new LeaderShifters! I hope that this will help deepen your understanding of who we are and what…
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With nine out of ten companies combining remote office and on-site work, remote team building has become more and more important. As part of this new change, people are now working virtually, and in this case, will never work together geographically. On top of the normal challenges of time-zone differences, cultural gaps, and miscommunication, leaders…
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I recently created a 9-week leadership development program for a client and it reminded of why the organizations that I work with see such profound results. It’s because of the style in which I build my programs. I build my programs with 3 prongs- learning, lab, and launch. Creating a program that touches on all three…
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In a recent study, MIT researchers Jon Kleinberg and Robock Inbar sought to find out if the fear of failure can influence our confidence. They revealed that the fear of failure is associated with lower confidence. But here’s a surprising paradox: confidence is built through failing often. It’s crucial in fact, if you want to…
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According to the 2019 Workforce Learning Report by LinkedIn, 94% of people would stay at a company longer if there was more investing in learning. Learning is the cornerstone of any great business. Continuous learning and development are paramount to an employee’s growing career. Also, that’s how they measure how much they are valued…
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In 1997, Don Miguel Ruiz released a book called The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom. These Four Agreements are the foundation to great leadership. They are… ✅ Don’t take things personally ✅ Always do your best ✅ Be impeccable with your word ✅ Don’t make assumptions Understanding them, living by them and…
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To-be-lists are an important part of a client’s to-do list, which I encourage all clients to create. I make a to-be list for any meeting I go into, or in advance of important events. For example, if I’m going to facilitate a workshop that’s full of millennials, I could do it in a way that…
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March 2, 2021 Being a leader is challenging. Becoming an impromptu work-from-home leader in the middle of a pandemic is even harder. The COVID-19 pandemic has forced almost all business sectors to accept a new way of work. One year later, employees are still working from home. However, it’s not just the employees facing challenges.…
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January 28, 2021 Do you know where your perfectionism came from? I do. (And if you don’t, that’s something I will help you uncover in Hell Yeah Academy.) For me (and probably you), it started at the beginning. Remember those worksheets back in kindergarten where you had to write out your letters? I was…
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How Perfectionism is Ruining Your Life It might be hard to believe, but I’m a #recoveringperfectionist. Before overcoming perfectionism, I used to focus on insignificant details and worried so much that that my personal life suffered. But the sad truth is NOTHING IS PERFECT. But flaws make us who we are and by working on…
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November 3, 2020 Mental health is really important to me. And after nearly 8 months of covid, many people’s mental health is strained at best. In fact, I’d argue that you can’t be a good leader if you don’t prioritize mental health. So I found this information from a New York Times article to be…awesome.…
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The LeaderShift Project founder Shani Magosky and co-author Craig Carroll of The Observatory on Corporate Reputation published an article for The Conference Board published on June 29, 2020 entitled "Actionable Steps for Creating Space for Race-Based Discussions in the Workplace." They state that we must move past the awkwardness of conversations about race to challenge questionable behaviors and comments when we see and hear them. Being "color brave" in the workplace will surely involve difficult conversations on both individual and collective levels. Of critical importance is the giving and receiving of feedback. When done well, feedback changes perspectives, builds trust and connection, and leads to better futures for individuals, teams, and organizations. We offer five suggestions to help us more effectively communicate right now about race and racial injustice.
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