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In this episode, we come to you from a lovely public park in Bordeaux, also known as Jardin Public, to discuss a topic close to our hearts: sustainability and self-awareness in leadership. We explore the intricate relationship between self-awareness and building more sustainable companies. As leaders, understanding our impact on the environment and communities is crucial for fostering a future where businesses thrive without depleting natural resources. With its commitment to sustainability through initiatives like zero-kilometre restaurants and an efficient public transport system, Bordeaux is a perfect backdrop for this conversation.

We explore the importance of internal and external change in achieving sustainability. From the landmark case won by a group of Swiss women for climate justice to the necessity for cultural, political, and business reforms, we highlight that true sustainability begins with self-awareness. Leaders must question their beliefs, practices, and the very definition of success to create a more equitable and environmentally friendly future.

Join us as we discuss how leaders can cultivate self-awareness, become better mentors and coaches, and make conscious decisions that reduce their company’s footprint. We share insights on fostering a culture of listening to others and oneself to identify and overcome limiting beliefs and traumas that hinder sustainable practices.

Whether you’re a startup founder or a seasoned executive, this episode offers valuable perspectives on integrating sustainability into your leadership approach and business strategy. Listen to discover how you can make a meaningful impact and lead your company towards a more sustainable future.

Timestamps

(01:26) To be more sustainable and impact the world, you must become more self-aware as a leader.

(01:50) Learn why Bordeaux, France, is one of Europe’s most sustainable cities.

(02:40) Self-awareness within leadership is crucial in building sustainable companies and enables us to have a lower footprint on our planet.

(03:10) Community Leadership: How did the Swiss woman, known as KlimaSeniorinnen, win a landmark case for climate justice at the Human Rights Court, where policymakers will be held to account?

(05:50) What is wrong with how we measure success in business, and what do we need to do to change it

(07:24) What we see in the startup world is growth for growth’s sake, and why does this need to change?

(09:50) How can leaders become more sustainable? How can they grow their self-awareness?

(10:49) Listening and self-reflection are essential for understanding our belief systems and how those beliefs influence our decision-making.

(12:47) As your awareness grows, so does your curiosity, and we start asking ourselves: Why do we need to buy all these things? Can we continue to use what we have? How can we be more purposeful in our actions?

References

• Jardin Public https://www.bordeaux.fr/l858
• European Court of Human Rights https://www.echr.coe.int/
• Brains Love Circuits https://brainlovescircuits.com/

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In today’s complex business world, change is hard. Companies venturing through major culture shifts, mergers, or other forms of change often struggle to make it to the end. The idea that people hate change is a phenomenon that is taught, coached, and wrestled with in many ways, shapes, and forms. Regardless of your mindset about CHANGE, there is one vital aspect you should explore.

PROGRESS is what you should be focused on. Change for the sake of change is meaningless. However, progress toward a new goal or achievement is more vital and more valuable to your organization.

Dean Lindsay, America’s premier authority on Progress, writes:

All progress is change, but not all change is progress.

Lindsay uses an illustration. If you wake up in the morning with a stomach ache, you want to change. You want it to go away.

If you tell a friend and they punch you in the nose, you got a change. But it wasn’t progress toward curing your stomach ache.

The RhetoricThere are voices in the media demanding change. The word has been worn out. Again, change for the sake of change is not progress.

When you sense the need for change or you design an intentional change in the way your business operates, be sure you are designing progress toward a new goal.

I know companies who have launched major change initiatives (they call it that) with the intent to become more profitable, increase margin, find efficiencies, or become more competitive.

Those are great objectives.

Yet what they are really saying is we need progress forward to be better situated for growth and survival in our industry.

Too often the well-intended change that is initiated gets bogged down in all the adoption and adaptation process. As soon as the change feels hard and resistance begins to mount, plans are adjusted.

Many times the shift is pulled back or canceled in the face of resistance.

Living Through the CurveRoxanne Chugg writes: “The fact is that most change initiatives are done “to” employees, not implemented “with” them or “by” them. Although leaders are pushing behavior change from the top and expecting it to cascade through the formal structure, an informal culture left to instinct and chance will likely dig in its heels and resist or even hijack the change.”

There is a popular model that describes the change cycle. Dr. Virginia Satir first introduced this model when explaining emotional life-changing events in family therapy. However, it has been widely adopted in change management circles to help businesses plan for and implement change.

The “S” shape of this curve helps us see the complexity of making a change. When applied to a work team, each member of the team will experience their own progression through the curve, each moving at their own pace.

The key matter here is that everyone in the organization faces their own emotional curve when forced into change. Acceptance or adoption of the change is dependent upon the progress one can make moving through the curve.

If plotted together on a single graph you could see the lag points where the manager/leader may be further along the curve than his people. If the leader is not sensitive to this lag factor, then the message from the top might be skewed.

The leader could be thinking “Come on people, don’t you get this? Why aren’t we further along?”

In reality, the team may be lagging behind the leader’s position moving along the curve. A little bit of lag is normal. However, the leader must decide how much lag is tolerable.

Back to ProgressGiven the tremendous effort and disruption a change may cause at work, leaders must be mindful of the progress being made.

Leaders need to ask: “Is the company moving ahead because of this change or are we merely spinning our wheels, burning out the staff, and creating very little value?”

Question: What change initiative has your company gone through recently? Or were you the one directing it?

The post Change and Progress, Are They Twins? appeared first on Business Advisor and Executive Coach | Doug Thorpe.

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Travel benefits us on many levels, opening our minds to creative thoughts and ideas we can tackle as we move forward. Observation can be one of the most incredible learning experiences, particularly when we travel to various countries and meet people from different cultures. By using all our senses (including taste), we deepen the experience to realize how to proceed with business intuitively upon our return.

Observe for Moving Forward

We are a global society, and it was a pleasant surprise to see photos and quotes of well-known CEOs of American companies in the lobby of an Italian hotel.

Steve Jobs, the ingenious creator of Apple, established a remarkable company known and admired globally today. Tim Cook and his team took the company and its innovative offerings to levels never previously imagined. Upon entering a hotel in a suburb of Italy, it was to my surprise that I saw a few of Jobs’ quotes posted in the lobby of a hotel in Italy, including this one:

When you ask creative people how they did something, they feel a little guilty because they didn’t really do it, they just saw something.

Creativity On Multiple Levels

Another element of creativity at the same hotel is its restaurant cuisine offerings. The presentation and taste of the food were remarkable. I was motivated to take a photo of thinly sliced, smoked swordfish I had never eaten before, and the presentation was artful.

Progressing from Ancient Times

It was a treat to visit the ancient cities of Croatia and Montenegro, which were built long ago. According to a Google search, the first city walls were built in the 9th century, about 1600 years old, but were entirely rebuilt during the Venetian Period (1420 – 1797).

The walls were built high in the hills overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.

Speaking of imagination, how did the people have the knowledge, skill set, and tools to build the remarkable fortresses? Moreover, how was everything carried to the hilltops? Some speculate that ancient aliens assisted with pyramids of the past; could the same apply in this case?

Reflecting

Seeing the ancient cities, walking the cobblestone sidewalks and roads, and speaking with small-business owners gave way to reflecting on all I appreciate about my work and personal life. The reflection emphasized how I am to focus on my return and what to pursue moving forward.

Look to the Sky and Observe for Moving Forward

As time passes, continue to embrace all the learning lessons, both good and bad. These events point one to a better path for a fruitful journey. Disappointments happen daily but incorporate what you learn into your next project or journey to improve future outcomes.

Remember, it does not matter what your peers believe about your ambition; what you think and how you decide to proceed matters most. If you need proof, in addition to your long-term and short-term goal setting, make a separate list of your fulfilling goals achieved as time moves forward. It motivates you to continue your unique path regardless of what others say. Retaining your unique identity and approach to business and everyday life will seem like some unforeseen accomplishments magically occur.

Conclusion: Look to the Sky and Observe for Moving Forward

The reflection during vacation and upon my return confirms that the creative mind may work in mysterious ways. Following our intuition, the success we desire upfront eventually appears when we remain faithful to our ambitions and goals.

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Ego, the Latin word for “I,” involves a sense of self-importance that can slow down personal growth and negatively impact interactions with other people. This term is used to define our own sense of self-worth. Often, it is applied in a negative context, with the phrase “inflated egos” associated with arrogant or unapproachable leaders. On the other hand, leaders without healthy egos may struggle to inspire confidence and trust in their teams. So, when it comes to ego management, there’s a delicate balance to strike. Egos can be both a blessing and a curse.

Difference between Ego and PrideWe need to know a subtle difference between ego and pride though it is often used interchangeably by many. However, these two words are interlinked since they refer to a state of mind of an individual. Ego can be defined in simple terms as the way how a person perceives him/herself.That is how the particular individual thinks, feels, and distinguishes him/herself from the rest.Pride, on the other hand,is a feeling one may get after an accomplishment or a success of oneself and someone else. This is the key difference between the two.

Let’s assess who these ego-centric people are around us?

1. Control FreaksOne of the most prevalent ego traps in leadership is the desire to control and dominate every aspect of their businesses. Leaders who fall into this trap struggle to delegate tasks, micromanage their subordinates, and avoid feedback. To overcome this trap, leaders must learn to trust their team members, empower them effectively, and embrace collaboration and diverse perspectives.

2. Individual DecisionmakersLeaders with inflated egos are bound to fail eventually in one way or the other as they love to listen to themselves only. As a result, they avoid taking risks and seek feedback from their team. Instead, they make unilateral decisions to protect their ego and sometimes they avoid making any decisions. However, failure is an inevitable part of leadership and offers valuable learning opportunities. Leaders should cultivate resilience, adopt a growth mindset, and encourage experimentation and innovation within their teams.

3. Recognition SeekersSome leaders promote self-recognition and status over anything else in their respective organisations. A classic example is they would be over-cautious to know in advance where exactly they are seated at an event — be it a corporate dinner or an award night. They go through this Me-Centric syndrome all the time. They stay engaged in self-promotion, taking credit for their employees’ accomplishments, and prioritise their own agenda over collective business goals. True leadership involves humility and a commitment to serving others rather than seeking personal glory.

4. Inflexible & Closed-mindedEgo-centric leaders strongly advocate that it’s their way or the highway and are resistant to change over new ideas. They remain strong advocates of the status quo. They consider their past successes as the only way to look to the future, without realising that times have changed. This closed-mindedness stifles innovation, creativity, and adaptability within the organization. Leaders should remain open to feedback, embrace diversity of thought, and cultivate a culture of continuous learning and improvement.

5. Overconfident & ArrogantWhile confidence is an essential trait for effective leadership, excessive self-assurance can lead to arrogance and hubris. Overconfident leaders may underestimate risks, dismiss feedback, and make reckless decisions that harm their teams or organizations. Cultivating humility, seeking diverse perspectives, and acknowledging limitations are essential for tempering overconfidence.

How to escape these Traps?Here are five tips to help leaders identify and overcome “ego traps.”

1. Go through Personality Assessments

Every leader must know his/her personality type. For that, they must acquire the learning agility that follows their own path to maturity and neutralising their ego. This is because individual behavior is a result of our life experiences and beliefs. So, it’s important to understand how our most powerful personality traits drive our behavior. This will help us avoid affinity bias. Multiple types of assessments aim to measure personality traits, like the Myers-Briggs personality test and Rorschach Inkblot Test.

2. Identify a Role Model

Let’s learn to associate with the best people around. Identify role models within and outside the organisations who can guide us to operate on a positive note. Mature leaders are good mentors and active listeners who create authentic cultures where employees thrive. Let’s consider a leader like this to be our role model. This will help us examine our ego-driven behaviour and guide you toward psychological maturity.

3. Sharpen People Skills

Leadership is all about people. Talking to them, mentoring them, coaching them, resolving their issues, and becoming more mature while using their positions to help others achieve their goals. Learning must continue at every stage of our careers to refine management styles to help teams succeed by providing constructive feedback.

4. Learn to Let Go

Success is not only about individual achievement and power, but it is also about being thoughtful and reflective on account of others in our teams. By relinquishing control, we promote a sense of trust in our team members and overcome our sense of being in power. We must understand the real meaning of “letting go” and “stepping back’ in organisational context. We need to understand why we get attached to people or things in the first place.

5. Stay Empathetic

InTim Cook’s 2017 MIT commencement address, he warned graduates, “People will try to convince you that you should keep empathy out of your career. Don’t accept this false premise”. The Apple CEO is not alone in recognizing and emphasizing the importance of empathy — the ability to share and understand others’ emotions — at work. At the time of his remarks, 20% of United States employers offeredempathy trainingfor managers. In arecent surveyof 150 CEOs, over 80% recognized empathy as key to success.In short,Empathyis the ability to see things from another’s perspective and feel their emotions. Putting yourself in another person’s shoes might lead you to act with compassion and do what you can to improve their situation. In doing so, you can reduce the other person’s distress as well as your own.

In a NutshellTo conclude, let’s understand that ego can be both a driving force and a stumbling block in leadership. By recognising and overcoming common ego traps, leaders can foster a culture of collaboration, growth, and success within their teams and organisations. Cultivating humility, empathy, and a commitment to lifelong learning are essential for effective leadership that prioritizes the collective good over personal ego. While confidence and self-assurance are often necessary traits for effective leadership, unchecked ego can lead to a host of problems that hinder personal growth and team success.

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On Deepavali Eve, my partner called to inform me that it was happening again. I had texted partners and employees early in the morning and followed up multiple times. He reminded me of such a behavioral pattern in January, which resulted in an organization’s implosion, and almost all employees left.

I tried to explain my side — first, how the organization was chasing deadlines, and then how I was built. His point was that if the employees did not understand the importance of deadlines, they wouldn’t do it anyway. And some things, my friend, do take time.

Fact. That is just about right. If only, the organization could grow at everybody’s whimsical pace. I was the managing partner and therefore responsible for all facets of the organization. But sometimes, that is just the honorable name for a beast of burden. My other partners are smart, learned, and perhaps, even wise. They have their fries in the oven.

Here, I decided to step back. Well, that’s that.

I strongly dislike the term “silent partners.” These partners possess substantial equity in a company and usually have their positions due to passive support from a group of founders.

The managing partner and operating partners are supposed to run the show. The silent partners are to be just that — silent. So, I realized that when I rushed to seek help from them — their purpose of existence anyway — I was not getting the support I needed. But in review meetings, the remarks of dissatisfaction and innovating answers of why they are yet to be satisfied enough to contribute — they expressed that their contribution was a risk they would not take yet.

The load on me, the managing partner, has piled on as a result. There are deadlines because some transactions were coming to fruition. The complaint that the product was not there for fundraising is now gone.

The most frustrating aspect of their approach is their indifference and silence. From just seeking help, I am not sure if they want me to pray and beg, that I would not.

I operate from Chennai, which is about 300 km away from our office in Bengaluru. While Bengaluru is an attractive city, I can’t afford to relocate there. My wife prefers to stay in Chennai due to her familiarity with the area and the support network she has established here. My previous move to Mumbai was a disaster, so I am very cautious about considering another relocation.

We are well-equipped to work remotely. My business partner works from Mumbai and can effectively handle her responsibilities. The challenge we face is that, since we operate remotely, I rely on frequent updates from our employees to keep things moving forward.

When the updates are unclear and undefined, I have to get specific and more frequent updates and follow-ups.

I designed the roles of program manager and operating partner to oversee the business-as-usual processes. Initially, everything was going well; however, issues began to arise in January when deadlines started to be missed. I faced criticism for my aggressive follow-ups and for sending messages at inconvenient times. The program manager left, and a new team gradually settled in after a mass exodus. Currently, the team is still short three qualified candidates, and we have encountered challenges related to working capital during this difficult period.

I established a daily huddle mechanism in which I participated. The partner who advised me at the beginning of this process suggested that I step back. I handed over the assignment to the new program manager and stepped away from direct involvement. Since then, things have generally gone well. While there have been a few minor issues, the new team has come together effectively and is emerging as a cohesive workgroup.

Then, there are new operating partners who funnel their requests through me. The transmission of these priorities from working partners to the team is critical. This is the unaddressed space.

Why am I responsible? Because I don’t want anything to go wrong. If somebody understands the requester’s priority, then my job is done. Somehow, that is the reason for the current situation. However, it also brought forth, the challenge I posed.

Once again, I have the responsibility of setting the stage. Therefore, I have decided to take a step back.

Instead of making impetuous decisions or snap judgments, we must step back, sometimes, and grant ourselves time for slow thinking, allowing critical thinking to open deadlocks and clear up clouds dimming our journey.

― Erik Pevernagie (“The postman always rings twice”)

*Step Back and Observe: *

Stepping back means allowing myself to be for a while simply. I plan to remain quiet and inactive, letting time pass to observe how people collaborate without my involvement. This approach differs from my usual style. However, as a visionary and someone responsible for strategy and operations, I recognize my right to intervene if necessary. For now, though, I will hold my opinions and be discreet about follow-ups and interventions.

*Set Rules of Engagement: *

There will be a Category B, where the team can talk to their supervisors, which is business as usual. There will also be Category A, which deserves my time, attention, and decision-making. This will evolve into an informal mechanism that will slowly become an unspoken rule. This way, adoption will be more effective.

*Review and Support: *

There are already designated review time slots. I will focus on engaging with the team only during these times. I will ask for updates before meetings and minutes after. The team will run the meetings, and I will offer help only when needed.

*Give It a Month: *

Let’s try this out in November and share the results and learnings afterward. Why don’t we wait until then?

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My recent post on “Musical Thinking” drew excellent comments. I found that some of the commenters summarized the idea of my post better than I did.

This was initially surprising for me. Thinking more about this I concluded that it is the “The Proximity Effect” that is in play.

The author focuses on the main idea but the readers focus on the whole article. Besides, the author is very close to what he is writing which may blur his eyes from seeing the whole post clearly.

Back to the Musical Post, Dennis Pitocco summarized it very elegantly. He wrote, “What a great analogy, my friend Ali Anani, PhD … Ideas are the building blocks of creativity, and just like musical notes, they sound best when harmonized. A diverse team, like a well-orchestrated ensemble, can create something truly magical when everyone plays their part and works together. It’s a reminder that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

This comment coincided later with a comment from Sujit Patel in which he wrote. “– If an individual is good at a musical instrument – chances are he/she might or might not make it to a commercial success. Now, Instead of each individual playing an instrument in a silo – why not – play in an orchestra/band – where a group of performers is showcasing their art on various musical instruments, for symphonies, theatricals, opera, etc. – all guided by the conductor/director”.

This comment invoked two ideas that I want to share with the readers. First, one is about the “Team Blurring Effect” in which the noise from the individual is hidden by the beauty of the teamwork.

Blur effect distorts the detail of an image which makes it less clear. The most common use of image blurriness is to remove noise from the image.

Teamwork does that for the individual in a similar manner to a band concealing the noise of individual musicians.

The other effect is the “Team Uplifting Effort”. This includes the synergistic part which Dennis Pitocco expressed in his comment, “. It’s a reminder that the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.”

The other part is the uplifting of individuals’ performance by “beautifying” their work in hiding their noises. Not only do we uplift the individual’s productivity but also that of the team.

Team leaders are like great musicians and photographers. They know how to blur the shortcomings of their team members and make them look great within the team effort.

Team leaders are not pursuing defects in others, but in beautifying them and planting confidence in what they do.

It is not a game of finding defects; it is in hiding them so that the good efforts shine out. This boosts the morale of every team member and amplifies the effort of all team members.

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I recently said this to a client I was working with…

All the problems we encounter and all the opportunities we create, stem from what goes on in our minds. That’s why studying and being more aware of the mind is so fascinating.

He agreed and immediately looked up the word psychology. He discovered it comes from the Greek words psyche, meaning soul or mind, and logos, meaning study or discourse. Combined, psychology literally means the study of the soul or the study of the mind. The word has evolved over time to encompass the scientific study of behaviour and mental processes, reflecting the broad scope of the field as it is understood today.

If psychology is concerned with studying how we humans experience life, we might ask what are the principles that underpin it.

In my own journey looking at this question, I landed on these three principles:

1. Thought: we have a capacity to think. We humans receive between 70 and 150 thousand thoughts a day, most of which we’re unconscious of. By ‘capacity to think’ whatever we do think, I’m talking impersonally, as one principle making up experience. This capacity is distinct from your or my personal thinking.
2. Consciousness: whatever thoughts we are aware of come to life via the gift of consciousness. Thoughts arrive in consciousness neutrally, before, quick as a flash, we fuse meaning into them. Whatever that meaning-making happens to be, it shows up as sensations and feelings in the body. We get tingles of excitement, knots in the stomach, sweaty palms, and feelings that range from joy and bliss at one one of the scale to shame and guilt at the other end.
3. Being alive: how we got here, with the gifts of Thought and Consciousness is somewhat mysterious. Often referred to as ‘The God or Spiritual Principle’, it refers to that formless energy that underpins all things and is beyond any one human’s intellect. It may be collectively felt, and if experienced profoundly, either naturally or under the influence of psychedelics, is ineffable.

Suffice to say, for our purposes here, without being alive and having the gifts of consciousness and thought, human experience of any kind whatsoever cannot form. To test how true this is for you, see if experience exists should you take one of these principles away. Have no thinking capacity? Not conscious? Not alive? Your moment-to-moment experience resides in these three principles.

Another way to think about them is to sit with the idea that you, me, and everyone else on the planet are doing the best we can given the thinking we are experiencing. Should that look vaguely true to you, you might avoid doing what I used to do, hurtle into the world of blame when business problems arise. And instead, seek to understand precisely what thinking might be causing people to feel and act as they do. Understand that and new solutions may appear that otherwise would not if we’re caught up in the blame or any other game.

Psychology and how it relates to business problemsArmed with the above principles, let’s take a look at how people experience some common business problems.

#1. Cash Flow Management

At one time I worked as an accountant. The cash-is-king mantra rang out in my head a lot. Metaphors like cash are the lifeblood of the organisation too. Whether we had just the right amount of cash to do what we needed to do, was a good measure of the firm’s health.

Cash doesn’t always flow at the same rate though, in or out. It can also debase over time, think how much £100 buys you today compared to just five years ago. Holding too much of it is not good, not having enough bleeds you, and creates dependencies on other providers of funds such as banks.

There are many systems for managing cash flow. The numbers they produce, however, reflect the psychology of those who influence how cash flows most. If you think hoarding cash, for that rainy day, makes you feel safer, doing just that would make complete sense. Conversely, if you think holding as little as possible frees up cash to reinvest in the business or elsewhere, just-in-time systems will appeal more than just-in-case ones.

How cash is managed is governed by whatever makes psychological sense to key influencers. What makes the most sense to you?

#2. Market Competition

Staying ahead of competitors can seem like an obsessive preoccupation to some. It taps into that survival-of-the-fittest meme wrongly attributed to Darwin. Tactics like deliberate price undercutting, limiting access to resources, and dirty tricks in marketing campaigns can result.

Conversely, I know of purpose-driven firms in the healthcare sector that is so determined to help patients live independent lives at home surrounded by supporting neighbours, that they train their competitors how to accomplish this in less-expensive-yet-more-patient-centred ways. You might call that a collaborative approach to competition.

Once again, how an organisation competes, reflects the dominant ideas present in its leaders’ psyches. What’s in yours?

#3. Regulatory Compliance

Some leaders resent compliance with industry regulations and laws. They think it’s too complex, time-consuming, costly, and an attack on their free will or free market principles. “Too much red tape” is a rallying call in political circles too.

This was the case when the Financial Services Authority became the Financial Conduct Authority here in the UK after the financial crisis of 2007 / 8. The switch to the regulation of conduct reflected how the integrity of the market as a whole can suffer when actors in it make up their own moral code when faced with a chance to make a lot of money even at someone else’s expense. Nowadays, unlike back in the noughties, named individuals in financial services firms carry personal liability and potential imprisonment for rule breaches. A long way from the laissez-faire ideals of those pre-crash times.

Others see compliance regimes as the minimum and use it as a base to build off; to do even more than the regulations require. Outstanding schools that see the national curriculum as just a baseline, rather than the standard to reach, are good examples.

What would you say the predominant thinking on regulation is where you work? What impact does this have?

#4. Talent Acquisition and Retention

I’ve written a lot about culture and how I think of it as an overall feeling people have about the way things get done around here. A vibe that can attract new people to join, keep skilled employees, and bring out all staff members’ potential to adapt and develop as changes in their operating environment unfold.

For instance, I recently spoke to someone who was creating what they called a prejudice-free culture. It was premised on the fact we humans are essentially the same in that we each navigate our way through life using the three principles described above, whether we’re aware of them or not. Prejudice is what she called “contaminated thinking”. It only led to notions of inequality, exclusion, and a lack of diversity; three traits that inhibit how organisations learn and adapt in these uncertain times.

While prejudice could be understood, given how deeply rooted it is in our societal culture, her view was we don’t need to blame people from all backgrounds for being contaminated. The main issue is to be aware of it and dissipate thinking that doesn’t help living a prejudice-free existence as much as possible.

This thinking is a far cry from employees being viewed through the lens of cost, or a resource that needs to be tightly monitored and controlled if it is to deliver that which is expected. This creates a very different vibe, which if accompanied by overly competitive, silo-like working, can become toxic.

Once again, people’s willingness to join you or leave is, in part at least, a function of the vibe present in your workforce, which, in turn, is driven by a leadership mindset when it comes to how best to get people to work with and for you.

#5. Technology Integration

What do you think about the technological changes that have taken place in your lifetime?

From air travel to the mobile revolution to artificial intelligence, do these disruptions excite and enthrall, offering up new opportunities or evoking that well-worn idea that we humans don’t like change, despite it being pretty constant and fast of late?

See how minds work here? If you’re implementing a change of whatever kind, technical and behavioural, people’s sense-making will differ. And it’s through understanding why those differences exist that gives you the best chance of seeing what the next best step for your project might be.

#6. Customer Satisfaction

Ever had the experience of a waiter in a restaurant wishing you a nice day but not really meaning it – as if that’s what they’ve been told to say?

Often, client satisfaction is thought about in mechanistic terms – say this twice, that three times, and this when the customer leaves. That’s what gets measured and conclusions about satisfaction levels drawn.

It’s quite different to clients saying of their own accord how a supplier really ‘gets’ them, listens so well to what they need but don’t have, and responds to this in delightfully surprising ways. This is about trust and delight not just satisfaction.

What’s in your leaders’ and teams’ psyches when it comes to serving those who depend on the work they do?

I have found the psychological lens really useful in my work. Sure other issues like systems, processes, procedures, contracts, rules, and incentives matter too, but how these are designed and implemented still reflects the deeper thinking we each live from, but often aren’t aware of.

The golden nuggets regarding how best to initiate and lead change lie in understanding thoughts embedded deeply in our individual and collective psyches. Surfacing these and helping people perform at their best, no matter what circumstances they’re in, becomes much easier.

Thanks for being here. I hope you’ll join me next time.

Until then,

Kindest,

Roger

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Is it ever beneficial to intentionally send the wrong message? That’s the question that drives the conversation when Richard Bistrong, Ron Carucci, and Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP® join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is our topic: Earlier this summer, a CEO and tech entrepreneur named Rob Dance ignited a firestorm on Twitter with a post titled: “Things I’m sick of hearing from my employees.” His list included: Can I leave early today? I’ll be in late this morning. My child is sick, can I rush off? I’ve got a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, is that okay? I’m going to be late back from lunch, I’ve got some things to sort.

He concludes with this pithy, editorial remark: I don’t care. Not surprisingly, the post attracted a barrage of critics, decrying his insensitivity and calling him a variety of colorful names. To which he replied with a short question: Did you finish reading the whole post? Because he concludes with these comments: “I hired you for a job and I fully TRUST you to get it done. I don’t need you to account for every single hour. Times have changed, and the workplace is different these days. People are sick of being treated like children. “All that should matter is that everyone is happy, and that the work gets done. My advice to companies: Treat your staff like adults. That’s it, that’s the big secret. Give them autonomy, respect that they have lives outside of work, don’t gaslight them into being grateful for not being fired every day. Output should always trump hours.”

One of my mantras is that Trust is the T in ETHICS. But is it wise to trust that readers will make it to the end of a provocative post and not miss the twist at the end? Does this style come across as snarky or refreshingly candid? Is it worth the risk of being misunderstood to make a critical point? And aside from style, is Rob Dance’s advice practical in a culture where so many employers complain about workers slacking off and shirking their responsibilities? And if it is, why does it seem to be so rare?

Richard Bistrong is CEO of Front-Line Anti-Bribery, LLC, assisting organizations with ethics, compliance, and anti-bribery challenges to help surface unknowns and shine a light on the real-world importance of operationalizing ethics & integrity.

Ron Carucci is the owner and managing partner of Navelent, helping organizations articulate a strategy for success, translate that strategy into results, and develop exceptional leaders along the way.

Heather Younger is a Certified Speaking Professional and LinkedIn Learning instructor. She is also CEO and founder of Employee Fanatix, helping equip companies and organizations with the intelligence they need to improve the quality of work life for their employees.

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For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Ephesians 6: 11

Can our businesses and careers be subject to attack by the ‘spiritual forces of evil’? And, if so, what does that look like?

Scripture can shed some light on this subject. We know that Job was attacked by Satan, and lost his business, his family, and his home. That is as clear a case of Satanic attack as there is.

More subtly, we know that the Israelites, in their many seasons of falling away and worshipping strange gods, were often condemned for taking advantage of the poor and striving after money and wealth. These actions were certainly empowered by the spiritual forces of evil represented by the various false gods. Evil twisted their business to its own end.

And remember that Jesus, at the very beginning of his ministry, was subjected to Satan’s temptations.

So, we have some indications in scripture that evil can and does influence our marketplace lives. In order to examine the practical, day-to-day manifestations of evil in the marketplace, we need to rely on the experience of wise and mature Christian men and women who have striven against evil forces in the marketplace for years.

For a practical answer to the question “How do the powers of the dark world and the spiritual forces of evil war against our careers and businesses?” here is one person’s opinion. I see evil operating in the marketplace in these ways.

1. Keep them on the bench.

Evil has removed most of the Christian businesses from the playing field and they sit comfortably on the bench. No need to personally attack these businesses and their executives. They have been removed from the game.

These are those thousands of Christian-owned businesses who never consider the idea that their business or career could be a ministry – a powerful force for good in the communities they serve. These folks compartmentalize their businesses. They think that since they attend church regularly, they can operate in the marketplace as if they had no relationship with Christ.

This is one of Satan’s greatest ploys. By convincing millions of Christian businesspeople that their business and careers don’t matter to God, he has effectively kept them out of the game. As a result, millions of people, across time and geography, have never been exposed to a loving God manifesting through the heart and action of a Christian employer.

1. Cripple them with false beliefs and paradigms.

Certain false beliefs serve to rob a Christian business of its power in the marketplace and keep it operating at a fraction of its potential. The forces of evil have sown some false beliefs among Christian businesspeople. Some of these are:

1. God isn’t interested in my business/career.
2. Ministry is only done under the auspices of the institutional church. So, my business is not a ministry.
3. If I am visible with my faith, I’ll jeopardize my business and offend people.
4. The obstacles to succeeding in business are too great for me to even try.
5. Success in business is all about making money.

No matter how pious you are, if you hold any or any combination of these beliefs, your potential has been severely crippled by the forces that instilled those beliefs into your head.

Until you rid yourself of these beliefs, your career/business will never reach its full potential to be a force for the kingdom.

There’s more.

These two major efforts of the ‘forces of evil’ are very successful and have served to keep the vast majority of potential Christian marketplace ministers on the bench and out of the game.

A few manage to emerge from this caldron of deceit. They see themselves as ministers to the marketplace and fully embrace that commitment. Since they attempt to be visible and impactful in the marketplace, they become subject to other sinister forces.

1. Harass and distract them.

For those who have embraced the ‘business is ministry’ concept and are committed to having a kingdom impact through their business and career, the forces of evil resort to a much more hands-on approach – attempting to deceive and discourage us.

Here’s an example of what this looks like in real life.

A number of years ago I was filming a series of lessons for Bible school teachers.

Everything that could go wrong did. We’d arrive at the studio to film, and the cameras didn’t work. Or the lighting technician didn’t show up. Or an important bulb had burned out. There was always some glitch that prevented or delayed the filming. No filming session went the way it was supposed to.

We saw the same thing in editing. The editing equipment didn’t work, even though it was new and state-of-the-art. The software had a glitch. It was one small delay after another. What was supposed to take a couple of months took almost a year. I remember, in a fit of frustration, shouting, ‘What is going on here?”

What was going on was Satan was trying to derail the project. Today, we call that spiritual warfare. For those of us in business it means that Satan will try to thwart our business effort and discourage us to the point where we give up.

It’s a very real issue for Christian businesspeople.

Here’s another example involving the publication of The Good Book on Business, my most recent book. The Lord led me to write that book, and I had a very real sense of his guidance as I wrote it. Getting it published was another story. First, I sent it to my literary agent, with whom I had worked for 20 years. He repackaged the book and tried to sell it to mainstream publishers, who all declined, saying it was too religious for their markets. He suggested I find an agent who dealt with the religious market, as he did not. I contacted a half a dozen Christian literary agents and was rejected because I was not a pastor with a big church following. My book didn’t have the potential for enough easy sales.

So, after almost a year of pursuing a trade publisher, I decided to self-publish. I found a suitable self-publishing company and got the book ready for them. While the book was going through the publishing process, we created a marketing plan to sell it. At last, the book was published. We were happy with it, and were about to begin marketing it, when the publisher announced that they were going out of business and would no longer support any of their titles.

We put everything on hold and set about publishing it through Amazon. The process turned out to take twice as long as we had hoped, as we experienced glitches at every step in the process. Finally, two years later than planned, we got the book out and began marketing.

I attribute all the glitches and the difficulties to harassment by the spiritual forces of evil. Satan did not want this book published and relentlessly tried to derail it.

Those are examples from my life, but they are hardly unique. Almost every Christian businessperson has a similar story of some effort being supernaturally hindered.

Satan is real, and the Bible indicates that he wants to destroy us and our works. He and his minions have the ability to intervene in circumstances and plant thoughts and ideas into our heads and in those around us in order to derail our efforts, discourage us, and eventually defeat us.

“Dogs don’t bark at tombstones. “I remember that expression booming from the lips of an old southern preacher years ago. His point was this – if you are just taking up space on the planet, like a tombstone, you won’t attract Satan and all the other detractors. But, if you are trying to have an impact, you’ll draw the attention of the forces of evil.

In our terms, if you believe that your business or your career is just about making money and has no potential to impact the kingdom, you probably won’t be bothered. Satan already has you where he wants you – distracted by money and impotent in the Kingdom.

If, however, you believe that your business and career can be a force in the Kingdom, and you are attempting to transform it into a Biblical business, you’ll attract the attention of the forces of evil.

In those circumstances, spiritual warfare is inevitable. You’ll be wise to prepare for it.

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In a world where change is often the only constant, developing leadership skills that enable change is crucial. Every employee in a management role must recognise the need for change, whether within their teams or the wider organisation, to help navigate evolving landscapes. This mindset is essential in competitive markets, where continual improvement is key to remaining relevant.

Yet, the process of change isn’t just about survival, it’s about making the most of opportunities to innovate, grow and thrive in an ever-changing business world. A significant number of studies show that a majority of change and transformation initiatives fail to deliver on the outcomes expected, that perhaps only about 30% actually deliver what was hoped for. Why, because leaders core leadership skills were not effectively developed.

Understanding Transformational LeadershipAt the heart of leading change is the concept of ‘transformational leadership’. This leadership approach is defined by its focus on motivating team members to broaden their mindset, exceed their usual limits and proactively participate in the process of improving day-to-day operations to transform the organisation.

By adopting this continuous improvement mindset, transformational leaders promote steady constant growth, ensuring an organisation remains current. Not to mention, avoiding disruptive and large-scale changes when the organisation discovers, after years of no change, it is well behind what’s needed which is common in many industries.

Encouraging out-of-the-box thinking and supporting creativity will enable transformation and boost organisational outcomes. It will also instil a sense of purpose and belonging among teams, not only improving engagement but promoting a commitment to the organisation’s vision and goals.

It’s important to understand that a significant driver of effective transformation is emotional–belief amongst employees in the vision leaders create. An employee’s effort will potentially increase by about 20% if they become rationally committed to a change – “it makes logical sense”. But if they become emotionally committed it can increase effort by over 40% – “I believe”.

Developing Leadership Skills for Growth and ChangeTo create an organisation that prioritises growth and change, and to optimise the number and quality of ideas developed by employees, there are some key actions to take;

1. 1. Create an Inspiring Environment – Establish a positive and motivational culture at the team level. Good leaders should inspire team members to contribute their best ideas, building a collective desire for improvement. This is about the leader listening, showing they care, and building trust. This is employee engagement.
2. 1. Encourage Strategic Thinking – Motivate team members to identify opportunities that align with the organisation’s goals and objectives. Understanding the bigger picture helps generate ideas that contribute to overall improvement, builds commitment, and enable agility whilst also breaking down silos. That then enables more effective collaboration across the organisation which further enhances performance.
3. 1. Positive Consideration of Ideas – Actively and positively evaluate the ideas presented by team members. This approach not only shows their contributions are valued, but also encourages a culture of openness and innovation. Constructive feedback is key, even if an idea doesn’t move forward it’s critical recognition for creating it is given.
4. 1. Effective Application and Support – Once viable ideas are identified, ensure they are supported whilst put into practice. This is crucial to turn these ideas from concepts into actionable and beneficial changes for the team and organisation. This also demonstrates to everyone that new ideas are welcome and actioned where they can be.

Implementing these steps effectively is essential for reaping the benefits of transformative leadership. But management teams also need to develop specific leadership skills that support and drive growth and change within their organisations;

• • Optimised task delivery skills – These are the foundation for success day to day even without change being required. Too often however these are lacking, data suggests that this is a critical barrier to enabling best outcomes and transformation.
• • Adaptive Thinking – Embrace a growth mindset by seeing change as an opportunity, not a challenge. This involves continuous learning and adaptability, which enables agility, key leadership skills for navigating an evolving business environment. This includes preparing contingency plans to ensure smooth transitions during organisational changes.
• • Strategic Vision – Master the art of strategic thinking then planning. This requires understanding the organisations key objectives and then setting clear goals and milestones for the team to support them.
• • Effective Communication – Develop the ability to communicate a vision effectively, inspiring and engaging others, showing how they contribute to the big picture and how that then benefits them. An effective leader will then use their enthusiasm to encourage change and further build belief to motivate the team.
• • Resilience in Adversity – Learn to view challenges as opportunities for improvement, encourage team members to support each other, to bring the team together in a focused way to overcome adversity. This leadership example is key in fostering a culture that views setbacks as opportunities for learning and development.
• • Team Appreciation – Prioritise recognising team efforts and celebrating successes. This not only reinforces teamwork but also boosts morale, creating a sense of achievement and belonging that drives a team towards wanting to be even more successful.

Becoming an Effective Leader Who Promotes ChangeAll in all, the development of leadership skills that are focused on growth and change is critical in today’s fast-paced world. By embracing transformational leadership, management teams can not only adapt to change but become catalysts for positive constant improvement within their organisations. Ultimately, business is about staying ahead of the curve and using change to your advantage.

When improving your leadership skills, it’s beneficial to look beyond the basics of decision-making skills and communication skills and step out of your comfort zone to explore new leadership styles.

“Just good enough” as a leader is in reality “not good enough”. You must strive to be your best – optimise task delivery, get the best from people and align to strategic objectives. That will Accelerate Your Success.

You can find out more about transformational leadership, including podcasts with successful leaders who have done it, and how it can benefit your organisation.

Why I wrote this article

As a leadership speaker and motivational speaker, my articles are focused on helping leaders beat the challenges they are facing and become more successful. They try to solve the key challenges leaders from amongst the over 22,000 from around the world I have spoken to have told me they face. Many of them are consistent.

As a leadership speaker, my objective is to help leaders use my Accelerate Your Success system to be more successful by equipping them with the tools and confidence needed to tackle challenges and seize opportunities then, as a motivational speaker, to inspire them to take the first step on their journey.

The insights in the articles are based on my 40 years of experience in “hands-on” leadership roles in the military, business, and Government, 25 of those delivering major transformations and developing the performance of senior leaders. That’s then interwoven with success stories from real business case studies.

As a leadership speaker and motivational speaker to ensure a successful event that delivers insight, interaction, inspiration, and impact tailoring is key. This focused approach is how I help leaders and their organisations to achieve their desired event outcomes – beating challenges, exceeding objectives, managing transformation and change, becoming Entrepreneurial Leaders, and whatever is critical for them to take action on afterward for success.

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You cannot lead others until you first lead yourself. You can lead yourself at your best only if you invest in yourself first.

– John Maxwell

A few months back I was on my way to do a photoshoot. This particular one was a beach location which I always enjoy. On this day, however, a fog had set in. What made it somewhat unusual was that a dense fog of that magnitude would likely occur in the early morning. However, this was a mid-afternoon shoot which caught me off guard.

Visibility on the beach was significantly diminished but the sunlight that peeked in through the clouds made for some fascinating shots. I was mesmerized by the beauty of the beach that day. The combination of the fog and piercing light gave me a new and much different perspective than I had ever experienced. It was truly memorable.

My approach that day to the photoshoot could have been one defined by frustrations over elements beyond my control. In photography, that is a common occurrence. One second you are ready for a shot and 30 seconds later the lighting changes or some other issue happens that momentarily alters your ability to take the photograph.

In photography, you can wait it out and make the necessary adjustments. I easily could have allowed the fog to cause me to throw in the towel and cancel the appointment, instead, I seized the opportunity to take some amazing photographs that I otherwise would not have been able to capture.

Life works this way too. Seldom does everything go according to plan all the time. Life happens. And when it does, you can either adjust and make the best of it, or you can be overcome by it.

There will be seasons when you find yourself in a fog as a leader. Call it a funk. Call it what you will, but you know what I’m talking about. You may be reading this now and saying “That’s me!”.

I must confess that I have been in a fog for several months. One of my strengths as a leader over the past few decades has been as a writer. Whether on my website’s blog, in my books, or contributing to magazines and other business publications, writing has been my go-to medium for communicating in the thought leadership space.

To that end, writing has always been a natural talent for me. Words have always flowed freely and any complaints from editors have centered around too many words, not too few. But for the past few months, I have found myself in a fog where my struggle was not figuring out what to do about too many words, but what to do about none.

If you are in a fog right now let me share a few lessons I’ve learned.

Don’t panic

From a meteorological perspective, fog occurs when the cool air mixes with the warm air over the water, the moist air cools until its humidity reaches 100%, and fog forms. In other words, it’s a natural weather phenomenon.

In leadership, it’s not uncommon to find yourself in a fog. It happens. But when it does, that’s not the time to panic, it’s a time to see your surroundings from a different perspective and draw on your leadership instincts to get through it.

Trust the process. The fog won’t last forever, but it will give you time to learn new things about your surroundings and yourself.

Learn from it

Before the photoshoot, I was confident about my camera setting. I had done this before. But the fog changed everything. When you find yourself in a fog, you will draw from a different or seldom-used skill set to navigate your way. Embrace it and refine it.

From a leadership perspective, we don’t like being in a fog. We tend to panic and feel like things are slipping away from us. But it’s the time you spend in the fog that you learn a lot about yourself and what you are capable of. Don’t despise the fog, learn from it and be a better leader for it.

Be patient

Here’s what I know – the fog doesn’t last forever. And while we don’t like being in one, the lesson here is simple – be patient. The fog will lift. You will come through it.

The Roman poet Horace said, “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” And this is the end game of emerging from the fog, to elicit talents and skills you haven’t used in a while. This will make you a better person and a better leader.

Featured image provided by the Author

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This story of mine uses on one hand the filter of direct experience in the field and on the other the comparison with the evolution of the world, of organizations, and above all of the people who live in them.

Capitalism could have a thousand meanings, positive or negative.

My thought is that capitalism has among its merits those, in particular, of having determined significant economic growth, but also innovation for society, not only for itself. The capitalist economy is not based only on quantity, but also on quality. A quality is capable of breaking traditions, pre-established mental patterns, and previous habits.

On the other hand, however, capitalism has revealed its fragile face in the lack of adequate protection and guarantee of some essential rights of each person. Important elements for people have been neglected, such as, for example, everything that concerns their health, relationships, family, and community.

It is for this reason that I believe that the maximization of profit ends up dehumanizing the economy and, therefore, it is essential to think of a more ambitious model, that takes entrepreneurs out of the monopolizing tunnel of profit, which obviously we must not demonize as such, and which opens the doors to a much wider range of opportunities.

In fact, we must also consider as capital the natural environment, health, psychological well-being of people, the spiritual sphere, society, and culture.

These are not spheres that can be put on the sidelines of a company’s business, because of its tension towards a profit that excludes any distraction.

This makes the call to ethics and social justice inevitable, to an economy at whose center is the well-being of each person, in an attempt to articulate new visions, with sustainability as a fundamental element, considering the concept of common good at the basis of the economy.

Adapting to a more humane and ethically sustainable model requires a decisive change of pace.

The new generations are also asking us to do this, as they no longer see work as the only answer to the question of meaning. Work is part of life and, in addition to enhancing personal skills and talents, it must not prevent people from realizing themselves through relationships, family, and the need to grow even outside of work dynamics.

So, here is the innovative element that can only be the impact assessment, which must become a parameter and guide for each assessment and each production.

We have numbers and technologies that we can put at the service of human development. Every economic fact must be correlated with what comes from it in terms of impact on people and the environment, generating inclusion and overcoming suffering and new poverty.

The aim, the objective, the purpose of the entrepreneur must be to generate profits also for the well-being of people; not only for redistribution, but use of such profits for positive actions of sustenance, training, and social inclusion.

The company must be understood as an integral part of society, in which the needs of citizens and communities weigh as much as the requests of shareholders, in which the entrepreneur directs the mission (free from thoughts of mere philanthropy) not only towards the achievement of profit objectives but towards the welfare of his collaborators and the community.

For this purpose, we need visionary capitalist figures, protagonists oriented without laziness towards change, towards a change of direction, towards the generation of value.

Humanity is ready for a new model, which puts people and their enormous responsibility at the centre of everything: respecting the biosphere and the rights of future generations, as well as those of all peoples.

Being human to me means recognizing vulnerability to experiences such as shame, judgment, and reprimand. Admitting our own limitations is the key to everything, and is a sign of courage.

And then, cannot miss the sense of humor, which is essential to survive difficult moments and to not take him/herself too seriously!

That’s all.

I am convinced that the best people are those who live and work putting their heart first (the one made of emotions, passion, fears, and courage. The one that fights. The one that forgives. And that helps. The empathetic one. The genuine one). If a person can then mix heart and head without ever losing sight of the focus on their goals, they can give life to success stories.

The core value of a company is humanity. The company is the place where we spend most of our lives: the workplace defines our existence, relationships, and quality of life. This is where the revolution for well-being and gratitude begins.

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Many of my coaching clients have recently shared their struggles with feeling tired, emotionally overwhelmed, and cognitively overloaded and are close to burnout. They attribute these issues to the pervasive and addictive nature of technology, exacerbated by the pandemic and divisive global conflicts, accelerating change, and the rise of AI and hybrid work. As a result, many have retreated and frozen into habitual, reactive ‘busyness.’ This affects their overall emotional, physical, and mental health and wellness, inhibits their ability to focus, create, invent, and innovate, and restricts their optimism, hope, and positivity about their future in an unstable and uncertain world. Coaching creates a unique opportunity to partner with people to develop their pause–power to identify the transformative actions to reverse this pervasive phenomenon.

What is pause-power?

A coaching session usually serves as a first step towards cultivating the pause power needed to stop, observe, reflect, and take valuable time out to rest, replenish, re-energise, and reboot. This allows people to courageously notice, attune to, and express their true feelings and thoughts, to disrupt, dispute, and deviate them to develop the pause-power required to heal and provide relief, hope, and optimism for a better future.

Everyone must cultivate intentional pause power to empower them to observe and understand their inner and outer worlds. This practice helps them remove distractions, stop multitasking, and break free from the ‘busyness’ that depletes their cognitive, emotional, and visceral resources, putting them in the driver’s seat of their mental and emotional well-being.

Self-reflection and reflective practice become potent tools, enabling people to move away from reactivity and short-term focus and towards taking the transformative actions to adapt, create, invent, and innovate.

Hitting your pause button

Being adaptive, creative, inventive, and innovative involves consciously taking your hands off the controls and encouraging yourself and others to notice and disrupt your habitual and addictive ‘busyness’ (time scarcity + task focus).

This awareness is the first step towards reclaiming your focus and attention so that you can engage with and interpret the modern world rather than try to control it or withdraw from it.

Being willing to take a break and hit the ‘pause button’ stops your continuous cycle of doing. It focuses your attention on breaking limiting beliefs or unresourceful patterns and provides a support structure for applying rigorous perception practices to our daily lives.

Using pause power to create a place, as recently described by Otto Scharmer from the Presencing Institute:

“Between action and non-action, there is a place. A portal into the unknown. But what are we each called to contribute to the vision of the emerging future? Perhaps these times are simply doorways into the heart of the storm, a necessary journey through the cycles of time required to create change”.

What does pause power involve?

A pause is created when you suspend activity, a time of temporary disengagement when you no longer move towards any goal. It can occur amid almost any activity and can last for an instant by taking a deep breath to get grounded, for minutes to become mindful or to take a rest, for hours to enjoy a well-deserved break, or for years to experience life in a different culture or place.

Intentionally pausing enables you to take time between your range of habitual, largely unconscious reactive responses; it helps our brain’s executive function utilise the valuable ‘empty spaces’ between stimulus and response and between different ideas. It creates a space open to options and choices for being, thinking and acting differently.

Doing this allows you to notice and disrupt unresourceful and habitual auto ‘stimulus-response’ default patterns, which usually occur when things go wrong, you make a mistake and fail, or you dive into blaming, shaming or avoiding others as part of our naturally wired defence mechanisms.

Radical acceptance

Learning to pause is one of the critical steps in innovation because it helps you initiate a practice of radical acceptance. This requires embracing uncertainty, or ‘what is’ truly happening in the present moment, relationship, or situation, by accepting things just as they are.

“During the moments of a pause, we become conscious of how the feeling that something is missing or wrong keeps us leaning into the future, on our way somewhere else. This gives us a fundamental choice in how we respond: We can continue our futile attempts at managing our experience or meet our vulnerability with the wisdom of Radical Acceptance”.

By being willing to dive into an ‘empty space’ from an emergent process, you can unleash possibilities, opportunities, options, and choices toward identifying the transformative actions that create your desired future.

People who can artfully and skillfully facilitate creative conversations that funnel pause power and co-create valuable ‘empty spaces’ to occur can generate our imagination and curiosity to manifest glorious moments of insights required to emerge creative ideas.

Pausing also enables you to observe, pay attention, notice, and regulate how your overall nervous system impacts and manages your brain’s functions. This is key to being practical, resourceful, healthy, and productive in the face of volatility, complexity, uncertainty, and accelerating change in our hyper-connected world.

It also needs rest to do this. By applying our pause power and giving ourselves some rest, we offer our bodies, hearts, and minds a chance to recharge, keep moving, and work towards taking the transformative actions required to build better workplaces and flourishing futures.

A valuable toolkit and habit

This skill is valuable for everyone to reflect upon, cultivate and master. It is initiated by intentionally stopping by hitting an invisible cognitive ‘pause button’ to observe, pay attention, notice your inner experience, and see yourself as the cause of it.

Developing pause power involves six simple vital steps and questions:

1.Retreat from reacting to the situation – by stepping back into the present moment or time to notice, be with, allow, accept (radical acceptance), and acknowledge ‘what is’ going on internally and externally, and be willing to name it with detachment and discernment.

• What is going on for me right now – how am I feeling about it?

2. Step up and out to disrupt yourself and create an opening, doorway, threshold, or empty space – to allow something new to emerge.

• What can I learn from this situation?

3. Step up and out to disrupt yourself and create an opening, doorway, threshold, or empty space – to allow something new to emerge.

– What can I learn from this situation?

4. Be willing to introduce and explore options and choices that allow you to deviate and refocus your attention on what really matters – taking a rest, having a holiday, completing a project, being a better person, getting a new job, or getting a promotion.

• What are some of my options for change?

5. Be inquisitive, curious, and open to reimagining, reinventing, and pivoting – an intention, mindset, behaviour, task, goal, or business focus to re-plenish, re-energise, re-engage and re-boot to mobilise yourself.

• How might I feel, think, or act differently to achieve my outcome?

6. Step out into the system’s edges – by being calm, hopeful and optimistic, to identify the transformative actions required to move towards and exploring new creative, inventive, and innovative solutions for providing value in ways people appreciate and cherish.

• What will I do next?

Engaging in a Looking Lab

As many of our ImagineNation community members know, I am currently writing a book on ‘Being Innovative.’ There is a whole chapter on developing pause power to help people engage what Christian Madsbjerg calls in his latest book “Look: How to Pay Attention in a Distracted World” (Riverhead Books) – a Looking Lab, to:

“Get away from your screens, turn off your notifications, go out into the wilds of reality, and look around. Let go of all filters—clichés, conventions, colour corrections, whatever they may be. Try to pay attention to the simple act of seeing.”

He reveals that “if we choose to look for them, there are invisible worlds all around us ready to reveal their magic. The seemingly mundane or average can appear extraordinary, but only if we take the time to notice and see it”.

This is a vital part of our remarkable human capacity to transform through the slow, patient act of observing, attending, noticing, replenishing, re-energising, re-engaging, and re-booting to take the transformative actions that will help you make the world a better place and achieve your 21st-century growth and success differently.

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ProblemsDo you sometimes go to a meeting and find the experience a struggle? You feel cross and tired at the end and wonder if the effort was worthwhile. Many meetings are like this, but they don’t have to be. It is utterly knackering when you have lots of these back-to-back.

Meetings are difficult because people feel they have to compete to be heard. The noisy ones find listening hard because they are bursting to speak. The quiet ones give up because they think no one will take any notice anyway, or they will be interrupted, so what’s the point?

These difficulties get worse if the subject is controversial or the objectives of the meeting are unclear.

SolutionsThe “Go Round”

You ask everyone to share their best thinking about the topic for (say) two minutes while everyone else listens attentively without interrupting. They will get their turn later. This format ensures everyone gets an equal chance to speak and be heard, so competing is unnecessary. Quiet people gain respect because their thinking is often clear and valuable as they work on it inside before they speak. The noisy people have to focus their thinking to get it into a fixed time, so it is often sharper than usual.

This simple method works even better if you go around the group in reverse order of seniority! If bosses go first, people will tend to agree with them, so you get less original thinking.

After a “go round”, you can have a more conventional discussion that will go well or extend the method. There is more about this in Nancy Kline’s “More Time to Think” book.

A storyI used this method to help a utility avert a damaging strike. Afterwards, my client told me, “That was brilliant, bill me what you like!”

Pairs and Share

When feelings are running high or everyone is confused, you need to increase the amount of attention in the room and give everyone space to think, talk, and be heard very quickly. Stop and have each person spend (say) two minutes listening to the colleague next to them about what they think and feel about what is happening and what should happen next. Then, swap roles. After this, use a quick “go round” as above to share conclusions. You will find the heat has left the situation and know what to do. This process is one way to use coconsulting or cocounselling in practice.

Clarify Aims

Coverdale training teaches a systematic approach for getting things done. One of their key ideas is that the aims of the activity (or meeting) should be clear to achieve anything. It is worth spending some time at the beginning of a meeting or item seeking agreement to what you are trying to do. Being awarely naive is very powerful if you are a member rather than a chairperson. “I think we are here to decide what we will do about developing our managers next year. Is this what the rest of you think we are here to do? You can also seek agreement on success criteria. You ask, “If this meeting was a complete success, what would have to take away at the end?” This sharpens up the focus no end.

Create the right setting.

If you want to have a discussion that can go deeply into an issue, especially a controversial one, then the right setting will make a huge difference. Many of the conventional settings are unhelpful. Emotional closeness often follows from physical closeness. So, think about being informal without barriers like desks and tables and sitting in a “huddle” where you can easily see and sense each other. Putting chairs in a circle will encourage participation.

You can also help to create a productive climate by stating the “norms” or rules for the interaction. For instance, you might say “This meeting will go much better if we concentrate on listening to each other and sharing our thoughts on what to do about the situation, I don’t think agonising about how we got here will be helpful at this stage, do you agree?

Finally, review the process of the meeting.

Some things will go well at every meeting, and others could improve. It helps to ask people at the end. What was the most significant thing you learned at the meeting? What was good about how we worked together? How could the next meeting be even better? You will get some good ideas and make everyone think about how they work together.

I often do this after one-to-one meetings. It helps me improve my practice as a coach and consultant.

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In the realm of modern leadership, where empowerment and growth are paramount, the philosophy of servant leadership emerges as a guiding light in performance management. This chapter delves into the seamless integration of servant leadership principles with purpose-driven performance management—a transformative approach that shifts the focus from mere productivity to holistic growth.

By prioritizing individual development, aligning goals with organizational purpose, and fostering a culture of continuous improvement, servant leaders create an environment where every team member thrives, contributing their best to the collective success.

Servant Leadership: A Paradigm Shift in Performance Management

Traditional performance management often revolves around numerical metrics, rankings, and evaluations. The essence of servant leadership challenges this approach, emphasizing that leaders are not just supervisors, but mentors invested in their team members’ success.

Servant leaders focus on unlocking potential, nurturing growth, and encouraging self-discovery. They believe that genuine growth stems from intrinsic motivation rather than external pressure.

Purpose-Driven Performance Management: Aligning Goals with Organizational Purpose

Servant leadership finds synergy with purpose-driven performance management—a philosophy that emphasizes the alignment of individual goals with the organization’s overarching purpose. When employees understand how their contributions contribute to the bigger picture, their sense of purpose and motivation soar.

Servant leaders facilitate this alignment, ensuring that each team member’s objectives resonate with the organization’s mission, creating a collective sense of purpose.

Continuous Improvement and Feedback: Nurturing Growth

The journey of growth is a continuous one, and servant leaders are keenly aware of this reality. They prioritize ongoing feedback and learning as integral components of performance management. Constructive feedback is delivered with empathy, focusing on growth rather than critique.

Servant leaders create a safe environment where mistakes are seen as opportunities for improvement, nurturing a culture of continuous learning and refinement.

Employee-Centric Approach: Empowering Ownership

Servant leaders empower employees to take ownership of their development. Rather than dictating solutions, they encourage individuals to identify their strengths, areas for growth, and career aspirations. This employee-centric approach instills a sense of accountability and autonomy, leading to heightened engagement and commitment.

Servant leaders provide the support and resources necessary for individuals to flourish, allowing them to contribute their unique talents to the organization’s success.

Performance Management for Well-Being: Balancing Work and Life

Servant leaders recognize that holistic development extends beyond the workplace. They prioritize employee well-being, understanding that a harmonious work-life balance is essential for sustained growth.

By offering flexible work arrangements, promoting well-being initiatives, and fostering a culture of self-care, servant leaders contribute to the overall well-being of their teams, resulting in increased job satisfaction, improved mental health, and enhanced performance.

Unleashing Creativity and Innovation: A Holistic Approach

The marriage of servant leadership and purpose-driven performance management cultivates an environment that nurtures creativity and innovation. When employees are empowered, aligned with purpose, and encouraged to contribute their unique ideas, the organization benefits from a wealth of creativity.

Servant leaders encourage risk-taking, recognize contributions, and celebrate diverse perspectives, fostering an innovative culture that thrives on continuous exploration and improvement.

Conclusion: A Future of Purposeful Performance

In the chapters ahead, we will delve further into how servant leadership transforms organizational dynamics by fostering diversity, embracing change, and envisioning a future that thrives through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

Purpose-driven performance management, guided by the principles of servant leadership, emerges as a cornerstone of this transformation—a method that empowers employees, aligns goals with purpose, and creates a culture of continuous growth and improvement. As we proceed, we will uncover practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights that illuminate the path towards holistic growth through servant leadership.

By nurturing purposeful performance, servant leaders create organizations that transcend traditional boundaries, celebrate individual growth, and thrive as beacons of excellence in a dynamic world.

Reflections:

1. Reframing Performance Management: Reflect on traditional performance management practices. How does a purpose-driven approach, guided by servant leadership, differ from these conventional methods?
2. Aligning Individual and Organizational Goals: Think about a time when your personal goals were aligned (or misaligned) with your organization’s mission. How did this impact your performance and motivation?
3. Feedback and Growth: Consider the role of feedback in your professional development. How can servant leadership principles transform feedback from a critical assessment into a tool for growth and learning?
4. Employee-Centric Approaches: Reflect on how an employee-centric approach to performance management can empower individuals. Can you think of ways to implement this approach in your current or future leadership practices?
5. Balancing Work and Life: Servant leadership emphasizes the importance of work-life balance. How does maintaining this balance contribute to overall performance and job satisfaction?
6. Creative and Innovative Environments: Think about an environment that fosters creativity and innovation. How can servant leadership principles help in creating and maintaining such an environment?
7. Purpose in Performance: Reflect on the concept of purpose-driven performance. How does understanding and connecting with the larger purpose of one’s work change one’s approach to performance management?

These questions are designed to stimulate thought and discussion about the integration of servant leadership principles into performance management practices, encouraging a more holistic, purpose-driven approach.

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Immigrants

That dust was everywhere. It got in your eyes, up your nose so you couldn’t draw a breath. So you breathed through your mouth and the grit was always on your teeth and crunched with everything you ate. The quarry slowed and there were no jobs, and then – America, the land of golden sidewalks beckoned.

My friend Stella, retold her father’s tale of how he came to leave Carrara, Italy, origin of the famous marble and move to Boston. I’ve heard versions of this story several times, from Indians, Mexicans, and Brazilians. An Englishman once told me,

“Americans just seemed so carefree, not at all stuffy like everyone I knew at home. I came on holiday and resolved to come back to stay.”

My Pittsburgh haircutter Mico told succinctly how his family emigrated from Calabria.

“They had the dream and the dream made what they had seem like nothing.”

Immigrants may be the best example of people choosing life altering change. They reject where they live and move to an uncertain promise of opportunity. These are the three elements of a change mindset:

• Rejection of the status quo (case for change)
• Promise of the future (Vision)
• Choice (people may reject “your” change if they feel it’s imposed upon them, but if they choose, then it’s “their” change).

Of course, you have to act. You have to sell what you own, get visas, buy tickets, get on the boat. No change happens until you do something, but action without the right mindset is unlikely to succeed.

Those who’ beat addiction through the AA 12-step process know the importance of steps 1-3:

1. “Admit you are powerless over alcohol”(acknowledge “rock bottom” reject status quo)
2. Believe a higher Power can restore us to sobriety (a powerful vision)
3. Decide to turn our will and our lives (buy the ticket – commit to change)

The remaining steps are all about actions, but the mindset is critical.

The FormulaThis formula for change is usually credited to Richard Beckhard who published it in 1977 in Organizational Transitions. The formula was developed by David Gleicher while at consulting firm Arthur D. Little.

Dissatisfaction (rejection of the status quo) the push of change, times the pull of change (vision), times first steps must exceed resistance to change. In the original it was the cost of change, In 1980 Catherine Dannemiller changed cost to resistance and in 2014 Steve Cady added an S for supporting capability to sustain the change.

What I like about the formula is that it lays out the mindset (push and pull) and actions necessary to overcome the inertia of status quo. Also the formula is not additive, but multiplicative demonstrating the exponential difficulty of change.

There is both the dissatisfaction (rejection of the status quo) and the vision (future promise). The dissatisfaction if often called the “compelling case for change – the why and why now, and what we can’t stay the same. I described this as the “burning platform” till I worked in the upstream oil and gas industry where that term is too painful.

I have seen leaders in business and politics lean into the threat of not changing -the ‘road to ruin,” end of life as we know it pitch. Danger can scare us into action, but over time constant threat gets normalized, doom and gloom depresses people, fear freezes people and action is forgotten.

Vision led change is always better and more lasting than threat-driven The grit of marble dust might wear your teeth and spirit down but without the “golden sidewalk” you don’t get on the ship. Wallowing in rock bottom does nothing without the pull of a sober lifestyle.

Vision statements are often emotion laden and sensory rich.

“The land of milk and honey”

“We hold these truths to be self-evident. . .all men are created equal. . .life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. . . We the People.”

“I have a dream.”

Dissatisfaction pushes; vision pulls you. Dissatisfaction, rejecting the current state, is reality-based problem definition. Vision is opportunity and solution finding.

A vision isn’t a daydream. “Pie in the sky by and by” doesn’t cut it for long. There must be a plan and milestones, and mid-journey measures to show your change is proceeding as planned.

What happens when you know you can’t go on the way things are, you must change, but what you are changing to is unclear? How can you “leap empty-handed into the void?” Big change is often like this. We think we know the opportunity, but, if we are clear-eyed, we also see the risk. The phrase ‘jumping from the frying pan into the fire” is a cliché because it happens frequently.

Entering the “unknown unknown” arena, where “we don’t know what we don’t know” relies on values:

• Do what is right –“Clean air and water” “Remove shortcomings. . .make amends,” “Taking care of customers,” “People matter and results count.”
• Resilience – “we’ll get through this,” “we’ll cross that bridge when we come to it,” one day at a time.”
• Support –“ What if the sky should fall? As long as we’re together, it really doesn’t matter at all.”

The push from dissatisfaction, rejection of status quo, the pull of vision and the opportunity that opens to values, must overcome what Beckhard and Gleicher called resistance to change.

Resistance may be to imposed change that people haven’t chosen. Resistance may be fear of loss in the unknown. Resistance may be plain old inertia. Remember Newton’s First Law of motion “A body in motion tends to stay in motion and a body at rest tends to stay at rest unless acted upon by an outside force.”
That’s why the formula included first steps, reducing friction, ignoring gravity, kicking yourself in the butt to do something – Action focus -Try-it-fix it-try-it-again

Change mind-set first, bolstered by values, followed by action, is the only path. And if you find you’ve jumped from the frying pan into the fire?

Get out of the fire. Stop the bleeding. Get everyone to a safe position. Spread honey on your wounds. Refocus, Persist and Persevere.

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Think of the wasted energy and resources lost when over 50% of change initiatives fail to meet expectations. We must improve the odds. In her new book Leadersheep: Saving the Herd, Dr. Mary Lippitt introduces a tested and groundbreaking five-step framework for successfully implementing change. The book highlights include:

• Recognizing that new vision must be accompanied by execution planning, or it will become a temporary hallucination.
• Open dialog and listening increase creative problem-solving, collaboration, trust and confidence
• Persuasion must target three prevalent fears during a change project.
• Resource management planning creates either commitment or restraint.
• Leadership entails more than personal style in achieving results.
• Problem-prevention skills produce more benefits than problem-solving skills.

Leadersheep examines how to execute change using an entertaining, enlightening fable. In addition, questions guide the reader through each step to ensure they can achieve their desired outcomes.

CLICK HERE TO ORDER YOUR COPY TODAY!

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Organizational culture refers to a company’s mission, objectives, expectations, and values that guide its employees. Businesses with an organizational culture tend to be more successful than less structured companies because they have systems in place that promote employee performance, productivity, and engagement. Having a strong company culture motivates everyone to do their best work.

Companies with a strong work culture appeal to job candidates looking for a permanent position and the opportunity for growth. Organisational culture promotes a positive, structured work environment that helps companies achieve success. In this article, we discuss why organisational culture is important and how to improve culture in the workplace.

Here are five reasons why organisational culture is a must in today’s competitive business scene:

1. Strong Brand IdentityIn my professional capacity, whenever I visit a client, it hardly takes me a few seconds to make my first impression as soon as I come out of the elevator or enter the office premises. People make quick impressions about businesses based on their brand presence at their workplace much before they meet their people. If it lacks organisational culture or has a weak image, customers actually hesitate to do business with anyone who is associated with the brand.

Businesses with a strong brand identity tend to attract more business and potential candidates with similar values who support their mission. When employees have the resources and tools they need to succeed, it helps increase productivity and performance levels overall. Organisational culture impacts the structure of a workplace in ways that bring people of the same skill set together. Those who share similar backgrounds and skills may work more quickly together when tackling company projects.

Suggested Reading: Loyalty, Slavery or Competence?

1. Increased Employee EngagementA strong company culture fosters a sense of belonging and purpose among employees. When individuals resonate with the organisation’s Vision, Mission, and Values, they are more likely to feel engaged and motivated in their roles. This heightened engagement translates into higher levels of productivity, as employees are driven by a shared commitment to achieving common goals. Moreover, a positive work environment cultivates loyalty and reduces turnover rates, saving resources associated with recruitment and training.

A work environment that possesses organisational culture is driven by purpose and clear expectations. This motivates and inspires employees to be more engaged in their work duties and interactions with others. It also leads to high levels of workforce engagement, which drives productivity. Having a strong connection to an organization and its people creates an atmosphere of positivity that is hard to ignore.

1. Transformational PowerA culture that encourages open communication, collaboration, and risk-taking provides fertile ground for innovation to flourish. When employees feel empowered to voice their ideas without fear of judgment, they are more inclined to think outside the box and experiment with new approaches. By embracing diversity of thought and fostering a culture of continuous learning, organizations can unlock the creative potential of their workforce, leading to breakthrough innovations and a competitive edge in the market.

Not all businesses have the power to transform ordinary employees into total brand advocates, but those with a strong organisational culture do. Companies that recognise their employees’ efforts and celebrate team successes are more likely to notice a change in employees as they experience a sense of accomplishment.

1. High PerformanceOrganisations that focus on brand identity and conducive work culture are actually more concerned about employee performance. They expect great business results through the employees they hire. They undergo rigorous talent acquisition cycle and onboarding programs and expect the very best from the candidates they hire.

Let’s remember that companies that promote “community” concept in the workplace are more likely to retain their best employees. Employees who are good at what they do and know the value of their skills commonly leave negative work environments where they feel undermined, ignored, and unappreciated. Organisational culture builds a high-performance culture that strengthens the work of people within the company, resulting in a positive employee experience overall.

1. Healthy Work EnvironmentCompany culture serves as a magnet for top talent and influences the perception of the organisation in the eyes of both existing and prospective employees. A reputation for a positive work environment, ethical practices, and a commitment to social responsibility enhances the employer brand, making it more attractive to potential recruits. Moreover, satisfied and engaged employees are the best ambassadors for promoting the organization’s brand externally, contributing to a positive public image and differentiation in the talent marketplace.

Employees who feel valued and respected at a company are less likely to leave. That’s why it’s essential for brands to foster a winning organisational culture that supports their core values and mission statement. Happy employees mean lesser turnover, which saves companies time, energy and money in the hiring process.

BottomlineNeedless to say here company culture is not merely a “buzzword” but a strategic imperative for driving performance and achieving sustainable success for any organisation. Unfortunately, this concept is not very well understood by the family-owned businesses in our part of the world.

By investing in a culture that craves high performance prioritises employee engagement, innovation, adaptability, customer-centricity, and ethical conduct, organisations can create a thriving ecosystem where employees flourish, customers thrive, and the business prospers in the long run.

On the other hand, as leaders and decision-makers, we must ensure that we have a single and the same yardstick for performance measurement across the organisation. We just cannot treat different levels with the same company differently — be it performance or otherwise. It’s crucial to recognise the profound impact of company culture and nurture it as a cornerstone of organisational excellence. After all, a strong culture isn’t just a competitive advantage — it’s the heart and soul of an organization.

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The problem about appreciationI think what happens is that people are very concerned about getting appreciation. Most of us had very little as children and young people and far too much criticism. So it is hard to give now what we did not have and have not learned how to give. Appreciation is like a smile, if you give it away it comes back to you.

Some solutionsJust do it

I encourage you to decide to give three appreciative comments a day for a week and also to decide not to worry about whether you receive any. Your work place or family will become brighter and you may well get some back!

A good appreciation is genuine and believable. It can be light and still make someone’s day and increase their energy and motivation.

Here are some examples.

“Thanks for that report, it was short, readable and elegantly presented”

“I appreciated your support and courage in the meeting. It would have been easier for you to agree with the majority”

“I always enjoy talking to you, you listen really well”

“What a great idea!”

You can often catch people doing things right, if you want to.

I remember saying to my daughter at nine years old that she could be anything she chose when she grew up. She responded so well and is now living her dream.

An appreciation exercise

I like to do this with a group at the end of a workshop or long meeting when people have learned a bit about each other. Each person has a sheet of A4 paper and writes their name clearly at the bottom. You then pass the paper to your neighbour who writes on the top of the page a word or words that describe what they have most appreciated positively about the person whose name is on the bottom of the sheet. Each person folds the sheet of paper forwards to cover what he or she has written and passes it on to the next person, who writes their comments and does the same. Eventually, you get your piece of paperback.

Then ask each person to note the comment she or he likes the best. Then everyone stands up, in a close circle and reads out his or her favourite comment preceding it with “I am”, while everyone else listens attentively.

I always take part in this exercise and keep the comments. They are good to refer back to. I had a very dour manager called Tom on a counselling course once when we did a version of this. I met him a few months later to enquire how things were going at the end of our chat he said, “That exercise at the end really was useful, whenever I feel really down I pull out my sheet and realise that I am OK!”

Self-appreciation

Because of the invalidation and criticism most of us have experienced we can carry internalised “tape recordings” that plays all the time that says something like “You are no good/bad/useless/worthless” or “You are only valuable or loveable if you achieve/are clever/are rich/win”. These messages all imply that we have no intrinsic worth just for being ourselves. Babies and very young children, if treated well, appear to feel valuable and expect to be loved for “being”. They have nothing to prove.

It is possible to reduce the impact of these tape recordings and even eliminate them entirely by appreciating yourself. It is very counter cultural to stand in a group and tell the other people all the things you like about yourself, but it is possible. You don’t die of embarrassment but it feels close! There is a very good chapter in The Human Situation by Harvey Jackins about this. The book is available via the Re-evaluation Counselling website http://www.rc.org/

Strength Building

This is another exercise that uses appreciation and can be very effective for building teams and relationships.

The participants are in a small face-to-face group. In a larger group when time is short, demonstrate the process with one person in front of the group. Then break people into groups of four and five.

Each person has a turn of say 15 minutes as the focus of the group.

1. She or he describes an event in which she or he achieved something they felt good about. It does not have to about work. Everyone else listens intently.
2. Each group member tells the person above two or three strengths she must have used to achieve it. The person adds one or two of his own.
3. The person states the one strength of all the ones she has heard that she /he likes the best. If people are ready they may “own” this by going round the group and saying to each person in turn “I am (e g) resourceful!” A facilitator may encourage further growth by encouraging her/him to use a clear and positive tone of voice and posture with no trace of self-deprecation.

After everyone has had a turn, ask people how they feel about themselves and the group and what they have learned.

The effects

People develop in confidence and self esteem as they discover their achievements and skills are valuable. They appreciate the depths in other people and want to know more. The shared and rather intense experience builds group cohesion. People enjoy it too.

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My greatest strength as a consultant is to be ignorant and ask a few questions.

– Peter Drucker

Knowing the right questions to ask at a nonprofit board meeting is a critical part of a board member’s responsibility. Following is a list that, as a nonprofit director, I want to keep handy at meetings. * I also will suggest why I think each is important in the nonprofit environment. Compliance and overviewing management alone do not guarantee success.

• What is our one-sentence strategy?: It needs to be short to convey the essence of the impact the organization is creating—a brief abstract of your mission that is easy to understand. Example from my experiences: “We serve the homeless and seniors by helping them to sustain their lives with healthy food, housing and other support services.”
• What is our organization’s 10-to-15 year dream?: Not a question frequently asked, but needed to fashion strategies in the intervening period. Traditionally board and management feel that such dreams don’t have practical applications. They do if passed to future generations of boards and managers. To foster continuing discussion, a good idea is to initiate a simple process, which is implemented every few years, to determine whether or not these “dreams” are still relevant and being accepted by board and staff.
• What are the non-negotiable core values that dictate how we behave?: Something that needs to be reviewed annually by a group of more visionary board people and management. In rapidly growing nonprofits these may not have been communicated to new managers and employees
• What are the key priorities we need to focus on in the next three to five years?: Needed as a motivation to asses the impact of strategic planning. Too often operational issues instead of strategic items dominate meeting agendas.
• What are the key metrics or key performance indicators we will use to measure our progress? Both quantitative (e.g., financial, clients served) and qualitative (e.g., advocacy, community impact) need to be addressed. Qualitative impacts are much move difficult to access, and often they are not developed for the annual review. **
• What kind of cash flow do we need to sustain and grow our organization?: A key indicator for both for-profit and nonprofit organizations. The importance of strong cash flow is encompassed in the adage “cash is king.” Having cash puts the nonprofit in a more stable position with better buying power. While the nonprofit can borrow money at times, cash affords the organization greater protection against loan defaults or foreclosures. Cash flow is distinct from cash position. Having cash on hand is critical, but cash flow indicates an ongoing ability to generate and use cash. Nonprofits that include in-kind donations in their revenue streams have an obligation to separate cash vs. in-kind income for financial analysis. and annual reports to stakeholders.

All of these questions need to be reviewed annually, but in my experiences they rarely surface in board discussions.

*https://hbr.org/2018/05/the-surprising-power-of-questions

**https://nonprofitquarterly.org/using-imperfect-metrics-well-tracking-progress-and-driving-change/#:~:text=To%20be%20more%20precise%20about,or%20cannot%20be%20precisely%20replicated.

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Andrea Carter, Adler University

Diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts have become increasingly visible in U.S. workplaces, especially over the past five years. However, DEI has recently come under attack, with companies scaling back their DEI plans.

As a professor of organizational psychology, I believe businesses should refine rather than abandon these efforts. Introducing a powerful concept, “belonging,” could hold the key. Although people mistakenly use “belonging” and “inclusion” interchangeably, their differences matter a lot – and can have a significant impact on employee satisfaction and organizational success.

What DEI is and why it’s strugglingDiversity initiatives have a long history in American workplaces, but it’s only recently that “DEI” has become a buzzword. DEI refers to policies and initiatives implemented by organizations to ensure fair treatment of and full participation by all people.

Adoption of formal DEI programs has seen significant growth. In 2019, around 64% of organizations had some form of DEI initiative. By 2023, this rose to 89%, demonstrating a clear upward trend. Research shows that companies with diverse teams are 70% more likely to capture new markets and are 87% better at making decisions. Additionally, 85% of CEOs report diverse workforces improving profitability. Despite this, a trend of businesses and schools significantly or completely eradicating their DEI initiatives has become prevalent in 2024.

What happened? While external factors contributed to the backlash, including political pressure and a changed legal environment, research suggests that problems with how DEI is conceptualized and practiced also bear a fair share of the blame.

Misunderstanding DEIWhile diversity and inclusion are often well-intentioned, many organizations that approached change initiatives solely through diversity metrics have failed. Effective DEI strategy focuses on learning and development, mentorship, and allyship, extending beyond race and gender. The challenge comes from narrow views of DEI, driving oversimplifications and zero-sum thinking.

For example, people have multiple intersecting identities, with complex traits that often depend on social context. But some DEI efforts ignore that complexity, reducing employees to a single category, such as gender, race, age or disability status. That leaves people, regardless of whether they feel included in “ingroups” or “outgroups,” feeling diminished.

Similarly, research shows that people’s actions and opportunities are strongly influenced by their environment. But too often, DEI efforts place the responsibility for growth entirely on individuals. That actually reinforces people’s biases because group dynamics and social structures shape collective behaviors.

When models fail to distribute accountability and responsibility effectively, collective behavior will uphold toxic environments.

To be fair, not all organizations have fallen into these traps. Those with leaders that adopted a more contemporary understanding of power and bias have developed more effective strategies for employees to thrive. My research suggests that for DEI initiatives to succeed, respect and fairness must be present. These requirements are rooted in the foundations of belonging.

DEI’s evolution: Integrating belonging for lasting impactWhile belonging is related to inclusion, research shows it’s much more than just a synonym. Inclusion may focus on being seen, accepted, and valued within a team or community. Belonging goes deeper, involving a genuine sense of connection and identity within a group. To truly experience belonging, it’s not enough to feel included; my research shows that five critical indicators must also be present. These elements ensure that individuals feel a deep, meaningful attachment to the group, which inclusion alone cannot fully achieve. This distinction underscores that belonging is a unique and essential experience, distinct from inclusion, and critical for fostering a truly cohesive and supportive environment.

So what are the five indicators of belonging? They are comfort, connection, contribution, psychological safety, and well-being, and all of them can be measured.

When an environment is high in each of the five indicators, and the measured gap between the ingroup and outgroup is low, it suggests an environment where responsibility for creating opportunities to thrive are shared and balanced. Let’s unpack these concepts:

1. Comfort. When an organization is high in comfort, people feel seen for who they are. This requires them to accept that others have complex, sometimes contradictory identities, and to adopt a mindset of awareness. Perhaps counterintuitively, achieving comfort requires being a little uncomfortable, too. That’s because respectfully seeing and being seen means acknowledging other people’s discomfort.
2. Connection. Connection is the need to be known and trusted. For an organization to score high on connection, people will be aligned on values and goals. Connection creates a shared sense of responsibility and accountability. This shared responsibility is a foundation for empathy, since trust and fairness are born from understanding and empathizing with the social and emotional needs of others.
3. Contribution. An organization high in contribution values its members for the unique and diverse attributes they bring to the table. In belonging environments, an individual’s contribution is evaluated through curiosity and openness; ideas and perspectives are shared to influence and challenge the status quo, driving innovation and creativity. When someone is genuinely acknowledged for their contributions, both they and their team feel fulfilled.
4. Psychological safety. When a person is genuinely accepted into a group, making a mistake or even failing is seen as a chance to learn and grow, not an opportunity to shame, blame or exclude. This is the essence of psychological safety. In cases where people’s perspectives are dramatically different, psychological safety requires everyone to reflect and put themselves in the shoes of the other to respect their differences and be accountable for behavior.
5. Well-being. In an organization high in well-being, members’ experiences are considered and cared for. This requires everyone to share responsibility for caring for individuals, groups, teams and the organization as a whole, each with their authentic needs.

Belonging, based on my research, is not just a buzzword; it’s the bedrock of a thriving, innovative workplace. Leaders who understand this and take action can enhance individual well-being while unlocking the full potential of their teams.

By committing to building environments where the indicators of belonging are prioritized, leaders can ignite passion, loyalty, and excellence in their workplaces.

Andrea Carter, Adjunct Faculty in Industrial and Organizational Psychology, Adler University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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When does character assessment become invasion of privacy? That’s the question that drives the conversation when Deb Coviello The Drop In CEO, Diane Helbig, and Raj Tut join the ethics panel to Grapple with the Gray.

Here is this episode’s ethics challenge:

A woman shows up at a company office to interview for an administrative position. Her resume is impressive, she is dressed professionally, and she enjoys a cordial and comfortable conversation with the interviewer. As the interview seems to be winding down, she feels confident and encouraged, when out of the blue the interviewer says, “May I take a look in your purse?” The candidate is caught completely off guard. When she asks why, the interviewer replies, “It’s the best indicator of a woman’s organizational character.” More bewildered than before, the candidate hands over her purse. The interviewer looks quickly through it, hands it back, then thanks the candidate for coming in and shows her the door. A few days later, she receives an email that her application was not successful.

This case, which was posted online, generated considerable speculation as to the interviewer’s motive. What did they hope to learn? Why might the candidate have been rejected? And should she have handed over the purse when asked?

Other stories include the interviewer who gives candidates a wobbly chair to see if they would speak up and ask for a different one, or the interviewer who invites candidates out for a drink to see if he can get them drunk.

Assuming that the intent is to discover insights into a candidate’s character, are these kinds of tactics ethical, or are they deceptive?

Even if they reveal what the interviewer hopes to discover, are they worth the cost in undermining trust and respect? And how should interviewees respond if they feel boundaries are being crossed by their prospective employers?

Meet the panelists: Deb Coviello, aka the Drop in CEO, is an author, speaker, podcast host, and silver medalist curler who coaches C-Suite leaders of today and tomorrow to navigate challenges with confidence. Diane Helbig is Chief Improvement Catalyzer at Helbig Enterprises, providing guidance and training to business owners and leaders around the world. Raj Tut is founder and CEO of Storyboard Living, creating communities that provide a safe, beautiful backdrop for life’s greatest moments.

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A serious debate about workplace culture and employee welfare in corporate environments has erupted with the death of Anna Sebastian Perayil, a chartered accountant at Ernst & Young (EY) India, who tragically passed away in July, just four months after joining the firm. Her parents have attributed her death to the excessive workload and pressure she faced at her new job.

EY’s India chief, Rajiv Memani, has since said the firm attaches the “highest importance” to the wellbeing of its employees. “I would like to affirm that the well-being of our people is my top-most priority and I will personally champion this objective,” he stated in a LinkedIn post.

While every company wants their teams to work hard, and produce, it’s important to remember more hours don’t always equal better results. Overwork can lead to the creation of a toxic work environment which – along with low productivity and stressed-out employees – often creates burnout and eventual quitting.

According to recent research:

• 33% of workers feel constantly exhausted due to work pressure
• 44% of U.S. employees report feeling overworked
• 50% of full-time employees work more than 40 hours a week.

A toxic workplace (also considered a hostile work environment) is characterized by a negative and harmful workplace that can have a significant impact on employees’ mental and physical health, as well as job performance.

For example – many companies, that underwent layoffs earlier this year, are now burdened with employees stressed out and overwhelmed by increased workloads, having to pick up the pace as well as handle the workload created with the loss of the laid-off workers. These employees, often not compensated adequately for their additional responsibilities, are quitting or considering leaving their jobs.

Clinical Health Psychologist Amy Sullivan PsyD says “A toxic work environment is a feeling and not necessarily a checklist. People know when they’re in a toxic work environment because you pay attention to what your gut is sharing with you as well as any physical responses. Your gut reaction is intuitive, but it’s also that feeling of, ‘something feels off for me right now. Either the way I’m being talked to or the way I’m not being included,’” says Dr. Sullivan.

And, by the way:

An employer can force employees to work mandatory overtime plus terminate an employee – either salaried or hourly – for refusal to work the required overtime. The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), as formed by the US Department of Labor, is responsible for establishing the 40-hour work week for employees. However, the law does not place a maximum limit on the number of hours employers can require their employees to work. 

Workers, psychologists tell us:

Employees have changed their attitude towards work since COVID – prioritizing work-life balance, and seeking less stressful jobs. Plus unwilling to return to what they now realize has been a toxic work environment in favor of continued remote work.

People are becoming more aware of the importance of mental health and are willing to sacrifice higher salaries or job titles for a less stressful work environment. Bottom line – prioritizing work-life balance is essential for overall well-being and job satisfaction.

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The journey from ordinary to extraordinary is a thrilling yet treacherous climb. As you ascend, the landscape of your relationships shifts. The camaraderie that once defined your interactions must now accommodate new responsibilities and expectations. It’s a delicate dance, requiring you to redraw boundaries without severing the bonds of trust and respect.

As a mass communication specialist and ACC-certified life coach, I’ve witnessed countless individuals grapple with this midlife crisis. Drawing from the principles of NLP, I believe that authentic leadership lies not in asserting authority but in mastering the art of “relationship recalibration”. In my career spanning over 30 years, I have followed a conscious and compassionate approach to navigating change while staying true to myself.

“The greatest leader is not necessarily the one who does the greatest things. He is the one that gets the people to do the greatest things.” – Ronald Reagan.

Whatever stage of your career you may be always remember: It’s not about building walls but about creating healthy, empowering spaces where trust and respect flourish. It’s about recalibrating, not rupturing, the connections that fuel your team’s success.

Shifting Landscape: Navigating the Changes in Relationships

Step up, refocus, and take charge!

The moment you accept a leadership role, the ground beneath your relationships subtly shifts. The casual banter and shared confidences that once characterized your interactions may now feel tinged with a newfound awareness of your authority. This isn’t a betrayal of your past connections but a natural evolution as you step into a position of greater responsibility.

New Role, New Rules

As a leader, you’re no longer just a member of the team; you’re its guide. This brings along its own distinct set of challenges:

• Decision-Making: Your decisions now carry weight and impact the entire team. This can create a sense of distance as you grapple with choices that may not please everyone.
• Accountability: You’re ultimately responsible for the team’s performance, which can lead to difficult conversations and the need to hold others accountable.
• Confidentiality: You may be privy to sensitive information that you can’t share with your former peers, creating a sense of separation.

Balancing Act: Preserving Camaraderie Amidst Change

Balancing existing relationships while stepping into your new role demands careful navigation and finesse.

• Acknowledge the Shift: Openly acknowledge that your role has changed, but reassure your team that your commitment to their success and well-being remains unwavering.
• Set Clear Expectations: Communicate your new expectations and boundaries clearly, ensuring everyone understands the shift in dynamics.
• Be Approachable: Foster an environment where your team feels comfortable approaching you with questions, concerns, or even just casual conversation.

The Power of Transparency

Transparency is the cornerstone of trust during this transition.

• Open Communication: Keep the lines of communication open, sharing information whenever possible and addressing any concerns directly.
• Explain Your Decisions: When making decisions that impact the team, take the time to explain your reasoning, demonstrating that you value their understanding.
• Be Vulnerable: Share your own challenges and uncertainties as a new leader. This humanizes you and encourages open dialogue.

Remember, this transition is a journey, not a destination. By embracing transparency, setting clear expectations, and acknowledging the changing dynamics, you can navigate this shift with grace and authenticity, preserving the trust and respect that underpin your relationships.

The Cornerstones of Connection: Trust and Respect

Trust and respect are not bestowed upon leaders simply because of their title; they must be earned through consistent actions and genuine connection.

Open and Honest Communication

Clear communication forms the foundation upon which trust is established. As a leader, be transparent about your decisions, motivations, and even your vulnerabilities. Invite your team to share their thoughts and concerns openly, fostering an environment free from judgment. Create an environment where dialogue flows freely, fostering a sense of shared ownership and mutual respect.

Active Listening: Beyond Hearing

True listening goes beyond merely hearing words; it involves seeking to understand the underlying emotions and perspectives. When your team feels heard and understood, it strengthens their trust in your leadership. Maintain eye contact, ask follow-up questions, and restate their concerns to confirm mutual understanding.

Leading by Example: Actions Speak Louder

Your actions shape the team’s culture. Model the qualities you expect from them—integrity, accountability, and respect. Be dependable, honor your commitments, and own up to your mistakes.

When you lead by example, you inspire trust and cultivate a culture of respect.

Remember, fostering trust and respect is an ongoing process. By prioritizing open communication, active listening, and leading by example, you can build strong, resilient relationships that empower your team and elevate your leadership.

Feedback: The Catalyst for Growth

Feedback, when given and received effectively, is a powerful tool for individual and collective development. As a leader, mastering the art of feedback is essential for fostering a high-performing and engaged team.

Constructive Criticism

Constructive feedback targets specific behaviors and their effects, providing actionable suggestions for improvement.

• Be Specific and Actionable: Focus on observable behaviours, avoid generalizations and provide straightforward suggestions for improvement.
• Focus on the Impact: Explain how the behaviour affects the individual, the team, or the project.
• Offer Support: Frame your feedback as an opportunity for growth and development, and offer your support in achieving those goals.

Receiving Feedback with Grace

Accepting feedback gracefully demonstrates humility and a willingness to learn.

• Listen Actively: Resist the urge to defend or justify yourself. Listen carefully to understand the feedback.
• Ask Clarifying Questions: If something is unclear, seek clarification to ensure you fully grasp the feedback.
• Express Gratitude: Thank the person for their feedback, even if it’s difficult to hear. It reflects maturity and a dedication to personal growth.

Cultivating a Culture of Feedback

Foster a culture where feedback is appreciated and welcomed.

• Lead by Example: Regularly seek feedback from your team and demonstrate how you use it to improve.
• Normalize Feedback: Encourage regular feedback exchanges between team members, fostering a culture of continuous learning.
• Celebrate Growth: Acknowledge and celebrate individuals who actively seek and implement feedback, reinforcing its value.

Remember, feedback is a gift. When given and received with the right intentions, it can unlock potential, strengthen relationships, and drive collective success.

Stepping into Your Power: Embracing Leadership

Transitioning into a leadership role isn’t just about managing tasks; it’s about inspiring and empowering others. Embrace your leadership with confidence, clarity, and a vision for the future.

Confidence and Clarity: The Compass for Decision-Making

Leaders make decisions, both big and small, every day. Project confidence in your choices, even when faced with uncertainty.

• Do your homework: Gather information, weigh the pros and cons, and consult with relevant stakeholders before making decisions.
• Communicate clearly: Explain your decisions to your team, outlining the rationale and the expected outcomes.
• Be decisive: Avoid waffling or second-guessing yourself. Once you’ve made a decision, own it and move forward.

Ask yourself: Am I making decisions based on fear or informed confidence? How can I communicate my decisions more effectively to my team?

Delegation and Empowerment

Delegation isn’t just about offloading tasks; it’s about empowering your team to grow and contribute.

• Identify strengths: Acknowledge the unique skills and talents of each team member.
• Assign tasks strategically: Delegate tasks that align with individual strengths and provide opportunities for growth.
• Provide support and guidance: Offer clear instructions, set expectations, and provide ongoing support as needed.

Practical step: Start by delegating a small, manageable task to a team member. Observe their progress, offer feedback, and celebrate their success.

Vision and Inspiration: Charting the Course

A leader without a vision is like a ship adrift without a rudder. Paint a compelling picture of the future and inspire your team to join you on the journey.

• Share your vision: Clearly articulate your goals and aspirations for the team and the organization.
• Connect to individual goals: Help team members see how their contributions fit into the larger vision.
• Celebrate milestones: Acknowledge and celebrate progress towards the vision, keeping the team motivated and engaged.

Practical step: Organize a team meeting to share your vision. Encourage discussion and brainstorm ways to achieve collective goals.

Remember, true leadership is about more than just authority. It’s about inspiring trust, empowering others, and guiding your team towards a shared vision.

Embrace your role with confidence, clarity, and a genuine desire to help others succeed.

Conclusion

Lead with Heart, Guide with Grace. As you step into leadership, remember that your relationships are not obstacles to overcome but bridges to build upon. Recalibrate, don’t rupture. Lead with authenticity, communicate openly, and foster a culture of trust and respect. Embrace your new role with confidence, knowing that genuine leadership lies not in wielding power but in empowering others. As you navigate this transition, may your journey be marked by grace, growth, and the unwavering support of those you lead.

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In the intricate dance of human relationships, conversation serves as both the foundation and the wrecking ball. It’s through dialogue that we connect, understand, and navigate the complexities of interpersonal bonds. Yet, conversations can also harbor the seeds of misunderstanding, conflict, and ultimately, dissolution. Work relationships are the bonds that develop between us and others in our professional lives.

We can develop working relationships with colleagues, including members of our own department and our supervisors. We can also create strong professional relationships with people outside of our department and even customers. Building working relationships with everyone we encounter in our work environment is important to our overall career success and job satisfaction. Work relationships can lead to better customer engagement and increased profit.

In this article, we shall make an attempt to explore the profound impact of conversations on the construction and dismantling of relationships, delving into the dynamics that shape our connections with others.

What is a Working Relationship?The most asked question in today’s workplaces is: What are work relationships?Working relationships are the connections we establish with coworkers, colleagues, and managers in the workplace. Although the relationships you build with colleagues and managers may not be as intimate as those you have with family and friends, they are nonetheless crucial. All jobs require interaction with others at some point.

Even if you are a freelance writer who works solely online, you still need to build relationships with them to have a fulfilling work environment and excel at your job.It is important to realize that a working relationship is different from a personal relationship. A personal relationship involves sharing emotions and personal truths, while a working relationship is a formal association and serves the specific purpose of ensuring good teamwork and productivity.

How to Build Working Relationships?Building strong relationships at work can take time and patience, but it produces great results. Here are some guidelines to follow when trying to improve working relationships:

1. Communicate often

One of the most important aspects of relationship building is effective and clear communication, which involves just as much listening as it does talking. This means that we should actively listen when a coworker, a manager, and above all a customer approaches us and consider their point of view before responding. Apart from carefully considering the opinions of others, we should also strive to understand their circumstances.

For instance, if a colleague is experiencing a challenge in their personal life, it can be helpful to listen to them and be careful in our interactions. Also, let’s take note of nonverbal communication, as this may offer valuable insight that words may not be able to convey.

2. Be Trustworthy

Trust is a very important aspect of any relationship. If we ever commit to someone, let’s make sure that we fulfill it as committed. We should also strive to demonstrate our trustworthiness by offering our support and help when team members need it. Also, it’s vital when building relationships that we act consistently. Building the trust of our colleagues and team members involves consistently acting in a trustworthy and supportive way.

3. Stop Gossiping

If we want to nurture positive relationships at work, it’s best to avoid gossip. If we ever hear gossip about another coworker, let’s not be part of it, or try to change the subject. If we have an issue with a fellow worker, let’s first try to have a polite and honest conversation with that person. If this does not yield positive results, we can call a meeting with a superior and the colleague in question, so we can address the issue in a transparent and professional manner.

4. Stay Positive in Interactions

When faced with deadlines or a stressful time at work, staying positive can help keep our team members motivated. Instead of getting upset or worried, we can encourage ourselves and coworkers by offering positive insight and inspiration to continue working. Keeping a positive demeanor can help us become the team members that others seek for assistance or guidance, building excellent working relationships.

5. Deliver Quality

Especially when on a team, the projects that we execute directly affect our coworkers. If we want to build positive relationships, one of the best ways to do so is to produce quality work on time. This demonstrates not only that we’re professionals and good at what we do but also that we respect our teams and consider them when we perform our daily routines.

Take AwaysIn the intricate tapestry of human relationships, conversation serves as both the architect and the demolition crew, shaping our connections with others in profound and multifaceted ways. From the initial sparks of attraction to the deepening of emotional bonds over time, conversations lay the foundation for intimacy, trust, and mutual understanding. Yet, when wielded carelessly or maliciously, conversations can also serve as a destructive force, unraveling the bonds that once held us together.

Ultimately, the key to building and sustaining healthy relationships lies in the art of conversation: the ability to listen deeply, speak honestly, and navigate conflict with empathy and grace. By cultivating open and honest dialogue, fostering emotional intimacy, and addressing conflicts constructively, individuals can strengthen the bonds of connection and build relationships that stand the test of time.

Suggested Reading

1. ‘Conversation’​ — the key that unlocks just anything
2. 5 Communication mistakes we all make
3. How to ‘Walk the Talk’ in Leadership?
4. Speak Less and Listen More
5. Overcoming Leadership Blind spots

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In the dynamic landscape of contemporary leadership, the philosophy of servant leadership has emerged as a transformative catalyst for holistic organizational development. As we venture deeper into the exploration of this philosophy, we uncover its profound impact on fostering an environment of collaboration, empathy, and empowerment—an environment where the growth of individuals, the alignment of purpose, and the well-being of the collective take precedence over traditional notions of leadership. This chapter delves into the core principles and practices of servant leadership and unveils its harmonious alignment with the ideals of holistic growth.

The Essence of Servant Leadership: Leading Through Service

At its heart, servant leadership redefines leadership as a service to others. This paradigm shift challenges the conventional notion of leaders as authoritative figures who dictate directives. Instead, servant leaders view their role as that of facilitators, mentors, and enablers of growth. They prioritize the needs of their teams, acknowledging that their own success is intrinsically tied to the success of those they lead. This fundamental shift in perspective sets the stage for the creation of an environment where collaboration and empowerment flourish.

Nurturing a Culture of Collaboration: Open Communication and Shared Purpose

Central to the philosophy of servant leadership is the emphasis on open communication. Servant leaders create spaces where individuals feel safe to voice their opinions, share ideas, and engage in dialogue.

By actively listening and valuing diverse perspectives, servant leaders cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity and mutual respect. This culture of collaboration not only fuels innovation but also ensures that the organization benefits from the collective wisdom of its members.

Shared purpose is another cornerstone of servant leadership. Servant leaders work to align individual and organizational goals with a broader sense of purpose—one that transcends financial success and encompasses a positive impact on society.

By imbuing every action and decision with purpose, servant leaders inspire a collective commitment that goes beyond personal gain and elevates the well-being of all stakeholders.

Empathy and Empowerment: Fostering Individual Growth

Empathy lies at the heart of servant leadership. Servant leaders possess a keen understanding of the emotions, concerns, and aspirations of their team members. This empathetic approach not only nurtures a culture of trust but also creates a sense of belonging within the organization. By acknowledging the holistic well-being of individuals, servant leaders create an environment where employees are valued not just as resources, but as human beings with unique talents and needs.

Empowerment is the natural outcome of this empathetic approach. Servant leaders provide their teams with the autonomy, resources, and support needed to excel. They encourage individuals to take ownership of their roles, make decisions, and contribute to the organization’s growth. This empowerment unleashes untapped potential, driving innovation and fostering a sense of pride and ownership among employees.

Leading by Example: Humility and Integrity

Servant leaders lead by example, embodying qualities of humility and integrity. They are not afraid to admit their mistakes or acknowledge their limitations. This transparency creates an atmosphere where individuals feel comfortable taking calculated risks and learning from failures.

By upholding a high standard of ethical conduct and moral integrity, servant leaders set a precedent for the organization’s values and contribute to a culture of accountability.

Servant Leadership and Holistic Organizational Development: A Seamless Integration

Servant leadership seamlessly aligns with the principles of holistic organizational development. Its emphasis on collaboration, shared purpose, empathy, and empowerment resonates deeply with the holistic perspective that considers the well-being of employees, communities, and the environment. In organizations guided by servant leadership, growth is not confined to financial metrics but extends to the growth of individuals, relationships, and societal impact.

As we journey further, we will explore how servant leadership forms the bedrock for navigating change, embracing diversity, nurturing employee well-being, fostering purpose-driven performance management, and envisioning a future where organizations thrive through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

The subsequent chapters will unveil the practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights that illuminate the path towards holistic growth through servant leadership, creating a blueprint for leaders who seek to shape organizations that transcend conventional boundaries and embrace holistic excellence.

Reflections:

1. Personal Reflection on Well-Being: How have you experienced the impact of leadership styles on your well-being in the workplace? Can you recall a time when a leader’s approach positively or negatively affected your job satisfaction and overall well-being?
2. Empathy in Leadership: Reflect on how empathy in leadership can influence employee well-being. Can you think of specific examples where empathetic leadership made a tangible difference in an organizational setting?
3. Fostering Growth and Empowerment: Consider how servant leadership principles can foster individual growth and empowerment. How might this approach contrast with more traditional leadership styles you have encountered?
4. Servant Leadership in Action: Think about a scenario where servant leadership could have a significant impact on employee well-being. How would you apply servant leadership principles to improve the situation?
5. Challenges to Implementing Servant Leadership: What challenges might a leader face when trying to focus on employee well-being within an organization? How could these challenges be addressed through servant leadership?
6. Personal Alignment with Servant Leadership: How do your own values and leadership style align with the concept of enhancing employee well-being through servant leadership? Are there areas where you see opportunities for growth or change in your approach?
7. Long-term Impact on Organizational Culture: Reflect on the long-term impact that a focus on employee well-being can have on organizational culture. How does investing in the well-being of employees contribute to the overall success of an organization?

These questions are designed to encourage introspection and application of the concepts of servant leadership and employee well-being in both personal and professional contexts. They aim to deepen understanding and inspire practical application of these principles in the workplace.

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In a comment on a recent post of mine titled, “The Ice Cream of Success” Gladstone Leslie Samuel wrote, “Climbing the summit is success. To remain at the top is a perpetual challenge”.

This comment brought up the question of positional change, and if what positions we hold dictate how fast we need to change?

Leaders are on top and have maximum exposure to outside challenges and obstacles. The heat of challenges may melt them and start flowing their effect on employees and dishearten them.

Those leaders may cause their organizations to shrink. They need to self-inspect their mindsets and view challenges and obstacles as the salt that lowers their freezing temperature to remain “solid” in facing challenges.

The world we live in is witnessing rapid change. Change brings opportunities and challenges. Leaders may need to adapt faster than change to meet the challenges of change and grasp its opportunities.

This means leaders must foster their self-belief to make their employees feel the same. The big challenge is to keep self-belief in times of rapid change and not melt because of their heat. And if they do then only to become more fluid leaders to go around challenges and obstacles and even melt them.

Leaders may melt under the heat of challenges to enhance the speed of their leadership. Those leaders melt to enable them to execute fast and execute right.

Fluid leaders are not slow leaders who only act if they go wrong and not as planned or hoped for. They are accountable and have the agility to spring back fast.

Those leaders know well the challenges ahead but also know what opportunities are hidden in those obstacles.

Those leaders work to foster collaboration and innovation as Dennis Pitocco mentioned in his recent post on “Community Matters: Because “Everything Belongs Together”.

To do so, those leaders have the ability to keep their empathy and open communication, conflict resolution, powerful persuasion, high agility, and trust.

Those leaders adapt their leadership style to be in alignment with the challenges lying ahead. The five leadership styles are authoritarian, democratic, participative, delegating, and do as I want style.

Not all leaders are in the same position and so no leadership style shall fit all situations of the position in which leaders are.

Maybe this is a “Customized Leadership” style.

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When have you heard that someone went into risk, or danger for another because they were “psychologically safe”? You haven’t. You don’t, and, you won’t. Because we don’t go towards danger because we’re psychologically safe. We go into the unknown, the risky places, and the danger, and then innovate, for those who matter to us. For those with whom we belong.

Simply, they matter more to us than the danger. So, when it comes to that line in the sand, where on the one side we’re psychologically safe, and then on the other, we’re not, we ignore it. Our line of inhibition to take action diminishes as our belonging gets stronger.

No amount of psychological safety motivates you to have somebody’s back. You know, stick your neck out for them. That’s a function of belonging in our neurobiology. And that’s why I say, this big push to enable DEI through psychological safety misses the mark.

Companies have been spending some $8 billion a year on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) (in the US)—and see remarkably few results (Fortune, citing McKinsey & Company Dec. 7, 2021). I know the statistics show that DEI is better for business. I agree 100%!!! It’s just that the evidence and arguments don’t pan out very well across the work world. If they did, we’d have progressed way farther. I mean, really, the data proves it’s not working.

And, don’t get me wrong, a psychologically unsafe environment can definitely inhibit DEI efforts. But more importantly, a psychologically safe environment can’t pave the way for DEI. Harder still, DEI efforts threaten the status quo. And here again, I believe the status quo really needs to change. It’s a disgrace. In 2021, companies founded solely by women garnered 2.4% of the total capital invested in venture-backed startups in the US. Here’s a quick unscientific study. Just did a LinkedIn search: CTO in People. Out of the first 100 people, only seven are women. No one steps into the discomfort to disrupt the status quo because they’re psychologically safe. Other reasons, yes, just not that.

I’m a former VP of people & culture, and now, an executive/orgdev coach. I’ve observed these four things about DEI efforts in both, psychologically safe and unsafe environments. And, the answers are the same.

When DEI comes before B(elonging) DEI, outside of belonging is fraught with resistance. * Diversity, without belonging, it’s a quota that gets fought * Equity, outside of belonging, gets seen as an unjust handout * Inclusion*, less belonging’s embrace, makes for a stranger in an unfriendly land

This is why, regardless of the arguments, all the data-driven evidence, the anti-bias training, training on how to make a psychologically safe workplace, etc… at 8 billion dollars a year hasn’t done much to change things. The arguments and the mandates keep failing. Because, the moment DEI efforts, even with all their honorable objectives, threaten our belonging, DEI becomes the adversary. It’s neurobiology. We’re wired to belong, as in, to really belong, before anything else.

Outside of belonging and regardless of how psychologically safe, each area and DEI easily triggers fight/flight responses.

We don’t think about DEI efforts as threatening our belonging. They’re supposed to expand belonging! But if we’re willing to be honest, yes, DEI can and does threaten. As a VP of people and culture, I found myself in an inequitable situation. It was time for raises and I was reviewing salaries. I found out that a couple of my women co-VPs were making less than me. So, I made the case for our salaries to be on par. And as much as I love the infinite game thinking, the reality is, company financial resources are finite. Their getting moved into a salary range on par meant my slated raise wouldn’t happen. What does that have to do with belonging? Lots!

My choice for equity for them came into conflict with my primary circle of belonging, providing for my family. It was my belonging with my women co-VPs that opened the door for me to choose also them, and, my family. No “Belonging” and the “E” in DEI didn’t stand a chance. And that’s regardless of how psychologically safe the environment was.

Know this. If you put your DEI efforts in the way of your people’s belonging, expect those efforts to go nowhere in the face of passive-aggressive resistance.

But when you start with belonging, real Feel, Own, Care Belonging, not a Sense of Belonging, we can open the hearts and minds to embrace DEI

We are not thinking beings that feel. We are not feeling beings that think. We are belonging beings that feel and think.

It’s from the story where we belong, that we’re willing to give, even go without, for another, to bring them into our company tribes. Moreover, each we bring in each person with their full uniqueness. We bet on their potential. From the heart in belonging, we feel, own, and care for each other. DEI gets a red carpet treatment when the filtering bias for who’s in and who’s out, gets measured by living the ways we belong* in the company and accomplishing the belief in her shared purpose. DEI becomes the means for a better Us Story. Here, filtering by how one sounds and looks, seems kind of dumb.

*(The Ways We Belong = how the lived core values guide all company deecisions.)

I love Susan LaMotte‘s definition of culture.

When asked what culture is, I use the word tribe. A functioning tribe has rules to join, rules to leave, and rules that keep the tribe running smoothly. Take modern American Indian tribes. They still run by tribal councils, and have rules to enroll and dis-enroll in the tribe. They have traditions, symbols and ways of being that are different and may even seem strange or odd to non-members. But members of the tribe relish in them. They belong.

The codified ways we belong prevent the vacuum that would otherwise get occupied by the fight/flight that comes with fitting in. Fitting in is the natural outcome in the absence of clearly defined ways of belonging. People who fight for DEI outcomes from their belonging, on the other hand, fight for each other’s diverse uniqueness. Belonging provides the inviting embrace as well as the clear and agreed-upon boundary. And, no, not everybody belongs. Only those who adhere to the ways the company tribe belongs in pursuit if it’s shared belief in purpose. (Yeah, I know I sound a little Brené Brown-ish.)

With respect to a “Sense of Belonging,” I’ll just ask you. Will you work for a sense of a paycheck?

Pause… would you work for a “sense” of a paycheck?

And though belonging is the answer, the current often-cited institutional models for understanding belonging also add even more resistance to DEI. The problem: they are one-way, receiving transactional models of understanding. An affirmation model. One-way-emotional streets. I get, therefore I belong. You’re left asking, “When the money runs out, will you still have my back?” “If they get, and I don’t, do I belong?”

Here’s Cornell University’s understanding of a Sense of Belonging for reference:

Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work.

Here’s the APA definition:

n. The feeling of being accepted and approved by a group or by society as a whole. Also called belongingness.

Both of these popular definitions get cited regularly. And they’re both one-directional and in receive mode. They’re both affirmation/acceptance models. Nothing in them says, “we belong… I got your back.”

A New Model for Belonging, Feel, Own, CareBelonging, it’s a state of being, in relationship with others:

When you feel, own, and care for them, in their successes, dreams, and failures. And, they feel, own, and care for you in yours. It’s a two-way street.

DEI efforts need the “we’re in this together” bidirectional space so it’s not working against the neurological tide. Belonging fills the emotional space with a unite-and-fight neurochemistry, leaving less room for fight/flight. It’s a two-way street of feeling for yourself and them, owning your life and theirs, and, caring for yourself and them. And they do the same with you. If you prefer today’s typical business emotional intelligence language, it’s mutual- empathy (feeling), accountability (owning), and compassion (caring for).

I prefer to use the simpler regular language of, feel, own, and care for. It’s how we would actually talk to each other, and think, and feel towards each other if we were sitting in a coffee shop, or bar, or now, across the Zoom. We say, “I feel for you, my sister (or xi, or brother), what can I do to lighten your load?” We don’t say, “I empathize with you, person I am accountable towards, what act of compassion do you need?” The more academic and intellectual the language, the farther from the heart we seem to get.

Belonging requires all three – Feel, Own, and Care forThere’s a hollowness that we know, that comes when any of the three: feel, own, or care for, aren’t genuine, or, are missing.

• Without the Feel, (empathy) we question whether or not we’re really theirs, when they say, “You’re my friend… or my employee…” We question the “why” of their care for us.
• Without Own, (accountability) we’re stuck with the nagging doubt of whether their expressed feelings for us are true. We doubt if their care for us is actually for us.
• Without Care for, (compassion) we disbelieve in the genuineness of their expressed feelings and their claim that we are theirs.e Feel Own Care Belonging

But when you have all three, look out, you get a company of people that will find a way for each other.

You know you belong because first, YOU feel, own, and care for them, AND, second, THEY also feel, own, and care for you. If it’s just them, you’re getting affirmation, and yeah, that feels good. If it’s just you, you’re probably just fitting in, or in codependency.

It really comes down to this, we’ll fight for those that we feel, own, and care for. It’s how we get to this type of scenario.

Maori Woman With Face Tattoo Is 1st to Anchor Primetime News

You love and belong at your company so much you want to include someone from another circle of your belonging, into it. So you invite her to join. Her values align. She’s excited about joining in purpose. She didn’t come from a fancy college, but you don’t care. Hard knocks couldn’t stop her. She meets with the team, and they see she’d need some added mentoring and training, well, in the comparison of the skills to the other candidates. She’s been out of the workforce for 20 years. You could invest in her, and give some equity on her behalf, for a better company in the future. And, she even looks different, diverse, in her bright-colored clothes, and what looks to be she-warrior tattoos on her chin and up her right arm to her bicep. She sees things differently than you, but comes from the same heart, with similar enough core values.

When she told her back story, you could hear the company’s core values echoed in it. Your people could tell she’d already chosen them, and she was bold and vulnerable about it. She wanted in on the tribe. And they chose her too. Belonging’s a 2-way-street.

That’s what you get through feeling, owning, and caring for each other – real F.O.C.’n belonging.

Win the DEI long game in FOCn’belonging! Think BIED, not DEI+B1. Create a place where the ways you belong (feel, own, care for) come from your no-compromise lived core values for each other, as you work towards your shared belief in purpose. This is your primary bias/filter. 2. Include, or invite someone in, based on whether they’d embrace the ways your company tribe belongs and in their shared belief in purpose. 3. Look more towards their potential, what they can and would agree to do, vs just what they’ve done before and where they’re from. You’re willing to use equity to get them and bring them into the company belonging. 4. Seek those, in their complete and individual diversity, from a biased filter of, they’d embrace the company’s ways of belonging, and pursue its shared belief, promised land.s We take action sooner in belonging.

When your people belong, their efforts pertaining to DEI play a natural part in deepening the company tribe. In the search for adding another person to the company Us Story, they’ll unite and fight for each other’s diverse uniqueness, because the ways your people belong are clear in their invitation and boundary. They’ll act for it sooner!

Psychological safety can’t provide that. You can’t just play it safe.

You play to belong, and then you win with DEI.

I’ll leave you with a wonderful description of belonging by Owen Eastwood, the author of, Belonging, The Ancient Code of Togetherness.

Whakapapa (Maori for, “you belong here”) points a finger at us and tells us, You will not be judged by your money or celebrity or sense of self pride . . . you will be judged by what you did for our tribe. When the sun is shining on us, we must be guardians of our tribe and of each other.

Belonging, The Ancient Code of Togetherness. (pp. 18-19).

Thanks for taking the time to read this, really. If you’re curious, or, you’d like to couch your DEI in belonging for real success, give me a holler. Catch ya, Paul

This piece was originally published on LinkedIn, , November 2022.

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“The Emperor is naked!”It is left to a naïve child to blurt out the truth when so many would not because they were flattering the emperor or afraid of appearing stupid.

In 1837, the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen published the folk tale, The Emperor’s New Clothes. The story tells of a vain ruler obsessed with being a fashion plate. Every outfit had to be new and spectacular. Enter two con men who flatter the high king promising to create a suit of clothes so dazzling that only the incompetent and stupid will not see its magnificence.

Andersen, like the Grimm brothers, collected folk tales from around the world. He based this one on a German translation of a Spanish version of a Persian retelling of an Indian tale. All previous versions make the clothes visible to those of legitimate birth; people praise the unseen clothes lest they outed as bastards. Andersen changed the invisibility indicator to incompetence and so insecure courtiers’ fawning exposes the king’s bum.

The con-tailors elaborately loom an invisible suit. The emperors advisors rave about the garments’ beauty. No one, including the Emperor, admits they might be too stupid to appreciate such sartorial splendor.

One small boy gives the ruler the “straight skinny” when the emperor parades past in his birthday suit.

As leaders rise, the “straight skinny” recedes.Getting honest feedback at the top of an organization (or a country) is hard. A Mike Nichols and Elaine May song lyric from the movie Ishtar illustrates:

“Telling the truth can be dangerous business. Honest and popular don’t go hand-in-hand.

If you admit that you play the accordion, no one will hire you in a rock-n-roll band.”

There are the flatterers, who might “fib just a little” to better their career prospects.

“You are such an amazing founder. Ignore the shareholder requests for a new CEO. Who else could lead this company as well as you do!”

There are the “sugar-coaters.”

“The people who fill out surveys only complain; we have millions of happy customers.”

“When you cut sales demographically we’ve made some real gains in the those over 65.”

There are some who are protecting your feelings.

“No, of course, that dress doesn’t make you look fat.”

“Everybody forgets things.”

“You look good!”

We old people hear this one so much, comedians now talk about the three ages of man: Youth, Middle Age, and “You look good!”)

It ain’t all their faultLeaders create a dearth of straight skinny. When you explode at bad news, you ensure others “won’t make that mistake again.”

Are you susceptible to flattery? When you receive a compliment do you glow in a way that affects critical thinking?

Who do you include in your closest meetings? Flatterers and sugar-coaters? People who believe in you and your ideas? Or “Difficult People,” “Debbie Downers,” “Nattering nabobs of negativity?”

Are you prepared to believe any cockamamie explanation instead of the truth. ”You know DeNile is not just a river in Egypt.” (Denial is self-preservation for vanity.)

There are consequences beyond your feelings.Beneath the radar in every disaster there was probably a “straight skinny teller:”

“General Custer, sir, I think there might be more of them than you think.”

“Captain Smith., I’d like to see Titanic set the crossing record too, but they did say icebergs have been spotted.”

At one point in my career, I studied large process safety incidents, BP’s Texas City Refinery, Deep Water Horizon, Challenger, Columbia, and many more. In every one I studied, there was always someone with the “straight skinny” who was disregarded or even ridiculed. Lives and livelihoods are too much at stake not to listen.

Not listening is a tragic flawPlaywrights and authors have always seen those who ignore the “straight skinny” as creators of their own destruction.

Sophocles gave Oedipus many who warned about the “kill Dad, bed Mom” thing. Did Fast-Oedi listen? Not-so-much.

King Lear listened to daughters Goneril’s and Regan’s flattery and rejected his truth-telling daughter Cordelia. ‘How like a serpent’s tooth it is to have a thankless child.” When the Earl of Kent tries to inform him of his mistake, Lear kicks him out of the cabinet.

Anakin Skywalker, who feared losing Padme, became Darth Vader. Othello feared losing Desdemona and he and pretty much everyone became dead. Neither listens to people trying to give them the straight skinny.

Finding your straight skinny tellerYou can look for straight skinny devotes by assiduously avoiding the opposites. What is the opposite of the straight skinny teller? The crooked skinny teller who promises you inside information, but gives you lies that only benefit them? The straight corpulent who is always positive, not just a half-full person, but a cup-runneth-over person.

There are some other ways:

• Start with the person in the mirror. Express gratitude for bad news. Take compliments graciously and move on, steeling yourself against flattery. Ask for all the data, not just the good stuff.
• Notice who agrees and disagrees with you. You want independent thinkers. The person who always agrees with you is gravitating to the power source. The person who always disagrees may be counter-dependent.
• Don’t play favorites. Bring different people into meetings. Ask for opposing viewpoints in decision-making discussions.
• Value you those who help keep your ego in check. When the Roman Senate authorized a Triumph, the parade and celebration ceremony for victorious generals, they placed a Senate slave in the general’s chariot to repeat “Momento mori sic transit gloria” (“Remember you are mortal; glory fades”). My wife sometimes fills this role, with humor that helps me laugh at myself.
• Say “thank you” when someone gives you the straight skinny. Reward those who break you out of denial, short-circuit your magical thinking, and identify and challenge assumptions. Perhaps you’ll avoid that embarrassing moment when someone blurts out:

The Emperor is naked!

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This episode of The Mind Takeaway podcast explores how to plan for success and prepare your team and business for opportunities. We share insights on effectively planning for the future while leaving room for flexibility and unexpected opportunities. We discuss the importance of getting into the right mental and physical state, the benefits of changing your environment, and how to facilitate creative and strategic thinking within your team.

We explore practical steps for planning sessions, including taking your team to an inspiring location, even if it’s just a local park or woods. Learn how to ensure your team is in the best state of mind to foster creativity and collaboration. Discover why documenting your ideas and having a facilitator can streamline the process and help you refine your plans into actionable goals.

We explore how to set realistic goals, the importance of flexibility, and the value of learning from what doesn’t work. Whether you’re a startup founder or part of a larger organisation, this episode offers valuable strategies to help you plan effectively and achieve success.

Timestamps

01:15 The importance of getting into the right mental and physical state for planning

03:40 Why changing your environment can boost creativity and collaboration

06:28 How to plan effectively without a big budget

08:45 The benefits of team-building activities during planning sessions

12:30 Documenting your ideas and the role of a facilitator

15:20 Setting realistic goals and the importance of flexibility

18:10 Learning from what doesn’t work and adapting your plans

20:35 How to ensure your team collaborates effectively

22:50 Using these strategies for specific projects and innovation

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Hey, there. AmyK here.I just got off a coaching call with a new Client, and he has two conversations ahead of him today that are necessary to his health and well-being. Perhaps, you can relate?

One is with a long-time employee who checked out PRIOR to the pandemic. Yep, this conversation is waaaayy overdue.

The second is with himself and his health. He has not made choices that support his longevity these past two years. Yep, this conversation is waaaayy overdue too.

And here’s the kicker- the freedom you crave, the life you desire, the elevated energy that makes life easier … it’s all on the OTHER side of a tough conversation.

Watch this short video for a few Magical Phrases to get these conversations started right – right from the start.

To creating the life you desire … one magical conversation at a time.

Hugs,
AmyK

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Every business I have consulted on leadership, teamwork, and performance has had essentially the same malady: management wants employees to be more enthusiastic, hard-working, and cooperative, without understanding what they think. The content of employees’ minds drives their behaviour, and if it is deceived, distorted, or disengaged, enthusiasm, hard work, and cooperation will remain elusive.

Ironically, the surveillance and data-collection that characterises consumer society seem to have left management more out of touch with what people think than ever. This is even more curious when one factors in fifty years of dumbing down driven by political correctness, state schooling, and the media, which has produced a shallowness of mind one might expect to be easy to read.

Public opinion is obviously significant in democratic politics, but employee opinion, for the most part, carries little weight in business, because managers are not usually elected. Yet what people think adds up to the corporate culture, and a dysfunctional culture will inevitably produce dysfunctional performance. It matters what your people think.

Everyone is a philosopher because everyone thinks about what happens in their lives. Sadly, not everyone is a competent philosopher. Thinking our way to valid conclusions requires an ever-expanding general knowledge that enables us to understand the concepts of our experience, provides us with facts about which we make judgments, and encourages us to reason about the causes of the things that happen to us.

So the constant growth of knowledge boosts the quality of one’s thinking. Yet how many managers can count on their employees to think accurately, creatively, and positively about the business?

Democracy is shaped by what people think, and it hardly needs noting that most democracies today are dysfunctional – consider only the low voter turnout in elections. The anti-intellectualism promoted by state schooling and the media shows how political and commercial interests manipulate culture to promote their own ends.

For better or worse, people with authority have not only the means but also an obligation to guide the way people think. And that obligation is to truth; if not, then it can only be to some ideological agenda, which by definition, is a distortion of the truth.

Leaders shape culture, i.e. they shape what people think. If they do not, then they have ceased to lead, and words like vision, mission, and strategy, become meaningless. Truth is reality, the way things are. And knowledge can only be truth; because having knowledge means knowing reality, that which is and that which is not. If you have information that is not true, you do not have knowledge, only nonsense.

Yet the war against truth has always been around, as is memorably illustrated by Plato’s debates with the Sophists, who in thoroughly modern fashion, were motivated by utility rather than truth. Plato toiled for fifty years to pin down what made the Sophists so dangerous. In a final dialogue, he showed how they set out to manufacture a fictitious reality. This Platonic nightmare has greater relevance today than ever as politicians and managers construct the fictions they hope will extend their power.

Public opinion has been impoverished because people no longer know where to find the truth. Worse still, most people are not even inclined to look for it, deceived and manipulated as they are into going along with the fictitious reality created by the elites through the corruption of language.

Plato insisted on three principles: first, a meaningful human life requires an understanding of things as they actually are, and living in accordance with that reality; secondly, the potential of a person can only be brought to fruition by access and receptivity to truth, and society can only be sustained by a commitment to truth; and thirdly, the truth lives and grows naturally where there is free and open communication.

Truth is promoted in dialogue because its habitat is language or the word. Business leaders need to think long and hard about the implications this has in the workplace where disillusionment, demoralization, and disengagement are the reigning realities.

In order to think productively about the contribution required of them, people in any business need to know, at the very least, the following:

• The corporate vision aims at the good of all, including the wider community

• Making the vision happen depends on achieving specified goals along the way

• This requires dedicated teamwork and constantly growing personal excellence

• Personal development demands a balanced lifestyle and healthy relationships

• This requires practical wisdom, courage, self-control, and a sense of justice

• These virtues depend on personal honesty and respect for the dignity of others

• Customer satisfaction is the responsibility of all, demanding personal integrity

• Reading history and classic literature is the best way to improve one’s ability to think

• Wisdom grows from expanding knowledge, experience, and living the virtues.

In my experience, people from most cultures readily embrace these principles and their far-reaching implications. It is the misleaders and the cynics who hedge and carp and unleash the deluge of Sophist deceit. Their present ascendency explains the sense of hopelessness so common in the workplace and the polling booth.

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There are, as we know, a plethora of leadership models, frameworks, qualities, and quotes that define leadership, and we can be forgiven for being somewhat confused about what the definitive description of leadership really is.

To come to new answers or insights on this question it is important to elevate the thinking beyond the conditioning of the past, even in cases where we are trying to add new qualities that feel right for a more balanced definition. For example, we know that many of the descriptions contain a very masculine energy – using language such as drive, achievement, delivery (though in this case, that’s really about management), self-reliance, power, and authority. When we look at modern-day language about leadership it now includes more feminine language such as vulnerability, inclusion, and supportive and this is very important.

If we were, though, to elevate the discussion to another level and explore more androgynous or future-focused words that include both masculine and feminine it could potentially take us to some interesting places.

For example, what if we were to describe leadership as a deep commitment to the greater good? What could this evoke as an expression of leadership in its truest sense?

Or the capacity to move beyond the concrete, material, physical phenomena and to connect with more subtle and intuitive energies. What might that bring forward by way of leadership practices?

We could also consider defining leadership as ‘presence’ – a state of being that is both strong and powerful and subtle and magnetic.

So, the challenge is this – if you were defining the ‘new leadership’ for the future what criteria would be in the centre for you?

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In an increasingly interconnected world marked by diversity, the philosophy of servant leadership emerges as a beacon of inclusion and shared humanity. As we delve into this chapter, we unravel how servant leadership not only acknowledges the value of diverse perspectives but actively embraces them, fostering an environment of inclusivity and crafting a tapestry of collective excellence.

This chapter explores the powerful intersection of servant leadership, diversity, and inclusion—a triad that serves as the foundation for creating organizations where every voice is heard, valued, and celebrated.

Recognizing the Power of Diversity: A New Paradigm

Traditional leadership paradigms often fall short in harnessing the true potential of diverse teams. Diversity goes beyond demographics; it encompasses unique perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Servant leadership brings a paradigm shift—recognizing diversity not as a mere checkbox but as a dynamic force that drives innovation and creativity.

By actively seeking out diverse voices, servant leaders amplify the richness of thought, enabling organizations to navigate complexities with agility and insight.

Empathy as the Bridge to Inclusion: Understanding Unique Journeys

At the core of servant leadership lies empathy—a quality that proves indispensable in the pursuit of inclusion. Servant leaders understand that fostering an inclusive environment goes beyond merely having diverse individuals present; it involves creating a space where every voice is heard and respected.

Through active listening and understanding, servant leaders bridge gaps of understanding, acknowledging the unique challenges and contributions of each individual.

Shared Purpose Amidst Diversity: A Unifying Vision

Servant leadership seamlessly aligns with the goal of fostering an inclusive culture with a shared purpose. By aligning diverse talents towards a common vision, servant leaders inspire a sense of belonging that transcends differences.

This shared purpose becomes a unifying force that enables diverse teams to collaborate harmoniously, leveraging their collective strengths to drive innovation and deliver impactful results.

Empowerment through Inclusion: Nurturing Potential

Inclusion doesn’t end with representation; it extends to empowering individuals to realize their full potential. Servant leaders provide opportunities, resources, and mentorship that allow individuals from all backgrounds to excel. This empowerment fosters a culture where everyone can contribute meaningfully, building a sense of confidence and self-worth among team members.

Fostering Innovation through Cognitive Diversity: A Competitive Edge

Cognitive diversity—a range of perspectives, approaches, and thinking styles—becomes a catalyst for innovation in organizations guided by servant leadership. Servant leaders recognize that breakthroughs often emerge from the collision of diverse ideas. By creating an environment where varying viewpoints are welcomed and encouraged, servant leaders cultivate a breeding ground for creative solutions and novel approaches to challenges.

The Ripple Effect: Inclusion Beyond the Organization

Servant leadership’s commitment to diversity and inclusion extends beyond the organizational borders. Organizations led by servant leaders recognize their social responsibility and actively engage with communities. Through initiatives that promote social equity, education, and inclusivity, servant leaders leave a positive impact on society at large, creating a ripple effect of change that resonates far beyond the confines of the workplace.

Holistic Excellence through Inclusion: A Fulfilling Future

Servant leadership and the values of diversity and inclusion converge to create a holistic approach to organizational development—one that thrives on the collective strengths of a diverse workforce. As we proceed through this exploration, we will uncover how servant leadership serves as a compass for navigating change, nurturing employee well-being, fostering purpose-driven performance management, and envisioning a future where organizations flourish through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

The chapters to come will illuminate the practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights that guide leaders in embracing holistic growth through servant leadership. By weaving the threads of diversity and inclusion into the fabric of servant leadership, we empower leaders to create organizations that transcend traditional boundaries, celebrate individual uniqueness, and foster a culture of collective excellence.

Reflections:

1. Understanding Diversity in Leadership: Reflect on how servant leadership can help in embracing and leveraging diversity within an organization. How does a diverse team contribute to the strength and success of an organization?
2. Inclusive Leadership Practices: Think about a time when you felt included or excluded in a professional setting. How did this experience shape your view of leadership and organizational culture?
3. Empathy and Inclusion: Consider the role of empathy in fostering an inclusive environment. How can servant leaders use empathy to better understand and support diverse team members?
4. Challenges to Inclusive Leadership: What are some challenges leaders might face in creating an inclusive workplace? How can servant leadership principles help overcome these challenges?
5. Impact of Diversity and Inclusion: Reflect on the broader impact of diversity and inclusion initiatives. How do these efforts extend beyond the organization to influence the community and society at large?
6. Personal Growth in Diversity: How can your personal journey toward understanding and valuing diversity contribute to your growth as a servant leader?
7. Actionable Steps for Inclusion: Think about actionable steps you or your organization can take to promote diversity and inclusion. How can these steps align with the core principles of servant leadership?

These questions are designed to encourage readers to introspect and apply the concepts of diversity, inclusion, and servant leadership to their own experiences and organizations, fostering a deeper understanding and commitment to creating inclusive excellence.

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From the streets to academia, Rick’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. He transitioned from a law enforcement officer to a PhD holder, driven by the belief that true public safety isn’t just about skills but about understanding people. Hear how his father’s influence and his own experiences shaped his mission to humanize law enforcement. Rick emphasizes the need to develop emotional intelligence, empathy, and self-awareness, qualities often overlooked in traditional promotion methods.

Learn about the nuanced role of emotional intelligence in law enforcement leadership and how it can transform interactions within the force and with the community. The conversation delves into the modern challenges that law enforcement faces, from the impact of technology on human connections to the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rick shares valuable insights on situational awareness and understanding emotional cues to foster trust and effective communication.

In an intriguing discussion on the role of social media in law enforcement, we explore how some police departments successfully combat misinformation through proactive communication. Imagine a dream dinner with historical figures like Marcus Aurelius and Abraham Lincoln, contributing to the conversation’s depth. Finally, Rick highlights the power of sharing expert knowledge on platforms like LinkedIn to drive positive change in public safety. Join us for this enlightening episode and become part of a mission to make a lasting impact on the world.

(03:10 – 04:18) Leadership Development in Law Enforcement

(09:08 – 10:10) Promotion Based on Competency and Development

(14:39 – 16:05) Leadership Coaching in Public Safety

(18:28 – 19:33) Humanity in Future Policing

NEWSLETTER: https://view.flodesk.com/pages/64e2b9…

SERVING JOURNAL: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CSNSY1M1

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AI is not a temporary trend: it represents a real revolution that is affecting the world of work and business. It has the potential to transform work processes, automating tasks, and analyzing huge amounts of data efficiently.

In addition to the risks associated with the ethical and correct use of data and those related to the security of IT infrastructure, the rapid advancement of Artificial Intelligence also requires some considerations on leadership.

In the era of artificial intelligence (AI), business leaders must face new challenges and opportunities. To embrace AI responsibly, business leaders must certainly be able to understand the benefits and risks of AI, overcome resistance to change, and integrate it effectively into companies.

This means that leaders must recognize how this technology can optimize work methods and promote innovation, improve the work environment, and foster the growth of their staff. Above all, they must be able to identify the boundary between the different configurations of collaboration between humans and artificial intelligence, making the best possible use of the positive potential of this technology. They will have to be able to design the transformation process underway, develop new skills within the company, promote an organizational culture that makes the best use of Artificial Intelligence, and, above all, identify which activities will be carried out by humans and which by machines, assigning intelligence the role of co-pilot and people the role of “pilots” of the revolution underway.

It is inevitable, I believe, to imagine a leader who is increasingly “of the heart”, as well as “of the brain”: the heart must be used to enhance people, the brain to identify and achieve business objectives with maximum attention to the positive impact on society.

A leader who is even more oriented towards people than in the past: in his hands, there are and will be tools that, if used consciously and for the good, can help him and his collaborators to work better and possibly have a better quality of life and professional life.

All this leads us to understand that fundamental human qualities – such as communication, collaboration, empathy, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence – must be prominent in all organizations.

While AI may be undermining the human experience to some extent, the driving force for change must continue to be the human leader, supported by AI as a powerful tool, but not driven by it.

Leadership and AI are two concepts that go hand in hand in the modern business world. The leaders of the future will be those who fully leverage the power of AI, learn continuously, understand context, and are able to lead their companies in an increasingly complex world. These qualities will not only foster the leader’s growth, and of his collaborators, but will also enable the organization to successfully navigate the complex landscape of the future.

It is an exciting time: artificial intelligence can help elevate the best of humanity in a leader, who by consciously facing its challenges will have the opportunity to exploit previously unexplored potential.

But to make the most of this future, a leader will have to aspire to become even better in terms of humanity, helped in this by the potential of artificial intelligence.

Those leaders who will embrace the AI ​​revolution will be able to remain competitive and enjoy a tool, such as AI, to create a better future for their companies, their collaborators, and the community in which they operate.

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Murphy’s Law states that “Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.” What this law did not say is that if we make a wrong start not only things will go wrong but their harm will produce a butterfly effect. One example is making the wrong decisions at the wrong time such as cost reduction.

Cost ReductionMany companies decide to cut costs to increase their profits and enhance efficiency. This is the immediate effect and the first-cost-minded thinking. To make a wise decision balancing immediate effects versus medium-term effects is essential.

Some harms may not appear immediately but suddenly start to compound. Laying off is one way of reducing costs. It does but what happens afterward? The remaining employees are filled with anxiety and believe they are the target of the next layoffs. Anxiety of employees leads to a decrease in their productivity. Decreased productivity leads to compiling more work on employees. Loading employees with more work leads to stressing them. Stressed employees burn out and their productivity goes down so the quality of products may not be of the required quality. Lower quality and deferred delivery of products anger customers who may seek another supplier.

Legal issues initiate- more piling of costs. Churning customers causes losses that may offset the initial cost savings. So, profits go down and again back to more laying offs

You noticed the feedback effect where the cause became the effect and in turn, the effect became the cause, and so on.

I shared recently a post on “What to Do with Low Performers?” The story is about a boy who was second among three brothers. He felt sandwiched between them and that gave him the impetus to try to be first to draw attention.

My friend Dennis Pitocco wrote a comment in which you can easily see how a benefit can lead to a greater one and so on. I reproduce the comment as it is to keep its depth and integrity.

“Excellent insights here, my friend Ali Anani, PhD Highlighting an employee’s strengths and areas of expertise, rather than focusing solely on weaknesses, can lead to numerous benefits in the workplace. This approach tends to increase motivation and engagement, boost job satisfaction and morale, and improve team dynamics as each member’s unique talents are recognized. It also allows for more efficient task allocation based on individual strengths and can create opportunities for mentoring or leadership roles in areas of excellence. While addressing weaknesses remains important for personal and professional growth, a strengths-based approach often yields better overall results and fosters a more positive work environment. Managers can still provide constructive feedback on areas for improvement, but within a context that primarily emphasizes and leverages the employee’s strengths, ultimately leading to a more productive and harmonious workplace.”

Start with the right step to reach your goal.

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Whenever I reflect on the way I make sense of the word success, I notice this springs to mind. Throughout much of my life success has always been defined by what others believe I needed to have that would be good for me. Good grades throughout my education. A good job. Career prospects built on delivering key performance indicators. A growing bank balance and net worth etc.

Others’ expectations are well intentioned, of course, and, useful once met, both for me and them. On reflection, however, they speak more of achievements – what we have as a result of our endeavours, which earns us the right to be described as successful. What they don’t do is speak to how we need to be to become successful in the first place.

When I’d consider future success in terms of what I will have, I would often find myself being anxious. These unhelpful questions, which I took very seriously, would show up in my consciousness.

• What will people think of you if you fail?
• What kind of homeless future awaits you if you don’t succeed?
• What if I fall short, don’t make the grade, get found out, or otherwise get it wrong etc.?
  In other words, unknowingly at the time, and in all innocence, I looked at success through the lens of failure. That’s why I was anxious. Self-doubting. Suffering Imposter Syndrome – call it what you will. Depressed too.

Since then, and after looking at the why-do-I-experience-life-as-I-do question in more depth, I now pay closer attention to the meaning I attach to words that I once never questioned, and just took for granted. I do so because I know my experience… of whatever I’m focussing on … be it a critical, calm or compassionate one, is connected to this sense making.

Having success and being successfulTake the way we each judge someone else as successful by what they have. The cut of their clothes, the car they drive, their address, status, social media profile, qualifications etc. On what basis do we make these? I don’t know about you but it seems to me that one way of answering this question is with reference to win-lose gaming theory. It goes something like this…

…we assume there are finite resources in the world and that individuals will be rational actors when it comes to decision making and conflict resolution. Their likely choices and outcomes can be modelled and predicted. If you can understand the model, therefore, you can game what they’ll do to win and ensure what you do is better so that you win and they lose.

This win-lose idea is ubiquitous in (western) societies. We pass or fail exams, win or lose in sport, get jobs or be rejected for them, watch heroes defeat villains in films, come out best in negotiations or come off second best, and so on. It was front of mind for my parents, teachers etc. They wanted me to stand a good chance of winning, or succeeding, in this game they called life.

I once heard someone say “Children don’t always hear what you say, but totally get how you are. They pick up on your mood or way of being while you’re conveying a message to them”. If true, what I picked up on, as a young boy, in the way my parents and teachers encouraged me, was their fear of what would happen should I fail. This is what entered my brain. Unknowingly. It created a neural pathway, which shaped my sense making of success thereafter.

You might say my hidden fear of failure, like many others’ I’ve since discovered, meant I’d got the wrong end of the stick. True. Perhaps. I just hadn’t noticed this. My system simply did what it does sub consciously – note the fears that sat behind encouragements to succeed and internalised them without telling me!

Having what success gives us, I learnt, depends on our way of being with ourselves first and foremost and others secondarily. If we interpret failure, for instance, in less fearful terms, more as an opportunity to learn, it can’t grip us so tightly and helps us be more curious and experimental. Free of self-limiting self-talk about failure, we find listening to what others need and want easier. We get to enjoy the puzzle that is helping them get what they value. They feel we understand them and are rooting for them. In turn they reward us, financially, emotionally, in kind etc., which brings us back to the start – the success we have.

Virtuous cycles like these can be created in teams, families and networks. First though, we need to surface the fear-based mindsets that key influencers in these groups operate from, unknowingly most often.

I have a way of helping you do that, which I call the…

..The feeling test

It’s premised on the idea that when a thinking habit you’ve had for some time, but didn’t realise you had, is no longer helpful, your body’s pretty good at letting you know. You’ll feel an unease. Whether it’s because the context in which you’re working changes, or colleagues around you have ways of doing things that aren’t optimal, or whatever else, my encouragement is to tune into what you’re body’s trying to tell you, rather than brush it off.

The opposite is true too, of course. When the thinking you’re living in resonates with those around you and the context you’re working in, you’ll feel great on the whole.

Below are representations of two mindsets that reflect similar, but subtly different understandings of what success and failure mean in an established team. As you read or listen to each, I invite you to notice which resonates most with you. See what bubbles up in you with respect to Mindset A and B and what you feel about each.

Mindset A

Success in this team is measured by the money people earn. It reflects the rewards people get from taking risks in a competitive environment. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the fittest. The most talented of our members will always rise to the top. They are good at predicting what clients want and controlling employees and suppliers to deliver in ways others can’t. Failure occurs when clients’ expectations are not met and rewards dip below plan. Extrinsic motivators like promotion, commission and bonuses mitigate the risk of failure. They’re awarded when a job is well done and so bring a sense of wellbeing to those who contributed to it.

Mindset B

Success in this team is measured by wellbeing: the extent to which our employees and partners are free to think. It’s rooted in the idea of survival of the friendliest. Talents and potential are abundant. When free to think, we are innately collaborative creatures. We sense what’s needed and organise to respond to what clients really value. Failure is useful, it signals freedom to think is absent, teams are stuck in ruts and learning needs to be stimulated. Intrinsic motivators such as care for one another and pride in a job well done mitigate the risk of catastrophic failure. That’s how we attract clients, investors, and employees to us and why we’re financially successful.

What showed up? Did one resonate more than the other?

Much of the work I do is with project directors and their multi disciplinary teams in the Construction Sector. The Sector has an unhealthy reputation for delivering overspent projects late, time after time. It operates from a fragmented, litigious culture that isn’t always conducive to collaborative working. Many of my clients want help to turn that around.

Before we begin working with each other in detail I ask them to do this simple feeling test. Most conclude their daily lived experience resonates more with Mindset A – but – they intuitively feel much better when tuning into and contemplating Mindset B. By looking at each one in more detail we uncover a number of unspoken, hidden assumptions that we can all carry around with us, which unknowingly drive our behaviour. For instance, both mindsets contain assumptions we all hold about…

• Success – a financial must have or what flows when a team is in a being well state?
• Failure – cause for punishment or a chance to learn?
• The nature of human nature – based on survival of the fittest (competitive) or friendliest (collaborative)?
• Talent – is it scarce or abundant?
• The future and present – predictable and controllable or emergent via sensing and responding to changes?
• Motivation – carrot and stick extrinsic motivators or intrinsic ones based on care and pride?
• Wellbeing – the by product of a job well done or integral to it?

I’m not suggesting some assumptions are better than others, because context is all important. More that by bringing those that are often buried to the surface, teams realise they needn’t behave in a one-dimensional way. They see they have more options than they might otherwise have imagined. And, more importantly, can now wonder which assumptions, if changed, might be a game changer.

For instance, depending on what a team is trying to achieve, questions such as these arise …do the benefits of doing the following outweigh the costs and risks…

• Creating the conditions in which sense making, choice making and action taking is decentralised?
• Making collaborative, not transactional relationships central to how we compete?
• Working from principles rather than setting targets?
• Building on strengths rather than focusing on weaknesses?
• Focussing more on prevention than fire-fighting cures?
• Changing our own perceptions first, before demanding others change theirs?

See you next time, where I’ll look at the different ways of thinking about the culture in groups, and which you find most helpful.

Kindest,

Roger

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In The Cultural Contradictions of Capitalism (1976), the American sociologist, Daniel Bell, identified the greatest threat to Western societies as the loss of civitas, the spontaneous commitment to obey the law, to respect the rights of others, and to reject the temptation of personal enrichment at the expense of the community. Civitas honours the ‘city’ of which one is a member, the ‘city’, of course, referring to the nation. It is a concept essential to the entire ethos of leadership.

The survival of liberal democracy depends on the willingness of all citizens to subordinate personal desires to the common good, so the loss of civitas has been a catastrophe. The descent from debate into diatribe, and the everyday evidence of socio-political anomie reveal the seriousness of the situation in which we find ourselves.

Bell emphasised society’s need for firm ethical common ground: “No moral philosopher, from Aristotle to Aquinas, to John Locke and Adam Smith, divorced economics from a set of moral ends or held the production of wealth to be an end in itself; rather it was seen as a means to the realisation of virtue, a means of leading a civilised life.”

The erosion of sociological self-knowledge and civitas in the West spawns countless stories of social dysfunction, relationship failure, and the sad consequences that flow from estrangement. It can be seen in family breakdown, conflict between the sexes, toxic corporate cultures, deceitful media, corrupt political practices, and dangerous jousting in geopolitics. An example from the workplace demonstrates the cost to communities and individuals.

Tom Burns was a professor of sociology at Edinburgh University, who also taught at Harvard. His study of the British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC: Public Institution and Private World, delivers some very important insights into community dynamics. Burns’ observations of attitudes and behaviour in the production of television programs, first in 1963, and then in 1973, provide a classic story of social and corporate folly.

His 1963 investigations revealed a communal understanding of the enormous creative potential unleashed when talented individuals in diverse fields, engineers, scene-shifters, directors, actors, stage-managers, gaffers, grips, lighting supervisors, accountants, cameramen, secretaries, and others, were able to successfully merge their activities and to handle crises through rapid-response interventions from all the complementary fields.

Burns likened this spontaneous mobilisation of expert routines and professional improvisation for the good of the common project and the organisation to the dedicated performance of a surgical team in the operating theatre. And he was able to hold up the high-quality of the work achieved as the obvious consequence.

In 1973, he encountered rather different attitudes and behaviours at the BBC, and a deterioration of standards in the production of television programs. No longer did managers and administrators secure the space and resources for all the diverse talents involved in each project, so that the creativity and expertise of the people doing the work could direct operations in pursuit of their common goal.

Instead, the endeavours had become bureaucratised, with managers and administrators imposing their own agendas on the multi-layered project teams, and dictating what people should be doing, how they should be doing it, and when they should be doing it. They had destroyed the functional relationships of a decade earlier, and in so doing had unwittingly put a lid on creative endeavour. Management had undermined a vibrant culture and the intricate network of relationships it nurtured, stifling leadership in every area.

In a narcissistic society like that of the postmodern West, thinking about relationships tends inevitably to be self-centred, and therefore, superficial. Yet the simple reality is that any one of us will only find personal fulfilment in the context of relationships.

We are rational, relational beings whose mental and spiritual well-being depends on honesty and respect in regard to other people and ourselves. And let’s not forget how much we rely on the hard work, respect, and good will of others for our physical well-being as well. The individual needs community, and community needs the individual. That’s how human flourishing is achieved.

We develop emotional maturity by accepting our radical dependence on other people, who are not merely means to our ends, but ends in themselves, all fallible human beings with their own desires, disappointments, and demons. This involves recognising that each of us has limits as an individual, and that it is only in the context of healthy relationships, in which giving and forgiving are more important than getting, that we find meaningful self-expression.

It is a commonplace to say that leadership is about people, but what that really means is that it is primarily about relationships. That’s why the most serious indictment that can be made of leadership – in the home, workplace, community, or nation – is when the loss of a common vision, the consequent absence of sociological self-knowledge, and the scourge of narcissistic self-assertion tear people apart.

Bringing people together is, logically, the first requirement of leadership.

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To answer this question we should start from the consideration that work cannot only be the means through which we earn a living but also the opportunity to make the most of our talents, to feel useful to others, to contribute together with others an efficient community. Work should always have meaning for those who carry it out, and generate self-esteem and deep satisfaction.

Unfortunately, these opportunities cannot always be seized, jobs are not always full of meaning and opportunities for growth. There are, in fact, workers who feel humiliated by the work they do, jobs that make them suffer, which produce “existential expropriation” in those who find themselves trapped in them.

The dignity of a job, and its profound meaning, derives from two connected but distinct dimensions:

The first is the very nature of work, its usefulness, its ability to mobilize creativity, skills, ingenuity, and relationships: the doctor who saves lives, the engineer who builds bridges made to last, the cleaner who makes liveable the environments in which they work and operate, the baker and the hairdresser who feed us and make us presentable.

Then there are jobs, such as, for example, those who design bombs that also seem like toys and, instead, are explosive devices that maim and kill. Or like those where chemistry is used in an extreme or careless manner causing damage to the health of consumers; or even those who produce slot machines that create dependencies.

And what about that public official who uses his discretion, even within the scope of legality, to grant favors rather than to protect rights?

These jobs certainly cannot be considered worthy in the same way as many others, by their very nature. Legal, yes, perhaps, but certainly not worthy.

The second aspect is that relating to the conditions in which each job is carried out. In general, in short, there are activities that are made more or less worthy in relation to the environment and the conditions in which they are carried out. Worthy work, made unworthy by external conditions.

A simple example: that of the teacher, which is perhaps the most beautiful profession in the world, but when the pact of trust with families is broken, and society questions the importance of culture and competence, then also the profession of The teacher loses meaning and dignity.

Admitting that not all jobs are equally worthy simply means asking that all jobs, especially the most humble ones, can at least be carried out in conditions that are respectful of the rights and intrinsic value of every human being.

No one should be forced to do a job they don’t want to do, to accept a job that is socially useless or even harmful to others.

The risk that can be glimpsed is that the narrative of “all jobs are worthy”, disguised as egalitarian humanitarianism and magnanimous liberality, does nothing but block social change, silence the just demands for basic rights, the requests for more humane conditions and delegitimize any possible attempt at reform.

Instead, stating forcefully that not all jobs are worthy provokes us and also forces us to ask ourselves through which mechanisms we end up doing one job rather than another.

We can ask ourselves whether certain jobs are devoid of meaning and dignity because they are generally carried out by marginalized individuals, with a lower social status, with little education and self-esteem; or, these jobs are carried out by certain people because it is the jobs that are intrinsically devoid of meaning and dignity.

And this question recalls another, that of the “rhetoric of meritocracy”, according to which those who “made it” are because they deserved it and those who, however, did not make it are because he hasn’t worked hard enough and must therefore be satisfied with unworthy jobs.

In this way, however, all we do is reproduce inequality, legitimize injustices, even giving them a moral justification.

Decent work for all means dignity in all areas of human activity, for those who have a formalized employment relationship. It means dignity at home and safety on the way to and from work; it means dignity in the countries of origin, transit, and destination. It also means freedom and liberation for people forced to work against their will and for children subjected to the harshest working conditions.

We could therefore agree on the fact that not all jobs are equal in their ability to promote well-being for oneself and others, to generate self-esteem and respect, and that this fact cannot be hidden by stating, instrumentally, that every job is equally worthy only because it allows you to make a living.

We cannot talk about dignity if working is only to survive, without perceiving a minimum purpose, an objective.

We can talk about dignity if humanity is a priority in the workplace if work is a real continuous encounter between rights and duties, a relationship of respect between those who work and those who offer work.

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As babies, as young children, and young adults we (hopefully) are taught, eventually, to have and value our independence. Psychologically this is a vital part of our development as we learn to become our own person, find our own sense of self and identity. We separate from the parental guardrails and make our way in the world.

As leaders, this independence is a seen as a core quality – the ability to take the tough decisions without being unduly swayed, the courage to forge a path for others to follow, the ability to stand up and out when needed. All of these qualities are powerful and important and yet they have become overstated to the point where they can often create a separation. Governed by targets, goals and metrics, senior leaders often become conditioned (or are they predisposed?) to ring-fencing their own patch – be that a division, a department or a team. A prevailing sense is that the more control they can have over their responsibilities the more likely they are to succeed and maybe in a very regimented and operational structure that could be true.

In our evolving reality however the interconnection between all things is becoming increasingly visible. It has always been true, but each day shows us in no uncertain terms that an action, choice, decision in any part of our world has impacts across the globe to an increasing extent, in part thanks to ‘globalisation’. The same, of course, is true in our organisations. Each function, each person is dependent on and affects others. This interdependence however seems very hard for leaders to truly wrap their heads around on a behavioural level – they get it as a concept of course but shifting their behaviours to the shared leadership space is a huge challenge for most.

Opening to the path of interdependence requires a strong and healthy sense of self, where self-esteem and self-confidence are well developed and integrated into a mature personality.

It is from this foundation that true leaders can then relinquish their need for solitary independence and share the space and road to achievement with colleagues. When we are secure in our own abilities we don’t need to keep proving our prowess and strength. We can release the need for absolute control and learn how to work in a collective way – sharing challenges and successes, sharing resources and sacrificing personal achievement for collective performance if and when needed.

Of course this requires trust to be built between leaders, and between their teams so that each part of the system can operate both autonomously and interdependently like the moving parts in any well-functioning machine. However, in the case of a sentient human team there is the significant added benefit that instead of simply moving to a pre-determined plan or script, the team eventually becomes able to improvise and adjust in an agile manner to whatever may emerge in our increasingly volatile and uncertain world.

Learning to lean into interdependent leadership takes courage and humility…where are you on that journey?

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Michal Lehmann, Carnegie Mellon University and Taya Cohen, Carnegie Mellon University

Every year, employees worldwide enter annual performance reviews with mixed feelings. Do employees enter these conversations with enthusiasm to learn new things? Rarely. Are managers eager to have these conversations and coach their employees on how they can improve in the coming year? No.

These meetings are typically experienced as difficult conversations. Opportunities for learning and relationship-building are often missed.

In an ideal world, employees would learn and improve from the feedback their manager provides in the annual review. But there are at least two obstacles that can stand in the way of that best-case scenario. It can be hard to hear painful truths. Critical feedback can trigger defensive reactions: That’s wrong. Who are you to say? This is a disaster, and I’ll never be able to improve. And, even if employees are receptive to the intended message, they may have trouble understanding the information and face difficulties implementing the feedback to improve their performance.

In an effort to get through, managers may try to soften their delivery. For example, they may use the much-maligned “feedback sandwich,” which bookends a critique between two compliments. But this tactic can obscure truthful and useful information, resulting in confusion, misunderstandings and worse.

We study organizational behavior and are especially interested in how people interact and communicate at work. Drawing from our research on humility and feedback, we suggest a new way for managers to approach performance reviews: Create what we call “humble encounters.”

By expressing humility, managers can transform performance reviews from monologues into dialogues, with greater learning and improvement as a result. Our studies indicate that when a team member expresses humility to a co-worker, it leads their partner to feel greater “psychological safety” – more comfortable sharing candid opinions and concerns without worrying about backlash or negative consequences. This, in turn, helps improve performance in the team.

Creating humble encountersHumility has a few key ingredients: You must be willing to view yourself accurately, as you really are. But that’s not enough to create a humble encounter. You must also show that you are teachable by exhibiting openness to feedback, ideas and suggestions. Finally, it’s critical that you acknowledge and express appreciation for the contributions that others make.

So, how might a manager do all this in a performance review?

You can signal that you’re willing to view yourself accurately by sharing personal experiences of dealing with challenges: “I also struggled with this issue when I first entered the company.” By sharing your own challenges and how you worked through them, you signal that you’re aware of your own weaknesses and vulnerabilities, as well as your strengths and achievements.

You can signal teachability by demonstrating that you’re open to learning from others. Managers can use what organizational culture experts Edgar and Peter Schein call “humble inquiry” – asking questions you don’t already know the answer to, listening intentionally and responding with curiosity.

Be mindful of assumptions implicitly conveyed to the listener by how you phrase your questions. Negative assumption questions
– like “What triggers you to argue with your co-workers?” – presuppose a problem. The employee might be surprised by this question and the assumption behind it because they don’t remember the last time they argued with someone at work. A negative-assumption question can help clarify undesirable behaviors if they are indeed happening, but at the same time it can signal distrust and hinder the receptivity of the receiver.

Another way to express humility is by good listening. It includes three crucial elements: paying attention to the speaker, showing positive intentions toward the speaker, and demonstrating that you understand their message. Managers who listen well to their employees elicit better performance and establish stronger relationships with them.

Spotlighting an employee’s strengths and contributions is active acknowledgment of the employee’s value without the manager devaluing their own. During the annual review, it’s possible to recognize an employee’s strengths while still providing developmental feedback.

Managers should provide support by conveying a sense of care, understanding and validation:
“I’m giving you these comments because I have very high expectations, and I know you can reach them.” Using language that communicates support fosters trust and a sense of belonging, thus breaking down walls of defensiveness.

Humble encounters enable growthBy modeling humility, managers provide employees with two key, seemingly contradictory signals.

They show relational acceptance – a signal that they accept the employee as they are, thereby calming feelings of threat and defensiveness. At the same time, they also communicate an expectation of change. Learning and improvement are not only possible but necessary for the employee to reach their full potential in the job.

In response to managers’ humility, employees will reciprocate humble behaviors, showing more willingness to view themselves accurately, be teachable and appreciate others’ contributions.

Managers might be concerned that expressing humility might signal weakness. However, research shows that this is not the case. When leaders are perceived to be humble, they are also seen as effective, competent and charismatic. Therefore, being a humble leader has benefits not only for employees, but also for the leader’s reputation.

Humble encounters can transform annual reviews into a more positive and enriching experience for both managers and employees. By enacting the three key aspects of humility – a willingness to view yourself accurately, teachability and appreciation for others’ contributions – you can both change your employees’ learning curve and strengthen your relationship with them.

Michal Lehmann, Postdoctoral Fellow in Organizational Behavior and Theory, Carnegie Mellon University and Taya Cohen, Associate Professor of Organizational Behavior and Business Ethics, Carnegie Mellon University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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What does inclusive leadership look like? Artist and TED Fellow Constance Hockaday shares how the captain of a trans-Atlantic community raft taught her how to voice her hopes and desires, inspiring a vision of possibility for the future. Hockaday calls for mentors everywhere to step up and invites aspiring leaders to answer one crucial question in order to unlock their agency and power.

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In the dynamic landscape of contemporary leadership, the philosophy of servant leadership has emerged as a transformative catalyst for holistic organizational development.

As we venture deeper into the exploration of this philosophy, we uncover its profound impact on fostering an environment of collaboration, empathy, and empowerment—an environment where the growth of individuals, the alignment of purpose, and the well-being of the collective take precedence over traditional notions of leadership.

This chapter delves into the core principles and practices of servant leadership and unveils its harmonious alignment with the ideals of holistic growth.

The Essence of Servant Leadership: Leading Through Service

At its heart, servant leadership redefines leadership as a service to others. This paradigm shift challenges the conventional notion of leaders as authoritative figures who dictate directives. Instead, servant leaders view their role as that of facilitators, mentors, and enablers of growth.

They prioritize the needs of their teams, acknowledging that their own success is intrinsically tied to the success of those they lead. This fundamental shift in perspective sets the stage for the creation of an environment where collaboration and empowerment flourish.

Nurturing a Culture of Collaboration: Open Communication and Shared Purpose

Central to the philosophy of servant leadership is the emphasis on open communication. Servant leaders create spaces where individuals feel safe to voice their opinions, share ideas, and engage in dialogue.

By actively listening and valuing diverse perspectives, servant leaders cultivate an atmosphere of inclusivity and mutual respect. This culture of collaboration not only fuels innovation but also ensures that the organization benefits from the collective wisdom of its members.

Shared purpose is another cornerstone of servant leadership. Servant leaders work to align individual and organizational goals with a broader sense of purpose—one that transcends financial success and encompasses a positive impact on society.

By imbuing every action and decision with purpose, servant leaders inspire a collective commitment that goes beyond personal gain and elevates the well-being of all stakeholders.

Empathy and Empowerment: Fostering Individual Growth

Empathy lies at the heart of servant leadership. Servant leaders possess a keen understanding of the emotions, concerns, and aspirations of their team members. This empathetic approach not only nurtures a culture of trust but also creates a sense of belonging within the organization.

By acknowledging the holistic well-being of individuals, servant leaders create an environment where employees are valued not just as resources, but as human beings with unique talents and needs.

Empowerment is the natural outcome of this empathetic approach. Servant leaders provide their teams with the autonomy, resources, and support needed to excel. They encourage individuals to take ownership of their roles, make decisions, and contribute to the organization’s growth. This empowerment unleashes untapped potential, driving innovation and fostering a sense of pride and ownership among employees.

Leading by Example: Humility and Integrity

Servant leaders lead by example, embodying qualities of humility and integrity. They are not afraid to admit their mistakes or acknowledge their limitations. This transparency creates an atmosphere where individuals feel comfortable taking calculated risks and learning from failures.

By upholding a high standard of ethical conduct and moral integrity, servant leaders set a precedent for the organization’s values and contribute to a culture of accountability.

Servant Leadership and Holistic Organizational Development: A Seamless Integration

Servant leadership seamlessly aligns with the principles of holistic organizational development. Its emphasis on collaboration, shared purpose, empathy, and empowerment resonates deeply with the holistic perspective that considers the well-being of employees, communities, and the environment. In organizations guided by servant leadership, growth is not confined to financial metrics but extends to the growth of individuals, relationships, and societal impact.

As we journey further, we will explore how servant leadership forms the bedrock for navigating change, embracing diversity, nurturing employee well-being, fostering purpose-driven performance management, and envisioning a future where organizations thrive through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

The subsequent chapters will unveil the practical strategies, real-world examples, and actionable insights that illuminate the path toward holistic growth through servant leadership, creating a blueprint for leaders who seek to shape organizations that transcend conventional boundaries and embrace holistic excellence.

Reflections

1. Understanding Servant Leadership: Reflect on how servant leadership differs from traditional leadership models. What aspects of servant leadership stand out to you as most impactful for holistic organizational growth?
2. Applying Core Principles: Consider the core principles of servant leadership such as empathy, active listening, and humility. Can you think of a situation in your professional life where applying these principles could have led to a different outcome?
3. Personal Growth and Empowerment: How do you see the role of empathy and empowerment in your own growth as a leader or team member? Can you identify instances where these elements were present or lacking in your work environment?
4. Leading by Example: Reflect on the concept of leading by example in the context of servant leadership. How can this approach influence the culture of an organization and contribute to holistic growth?
5. Challenges in Implementation: What challenges might arise when implementing servant leadership principles in an organization? How could these challenges be addressed?
6. Personal Alignment with Servant Leadership: How do your personal values align with the principles of servant leadership? Are there areas where you feel particularly strong or areas for improvement?
7. Servant Leadership in Action: Think of a leader you admire who embodies the qualities of servant leadership. What specific actions or behaviors make them a good example of a servant leader?

These questions are designed to encourage readers to introspect and apply the concepts of servant leadership to their own experiences and organizations, fostering a deeper understanding of how this approach can catalyze holistic growth.

“Navigating Holistic Growth: The Servant Leader’s Guide,” demonstrates, that true leadership is not about authority, but about fostering an environment of growth, understanding, and cooperation. This guide is an essential resource for anyone looking to make a meaningful impact, through self-discovery and by empowering those around them.

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The heart doesn’t keep an HR-approved memo on whom it is supposed to grieve for or for how long. Yet, traditional workplace policies on bereavement leave seem to send quite the opposite message—they come with a laundry list of who qualifies for emotional downtime and who doesn’t, almost as if loss could be parsed into standard categories. It’s high time for a radical rewrite. I am calling for organizations to relinquish the dated recipe of tying bereavement leave to the official-sounding ‘relationship status’ and instead advocate offering bereavement leave that accommodates all forms of loss.

A Paradigm Shift in PerceptionDismantling the relationship requirement isn’t a suggestion rooted in a rebellion; instead, it is a strategic leap toward a more inclusive culture and a reflection of the evolving human experience. To demand that employees prove the depth of their connection to someone who has passed before they are allowed to grieve on the company’s watch is, at its core, an invasive and outdated practice. Why should the anguish of losing a beloved pet warrant any less time for recuperation than losing a cousin?You Grieve, You Need LeaveThe tight grip on who qualifies for leave based on ‘relationship’ severely underestimates grief’s universality. Grief transcends the boundaries of familial ties; it can arrive unannounced, a sidekick to any form of loss, from a divorce decree to the funeral arrangements of a friend from the neighbourhood. By recognizing this, businesses have the power to not only support their employees through some of their darkest times but also to forge a company culture rooted in compassion and flexibility.

Addressing the Skeptics: Cultivating a Culture That TrustsSkeptics might fire back with fears that such a move could be ‘exploited’, leading to a culture of unwarranted absence. If so, your organization has a culture problem, not a bereavement problem. This could be a moment of reckoning to redefine expectations and redefine the covenant of trust between employer and employee.

Leaders Lead by ExampleOne of the most potent tools in this cultural shift is leadership endorsement. When leaders are transparent about their own experiences with grief and vocal about the policies in place to support it, they pave the way for company-wide acceptance. This is a journey that requires courage—from leaders to instigate it and from the culture to sustain it.

The Hidden Costs of InflexibilityThe rigidity of traditional bereavement policies can often lead to employees taking unsanctioned leaves or worse—showing up at work, emotionally scarred and potentially disruptive. The cost implications of such scenarios are rarely counted among the initial ledgers but they resonate in productivity loss, disengagement, and even tarnished reputations.

An inclusive bereavement leave policy demonstrates a company’s commitment to its most valuable asset—its people.

In return, businesses can expect a more engaged, loyal workforce with a higher level of psychological safety and, in turn, resilience through even the most tumultuous times.

The Roadmap to Implementation: A Stepwise ApproachRadically rethinking policies is one thing; turning them into a functioning reality is quite another. The key is to approach this in calculated steps, with culture-building initiatives alongside practical policy adjustments.

Review, Revise, Revise AgainBegin by critically reviewing your current bereavement policies. Who do they serve, and who do they exclude? I am sure that they don’t account for those who have to travel to a funeral for example. Once the shortcomings are clear, work with stakeholders to craft a revised framework that is not only a good starting point but also compassionate and sustainable.

Communication is KeyManagers are often the front line of such policies and they will ebb and flow around them. The most important part is that everyone knows what is allowable. If the baseline is reasonable, then we have more room for equity and inclusivity. Bob doesn’t get upset that Anne received 2 weeks’ accommodation and he only got 4 days.Introduce Feedback LoopsLastly, every employee coming back into the workplace should have a return to work-process. That process should include feedback loops that welcome critiques and suggestions for your policy review cycle. Continuous learning and adjustments will be the hallmark of a policy that truly serves the needs of the workforce.

As the conversation around mental well-being continues to gain momentum, the inclusivity of bereavement policies becomes a flagship issue. This isn’t just another paragraph in the HR handbook; it’s a nuanced reflection of our humanity and the kind of workspaces we wish to manifest in the world.

If you would like to learn more or are interested in support in cultivating new bereavement policies or processes, please reach in.

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The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.

– Arthur Koestler

In his book Houdini, author Harold Kellock shares a story about Houdini on one of his European tours when Houdini found himself locked in his own thinking.

After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock would not open. Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door- and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it.

Houdini was not locked in a cell by a key but by a belief.

Your belief systems directly influence every part of your life. The larger question is: what does your belief system look like? Let’s explore a few ways this happens in your life.

Wrong beliefs and assumptions lead to wrong actions

Houdini assumed the door was locked. Because his assumption was wrong, his actions were wrong. Wrong assumptions caused him to waste a lot of time and energy trying to accomplish something that was not even necessary. It will do the same for you.

Decisions you make as a leader must be grounded in facts and reality. The worst thing you can do as a leader is to make decisions based on bad information.
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When this happens, you waste valuable time. Your people lose confidence in your leadership.

Wrong actions lead to wrong conclusions

Because Houdini believed the door was locked, he worked tirelessly to open it. Imagine his reaction when he leaned on the door and it opened, realizing that he had been needlessly working to solve a problem that did not exist. I can only imagine his frustration when the cell door opened that was not even locked.

When your thinking is wrong then wrong actions will follow. This leads you and your team to make faulty conclusions. This only compounds already strained morale.

Understand the power of right-thinking leadership

You do not want to be locked in by negative thinking as a leader. Right-thinking leaders seek solutions, explore options, empower their team, and share the credit. Right-thinking leaders have a mindset shift that’s not fixed but one that is growing, expanding, and overcoming its challenges because they refuse to be trapped by limited belief systems.

Your growth as a leader is determined by the choices you make. Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by beliefs that hold you back and limit your leadership capacity. Embrace right-thinking leadership with a passion to grow and your possibilities will be unlimited.

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Most of us have experienced challenges in our lives that called for resilience. So, we could rightly think of ourselves as resilient entrepreneurs.

Do you ever wonder what it takes to bounce back from life’s toughest moments?

Think about it for a moment. When you hear ‘resilient entrepreneur,’ whose story resonates with you? Perhaps it’s the perseverance of Albert Einstein, who, despite initial academic setbacks, revolutionized our understanding of the universe with his theory of relativity. Or maybe it’s James Dyson, whose relentless experimentation led to the creation of the iconic Dyson vacuum after numerous failed attempts.

Or is it someone closer to home? A friend, a mentor, or even your own story? Someone who, against all odds, rose from the ashes of adversity to not only survive but thrive. If you or someone you know embodies this spirit of resilience, I’d love to hear your story.

The Resilient Dolly Parton

The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.

~ Dolly Parton

Regardless of what you think about country music (and I’m a huge fan of classic country), Dolly Parton’s journey exemplifies true resilience. Her story is one of triumph over life’s harshest conditions. Raised in poverty, with her family often struggling to make ends meet, Dolly’s early life was far from easy. Yet, her spirit remained unbroken.

Facing rejections, stereotypes, and even threats, Dolly’s path was anything but smooth. Her unwavering determination has made her a symbol of strength and success. At seventy-seven, she continues to inspire with her unstoppable energy.

We all encounter our unique challenges – financial woes, personal struggles, or professional obstacles. The key lies in how we face them. Intelligence, passion, and faith are crucial, but there’s something else – resilience. This invisible armor enables us to withstand life’s battles and emerge stronger.

What Is Resilience?

Resilience isn’t a single skill. It’s a variety of skills and coping mechanisms.

~ Jean Chatzky

Resilience is about more than just ‘bouncing back’; it’s about adapting, learning, and growing from our experiences. It’s about maintaining our core strength, even when faced with life’s relentless challenges. Real resilience can be messy and challenging, often stirring up a whirlwind of emotions. But it’s also crucial for our overall well-being.

Studies show that those with higher resilience can navigate life’s trials more effectively and they also enjoy better physical health. It’s not about being unaffected by hardships but it’s learning to navigate them with grace and strength.

When Resilience Falters

Life’s not always smooth sailing. Sometimes, even the smallest setbacks can feel overwhelming. When our resilience falters, recovery becomes harder, and new challenges can feel insurmountable. It’s crucial, then, to nurture our resilience, keeping it strong and ready for whatever lies ahead.

Boosting Your Resilience

Here are four actionable tips to enhance your resilience:

Practice Gratitude: Appreciate the small joys – a sunny day, a good meal, a laugh with a friend. Cultivating gratitude helps build a positive outlook, vital for resilience.

Embrace Realistic Optimism: Optimism is essential, but it must be balanced with a realistic view of the situation.

Find Meaning in Challenges: Look for lessons and growth opportunities in difficult situations.

Nurture Your Sense of Humor: Laughter can be a powerful tool in the face of adversity.

The Climb – Embracing the Struggle: We usually perceive adversity as an obstacle; and it often is. Yet, it can also be an opportunity for growth. Facing challenges head-on can be incredibly rewarding, often more so because of the struggle involved. It’s about the journey, the learning, the growth – it’s the climb.

Your Resilience ChallengeIdentify a current challenge in your life. Apply just one resilience strategy to this situation. Notice the impact, no matter how small. Life is a series of actions and reactions – each step, a building block towards growth and change.

If you’d like, please share your challenge and how you overcame it. You may be surprised at the effect you may have as someone else may have encountered something similar and discover a solution through your experience.

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We’re conditioned to believe that those who work the hardest will be the most successful. Rewards will come to those who are the first to arrive and the last to leave. Pedal harder and faster and your efforts will be rewarded.

Amazon is a great example of the “pedal harder and faster” mantra. For years, Amazon has been criticized for treating employees as cogs in the larger business machine. This 2015 New York Times article exposes edicts such as “toil long and late,” and “when you hit the wall from the unrelenting pace, the only solution is to climb the wall” as the Amazonian rules for success. While Bezos has publicly disputed many of the claims, the company manifesto that he wrote himself states, “You can work long, hard, or smart, but at Amazon.com you can’t choose two out of three.”

While Amazon is known for its customer-centric approach, innovative capabilities, and long-term vision, the organization is notorious for putting profits over people. Based on interviews with over 100 ex-staff members, The New York Times discovered that Amazon’s culture exhibited the following characteristics:

• Anonymous evaluations and forced elimination of underperformers: Employees engaged in informal agreements to provide negative feedback for specific colleagues, leading to their termination during annual performance reviews.
• In hostile work environments: individuals were actively encouraged to engage in intense debates and criticism of their co-workers, often reaching levels of humiliation.
• Poor work-life boundaries: Some employees were expected to participate in conference calls while on vacation or work weekends and nights from home. Additionally, the company demonstrated a lack of consideration and empathy toward individuals dealing with personal hardships. Culture 500Culture 500 provides a data-based view of company culture within some of the largest and most powerful organizations in the world. In a collaboration with MIT Sloan Management, Glassdoor and CultureX, they use cutting edge AI and other technology tools to examine how companies measure up on culture in the eyes of employees.

Culture 500 measures company performance across nine cultural values — agility, collaboration, customer orientation, diversity, execution, innovation, integrity, performance, and respect. These values are among the most frequently cited by large companies in their official corporate culture value statements as well as by employees in company reviews, and they are linked to a variety of desirable outcomes like financial performance, innovation, and employee engagement.

Among over 24,000 Amazon employees, the most frequently discussed cultural value is execution, and the most positively discussed value is innovation. While Amazon walks the talk when it comes to customer orientation and innovation, employees don’t experience the same with integrity, performance and respect — the three most negatively perceived values.

Even according to Bezos himself, the currency at Amazon is time and energy for money. Considering that the very definition of energy is the capacity to do work, the logic is twisted. The more time we put in the less energy we have. The less energy we have, the less productive we are. The cumulative effect becomes a powerful current that leads us right out of our peak performance zone.

“To win in the marketplace, you must first win in the workplace.” – Doug Conant, former CEO of Campbell’s Soup

Today’s leading companies strive for continual improvement across the board. Reduce costs, improve processes, increase revenue, streamline processes, build a better widget, be first to market, do more with less. But the most successful companies recognize the currencies that drive high performing, bright employees to achieve those goals. They understand that people go to work for more than a paycheck and are motivated by more than money.

The companies that nurture healthy high-performing teams breed an atmosphere of success by cultivating the kind of culture that inspires people to take pride and ownership in their individual contributions toward to those goals. In fact, employees who feel their contributions are valued are 60% more likely to deliver their peak performance for their employers.

People who love what they do are more engaged. But, people don’t love their jobs because they are making millions of dollars for shareholders. While the bigger bottom line may be the payoff for the organization, it’s rarely what inspires the individual. People love their jobs because they feel like their contributions matter.

“Everyone wants to know that what they do really matters.”
—Bob Chapman

Employee engagement is measured by individuals’ contributions to organizational success as well as the personal satisfaction people feel in their roles. Highly engaged employees are not just committed. They are passionate about the contribution they make to the success of the team, and they feel valued and respected for their talents. That collective passion fuels a collaborative culture rather than a combative one. These are the teams that recognize the competition is not “inside the house,” but out there.

Engagement isn’t a utopian ideal. In fact, a sense of belonging and value are innate human needs that contribute to the highest level of self motivation. Psychologists refer to this as self-actualization, and it ‘s the realization of one’s full potential – being the best one can be. People actually want to contribute to something bigger than themselves. Their level of engagement is defined by the alignment between the satisfaction they get from the contributions they are able to make.

“The engaged stay for what they can give; the disengaged stay for what they can get or leave to give their talents to someone else.”

A highly engaged culture, however, is not synonymous with a kinder, gentler, happier workplace. Happy people do not automatically create an engaged culture. The irony of a “smile and nod” culture is that, while it might feel good, it can actually cripple innovation by creating an environment where there is no impetus to change or there is too much pressure against rocking the boat to welcome new ideas.

Overachievers are looked down upon because they make mediocrity feel uncomfortable. Disagreements are uncomfortable. Challenge is uncomfortable. The status quo often wins. The 7 most expensive words in business, ‘We have always done it this way,’ not only prohibit the next big idea, they discourage people from even thinking about the next big idea.

“We tried that once; the guy who came up with the idea isn’t here anymore.”

Full engagement happens in a culture that inspires people to stretch and challenge themselves and each other. It isn’t written down in a binder; it’s deeply embedded in the way people feel about their capacity to contribute. Enabling people to take risks leads to innovation, creativity, and process improvement. But it requires a healthy balance between challenging new ideas and promoting teamwork.

Productive disagreements shouldn’t be sacrificed by harmony, nor should candor and respect. A healthy challenge of ideas is essential. Without it, people fall into the status quo mindset laced with apathy or complacency. However, challenging the status quo only works within the context of healthy relationships built upon mutual respect.

Organizations that truly want to not only achieve but fuel sustainable peak performance have to consider a new value exchange. What does it take to engage employees, enable them to contribute productively to organizational goals, and create the conditions where everyone operates within their zone of peak performance?

Care and empathy can coexist in a culture that fosters candor and honesty. Likewise, candor and honesty can be delivered with respect. Leaders who foster a culture of respect, learning, and individual contribution don’t take capacity for granted and they don’t mistake time for value. They create the conditions necessary for people to work in their performance zone and encourage them to shift to the renewal zone when they need to. These are the leaders that have the maturity and the vision to recognize that the health of the organization is defined by the health of the people within it.

So, the million-dollar question is this: What is the price of success? Perhaps it’s a good time to take inventory what you do each day, how it makes you feel, and how it impacts others.

The only way to do great work is to love what you do.

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In a world marked by rapid technological advancements, shifting cultural values, and a renewed focus on social and environmental responsibility, the concept of organizational development has evolved beyond its traditional confines.

While the traditional models of growth emphasized the pursuit of profit and efficiency, a new paradigm has emerged—one that encompasses a more holistic approach to organizational development.

This chapter explores the transformative journey of organizational development, tracing its evolution from conventional growth models to the embrace of holistic paradigms, all within the context of servant leadership.

The Genesis of Organizational Development: Traditional Growth Models

Historically, the primary goal of organizational development was centered on financial success and market dominance. Businesses sought to increase profitability through strategies such as cost reduction, operational efficiency, and market expansion.

While these approaches delivered results in terms of bottom-line growth, they often overlooked the broader impacts of their operations. Employee well-being, community engagement, and environmental sustainability were secondary considerations, leading to a skewed perspective that failed to address the intricate interplay between business and society.

The Rise of Holistic Organizational Development: Beyond the Balance Sheet

The transition towards holistic organizational development signals a shift from profit-centric metrics to a more comprehensive approach. This approach recognizes that an organization’s growth is intertwined with its impact on various stakeholders—employees, customers, communities, and the environment.

Holistic development acknowledges the intricate relationships that exist within and beyond organizational boundaries, advocating for a harmonious coexistence rather than a one-sided pursuit of growth.

The holistic paradigm acknowledges that an organization’s long-term viability is directly linked to its ability to create shared value. This entails aligning business strategies with societal needs, ensuring that growth contributes positively to both economic prosperity and social well-being.

Holistic organizational development strives to create an ecosystem where organizations thrive not in isolation, but as integral parts of a larger societal fabric.

Servant Leadership as the Guiding Light: Aligning Holistic Values

In the midst of this transformative shift, servant leadership emerges as a natural fit—a philosophy that aligns perfectly with the ideals of holistic organizational development. Rooted in the belief that leadership is synonymous with service, servant leadership fosters an environment where the growth of individuals, the empowerment of employees, and the well-being of the community are paramount.

The core principles of servant leadership—empathy, active listening, humility, and a commitment to nurturing potential—resonate profoundly with the ethos of holistic development. Servant leaders view their role not as dictators, but as facilitators of growth. They create spaces where open communication thrives, ideas are valued, and a sense of shared purpose is cultivated.

By placing the well-being of their teams and the community at the forefront, servant leaders inherently align with the holistic perspective, ensuring that growth transcends financial numbers and encompasses a broader positive impact.

A Holistic Development Framework: Integrating Holistic Values

Holistic organizational development, guided by servant leadership, introduces a framework that extends beyond financial measures. It encompasses a spectrum of factors including employee engagement, diversity and inclusion, ethical practices, environmental sustainability, and community engagement. By considering these elements collectively, organizations ensure that their growth aligns with the well-being of all stakeholders, leaving a positive imprint on society.

Servant leadership serves as the connective tissue within this framework. It encourages leaders to embody qualities of empathy and compassion, making decisions that resonate with the organization’s purpose and values. By fostering an environment of trust and collaboration, servant leaders empower employees to thrive, innovate, and contribute meaningfully to the organization’s growth trajectory.

The Path Forward: Holistic Organizational Development through Servant Leadership

The convergence of holistic organizational development and servant leadership ushers in a new era of leadership—one that acknowledges the intrinsic interdependence between organizational success and societal well-being.

This chapter sets the stage for the exploration of servant leadership’s multifaceted role in the holistic growth journey. As we delve deeper into the subsequent chapters, we will uncover how servant leadership principles empower individuals, foster collaboration, navigate change, and ultimately pave the way for organizations to flourish holistically in an interconnected world.

In the chapters that follow, we will explore how servant leadership serves as the cornerstone for navigating change, embracing diversity, nurturing employee well-being, fostering purpose-driven performance management, and envisioning a future where organizations thrive through authentic connections and sustainable impact.

As we embark on this transformative journey, we invite you to explore the intersection of servant leadership and holistic organizational development, discovering how these principles can reshape the way we lead, grow, and create meaningful change in the modern world.

Reflections

1. Understanding Evolution: Reflect on your current understanding of organizational development. How has this evolved over time, and how does the concept of a ‘holistic paradigm’ fit into this evolution?
2. Personal Experience: Think about an organization you have been a part of. How did its development approach align or contrast with the holistic paradigms discussed in this chapter?
3. Challenges and Solutions: What challenges do organizations typically face when shifting towards a holistic development approach? Can you think of any solutions or strategies that might help overcome these challenges?
4. Holistic Impact: Consider the broader impact of embracing a holistic paradigm in organizational development. How do you think this approach affects employees, leadership, and organizational success?
5. Case Study Reflection: Reflect on a case study presented in this chapter. What key lessons can be learned, and how can they be applied in real-world organizational settings?
6. Future Perspectives: How do you envision the future of organizational development? What role will holistic paradigms play in shaping this future?

These questions are designed to encourage deep thinking and personal engagement with the concepts discussed in Chapter 1, aiding in the understanding and application of holistic paradigms in organizational development.

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The skills that made me highly successful as a Worldwide Crisis Manager started in early childhood when I lived with my divorced father and a group of men in a house. I was taught to fend for myself in many things that would normally be handled by a mother. All the males were involved in trades of all kinds, including construction, auto, and all kinds of machine repair so I was taught how to repair anything and everything when it broke just like everyone else. I don’t ever remember any outside help ever being called for anything. With the knowledge inside the house, we could solve any repair or building problem. We had a variety of animals on our property, including chickens, turkeys, ducks, and rabbits.

On weekends, we would hunt and fish, so knowing how to prepare food from live animals was essential. I fired my first shotgun at age ten and that did not go so well. There was a lot of laughter, but it was not so funny to me when it lifted me completely off the ground as it knocked me over backward! I proved my value when we went hunting, we were never able to properly train a dog, so my job was to retrieve anything that was shot and went down on the land or in the water.

That early training worked well for me later in my Air Force Arctic and Desert survival training and later in some extreme skiing situations. When many people turned down the opportunities to repair aircraft in flight was confident that I knew enough to handle any situation, save some lives, and help accomplish many missions. My longevity of being a part of the IBM Mainframe Era and now being able to use that “assisted knowledge” as a part of the AI Revolution is something valuable, I am very proud of and plan to enjoy to the fullest.

I was allowed to create the Crisis Management role after winning the top technical award in a company. My role in crisis management involved coordinating specialized teams to rapidly respond to and resolve major IT, security, and communication issues on a global scale. The skills I developed include rapid response, expertise allocation, cross-functional collaboration, global reach, knowledge management, resource allocation, and incident command/oversight. The ability to manage critical situations is crucial for preventing disruptions or risks. My experience in crisis response, assembling experts, and utilizing my skills prepared me for managing high-stakes challenges, which will be assets in navigating the coming “AI Revolution”.

Maintaining composure and leveraging specialized teams in a coordinated way is crucial during crises and imperative for success.

The skills I developed before, during, and after my Crisis Management role, are highly valuable for the coming revolution, and I have experience in effectively utilizing many of them. I am incredibly excited about combining my natural skills with augmented Intelligence, also known as intelligence amplification. This AI is designed to enhance and complement human intelligence rather than replace it. Augmented intelligence systems work alongside humans to improve decision-making, problem-solving, and task completion.

My long history of Crisis Management skills has allowed me to come into any situation with the confidence that I will be able to find a way to resolve it successfully. Once I analyze the information and form an initial team, I incorporate additional skills as necessary to solve the problem. Many times the key to what I accomplish is to recognize something that is being overlooked.

An ongoing issue usually causes some level of frustration. Arriving at one project, I gathered all parties involved in a single room and announced that… “the Crisis team has arrived, we have never failed, and the problem will be solved!” “We have successfully done this before and the speed at which the resolution will happen depends on how much cooperation we receive.” I also added, “That will be the only thing that will slow us down!” I must have pressed the right button because there was a period of silence, and the highest-level and loudest manager went silent and grinned! The mood of the whole room became supportive. I know that many times, confidence can be everything! Most of the people that we helped were very happy to see our team arrive but, in many cases, the local management team did not want us to be successful because the perception was that it would make them look incapable. In many cases that was true and after some problems were resolved people were released or reassigned.

I am working and studying long hours every day to make certain that I can prove that I am a model of what can be achieved with Augmented Intelligence and a very high and lengthy level of natural, practical skills. I am very excited about another beginning!

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A note about Helpful Questions Change Lives:

If you’re curious about why you experience life as you do and what changes your experience when it’s unhelpful, the posts in my first series can help. They invite you to look more closely at the relationship you have with you. Especially the sensations, thoughts, and feelings that make up, and automatically appear as the contents of your consciousness in any moment. They invite inquiry into how liberating it can be to entertain and play with these unique-to-you contents, rather than be entertained or hijacked by them.

I make such an invitation because it’s that freedom bit that helps change lives – for the better. You not only see why your experience unfolds as it does more clearly, but why others behave as they do too.

Series 2 explores what makes sense to you in your relationship with the different groups you’re a part of – teams at work, professional networks, family and friends, for instance.

Suppose you, and other members of these groups were NOT bound by sense making that no longer helps you. Then what?

Enjoy playing with and wondering about what works for you on the questions in this series. Let me know in the comments if they help or not.

Colin Newlyn began The Decrapify Work Not-Newsletter as..

“a form of therapy… A way to work out loud, to figure out what I think and to connect with others who see the world in a similarly sideways and outraged fashion.”

His outrage is supported by numerous workplace engagement surveys, done by Gallup, Deloitte and many others, all of which point to high levels of disengagement among two-thirds of employees – and here’s the rub – persistently across about 20 years of surveying who knows how many people, yielding millions of data points, all around the world.

A post inEliza Filby’s Newsletter called Introducing Inheritocracy asked this question “Do young people want to be managers?”

Citing influencers on TikTok and an article in The Independent she writes..

“While we shouldn’t take a TikTok trend as representative of anything anymore, it’s interesting to note how prevalent this feeling is amongst older Gen Z/early Millennials (between 24-30) who entered the workplace at a time of the pandemic and who now find themselves in management positions. They were never exposed to good practise in this area themselves, and so are struggling now. The legacy of COVID continues to be felt at different points throughout the career ladder”.

Over the last 30+ years I’ve had countless coaching-and-mentoring conversation with leaders in both public and private sector organisations. Most entered these from a stressed state of mind to differing degrees. One big contributing factor, I concluded, connects to the way they think about their role. Being the chief sense maker, decision taker and action initiator, may have felt exciting once, but, over time, overwhelms many.

If my work points to leaders’ stressed, overwhelmed states of mind with respect to how they think about their role. And, among others, Colin’s speaks up on behalf those who’ve been on the wrong end of poor leadership. While Eliza highlights why many of the younger generation don’t want more of the same – not to mention you’re own direct experience of leading and leaders, of course, – we might conclude that many people believe leadership, as we’ve known it, isn’t working.

Our beliefs about leadershipBeliefs about the role a leader plays can hang around for a long while. They get passed on from one generation to the next. They are reinforced via art, literature and films. They take on more relevance and meaning when experienced first hand. And, like us, they may evolve and adapt as circumstances change. But they may not too. We have a tendency to hold on to beliefs. Which is why we get stuck sometimes.

Though I was once a subscriber to the belief that leaders are born not made, that doesn’t make sense to me now. In my experience, we are all provided with opportunities to take a lead even when we don’t see ourselves in a formal leadership role. Life invites is to make sense of being a parent, losing a loved one, getting married, caring for a friend, choosing a career, bringing out the best in others, having purpose, crafting a culture in our workplaces and other groups we’re proud of, resolving the inevitable differences that arise in these, and more. We may not always recognise it, but such sense making, choice making, and action taking opportunities are abundant.

Our beliefs about the leader’s role determine whether and how we seize such opportunities.

No matter whether you have a formal leadership role in a business or family, say, or are taking a lead on a particular issue, look at the beliefs we can each hold about leadership below. Note which resonate with you – that is to say what you’re drawn to, and which you find less attractive, because it’s less you, as it were.

Knowing what kind of beliefs about leadership automatically show up in you, makes playing with each, and wondering which are most helpful in your circumstances, easier.

1. The Tribal Leader

You see your role in terms of protecting your tribe and bringing cohesion to it. To be the one who is relied on for communal survival because of your strength, wisdom, and skill.

Though rooted in early human societies, this same belief can be seen today in those who run their part of the organisation, or family, as fiefdoms or factions, and are tribal in how they relate to others and compete for resources.

2. The Divine Right Leader

You believe your role is to deliver on a divine-given mission, which you see as essential for stability, order and authority. To be the one on whom power is bestowed and centralised as a way protecting the mission, or God’s work, and growing the number of fellow ‘believers’.

The consolidation of power through hereditary rule was often legitimised by claims of divine right, linking leadership to religious beliefs and establishing dynastic traditions. In modern times monarchies still prevail – think King Charles III’s divine-like coronation ceremony, which epitomised this belief. More commonplace, though, are leaders of dynasties or big family-run organisations who believe their mission is inspired by divine intervention and seek fellow disciples to enact it.

3. The Warrior or Military Leader

You see your role is to gain authority through conquest and (military-like) strength. To be the one who can maintain control and protect conquered territories (or market share gains.)

The feudal system thrived on a hierarchical structure, and leadership was closely tied to military prowess. Kings and lords gained authority through winning military battles using strategies designed to defeat an enemy, step by step. We get the term ‘command and control’ from here – needed to ensure each step of a strategy is executed well. Competitive marketplaces are often thought of as being analogous to battlefields and war.

4. The Enlightened Leader

You feel your role is to govern for the betterment of societal progress as a whole. To be the one who embraces, articulates and enacts new intellectual and philosophical shifts.

Rooted in The Age of Enlightenment, this belief marked a shift toward reason, science, and human rights. Leaders fostering the growth of cross-border collaborative networks, working on science-related topics such as vaccine research and climate change, would be examples of modern-day equivalents.

5. The Captain of Industry Leader

You see your role is to oversee enterprises that can manage complex processes, and navigate societal transition with attendant economic shifts. To be the one who can clearly envisage the benefits new technology brings before others have any inkling of these.

The Industrial Revolution brought about significant technological disruption, from agricultural to industrial production. New captains or pioneers like Brunel in the UK, Rockefeller in the US, and Benz in Europe, were driven by the benefits innovative new technology brings. Modern day captains in this digital age are epitomised by Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Elon Musk, and leaders of many different start ups including those building new blockchain and AI technologies on Web 3.0.

6. The Inspirational Leader

You believe your role is to inspire others and win their hearts and minds. To be the one who sets out a clear vision of what is possible, builds up people’s resilience and motivates them in the face of rapid social changes.

The 20th century witnessed a shift toward this belief about leadership, especially at times of war, think Churchill regarding the cause of freedom, Gandhi and Mandela on equality, and on inspiring a nation to bold technical accomplishments, think JKF and the Apollo programme to the moon.

7. The Servant Leader

You feel your role is to be of service to those in your organisation or family whose work is valuable, and on which others depend. To be the one who understands wellbeing, inclusivity and the impact both have on collaboration and, ultimately, what is and isn’t achievable.

The shift to servant leadership responded to a growing awareness of the importance of wellbeing and engagement – the extent to which group members feel good about the way things get done and play a full part in making them even better.

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Whatever the sporting discipline, those who coach have the task of preparing the athlete to give their best in competition. Then there are those who transform training into the simple execution of orders.

The authoritarian approach in training is as widespread as it is harmful.

The challenge is no longer reserved for sporting performance. The competition expands and the athlete not only faces his opponents, but also his teammates, trainers and coaches.

There are those who, under such pressure, give their best, win, become a champion and unconsciously also become an example legitimizing this type of authoritarian training: it almost seems that sporting success comes thanks to the harshness of the coach, when instead it comes, more often, by the resilience of the athlete, able to resist, to improve, despite the humiliations of those who should be his ally.

Not only that, but there are many other potential champions who do not have the same resilience and will to overcome the “harassment” of authoritarian coaches and remain unfulfilled promises, anonymous data of statistics on sports abandonment. From them the coach, with his authoritarianism, has obtained the only result of distancing them from the activity and also reducing their well-being and self-esteem.

The relationship between coach and athlete should instead be deeper and more bon, based on an empty relationship of authority. For potential to become reality, trust is needed: from the athlete towards those who train him, from the coach towards those who are training.

That is how the exhausting training sessions are not carried out out of blind obedience to orders, but out of the trust placed in the mutual relationship, with the authentic awareness that the aim of the training is improvement, sporting, but ultimately also human, of the athlete. And only in this way do the weight of expectations, the pressure of competition, lighten, finally when it is understood that the first fan of whoever is competing must be on the bench.

Sorry, I realize now that, due to my sporting passion, I indulged in talking about sport when I wanted to talk about the relationship of trust in the company. However, if you think about it, situations like those described above can still be configured even in companies.

The authoritarian (not authoritative!!) attitude creates a situation similar to the one just described: if mutual trust does not arise, only a few talents emerge, energy and potential are wasted, turnover increases, the environment becomes toxic even among colleagues.

The relationship of trust in the company is fundamental: it makes the relationship with the customer possible, directly influences the economic results and is an inevitable prerequisite for better performance.

Trust is the basis of all relationships, especially between a manager and his collaborators. On the one hand, the manager relies on the skills, seriousness and work of the employees; on the other hand, employees rely on the manager for their professional growth and well-being in the workplace.

Unfortunately, there are managers who have not yet realized the importance of creating a company culture based on trust.

Trust management, on the other hand, is a corporate objective to be treated with attention, planning, consistency and commitment.

A strong bond of trust between the two parties is essential even to create a positive and high-performance work environment.

It is trust that binds people, strengthens bonds, and gives rise to collaborations and exchanges. It is the force that creates projections, expectations, involvement. It can open up a world of opportunities.

Building employee trust is also important for the long-term success of the company. The real challenge, in fact, is to be able to build trust and maintain it over time.

Only in this way do employees trust their managers and tend to be more certain that the company is going in the right direction. As a result, they will be more willing to do whatever it takes to help their manager achieve goals and stimulate even less proactive colleagues.

But the manager must be the first to trigger this process, placing trust in his collaborators and delegating roles of responsibility to them.

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In this episode of The Sanity Project podcast, host Joanne Victoria interviews Katherine Lazaruk, a leadership coach who began her career in image consulting. Lazaruk discusses her unconventional path to leadership development, emphasizing the importance of embracing one’s inner child and being open to various career possibilities. She shares her experience of building a business around her corporate job and eventually transitioning to full-time consulting, aiding clients in climbing the corporate ladder. Lazaruk also touches on the concept of “web thinking” versus linear thinking, encouraging the idea that diverse experiences can eventually interconnect to form a fulfilling career path.

Katherine’s foray into the professional world began with a vision—quite literally. During a pivotal coaching session, she experienced a flash of inspiration that would become the foundation of her first business, ICU Image Consulting. Despite the lack of regulation in the industry and the initial uncertainty, Katherine’s entrepreneurial spirit was undeterred. She leaped, balancing her corporate job with her burgeoning business, until the recession presented an opportunity to go all in.

Katherine’s background in music and education, along with her experiences in opera and teaching, shaped her multifaceted approach to life and work. She observed that few people have the luxury of a single, linear career path. Instead, most of us create a mosaic of experiences that, over time, weave together to form a unique and fulfilling professional life.

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In learning how to fly an airplane, one of the first lessons has to do with understanding winds. Winds come in basically three types;

• Head winds – those hit you right in the face
• Tail winds – those from behind
• Cross winds – those at angles from the side

I believe the challenges we face in life and in business model these three types of wind as well. If we consider all the forms of challenge we face, we can boil it down into these three categories. However, it might be interesting to compare the pilot’s concern with each of these winds as we think about our daily responses to life’s winds…..

Head WindFirst, the head winds. Too often we might be prone to think of these negatively. As wind hits us in the face, it slows us down, forces us to press harder against the wind. Bob Seger wrote a great ballad titled “Against the Wind…stronger now still just running…against the wind”.

When a pilot encounters head wind during flight it can be a challenge. Fuel consumption is increased as air speed decreases. The time it takes to reach a destination increases. Stress and fatigue can set in. But did you know it is preferable to take off and land “against the wind”? Why? Because the increased force of that head wind causes “lift” on the wings which is the force that makes planes fly.

A good steady head wind actually makes take-offs and landings easier, more comfortable and effective. So the next time you sense a head wind in life, ask yourself whether it has been provided to allow more lift for a better take off to a new place in life or whether it is there to afford a safer, smoother landing from where you have just come.

Tail WindNext let’s talk about tail wind. This is just the opposite from a head wind. We tend to think of tail wind as favorable. During flight that might be true. It can serve to push us forward, reduce effort and speed the time towards the destination.

But did you know it is the most difficult force with which to reckon during take off and landing? At those times, it actually impairs control, reduces efficiency and creates danger.

Maybe in life we need to be cautious of the perceived tail winds. Rather than gliding along with them, we need to watching for hindrances to gaining new achievement or resolving old challenges.

Cross WindThe final force is cross wind. All things considered, crosswind is the most challenging of all flying situations. That is true in life and business too.

Crosswind means what it implies… a force crossing you at an angle to the direction you intend to fly. During flight, a cross wind will blow you “off course”. A constant watch must be given to direction and compass heading while flying in crosswinds. There is no cruising during crosswind conditions. It is a constant battle.

Take off and landing is even more severe. Very special techniques are required to manage a crosswind situation. This is why you see planes doing a crab landing, angling sideways right before touchdown. In some situations the crosswind can be so severe that its force exceeds the designed strength of the air frame on the airplane, which makes the good pilot seek an alternative landing site, one where the winds are more favorable.

Life has crosswind too.

It is the skill and grace with which we handle life’s crosswinds that determines our ultimate success. Failure to recognize and manage a crosswind can cause certain disaster.

Either we ignore the presence of that crosswind or we acknowledge it but underestimate the consequences. Forging ahead means grave results.

So next time you feel a certain extraordinary force influencing your life, consider the pilot. Is the wind you feel one of these? If so, which one and how will you choose to handle it?

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In today’s fast-paced digital world, the phenomenon of shrinking attention spans has become increasingly prevalent. This is equally true for both youth and adults. With the constant bombardment of information, people are finding it challenging to focus their attention for extended periods. This trend has significant implications for productivity, learning, and overall well-being. However, understanding the causes behind shrinking attention spans and implementing strategies to mitigate them can help us reclaim our ability to concentrate effectively.

Causes1. Digital Distractions

Having more than one digital devices in this age is no more a luxury. Mobile handset is one of those options which is used more than anything else in this age. People just cannot afford to miss out on any information which they assume to be significant for them. Be it a turbulent political scenario in one part of the world or industry related info. We all love to stay updated just about anything and everything.

1. Death by Information Overload

Researchsuggests that the surging volume of available information — and its interruption of people’s work — can adversely affect not only personal well-being but also decision making, innovation, and productivity. People took an average of nearly 25 minutes to return to a work task after an e-mail interruption. That’s bad news for both employees and their organisations.

1. Multitasking Culture

Since we all love to be recognised for the volumes of work that we produce at our respective workplaces and in an attempt to achieve that in the limited timeframe, we push ourselves and go an extra mile and get things done quickly. Here quality of the work produced in a haste is not accounted for and could be a big question mark. While doing that, we remained successful in producing large volumes of work in the shortest possible time frame.

1. Soul Searching

If you’re going througha period of soul searching, keep going. AsThérèse Cator, embodiment practitioner and founder ofEmbodied Black Girltells: “Soul searching often arises from an inquiry, whether it’s a broad question around your overall purpose or something more focused, such as a difficult decision you’re facing.” “I see soul searching as a threshold in our lives,” Cator says. “It’s a crossroad and we’re trying to figure out what the right next path is, what the right next decision is, or who are we in the greater scheme of things.”

1. Lack of Sleep

When we don’t get enough sleep, our Focus and concentration abilities decline. Their reaction time lengthens, they’re inattentive, and they don’t respond as well to environmental signals. That means they can’t take in new information or react to dangerous situations. This is particularly worrisome if you’re behind the wheel of a car.

Remedies1. Limit Digital Distractions

We have no choice but to set boundaries around digital devices and establish designated time slots during the day for checking emails, attend to missed phone call or short messages, and browse social media (if needed). Let’s use productivity apps or browser extensions to block distracting websites during focused work sessions. Let’s also try out the following:

1. Let’s put cellphone on silent mode or upside down so we don’t have to see the incoming call and message traffic.
2. Log off frequently used social media apps viz.: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn etc. For some people, it’s very tempting to frequently check the updates.

3. Turn off unnecessary websites or apps that aren’t necessary for the task at hand. Move tempting apps to the third or fourth page of your phone screen so that you have time to catch yourself mindlessly opening them.

4. Be Selective on Information Consumption

We have to understand that there is good information and then we have bad information. Information overload can fragment our attention and make it difficult for us to focus on important tasks. Filtering information (suppressing, deleting, and selecting irrelevant information) helps reduce information overload. In addition, work can be delegated, especially for screening or filtering tasks. Also, let’s prioritise information as what to consume and what to avoid in that particular moment.

1. Multi-tasking isn’t Efficient

The real issue is that multitasking, at least for humans, doesn’t really work well.“We know from the psychology literature that multitasking is bad for you,” saysGal Zauberman, a professor of marketing at Yale SOM. Research shows thatwe can’t really do two things at once. We’re actually switching our attention back and forth between the two tasks — and we perform worse at both. Multitasking is inefficient — but we feel like we’re getting so much done.

To avoid the possible deleterious impact of multitasking:

1. Limit the number of things you juggleat any given time to just two tasks.
2. Use the “20-minute rule”. Instead of constantly switching between tasks, try to fully devote your attention to one task for 20 minutes before switching to the other.
3. Practice Mindfulness/ Meditation

Meditation, in form or the other and in all faiths and cultures or traditons exists. Besides, every single sphere of our life does seek help from mindfulness to provide relief from the anxiety and stress of everyday life. This wellness movement has made its way into the corporate organisations across the world. They don’t only encourage employees at their workplaces to find time for silent self-search but also motivate them to go beyond and convince their families and friends to try out the same in their free time.

1. Get Enough Sleep

“More sleep will dramatically improve your performance”, says career and branding expert Wendi Weiner, since you won’t be yawning your way through a blizzard of emails. “Being well rested will definitely help improve your memory and concentration alike, as a rested brain is a stronger brain,” she says. “Remain on a sleep schedule so that you train your body and mind to relax at specific points in the day and night”.

Take AwaysThe human brain is always in motion, handling various thoughts, while the duration we can concentrate on one thing before losing focus or requiring a pause is influenced by our attention span. However, life is bustling with numerous components, and it’s entirely typical to occasionally become sidetracked due to its complexity. In reality,researchrevealed that, on average, 47% of our waking moments are spent thinking about matters unrelated to our current activity. Nevertheless, a limited capacity for sustained attention can have effects on both your personal and work-related spheres.

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Keep aiming and contributing how you can and success will be created for everyone by taking Fifth place and earning only one point, was enough to earn the one-half point that decided the win of the San Francisco City Junior High School Track and Field championship.

At the tender age of fourteen, I found myself in an embarrassing situation during a high jumping competition. Despite my best efforts, I couldn’t match my friend’s impressive jump, which secured him the coveted first place. The following day at school, amidst the announcements and celebrations for the team’s victory, my friend took an unexpected and remarkable step. As the spotlight shone bright on his accomplishment, he momentarily hushed the crowd and drew attention to my contribution. With grace and wisdom beyond his years, he acknowledged that without my fifth-place finish and the single point it earned, our team wouldn’t have clinched the championship that we had won by one-half a point. At that moment, he insisted that I stand and receive the applause I deserved.

That profound gesture left an indelible mark on me, instilling a deep admiration that has persisted throughout my life.

From that early experience, I learned the essence of true leadership – the ability to recognize, acknowledge, and fully appreciate every contribution, no matter how seemingly small, that leads to success. In my professional and personal endeavors, I have strived to embody this principle, understanding that triumph is a collective effort, and every individual’s role deserves recognition and gratitude.

As I am writing this, Sejal Thakkar is coming to mind, her efforts with Nobody Studios, her introduction to Dennis Pitocco, and their remarkable additions to my life. I had decided to continue my high-level solitary ventures and focus my efforts on returning to Skydiving and qualifying for entry into the Hall of Fame, but all that has changed. I’m now addicted to AI and plan to combine my much-needed aged practical experience to aid in any way that I can, in the safe and sane functional development of it, and continue my New Beginning!

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I was told by a dear friend that if I stopped working, the world would end. Currently I am in three different businesses and write as well. Seeing that the customer facing ne has me working weekends and I seem to get the most urgent requests only on my days off. As a customer-centric person, I do what I can to avoid problems that result if one is deemed in-attentive! Example one customer very well educated, and very specific directions had a question the day before install. It was a Sunday. Not only did I have back-to-back customers all day, so I wasn’t on my computer or even my phone she texted and called, but I was talking with a person every time, showing products so no hands free to text. She called the office and left a message. When I finally got a moment towards the end of the day, I got yelled at and she yelled at everyone in the office. My customer service was her issue. Our business is very keen on speaking with whoever is with us directly first. It made me upset as I take my role seriously and there is no way to know each day the ebb and flow of clients in person.

Contrast to the software part time position that is on the 24-hr. clock because of the global nature of staff and clients. Though I set hours every week on my calendar, the 4 or 5 that I do as a business development/salesperson, this one can easily make a mess of my schedule. Textile consulting is appointment based and easy to manage. This difference between work styles made me think I should investigate the issue more! I was speaking to an IT friend who I know because of our shared passion for rugs and textiles. A treasure trove of information, this is what he offered.

Barry O’Connell shared:In the dynamic and ever-connected world of global collaboration, working across time zones is a familiar challenge that demands flexibility and sometimes, a touch of personal sacrifice. For one dedicated professional, navigating the time difference between the United States and Kerala, India, has become an art form, honed by necessity, and facilitated by the freedom of remote work. Our protagonist finds themselves bridging the geographical and temporal divide that separates their US-based operations from their development team in India.

The logistical puzzle of coordinating efforts across continents is a common scenario in today’s interconnected workplace. Yet, it’s the personal adaptation to these circumstances that truly encapsulates the spirit of global teamwork.

With team members in Kerala wrapping up their day as the US team is just beginning theirs, this individual has embraced an unorthodox schedule to keep the wheels of progress turning smoothly. Working from home offers the flexibility to adjust working hours, and this has become a cornerstone of their strategy for seamless collaboration. Embracing the quiet hours of the early morning, they’ve turned what could be seen as a disruption into an opportunity. Waking up for a 4:00 AM call to India is not just about troubleshooting or crisis management; it’s about fostering a continuous flow of communication and ensuring that both teams move forward in harmony. This unconventional schedule has its perks. After the call, a return to sleep is not just restorative; it’s a tactical pause. By the time the US management is ready to discuss the day’s agenda, our interviewees are refreshed, informed, and ready to brief them on the overnight developments. This approach also offers an unexpected benefit in the realm of workplace autonomy. The necessity of being available during the wee hours grants a certain degree of freedom during the conventional workday.

In an era where digital tools like Teams make it all too easy for managers to monitor activity levels, there’s a certain satisfaction in knowing that true productivity can’t always be measured by keyboard strokes or mouse movements. Our protagonist’s story is a testament to the adaptability required in today’s global workforce. It highlights not just the challenges of working across time zones, but the creative solutions that emerge when individuals are committed to their team’s success, regardless of the hour. It’s a narrative of compromise, ingenuity, and the subtle rebellion against the digital oversight of modern management tools—a reminder that in the vast web of global collaboration, the human element remains the most critical connector. Also, I should have posted into that article as well to keep your manager off balance. Shoot him an email at 9:00 at night and then answer a call at 4:00 in the morning. He won’t know when you’re working when you’re not and he will think you’re wonderful.

From Forbes: The world is experiencing a pandemic disruption that is changing our perspectives and beliefs about how we work. In particular:

• The balance of power has shifted from employers to employees.
• The employee value proposition has shifted from “work for me” to “work with me.”
• Employees favor a hybrid model versus going back to the office full time.
• Employees are rethinking their purpose—they are searching for meaning, not activity. In particular, millennials are interested in working with purpose-driven companies rather than those focused on shareholder value.

As governments start to ease pandemic restrictions and employers prepare to welcome employees back to work. The successful transition of the workforce from the known pre-pandemic world to the unknown post-pandemic world will depend on shifts leaders make to navigate this volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous environment. According to Andy Grove, former chairman and CEO of Intel, “Bad companies are destroyed by crisis, Good companies survive them, Great companies are improved by them.” Below are five shifts’ leaders must make to transform the pandemic work disruption into a gift and opportunity:

#1 Focus on purpose: What kind of employees would leaders attract if they measured their value not from Wall Street but by improving people’s lives—resolving environmental, social, and governance issues? Your organization will attract and retain employees searching for meaning and not activity. According to Mckinsey, “70% of employees now demand purposeful work.” These purpose-driven employees are “6.5x more likely to report higher resilience, 6x to stay at the company, 1.5x likely to go above and beyond.” Also, shareholders and customers make choices in the market based on purpose and sustainability.

#2 Change your paradigm: The implications of the post-pandemic disruption on the future of work are still unknown. Tim Elmore, the author of The Eight Paradoxes of Great Leadership, said, “Uncommon leaders leverage both their vision and their blind spots. We must not fall in love with an idea but fall in love with a problem. If we fall in love with an idea, we may be blinded to the better idea that comes along later.” You can mandate people to return to work, but you can’t control their levels of engagement. The current problem is complex, which means the problem must be managed, not solved. Also, it requires a cautious and experimental approach to bring employees back to work.

#3 Shift from customer-first to people-first: It is widely known that Amazon Founder, Jeff Bezos, leaves an empty chair to represent the customers’ voice during the company’s most important meetings. In today’s world, you need two chairs, the customer, and your employees. Like your customers, your employees are human beings. Howard Schultz, the former CEO and Chairman of Starbucks said, “We are not in the coffee business serving people, but in the people, business serving coffee.” Simply, treat your employees with the same respect and passion as you would a customer.

4 Embed your talent strategy into every phase of your business: Your HR partners are closest to the pulse of your organization, and they can leverage these insights to engage, energize, and unleash the power of your talent.

5 Shift your leadership operating model: With the shift to digitization, small businesses have been struggling to keep up with consumers’ insatiable appetites and changes in technology. Costs associated with bigger, better, newer, and faster software and hardware were a burden. The X-as-a-service (XaaS) model (where X = platform, software, infrastructure, etc.) is catching on in these environments as an intangible value to customers while lowering the total cost of ownership by providing subscription-based technology. It helps business owners meet their customer needs by accessing the latest technology while keeping CapEx low.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/richardosibanjo/2022/02/27/the-post-pandemic-workplace-5-shifts-every-leader-must-make/?sh=1c4f96354fc1

Some things businesses have to consider post pandemic according to: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7566764.

The pandemic has pointed out problems in the current systems, as well as speeding along progress in the technology realm. A structural-unruly duality characterizes emergence, progression, and impact. Mainstream development thinking the problem. Transformations are needed in science-policy, economies. Resilience, equity, diversity, and inclusive politics are required.

This was a predictor back in 2020 and I believe it certainly has proved true!

https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/11/our-post-pandemic-world-and-whats-likely-to-hang-round/

That ongoing uncertainty takes a big toll. That’s the basis of a traumatic stressor — unpredictability, uncontrollability — until it exceeds the ability of the organism to cope,” Koenen said. “It’s affecting every milestone: graduation, entering school, leaving school. For the older Gen-Zers: marriages, dating, jobs — in fact, there aren’t jobs. That’s a formative period in their lives when people are figuring out: What’s important to me? What do I want my life to look like compared to my parents’ life?”

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In large processes of cultural evolution, such as the current contexts, leaders have an even more relevant role. Recent events have literally forced a cultural evolution at all levels in companies and leaders have been inexorably overwhelmed by it.

Many have been able to ride the wave. They experienced, understood, learned and were truly able to seize a precious opportunity for authentic evolution. Some others improvised and, ultimately, improvisation represents a resource, perhaps even a genuine talent.

The majority faced the unprecedented and extremely difficult challenge with a great sense of responsibility and conscience and had the intellectual honesty to admit some defeats along with the successes.

What is certain is that reality sees us projected into a world with technological and organizational phenomena whose scope is enormously difficult to deal with.

Today it is talked about inclusive, inspirational, feminine, heartfelt, sustainable, humanist leadership etc. and, undoubtedly, each of these proposals brings with it the authentic value and weight of those years-long research or those experiences accumulated even with great effort.

And since on this matter there is nothing certain, final, to be negligible, especially in constantly changing times, and then, every experience, opinion, study or research, survey, are always opportunities for consideration and reflection, I will try, I too, to propose some aspects which, in my modest way of seeing, should characterize a leader so that he can face this historical phase with a sense of presence and responsibility:

Curiosity, which must never be lacking, because after all there are many proposals and there are no recipes; stopping at the first reading or at the first inspiration could be fatal.

The ability for synthesis and personal elaboration, because the approach to the many proposals must not be encyclopedic but synthetic, that is, capable of drawing the best out of every idea to obtain a very personal proposal.

Anti brittleness, the ability that perhaps we have really put aside, that is to lend ourselves to chaos (absence of routine, points of reference, regularity, habits, serenity) with the aim of learning and thriving.

Attention to those who have a vast repertoire of experiences accumulated over time.

The ability not to be shocked by the contradictions of the reality that surrounds us; paradoxes are an integral part of a complex worldle and leaders (and not only) are faced with the challenge of identifying useful and intelligent syntheses.

Lastly, I would add a great sense of sportsmanship in the face of what represents an unavoidable factor in the leaders’ daily game, and in the face of which one sometimes runs the risk of becoming a little “over-confident”: the risk, which it cannot be eliminated from the life, not only of leaders but also of all of us.

In short, we could say that what is worth focusing on is, more than ever, the “quality” of the daily action of a leader and his collaborators.

I hope I have not added to the confusion in the debate.

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At work we have all kinds of people. Some are extroverts and others are introverts. Some people love to socialise to their fullest and others stay reserved, uninviting and minding their own businesses. The extroverts, sometimes, really talk endlessly. We might think of those colleagues who hardly talk as unsocial but they may be doing it by design and in many situations, they are wise enough. They are also extremely good at observing what goes around them. The real game is what they need to disclose with colleagues @work and what to keep it to themselves. In fact, it’s a subtle art to maintaining our mystique at work.

Successful people know this very well — there are certain things, outside of work life, that we just don’t need to disclose it anyone at work. It’s not about being sensitive to information sharing and being secretive at the same time, rather, it’s about being strategic. Revealing too much can sometimes lead to unnecessary judgments or biases. But keeping certain things to ourselves can keep us on our path to success.

Let’s explore how these successful colleagues operate in their private and professional. What they disclose publicly and what keep under wraps.

1. Personal strugglesWorkplaces are often seen as professional environments, and successful people understand this very well. They know that their personal life, particularly any struggles or issues they might be dealing with, are usually best kept separate from their work life. This may include some family disputes, other issues i.e. health issues within the family etc. This isn’t about creating a false facade or pretending everything is perfect.

Rather, it’s about maintaining a professional image and ensuring that personal issues don’t distract from work related projects and assignments. This category of colleagues tend not to air their personal issues in the workplace. They also don’t add or invite office colleagues to their personal social media platforms. Needless to say that we all have our own life struggles. But successful people know that the workplace is not always the best place to discuss them.

1. Future Career AspirationsThese wise people also understand the importance of commitment and dedication to their current job roles. While it’s completely normal its their right to have long-term career goals or aspirations outside of the company if they cannot make it within the organisation for obvious reasons, voicing these openly at work may send the wrong messages for no reason.

Talking about plans to leave for other opportunities can create doubt in our dedication to the current job roles. It could impact our relationships with our current colleagues and bosses and even affect our progress within the company. While it’s crucial to have career goals and ambitions, successful people usually keep these future plans close to their chest until they’re ready to make their next move.

1. Self-doubtWe all grapple with self-doubt at times, even those who seem the most confident. I remember early in my career, I would often question my abilities and wonder if I was truly capable of succeeding in my role. Successful people are no strangers to this feeling. However, they tend not to reveal these insecurities at work. They understand that self-doubt can be perceived as lack of confidence or competence, which can impact their professional reputation.

This doesn’t really mean that one starts talking about it publicly or to the “trusted colleagues”. Instead, they work on overcoming these doubts on their own, focusing on not self-sabotaging their careers and craving for growth. They know that everyone has areas to improve on and they strive to turn their insecurities into motivation to perform better.

1. Past FailuresAs Michael Jordanvery rightly said: “I can accept failure, everyone fails at something. But I can’t accept not trying”. Failure is a part of life and often a stepping stone to success. But successful people know when and where to discuss these failures. While it’s important to acknowledge where we go wrong and learn from them, dwelling on past failures at the workplace can create a negative impression. It can lead others to question our very existence at that organisation.

Successful professionals tend not to reveal their past failures at work, unless it’s relevant to a learning experience or a particular discussion. They focus on their achievements and future goals, using past setbacks as lessons they’ve already learnt, not as defining factors of their professional identity.

1. Political leanings / affiliationsThis one is highly important. I’ve seen a few colleagues losing their jobs and their sufferings due to making such an information public in one way or the other. Research suggests that political discussions at work can lead to decreased productivity, poorer work quality, and increased hostility. Successful people understand the potential pitfalls of discussing politics @workplace. While it’s natural to have political views, voicing them in a professional environment can lead to unnecessary conflicts.

Keeping political leanings to ourselves help maintain a harmonious working environment with colleagues of all backgrounds and beliefs. It’s all about focusing on what unites us in the workplace — our shared goals and tasks — rather than what might divide us.

Final ThoughtsLet’s remember that acting maturely at the workplace is all about creating and maintaining a ‘Fineline’.The road to success is often paved with caution, care and wisdom, and part of that strategy is knowing what to keep under wraps. The art of maintaining professional boundaries is a skill successful people have mastered. Recognizing that some aspects of life are best kept out of the workplace isn’t about creating a persona or hiding who they truly are. It’s about understanding the dynamics of a professional environment and fostering a productive and harmonious workspace.

Whether it’s personal struggles, political leanings, or health concerns, the decision to keep these matters private can significantly impact how others perceive us in our professional lives. Navigating these boundaries might not always be easy, but it’s an essential part of the journey towards success. And as we’ve seen from those who’ve walked this path before us, it’s a journey well worth taking.

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One of my coaching clients shared with me recently how she was feeling insecure in her job role and lacking motivation. The company she works for is acknowledged as an entrepreneurial industry leader. Because it is currently being challenged by poor sales performance, it has bunkered down and frozen any change initiatives, learning programs or new projects until mid-2025. Because my client is in a substantial Research and Development function, crucial to innovation, we aimed to explore new ways of helping the company use their existing equipment (capital investments) and resources (people and expertise) to design and deliver low-cost and sustainable innovations to the market and creating a focused, meaningful, purposeful role and a values-based motivating opportunity for my client to be proactive, impacting the company by adding value to the bottom line by improving productivity and cost efficiency because anyone can learn to innovate.

Learning to innovateAs a result of our short time together, my client felt confident and empowered, motivated and energised, to invest time in learning how to apply her current skills and strengths, focus and attention to connect with key people and resources, explore options globally for identifying new business development opportunities, and in developing her technical skillset.

My client enrolled in an online innovation learning program to learn to innovate by acquiring the fundamentals of mindset and behaviour changes to shift their thinking and act differently.

The innovation imperative has shiftedProductivity growth needs to accelerate
According to McKinsey and Co, in the article “Investing in Productivity Growth”, it’s not only time to raise investment and catch the next productivity wave; the world needs to and can accelerate productivity growth.

“Productivity growth means getting more from our work and our investments. It is especially needed now as the world faces the many challenges of a new geo-economic era. Productivity growth is the best antidote to the asset price inflation of the past two decades, which has created about $160 trillion in “paper wealth” and even larger amounts of new debt”.

Adapting to the new net zero reality
The world must be on track to meet net-zero targets, yet many opportunities are available to accelerate efforts and help meet decarbonisation goals. Whilst some progress has been made to reduce global carbon emissions, under the current trajectory, the world won’t achieve net-zero emissions even during this century. Again, according to McKinsey and Co., in an article “Adapting to the new net-zero reality”, mitigation efforts alone are no longer sufficient – the world will need to adapt as well by going green, ramping up technologies and increasing investments.

Improving cost efficiencies
According to new BCG research, corporate leaders are making better cost management a priority as a hedge against ongoing economic, financial, and political uncertainties, stating that:

“Wholesale cuts are one way to manage costs. However, drastic measures such as sudden workforce reductions may lead to unintended consequences because they fail to address the root causes of inefficiencies. Nor do they position an organisation for future success”.

Generative Ai is a critical enabler of innovation
Whether the organisation focuses on developing new products, services, processes, or business models, Generative AI (GenAI) can enhance and challenge the work of leaders and teams across all phases of the innovation cycle and process.

By learning to innovate through knowing how to generatively question and listen, reveal and challenge operating beliefs and test assumptions to enable them to emerge, diverge, converge and prioritise high-quality creative ideas for change.

According to BCG in a recent article, “To Drive Innovation with GenAI, Start by Questioning Your Assumptions.”

“GenAI’s most prominent contribution is in idea generation and validation—innovation’s divergence and convergence phases. Yet, it can play an even more critical role in helping leaders confront and update the strategic assumptions at the foundation of their business and innovation strategies: the doubt phase of the cycle. Organisations that regularly question their beliefs are more resilient because they are more likely to see and position themselves to benefit from the shifts on which competitive advantage turns”.

The innovation imperative is paradoxicalSuppose we combine the contradictory features or qualities of developing productivity growth while adapting to the new net zero reality and improving cost efficiencies. In that case, many organisations have reverted to their conventional, business-as-usual focus, relying on Generative Ai to solve their problems.

This demonstrates a typically faddish response to a revolutionary, transformative new invention whilst being avoidant and resisting the urgent need to change by building the fundamental foundations in enhancing people’s capacity by learning to innovate.

Thinking and acting differently
Anyone can learn to innovate, and it starts with allowing, accepting and acknowledging that a business-as-usual focus, avoiding risk, making the tough decisions and resisting change are no longer effective, profitable, or sustainable because:

We all know that doing the same thing and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity. We can no longer afford to keep producing the same results that no one wants. We can’t solve the problem with the same thinking that created it; we have to learn how to be, think and act differently to deliver the sustainable and innovative solution we want to have.

Learning to innovate requires a radical strategic shiftHarnessing collective intelligence
Anyone can learn to innovate; it’s simply a matter of leveraging talent to know, combine, leverage and scale people’s multiple and collective intelligence – heads/cognition, hearts/emotions and hands/actions.

Revealing and closing knowing-doing gaps
Then, we should align these to close the significant knowing-doing gap or disconnect between what people know and what people do.

Everyone knows that innovation is the most impactful lever to use to scale and leverage change, yet are primarily unwilling to pause, stop and take time to retreat from their short-term focus, pay attention and reflect on how to equip people with the innovation fundamentals by getting people’s:

Heads to make sense of innovation and what it means by defining and framing it in their organisation’s unique context, setting a strategic focus, determining the level of risk involved in achieving it and mitigating the roadblocks that may arise.

Hearts aligned to embody and enact what innovation means by setting and sharing a passionately purposeful reason for innovation, building change receptivity and readiness for designing and delivering a range of bespoke deep learning processes and equipping people to activate it.

Hands dirty by creating a safe environment where people are encouraged to emerge and share creative ideas and permission and be allowed to experiment by making small bets and mistakes and learning by doing to know what not to do.
Innovation requires a strategic and systemic focus

Innovation is subjective and contextual, so it must be defined and framed in an organisation’s unique context. It requires a strategic and systemic focus, so an organisation needs to agree on whether they will choose an incremental, sustainable or disruptive strategy and the level of risk.

The 21st century requires us to unlearn, learn, and relearn different mindsets, behaviours, and skills; anyone can learn to innovate to deliver successful change and transformation initiatives.

Commitment and conviction to learn to innovateIt’s only through being committed and having the conviction that my coaching client now has – to explore new ways of helping their organisations use their existing capital investments, collective intelligence, people resources, and expertise, supported by Generative Ai and deep learning processes, to design and deliver low-cost and sustainable innovations to the market.

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Consistency in the day-to-day requirements of leadership is essential, but the best leaders also know how to intentionally create moments that inspire, engage, drive imagination, and have an impact that far outlasts the moment itself. In a recent reading of The Power of Moments by Chip Heath and Dan Heath (2017), I was fascinated by the dynamics that allow certain experiences to have an extraordinary impact upon our lives as humans and leaders within an organization.

Leadership moments matter, and they cannot be artificially created. They must stem from leaders who learn from life journeys and who remain authentic (Luthans, Avey, Avolio, & Peterson, 2010). Authentic leadership is “the result of combining your personal and professional identities into an integrated whole, allowing you to rise up and adapt to new challenges while still being true to yourself” (Her New Standard, 2023).

Good leaders bring their whole selves to the people they lead and the challenges they face with creativity and humility, which in turn can inspire others and bring life to an organization.

Listening

Defining moments are an important part of the leadership experience, but they can be hard to recognize when one is in the midst of such a moment. It should not be surprising that the first prerequisite to discerning an opportunity to create a leadership moment is listening. To be a good communicator is to be a good listener. It is absolutely fundamental to true leadership. (Wooll, 2021). Listening leads to relationships built on trust and a shared sense of loyalty. Inviting employees to share honestly and asking thoughtful questions to increase understanding indicates that a leader has others’ best interests at heart (Llopis, 2013). Leaders should consider listening to be their “full-time job,” as it helps them identify when a moment is needed to make a change, inspire, or simply to tell a story.

Engage

Good listening inherently requires a response from the leader. Actively engaging with people helps generate understanding and accountability. When leaders hold themselves accountable to follow-up with employees on what they have shared, “they will know that you are listening, paying attention and attempting to understand what matters most to them” (Llopis, 2013). This understanding helps build relationships. Research in the field of social psychology increasingly shows that leaders who “prioritize relationships with their employees and lead from a place of positivity and kindness” are more successful leaders in every sense of the word (Seppälä, & McNichols, 2022). Strong relationships must not be left to chance, but instead are a “matter of choice” (Zimmerman, 2016). Leaders can take positive action to build healthy relationships built on trust.

Inspire

Truly inspirational leaders “attract and engage others through their words, actions and beliefs” (Kurter, 2020). Leaders who desire to inspire must build the ability to discern when the moment is right to lean in and point the team back to their shared vision or goal (Garton, 2017). Moments like this can expand a team’s understanding of their goals, how they can each contribute, and what they might accomplish by bringing their full selves and unique skills together (Cohen, 2020).

Hypocrisy is the greatest danger to creating this kind of environment. It is nearly impossible to motivate and inspire a group when the leader’s integrity is in question. Attempts to inspire where respect is not present can actually do more damage in the long-term and create a memorable negative moment instead of a memorable positive one. Inspiration often comes from the consistent demonstration of values and follow-through, not just waxing eloquent about those values (Eades, 2019).

Translate

Good leaders must be good translators (Morgan, 2020). Dealing with complexity is part of the everyday job. However, disassembling an issue and then reassembling it in a way that creates understanding is an acquired skill. This requires a leader to have a full understanding of the issue and the use of “strong listening and communication skills to build bridges between people” (Benjamin, & Komlos, 2022). Leaders act as a translator for all parties so that the same language is being spoken, which is essential for creating a leadership moment.

Like a poem

Think about a moment that stands out in your memory—a moment that had special significance and meaning for you. Like the art form of poetry and story, such moments help us make meaning of our experiences. Leaders can harness the power of story to create moments that resonate (Xing, & Liu, 2015). “Ultimately, we bond over, grow through, and feel seen, heard, and valued through the specific moments that leaders create for us. These leaders and these moments leave us feeling capable, inspired, and like we belong” (Josh, 2023).

When you fail

Leaders are human, and at some point, will fail or experience letdowns. One cannot always control their circumstances, but good leaders control what they can—their responses to failure and disappointment. How a leader responds reveals their character. Every failure is an opportunity to demonstrate to every person in the organization, both in actions and words, how to move forward with grace and resilience (Russell, 2020).

A distinction should be made between a failure based on incompetence and a failure caused by experimentation (Good, 2015). “In the former, learning might focus on an individual’s capacity, the latter might look at how to evolve the experiment. Similarly, understanding the consequences makes a huge difference in how we deal with a failure and should help us determine how many and which people to involve in the learning process as well as how to turn that learning into change, and eventually, success” (Good, 2015).

Defining moments in leadership

As leadership experts Ed O’Malley and Julia Fabris McBride emphasize in their book, “When Everyone Leads” (2023): “Leadership is an activity, not a position of authority.” Because leadership is active, everyone has an opportunity to get better at it with practice (Birsel, 2018). Admittedly, this learning process is complex, and can at times, feel overwhelming and impossible.

Each step leaders take on this path of growing their ability to lead is a step toward becoming more human. “Leadership moments are ones that make your heart leap with hopeful anticipation or fear of taking the next step” (Martin, 2019)” Each step that is chosen is an opportunity for inspiration, understanding, and wholeness. This dialogue, so to speak, with one’s experiences and the world helps create moments with those around them.

Creating leadership moments has the power to open hearts and expand an organization’s vision for who and how they serve, and allows the leader to express that which has no easily definable shape or form, the essence of leadership. The journey toward this kind of leadership takes time, space, and the willingness to commit to being rather than only doing. For the individual leader and the people they lead, it is worth the struggle.

Resources

• Benjamin, D. & Komlos, D. (2022). Why Leaders Should Make The Extra Effort To Translate Numbers: Insights From Author Chip Heath. Forbes.
• Birsel, A. (2018). 4 Small Moments that Make a Huge Difference in Your Leadership Style. Inc.
• Cohen, S. (2020). Leadership and the Power of Inspiration. Johns Hopkins Carey Business School.
• Eades, J. (2019). 3 Ways to Immediately Inspire Anybody (From the Moment You Meet Them). Inc.
• Garton, E. (2017). How to Be an Inspiring Leader. Harvard Business Review.
• Good, A. (2015). 5 ways the best leaders learn from failure. World Economic Forum.
• Heath, C., & Health, D. (2017). The Power of Moments: Why Certain Experiences Have Extraordinary Impact. Simon & Schuster.
• Her New Standard (2023). Authentic Leadership: What It Is and Why It Matters Now More Than Ever. Her New Standard.
• Josh (2023). Leadership Worth Remembering: 10 Types of Moments the Leaders We Remember Create. 3×5 Leadership.
• Kurter, H. (2020). 7 Powerful Characteristics Of A Truly Inspirational Leader. Forbes.
• Llopis, G. (2013). 6 Ways Effective Listening Can Make You A Better Leader. Forbes.
• Luthans, F., Avey, J., Avolio, B., & Peterson, S. (2010). The development and resulting performance impact of positive psychological capital. Human Resource Development Quarterly. 21(1). 41-67.
• Martin, E. (2019). Your Leadership Moment. Medium.
• Morgan, J. (2020). Want To Be A Better Leader? Master The Skill Of The Translator. Medium.
• O’Malley, E., & McBride, J. (2023). When Everyone Leads: How The Toughest Challenges Get Seen And Solved. Kansas Leadership Center.
• Russell, J. (2020). Just Move On: The Best Leaders Own Their Failures And Learn From Them. Forbes.
• Seppälä, E., & McNichols, N. (2022). The Power of Healthy Relationships at Work. Harvard Business Review.
• Wooll, M. (2021). The importance of listening as a leader in the digital era. BetterUp.
• Xing, Y., & Liu, Y. (2015). Poetry and Leadership in Light of Ambiguity and Logic of Appropriateness. Management and Organization Review: University of Cambridge Press. 11(4). 763 – 793.
• Zimmerman, A. (2016). The Things Successful Leaders Do and Don’t Do to Build Relationships. Entrepreneur.

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Facing a workplace situation that feels more like a never-ending marathon than a fulfilling career? Sounds like you’re stuck in the “24/7 rule” circus, where the company’s demands are juggling you around like a reluctant clown! But fear not, it’s time to add a dash of humor to lighten the mood and find your way out of this job jamboree.

Imagine this: you’re the star performer in a workplace drama titled “The Great Escape from 24/7 Land.” Cue the dramatic music as you dramatically roll out of bed after hitting the snooze button more times than you can count. Your reluctance to face the day rivals that of a cat avoiding a bath – and trust me, that’s some serious reluctance!

But wait, there’s more! Your inner circle knows all about your workplace woes, making you feel like the lead character in a soap opera where everyone’s in on the juicy gossip. And as for having fun? Well, it’s become as elusive as finding a unicorn at a corporate retreat.

Now, let’s sprinkle in some wit and wisdom. Picture yourself sitting down with a trusted confidant, pouring your heart out over a cup of coffee. You lay out your grievances, and they respond with a quip so sharp, it could cut through the corporate red tape like a hot knife through butter. Together, you brainstorm a plan so ingenious, it would make even Sherlock Holmes proud.

As you jot down your thoughts on paper, you realize something profound: it’s time to reclaim your power and put yourself first. You’re not just a cog in the corporate machine – you’re a force to be reckoned with!

So, armed with humor, wit, and a newfound sense of determination, you set out on your journey to find greener pastures. Who knows? Maybe your next adventure will involve writing that book you’ve always dreamed of or embarking on a spontaneous trip to Singapore – because life’s too short to be stuck in a job that feels like a never-ending sitcom rerun!

Remember, laughter is the best medicine, especially when dealing with workplace woes. So, chin up, my friend, and let’s add a little humor to this chapter of your life story!

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More than ever, organisations and individuals are looking ahead to the future with a close lens and keen insights. This type of big-picture thinking is imperative to the success of any company or a person. It’s part of building mental fitness. After all, our world is not static, rather it is in a constant state of change. With much of the future unknown and uncertain, companies (and people) need to stay agile and think strategically about what’s to come ahead. In fact, half of us feel unable to plan for the future.

Having said that, we also need to make sure to stay reactive. Our organizations know that the future isn’t set in stone. Nowadays, the future is fluid. To look at the bigger picture ahead, we know that we need to make space for reflection in case things don’t go as planned.

In this article, we shall deliberate on how to adopt habits to become a BIG Picture Thinker. Let’s find out how BIG Picture Thinking Pattern can keep ourselves and our organizations a step ahead from the competition, from the market place — and be better prepared to pivot when needed.

Who’re the Big Picture Thinkers?The BIG Picture People tend to be creative, strategic, and visionary, but they can also be messy, disorganised, and forgetful. On the other hand, the detail oriented people are conscientious and exacting, but may lack perspective or fail to prioritise long-term goals. These types of thinking skills aren’t inherently natural to us. Like any other sort of skill or muscle, it takes practice to start thinking with a BIG Picture view. Let’s see how BIG Picture Thinking should work for us and why it’s worth investing in building a future-mindedness in our respective workplacs?

Ways to Embrace Big Picture Thinking1. The Power of seeing the Whole

In most cases, particularly in our part of the world, we are not trained to have a holistic view of things. Rather, we look at the transactional value of the pieces. We love to work in silos and we feel good about it. Also, in most cases we don’t like others to interfere in our respective domains even for our own good. We live with this distorted desire to control i.e. I am the In-charge for my own little kingdom.

Unfortunately, most managers are trained like that, not bothered to look at the BIGGER Picture, e.g., the Heads of HR, Finance, IT or other support function are generally busy adding frills to their little empires without realizing the purpose or core of their organisational existence. Similarly, they train their successors in a similar fashion, living in their own (fool’s) paradise.

2. Spare Time to Reflect

Rather than acting on short-term conditions such as emotions, fatigue, time pressure or distraction, deciding based on the BIG Picture can ensure us prioritise effectively and set achievable goals. Here are a few methods we can use to think about the big picture:

1. Connect with the Divine and seek help
2. Write down the BIG Goals
3. Go for a thoughtful walk
4. Talk to a friend or a family member who is a good listener and seek advice

3. Build Future-Centric Skills

We all understand that due to the current economic situation around the world, the future will remain uncertain for a foreseeable time and that’s fine. Organizations and individuals everywhere are navigating the same uncertainty and unknown. In fact, 63% of Americans say they’re stressed about the unknown. But our workforce doesn’t have to feel like it’s navigating the unknown alone or without support.

Creating future-centric leaders in our organisations will help keep our employees agile, healthy, and engaged. Researchshows that future-centric leaders report increased team agility, team performance, innovation, and resilience. 82% of people have significant room for improvement in at least one area of future-centric leadership skills.

4. The Journey Starts from Within

It takes a “leadershift” — a balance between standing back and seeing the big picture (vision) and moving in close while painting all of the fine details (execution). BIG Picture Thinkers dream of the opportunities, not just the problems, they see possibilities, not barriers. They have the capability of see across the wall.

BIG Picture leaders then take those abstract thoughts and envision strategic outcomes. They can make a plan for how to create opportunities from challenges, and outcomes that drive an organization to somewhere ahead of where it is today. BIG Picture leaders elevate possibilities, processes and people.

5. Convert Plans into Action

Since we are discussing the BIG Picture Thinking and painting a vision, let’s see what the great artist Pablo Picasso had to say: “Our goals can only be reached through the vehicle of a plan. There is no other route to success.”

As we look through our own leadership lens today, let’s ask ourselves:

1. Do we have a vision for what we do?
2. Is our vision in sync with our life goals?
3. Are the goals outlined with a plan that is SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Time-bound)?
4. Does our vision include leading others toward the end state? If so, am I more focused on managing an operation or leading people?

SummaryIn short, “Symphony” is the ability to see the big picture not only in terms of analysis, but also to integrate and synthesise to see that the whole is greater than the sum of all the parts. It is a capacity that each person has to a degree. The more this symphony is cultivated the easier it becomes to communicate and understand the job as a whole, the significance of each part to success, and the subtle interrelationships among the parts.

Let’s not forget that the change is the only constant and is necessary for evolution. Leadership Guru John C. Maxwell writes in his book Leadershift, “You cannot be the same, think the same, and act the same if you hope to be successful in a world that does not remain the same”.

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A recent neuroscience study exploring how the brain engages in creative work, reveals that flow, or being “in the zone,” the state of blissful consciousness, can be achieved by consciously releasing or reducing cognitive control to allow creativity to flourish.

“Letting go”, a foundational principle in mindfulness meditation practice, is central for an optimal creative state of flow to be reached and maintained.

To elicit flow, we have to intentionally create the space for it. A mental, emotional and physical environment that is conducive “to see what else is possible”.

The realms of possibility and opportunity are inherently connected with untapped potential.

Harnessing change is part of any growth’s journey; it is the gateway into new experiences that open to new, effective ways of attaining the desired outcomes.

The essence of the creative process is to let go of the “knowing” mind construct, to shift into the dimension of wondrous curiosity, allowing for new insight to surface, to be explored and eventually embraced.

Unlocking organisational potential ties with fostering human centred dynamics where processes, systems and approaches are harmonised, to synergise with the change effort.

This is a dimension of expansion, where intentional presence and empathic listening weave in with collaboration, experimentation, authenticity, safety and trust, to synchronise the shared purpose, build resilience, and activate ownership, transforming the relationship with adversities.

How comfortable are you at the idea of letting go of the “I know” and embrace instead the “What if” and “Where from here” ?

To shift from change to transformation, we steer the dialogue (inner and outer) in a direction that invites in openness, to a space where we promote collaborative problem solving.

The creative process is by all means a human centred endeavour. Ideas and solutions arise as a result of channelling the creative energy into a collaborative pursuit.

It is not about the ‘I’ versus the “We” rather the integrative process that is built around a shared vision, shared values and a common goal.

“Creativity is intelligence having fun.” A. Einstein

This analysis is foundational to the Module 3 of my “Transformative Leadership Coaching Program” at present offered on 1-to1 Format: “Embrace Growth. Be In Service.” You can learn more about the first two Modules by visiting my LinkedIn profile and my website. To unlock more insight into the 5Dimensions of the Program, you can sign up to download the expanded view.

Link to the external resource: https://neurosciencenews.com/creative-flow-neuroscience-25918/

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With all the talk about layoffs, and top companies laying off thousands at a time over the past year, we’re seeing more and more individuals using what’s called Career Cushioning. This refers to maintaining a safety net – or backup plan -while pursuing your primary career goals. This safety net includes such scenarios as a side job, freelance work, a secondary source of income. Not to mention, professionals are job searching with the hope of lining something up should they end up laid off.

The purpose: to provide financial stability and security, especially during times of uncertainty or transition in one’s primary career path. In short, this is a strategy where professionals take steps to create ‘just-in-case’ alternate paths of employment in the event they lose their current job.

According to a recent post on the HubSpot.com, a site with tools, software and info for businesses, Career Cushioning allows you to ‘cushion the blow’ if you lose your job unexpectedly. It’s about being proactive and creating additional opportunities for yourself in the event of a layoff or sudden termination.

The practice of career cushioning has continued to escalate. And while it wasn’t called Career Cushioning in the past, professionals have been doing just this for decades.

businessinsider.com says – “A slew of companies across the tech, media, finance, and retail industries made significant cuts to staff in 2023. Tech titans like IBM, Google, Microsoft, finance giants like Goldman Sachs, and manufacturers like Dow, all announced layoffs”. With all these layoffs by top companies, such as these – over the past year – workers are feeling unsettled. Even employees with a history of stable employment may harbor apprehensions about their future within their company. Also, we’re seeing the elimination of mid-level positions. For example – management roles. Unfortunately, the firing of a manager or specific leader can cause a domino effect in terms of staff turnover.

Remaining vigilant about the job market is prudent regardless the situation, and utilizing this practice can enable you to gauge the market regarding your skills. That said, this practice could also pave the way for significant discussions within your current organization. In short, staying aware of the marketplace can help you grasp the needs of prospective employers providing you an opportunity to upskill or venture into a completely new professional area via reskilling.

7 Tips for Career Cushioning1. Stay visible – Update your Profile on LinkedIn – post comments and articles of value on a regular basis. 2. Take time to diversify your skills. For example – broaden your skill set. This helps you make yourself adaptable to different roles and industries. Having a diverse range of skills can increase your employability and resilience in the face of changing job demands. 3. Develop and solicit feedback from mentors to identify areas for improvement and professional growth. A mentor can offer valuable guidance and support during challenging career transitions. 4. Participate in informational interviews. This is a meeting between an individual seeking information about a career, industry, company, or specific role and a professional who possesses relevant knowledge and experience in that area. Unlike a traditional job interview, the primary goal of an informational interview is to gather insights, advice and firsthand perspectives rather than securing a job offer. During an informational interview, an individual typically asks questions to learn about various aspects of the profession, such as day-to-day responsibilities, required skills and qualifications, career paths, industry trends and challenges, for example. It’s an opportunity for the interviewee to gain valuable insights into the field they’re interested in and to expand their professional network. 5. Get Certified. Skill Validation Certifications validate your skills and expertise in a specific domain. They provide tangible evidence to employers or clients you possess the necessary knowledge and competencies to excel in your field. In today’s competitive job market, having certifications can set you apart from other candidates. They demonstrate your dedication to staying current with industry trends and technologies, making you a more attractive candidate to potential employers. 6. Network. Networking exposes professionals to a broader range of career opportunities. Whether job openings, freelance projects or collaborations, networking can quickly connect individuals with opportunities they might not have otherwise encountered. Networking is engaging with peers, mentors, and industry leaders which can provide valuable feedback, guidance and mentorship opportunities. Professionals can learn from the experiences of others, gain new perspectives and receive advice on career advancement strategies. 7. Offer your services on a freelance site. Freelancing opens up a world of diverse opportunities. As a freelancer you can work with clients from various industries, regions and backgrounds, allowing you to expand your skills and knowledge, This can also provide opportunities for continuous learning and growth. Plus can help you build your network.

Overall, career cushioning is a strategic approach to career management which prioritizes financial stability and flexibility. Bottom line – it enables individuals to pursue their primary career goals with greater confidence and resilience, knowing they have a backup plan in place to support them during challenging times.

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The Assumption of CompetenceIn the corporate world, there’s a pervasive assumption that once an employee climbs to a certain rung on the ladder, they inherently possess all the skills necessary to lead effectively. This belief is rooted in the idea that experience alone is a sufficient teacher and that seniority equates to leadership prowess. However, this assumption is flawed and can lead to a dangerous neglect of ongoing leadership development.

The Consequences of NeglectWhen organizations operate under this assumption, they inadvertently set their leaders—and by extension, their teams—up for failure. Leaders may become isolated, losing touch with the ground realities of their teams. This isolation can breed a form of insulation where leaders are cocooned in their established ways, resistant to new ideas or blind to emerging issues within their teams.

The Ripple Effect of IsolationThis isolation doesn’t just affect the leaders; it trickles down, affecting team dynamics and performance. Leaders who are not up-to-date with the latest management techniques or who lack self-awareness may inadvertently pass on bad habits to their team members. These habits can manifest as poor communication, ineffective feedback, or a lack of empathy—each of which can erode team morale and productivity.

The Need for Continuous LearningLeadership is not a static skill set but a dynamic one that requires continuous learning and adaptation. Just as industries evolve, so too must the skills and approaches of those who lead within them. Leadership training should be seen as a continuous journey, not a destination reached at a certain job title.

Investing in GrowthOrganizations must invest in their leaders at all levels, providing them with the tools, training, and support they need to grow. This investment pays dividends in the form of more engaged, productive teams and a culture that values growth and learning.

ConclusionThe myth of self-sufficiency in leadership is not just a disservice to the leaders themselves but to the entire organization.

By committing to continuous leadership development, companies can foster a culture of excellence, adaptability, and shared success.

Orlando Haynes and I talk about the negative consequences, need for continuous learning and investing in growth in their leaders on his CareerTalks podcast.

Listen to full podcast here:

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In this thought-provoking episode of The Mind Takeaway Podcast, we’re broadcasting from a rooftop in Belgrade, with the bustling city below us, to tackle the transformative concepts of learning, unlearning, and relearning in leadership. As the business landscape evolves at a breakneck pace, we explore why the most important trait for today’s leaders is the ability to rapidly assimilate new information, shift perspectives, and adapt to change.

We unpack the distinctions between passive and active learners, emphasising the significance of active roles in professional development. Our discussion highlights how leaders who embrace trial and error and are willing to be vulnerable in learning ultimately flourish and make a lasting impact.

We confront the barriers that ego presents to personal growth, exploring how defensiveness and a reluctance to be wrong can stifle learning. Conversely, we celebrate the power of embracing discomfort, recognising that feeling unsettled is a natural part of acquiring new skills and expanding one’s horizons.

Join us as we explore the delicate balance of slowing down to speed up, the importance of curiosity in leadership, and the courage required to step out of one’s comfort zone. We share insights on how leaders can foster a culture of continuous improvement within themselves and among their teams by demonstrating a willingness to experiment and evolve.

Whether you’re a seasoned executive or an emerging leader, this episode serves as a compelling reminder that the journey of learning is never complete and that the willingness to embrace the uncomfortable truly defines transformative leadership.

Tune in for an episode that will challenge your assumptions, inspire you to reflect on your learning style, and empower you to become the leader that the future demands.

Episode Highlights:* The essential nature of adaptability and continuous learning in modern leadership * The difference between passive and active learning and the role of ego in hindering growth * Strategies for embracing discomfort and the benefits of doing so for leaders and their team * Real-world examples of how leaders have successfully implemented new skills and the positive impact on their teams * Remember, when you feel discomfort creeping in, it’s a sign of potential growth.

Episode Chapters(00:00) The Mind Takeaway podcast comes from the rooftop of The Office Belgrade.

(00:54) learning, unlearning and relearning are essential for leaders to grow and have an impact.

(04:04) To be a great leader, you must be a great learner simultaneously.

(07:43) The most critical thing in leadership is being comfortable with being uncomfortable.

(13:06) If you are feeling stuck right now, it’s time to take the first step. Look at the Leadership skills you want to learn more about and start there.

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Have you ever caught yourself making a snap judgment about someone based on their clothing, accent, or even the music they listen to? We all have. Prejudice, aggression, and violence – these dark aspects of human behaviour seem ingrained in our nature. But what if they’re not inevitable? Let’s delve into the fascinating science behind these behaviours and explore ways to cultivate a more peaceful world.

Our brains are wired for efficiency. We categorize everything, including people. This “in-group, out-group” mentality served our ancestors well, uniting them against threats. However, in today’s diverse world, it can fuel prejudice. A 2022 study in Nature Human Behaviour found that the brain activates the reward centre more when people from our in-group succeed, but punishes betrayal from that same group even more harshly. We crave belonging, and negativity towards outsiders strengthens our internal bonds.

Economic hardship and social anxieties can be a breeding ground for prejudice. A 2021 study published in Social Psychological and Personality Science revealed that people experiencing financial strain were more likely to hold negative attitudes towards immigrants. Fear of losing jobs or resources can make us see outsiders as a threat. Moreover, injustice breeds negative behaviour towards others. Though it can be justified yet it’s always advisable to take the high road. What’s the difference between someone who does wrong and someone who responded back the same way.

A constant stream of “us vs. them” narratives in news and social media can exacerbate these biases. Confirmation bias, our tendency to seek out information that confirms our existing beliefs, gets amplified in echo chambers online. This can lead to stereotyping and demonizing entire groups of people. People are different and will hold different opinions. It is not our job to diminish their identity or to develop a superiority complex. The person who downgrades others consistently reveals his/her insecurities. A confident person will always welcome diverse viewpoints.

From Jerk to Jewel!The good news is, our brains are also incredibly adaptable. We can combat these negative tendencies by Challenging stereotypes. When you find yourself making assumptions, question them. Actively seek out experiences that broaden your perspective. Reflect on why you get triggered by a specific person or situation. Acknowledge your own mistakes or improper behaviour. Stop playing the blame game. Be accountable and responsible.

Put yourself in someone else’s shoes. Read diverse stories, watch documentaries, and have conversations with people from different backgrounds. Acknowledge the fact that we all are different individuals, with our own unique strengths and weaknesses.

It is not always just about you or a single individual or organization. The world does not revolve around you. So, stop glorifying yourself and be humble. What you are blessed with today can be taken away from you tomorrow in the blink of a moment. So, there is nothing to feel so arrogant about. We never know what people are going through in their real lives, so it is always best to be kind.

Working or socializing with people from different groups can break down stereotypes and foster understanding. Communication is a powerful tool, provided you know how to use it. In this digital age, there is no excuse to not communicate properly. It is all about your willingness to invest in that relationship whether personal or professional. When people from different backgrounds open up we realize what was hidden and where we were blinded by prejudice, biases, and even arrogance. A person who struggles in life is far more stronger than one who gets everything easily.

Embrace The Power of “We”. By recognizing our shared humanity, we can build a more inclusive world.

Social psychologist Gordon Allport believed that intergroup contact is key to reducing prejudice. Schools and communities can play a crucial role in creating opportunities for positive interaction. When the foundation is strong, the structure is strong. True strength lies not in crushing dissent, but in the civility with which we engage it. A single act of civility can spark a ripple effect, weaving a tapestry of respect through the roughest of divides.

Prejudice, aggression, and violence may have roots in our evolutionary past, but they are not our destiny. By understanding the forces that shape our biases and actively promoting empathy and understanding, we can cultivate a world where “us” encompasses everyone. Civility is the bridge we build, not to surrender our ground, but to reach common ground.

Cracking the Code of Rudeness!Let’s take the example of why people troll: The Neuroscience Behind Online Nastiness. The anonymity of the internet seems to unleash a beast in some of us. Trolls spew vitriol, conspiracy theories run rampant, and civility takes a nosedive. Why are we so much meaner online than in person? It turns out, our dark side has a fascinating dance with technology, and the answer lies in the murky depths of our brains.

One culprit is the lack of social cues. Studies using eye-tracking technology show we focus less on emotional expressions online, hindering empathy. This disconnect from the human cost of our words emboldens us to be crueler.

Dopamine, the brain’s reward chemical, also plays a role. Upvotes, likes, and the notoriety of getting a rise out of others can trigger dopamine spikes, making negativity strangely addictive. Think of it as getting a twisted pat on the back for bad behaviour.

Social media algorithms can exacerbate the problem. They prioritize engagement, meaning inflammatory content often gets the most traction, creating echo chambers that reinforce negativity. It’s like being stuck in a room where everyone yells the loudest.

But there’s a silver lining. Research by Stanford University suggests virtual reality experiences that foster empathy can actually reduce prejudice. Imagine confronting your online persona head-on – a sobering thought!

Additionally, platforms that require real-name verification or gamify positive interactions could nudge users towards more constructive behaviour. Think of online badges for kindness or “cool down” periods before posting.

The internet is a powerful tool, and just like fire, it can be used for good or ill. Understanding the dark psychology behind online nastiness is the first step towards taming it. By harnessing technology’s potential to foster empathy and build better online communities, we can turn the tide of digital incivility and create a more humane virtual world.

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I was looking outside when I glanced a luxurious car parking under what looked like a healthy tree. Suddenly, a big branch of the tree fell on the car and damaged it. This reminded me of the Fallen Tree Branch Syndrome. A tree that looks healthy is not.

My mind drew analogy between the fallen branch syndrome and the fallen branch of employees’ morale.

Researchers are still undecided on the reasons why a healthy-looking tree drops its branches suddenly. One reason is due to overwatering the tree and rotting its roots. This leads to the sudden fall of the tree branches.

There are early indicators of the fallen branch of the employees’ morale by lowering their emotions state. Morale in the workplace is a key driver of a company’s success. Detectable signs of fallen morale include

• Lower productivity compared to previous performances.
• Increased gossiping, backbiting and spread of rumors in an organization.
• Increased illnesses among employees and reporting late to work.
• Lower quality of customers’ service
• Increased waste of time due to increasing mistakes by employees.
• Forgetting appointments
• Sleeping during meetings and agreeing with the group without serious discussions
• Increased floor dirt such as thrown napkins on the floor
• Increased conflicts among employees
• Employees not putting their maximum effort in the work
• Fallen creativity and continuing doing the same without attempting to improve work
• Late to respond to customers’ phone calls and complaints
• Prevalence of toxic culture

When employees’ morale is high, they engage, contribute and care for the quality of their work. This is because employees with good morale levels value their work.

This results in higher team unity and productivity. Employees care to work in keeping with the companies’ mission, vision and goals. Those employees try again if they fail and learn from their failures. They care to improve their work and generate new ideas.

Be careful to assume that what looks a healthy morale tree may drop its branches and fail the work. Care to detect the early signs of falling morale.

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The importance of inspiration in leadership has been long known. When people are inspired by the behavior of an individual, that inspiration can shape actions, goals, and outcomes. Ultimately, those who inspire others not only have a “significant positive impact on their followers,” but also on social systems (Cakir, & Adiguzel, 2020).

In order to inspire others, however, a leader must himself be inspired. Effective leaders make it a habit to seek out sources of inspiration rather than expecting it to find them. This starts by knowing yourself, recognizing areas for growth, and determining how to share oneself with others in a meaningful way. Part of knowing yourself is “questioning [your] character, which is defined by the sense of purpose, values, aspirations, and personal resilience” (Shet, 2020). To grow as a leader and a person who inspires others, leaders must begin by creating discomfort. Staying in your comfort zone may be understandable and even logical, but to grow, we must try something new (Resto, 2021). For those who desire to inspire as they lead, this must involve looking for new sources of inspiration.

Inspiration from outside your comfort zoneOne of the most-overlooked places for inspiration are people outside your regular work sphere. There are people in different industries who possess amazing abilities, characteristics, and ooze inspiration that you can absorb or emulate. Circumstances that aren’t precisely parallel with those of your own industry are no reason to ignore the wisdom and motivation that can be offered outside one’s circles of influence.

Seeking inspiration from those in our own field can often be hampered by a sense of competition. In a competitive mode we can then become self-critical, which can undermine confidence. By looking for inspiration outside one’s industry, you can learn from others you admire with self-compassion and without unhelpful comparison. You are more readily able to remain in observation mode when interacting with others. “Learning from others depends on people’s ability to integrate their own and others’ experiences” and then understanding what can be learned, adopted or discarded (Moskaliuk, Bokhorst, & Cress, 2016). We may unintentionally be discarding experiences from outside our usual spheres and missing inspiring moments in the process.

Good leaders must shift from this automatic mode and instead observe, note, and adopt, even from unexpected sources. Reflecting on interactions or journaling about encounters with those who inspire us helps us take notice of our surroundings and drive learning.

Furthermore, inspirational leaders set challenging objectives, use symbols to get ideas across, provide meaning for suggested action, envision an attractive and attainable future, and appeal to feelings (Bass, & Riggio, 2006). Leaders must challenge themselves to look at others outside their industry and learn from them and apply their perspectives and approaches to their own work. When leaders show individual consideration or are motivated by others intellectually, they replenish their well of inspiration to draw from to stir up others (Bakker, Hetland, Olsen, & Espevik, 2022).

Consider the examples below of three individuals from different walks of life, then expand this exercise to think of people who inspire from outside your normal day-to-day work and social life.

Profile A. Incarcerated Person serving sentence in prisonIn my work with a prison ministry, I have been continuously inspired by a particular Incarcerated Person who exhibits a high level of gratitude. Gratitude is defined as “a generalized tendency to recognize and respond with grateful emotion to the roles of other people’s benevolence in the positive experiences and outcomes that one obtains (Li, Wu, Brown, & Dong, 2022).” Observing how this person speaks and interacts with others and noticing the ways his gratitude inspires the same in those around him is challenging and instructive. Leaders can learn from his example how to cultivate gratitude that is contagious—even in challenging circumstances.

Profile B. School Nurse providing daily day-to-day care in a school systemA School Nurse was concerned that her colleagues were no longer seeing the best in their students and appeared to be exhibiting compassion burnout. Compassion doesn’t follow a give-and-take approach, and the school nurse had experienced this first-hand. Her response to her colleagues’ attitudes toward their students was to “ask questions that allow them to interrogate their approach and teach them to spot their own assumptions” by simply asking why (Davey, 2023). This was sometimes as simple as asking teachers why a student needed to seek medical attention when no medical issue existed or giving feedback to the teacher about the student that humanized the pupil, thus helping the teacher to see the child beyond any preconceived notions, refreshing an incomplete perception of the student, and reestablishing a compassionate connection between the student and teacher.

Profile C. Public Relations and Marketing Manager in the tourism industryA Marketing Manager works hard within her team to improve the team dynamics. She facilitates discussion on a project to improve employee engagement, helps diminish team members’ frustration, and examines ways that offering the option to work either remotely or in-person can be fulfilling and engaging. Her desire to see the team perform well together and her compassionate, creative, and flexible approach to their well-being influences her employees’ performance and contributes to the success of the organization (Swanson, Kim, Lee, Yang, & Lee, 2020).

Profile D. Yoga InstructorHealth and peace are closely linked. A Yoga Instructor inspires by focusing on developing health and by teaching her pupils to cultivate and increase their self-awareness, body-awareness, emotional regulation, and attention regulation through relaxation, diet, exercise, and challenging the status quo of Western medicine (Fogel, 2020). Her teachings promote confidence in their sense of self that allows them to engage with intentionality and to respond to challenges in a way that is experienced as authentic by both the leader and those they are leading (Fonow, Cook, Goldsand, & Burke-Miller, 2017).

ConclusionAs Shivam Agarwal muses, often, “we surround ourselves with people we are most comfortable with and forget about the world which exists in the parallel” (Agarwal, 2019). Effective leaders seek inspiration from individuals who are “enthusiastic about their job, their life, or their family, and who convey their enthusiasm and good energy” to others (Economy, 2016). However, it may feel fresher or more distinct when it’s outside the industry that you are embedded within. The attitudes of people who are passionate about what they do are infectious, and these people exist in many unexpected places if you are willing to take the time to observe.

Experienced leaders know that “what works in one situation will not necessarily work every time” (McKinsey and Company, 2022). Therefore, diverse experiences and exposure to events, situations, and people will help develop a vast repertoire of skills, which will not only catalyze your personal growth, but will also increase the likelihood of being successful in different situations.

Self-assessment and reflection are key to finding inspiration and inspiring others.

The next time you interact with a colleague or someone outside your organization, try writing down as many things as possible that inspire you about that person. Note why it inspires you and consider your current ability on the traits you listed to discern how their example might help you grow as a leader.

In the words of leadership expert Jeff Moore: “It may seem that inspiration is what leads to action but this is not always true; the truth is that action is what leads to inspiration” (Moore, 2022).

Editor’s Note: This Article originally appeared on NY Weekly and is featured here with author permission.

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The principle mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers.

– Arthur Koestler

In his book Houdini, author Harold Kellock shares a story about Houdini on one of his European tours when Houdini found himself locked in his own thinking. After he had been searched and manacled in a Scottish town jail, the turnkey shut him in a cell and walked away. Houdini quickly freed himself from his shackles and then tackled the cell lock. But despite all his efforts, the lock would not open. Finally, ever more desperate but completely exhausted, he leaned against the door- and it swung open so unexpectedly that he nearly fell headlong into the corridor. The turnkey had not locked it.

Houdini was not locked in a cell by a key but by a belief.

Your belief systems directly influence every part of your life. The larger question is: what does your belief system look like? Let’s explore a few ways this happens in your life.

Wrong beliefs and assumptions lead to wrong actionsHoudini assumed the door was locked. Because his assumption was wrong, his actions were wrong. Wrong assumptions caused him to waste a lot of time and energy trying to accomplish something that was not even necessary. It will do the same for you.

Decisions you make as a leader must be grounded in facts and reality. The worst thing you can do as a leader is to make decisions based on bad information When this happens, you waste valuable time. Your people lose confidence in your leadership.

Wrong actions lead to wrong conclusionsBecause Houdini believed the door was locked, he worked tirelessly to open it. Imagine his reaction when he leaned on the door and it opened, realizing that he had been needlessly working to solve a problem that did not exist. I can only imagine his frustration when the cell door opened that was not even locked.

When your thinking is wrong then wrong actions will follow. This leads you and your team to make faulty conclusions. This only compounds already strained morale.

Understand the power of right-thinking leadershipYou do not want to be locked in by negative thinking as a leader. Right-thinking leaders seek solutions, explore options, empower their team, and share the credit. Right-thinking leaders have a mindset shift that’s not fixed but one that is growing, expanding, and overcoming its challenges because they refuse to be trapped by limited belief systems.

Your growth as a leader is determined by the choices you make. Don’t allow yourself to be trapped by beliefs that hold you back and limit your leadership capacity. Embrace right-thinking leadership with a passion to grow and your possibilities will be unlimited.

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The workplace is forever changing, and the staff at some companies includes multi-generations. Inclusion is a popular topic today as it applies on multiple levels and can encourage repetitive quitting or loyalty.

How you handle tradition versus the new in business on all levels will affect your bottom line. New tech, including AI, is undoubtedly more challenging for seniors to adapt to, while younger generations will likely have the knowledge to assist with the updates.

My Story

Today, two questions suggest the importance of combining traditional communications with the latest strategies. The workplace has dramatically changed on many levels, including:

– Multi-generational

– Greater diversity

– Remote work vs. corporate

It’s apparent that management needs to embrace the fact that differences exist more than ever and that ignoring them will not help any one person or the business. Moreover, diversity exists in many ways, including race, heritage, disabilities, work preferences, and communication styles.

No matter the topic for discussion, you can count on receiving diverse opinions and insights. Wise leaders are inclusive and welcome varying thoughts for sharing, learning, and deeper conversations to benefit everyone involved.

Questions Propel Open Conversations

Today, the first question I read concerns the individual’s preference for communication. With varying generations in your employ and working globally at home or in the office, it’s more essential than ever to ask for the individual’s preference for communication.

While adhering to everyone’s communication preferences may sound time-consuming, the payoff will be timely and quality responses. With a large staff, creating a reminder to review everyone’s choice will be best should you experience a forgetful state of mind.

Once your system is in place, track the changes to determine:

– The response time, individually and collectively.

– The percentage of responses and the statistical increase vs. decrease.

– The average length of employment.

One more tracking option is vital to consider. How does all the above affect your bottom line? When people feel their insights are welcome, they respond quicker and more insightfully to questions and issues, and longer-term employment occurs.

Mindset Encompasses Sales Strategy

Every conversation outcome, whether with friends, associates, staff, prospects, or clients, depends upon our frame of mind, which affects business considerations. While the old age expression is ‘curiosity killed a cat,’ the more modern thought is ‘curiosity opens doors.’ And know that ‘When one door closes, another can open.’

Each Generation Can Provide Value

Today’s second question came from a younger person who wanted to know how I got into story-sharing. Many of us fear sharing poor experiences due to past ridicule and no more of it. However, seniors have many experiences and insights that can empower younger people by sharing them.

The sharing requires bravery to reveal errors or mistreatment so that younger people can learn about the worst to improve and achieve the best. I owe my story-sharing efforts to a Dale Carnegie public speaking class long ago and his book How to Win Friends and Influence People.

Bridging the Divide

It’s essential to accept that disagreement arrives on all levels. Our first job is to figure out where the disconnect may be and to strive to find a solution. But it’s best to save time and move on if it isn’t workable. Sales taught me to welcome either a ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ answer, as it invites trust and the realization of what should occur next.

My evergreen question for when I didn’t understand a situation or a statement is ‘Why?’ or ‘What has been your experience coming to that conclusion?’ Moreover, a calm tone of voice behind the questions invites deeper insights for better understanding and approach to the suggestions awaiting.

In Conclusion: Tradition versus the New in Business

Bridging the divide between generations is a fabulous learning curve for all willing. The underlying factor is inclusion among all you meet and with whom you work. By being as accommodating as possible, like Carnegie, we can all win more friends and influence more people to enjoy a robust career and business.

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The Wizard of Oz may have been pulling levers and projecting smoke and mirrors, but that wouldn’t make him a very effective leader. In today’s dynamic world, the “man behind the curtain” approach simply doesn’t work.

True leaders understand that inspiration stems from visibility, trust from approachability, and connection from relatability.

Just like Dorothy needed to see the Wizard face-to-face to gain courage, your team needs to experience you as a real, accessible human to truly follow and be motivated.

So, how do you shed the illusion and step out from the shadows? Here are 5 ways to BE more and become a leader your team can truly rally behind:

1. Open the Door: Embrace Transparency and Communication. No more smoke and mirrors! Share information openly and regularly, fostering an environment of trust and shared understanding. Encourage questions, answer honestly, and be upfront about challenges.

2. Walk the Yellow Brick Road: Get Down in the Trenches. Don’t just delegate and observe from afar. Be present with your team, understand their daily struggles and successes, and participate in the trenches alongside them. This builds empathy and shows you’re invested in their journey.

3. Embrace the Munchkins: Celebrate Diverse Voices. Don’t surround yourself with yes-men (or women). Value diverse perspectives and encourage open dialogue. Listen to and learn from everyone, regardless of their position or background.

4. Tin Man Up: Foster Growth and Development. Be an advocate for your team’s growth. Offer opportunities for learning, mentorship, and skill development. Invest in their success and watch them blossom into confident, capable individuals.

5. Show Your Heart: Share Your Humanity. True leaders connect on a human level. Don’t be afraid to share your own vulnerabilities, passions, and experiences. This fosters authenticity and creates a space for deeper connection.

Remember, leadership isn’t about pulling levers from behind the curtain. It’s about stepping out, engaging, and inspiring. Show your team the real you, be open to feedback, and be present in their journey. By embodying these principles, you’ll watch your team transform from wide-eyed Munchkins to confident lions, ready to take on any challenge!

Bonus Tip: Don’t underestimate the power of humor and fun! Just like Dorothy and her companions, a shared experience, a laugh, or a moment of levity can create lasting bonds and strengthen your team spirit.

So, are you ready to step out from the shadows and become the leader your team truly needs? Remember, there’s no place like “being more” for building trust, fostering passion, and achieving common goals. Click your ruby slippers and start your journey today!

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In a chat with a colleague, I confessed that there is one position I try to go to in case I have any doubt about my leadership abilities. I would rather be considered a humble learner than a know-it-all. Learning brings two things out — first, we create space for other’s opinions, and second, listen with an open mind.

Again, taking such a position is a luxury for most of us. Being the visionary and the lead player in the business, it might be on us to be at the front, making it difficult to become a student. If we were to stop and let the other go to the front, we could see how the organization would look without us at the helm. The first challenge of leading from the front is the ability to see the way ahead, at least till the path turns a corner. If somebody else could peek further down the road and give their views, we would have another pair of eyes seeing the same path ahead and concluding.

This leads to two questions: Would we accept a diverse view than us? Would we let somebody else lead, at least for a moment? It is hard to let go, especially if there is a disparity in intellectual levels, or the ability to envisage. Most people can’t handle abstract layers and therefore are uncomfortable taking the lead. Some may shun the spotlight because they would rather express but not explain and defend, others might just be uncomfortable with the abstract.

However, I have observed that three factors make a good student out of a leader.

First, curiosity — unbridled curiosity to learn from the smarter people around; Second, humility — the attribute that makes one willing to accept another’s excellence; third, gratitude — a sense of thankfulness that makes you acknowledge other’s contributions.

Let us examine these three closely. Before that, I would like to set the context of why I consider myself a student.

A Journey as a Student into Leadership:As I transitioned from my corporate job into a self-employed phase, I embarked on projects that suited me. I was a natural in many subjects — content writing, website building, building sales funnels and teams, setting up operations for a foreign company, and business consulting. The list could go on. I was faced with a problem of plenty. I expanded my team to address a few projects, but I was mostly the face of my work, and I started feeling the stress of running sales, marketing, delivery, payment, and collection. I came to a point where I needed to start a different journey, albeit being successful as a solopreneur. If I could become part of a team, it would make me focus on my strengths, and let others bring their skills and experience that could complement mine.

My partners brought complementary strengths in finance and investment banking, while I added my strengths in strategy and organization building. We had a meeting of minds, chemistry, and zest to drive the business. It took some time for me to realize that I had learned a lot on the job, but more from my partners. I could take pride in being excellent academically, but it was more than that. It was an unsatiated curiosity to learn as we built our business. To achieve this, I listened to my partners, and their years of experience added to the collective wisdom that made our decisions more enduring.

My biggest learning was to be part of a team. It did not matter how smart I was, what mattered was the loyalty to the team. Even if I was doing the gruntwork of 80%, the balance of 20% could only be achieved with the team. If 100% of any desired result, the 80% would fall short without the 20%. So the 20% became more important than the 80% that I contributed. It brought me to the point of accepting that I was part of something, rather than being the only thing of nothing. A beautiful part of this journey was the acceptance of the interdependence. I felt humbler and grateful, and I was vindicated. During my bad days and poor patches, the team stood up for me and took things forward.

To distill the experience, I could say that I became a student, learning lessons about life, partnership, and teams. From an unequivocal leader in a corporate setup, I became part of a leadership team that balanced various aspects — skills, situations, decisions, and backing each other up. It turned out that being a student put me in places that I would not have been otherwise, but the results were amazing — easier conflict resolution, better decision-making, and faster execution.

This transformation has held me in good stead when I have worked with new teams. The new teams have relative newcomers, but they are specialists and experts in their own right. Here, I become the student as it enables me not only to understand their thoughts but also to listen to their perspectives. It is a ringside view of how ideas come to life.

Let us now examine the three important qualities of a studious leader.

1. a) Curiosity

Einstein describes curiosity as persistent interest and patience to chase a problem to its solution. For a startup founder or a leader, curiosity is the guiding force to propel forward. Whether it is about the vision or a smaller task, curiosity becomes the beacon of studentship. Curiosity brings genuine interest. But there is a caveat — a filter about understanding the relevance of any input that directly lies in the path of the subject in question. Many have considered curiosity as a serious, single-track attribute, but the fact is that curiosity is built on persistence, focus, and patience.

I have seen more curious people. Their learning methods are deeper — taking notes, asking for clarifications, tagging open points, admitting a lack of understanding, requesting examples, etc., It is inspiring to build conversations about the subject, in the process of sharing, we learn. Such learnings make good building blocks for business.

1. b) Humility

Humility is the other side of the coin called curiosity. A student who is curious to learn should be willing to be humble.

“A great man is always willing to be little.”
― Ralph Waldo Emerson**

No teacher ever reveals the true wisdom to a haughty disciple — for the shedding of the ego is the first step in the path of wisdom. If we apply the same logic of curiosity, which makes us students and our fellow founders teachers, we need to be ready to listen. Listening comes with genuine empathetic focus and that comes with being humble.

I have found humility as the biggest challenge to handle — not because it is difficult, but because we forget that we are the students. If we are curious but not humble, we become intellectual show-offs(and I know this, because people use the word genius around me). Humility is the first lesson for a curious student.

1. c) Gratitude

We are curious. We are humble. Now, we have studied our lessons. The third quality — gratitude is the last piece of the tripod of leadership. Gratitude is the basic but the most genuine form of respect. Gratitude is also about seeing the goodness in others — we can be grateful that even thorns have roses ( or feel cursed that roses have thorns.)

A simple acknowledgment that the others have been our teachers is enough. When gratitude is the bond that binds the team, it makes the space for everybody to contribute better, as they are acknowledged and their inputs more meaningful. Gratitude is fundamental to the formation of tribes. African tribes have expressive ways of thanking their fellow tribespeople. In a team, if the stakeholders acknowledge each other’s contributions, it brings them together as a bonded force to achieve the milestones.

If we assume that these qualities could be cultivated, then we could consider a structured approach to becoming a studious leader.

The Feynmann approach to learning as a leader:Being a student is beyond listening — it requires a lot of reading (and watching videos these days) and thinking. The deeper one understands a subject, the better one can contribute to decision-making. Of course, there is the basic intellectual quotient. I would follow Feynmann’s technique (which is counter-intuitive for me).

1. a) Select a subject to learn: The subject in question is about understanding incubators and academic institutions. It is important to crystallize the thoughts about them, mostly in context. The five Ws and H’s approach helps to construct the basic understanding of cultivating entrepreneurship culture and supporting startups from these academic institutions to commercial success. The first step is to understand the lay of the land.
2. b) Simplify the subject: The deeper the understanding evolves, the more complex the learning becomes. But to transmit the learnings to other stakeholders, the same has to be distilled into simpler words. The simplicity comes in articulating the understanding in simple, succinct words. Using tables, bullets, and pictures — workflows, block diagrams, and mind maps, such understanding can be simplified. In the above example, understanding the gap and mapping the possible solutions could be constructed as a table.

c) Review and Refine: Capturing the essence in various documents, tables, and diagrams will allow the stakeholders to consume, comment, and convince ( or get convinced) about the idea. The revisions and refinements are to distill the idea to further simplicity. Simplicity is the ultimate goal — clarity of thoughts expressed shortly and succinctly to the finest possible understanding between the stakeholders, and finally to the external world.

1. d) Organize and Review: The idea is to unify opinions and address them — normally such decisions from the learnings above lead to unanimity in the way forward. When the decisions are at the topmost level, it is important to get stakeholder buy-in and track disagreements in a manner that does not impede the progress of business.

By applying a structured approach and adopting the qualities of curiosity, humility, and gratitude, one can become a studious leader.

In Summary

“If you want to build a ship, don’t drum up the men to gather wood, divide the work, and give orders. Instead, teach them to yearn for the vast and endless sea.”
― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry**

If a person feels the thirst of curiosity to achieve the vision and they see in their tribe the same hunger, the yearning to chase the dream becomes the unifying factor, acknowledging the contributions of his tribe. In a sense, they become a leader in their own right.

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The need to grow is one of the higher level needs that every human being needs to satisfy. If he hadn’t had this seed inside him, we probably wouldn’t still have the fire, or the wheel.

We truly achieve our goals not when we avoid difficulties, but when we learn to face them, without shortcuts and without being discouraged by some disappointment.

For some time it seems that parents of the latest generations often tend to clear the path of their children from all possible and imaginable difficulties.

Skills, instead, are acquired by facing difficulties.

Self-confidence is not a gift but is given to us by the experiences faced, by the large and small problems solved. Everyday life is the gym where we acquire the skills to face the challenges that will be proposed to us.

If young people are prevented from facing difficulties, they are prevented from becoming people capable of facing them, from being able to make conscious choices, from building their own self-esteem and the necessary resilience.

Difficulties are nothing more than training for our goals. They are what strengthens us, what strengthens our skills, our resilience, our willpower, the spirit of sacrifice.

Those preparing to face a super competitive world must be trained to rely on their own resources and not to give up too easily. Because there are no overly ambitious goals, there are only people who give up.

It is evident that, if not trained, the person’s skills are then insufficient and lacking in dealing with the complexity of life.

Emerging and burning problems within the couple, the family, parenthood, among young people and last but not least in the school and its ability to train people to face real life, indicate with unmistakable alarm signals that something must be done , because what is achieved does not seem to be enough to slow down, much less stop the ongoing decline.

In our society it is often not understood what the study and growth of personal skills actually are. Many mistakenly believe that it is not necessary at all, believing that transmission through osmosis within the family bubble is sufficient to develop full life competence and mastery of personal skills.

This probably corresponded to reality just a few generations ago. In the last century things have changed suddenly and the number of personal skills and the complexity of the skills necessary for a fulfilling and successful life have grown dramatically. Young people will have to face a world quite different from the one inherited from their parents, and mothers and fathers have difficulty transmitting how to live correctly, because the world they know no longer exists by the time their children have to conquer it.

The growing numbers of these problems should make understand that learning to face difficulties and obstacles is the only way to equip young people with the tools capable of building a better style and quality of life that is more in line with today’s needs.

Parents must prepare their children to become a conscious adult, not crush him with worries about the future or continue to treat him like a defenseless child, they have the duty to give him all the tools to face this complex world.

Families and schools should collaborate by working on relationship skills, expression skills and life skills in general, all of which are necessary for young people to have autonomy and existential success.

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I feel that saying our workplace is just like our family might have been appropriate in the 20th century but not anymore. Back when family models were more stronger, positive and universal, the association might have sounded appealing, even inspiring. And in an era when employees felt more loyalty to their employers and employers expected more as well, a family-like organisation might have been productive.

Speaking as both an employee and a line manager, one of the most common approaches I’ve seen is the myth that one’s team should be a family. While this idea may sound appealing on the surface as part of the employee engagement campaign, it can have detrimental consequences for both the employees and the company as a whole.

In this age, trying to run an organization just like a family — or even merely saying that one does — will hold them back, and may even backfire.

Precisely, our companies are not like our families because:

1. We Don’t Let Go Our Family Member?First and foremost, equating a workplace to a family dynamic doesn’t align with the reality of professional life. In a family setting, we don’t typically decide to let go of our least productive family members. In contrast, businesses often need to make tough decisions to ensure their survival and success, which may involve letting go of underperforming or morally challenged employees.

By blurring the lines between family and work, it can lead to unrealistic expectations, causing confusion when such decisions are made, and morale can suffer as a result. There will inevitably come a time when, whether through firing or layoffs, we have to terminate some employees’ employment. If we tell people they’re our family and then we let them go, they will consider us hypocrites — and they’ll be right.

Suggested Watch: Why good leaders make you feel safe?

1. An Overdone Loyalty Doesn’t WorkWhen any of our own family members is in need or requires significant commitment on our part, we rarely have to think twice. At least, that’s the perception among intra-family relationships. Placed into a work setting,loyaltycan get misinterpreted and expectations will go above and beyond to do anything to get the job done. According to Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones’ book, The Character of a Corporation, in family cultures, employees are willing to step in to assist others when the need arises, or even volunteer to “help before they’re asked” in the most selfless manner.

But here is the flip side. Numerous examples and research show that overly loyal people are more likely to act asslavesand sometimes they participate inunethical actsto keep their jobs and are also more likely tobe exploitedby their employers. These could manifest as being asked to work unreasonable hours or on projects or assignments unrelated to their roles, orkeeping things under wrapsbecause it is in the company’s best interest. We’re all in this together, so we’ve to play our part.

1. Personal & Professional Lines Shouldn’t BlurWe must understand that “family” means different things to different people. Not everyone wants to connect with their coworkers on a deeper and personal level, let alone create a dependency to the organization. In a professional context, an employee will want to reserve private details of their personal lives outside of work. But when we try and make our workplace as a “family,” these types of conversations can be fair game, as the goal of the organisation is to encourage socialisation for the benefit of the whole.

On the other hand, according to a research, when an organisation uses the family metaphor in businesses, it creates a positive, motivating and morale-boosting culture, where colleagues are not seen as colleagues any more, but as brothers or sisters, moms and dads, uncles and aunts. While it can reduce conflicts and disagreements within the organisation, a fear of causing a strain in the relationship with their superiors (who are now seen as fathers or mothers) could leave employees feeling like they must share any information that is being asked of them, which, in principle, intrudes our private domain.

Wrap Up — What Companies Need to Do Instead?When fostering a healthy, supportive culture, let’s avoid promoting a “family” mentality and focus on putting in place actions and structures that bring value to and support our employees. E.g. think of our organization as a sports team or a tribe instead. In doing so, you retain a culture of empathy, collectiveness, belonging, and shared values and goals, while outlining a performance-driven culture that respects the transactional nature of this relationship. To promote a more balanced culture:

1. Define Expectations At The Outset

Let’s be upfront and clarify expectations. Employees are paid and are expected to do a good job. However, the sense of comfort, humility and empathy must always stay there. When building teams and onboarding new employees, make sure to disassociate the jargon of “family” from conversations around high performance and purpose. Let your employees know what is expected of them to succeed at work and that there is a clear line between work and their personal lives.

Researchsuggestsdefining purpose can lead to a heightened sense of loyalty and stronger employee engagement, especially when the company’s overlaps with the employee’s purpose. Clearly define and communicate the purpose: What are you trying to achieve? What is your employee’s role in helping you get there? A shared purpose can get everyone rowing in the same direction.

1. Set Clear Boundaries

The grayer the policy, the more opportunities for misunderstanding. Make sure employees understand what’s expected of them when it comes to work hours and what lies beyond standard work hours. Support your employee’s endeavors and let them know that vacation is not only encouraged but expected. Share team calendars where everyone lists out their paid time off (PTO) and ideas for new vacations.

If employees start to feel overwhelmed and can no longer manage performance expectations, make it clear what options are available to find support and get back on track. Can they take time off? Can team members pitch in to make their workload more manageable? Can priorities be reshuffled?

1. Mutually Acceptance of Work Relationship

We have to be realistic about the relationships employees build with their employers and remember that it is transactional. Most people won’t stay in the same company for their entire career and that’s completely okay. As organisations grow, so do the roles and every organisation can be outgrown by its employees if there aren’t enough opportunities for the employee to grow or if the organisation doesn’t need the employees’ skills or experiences anymore.

Be candid about setting this expectation as early as the onboarding. If an employee has decided to leave, don’t take offence about them not wanting to work at our orgs any longer. Acknowledge their contribution and help them exit respectfully. If we don’t need their skill’s anymore, ask how we can help them find a more suitable position within or outside the company.

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"Arrogance is actually having excessive pride over one’s or a particular group’s accomplishment to an extent wherein we believe that our abilities are superior compared to others and that success would have come sooner if we had done it alone." ...

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"Increasing awareness of your body language and that of others will enhance your conversations exponentially." ...

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"Success happens when both parties take responsibility for making it work. Success happens when best practices are in place and so on and so forth." ...

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"Intelligence, education, and theory are important. After all, those who choose to ignore history will often make the same mistakes over and over." ...

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"Bosses who exhibit bad people skills or who fail at problem-solving do not deserve the title of “leader”. They might be the owner, founder, or boss, but Leader? No way." ...

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Hey, there! AmyK here.Could you use a lil’ more trust amongst your leadership team?

I get it. I really do.

Trust is often poorly defined which means it can be hard to genuinely create. Yet, there are several behaviors that result when you absolutely got it. Watch this quick video on how a leadership team with elevated trust plays full out and yields unprecedented growth.

From my heart to yours – hugs!

AmyK

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According toRobert Bruce Shaw, author ofLeadership Blindspots,blind spots are unrecognized weaknesses or threats that can hinder a leader’s success. Weaknesses that we possess and that we know about aren’t likely to derail us from our goals. However, the weaknesses that we don’t know about are the dangerous ones.

Based on my experience as an organisational consultant, as well as what I’ve learned from the research of Shaw and Karen Blakeley (who is also an expert on the subject), I’ve found that one of the most common causes of leadership blind spots is pride bordering arrogance. This very ignorance generally manifests itself in the following ways:

1. Overconfidence: A Silent KillerNeedless to say, excess to anything in life isn’t normal. The same goes forconfidence. We, as professional leaders, must make a deliberate effort to normalize the talent and attributes associated with all the aspects of what we call ‘Talent’. The bell should start ringing when we see someone is committing an act or overdoing or overcommitting etc. As per Encyclopedia “Overconfidence is an overestimation of one’s abilities and need for expended effort and an underestimation of the situational demands that one will face”. In fact, Overconfidence bias can destroy the company.

Willful blind spots occur when people are overconfident. For instance, some leaders only want to hear what they want to hear or read reports and data that they want to read. This can be extremely dangerous for an organization, because leaders need to be able to comprehend issues from various viewpoints. Confidence typically grows with past success, and it can lead to overusing the formula that provided results, thus creating blind spots on alternative solutions for the same goal.

1. Masked Positivity: An Uncalled for ActBeing overly positive can also create blind spots. In such a “euphoric” stance about something, some leaders can’t rightly assess when and why other people disagree with their ideas. The common trap is that great leaders commonly champion and push ideas that go against the grain. I don’t believe we would recognize the names Ford, Gates, Jobs or Musk (no first names are required to know who we are speaking about) if they did not fight with a fierce commitment to their ideas and vision.

To me, positivity is essential to drive a vision and inspire and overcome problems. Still, we must also build checks into our processes and methods to identify elements that can present risks and other immediate threats.

Remember that a leader’s job is to ensure weaknesses and risks are taken care of long before they create problems.

1. Power CorruptsAlthough power is essential to taking charge and driving change, it makes leaders vulnerable to two traps that can not only erode their own effectiveness but also undermine their teams. Hubris — the excessive pride and self-confidence that comes with power — causes people to greatly overestimate their own abilities, while focus makes them less attentive to subordinates, diminishing their ability to lead successfully. A balanced relationship with power can seldom be developed overnight, but in time, leaders who follow this advice will boost their own effectiveness and facilitate exceptional performance from their teams.

Power or perceived power that is related to a position or title can create a level of over-confidence and, in many cases, a false perception that others expect the person with the title to solve unilaterally. That mistaken perception (itself a blind spot) will create other blind spots by shutting out different perspectives and potential solutions. Power-related blind spots can be exacerbated in times of crisis when immediate action is expected and required.

1. Indecisive Leadership StyleWorking with a few CEOs, I always wondered how they made it to that level with such poor decision-making ability. I’ve seen indecisive leadership sink more than a few ships. Our job as a leader is to make decisions that make things happen. That doesn’t mean we make decisions all by ourselves. The best leaders always involve a team in their decision-making. But we still need to make timely decisionthat what we are paid for. What makes decision-making hard at a senior leadership level is that someone’s neck is on the line.

Remember, delay leads to paralysis. And paralysis leads to stagnation and decline. Delayed decision-making demotivates the team. So make a decision, and create a process for making sure decisions get made regularly and quickly. Sure, every once in a while you need to take a long time to make a decision. But far too many leaders use that as an excuse.

1. Solo Decision MakersEvery problem has a flip side, and the flip side of being indecisive is being overdecisive. Some leaders make instant decisions based on their gut feeling, without any input from anyone else, and that is also frustrating to their teams. I think it’s a good practice for every senior leader to be a part of something they don’t lead. I’ve e worked with a couple of organizations where the top man calls the shorts on everything. It helps me realize how the team feels being left out in the key decision-making process.

Xerox’s Barry Randwas right on target when he warned his people saying that“if you have a yes-man working for you, one of you is redundant”.As leaders, we don’t need to surround ourselves with ‘puppets’ or ‘yes minsters’. Let’s help create a healthy, lively, and thinking work culture. Encourage teams to bring forward newer ideas, come up with logical debate, and have the courage to sayNO.

Wrap UpTrust is the invisible thread that weaves through the fabric of successful companies. It’s the catalyst for effective connection, communication, and collaboration. To effectively navigate the intricacies of today’s workplace, we need to be aware of the above key leadership blindspots that hinder trust, and then be intentional about overcoming them.

When we lead, we are certain about the incredible responsibility we have assumed toward the organisation and our teams. Always remember that leadership, by definition, is not a solo sport. We’re leading people, and how we do it ultimately determines how effectively we perform as leaders. It also means we need to become exceptionally self-aware of our weaknesses. If we think about it, the leaders we’ve probably liked the least have been the least self-aware.

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“Why did she love him so much? He always seemed to women different from what he was, and they loved in him not himself, but the man created by their imagination, whom they had been seeking all their lives; and afterwards, when they noticed their mistake, they loved him all the same. And not one of them had been happy with him.”

–From The Lady with the Dog, by Anton Chekhov

In Anton Chekhov’s short story, The Lady with the Dog, a bored, cynical, serially unfaithful married man has a brief affair with a frustrated, insecure married woman while each is taking a holiday alone. Two deeply unfulfilled people persuaded that adulterous sex will overcome the pointless charade of their lives, drift into a relationship fated to become an “intolerable bondage”. Consumed by shallow passions, and oblivious of the needs of others, they can see no meaning in life, just futility, the burden that characterises their affair from the start.

Chekhov understood the impact that loss of a sense of meaning must inevitably have on society, and he recognised the psychological flaw that has over several centuries come to exemplify the modern mind: the ancient affliction of acedia, or accidie in English. His insight was reaffirmed by Victor Frankl, the Austrian psychotherapist, who saw that the “will to meaning” has priority over Freud’s “will to pleasure” and Nietzsche’s “will to power”.

The implications for leadership, especially at a time when we suffer from a leadership deficit at all levels of society, are far-reaching. People afflicted by acedia will hardly be predisposed to inspire others – in the home, workplace, community, or nation – to be the best they can be in working together for the good of all.

Acedia is the refusal to acknowledge one’s true nature, the denial of one’s purpose and potential in life. It is a rejection of the demands and duties that accompany the essential dignity of human nature, that of the rational animal, the puny creature that can nonetheless comprehend the cosmos. Of course, the dignity of the human person is today widely disputed, though hypocritical appeals to the responsibility of rationality are still made in pursuit of certain ideological agendas.

The ancient Greeks understood that one of the greatest moral failures possible was acedia, from the prefix ‘a’ denoting negation, and ‘kedos’, meaning care. They saw it as a lack of mindfulness, a spiritual indifference, an alienation of self from the world. In the Iliad, Homer tells of the acedia of Achilles in his shameful treatment of the body of the defeated Hector, which he drags behind his chariot in defiance of the Olympian gods and the Greek code of conduct.

In the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas, in the Summa Theologica, likened the sin of acedia to torpor mentis, inertia of the mind, which captures the sense of acedia more fully than mere sloth. Later, Chaucer gave an illuminating discourse on acedia in The Parson’s Tale.

Aldous Huxley, in an essay entitled “Accidie”, found it strange that acedia morphed from a deadly sin in the Middle Ages to become understood as the disease of melancholy during the Renaissance, and later as a lyrical emotion, inspiring much of the most typical modern literature. A sense of futility and alienation, and feelings of ennui and despair, seems to have fired the imaginations of creative minds for a century and more, and still does today. Boredom, futility, and despair are known throughout history, but the modern world contrived to make them respectable as signs of heroic self-expression.

Acedia is rife today, afflicting those appointed to lead as well as those called to follow. It is evident in the music and lyrics of the widely popular Billie Eilish, for example. The enervating lack of meaning arises from a worldview that exalts the detached, autonomous self, and proclaims the inviolability of individual choice. Predictably, unrestrained shopping, sex, and self-exaltation, the nihilism that insists that “what I want is all that matters”, issue only in the spiritual wasteland of acedia.

For the Greeks acedia had to be conquered by ‘enkrateia’, from kratos, meaning power, not over others, but over oneself, the willingness to subdue weakness, and obey a properly formed conscience. In Hinduism, enkrateia would be likened to dharma, which is seen in the Bhagavad Gita when Krishna exhorts a hesitant Arjuna to attack his kinsmen, the Kauravs, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra. Failure to do so would be a denial of dharma, the spiritual imperative that directs virtuous conduct in defiance of emotions like fear, anger, dejection, and the carnal promptings of the ego.

Where there is a lack of meaning, there can be no meaningful society, because social bonds require motivation, which necessarily rests on things that have meaning for the people to be motivated. And where there is no society, there can be no leadership, just raw power and compulsion. Acedia drains the spirit from both individual and community, from workforce and management, from citizen and nation.

As Plato told us, “Man is a being in search of meaning.” To abandon the search is to reduce the human person to a thing. And things don’t need leaders, they are simply used.

Originally published on my Substack, a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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Let us take four scenarios first.First Scenario- You meet with an over-talker. He takes over the discussions. You try to say something but then he jumps to say let me finish my point of view and continues. This person does not know that he made you feel irritated and angry.

Second Scenario- You meet with a person who is consistent in what he says and does. Soon, you feel relaxed talking to him.

Third Scenario- You meet with a person and you have no idea what his intentions are. You suspect this person to say sweet things to cover his real intentions. He makes you feel worried and undecided.

Fourth Scenario- You meet with a successful man who suddenly lost his zeal for life. He does not know why. You too have no idea what is wrong with him. You feel unknowing what to do. He feels the same. Could it be he is suffering from an unknown illness? Probably, either one of you have a clear idea. You both feel undecided.

Classification of BehaviorsThe preceding four scenarios lead to the following classification of human behaviors

• Behaviors known to others and me (open area)
• Behaviors unknown to others and me (unknowns area)
• Behaviors known to me but not to others (hide area)
• Behaviors known to others but not me (blind area)

Behaviors that I know and others know put both in the open area. I know my behaviors well and others’ behaviors. We both know we make each other feel relaxed. We have no doubt of each other’s intentions. We exchange information openly.

A great leader is one who creates an atmosphere of openness in his team because this is what maximizes cooperation and the exchange of information and skills. Leadership becomes simple and fun in this area.

The unknowns are the most complex area a leader faces in leading. He is dealing with unknowns such as the sudden emergence of competing technology. When in new competitor shows up is another example.

Leading in the darkness of unknowns is a challenge that leaders face in our VUCA world.

The hide area such as having a secret hiding from others or a skill that you hide from others is another challenge for leaders. This attitude stifles cooperation in teams.

Hiding real intentions from others brings doubt and doubt erodes trust. Transparent communication is a prerequisite to collaboration among teams. In an environment with overshadowing clouds of doubt, it only rains more doubt. A team leader must cater for this issue promptly.

The unfortunate reality is that many people think they know themselves and in fact, they do not. They hide from themselves. They think they are friendly when they are arrogant. They behave the same way without attempting to amend their behaviors. Aristotle was right to call for the need to know self.

The blind area is when people know about you what you do not know. Talkative people do not realize they are talkative but other people know. Feedback is necessary in these cases.

In today’s world with multicultural prevailing teams, a leader will have many new unknowns emerging. The transition period for reducing the areas other than the open area is decreasing.

Great leaders have a big task and that is to make what seems undoable to the majority doable. These leaders grasp the concept of The Johari Window.

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Baldassare Castiglione (1478 – 1529) was born in Mantua to an aristocratic family. He served as a diplomat in many of the courts of the Italian princes, but it was in Urbino that the conversations and background work were completed for his classic book on courtly etiquette. It has left for posterity a remarkable first-hand commentary on Renaissance manners and society. ‘The Book of the Courtier’ demonstrates the enduring truth that while manners and customs may change, human nature stays the same. Enjoy this paraphrase of an excerpt on women rulers:

“The Magnifico said: ‘You can study any period in history to see the merits of women alongside those of men, and it will become clear to you that they have always been every bit as capable as men. Ignore for the moment the most ancient times and consider that when the Goths controlled Italy, one of their greatest rulers was a wise queen by the name of Amalasontha. The Lombards also had a remarkable queen in Theodolinda, and of course the Byzantine Empire had the formidable Theodora. There have been many women rulers of enormous ability, for example, the Countess Matilda, who we should ask Count Ludovico to tell us about. After all, she was a member of his family.’

“The Count declined because he did not think it would be right for a man to wax lyrical about his own family.

“And so the Magnifico went on: ‘Think of all the outstanding women in history who came from this prestigious house of Montefeltro. And how many others came from the houses of Gonzaga, Este, and Pio? Even if you want to refer only to the current era, we will have no trouble in finding excellent examples, because they are all around us. But I am not going take advantage of the many able women present, because that might give someone the opportunity to claim you agree with me merely out of courtesy.

“’Let’s leave Italy for a moment, and acknowledge that our own era has witnessed the greatness of Queen Anne of France. Compare her in terms of justice, mercy, generosity, and virtue, with the kings, Charles and Louis, to both of whom she was married, and she is seen as their equal in every way. Think of Madonna Margarita, the daughter of the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian, who has always displayed exemplary wisdom and justice in the government of her realm. Then, if we put to one side all the others, I ask you, Lord Gaspar, if you can name a single male ruler in this era or any other who might be favourably compared with Queen Isabella of Spain.’

“The Lord Gaspar suggested her husband, King Ferdinand.

“The Magnifico conceded: ‘I can hardly refute that – after all, the queen did consider him as an estimable consort, and obviously loved and honoured him. Still, in my opinion, the prestige he gained by marrying her was as valuable as the Kingdom of Castile itself.’ Gaspar disagreed and argued that Queen Isabella’s fame rested on her husband’s achievements.

“But the Magnifico persisted: ‘The entire population of Spain – the nobility and the commoners, male and female, rich and poor – could hardly be mistaken at the same time, and all agree that there has simply never been a ruler of such integrity, wisdom, holiness, and generosity of spirit as Queen Isabella. Even though her fame is such across the whole of Europe as to be considered legendary, the fact is that the very people who lived with her and saw what she achieved for themselves, all insist that her reputation rested on her own character and actions.

“’One only has to review her achievements to be satisfied that this is true. For example, it is common knowledge that on her accession most of Castile was controlled by the great nobles, yet she quickly wrested control from them, and was still able to command their ongoing loyalty.’”

Originally published on my Substack, a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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In this episode, recorded at Ada Lake in Belgrade, Serbia, we talk about why being present with your team is essential to building trust and psychological safety, developing relationships, dealing with challenges before they become problems, and driving innovation and creativity.

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Is imagination really more important than knowledge? How does imagination link to catalysing collective innovation and unleashing corporate vitality? When I did my research, I discovered that the answer is actually paradoxical!

Albert Einstein famously said “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.”

Why is the answer so paradoxical?According to a well-researched and scientific article “Einstein’s most famous quote is totally misunderstood” in BIGTHINK magazine, the author suggests that he’s really doing is encouraging people to look beyond the current, conservative frontiers of what we know and into the realm of what we’re compelled to explore next.

He describes that imagination, in Einstein’s mind, is shorthand for a thought experiment: to simulate the consequences of a theory in a regime that’s yet to be tested, where the imaginative predictions were all well-quantified far in advance of the observations/experiments.

• Both knowledge and imagination

This means that for your imagination to take you to worthwhile places, you also need a strong foundation of knowledge of the subject to build your theory, or idea upon, making it a “both/and” paradox. This also means that you need both a deep knowledge of the subject or problem and a capacity to create, evolve and exploit mental models of things or situations that are often counterintuitive and counterfactual and don’t yet exist.

Doing this enables you to generate new lines of feeling and thinking, and to connect fields, problems, and ideas that others find unrelated. To ultimately inspire, and result in collective innovation.

How does this relate to innovation?Most of us are already aware that companies increasingly need to innovate — across strategies, operations, offerings, and business models. Especially when business environments are experiencing a range of global and local crises, accelerating change and ongoing, relentless instability and uncertainty. Where many have become survival focussed, and adopt a short-term reactive lens in attempts to restore “normality” and arrest a decline in long-term growth rates and competitiveness.

As well as arrest a serious decline in their corporate vitality. Which is crucial for long-term success, growth, and sustainability. Yet some companies are unaware that imagination is upstream of innovation. Sadly lack the focus towards entering this critical realm and leveraging it to stimulate a capacity for collective innovation which is needed for corporate vitality to thrive.

Corporate vitality enables organisations to thriveAn organisational culture that embraces corporate vitality enables them to thrive, by knowing how to shape visionary strategies in the imagination age that enables it to:

• Rebound and reinvent themselves, under pressure.
• Ignite people’s imagination to co-create ideas.
• Collaborate to accelerate collective innovation.
• Deliver and accelerate growth in a VUCA/BANI.

Yet, according to research by the BCG Hendersen Institute in an article “Competing on Imagination”

“Big businesses often struggle to make use of imagination. They may try to make it a predictable process, and end up with routinization and incrementalism. Or they may treat it like a magical power, celebrated in tales of great innovators, in the hope that good ideas will appear as needed. As companies grow, it becomes harder to be imaginative. Larger companies tend to focus on exploiting what they know and what originally gave them scale”.

What else inhibits the development of corporate vitality?The BCG research also reveals that most companies don’t yet know how to ignite people’s imagination. Which is required to co-create ideas and collaborate.

Often because they usually lack the motivation, rigor, and knowledge required to:

• Clarify, ignite, and activate imagination: what it means and how it works at either an individual or collective level.

Which restricts an ability to develop the capacity required to deviate from the norm and emerge creative insights and breakthroughs, invent, and innovate on a scale.

• Strategically and systematically improve the individual and collective capacity to imagine: which keeps them stuck within their own spheres, and focuses on averages rather than on exceptions.

This also restricts individual and collective investment in creating free time and space for daydreaming, mind wandering, and meandering into the unknown.

• Cultivate individual and collective imaginative capacity through social transmissions: that evoke new questions and provocative ideas.

Which keeps them restricted to the confines of their own, or current mental models, rigid role parameters, and focus on metrics and conventional short-term siloed approaches.

Ultimately inhibiting our capacity to alter our cognitive habits, allowing our minds to make new associations, develop, and experiment with new ideas. That forms the foundations for cultivating a culture that catalyses collective innovation and unleashes corporate vitality.

Taking a neurological approachResearch presented by Gabriella Rosen Kellerman and Dr Martin Seligman, in their recent book “Tomorrow Mind” enables us to take a neurological approach towards igniting people’s imagination – to arouse our curiosity and co-create ideas, that result in collective innovation.

• Default Mode Network (DMN)

Stating that when we allow our minds to wander and daydream, our brain doesn’t just “power down.” Instead it “switches to a new mode of thinking, one so vital that it is our default – or the activity our brains jump to in every free moment” which specialises in two processes: imagining and planning.

This is known as our Default Mode Network (DMN). Which activates when we let our minds wander or drift into a daydream, to create spontaneous oscillations that allow us to observe novel thought streams and extract new patterns, generalizations, interpretations, and insights.

It is the place our best ideas come from.

• Discovering what does not yet exist

In this realm, our minds break the bonds of space and time, blending memory and fantasy, creating an eternal cycle that dances between exploitation and exploration.

Allowing us to exploit our “knowns” and explore new possibilities by imagining scenes that differ radically from the actual past and the actual present, allowing us to discover and learn deeply about what does not yet exist.

What does this mean to organisations, leaders, and coaches?* Power of provocation

ImagineNation has pioneered innovation coaching and presented The Coach for Innovators, Leaders, and Teams Certified Program, globally online for more than 10 years. To teach the traits, mindsets, behaviours, and skills to ignite people’s imagination, based on our experience that consciousness, imagination, and curiosity are the precursors to both creativity and innovation.

Where consciousness contains the states and qualities of the mind, which is where our imagination is located, creativity is the process of bringing something new to the mind, and innovation is bringing the new to the world.

• Being a disruptive provocateur

We teach participants to become “disruptive provocateurs” who know how to compassionately, creatively, and courageously create collective holding spaces.

That creates the permission, safe space, and trust for developing generative thinking processes that enable peoples to see and solve challenging problems that evoke and emerge new discoveries, and creative ideas and generate learning by:

• Disrupting peoples’ habitual feelings and thought processes and comfort zones,
• Co-creating the permission, safety, and trust to deviate and differ,
• Space and time for elasticizing and stretching habitual thought processes.

Imagination can be provocative because it arouses scenes that differ radically from the actual past and the actual present. This allows us to discover and learn deeply about what does not yet exist. It enables us to focus on being intentional, in taking intelligent and right actions to solve the problem differently and develop corporate vitality.

• Power of prospection

Developing the co-creative frequencies requires us to alter our cognitive habits, allowing our minds to make new associations, develop, and experiment with new ideas, and cultivate a culture that embraces corporate vitality. This involves the capacity to imagine alternate futures, and by developing prospection skills – “the ability within each of us to think about the future and envision what’s possible.”

According to USA-based leading global coaching platform BetterUps’ Report on the Future Minded Leader:

Imagining ourselves into alternate futures and evaluating them as a way to make decisions and guide present action is unique.

These occupy at least one-quarter of our waking thoughts, and when it comes to imagining the future, we are at once both our most optimistic and pessimistic selves, which is, in essence, also contradictory. Because we can both project optimism about what is to come and make risk-averse decisions to build the foundations for envisioning a range of desirable and alternate futures.

• Sparking corporate vitality

Building an “imagination machine” – an organisation where the imagination of individuals work together is fully supported intentionally and by design involves creating space for our Default Mode Networks (DMN) to activate and lay the foundations for collective innovation by:

• Creating space and time for reflection enables people to regain control of their attention and minds, and to allow spontaneous, generative mind wandering – by engaging in simple activities like walking, reading, bathing, exercising, and free writing.
• Making it safe and permissible to regularly expose people to the unfamiliar and the unknown – by building their discomfort resilience, provoking and elasticising their core and habitual thinking processes.
• Coaching, teaching, and training people to view their worlds systemically, to wander and daydream at the edges of the social fields – to sense, perceive and emerge anomalies, and counterintuitive and counterfactual patterns and trends.
• Coaching, teaching, and training people to safely disrupt and challenge their habitual mental models – by creating mindset flips and paradigm shifts, developing their curiosity, and enhancing their cognitive diversity and agility.
• Introducing more playfulness into the working environment – by improvisating, exploring, introducing business simulations, and learning events, as well as gamification, to generate insights, that saturate us with ideas that we can then incubate.

Imagination, collective innovation, and corporate vitalityWhen we combine a rigorous approach to expanding and applying both our knowledge and our imagination, we can co-create ideas, and innovate in ways that illuminate people’s hearts and minds.

By altering and elasticising our cognitive habits, allowing our minds to make new associations and unlikely connections, we can develop, and experiment with new ideas, and cultivate a culture that leverages and scales collective innovation that unleashes real corporate vitality.

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The frame through which you look at the world may not be the one you picked up on your own. Sometimes people force the frame on you.

– Craig Groeschel

In his book, Winning The War In Your Mind, Craig Groeschel writes, “When we reframe what happened in our yesterdays, that changes our todays. We are able to experience life without the old, negative, cognitive bias and start seeing through the lens of God’s grace.” Sounds refreshing, doesn’t it?

The reframing process is essential in your life and in leadership. How you choose to frame the experiences you face in life and in leadership is what separates good leaders from the rest.

It reminds me of the story of the noted English architect Sir Christopher Wren. He was supervising the construction of a magnificent cathedral in London. A journalist thought it would be interesting to interview some of the workers, so he chose three and asked them this question: what are you doing?

The first replied, “I’m cutting stone for 10 shillings a day.” The next person answered, “I’m putting in 10 hours a day on this job.” But the third said, “I’m helping Sir Christopher Wren construct one of London’s greatest cathedrals.”

Each one of those workers saw their work through a particular framework. And the point is, we all do.

As a leader, how you see your work, the people that you lead, and your prospects for the future is important. This framework is a reflection of your belief system and is an indicator of the direction you are headed. From the three workers, let’s examine the frame of mind of each and the lesson we learn.

The wealth mindsetThe first worker saw his contribution solely from the frame of his daily pay. Beyond cutting stone, he seemed to not grasp the enormity of the project he was working on. While there’s no indication that he despised the work or the pay, the tragedy of this mindset runs deeper.

Could it be possible that he undervalued his contributions? If he understood the magnitude of his work and how it would impact the lives of thousands of people, then perhaps his approach to his work would have been different. Perhaps his work would have been more sacred.

Leadership Tip: While a strong work ethic is valuable, your people need to understand the why behind it and the value of their contributions.

The work mindsetThe second worker pronounced that he was putting in 10 hours a day. It would be safe to say that he was a hard and dedicated worker. He would be the type you’d want in your organization. His work ethic was one that likely caused him to stand out and catch the eye of the reporter.

While this work ethic is to be applauded, it would seem that he failed to see the big picture or scope of what he was doing. Yes, he was putting in 10 hours a day, but he was part of something greater than himself and it seems to be lost on him. How tragic.

Leadership Tip: Make sure your people know that the long hours they put in are moving the needle towards something great and greater than themselves.

The wisdom mindsetThe third worker seemed to have a greater understanding of what was taking place. He knew that he was helping build a great cathedral. I can just hear the excitement and passion in his voice as he spoke to the reporter.

In any organization, you have some who are there just for the paycheck. You have some who just want to come in, do their work, and go home with little to no regard for what they are doing or why. Those who will truly make a difference in your organization are those who understand why they are there, where they are going, and how great it’s going to be when they get there.

Leadership Tip: You must always keep the mission and vision before your people. You never want them to be at a loss for what it is that they are doing or why. This can only happen when leaders begin reframing with purpose and clarity.

How would reframing benefit you as a leader and your organization?

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Prior to writing this article, I penned down two others viz.: “5 Self-Confidence Boosting Secrets” and “Over Confidence – A Silent Killer back in February 2020 and March 2021 respectively. Now I feel that we should reflect on what other attributes are needed alongside Confidence. Have you ever had a colleague becoming your boss, who according to you, lacks talent, ability, and work ethic? While you were busy doing a good job, others seem to be advancing much faster in their careers. What skills do they have that you lack? What went wrong?

The answer in many cases is your contributions are not being registered and recognized by your supervisor. One important reason this happens is that people are simply not great at assessing competence — a crucial trait for succeeding at work — and perceptions of competence are just as important for success as actual competence. But don’t results mostly speak for themselves? The short answer is: “They don’t”, even when it’s all about numbers. You sit there and silently seethe, as you grow accustomed to answering to a lesser professional. It’s your fault. In the battle between competence and confidence, the latter wins nearly every time. For all of you who believe that competence is everything, read carefully:

What is Confidence?In fewer words, confidence is a belief in oneself, the conviction that one has the ability to meet life’s challenges and to succeed—and the willingness to act accordingly. Being confident requires a realistic sense of one’s capabilities and feeling secure in that knowledge. Projecting confidence helps people gain credibility, make a strong first impression, deal with pressure, and tackle personal and professional challenges. It’s also an attractive trait, as confidence helps put others at ease.

What is Competence?Competence means that I have the ability to do something well. I am capable of performing a task or job effectively. Competence can include the knowledge and skills needed to solve a quadratic equation. Or, it can comprise the much larger and more diverse clusters of skills, or competencies, needed to lead. The concept of competence is creeping into our lives, pervading our thinking about developing people of all ages. We find it in corporate HR and in innovative schools experimenting with competency-based career pathing and education.

What to look for: Confidence or Competence?If we decide to hire someone to lead an important business segment at our workplace, chances are we will choose the most confident candidate. Their confidence will inspire and motivate us to achieve greater milestones. That’s what makes them a great leader, right? But there is a darker side to confidence that erodes trust and turns away once eager followers. That side is the overconfidence that is considered arrogance.

Competence is NOT enoughIt is nearly impossible to earn a position of great responsibility without being highly confident. Would you feel safe in the care of a physician who is simply jumping and dancing all over the hospital and making tall claims without enough competence? Or on the contrary, a physician who doubts his or her own judgment? Of course not.

The same is true for those who make decisions about whom to promote. Why give responsibility to someone who lacks confidence or competence in the first place? While writing this part of the article, I can already read those of you who disagree, saying competence is everything. The truth is, I somehow agree with these statements. But competence isn’t enough. To those of you who believe you are highly competent but admit that you also lack confidence, I have one thing to tell you:

Build Confidence, Whatever it takesIt is irrational to simultaneously believe you are more competent than a colleague but act less confident than s/he does. It is irrational to be proud of your performance but hesitant to act that way. It is irrational to allow less-qualified professionals to have more responsibility than you do, simply because you don’t feel comfortable holding your head up high. Make no mistake, without confidence, much of your competence will go down the drain.

It’s time to make certain that doesn’t happen to you in your careers. Build your confidence, no matter what the price. The world needs more people who are both confident and competent, and I know one thing for certain:

Incompetent confident people are never going to get more competent. If you are competent, it’s up to YOU to grow more confident.

Strike a Right Balance Between the Two1. Engage in self-assessment

Let’s spend quality time with ourselves in self-evaluating our skillset, knowledge base, strengths, and weaknesses regularly; this will enable us to make more informed decisions and identify areas for improvement and growth. Remember: Stagnation stinks.

2. Seek Feedback

Let’s have someone by our side (parents, spouse, siblings, friends) who could share genuine, valuable insight into our personality i.e., positives, negatives, and performance, and identify areas of improvement by way of openly criticise us.

1. Pursue lifelong learning

Personally, I devote 5% of my earnings to new learning efforts each year. Whether that is through formal education, workshops, online courses, or self-directed study, one should always be looking to expand his/her knowledge base and skill set.

4. Set SMART Goals

Let’s always raise our own bar and keep doing that periodically. Have ambitious, yet attainable SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) goals for ourselves that should reflect an honest assessment of our abilities and challenges.

5. Adopt a Growth Mindset

Understand that our skills and abilities are not fixed – we can, and we shall develop them over time through dedication and persistence. Through employing these strategies, we can build both confidence and competence to promote an achievable path to long-term success.

Competence Before Confidence – ConclusionOne common misconception about great athletes and performers is that we often overestimate their level of confidence. We assume because of how skilled and experienced they are that they must feel supreme confidence. But this is far from true.Some performers never feel real confidence. Some performers are so plagued by self-doubt and performance anxieties and insecurities that they cannot feel confident before and when they are performing.

Yet they can still produce exceptional performance despite not feeling confident. How are they capable of this? Because they focus on competence instead confidence. So to help feel more confident, focus on just getting better. How? As Gareth Bale tells us: Through the right amount of high-quality practice. After all, as detailed in an excellent article by Practice Makes Permanent.

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“It's about people. There are no organizations without people. Simple as that.” ...

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There are times when the governing body of any organization may appear to be “broken.” The board members, whether for-profit or nonprofit, may be polarized—progress is stunted – apathy and confusion replace purpose and efficiency. A listing of ways to resuscitate dysfunctional business firms prompted me to expand on actions for nonprofits in similar conditions. […]

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It amazes me how nature law applies to organizations and people. One example is hypothermia. A human body that exposes to very low temperatures soon loses its body energy. This may affect the brain and its ability to make wise decisions.

The same applies to studying organizations. I share my friend’s story to explain.

My friend was in a bad mood. He had a good job and happily engaged in his work. A rich businessperson tempted him to work for him for a much better salary. He resigned and joined the rich man’s organization. The man initially treated my friend so well until he finished an important project. Suddenly, the man moved him to a tiny office. He ordered his staff not to talk to him. He moved him from hot water to a chilling one.

My friend felt that he started to fall off balance. The man hired him to complete an assignment but then he had no need for him. He suffered virtually from hypothermia. His brain stopped functioning. He resigned with a broken heart.

We hear terms such as the manager froze an employee. Those managers cause much harm to humanity. These managers do this for a variety of reasons. These include not favoring their suggestions, excelling and the fear a manager the employee would replace him and grudge against certain nationalities.

The same hypothermic effect applies to celebrities who suffered from poverty to richness of money.

Social media has served many unknown singers and actors to become very famous in no time. These unknown singers and actors move from the chilling waters of poverty in money and fame to become rich in both. These artists suffer from “Sudden Wealth Syndrome”. This syndrome coupled with hypothermia makes these people act in an unacceptable way.

The fear of losing fame and money and as fast as they earned them make them live in fear. Soon their minds lose the ability to make good decisions. They lose old friends; spend money to focus the light on them on showy things like buying the most expensive cars.

It is amazing how fast they can change their behavior because they started by changing their words. These sudden rich people remind me of the wisdom of Mahatma Gandhi:

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Neurodiversity and innovation often go hand in hand, but does that mean visionary entrepreneurs get a free pass to say and do anything they want? Bonobos founder and mental health advocate Andy Dunn shares his experience navigating bipolar I in the midst of running a successful startup, offering lessons learned on his journey to wellness and steps to create a future where everyone is able to “dream crazy dreams” — while being held accountable.

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Around the world, people who work hard are often seen as morally good — even if they produce little to no results. Social psychologist Azim Shariff analyzes the roots of this belief and suggests a shift towards a more meaningful way to think about effort, rather than admiring work for work’s sake.

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Like millions of others globally, I watched with fascination, the sensational and striking spectacle of the ceremony, significant symbolism, spectacular artifacts, and rituals at the recent King of England’s majestic coronation. At the same time, I allowed my mind to wander and wondered how this visually stunning and unrivaled British ceremony would impact the nations and realms’ culture and leadership, today and in the future, wondering if, indeed, it is at a cultural tipping point.

Where it is believed, by some, that the coronation made “two statements of great importance for today’s world about the place of religion in public life and the importance and meaning of the nation”. Acknowledging that such a monumental and marvellous event is indicative of a cultural tipping point, not only for the people it embraces but also for organisations, nations, and realms as a whole, to search for what is meaningful and valued by its people.

Making the connectionMy mind wandered and made some obvious connections between the core and common elements that embody both organisational, and national cultural realms – the values, beliefs, assumptions, and mindsets that drive key behaviours and deliver the common implicit messages. As well as the disciplined systems and processes that deliver the results, the rituals that are enacted, and finally, the artifacts whose symbols represent what the culture values.

Maintaining relevance and engagementLike the monarchy, what do organisations need to do to maintain relevance and engagement to thrive in unstable and uncertain times, especially when their existence and legacies are being questioned and evaluated by the people they serve?

At a pivotal time when new sets of global, societal, and organisational demands are being made, largely as a result of the fourth industrial revolution, encompassing the convergence of exponential technologies impacting all of us globally. At the same time, we are all still affected by the consequences of the global pandemic-induced lockdowns, impacting every fabric of our social and civic structures in our world today.

A case study for leveraging cultural tipping points differentlyThe coronation of King Charles III provides us with a great case study of an outstanding and remarkable display of English cultural attributes. This enables us to ask some serious questions about how national and organisational cultures and leadership in times of exponential change, like today, might thrive with uncertainty and co-create solutions to some of the most complex global challenges, by leveraging the range of cultural tipping points differently.

A range of cultural tipping pointsWe are in effect, experiencing globally a range of cultural tipping points:

1. At the macro level, according to a recent article here in Australia, where King Charles still resides as our head of state, the local SMH states that this realm is in a state of flux:

“The King is head of state in 15 countries. More than half of the so-called “realm states” are in the Caribbean and most of them are bailing out. Barbados two years ago, Jamaica probably next year. Belize, Grenada, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines are planning their exit as well”.

1. At the micro level, according to Mc Kinsey & Co, in a recent article “New Leadership for a new era of thriving organisations” stated that organisations and leadership are also in a state of flux:

“Organizations such as Allianz, Haier, Microsoft, and Nucor are transforming their industries with a new organizational approach that seeks to be open, fluid, and adaptable; unleashes the collective energy, passion, and capabilities of its people; reimagines strategy; and focuses on delivering greater value to all stakeholders”.

“Their cultures support a more open, collaborative, and emergent way of working. And the shift to this new kind of model changes the way businesspeople must lead”.

Going back to culture and leadership fundamentalsBecause culture and leadership are, according to Edgar H. Schein “two sides of the same coin and cannot understand one without the other” we have to be in charge and focussed to intentionally, constructively, and creatively manage their interdependence. He also states that culture matters because it is a “powerful, tacit and often unconscious set of forces that determine both our individual and collective behaviours, ways of perceiving, thought patterns, and values”.

If we do not intentionally and strategically take charge, focus, and leverage these forces, we will simply always be at the effect of them, as they take us down the path of least resistance, remain implicit, and will not deliver the results we want and need in a disruptive world.

Making the coronation linksMy mind wandered and considered what might be the range of core values at play on the weekend and landed on a range of seldom-used words including – power, sovereignty, continuity, divinity, tradition, wealth, accession, diversity, responsibility, pride, and loyalty, supported by the key values of Christianity and a belief in divine right and the crucial role of righteousness.

The ceremony was jam-packed full of amazing seldom-seen rituals, including public prayer, polite bows, serious vows, anointment, and elaborate crowning, to name just a few.

The variety and assortment of symbols were mesmerising, including priceless golden carriages, bejewelled coronation swords, golden scepters, the solo glove and silver spoon, beautifully crafted and jewelled orbs and elaborate crowns. Plus a selection of artifacts included religious items and a variety of civic and military seriously gold braided red, black and white regalia.

Delivered by a set of carefully planned processes and an orchestrated set of scheduled events, including flybys, a range of powerful military processions and parades, serious police presence and awesome security all enacted with mighty precision.

Sharing the key messagesMy mind then wandered and considered what might be the key messages being communicated by this incredible series of marvellous events, and wondered how relevant and engaging they might be to people today:

• A coronation signals the conferment of God’s grace upon a ruler,
• A coronation appoints the king as the Supreme Governor of the Church of England,
• A coronation is a joyous and celebratory event.

Back to the SMH “The people got what they wanted. The cheers in the Mall, the boulevard built for the adoration of royalty, were real, even if the masses were down on those for the Queen’s Jubilee.”

Impacting the futureIt remains to be seen if this powerful, majestic, memorable, and significant once-in-a-lifetime ceremonial event will ultimately help unify or divide the English realm. Which it seems, is facing its own range of unique challenges and a controversial cultural tipping point, ultimately and seriously impacting its future viability.

Back to the SMH “But Charles’s big show might be his last great day. The last dance of a wheeling, brilliant circus that has entertained and beguiled but which soon enough, in its distant realms, will stutter and shrink and reel no more.”

Why does this matter?This matters today because we are individually, and collectively at a range of social, civic, and organisational cultural tipping points. Where we organisation and leaders are also dancing many of our “last dances”, and “stutter and shrink and reel nor more” because, according to some, we are not strategically focussed on leveraging the culture and leadership basics:

• Implicitly clarifying values that focus on delivering value that improves the quality of people’s lives that they appreciate and cherish and explicitly making them an active part of corporate life.
• Ensuring that leaders role model and enact behaviours that demonstrate the values in action, where people are accountable and rewarded by rigorous systems and supportive disciplined, and agile processes.
• Co-creating powerful sets of rituals, symbols, and artifacts, aligned to the values, that deliver the “new architectures” to create permission, safety, and trust that drive collaboration, experimentation, innovation, inclusion, and sustainability.
• Communicating engaging and inclusive messages that resonate creativity, respect, and appreciation for people, profit, and the planet.

Shifting the cultural tipping pointsIt’s time to transform leadership to transform organisations, in ways that are self-aware and inspiring, meaningful and purposeful, equitable and sustainable, with increasing speed, resilience, and efficiency to guide organisational cultures and leadership that:

• Helps people navigate and balance in-person and remote work, be mentally healthy and well, and make the way for both applied AI and human skills development.
• Develops new rules for attracting and retaining people, close the capability chasm and walk the talent tightropes to better equip, empower and harness people’s harness collective intelligence to make both the organisation and the world better places.
• Creates, invents, and innovates new ways of thinking, and acting that ultimately shift the range of cultural tipping points to meet new sets of global, societal, and organisational demands and challenges emerging in the 21st century, and lets go of what is no longer relevant to better serve humanity as a whole.

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Can you sense the pull toward more and more group work? The word collaboration is used frequently in organisational life but isn’t well understood or practised in reality…and yet somewhere within us, we know that working across boundaries and overcoming the isolation of long-held silo thinking will be one of the keys to elevating the impact of our work in its many forms.

The silos sit at so many levels – roles, departments, directorates, companies, organisations, institutions, nations and so on. There’s push and pull of getting our own ‘part’ working well and protecting it alongside deep knowing that in fact, true success relies on a higher level of interplay between ‘us’ and ‘others’.

On the global level we are seeing the challenges and the pull of group working in so many aspects of the Pandemic as, in some cases, we seek to work out how we work as a single Humanity rather than with separatist tendencies. Simultaneously we can see the undercurrent and indeed stark evidence of ‘me first’ or ‘protectionist’ behaviour. So too in organisations we can see this play out as we become immersed in our own priorities and agendas – not necessarily fuelled by political or personal gain but because we find it too difficult to lift our heads up and look outward.

Thinking and acting as a ‘group’ demands that we set or can connect to a higher collective purpose or focus. It needs an emotional maturity from everyone as we act from generosity and a higher point of service to the purpose rather than our own egos. That said, we know that in organisations so many of the performance reward mechanisms are geared toward the individual rather than collective performance. This will need to change for us to really harness the power of group working.

A group mindset has within its core a deep sense of unity and oneness…a bringing together of the unique talents and gifts of each entity – person, function, nation – and harnessing these in service of something bigger and which cannot be achieved alone.

This is the future and opening ourselves more deeply to the potential of group working will reveal many new opportunities for making it live. The question is how long will this take us given how pressing the need is now in our world?

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Episode SummaryTony Douglas has made a remarkable career out of dealing with complexity and creating inspired communities of people who are able to work together and deal with that complexity as a unit. From engineers to pilots, customer service people to administrators, all from around the globe, Tony’s brought the best out of diverse teams for some of the world’s most respected organizations. This week, we get his amazing perspective.

Episode NotesLeading Through Complexity, Creating a Community (ft. Tony Douglas). Tony Douglas on managing complexity in high-stakes environments

OPENING QUOTE:“It’s about people. There are no organizations without people. Simple as that.”

-Tony Douglas

GUEST BIO:Tony Douglas is CEO of Etihad Aviation Group with over 30 years of international leadership experience in aerospace, transportation, infrastructure, and government sectors. He joined Etihad in 2018, after being the CEO of the UK’s Ministry of Defense Procurement Arm, supplying all the services and equipment for the British Armed Forces valued at over $20 billion pounds a year. Tony has previously held senior leadership positions in the UAE, such as CEO of Abu Dhabi Ports, and in UK, his roles included the Managing Director of the Heathrow Terminal Five Construction Project, CEO of Heathrow Airport, and COO and Group Chief Executive Designate of Laing O’Rourke, a massive global construction company.

CORE TOPICS + DETAILS:[10:53] – We All Have a Part to Play

Junior, senior, everybody in-between

While managing production lines of 4,000 or more people, all heavily unionized, Tony quickly learned that engaging with their community would send productivity through the roof— and failing to engage would be catastrophic. “We’ve all got a part to play,” he says. “Some parts are bigger than others, but unless they all play together, you’ll never get the potential that is clearly there.”

[26:06] – Embracing Diversity from the Ground Up

The difference between success and failure

In his role at Etihad, Tony works with people of 112 different nationalities and an average age of just over 30. He’s learned that diversity must become something that you embrace without a second thought, or you and your teams will fail. Tony even speaks to finding joy in the complexity of navigating diversity, knowing that it ultimately leads to more diverse perspectives and greater success.

[37:47] – Clarity of Purpose in an Organization

Translate what’s required and deliver it

Tony speaks to the importance of clarity and purpose at an organization from the top down. When that clarity is present, everyone within the organization can interpret it and deliver results built around an organization’s purpose.

[48:36] – The Power of Ramesh

Being brand ambassadors— and recognizing great ambassadors for your brand

Tony shares a story of an Australian family who stops at the same hotel in Abu Dhabi every time they have a stopover there en route to the UK. Why? Their children have connected so much with an excellent hotel employee named Mr. Ramesh. But the hotel managers not only had no idea what an impact Mr. Ramesh has had for their brand, but didn’t even know who he was.

Imagine if management had realized the power that Ramesh was having for their brand and capitalized on it, instead of being unaware of his impact?

RESOURCES:* [0:47] About Etihad Aviation Group * [28:14] About Jack Jarvis

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We often hear these terms – unconscious bias and implicit bias – as synonyms, but there is tremendous value in distinguishing between the two. In DEI work, I see companies using terms without having a common understanding of their meaning, leading both to the illusion of agreement and the illusion of disagreement based on slightly different understandings of the same word (think “Diversity”, “Equity”, “Inclusion” as obvious examples). I see this happen with unconscious and implicit bias frequently. Even though they are often used interchangeably, understanding the difference leads to better mitigation strategies and better organizational performance as a result.

Let’s unpack these two terms further.

What is Unconscious Bias?Unconscious bias is exclusively the realm of the brain. These biases are the default settings of your brain in order to reduce cognitive load and to make things easier–after all, your brain is working hard all the time. Unconscious biases are a byproduct of how our brains naturally process information. Unconscious cognitive biases are difficult, if not impossible, to stop before they happen, but the impact of these biases can be mitigated. There are more than 200 named cognitive biases, and while they do in fact help the brain function more easily, they can also lead to unintended mistakes and flaws in judgment.

What is Implicit Bias?Implicit bias includes all of the above and extends beyond your brain’s automatic decision-making, referring to biases that people hold unconsciously but can be revealed through their behavior or actions. (If you have not seen it before, take a look at this Implicit Bias Test). Implicit bias is baked into a behavior, a process, or an action, moving it a step beyond the unconscious realm of the mind. Implicit bias is used more often when speaking of the wide range of social constructs (race, gender, culture, age, orientation, religion, politics, media, etc). Because of this, implicit bias is typically more harmful because the bias impacts others and has widespread implications. The origin (unconscious bias) matters less than the impact (implicit bias) of the expression, action, or behavior. Furthermore, when these expressions, actions, and behaviors persist over time, bias becomes institutionalized and is “the way we do things here”. For a more detailed look at this cycle, see the bias ecosystem.

Mitigating Both Unconscious and Implicit BiasWe sit at the intersection of two truths: that cognitive biases are inevitable and that they lead to unintended mistakes and flaws in judgment. This paradox is a fundamental lesson for any leader who identifies as “inclusive” and seeks to realize the benefits of a diverse workplace. Mitigating both unconscious and implicit bias leads to a higher-functioning organization, greater productivity, and increased revenues.

When designing a bias mitigation plan, it is best to use language that will clearly identify what type of bias you are disrupting because the strategy will be different depending on the circumstances and the context. Sometimes actions are needed to change perceptions. Sometimes awareness can facilitate a different behavior. On other occasions, you may need to rewrite policies that will force a change in perception and behaviors. There are usually several layers to human interactions and the exchange of ideas. Both unconscious and implicit bias are likely baked into each layer. Businesses spend an inordinate amount of time on the who, what, where, when, and why. Bias mitigation is all about examining and reflecting on the how. When we neglect the how of a situation, we allow an environment where it would be easy for bias to impact behavior of all kinds and to limit performance.

Having an awareness that nearly every decision or action is impacted by unconscious bias can lead to a practice of reflection and questioning what we do and how we do it. It allows us to name what is happening, to surround ourselves with people who can make us aware of a bias that we are unable to see ourselves and to redefine processes to mitigate the negative impact of biases. Bias is universal. If you have a brain, you have bias® is the trademark that The Percipio Company builds upon. By framing bias as a by-product of how the brain functions, we eliminate the cycle of justifying, arguing, defending, and explaining (JADE), which can be an obstacle to organizational development and growth.

Understanding the difference between unconscious and implicit bias can help businesses establish a common understanding that everyone operates with unconscious bias and no one is more or less prone to it.

This commonality opens up deeper conversations around the implicit biases that show up in interactions, behaviors, or processes. A huge mistake is treating these conversations as transactional or one-time training events. Because bias mitigation is about examining, reflecting, and changing processes and behavior, it is continual, iterative, and ongoing. It requires generating awareness, process changes, and widespread behavioral adoption to truly impact the way companies operate. The work empowers organizations to create new ways of proceeding, ways that acknowledge bias mitigation as an integral part of the “way we do things here” and integrate it into their workplace culture.

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The universal law of polarity suggests that the strong and weak are in need of each other. However, some strong people allude to themselves that they have no need for the weak. They go against the universal law and lose.

One great example from nature is people in Africa and Asia storing millet in their houses. Termites tend to spoil these nutrient-rich grains leaving many people in short supply of their main food.

To overcome termite colonies people in Cameroon found that some ants called the driver ants are able to outsmart termites and eat them. These ants work together as a team. The strength of these ants stems from their coordinated strategy to become strong by working as many in one.

The video below is an example of the fight between termites and driver ants

Humans could not find a better way to battle the termites and eradicate them. Ants do. The false pride of some people finds it hard to accept learning from ants. Well, and then do what the ants can do.

This relates in part to humans playing down small things such as small insects and small problems. They forget that what is small today might become big tomorrow.

Ants think of today and the future. Many termite-eating ants do not eat all the termites and leave some alive to reproduce and keep the food supply available for the ants.

I read some time ago about whales in a restricted lake that whales do not eat all the fish so that the fish may reproduce and the whales may keep their main source of food supply.

The strength is in admitting our weakness. I read on Pininterest this wise quote

To be strong is to understand weakness. To be weak is to have fears. To have fears is to have something precious to you. To have something precious to you is to be strong.

Are not ants and whales doing this? They do. Because of their fear to run short of food supplies, they keep some of their termite and fish respectively alive because they are precious to them. They live the now but without forgetting the future.

You are not strong unless you admit your weaknesses. False pride is a recipe for losing whatever strength you have.

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We’d just returned to SeaTac airport from Tampa Florida, where we each led a keynote conversession at Encounter 360°. After exchanging heartfelt words of appreciation for each other’s conversession, we hugged, the kind of hug that shares the gratitude for being so glad to have met the other. And then Andy (Vargo) said this, “I want to thank you… for the first time in my life, I feel that I have the power to create my own belonging.”

The first thing that flashed through my head was, I’m so glad you got there! You see, in my perfect world, everybody would believe in their ability to belong, in self, and with others. The second thing, a few moments later, I realized my Encounter 360° conversession on reimagining belonging did give them a space of agency for themselves in self-belonging. It worked! Phew! It gave them a way past the popular, or conventional view of belonging that, unfortunately, limits one’s own agency to belong.

Our mental wellbeing in the workplace seems to be in a pretty rough place, and I think it’s because of messed up belonging. Burnout, anxiety, and depression appear to be at record levels, according to Forbes. A McKinsey study found that 51% don’t feel they belong. And what’s rather interesting, is a Deloitte study as belonging being reported as one of the most important human capital issues. So, there’s easily enough awareness. But not much change. Could it be our functional definition of belonging is the problem? Maybe it’s because we’ve made belonging a transactional receive-mode thing, instead of relational. And not only that, the framing the way that we think of it is that if I don’t get these four things, I don’t belong.

The Problem: our Popular Definition of BelongingBefore moving on to how we redefine belonging, let me introduce you to a neuroscientist, Kelly McGonigal. Kelly studied how the way we perceive stress can make it harmful, or, helpful to us. Harmful if we believe there’s nothing we can do about it, but helpful if we believe we can. And there’s also an interesting aspect that she uncovered that relates to oxytocin. She found that when you’re connected in a caring way (belonging) and you perceive the stress as a healthy challenge, you actually get a positive bump in your oxytocin levels. And, the stress that would’ve killed you, when combined with the oxytocin actually makes you stronger.

And, on a wellness aside, here’s what you physically get from that oxytocin, in addition to increased pro-social emotional abilities:

• cardiovascular protection
• an anti-inflammatory response
• relaxed blood vessels
• your heart rebuilds faster than it degrades under stressed performance

Sounds pretty healthy doesn’t it? Our bodies have a built-in mechanism for stress resilience. Our wiring for belonging is a self-regenerating relational neurochemical mechanism. McGonigal’s work gives us a clue as to why the current model of belonging might be undermining our current belonging efforts right from the start. We have no agency as we experience stress while in pursuit of belonging.

Here’s the popular definition of belonging from Cornell University.

Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, and (3) identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their (4) authentic self to work.

This standard, or institutional understanding is a receive-mode-only model. If I get these four things… then I belong.

A sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, (3) identity, (4) being your authentic self to work (AIIA)

So, if you don’t get these four things, you don’t belong? This definition creates a box where the stress of being in a belonged state is unwinnable as it’s out of our agency, and thus the stress becomes harmful. From this frame, your state of belonging is a passively harmful place when you don’t fit in. Further, it creates an emotional barrier to doing the very reach outs that your own oxytocin is calling for. Because you believe it’s out of your ability to get it, this inhibits you further and limits your source of oxytocin and serotonin. We have to be in a positive human connection to generate oxytocin. Here’s a link to a list of seven belonging lead measures. You belong when you get these four things is a rather powerless frame that limits our neurobiology as we attempt to create our belonging. Yet it’s the dominant model. While it’s always brought up and referred to with good intent, it accidentally omits our agency in the definition.

The story we tell ourselves, and sometimes the story we’re given, that we tell ourselves, is the story we live.

Our words matter, and our story shifts with that omission. We’ve been promoting a story of what it takes to belong that disempowers us from creating it in our companies. And, it might even be making some people’s pursuit of belonging even a bit more harmful. (I gotta think more on this one.) The more you run into a brick wall, after running into a brick wall, the more damage you’re doing to yourself. Ironically, we’ve been given a model for belonging that sets us up to be powerless in affecting our own belonging.

1. It’s a one-way, passive receive mode, must-get affirmation transactional model
2. It leaves us with a self-narrative that says we only belong with someone who gives us these four things
3. Yet, those four things aren’t necessarily indicative of belonging
4. Ultimately leaves us chronically stressed on the bad side of a fit-in

For bullet 3, I want to offer this caveat. You can have all 4 of these things and not belong, a sense of (1) acceptance, (2) inclusion, (3) identity, and (4) being your authentic self to work. And, you can have the absence of those four things and still deeply belong. I can tell you, from my own personal experience, that I have not been (1) accepted, for being my (4) authentic self. Was warned about getting un- (2) included, and told to get back in the game here with us, or I’m out, my personal (3) identity in the tribe was about to be rejected. And I was implored to get back to rightness with the company tribe. I still belonged despite not getting affirmed in those four areas. And it would be my choice, whether I continued to belong.

The Shift: Define Belonging as You Feel, Own, and Care for Them, AND, They for YouAt Encounter 360°, I offered Belonging Reimagined. One that puts each of us in the driver’s seat of our own belonging. Shifting the power from just us receiving whether or not we belong, to choosing, creating, and inviting another to belong with us. From this re-defined version, our stress from when we don’t belong can be healthy instead of harmful, and help us to get into real belonging.

Try shifting your definition of belonging to this…

Belonging, it’s a state of being, in relationship with others:

When you feel, own, and care for them, in their successes, dreams, and failures. And, they feel, own, and care for you in yours. It’s a two-way relational street.

It’s a two-way street of feeling for yourself and them, owning your life and theirs, and, caring for yourself and them. And they do the same with you. If you prefer today’s typical business emotional intelligence language, it’s mutual-empathy (feeling), accountability (owning), and compassion (caring for).

Belonging requires all three – Feel, Own, and Care forThere’s a hollowness that we all know, that comes when any of the three: feel, own, or care for, aren’t genuine, or, are missing.

• Without the Feel, (empathy) we question whether or not we’re really theirs, when they say, “You’re my friend… or my employee…” We question the “why” of their care for us.
• Without Own, (accountability) we’re stuck with the nagging doubt of if their expressed feelings for us are true. We doubt if their care for us is actually for us.
• Without Care for, (compassion) we disbelieve in the genuineness of their expressed feelings and their claim that we are each other’s.

But, when you have all three, look out, you get a company of resilient people that’ll find a way for each other. You know you belong, because first, YOU feel, own, and care for them, AND second, THEY also feel, own, and care for you. If it’s just them, you’re getting affirmation, and yeah, that feels good. If it’s just you, you’re probably just fitting in, or in codependency.

Notice the order.

1. The first qualifier is, “When you feel, own, and care for them…” (starts with you)
2. AND (not, so that)… I guess the “AND” could be seen as a third qualifier, it’s not transactional.
3. The second qualifier is they feel, own, and care for you in yours…”
   Notice also, the context.

“In each other’s successes, dreams, and failures.” It’s in the good times, the aspirations, and the bad times. This is what falls in line with our tribal neurobiology. We’re designed to be indispensable to our tribe.

I love Angela Theisen’s take on belonging being as fundamental to how we organize ourselves.

“The sense of belonging is fundamental to the way humankind organizes itself. If it was unimportant, we would live solitary lives only coming together for procreation then quickly kicking the children out of our lives as soon as they could walk. We would have no families, communities or organized government.”

We cannot separate the importance of a sense of belonging from our physical and mental health. The social ties that accompany a sense of belonging are a protective factor helping manage stress and other behavioral issues. When we feel we have support and are not alone, we are more resilient, often coping more effectively with difficult times in our lives. Coping well with hardships decreases the physical and mental effects of these situations. (Mayo Clinic Health System)

It’s a relational model of bidirectional power that starts with you. Each one of us has agency. You get to shift into the driver’s seat of your own belonging. You’re not of the tablet victim to circumstance, nor are you an unfortunate victim.

When we define belonging this way, we get a frame for living out a new belief where our belonging is also in our power to create. So that even in the stress during the formation of belonging, we actually can get stronger.

Here’s a belonging practice to move your head in your heart into your own efficacy to create your own belonging.1. Remember a time when you: felt, owned, and cared for somebody in their successes dreams, and failures, who also feels, owns, and cares for you in yours.
(Do not tell of a time when you had a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity, and could be authentic. – Play along with me here) 2. Meet up with someone, in person or over Zoom, and share that story with them. 3. Afterward, take note of how you’re feeling inside. 4. Now, that person who you felt, owned, and cared for… Invite them out for coffee, or beer, or call them, or text them- and thank them for feeling, owning, and caring for you.

A quick summary of belonging wellness benefits:1. Less burnout, anxiety, and depression 2. Higher resilience 3. Oxytocin neural/emotional benefits * Empathy * Cooperation * Generosity * Interpersonal trust * Social motivation * Altruism * Emotional recognition * Gaze and focus & eyes face

1. Oxytocin physical benefits

2. Cardiovascular protection

3. An anti-inflammatory response
4. Relaxed blood vessels
5. Your heart rebuilds faster than it degrades under stressed performance
   I wonder what would happen to the rates of anxiety, depression, suicide, heart attacks, strokes, autoimmune diseases, etc., if we had more belonging of the feel, own, and care for type?

Give this definition a try. Make the shift. I bet you’ll find your emotional and physical wellness moving upward with your belonging.

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Every nonprofit needs a business plan to implement marketing, financial, human resources, etc. activities. The goal of the nonprofit business plan is to maximize the achievement of the organization’s mission within existing resources.

Strong service and business practices should be the hallmarks of any nonprofit board that effectively focuses on four business factors:

Seizing Opportunities: Thousands of charitable, trade, and professional nonprofits have survived with modest growth for decades. Rigidly adhering to their missions in a supposed attempt to avoiding mission creep, they have failed to experiment and to seek ways to enhance their client services, even in the face of declining client populations.

Examples of some that have seized opportunities: The board of one local nonprofit operating a sheltered manufacturing workshop for visually impaired clients merged with Good Will retail stores. The income from the stores enabled the organization to creatively offer additional client services such as a call center.

A national nonprofit organization supporting local groups offering counseling services has a profit subsidiary offering crisis management services to airlines and businesses. When a crisis occurs the organization has a call center staff that provides authoritative information to those who seek it. In addition, the national organization can call on local member agencies to send counselors to the crisis site.

Avoiding mission creep can be a two-edged sword. It can prevent a board from seeking charitable funds outside of its core competencies. But it also can restrict visionary boards and CEOs from assuming risks – those in the long run that can improve services to new and current clients.

Focusing On Clients: It is often difficult to determine the long-term impacts of a nonprofit organization’s efforts. In attempting to help solve family conflicts, for example, it may only be possible to assist clients in resolving the symptoms of the problems not the long-term problem roots. Example: An organization whose mission is to serve the homeless may focus on finding temporary shelters for clients instead of permanent housing. The latter is a venue that had shown to have greater homeless benefits at lower community costs.

Handling Competing Priorities: Like commercial organizations, nonprofits face the challenges of competing priorities from stakeholders. The overriding one for nonprofits is that the client receiving the service often is not the one funding the service. Consequently the nonprofit has to service a set of clients for which it may not have donated revenues to fully cover the costs. Example: Symphony orchestra ticket sales only cover about 40% of the cost of the ticket. Donations and grants have to fill the gap for survival.

Trade-offs have to be accommodated. Frequently nonprofit salary budgets are not sufficient to hire and retain employees with a high market value. But nonprofits have been successful in engaging quality employees who value the mission the organization has undertaken. These people garner psychological compensation from contributing to the mission and clients. This is a value that a large portion of the millennial generation is seeking when considering an employer.

To increase value to clients, nonprofit managers must be ready to provide evidenced based data and information to donors, foundations and governmental and accrediting groups. Some stakeholders may be willing to fund certain populations but not others. Managers who address these difficult tradeoffs, in my opinion, often figuratively stand ten feet tall. In addition, they are often great human beings. Example: I have observed several executive directors of children’s homes legally adopt children in need of homes.

Think Long-Term: Nonprofit board perspectives can be circumscribed by short-term views for several reasons. In today’s fast-changing political, economic and social environments, the strategic planning framework must be limited to three- five years. When related to board rotation policies that limit most directors’ tenures from four to six years, a visionary director may only be able to influence one planning cycle. In addition many board chairs are changed annually. As a result, there may be little attention directed to mission modification.

Business boards can be locked into short-termism because of quarterly reporting requirements. But this is not a requirement for nonprofits if boards will acknowledge that volunteer directors’ board tenures are relatively brief and the organization’s senior managers need to be up-to-date on strategic field perspectives. Management must be ready to convince the board that its perspectives are reasonable, so that implementation can take place. In practice, the process works out to become a checks and balances approach.

Many may argue there is an inherent gap between nonprofits and for-profit organizations. The four factors cited above indicate quite a similarity when it comes to the business operations of both.

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If you partake or want to partake in interviews, one of the first things you may encounter is the fear of going on-camera. Why? Watch the Video I Made for You to Get My Reasons.

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Day 379. Learning French on Duolingo and LingQIf you’re learning another language, I’d love to hear which language(s) you’re learning, how long you have been going, and if you’re using any apps. Go ahead and leave a comment if you feel like sharing.

Why French, and why Duolingo & LingQ?I picked French for the pure fun of it. I love the sound of it but to be honest, it’s a case of “unfinished business” for me. I thought I’d “pick up” some French when I studied languages in Saarbruecken, at walking distance from the French border, back in the early nineties. Turns out, my professor was right when she said we wouldn’t have time to “pick up” a third language while getting a translator’s degree in two.

But now it’s the perfect “guinea pig” for my language acquisition experiment.

So what’s the language acquisition experiment? And how can it possibly help you grow your business?Well, I’m a pattern spotter, and I’ve seen how applying certain language acquisition principles to business building can help you make progress faster and with much greater ease. Let me explain.

I’ve been fascinated with foreign languages since long before I had my first Russian class at age 11 (Russian was the first foreign language taught back in East Germany). What I find most intriguing though is that despite schools and universities applying “proven teaching methods”, plenty of people never achieve fluency in another language, even if they live in a country where the language is spoken. Just like so many people looking to grow their business follow proven methods but don’t get the results they were promised and hoping for.

Something seems to be missing.Then one day, I stumbled across a video titled, “The Difference Between Language Learning and Language Acquisition.” It caught my attention because, in my mind, there was no difference.

There is.

Turns out, there is a different approach that gets better results much fasterLanguage learning is about consciously studying vocabulary and grammar rules. It’s about analyzing, trying to figure out, memorizing, working hard, and passing exams. Chances are, it’s how you’ve been taught whatever language you might have studied. Chances are, it’s the approach you’re taking when it comes to growing your business. The thing is, there is often a sense of information overload, overwhelm, pressure, and stress.

Language acquisition, on the other hand, is about “getting out of the way” so that your brain can naturally, unconsciously, absorb and make sense of the information, and build the new skill effortlessly. It’s like children learn, and research shows that’s how adults learn best as well.

Language acquisition is about Trusting Your Magnificent Mind.

So, how does it work?If you’ve used language learning apps like Duolingo or LingQ, you’ve experienced the principles of language acquisition in action:

1. It must be interesting and relevant – everything is easier when you’re focusing on something you want and/or need
2. It must be fun – nothing feels like work when you look at it as a game or an experiment
3. Get a feel for the whole – immerse yourself in the language, not trying to understand, simply allowing yourself to get a feel for the sounds, melody, and rhythm of it
4. Expose yourself to comprehensible input – it’s about connecting something unknown to something known, not throwing yourself into the deep end and drowning
5. Get a mentor/guide – you make more progress faster when you have a guide – just like a parent guides a child learning to speak – someone who has your best interest at heart, who walks at your pace and stretches you gently so you can expand
6. Take tiny steps without stopping – “When it feels hard, you’re skipping steps,” I tell clients all the time. Doing a little bit every day gets you moving farther faster than trying to get a whole lot squeezed into a day
7. Focus on the “basic pieces” first. Once they are second nature, you’ll naturally start differentiating, appreciating, and understanding more subtle details
8. Progress, not perfection – Mistakes don’t matter, in fact, they are needed. They offer invaluable information that helps you decide on your next move
9. It’s not a race – no matter how many “Learn Spanish in 30 Days” books you buy, developing mastery takes some time. And there is nothing wrong with that
10. Trust the process. Know that you’re getting better every day even if you’re not aware of it
11. Keep going. No failure is a failure unless it’s your last move. “Everything works out in the end. If it hasn’t worked out yet, then it’s not the end,” Tracy McMillan says. I have nothing to add.

The first language I learned this way was Spanish over 20 years ago. After 9 months of study (just a few evenings a week, after work) I felt more comfortable and confident speaking Spanish than I felt after 6 years of full-time university study to become a translator for English.

These days, apps like Duolingo or LingQ make the Trust Your Magnificent Mind approach accessible to anyone. Just watch out, you might get addicted

What if you applied the same principles to growing your business?Imagine approaching all learning and creation, including for your business, as a series of experiments, fuelled by curiosity, without unnecessary pressure and distorted expectations, without worry about getting it right, being good enough, or reaching goals faster…

From my own experience, and from working with clients, I know that when you operate this way, what drops away is doubt, overthinking, fear, worry, indecision, procrastination, and overwhelm. What you’re invariably left with is what creatives know and love as FLOW: Effortless focus, a limitless fountain of creativity, feeling relaxed and joyful, and astonishing levels of productivity.

How would that show up in your business?“For the first time in ages, I’ve been sleeping for 8 hours in one piece. I feel so relaxed and inspired. I don’t get caught up in other people’s little dramas, I get things done so much faster and frankly, the quality of my work has improved noticeably,” my client Vanessa shared after 2 weeks in “the experiment.”

The thing is, I’ve invited, well .. challenged .. quite a few people to give this approach a try, even if it’s just for a few days to start. It feels unnatural and scary for most.

“But my business is important to me. I need to get stuff done and reach my goal. I can’t just go with the flow and treat it as an experiment!”

Well, if the way you build your business works for you, great. Don’t fix what isn’t broken.

But if it feels like hard work, harder than you thought it would, if it requires rigid rules, rituals, and discipline to whip you through your never-ending to-do list, if you’re exhausted at the end of a week, if it feels like you’re pushing a boulder up a hill, let me plant the seed in your mind that there is an easier way…

If you’re game, try it out.

If you’ve experienced Duolingo or the likes, if you got hooked on playing a little bit each day and looked back sometime later, amazed at how much you’ve learnt without any apparent effort, I invite you to take the Trust Your Magnificent Mind approach into your business. Start with just a day or a weekend and see what happens.

If you can’t imagine at all how that could work, I’m inviting you to sign up for Duolingo, pick any language that sparks your interest and give yourself a week.

Are you up for the experiment?

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What if leadership at work wasn’t for a select few, but rather shared among many? Management consultant Gitte Frederiksen gives us the recipe for “distributed leadership” — dynamic, multidimensional networks of leaders that tap into everyone’s knowledge and creativity — and shows how it allows teams to do more and do it better.

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Unless you’re a man who has been living in a cave for the last year, you will be aware of the quantum shift taking place for you in today’s professional world. No such thing as business as usual especially for men.

Balancing a man’s life challenges with positive masculinity and authentic harmony is a must if you are to be successful with women in business and in life …

It’s tough for men, especially top decision men who are often making major adjustments from traditional perspectives to ensure they thrive in these uncertain times.

Men must navigate their usual traditional role and the new emotional integrity that post-pandemic economies demand. The new leadership/life dynamics occurring with DEI and ESG and SNGs and more pressures at home to provide against escalating living costs and teenage children wanting college fees paid!!

As men lead and work in required gender-equal and diverse cultures, many issues arise that they are unused to. Women are asserting themselves in ways that often confuse men. Different generations holding perspectives that clash and many old patterns of hierarchy and gender equity battles are blocking progress to authentic harmony.

Male leaders report that they are more unsure than ever as to how to negotiate their way through the ripple effects of the #metoo movement and pandemic pressures for hybrid working and rising cases of big payouts on sexual harassment legal actions. Even for men advocating for women to move to the top often feel left out in the ‘women empowerment’ movement when battling with those men who refuse to change.

What is the mix of fear, anger, frustration, and confusion that creeps in? This is not an “either-or” situation, it’s “and-and”! Building awareness on natural differences and principles of harmony includes the value of heart-centered leadership.

Go on – it’s ok to own all emotions… and it’s “manly” to overcome them with emotional understanding, business trust, and a culture of respect for all parties.

Can we build a new baseline landscape that shifts awareness for both men and women is the way to engage everyone in a new creative conversation? To achieve this, we propose to empower men to be open-minded to a more flexible, adaptable, collaborative synergistic, harmonious diverse world, and to navigate the MIND-Field of professional and domestic relationships. Men need to be men and still want to be viable competitors as well as colleagues in the challenging game of life and business (and and)!!

Many wise men today want to reassess their masculinity in communication, using greater sensitivity and still retaining authority. It’s increasingly difficult to exert a more masculine-style influence and be sure to be received fairly by both men and women. Now we present a pioneering Gender Dynamics Intelligence (GDI) landscape assessment and communication tool is designed to help men (and women) achieve a meaningful, masculine manner that fluently integrates instinctive emotions, integrity, and logic.

This pioneering approach encompasses positive masculinity and female empowerment into the combined territories of male and female with a 360-degree view of all diversity. This is integral to a new program facilitated by Dr. Pauline Crawford, the creator of the GDI map, an International Speaker, and Author of The Power of Authentic Harmony.

Men – It’s time to eliminate the barriers that bar your way to fulfillment and material success.

Start the journey one-on-one with your most difficult conversation…

Men of the Future … are you ready NOW?

My gratitude to all the men I interviewed during 2018 -pre pandemic- in a world of #metoo movement and quotas of women into boardrooms. Our world of women has moved on and now we face economic challenges globally. We cannot afford to waste time arguing for equality, we need harmony and joint- co-creation honoring each other’s natural talents.

I asked this cohort each in turn “What advice will you give a woman to manage a man today?”

The answer collectively was “We love you women – we love working with you, we respect you, you are complex, we are simple. Please value us for who we are, don’t smother us, mother us or see us as a threat (#metoo) – see us for our straight-forward truth as a man and love us as we are”

WISE ADVICE…. thank you!

Reach out to me below for more information and to be ahead of the game.

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What is hell? Hell is oneself. Hell is alone, the other figures in it merely projections. There is nothing to escape from. And nothing to escape to. One is always alone.

~ T.S. Eliot in The Cocktail Party

Leadership is built on relationships, the very foundation of human flourishing. So there is an obvious correlation between the global leadership deficit and the relationship dysfunction that characterises western society today. Social isolation, or loneliness, is the real pandemic in the Third Millennium, and it lies at the root of most of our social maladies.

Leadership is first learned in the family, where the virtues essential to all relationships – honesty, trust, faithfulness, compassion, forgiveness, and a natural sense of obligation to others – are best nurtured. Where those virtues are sincerely held, there can be no loneliness, and relationships will flourish. And that provides the ideal context and conditions for community and leadership.

Where those virtues are absent, family, friendship, and community break down, and social dysfunction ensues. The reality is that our mental and physical health actually depend heavily on the quality of our relationships. Studies around the globe have shown that:

• Social isolation is a one of the most common causes of clinical depression
• It impacts artery erosion, blood pressure, heart disease, hypertension, and stroke risk
• Chronic loneliness is a significant factor in many cases of alcoholism
• It is closely linked with anti-social and self-destructive behaviour
• It has a negative effect on learning and memory
• It can affect sleep patterns, promoting a wide range of attendant problems
• It actually increases an individual’s mortality risk more than smoking does
• Up to 80% of people who fail at work do so because of poor relationship skills
• Emotional support has been shown to be a significant factor in healing generally.

Why are there so many lonely people? Why is it so hard to form real relationships when that is what everybody both needs and wants? Well, if the family is where the virtues essential to all relationships are best developed, then dysfunctional families and the widespread loss of family life must inevitably give rise to a dysfunctional society in which relationships generally fail to flourish.

And this is, of course, precisely what has happened. A psychiatrist friend recently told me that over the past 20 years, some 80 percent of her patients have come from families broken by divorce; the burgeoning mental health crisis didn’t spring from nowhere. So if the loneliness pandemic is a result of family breakdown, what is the cause of the collapse of family life?

The root cause of this social cataclysm is, of course, the modern rejection of classical virtue ethics in favour of the personal choice of the autonomous individual, and the moral confusion that has accompanied it. But the “Who are you to tell me what is right and wrong?” mindset has been puffed up to planetary proportions by the removal of restraints on humanity’s most unruly appetite.

Science and common sense agree that promiscuity, prostitution, and pornography are inevitably destructive of family life, and relationships generally. Yet the Sexual Revolution of the past half-century continues to be driven relentlessly forward, not only by the many who profit so richly from it, but also by its many victims who refuse to admit their folly. Hence the increasingly dysfunctional culture of lonely, wounded people, incapable of meaningful commitments and self-sacrifice, and the insidious and intensifying mental health crisis.

Social science clearly shows that children in fatherless families are more likely to suffer emotional and behavioral issues, physical and psychological abuse, poverty, health problems, academic failure, relationship dysfunction, and susceptibility to criminal activity. Moreover, opinion polls over the past sixty years have recorded a steady decline in female happiness. The reality is that the Sexual Revolution has been a disaster for women and children, exposing them to ever-greater social and economic insecurity and unrelenting loneliness. More than sixty million abortions in the US since 1973 are a gruesome reminder of the horrifying tragedy visited upon women and children in the Western democracies under the influence of the Sexual Revolution. And, of course, the debilitating loneliness sooner of later catches up with the men involved.

Proponents of the permissive society misguidedly argue that lust and promiscuity are natural urges, but while they might be natural urges in animals, they can be naturally directed by rational animals. The power of reason enables human beings to know what is good for us and what is bad for us, so what is natural in us is the ability of the intellect to control the chaos of our carnal desires.

Most people associate the Sexual Revolution with a predictable loosening of moral standards that accompanied the decline of Christian belief in the 20th century, but the full story is somewhat more disturbing. If we are sincere in seeking an end to the endemic social dysfunction assailing the Western democracies, we will take account of this story, which is very well documented.

At a time when women are being subjected to absurd and wholly unwarranted threats to their dignity, comfort, and safety, the establishment’s response to a growing number of men embracing a measure of sexual restraint is curious to say the least. The men are accused of fascist tendencies. In an illuminating article, Was the sexual revolution a government psy-op?, philosopher Matthew Crawford retraces the genealogy of the Left’s association of sexual self-regulation with fascism. It is a tale of cynical social engineering that started long before the “sexual liberation” of the ‘60s.

Far from being a simple organic cultural development, the Sexual Revolution was the design of psychotherapists who emerged from the cataclysm of World War II with the aim of pre-empting a flowering of fascism in the US. Government complicity in this program is a documented fact. The movement started in the early1930s when the psychoanalyst Wilhelm Reich split with Freud, and, calling himself a Freudo-Marxist, set about using psychoanalysis for revolutionary purposes. Society was not merely unjust, but also mentally ill as a result of the superego, that “sham social surface”, repressing natural instincts (read sexual desires) that the psychoanalysts considered wholesome and morally unproblematic.

Reich and other intellectuals saw fascism as a consequence of bourgeois society and sexual repression and called for the destruction of the family and fatherhood, as well as authority and morality itself. The end of the war provided the opportunity. In 1946, President Truman declared a mental health crisis in the US, indicating that the way Western governments viewed democracy and the people they governed was somewhat less than charitable.

A study commissioned by the War Department to investigate psychiatric disorders in returning soldiers was conducted by emigre psychoanalysts from central Europe who focussed on repressed anger and sexuality in family life instead of the traumatic wartime experiences. They concluded that small-town America was a breeding ground for fascist attitudes, and their remedy was to “change the inner structure of the human being” to make people docile supporters of a particular political order. The National Mental Health Act of 1946 deployed hundreds of psychiatrists across the US in “Psychological Guidance Centres” to reshape the way people thought and behaved.

In 1948 Alfred Kinsey published the first of his now-discredited reports on sexual practices in the US, and his bogus science claimed to link the “authoritarian personality” to people who adhered to traditional sexual morality. Kinsey saw his work as furthering the “mass psychotherapeutic function” of eradicating the sense of shame in society. The manipulation of the moral judgment of ordinary people by psychology, which had been going on since the beginning of the century was set to shift into a higher gear with Playboy and Lady Chatterley just around the corner.

Crawford’s discourse echoes a shorter article by Italian academic, Carlo Lancellotti, who has provided excellent English translations of the works of Italian philosopher, Augusto Del Noce, an early critic of the Sexual Revolution. Del Noce analysed Freudo-Marxism and the cultural links between political progressivism and the Sexual Revolution. He pointed out that both regarded human reason as incapable of attaining metaphysical truths, a stance typical of the self-refuting scientistic mindset that views empirical science as the sole source of truth. The facile reduction of reason to science is of a piece with reducing freedom to the satisfaction of desires, and such a mindset naturally regards politics as the means to eradicate not only “repression”, but virtue and tradition as well. Del Noce stressed that scientism is inherently totalitarian, seeking to silence all other forms of knowledge.

Lancellotti sees Del Noce as original in studying the sexual revolution as a philosophical phenomenon that reflected a new worldview and not just new social circumstances. And he is convinced that, “…a failure to fully grasp this worldview is the reason why today many intelligent people seem genuinely surprised that movements putatively seeking tolerance for marginalized minorities should be so intolerant of dissent.”

Crawford’s essay also tallies with a well-researched three-part essay by Professor Patrick Deneen, “The Crisis of Democracy”, inspired by a 1973 book by Edward A. Purcell Jr. entitled: The Crisis of Democratic Theory: Scientific Naturalism and the Problem of Value. Purcell traced the history of the social sciences – psychology, sociology, politics, economics, and anthropology – that have today become the blindly followed authorities on the human condition. The tragic irony is, of course, that the allegedly indisputable claims of those disciplines are undergirded by hidden metaphysical assumptions that are suspect to say the least.

Deneen shows that the social sciences in the early 20th century boldly set about dismantling “democracy” in the name of efficiency and expertise. Leading social scientists confidently, but unscientifically claimed to identify cognitive and moral inequalities in different ethnic groups, and their bogus “scientific naturalism” gave encouragement to class, race, and sex discrimination. Many Western intellectuals at the time flirted with totalitarianism, either Marxist, Nazi, or Fascist.

Opposed to “scientific naturalism” were proponents of the classical natural law tradition, significantly including many Catholic intellectuals, who affirmed the equal dignity of all human beings, objective moral standards regardless of culture, and democratic societies committed to the Common Good.

After World War II, when social scientists found their flirtation with totalitarianism an embarrassment because of gas chambers, gulags, and other barbarous violations of human dignity, they deflected attention from their inhumanity by switching the narrative. They loudly proclaimed that the totalitarian mindset was linked to a belief in objective morality, traditional family virtues, and sexual restraint, all of which were labelled as impediments to the self-fulfilment of the individual. So the social engineers disguised themselves as defenders of democracy and accused the real defenders of human dignity of totalitarian repression. And great swathes of Westerners, seduced by the Sexual Revolution, have unthinkingly bought the lie. The loneliness pandemic currently exploited by an oligarchic establishment is the result.

It is dismaying for people in a civilisation built on the foundation of reason, who naturally take it for granted that dissent, dialogue, and disagreement are healthy and necessary to civil society, to be confronted by angry zealots who present themselves as defenders of absolute human rights that may not be called into question. The radicals smear opponents as bigots and haters and stop at nothing to silence their dissent.

Acceptance of the insidious philosophical fraud of the Sexual Revolution means most people do not want to address the root cause of the culture of loneliness. They simply assume that since “science” insists that humanity can achieve “happiness” by eliminating all forms of “repression,” religion and traditional ethical standards must not be permitted to stand in the way.

When our appetites are not controlled by our rational minds, they enslave us, sex being the most tyrannical of all. And with individuals rejecting moral restraints, egalitarian societies slide into Hobbes’ “war of everyone against everyone”, which opens the door to the abuse of power. Tyranny and sexual profligacy go hand in hand, and the egalitarian attitude typically ushers in totalitarianism.

Some two decades ago, I recall reading about a woman who was deeply saddened by the Bill Clinton/Monica Lewinsky scandal and then discovered that her own husband was having an affair. Her psychotherapist counselled her to accept the break-up of her marriage, and her pastor echoed the advice. In the space of a week, she lost her husband, her president, her psychotherapist, and her pastor, and was consigned to the ranks of the socially isolated. The story is emblematic of a society engineered to self-destruct.

What is a leader to do? Leadership means service, not status. It is about promoting the common good and not self-aggrandisement, in the home, school, workplace, or community. That demands honesty, trust, faithfulness, compassion, forgiveness, and a natural sense of obligation to others, all of which entail the eradication of sexual profligacy as the first step to restoring healthy culture, relationships, and community, the criteria by which leadership is measured.

A big ask? Of course, it is, but as Solzhenitsyn told us, “Let the lie come into the world, but not through me.” And it is the lie that unleashed the deluge of lust, and the desolation of loneliness that followed. Tragically, many people in positions of leadership will dismiss the call to action as too idealistic, too difficult, or simply contrary to their own concupiscence. Yet many others are increasingly aghast at the ugly absurdities defiling contemporary Western society, and new leaders are emerging far more rapidly than the complicit mainstream media would have us know.

The Latin phrase “divide et impera”, divide and rule, expresses a political ruse as old as civilisation itself. So where a leader unites and inspires for the common good, a misleader divides and rules for self-interest. The lonely society serves the misleaders. Solzhenitsyn saw it: “People have learned from their own misfortunes that revolutions demolish the organic structures of society, disrupt the natural flow of life, destroy the best elements of the population, and give free rein to the worst.”

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Career development appears at the top of many lists. Unfortunately, they tend to be lists focused on what employees desperately want but are not getting from managers.As for managers, most appreciate the value of career development and really wish they could do it more frequently and more effectively. But let’s face it: A manager’s day-to-day reality is a kaleidoscopic blur of meetings, responsibilities, and shifting priorities. Helping employees to develop and grow is one of many activities that is continually pushed out in time to that elusive “someday” that too rarely comes.

How can managers get past this conundrum? How can they make career development happen within the pressure-cooker reality that is business today? The answer is definitely not new systems, checklists, processes or forms. Those have actually contributed to the problem.

Instead, the answer lies in a new mindset — a different way of thinking about what career development is — and a few key behaviors.

Transfer OwnershipManagers don’t own their employees’ careers. Employees do. All that managers can (and should) feel accountable for is guiding, encouraging, collaborating on, and supporting the effort. When a manager really internalizes this reality, it can produce a powerful energetic shift. The weight of responsibility lifts, allowing managers to approach this task with greater energy and creativity than when it was another of their many “duties.” This transfer also ensures that employees have some skin in the game. Personal ownership enhances their engagement, interest, commitment, and results.

Cultivate CuriosityWhen ownership of development is transferred to the employee, career conversations suddenly become much easier and less stressful for managers. Managers don’t need to have all the answers. But they must be ready to pose the right questions. Questions are the most powerful tool managers have to support career development. And cultivating a genuine sense of curiosity and interest in others and their goals sets the tone for the most productive conversations possible.

Iterate the IDPMany organizations have formal individual development planning processes, during which managers engage in a lengthy annual analysis and career discussions with each employee. For the manager, it’s a huge time sink, and for the employee, it’s frequently like drinking from a fire hose. So, break it up. Do a little bit each month — or better yet, each week. These smaller, iterative chunks better accommodate the cadence of business. Perhaps more importantly, they better accommodate how development really occurs: little by little over time.

Engineer ExperiencesMany managers avoid career development conversations because they believe that to make employees happy, the goal of such conversations is to provide ideas about how to move up or around in the organization. That’s simply not part of today’s de-layered, leaner approach to business. So how then does development occur? Through experiences that leverage talents and build the skills that employees need. It might be leading a team, analyzing data, or getting to know new customers. Jointly arriving at development experiences is smart business because while the employee is developing, important work gets done simultaneously.

Seize Coachable MomentsCareer development opportunities occur countless times each day, but only when managers are sensitive to the cues around them and are willing to seize coachable moments. When an employee shares a new interest, is starting a project, has just come back from training, or has experienced a setback — all of these are career development cues. A 1-3 minute conversation in the flow of the work that needs to be done can help employees reflect, analyze, consider, and plan their career development. There’s no need to wait for some big career meeting (that likely won’t occur anyway).

Managers who consistently engage in career development that employees appreciate don’t have more time than others. They have a mindset that allows them to deploy the little time they have toward efficient high-value conversations that drive employee ownership, reflection, motivation, and action.

In fact, it’s the busiest managers who realize they don’t have the time not to develop those around them.

This article originally appeared at SmartBrief.

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On the plane about to take off, I’m sitting in the exit row, and the flight attendant asked us, “Are you ready, willing, and qualified to assist in case of an emergency landing?” Hmmm, I thought. Qualified? I have never had to reload an entire plane because of an emergency landing before. How could I be qualified? This made me think of new managers, those who are promoted or ones hired who have no experience leading people. Yet, we think they are “qualified”! Is that fair? Shouldn’t we do something to prepare them?

People often believe that if they don’t feel capable, influential, or experienced enough to be leaders then they aren’t “qualified” for the job. However, this couldn’t be farther from the truth! Leadership is not only about technical skills and knowledge; it’s also about confidence, flexibility, and resilience. An article from CCL says “A good leader should have integrity, self-awareness, courage, respect, empathy, and gratitude.” Despite our own doubts and insecurities about leading others, there is no set mold for what makes someone qualified–each person has their own unique traits that make them a great leader.

Leadership TrainingLeadership training can have a profoundly positive impact on your ability to lead your organization, team, or project forward. If you feel stuck and unable to develop strategies that bring together both short-term and long-term objectives and shape cultures of mutual respect within your organization, leadership training can help. It offers opportunities to develop the skills to reflect critically upon all the decisions you make, understand and accept different perspectives, delegate effectively, and motivate your colleagues. With all these tools at hand that help you foster meaningful relationships with colleagues while driving results through dynamic decision-making, you’ll be well on your way toward becoming an influential and momentous leader. Leadership training is the perfect stepping stone for you if you’ve been looking for ways to step up in the type of leader you want to be.

Mentoring or ShadowingMentoring or shadowing is a great way to gain knowledge, increase your skill set and make valuable connections. A mentor can help you develop an understanding of the profession you have chosen by providing practical advice and guidance. Shadowing someone in a role that interests you is equally beneficial, allowing you to put the skills learned through self-teaching into practice. With both of these strategies, gaining insight into different approaches can be invaluable for your learning. Don’t forget that mentoring or shadowing requires commitment and dedication, and it can often take hard work and perseverance to receive the maximum results. However, with any effort comes a reward so take the plunge and reap the rewards!

Peer ReviewsBecoming a qualified leader is an important skill, and peer reviews are a great way to help the process. Providing and receiving thoughtful feedback can bring an understanding of strengths and development opportunities to aid any aspiring leader. Careful consideration of feedback from someone in the same field can be invaluable, as it comes from experience that may not be available outside of your peers. Peer reviews provide a platform for growth and development for anyone looking to build their leadership capabilities, which ultimately promotes self-confidence in workplace decisions.

Acknowledging and Celebrating Other People’s SuccessesAs a qualified leader, I understand how important it is to recognize and celebrate other people’s successes. Showing gratitude for the hard work of others not only maintains our relationships, but it’s also a great way to boost confidence and soften competition. Each time someone excels, I feel privileged to be around them and acknowledge their success. Through noticing great accomplishments throughout my circles and offering congratulations with warmth, I hope that others can experience the same inspiration and motivation as I do when witnessing successes.

ReflectionDeveloping leadership skills requires dedication and thoughtfulness. Qualified leaders are aware of their own strengths and weaknesses and how to leverage them for the benefit of their goals or environment. They take initiative and recognize the potential in others, while not forgetting to establish structure and guide their teams. All the methods discussed – rigorous training, mentoring or shadowing, peer reviews, and celebrating successes – can help build strong leadership skills that qualify you as a leader. Take stock of what’s comfortable for you – do you prefer a classroom setting? Or one-on-one meetings? Is public speaking natural for you? Knowing what works best for you is key to nurturing your capabilities. And at the end of it all, it’s important to reflect: What makes YOU a qualified leader? With careful investments into honing your leadership craft, continue to equip yourself with the knowledge and humility necessary to become an effective leader who moves people and brings out the best in them.

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If you’re not making mistakes, then you’re not doing anything. I’m positive that a doer makes mistakes.

~John Wooden

As an avid photographer (semi-professional) of many decades, I’ve come to learn a thing or two about mistakes. There’s nothing more satisfying than taking a good picture. Many factors come into play to make that happen, and oftentimes a little luck.

But on a typical photoshoot, it’s not uncommon to take 300-plus pictures in order to narrow down to 20 or 30 pictures that will pass muster for consideration in the final selection process.

Why do so many pictures not make the cut? In a word – mistakes. If the photoshoot was outdoor it could be lighting issues, eyes were closed, hair was a mess, the picture was not in focus, the composition wasn’t right, the 3-year-old quit cooperating, I hesitated too long on the shutter, and the list goes on.

Photography has been a rewarding passion for me over the years. But it’s also quite humbling. It humbles me when I step into the home of a family member or a friend and see their family portrait prominently placed and knowing I took it is humbling. Knowing the backstory of my countless mistakes in getting to that prominently placed picture is equally as humbling.

In leadership, as in photography, mistakes are bound to happen. Sometimes they are mistakes of our own creation while others are not. Either way, it’s part of a leader’s life.

My leadership mentor John Maxwell writes, “All leaders make mistakes. They are a part of life. Successful leaders recognize their errors, learn from them, and work to correct their faults.” And this is what separates successful leaders from the rest of the pack. Let’s look a little closer look.

All leaders make mistakesThis shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Welcome to the human race. But in leadership, perhaps we need to ask what mistakes are we making. Are they the same ones over and over? If so, perhaps the lessons haven’t been learned. But that aside, as a leader, don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Making mistakes is a sign of progress and without making mistakes there will be no progress.

Successful leaders recognize their mistakes and learn from themThis is the distinguishing characteristic of a strong leader. Being able to recognize one’s mistakes is essential. This involves humility and being grounded in reality. Perhaps you were just tone-deaf at the moment and made a poor decision. You didn’t take advice or listen to others before making a critical decision. Perhaps you didn’t delegate a task when you should have and it created issues you otherwise could have avoided. Successful leaders recognize this.

Successful leaders work to correct their mistakesIn order to be successful in your leadership, acknowledge that you make mistakes and also pour yourself into learning from them and making the necessary corrections. This is your work and obligation as a leader.

As a leader, there will always be something to work on and improve, but as you stick with it, you’ll be well on your way to significant growth as a leader.

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I recently had the privilege of joining the University of South Wales at their 10th-year anniversary Coaching Conference where I was invited to share a keynote on how do we evolve as coaches and leaders and how do we help our clients evolve in their thinking.

In preparation for this speech, I reviewed my own and others’ lived experiences and discovered a recipe with a number of ingredients in how we might EVOLVE more intentionally. Firstly let’s check in with our mutual understanding of the verb evolve. The dictionary defines it as to develop gradually, or to cause something or someone to develop gradually.

It seems to me that as a coach or leader, you are a catalyst for your clients and team members to gradually grow and develop both personally and professionally. Equally, there are times when your client or team member may experience a transformation through your coaching conversations having a significant impact in their personal and professional lives.

I believe as coaches and leaders we have a profound responsibility and privilege in our roles because of the impact we have on the lives of others – the way they think, feel, and act. This may sound daunting. This may sound exciting. Coaching conversations expand from the tender to the challenging, each one of them having an impact on the life of another. And so how do we evolve as coaches and leaders more intentionally?

Below I share the ingredients by way of an acronym in the form of a question which I’d love to engage with you on:

● Who do you ENGAGE on your journey?
● What VALUES do you want to upgrade?
● What enables you to be OPEN-MINDED?
● What is the purpose of your LISTENING?
● What VARIETY of experiences do you create?
● What takes you and others to the unexplored EDGE of their thinking?

Who do you engage on your journey?I realised that my own journey became clear once I looked back and joined the dots. I enjoyed a career serving people in the corporate environment from secretary to HR director spanning 16 years. Later I was encouraged by Gladena McMahon an inspiring and dedicated coach, to consider and retrain as a coach based upon my observations and the impact of conversations I was having with individuals as they navigated the many organisational restructures we witnessed in the early 2000s. I was curious to learn more.

Coaching was not so well known in the corporate setting at that time. I had studied NLP with the superb Ian McDermott and Jan Elfine and became more interested on the impact of language and emotions in our lives and so began my coach training in this field. A few years later I pursued a post-grad diploma in psychological coaching deepening my understanding yet further on what it means to be human under the wise stewardship of Stephen Palmer, Gladena, and colleagues at the Centre for Coaching.

Twelve years ago I discovered the Thinking Environment and the work of Nancy Kline. This experience transformed my life. As a mum, daughter, sister, friend, and my coaching practice. I discovered a different level of listening and how to help others think as and for themselves rather than conforming to what others wanted them to think or being fearful of reprimand when they did share their thoughts.

As I looked back, I saw what each part of the journey had taught me. I also acknowledge that I was not alone, at each stage I had been inspired, encouraged, and stretched by my coach supervisors Georgina Woudstra and Anne Hathaway, teachers and leadership mentors Bob Chapman and Anthony Howard in my leadership and coaching evolution.

Supporting our coaching clients is to invite them to consider who do they engage in their life, in their relationships, in their work in support of their personal vision. We evolve as we ENGAGE with others to help us become who we are meant to become.

What values are driving your decisions?Reflecting on your own coaching and leadership journey is in itself a useful process in how you have evolved. Specifically, at the start of your journey, what values underpinned your decisions and behaviours? Pursuing a career as a coach requires much learning, commitment, and excellence most definitely if you want to pursue an accreditation.

These were indeed my own values when I began my coach training. As I grew in experience and skills I continued to revisit my values and upgrade them. Today the values that drive my decisions are those of nurturing, gratitude, personal growth, and goodness. I decided to upgrade my values in service of my ongoing vision where I imagine a world where we listen first enabling others to step up and into who they are meant to be.

Nelson Mandela, an exceptional leader was someone who upgraded his values as he evolved. He had a vision to bring about a rainbow nation. In his early years, he was very different to who he became after 27 years in prison. Prior to his incarceration, he described himself as an angry and rebellious man fighting injustice. He left honouring the values of humility, wisdom, reconciliation, and forgiveness.

As I have said, the first thing is to be honest with yourself. You can never have an impact on society if you have not changed yourself.

– Nelson Mandela

Supporting our coaching clients and team members is to invite them to revisit and upgrade their values as they consider who they wish to become. We evolve as we upgrade our VALUES revealing our lived experience and what is important now in service of our personal vision.

What enables you to be open-minded?Over the past year, I have asked a number of audiences to describe how they would characterise our current reality. The same words emerge each time; unpredictable, changing, unknowing, chaotic, possibility, urgent, confused, anxious. Given our reality, how do we as coaches, leaders and human beings evolve to thrive not simply survive in the context we find ourselves in today? I propose we need to be open-minded so that we can continue to adapt, be flexible, think as and for ourselves, be willing to change, and to keep learning.

Kendra Cherry, in her article How to be More Open-Minded, describes open-mindedness as being non-prejudiced, tolerant, and being willing to see another’s perspective. Being open-minded helps us to gain insight, have new experiences, achieve personal growth, become mentally strong, feel more optimistic, and learn new things – all of which help us navigate the complex reality we face today. Cherry goes on to say we benefit from being open-minded as it helps us learn new things, grow as a person, and become more optimistic and resilient in the face of life’s challenges.

Supporting our clients and team members is to role model our own open-mindedness, celebrating what’s right with the world and encouraging different perspectives. We evolve when we choose to be OPEN-MINDED to what is possible.

Being open-minded also requires us to deepen our capacity to listen.

What is the purpose of your listening?In my work, I have discovered 5 levels of listening, each of them having a purpose.

• Self-listening – pausing, being present with yourself, and reflecting: What is working well? What am I assuming that is holding me back? How do I feel? What thought is behind that feeling? What do I want to change? And then listening to your answers with compassion rather than in combat to help develop a greater self-awareness. We need to get good at listening to ourself so we can listen well to others.
• Pretend listening – your mind is elsewhere being caught up in your thoughts and feelings and your eyes are wandering and glazed. Your attention is no longer on the person speaking.
• Factual – listening for information and the facts which will help to discern a course of action, make a decision, and clarifying our understanding of what we have heard.
• Empathetic – listening to the non-verbal cues, emotions, and feelings of another and acknowledging what you have heard and seen so that the other feels seen, heard, and understood.
• Generative – listening to free and ignite the mind rather than direct it for another to be their best self. Holding a safe space free from interruption and judgement that says ‘you matter’.

In one conversation, we may be in any one or all of these levels of listening. As we deepen our listening skills and experience, we are able to adjust to the situation and person to whom we are listening, therefore deepening our connection, enhancing our communication, and releasing the human potential in front of us.

When we speak, we say what we already know, but when we listen, we may learn something new.

– Dalai Lama

We evolve when we LISTEN generatively to ourselves and others, fostering the finest independent thinking honouring our own and others’ dignity.

What variety of experiences do you create?The pandemic created new experiences and opportunities for many. I wonder what you experienced in your coaching and leadership practices and how they expanded in ways you had not imagined before the pandemic. Perhaps you began working with clients outside of your region or specific area. For example, many coaches gave up their time and shared their skills with the NHS, for the first time, during the pandemic. New programmes were commissioned in serving those who took care of those with Covid.

Technology enabled us to connect globally. We witnessed a level of acceptance for a new way of being and working with each other. My hunch is that you used your coaching and leadership skills and experience beyond your everyday practice in your community, at the school gates, and with your own family.

Supporting our clients to evolve in their thinking is to invite them to consider a variety of experiences in their work and life. We evolve when we create a VARIETY of experiences, new experiments, possibilities, and opportunities.

It takes courage to create and step into these new experiences, just as it does to go to the unexplored edge of our thinking. The last ingredient in our recipe.

What takes us to the unexplored Edge of our Thinking?Being a Thinking Environment coach, facilitator and teacher is a privileged role to uphold because the nature of this work reveals having a deep impact on the lives of others. The decision to be a Thinking Environment for others is a way of being. It is to embody The Ten Components of a Thinking Environment and it is in this embodiment that we are able to take our clients to the unexplored edge of their thinking.

When we give our attention free from interruption and judgement, holding a deep respect for others in their thinking and where they go next, they think well as and for themselves, often uninhibited. When we create an equality between us, they think better due to the absence of hierarchy. When we ourselves are at ease in our listening free from rush and urgency, they think with greater clarity. When we appreciate the goodness, and the character qualities we witness in them, they think with even more imagination. When we encourage them to think and feel more, freeing them from the internal competition in their own mind, they are filled with the courage to go further than they imagined in their thinking.

When we welcome the release of feelings honouring their humanity, they will think and feel more deeply than if we simply stepped over their feelings and closed the space down. When we prioritise their lived experience and celebrate their difference rather than wanting them to think and be just like us, they will know and feel that they matter for who they are not just what they do. When we, as the listener, absorb all the facts and provide information when asked in service of the thinker, they will continue to think well for themselves.

When we ask incisive questions to remove untrue limiting assumptions and replace them with those that are liberating and true, breakthrough ideas emerge, new ways of behaviour are revealed and the dignity of the human mind and soul is revealed right in front of our eyes, the listener’s eyes. When we create a place that says ‘you matter’ both in the physical environment that is free from distraction and also our own – the listener’s body and face – they will think with greater ease and confidence. Being a Thinking Environment coach, facilitator and teacher is a privileged role to uphold.

The most valuable thing we can offer each other is the framework in which to think for ourselves.

– Nancy Kline

Generating a space for another to think as and for themselves is still radical. It is radical not because it is difficult but because it is rare. Today, there continues to be much societal and organisational pressure to think and feel that we need to think and be like others in order to fit in, feel like we belong, or conform to be accepted. Whereas in reality, it is the very nature of our capacity to think independently well for ourselves that our teams, organisations and communities benefit from. It is our unique perspective that when given the chance to contribute our own thoughts and ideas brings creativity and difference in resolving a situation, a challenge, a problem or taking forward an opportunity for the good of all.

I acknowledge the courage every one of my clients demonstrates in our coaching conversations. Because it takes courage to go to the unexplored edge of our thinking and it is at this edge that we grow and develop. And it’s worth it.

We support our clients and team members to go the unexplored EDGE of their thinking by choosing to embody the ten components of a Thinking Environment. We evolve when we engage in our finest independent thinking for the good of all.

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.

– Maya Angelou

I celebrate you in your own journey of evolving in who you have become and who you go on to become.

Thank you for listening!

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Work that’s dictated by a fixed schedule, place, and job description doesn’t make sense anymore, says leadership expert Debbie Lovich. In light of the cultural shift towards remote work sparked by the pandemic, Lovich gives three essential tips to leaders so employees can keep their autonomy (while remaining productive), companies can let go of rigid bureaucracy and we can all reshape work to better fit our lives.

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The glass cliff: an experience of taking on a leadership role only to find that your chances of success have been limited before you’ve even begun. Equality activist Sophie Williams explores the research-backed reasons behind this workplace phenomenon and how it overwhelmingly affects underrepresented groups, despite a facade of progress and inclusion. Learn more about the biases and behaviors that set people up for failure — and what can be done to make the path to success in leadership better for everyone.

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This year’s Super Bowl gave us so many exciting moments and it was definitely a game for the ages. Patrick Mahomes played an incredible game on an injured ankle, Nick Bolton played out of his mind on defense, and Kadarius Toney broke the record for the longest punt return in Super Bowl history leading the Chiefs to their 2 championships in 3 years.

In the end, though, there was one play that stood out to me more than any other. With under two minutes to go, the Chiefs have the ball and they are inside the 10-yard line getting ready to score. Andy Reid draws up another masterful play and Mahomes passes to McKinnon, who could have easily scored yet another touchdown for the Chiefs but instead slides at the 1-yard line to keep the clock moving.

Why didn’t he score?Seems counterintuitive at the time, but because of McKinnon’s team-first mentality, he realized that keeping the ball and running out the clock was best for the team, and passed up the chance to score a touchdown in the super bowl which could have been the game-winning score and something he could have reminisced on for the rest of his life. However, McKinnon’s mindset was “WE before me” and because of that the Chiefs were able to run down the clock and Butker kicked the game-winning field goal.

There is an incredible lesson here for all of us regardless of age. A champion’s mindset thinks more about what’s best for the team and less about what’s best for the individual.

What a great lesson on humility and having the ability to think about yourself less and do what is best which leads not only to success but also happiness.

Jerick McKinnon- Thank you for being an example of what it means to be a great teammate and put others first.

A question I will start asking myself is “How can I be a better teammate like McKinnon in my personal and professional life”. I invite you to do the same and watch the magic happen…

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I was reflecting on the need for everyone to move toward a ‘we’ mindset rather than one of self-interest if we are to navigate the global crises facing our world today. Aside from any political motives, it brings to the fore key principles that are hopefully becoming more evident to everyone; we are all fundamentally interconnected, we cannot solve problems in isolation, cooperation and caring for each other is about more than ‘clapping for carers’, it requires a fundamental shift in core values.

The self-interest gene is inevitably triggered when our very survival is threatened and this is true in all areas of life – personal, family, business, organisationally, and life itself… here is where the new thinking is required. If, as leaders, we can elevate our vision and indeed our values to a new level of ‘we’, then we will start to bring forward ideas, solutions, and behaviours that benefit a larger whole beyond our own backyard.

This may mean going to the core of what the organisation produces and its contribution to the world – asking the question, ‘does what we do really matter to this current world, and if it doesn’t how can we become more relevant and useful?’ It may mean a deep overhaul of leadership behaviours to create a genuine and deeply rooted practise focused on well-being, care for all, generating creative dialogue, and inspiring new actions and responsibilities focused around an empowered and inspiring purpose. In other words, balancing an over-developed need for control and management with a true focus on seeing, nurturing, and releasing the latent capability and quality within the workforce.

A ‘we’ mindset does not negate the importance of individual contribution; in fact, it emphasises the need for each of us to be the best we can be. The ‘we’ mind-set relies on quality and full contribution and seeks to leverage that across a larger landscape – across more people, bigger challenges and opportunities, and above all requires a deep belief that by working for and with each other we improve the quality of life for all.

The ‘we’ mindset is about more than collaboration or playing nicely together though these are important. It strikes at the heart of whether we believe we are connected one and all and that in that interconnection lies both the beauty and the quality that underpins human existence.

Where does the ‘we’ mindset show up in your organisation culture and how could you advance it further?

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Consistency is perhaps the only known path to serendipity

The relentless generation, dissemination, and repurposing of information on an ongoing basis has made people dependent on technologies that can help them find relevant information in the minimum amount of time possible. Therefore, the important role search engines such as Google, Yahoo, and Bing play in retrieving and presenting the most relevant information (terms such as googling or googlization are often used to describe such activities) is undeniable.

The growing advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and its sub-fields of deep learning (DL) and natural language processing (NLP) are making it possible for search engines to produce the best results for the search query in a tick. Given the vast amount of available information, humans will never be able to find information as efficiently as a search and query bot does anyway.

As such, in hindsight, information retrieved through search and query bots (SnQ bots) can play a significant role in knowledge creation, repurposing, and management. The increased sophistication of generative AI-based applications (e.g., ChatGPT; read more: https://www.academiasolution.com/ChatGPT) is further contributing to the use of intelligent machines to provide the best information (within the limits of algorithm design and learning acquired by the machine through training), resulting in the availability of a lot of information. Therefore, it is safe to say that the level and amount of available information that we are coping with are simply unprecedented.

Unsurprisingly, a huge amount of knowledge on project management is available online too. A simple Google search for the term “project management” yielded over 3.5 billion results and over 130 million results in the Yahoo and Bing search engines.

It raises the question of whether it is possible to use the information resources (project- and non-project-based) made available by SnQ bots in any way possible, and if so, what could be some of the ways in which it can be done?

Some research has looked at these questions by exploring the role of search volume generated by SnQ bots (e.g., Google search volume) for user queries and its impacts on issues such as the prediction of COVID-19, return on stock, investor trading, obesity patterns, and so forth. It indicates that the information identified by SnQ bots is regarded as useful and worthy of understanding issues and building corresponding solutions. In hindsight, it also underlines the possibility of leveraging these vast resources of information in a coordinated manner for assorted purposes, including teaching and learning.

However, interestingly, not much has been done to understand the impacts of search yield for project management-focused search results. That is despite the fact that searching for a common term like ‘project management’ yields 3.5 billion records. It shows the breadth of knowledge available that could be tapped and tactically used for assorted purposes to grow the knowledge boundaries of professions. Not every link that is found by SnQ bots is relevant to the search, but surely one can still find useful information. So it makes one consider how this vast resource of information on project management can be used.

With that in mind, we have looked at some of the possible uses of search volume generated by SnQ bots as well as possible ways in which it can be done. Surely, examining potential uses and solutions is not easy, but at least this brief discussion will build initial thought, and that has been done below.

Possible uses of search volume generated by SnQ bots

1. For research

Just like the prior studies, research can be carried out to investigate the relationship between search volume for different key terms (e.g., project management, project delivery, and project management certification) and the growth, expansion, or obsoletion of a project management niche (e.g., agile project management).

Such research will be very useful for trend analysis and making predictions for the future. It will then help project management bodies and other stakeholders plan their activities for the short, medium, and long term. There are other areas to explore as well. For example, which certification and accreditation (offered by a certain body) should be continued, and which should be discontinued, and what innovations are needed in knowledge management education, training, and certification? What kinds of innovations are needed for improving the effectiveness of project management knowledge or modernizing project management? How can project management programs offered in universities be made more effective in providing cutting-edge, relevant learning?

1. For learning

Searching the internet is ‘digital breathing.’ In hindsight, it is something that we cannot afford or want to live without. Given the technological advancements in creating workaholic SnQ bots, we often take for granted the usefulness and worthiness of the information made available to us in a tick. Have we ever paused for a sec and thought, ‘Oh, how sweat! these unseen creatures are so kind in making our lives easy by enabling access to information that we didn’t even know it ever existed.

So, one potential use is to go beyond the use of search engines for information retrieval to make it a learning and exploration platform for assorted purposes, such as corporate trainings, school (all levels from primary to the highest level possible) learners’ learning, and exploration, and the advancement of knowledge sharing in a coordinated way.

An example could be the formation of volunteer “Fav-Share” (i.e., crowd-sharing-based) groups. As we normally save or tag sites and good online resources as favorites in our fav folders, this simple tendency can be utilized for a much more useful and larger purpose. That is, people in these purposefully created groups can keep saving favorites on an ongoing basis, just like we all do, and after a while, they can share their saved favorite sites with people within the group. It can be done for dedicated keywords. So, a routine thing can become very useful for learning and exploration. It will help learners critically analyze their choices and discuss why they thought a piece of content (e.g., text, image) was useful.

And the advantages of this extremely simple thing are multitudes, such as (but not limited to):

1) These crowd-sharing types of groups are free and don’t require any additional resources or access than they are likely to have in their day-to-day lives,

2) People in these groups don’t do any extra work or make an extra effort, as they will only tag a link when they come across a useful link,

3) Group members’ search activities will help SnQ bots learn and get better at generating search outputs. So, it will help create the common good.

4) Anyone can form these types of groups at any level for private or official purposes as suits their learning and knowledge-seeking purpose and needs without any limitations whatsoever, and above all,

5) Sharing is caring (or perhaps fav-sharing is digital-caring).

In this way, free information is transformed into free, useful information. One small addition of word, one giant purpose of netizen served, so to speak (Thanks to famous words of Niel Armstrong).

1. For case studies

Given the wide-ranging aspects (e.g., social, technological, environmental, and regulatory) involved in the search and retrieval of information using SnQ bots, they make a good platform for studying them as case studies. For instance, one can look at the case of search engine A vs. search engine B output for different keywords, and so on and so forth. So, the possibilities of creating case studies are enormous, given the volume and variety of content shared on these platforms.

Concluding remarks

Information is the most vital asset for progress. Transforming information availability into purposeful information availability is what we really need, given the deep oceans of available information resources. Obviously, it is a positive thing that requires consideration and finding ways and means to leverage it for assorted uses. Just like other disciplines, a significantly large pool of information is also available on project management. It deserves some attention.

As such, we have discussed a few possibilities of use and some possible ways in which information produced by SnQ bots can be used for more directed and dedicated purposes. Needless to say, the possibilities are endless. The ones discussed here are just the tip of the iceberg to stimulate some thoughts. This is analogous to standing on the beach and contemplating the vastness and depth of the ocean, as well as the unknowns associated with it. But hopefully, the discussion presented in this article will help people consider developing some coordinated efforts to use this freely available and dynamically updated information in some way.

Note: This article was previously published on: https://www.academiasolution.com/Googling

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The role of the CEO entails a remarkable formal power, exercisable in different ways. But power, authority, expertise, and even results are often not enough to truly guarantee success.

Effective CEOs must try to combine formal power and authority with the legitimation they gain when people believe in them as people and as leaders. But they have to earn it, in many different ways, as demonstrated, for example, that they have also values, ethics, fairness, and an altruistic commitment towards the company and its collaborators.

Legitimation gives rise to a motivation that goes far beyond the issuing of orders and can produce extraordinary organizational performance.

Time is probably the most important of the resources (scarce by definition) with which the CEO must constantly deal. CEO time allocation is not just about meetings or decision-making, but about the whole range of ways in which he/she relates to the organization and its members.

The challenges are not few because the CEO, in general, represents the executive and decision-making body of the company, the subject responsible for the company’s strategy, and responsible for providing the members of the organization with the guidelines to implement it.

The life of the CEO of a large company is not easy. Leading a large company today means learning to manage decisions between complex scenarios, ambitious and short-term goals, and coming to terms with an ever shorter working life expectancy. And while it is undeniable that managers have a great deal of resources and support on their side, it is they, more than anyone else, who have to deal with the chronic shortage of time.

Compared to even the recent past, the new, more complex reality emerges in all its relevance: if CEOs want to be such, and be so for a long time, they are faced with a large number of interlocutors and must always keep them in mind. The term stakeholder is now commonly used, and since that day we have known that they are all those who have a significant relationship with the company. Usually, we say “stakeholders”, but now the term must be read more broadly because we aren’t talking only about employees, customers, and shareholders, but we are also talking about suppliers, surrounding communities, and the environment.

The CEO, who today has a shorter professional “life expectancy” than the previous generation of leaders, has much more articulated and complex objectives.

The first objective remains that of achieving economic and competitive results such as placing and maintaining the company on the market and keeping it well and successful. But the climate of strong pressure has increased because the community looks at you and public opinion scrutinizes you thanks to technologies digital that make companies glass boxes, the media shoot you at the slightest mistake, and every defaillance remains forever on record in the borderless world of the web.

And, let us remember, the CEO is a multiplier of corporate reputation!!

And all this trying not to be crushed by the weight of the many and growing responsibilities and, perhaps, even trying to have a happy and persistent personal and family life.

We can say that the CEO is the key to creating an organizational ecosystem that encourages new ideas and changes, whose behaviors and attitudes are directly reflected in his relationships, influencing his collaborators and, consequently, the development of his business.

Here, to return to the most important resource I mentioned at the beginning, the most successful people consider it crucial to manage the time they have available.

The matter is very simple: we all have time in the same way. The difference between those who are successful and those who are not is that those who are successful “invest” their time (and therefore have a return) while those who are unsuccessful just waste it.

I look forward to any comments.

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I was raised as the only child of a hard-working single Mom. In my formative years, she taught me so much about life and business. Truthfully, I didn’t know that’s what I was learning until the day came for me to enter the business world.

Then, moment by moment, as the tests and trials of my own career began to unfold, I realized she had done an amazing job at teaching me some very profound wisdom.

Here are Her 10 Truths:1. Believe in Yourself – Seldom will others believe in you, so you must always believe in yourself. This is especially true when starting a new gig. You are an unknown. It’s only human for others to have doubts about you until you get to prove yourself. So while a period of any transition is going on, believe in yourself. Stay strong.

1. Mistakes do Happen – You will make them. But a winner will bounce back up. Learn from your mistakes and be sure to never make the same mistake twice.

2. Your Word is Your Honor – Let your word be true. When she made a promise to a business person, the thing happened, whatever it was. If something got in the way and started to delay the delivery date or prohibit the honoring of the word, she was quick to address the change and get permission or acceptance to make a change.

3. Set Lofty Goals – Dream big. Why work hard for small goals? Do something different if you have to, but hang on to those dreams. She left a steady paycheck to start her own business when I was still in school. Talk about being brave. Her dream guided her. She created a very successful interior design business that grew from residential design to large commercial (office buildings and retail) projects.

4. Don’t Let Them See You Sweat – I know that’s been said by someone else, but I watched her live it. I have no doubt she went to bed some nights and cried herself to sleep because she had a big deadline or problem in front of her, but she never let it show. In the public eye, she was steel with grace.

5. Keep Learning – Mom didn’t have a higher education. She started working right out of high school, but she never stopped learning. She read voraciously. She maintained a very open mind about culture, ethnicity, and moral code. This equipped her to be a gracious host, a warm welcome for anyone who came to visit, and a cherished memory for those who got to know her. She earned the respect of friends and colleagues far beyond her original station in life. She also taught me about the value of being mentored. Since there was no man in our house, she arranged my involvement with several very significant male mentors who taught me so many things. As a result, I am a patchwork quilt of the best qualities those men could teach.

6. Be Compassionate – Despite her steely business sense, she had a special compassion for others. Her warmth was felt by so many. She volunteered at my school and elsewhere in the community though her time was tightly scheduled for her roles as a mother and business owner. She created her own sense of work-life balance that never left out quality time for generous giving of herself.

7. Know Your Banker – Mom taught me about getting to know the banker. Perhaps that’s why I ended up in banking. Because of her tenuous financial condition as a sole provider and single-income head of household, she needed bank loans frequently. But she was shrewd. Loans were only made when good contracts had been awarded. The loans floated the projects (and our living expenses) until the payout was received. Then the loans were paid immediately. The bankers loved her as a customer. She never leveraged anything near 100%. The loans were always for less than the contract amount. That way, there was a profit to keep when the project closed and the loan was paid.

8. Create and Guard Your Reputation – She had savage competition. However, she built a brand that included high integrity. She fiercely protected that brand reputation. Once when she was accused in the local newspaper of manipulating a contract award, she had to fight the allegations. She won and even received a published apology from the editor of the paper. Business boomed after that.

9. Center on Faith – Last but certainly not least, Mom taught me about faith in God through Jesus. Her undeniable faith kept her strong through the darkest hours. She knew there was a force and a purpose far greater than herself with whom she could connect at any moment. Whether it was bedtime prayers or a quick discussion sitting in her car before an appointment, she sought divine guidance regularly. This faith even endured until her last breath on this earth. She always told me she and God had a deal, that, when it was her time to go, it would be quick. Sure enough at 1:00 AM on February 1, 2001, she had a massive stroke. She died less than 24 hours later. No pain, no suffering. Medically, the neurologist told me the brain hemorrhage that caused the stroke had cut off all feeling to her body. She needed no pain meds to ease her to the end.

My Mom was a remarkable woman, whose forward-thinking was well ahead of her time. Her unique collection of wit, grace, love, compassion, fire, and faith made me what I am today.

The poem below, by Walter Wintle, was on a plaque she gave me. She had first made the plaque for her father when she was a teenager. I was given the memento as my own family keepsake. It sums up everything I am telling you today. Very wise words to live by.

The Man Who Thinks He can

by Walter D. Wintle

If you think you are beaten, you are;
If you think you dare not, you don’t.
If you’d like to win, but think you can’t
It’s almost a cinch that you won’t
If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost,
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow’s will;
It’s all in the state of mind.
If you think you’re outclassed, you are.
You’ve got to think high to rise.
You’ve got to be sure of yourself before
You can ever win a prize.
Life’s battles don’t always go
To the stronger or faster man;
But sooner or later the man who wins
Is the one who thinks he can.

Who is the person in your life who has made the biggest impression?

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Leadership and followership are two sides of the same coin, but we are used to seeing and studying only one.Followership is not considered in managerial and organizational thinking. The cultural models in which we grew up clearly value the figure of the leader as much as they dismiss that of the follower.

Everyone considers themselves a leader or at least aspires to become one. In fact, with all the emphasis we place on developing leaders, we often forget the importance of followership and that effective leaders need effective followers to be successful.

Let me be clear, leadership matters a lot, but often in looking for the best leader figure we tend to lose sight of the people these leaders will lead (i.e. followership). And like leadership, followership also needs to be developed and taught.

After all, without collaborators or followers, the leader is just a man with big ambitions.

Among other things, in this “liquid” society no one is just a leader or just a follower, but one is both at the same time, and it happens to move from one position to another several times.

Followers are essential in the functioning of an organization. They are not passive followers, adepts without judgment. They are the collaborators, the employees of a company, endowed with a sense of responsibility and the ability to work as a team towards a goal. The success or failure of a project largely depends on them.

In different life situations, the same person is the leader and in others, he is the follower. And it also happens that a follower shows excellent skills to take on the function of a team leader. It is therefore advisable to be ready to play both roles.

Usually, the ability to be a good employee is considered only as the other side of being a great leader but they are two different things. Contrary to what the collective imagination thinks, followership does not coincide with mere execution but is expressed with a full, voluntary, and explicit organizational citizenship.

The leader himself creates value thanks to an adequate followership, and difficulty may surface without it.

We certainly do not deny that, if on the one hand, it is true that followers condition the success of a project, it is equally true that the leader influences the quality of the followers present in the team.

Leaders lacking confidence in themselves and in their own abilities will tend to create teams of conformist collaborators, i.e. who do not seek discussion and sharing of ideas, but will lead to the formation of teams basically made up of resigned followers.

An authoritative leader, on the other hand, needs to have effective followers alongside him, courageous people capable of thinking independently, questioning what they do not share, and providing valid alternatives on which to build continuous improvement.

A crucial aspect underlying the leader-follower relationship is reciprocity understood as complementarity: in reality, leadership and followership are conceivable only if they are related. Relationship within which the follower, grounding his knowledge and skills, is able to enrich and inspire the leader.

As followers we expect our leaders to provide motivation, direction, and influence. As leaders we expect our followers to get the job done and deliver results. It is a mutually beneficial relationship and it is impossible to have one without the other. So, the essence of followership does not lie in what followers do in general but in what they do in relation to the relationship they have with their leaders.

Specifically, it should be interesting to investigate how the followers take responsibility towards the leader, how they relate to the top positions, and how they deal with problems in relation to the existing leadership style in the company.

Ultimately, a very good follower, far from being a passive person, although in a non-equal relationship with the leader, shares with the same the common goal pursued by the company and operates, through a continuous proposition of ideas, independent evaluations, and constructive criticism, to ensure business success.

The leader creates good followership in the measure in which it has the possibility of choosing its employees associated with the ability to pull out the best from them. If the leader must be well versed in technical-relational skills, aimed at the management and development of his collaborators, the follower must also work on specific skills to increase his own relevance in the cooperation phase.

Some scholars who also dealt with the followers tried to define the collaborator that all leaders would like to have. Endowed with independent critical thinking, this kind of follower, without letting himself be conditioned by the role or hierarchical level, shows uniform behavior with everyone, evaluates the risks well, and manages to deal assertively with the conflicts that may arise.

He is able to manage the changes that the organization needs, share its goals, and knows how to express his opinions to anyone empathetically. He is aware of his role and acts on his own initiative, willingly placing his abilities at the service of the group.

This is the figure to aspire to in order to be considered an effective follower: people capable of thinking independently, who are actively committed to the success of a project in which they firmly believe.

What are its particular characteristics?Enthusiasm, versatility, reliability, credibility, independent and critical thinking, courage to challenge the leader, commitment to achieve high performance, initiative, assumption of responsibility, professionalism in one’s work, willingness to act actively for the company mission, effective communication, and interpersonal skills.

I rather believe that there isn’t an ideal profile but many profiles, if not all, are usable for changing business needs, identifiable in relation to the specific business situation and organizational identity. Awareness of the systemic relationship that is triggered between the environment and the type of follower, of how to intervene appropriately, and what results you want to achieve.

Have you been a follower, a leader, or both?

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We all go through difficult times and situations. These include financial difficulties, health issues, hard problems to deal with, and working with a few hostile employees.

Do we approach all problems the same way? Do we need to tailor a solution for each situation?

One major difficulty that received much attention is dealing with difficult employees who come in different colors.

• Avoidance Responsibility- employees who do not accept responsibility and push it to other employees.
• Star Employees- who in reality are not. They report late to work and meetings because they are self-inflated. They do what they do well but see themselves above others.
• Bad Attitudes- employees who are very negative to teammates or work. They spread negativity.
• Encyclopedia Employees- who think they know everything and so they need not learn or collaborate with other employees.
• The Sick Employee- to avoid taking responsibility these employees use sick days to abstain from work.
• The Excuse Maker- refers to employees who are excellent at one thing and that is finding excuses for not doing their work.
• The Displeased Employees- who show a constant pattern of complaining and criticizing work and workers.

The above shows some examples of difficulties we meet with some employees. How best to deal with them?

Any plausible solution for a problem, in general, is gaining the wisdom of understanding it. Assumptions only make the problem harder to solve.

A leader needs to understand the root causes of the problem.

• Is it due to the work environment?
• Is it because the employee works on a job that he has no ability and desire to engage?
• Is it a health issue?
• Is it the fear of experiencing what the employee experienced before?
• Is it due to other undeclared reasons?

Understanding why is crucial. The where and when questions are less relevant because people tend to repeat what they do anywhere everywhere and whenever possible.

I recall my experience with a very difficult employee. He was very aggressive to his colleagues and even threatened them sometimes. He was very creative but agonizing to work with.

I called him to my office to understand why he was behaving the way he did. It turned out that it resulted from home. His parents gave much more attention to his elder brother and younger sister. He received little encouragement and had the feeling of isolation and abandonment.

I gave him assignments to expose himself. Examples included speaking at conferences and meetings. He shined. Gradually he changed his behavior and became an indispensable member of the teams he worked with. He needed some spotlight and that was enough to remove his negative feelings.

How do you deal with difficult people or situations? You are welcome to share your thoughts.

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In this episode, we invited Sunday Times Bestselling Author and Executive Coach Jamie Smart back on the show to talk about the principles behind clarity and his 10th Anniversary edition book with the same name. We came across the principles behind clarity back in 2015. Since then, it has transformed our personal lives and allowed us to have more impact in our work with leaders, teams, and organisations.

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Without a set of values to believe in and act upon, the world cannot survive. The mission of the ruling classes should be to guide civil society with words and, above all, by ethical example.

Today, on the contrary, in every sector (even in the religious sector) we are witnessing the slavery of consent, sought with all available means. The result is a narrow-minded universe, populated on the one hand by lobbies whose economic interests prevail over the collective interest, and on the other by unscrupulous individuals who discover their natural habitat in the planetary ethical-social crisis.

If the example comes from above, according to a stereotype that contains a basic truth, one could say that the progressive disintegration of the social fabric is the consequence of a worrying “ethical void” in those who should instead, by social role, represent a reference guide.

This ethical void is a constitutive element of the wider crisis we are experiencing, a cultural crisis that certainly concerns management and the organizational dimension, but concerns, more deeply, relationships, the sense of people, and the sense of self.

Considering all this, one can ask: can leadership and ethics coexist in the same company?

I believe that these two concepts can be an integral part of a corporate management style that is more attentive to the moral aspects and needs of employees and customers. An ethical but also effective guide is possible, and in many organizations, it is already a reality.

Obviously, a truly ethical business is not based on proclamations and principles, it is not based on words but on ethical actions. Nor does an ethical leader improvise overnight: he can do it through a commitment to follow a learning path of behaviors that allow him to recognize and manage his personal and working life ethically.

Deviating a bit from the normally suggested standards, I would propose as behaviors to be assimilated essentially the following:

• Seriousness
• Respect
• Loyalty
• Sincerity
• Responsibility
• Integrity

SERIOUSNESSSeriousness is the prerequisite for building ethical behavior. Seriousness concerns how things are done, how one works, and getting to the bottom of issues, it demands that we avoid superficiality, pretending nothing happened, passing the blame, postponing problems to others, and acting to please someone.

Part of it is thoughtfulness, reflection, and diligence. It is also discretion, and confidentiality towards the tasks entrusted to us, it is taking problems to heart, evaluating the effects that our choices and our actions can have on others, it is severity in giving weight to things, going beyond the banal.

RESPECTRespect lays the foundations for the creation of that dimension necessary to build ethical relationships which is trust, the matrix, and condition for a human life worthy of the name.

LOYALTYLoyalty indicates bond (not of blind fidelity, not of flattery, not of enslavement), alliance, harmony, and agreement in view of common objectives to be achieved and paths to be built together.

SINCERITYEthical behavior needs clarity. Sincerity is frankness and bluntness, the art of speaking re free and clear; it does not deceive, it does not delude, it requires a language that is understandable to those in front of you. It doesn’t mean saying everything, but not pretending and not lying. Sincerity opposes the darkness, the opacity, the mud in which slanders spread, words that confuse things, disturb relationships, establish power relationships, and create distrust. It is also the ability to recognize one’s mistakes, avoiding the mechanisms of self-justification and shifting blame and responsibility onto others. A person who has authority, who holds roles of responsibility, of leadership, does not see his authority diminished by recognizing the mistake he has made, he does not destroy his authority, on the contrary, it strengthens it

RESPONSIBILITYThe ethics of responsibility leads a person to reflect on the responsibilities entailed by one’s choices, on the consequences of one’s actions and one’s words.

Responsibility pushes us to answer for ourselves above all, for our humanity, for our work, for our position, for our role for which we must answer to ourselves, to our own conscience, but also to superiors and collaborators.

In responsibility, there is the assumption of a commitment towards the other and the keeping of a given promise. A person with ethical behavior is capable of promising and keeping promises and, therefore, builds trust and so becomes reliable.

And this is the root of authority, currently a rare commodity.

INTEGRITYIntegrity refers to what is whole, not broken, unharmed, not double. Duplicity is often the concealment of unethical behavior. Integrity, therefore, leads to rectitude and correctness, irreproachability, impeccableness, solidity, and consistency.

Whoever is whole has solid inner foundations, has inner consistency, is not easily manipulated nor exposed to any instability. It is not easily corruptible.

The ethical leader does not only have the goal of increasing productivity and profits. It also assumes responsibility for ensuring a work environment with a high standard of moral conduct, for the good of the company, but also the people who are part of it.

Being an ethical leader means having a high awareness of oneself, of the values one creates, and the emotions one feels.

By following the learning path mentioned, an environment can be created where people feel good about themselves and the role they play in the company.

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Probably everyone has heard the phrase “employee engagement”, but for many who have, unless they are in HR, few will know exactly what it is, why it’s important and that every leader needs to make it happen to so they, their team, and organisation more successful.

As a leader, it is your route to success. HR can support you but, in the end, it’s about what you do, no one else. In a wider context, all employers, and senior leaders in particular, need to pay more attention to organisational and team engagement. Each year if possible conduct employee engagement surveys to make sure employees are having a great employee experience. Because if they aren’t they won’t be performing well and may be thinking of leaving.

Engaging your people is how you maximise your potential to achieve real success for any organisation set against any important factors you care to mention, from customer experience to risk management and high performance to innovation.

This isn’t some soft fluffy idea about being nice to people this is a proven evidence-based organisational strategy for success and maximised return on investment.

Having an employee engagement strategy will enhance employee experience, boost employee satisfaction and thus build an engaged workforce. That is one of the best ways to minimise employee turnover, increase the quality of work and boost morale across the entire organization. But also a great way to grow positive core values and company culture which then enhances the organisation’s success long term.

Certainly, anyone in senior leadership roles needs to understand in detail what employee engagement is and how to optimise it within their area of responsibility.

At C suite employee engagement is not just a responsibility of HR, it’s the strategic responsibility of everybody at the senior level to role model it and to support it. In particular, the CFO, as will maximise the return on investment from human capital.

What is employee engagement?There are numerous technical definitions of employee engagement but to keep it simple and practical you can say that “engaged” employees are people who are genuinely giving their best at work. Thus when you see a figure for employee engagement in an employee engagement survey this is the percentage of employees in the organisation who are doing that. Employee engagement is the process by which organisations seek to get more of their employees engaged and thus giving their best.

It is worth mentioning “discretionary effort” here. This is effectively the amount of effort an individual can withhold but it is unlikely to be identified that they are doing so via performance management. In other words, they will be rated as performing satisfactorily but yet there could be up to 30% extra effort they could give if they were engaged. It is this the additional effort employee engagement is seeking to gain to maximise organisational performance.

Why do all leaders need to know about employee engagement?Just reflect on the potential impact of a significant proportion of an organisation’s employees giving 30% more effort. Better employee engagement will enable any organisation doing anything anywhere to be more effective and successful. But it is individual leaders above all who have to make it happen. Simply because the vast majority of factors that influence how engaged people are relate directly to the behaviour of their boss.

In the final analysis no matter what senior leaders are doing, no matter what HR is doing, if the employee’s own boss is not taking day-to-day action to engage them then it just won’t happen.

The Corporate Executive Board in a study of over 30,000 employees across the world found that of the top 20 drivers of employee effort 17 were actions that individuals’ bosses needed to take and the other three of which were not, in terms of importance, ranked less important than 15th. (Refer to page 13). This is why it is vital every leader understands employee engagement and how to make it happen.

Those actions which increase our engagement do so not because of the job that we do but because we are human. So, for example, my report for the King’s Fund on developing leadership in the NHS to enhance patient care submitted to the UK government enhancing employee engagement proposed the same core strategy and actions just as much as when I proposed them as a key element in enabling better financial performance at UBS and transformation at London Underground during restructuring. I’ve also helped deliver them in construction, not-for-profit, and other sectors. They work everywhere. They work not because of our job or the organisation but because we are human.

Why employee engagement? The return on investmentThere is a vast resource of data based on studies of all types from organisations, professional bodies, consultancies, academic institutions, and other sources which show that high employee engagement improves performance in many areas. This vast resource of data confirms that when employees are engaged, and therefore giving their best, the positive impacts are not restricted to their own performance but apply to everything from customer service to cost efficiency and operational risk management.

Simple day-to-day employee engagement actions by their boss can significantly boost the effort that individuals give. For example, if your boss does these things versus a boss who can’t be bothered then this is the potential extra effort uplift from individuals:

When you multiply up the impact of all leaders taking these actions at a strategic level it has a significant effect. The UK Government Report, Engage for Success, for which I was part of the Expert Panel, has many examples and evidence of return on investment from employee engagement. One of the most important is that if every leader in the organisation starts to engage their people effectively you could potentially get 30% more effort, the discretionary effort, from 60% of people.

Depending on business model, margins and other factors that could deliver up to 10% on the bottom line for free. In anybody’s book, in particular a CFOs book, that’s not a bad return on investment.

Here are a few others:

• Companies with high engagement are 71% more likely to outperform their peers in the sector.
• Can produce Earnings per share 2.6 times higher than competitors with low engagement (Gallup)
• Could increase revenue by up to 43% (Hay)
• Bank branches with high employee engagement achieved 16% high-profit margin growth than those with lower scores (Standard Chartered)
• Engagement can halve days lost through sickness (CBI)

Once, after I spoke on this to a group of CEOs and CFOs on why they need to significantly increase their efforts on employee engagement, the CFO of a major telecoms company came to me and said “Chris why has nobody told me about this before? This is a no brainer! It’s a license to print money if we get it right!”. It is indeed !

How are we doing on employee engagement?Could be much better. The latest data from Gallup would suggest that most European countries have employee engagement rates on average lower than 25%. In addition potentially with employees who are “not engaged” around 50 to 55% with another approximately 20% “disengaged”. The UK data is even worse. Low employee engagement is simply a long-term block to future success.

The fact that these figures are to some degree so dismal should make every leader reading this ask why, given how simple it is to improve employee engagement, are we languishing at these levels? But the flip side is that it’s a great opportunity for you to take action and get some great easy wins. Clearly, these are country or region-wide figures and lack the accuracy of survey results from an in-house employee survey which is run on a regular basis but they are a useful indicator.

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A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving.

– Lao Tzu

Some years ago, I was with a group of friends and we were taking a day trip from Athens, Greece up to Delphi – some 115 miles away. We were off to see some of the ancient ruins – including the famed Delhi sanctuary and the Delphi museum.

After enjoying our day in Delphi, the time came to return to Athens. But there was a catch. The weather turned bad and they were experiencing the worse snowstorm they’d had in many years. The route back to Athens would not be the one we would take going back.

We made our way over to the coast and hopped on a ferry that eventually returned us to Athens. What normally would have taken only a couple of hours turned into a long and tiring trip that got us back safely but exhausted.

On a humorous note, while aboard the ferry, some in our group made mention of the need to use the restroom. A smiling deckhand kindly pointed to the sign on a door where the restroom was located. Upon opening the door, the “facilities” was simply a hole in the floor a couple of inches in diameter. Several made the decision to wait until we were back on land.

In your leadership, there will be times when things do not go according to plan. And when this happens, you will have to adjust accordingly. Here are a few things to remember as you face the unexpected.

Flexibility is essentialIt’s been said that what doesn’t bend, breaks. And in leadership, you have to anticipate the unexpected, and when it happens you have to be flexible at the moment. John Maxwell observed it this way, “Flexibility says there is more than one answer.” And this is what smart leaders recognize – there is more than one answer to whatever you’re going through.

Your attitude mattersWhen we left Athens for our day trip over to Delphi, we had no way of knowing that one of the worse snow in decades was going to happen that day. But – snow happens! In leadership, sometimes the unexpected happens. In these moments we are reminded that it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond. Your attitude in times of adversity will make you or break you. Choose it wisely.

Adaptability is your allyOne definition says an adaptable leader is “someone who is able to change their behavior in response to changes in a situation.” It’s inevitable that you will face challenges and changes in your leadership. When they come, being adaptable will not only serve you well but can be an invaluable teachable moment for your team to learn from.

Final ThoughtsJust as it was for my trip to Delphi, the road that has brought you to where you are today, may not be the same road to take you to the next level tomorrow. Conditions on the ground may change and you have to learn to be flexible, guard your attitude, and be adaptable.

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Organizations “in play” are adaptable, inclusive, innovative, engaged, and productive. Want to know what organizations fear? That when we are “in play” we are not “working”. We are afraid that play means silly, and unproductive, and makes us feel unprofessional and uncomfortable. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Play is that thing you do that you enjoy so much you get lost in. When you are doing it you don’t know where the time went. Play is personal. What do you do at work that you really love to do? Why do you go back to work every day? In there lies “the play”. And it is voluntary…no one can make you do it. If the ping pong tables and cupcake socials are not your play, then they are doing nothing to increase your productivity or potential.

However, When we are “in play” we are utilizing our whole self, revealing our potential, physically, cognitively, socially, and emotionally. It is scientifically proven that the brain “in play” drives motivation, and imagination, and is most open to new ideas and concepts. Play is where we are most capable of and open to creative and dynamic thinking — it is also when we are most open to considering multiple perspectives and new ideas and we are most inclusive

Work and play are not separate-when you do the work you love, and you were meant to do, the two constructs are seamless. You won’t know where one starts and the other begins. “In play” are creative solutions for innovation, inclusion, productivity, and profit.

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Wouldn’t it be great if we could get through life – or at least our work day – without any unpleasantries? Alas, we all know that won’t happen. Not only do we have to deal with difficult situations and trying people, but even our language contains words that make us uncomfortable and anxious.

In this series of posts, I’m going to identify five uncomfortable words that we would rather not hear, and propose a solution to dealing with them.

Here’s the first: Personal Responsibility.I’m sure you are familiar with the concept. The idea is that every person is responsible for their own actions, and that those actions have consequences. As a general rule, therefore, most people have created their own circumstances through the decisions they made and the actions they have taken.

Of course, there are exceptions. People are born with disabilities, or encounter situations over which they have no control. Someone is injured in a car accident or orphaned at an early age, for example. Granted, events over which we have no control can overtake us and shape our lives. However, for the mass of humanity, at least in our work lives, the truth still remains that, generally speaking, we get what our actions have brought to us.

That idea, too many, if not the majority of folks, is a troubling, uncomfortable thought. It’s easy to see why. Every day we are presented with examples supporting just the opposite view. The media glorify the victims. The courts are full of people wanting someone else to blame for their circumstances, and the government exists, at least in part, to buffer people from the consequences of their actions.

In this environment, the specter of personal responsibility takes on the semblance of a monster in the latest teenage horror movie – something to avoid and run from whenever it pops up.

I see this phenomenon most frequently in my work improving the effectiveness of sales systems and salespeople. Get a group of salespeople together and listen to the litany of reasons why sales aren’t as good as they should be. It’s the company, the product, the service, the price, the competition, the customers – everything but themselves. The idea that they could improve everything by improving themselves – personal responsibility – hardly ever crops up. It’s been my observation that in any random group of 20 salespeople, only one has invested $25 in his own improvement in the last 12 months. Only one of 20 get it – that their results are produced by their efforts. And they can improve their efforts. Only one of 20 accept personal responsibility.

I suspect that salespeople are no different than the rest of us. Probably that one in-20 ratio holds true for many professions and careers. James Allen said, many decades ago:

Men are often interested in improving their circumstance, but are unwilling to improve themselves, they, therefore, remain bound.

Getting to the point where you accept personal responsibility for your own life, your career, and your business can be a life-changing step in the journey, freeing you of the internal constraints of a ‘victim’ mentality, and springboarding you to a life of greater achievement and fulfillment.

At least it was for me. Here’s my story.I had been the number one salesperson in the nation for a company – my first full time professional sales job. I had it made – adequate salary, good benefits, company car, bonus potential, and the respect of my employer and colleagues. But the opportunities were limited, and I decided to move on to a job that was completely different. I took a sales job with a new company, selling surgical staplers to hospitals. It was a leap from the secure job I had to one that paid straight commission, and for which I had to buy my own samples and literature from the company.

But I was cocky, filled with the success of my previous job, and sure that I could make this work also. It wasn’t hasty. I looked at the amount of existing business in the territory I was slated to get, and determined that if I could double the business within six months—a doable task, I was assured – I’d be back making about what I was used to. Then, as I increased the business, my income and lifestyle would evidence the difference.

It all sounded good, and I left my old job and arrived in New York City for six weeks of intensive training in the new one. During the time that I was there, my district manager was replaced. When I arrived home after the training, the new manager was eager to meet with me. In our first meeting, before I had a chance to begin working, he informed me that he had revised the sales territories. The territory that I thought I had — the one I was hired for – was not the one I was going to get. Instead, I was going to receive just a fraction of that. And the new territory only contained about 1/3 of the existing business of the previous one. This change meant my plans for making a living were shot. It now became an impossible task.

I was upset and angry. How could they do that to me? At this time, I had five kids to support. I immediately began to look for another job, determined to quickly leave this unethical, uncaring company.

Things got worse. As I interviewed several companies, I discovered that they saw me as the problem. Instead of understanding what the company had done to me, they thought I was an opportunist who was looking for an easy way out. Basically, no one else was going to hire me!

I grew more and more angry and bitter. In addition, I had little success selling the staplers. After six months, my temporary draw came to an end. I owed the company $10,000, was making almost nothing, and had no prospects for another job. I felt squeezed between the proverbial rock and hard place.

Somewhere in there, I had an epiphany. Yes, the company was unethical. Yes, they had done a bad thing to me. But the reason I was not achieving had nothing to do with that. It was my fault! It was me. It was my anger, my bitterness, my resentment –yes, my “victim attitude” that was keeping me back. The product was still exciting, and the opportunity was still great. The real problem was my attitude – my bitterness and anger were getting in the way of everything.

So, I accepted my responsibility to change my performance. I saw that I had to change my attitude. I set about to do so. I looked up Bible verses that were very inspiriting. Versus like, “If God is for you, who can be against you?” I wrote them down on 3X5 cards. Then, as I drove into my territory every day along I-96 in Detroit, I held them in my hand on the steering wheel and read them over and over to myself. Slowly I began to do away with my bitter attitude, and replace it with hope and expectation.

My results began to change also. Things began to go better. Six months later, I had paid off the debt to the company and was making more money than I thought possible. The job became more fun, more financially rewarding, and more fulfilling than anything I ever expected.

The change happened when I accepted my personal responsibility.

I’m probably not unique.I discovered that which millions of others have found. When you choose to remain a victim and hold that your circumstances are the result of someone else, you live in a world of anger, impotence, and depression. When you accept personal responsibility, you go forth with empowerment and expectation.

Personal responsibility is not to be shrugged off and avoided, it should be embraced.

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It is now known even to the layman that leadership is a very relevant issue, in every area, not just in the world of work. At the same time, we note that the positive vision is one of the great themes of our age. Perhaps because we are now convinced of how beneficial it can be, how much it stimulates and activates positive emotions, and therefore better results in terms of personal performance and the involvement of others.

We can now define optimism as a real skill.

There is no doubt, in fact, that especially in a moment made so intense and difficult by the profound and sudden cultural, economic, technological, and social transformations, it makes sense that optimism assumes a fundamental value; it comes to everyone as a boost of possibility, of hope, of encouragement and a good leader must bear witness to this in organizations.

Yet, when it comes to leadership, we tend too often to heaviness and seriousness, as if we were subjected to constant pressures that do not allow us to remain detached, serene, and capable of interacting in humanly sustainable ways.

And instead, precisely because this present is very eventful, sometimes tiring and restless but, at the same time, the bearer of great growth, progress, innovation, and cultural development, there is an ever greater need for human leadership.

It is therefore good to reflect on certain “nuances” of leadership, on the need to strengthen a leadership that intercepts new feelings, new customs, new ways of interacting, and new thought patterns.

So, no to a leader forced into a role where he struggles to find the deep roots of his true self, with apparent imperturbability, bleak impersonality, and absence of any movement of the soul.

Yes instead to a leader capable of self-irony who breaks any residual element of rigidity and “humanizes” it.

Self-irony is a precious virtue for everyone, even more so for leaders

The levity that self-irony entails is entirely healthy and has nothing to do with superficiality.

Self-irony is capable of creating a relaxed dialogue between people, mutual ease, and even more intimacy.

Faced with someone capable of making fun of their limits, we are actually led to do the same: to reveal our defects and to tell our experiences with the intention of sharing in the life of others.

Distances are shortened, therefore, and not only. A confrontation more marked by mutual esteem is established.

Proving to be imperfect, it allows our interlocutor to “let his guard down” and trust more. You smooth out the criticisms of others and, above all, you are able to interpret them as observations to be listened to and accepted in order to be able to improve.

The desire for leaders with whom to identify, not light years away from our individual microcosm, popular, whose authority does not derive only from classic skills and excellent soft skills but also from that extra gear which is self-irony, is growing stronger. Which makes them question and connect more easily to the group.

Self-irony is humility and courage, both qualities of particular appeal and particular utility. Those with self-irony normally express great empathy and generate a further aspect of appreciable positivity: relaxation.

Naturally, this behavior can only be accepted and valued if the organization is based on a corporate culture that puts people at the center, and encourages their spontaneity, creating a serene work environment that aims to always keep everyone’s morale high.

I hope these reflections resonate with someone. Any comment can animate a discussion.

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Bob Harris, CAE, suggests that a nonprofit’s DNA consists of five elements. ** Following are my thoughts on how they can be applied, if a nonprofit board wants to develop an understanding of the “real world” applications of the Harris DNA elements. This needs to take place prior to the planning efforts.

Board Structure: Nonprofit boards must effectively operate with a series of board committees. The number of committees varies widely. I have observed some with as few as three committees and others with as many as 15 committees. The latter group rationalizes the number by suggesting board member involvement leads to better understanding of missions, vision, and values. More desirable board candidates live time-compressed work and lifestyles and can’t become involved with committees that meet without defined charters or try to micromanage management decisions.

Three to about six committees seems to be optimal for a mature board in the 21st century. A startup board will require more committees to allow board members to assume operational roles. One warning! If this large committee DNA format is allowed to carry over into maturity, it can lead to a dominating board that will be difficult to change.

Strategy: “A Board must act strategically—not tactically” ** In terms of its DNA, strategy must be the “lifeblood” that helps relate all major decisions to the nonprofit’s mission.

Start-up nonprofits often focus on tactical discussions at Board meetings. Founders and board members must address tactical issues because board members have two responsibilities. They must govern and act as part or full-time staff. But as the organization matures it becomes essential to fashion all agendas on policy/strategy issues. The responsibility for action resides with the Board Chair and CEO. The Board Chair, however, has a special obligation to proactively discourage lengthy discussions of tactical issues, frequently characterized as “weed discussions.” It should be emphasized that these are operational and management responsibilities, not Board agenda items.

Sustainability: This factor involves several critical keystones. First is the sustainability of income sources. If, for example, the nonprofit is heavily dependent on governmental funding, to what extent is the nonprofit able to secure private and foundation sources should governmental support abruptly decline? Managers and audit committee members need to be continually alert to seeking new funding sources.

A second keystone involves succession planning. The Board has direct responsibility for CEO succession and must overview staff succession. The latter involves knowing who among staff personnel are promotable, or, with training, be able to fill managerial positions. In my opinion, most nonprofit boards don’t provide significant overview attention to staff promotions.

Relatively short board terms or tenures for most board members (4-6 years) allow the board to introduce new thinking. However, they may not motivate board members to come to grips with issues related to long-term sustainability. Board members are traditionally active for one planning cycle, assuming strategic planning takes place every three to five years. From a sustainability perceptive, this restricts discussions of DNA changes that may impact stakeholders in the seven to ten-year time frames.

Relevance: Two keystones are also important here. First clients and funders must be able to perceive that the nonprofit is fulfilling its mission with integrity and a focus on stakeholder satisfaction.

The second involves maintaining a strongly committed board. To achieve this goal, the Board Chair and CEO must take actions to make certain that each board member perceives that her/h contributions are meaningful. These perceptions can only be determined from candid conversations with each board member. It’s the responsibility of both the Board Chair and CEO to annually assess that each board member is involved with meaningful activities.

Unlike humans, the DNA of nonprofit organizations can change with careful interpersonal adjustments.

For example, assumed it is desirable to have emergency client services available 24/7 instead of the normal 40-hour working week. Then management and staff should work together to modify the DNA (fair scheduling hours, etc.,) to accommodate the change.

Performance: The approaches to assessing the value of nonprofits have recently changed. Focus has changed from assessing program outcomes to assessing program impacts. ***

Program objectives can be achieved, but they can have little impact on clients’ lives. For example, marriage counseling can be helpful in eliminating symptoms of problems to meet client satisfaction, but the results may lack impact because they don’t address the problems’ root causes. Data analysts are being employed by some nonprofits to model impact information that is being requested by foundations and donors. The task, however, can take a long time to implement.

Suggestion: Most well-run nonprofits review their missions, visions, and values every three to five years. A review of their DNA factors, prior to the planning cycle can enhance the process.

• *the term is defined as …having fundamental and distinctive characteristics,
• **https://www.linkedin.com/in/bob-harris-cae-76ba151b/
• ***https://www.nytimes.com/2019/11/22/your-money/ratings-charities.html

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In 2008 — nearly 15 years ago — Joseph Epstein published an article called, “The Kindergarchy”. It begins like this:

In America, we are currently living in a Kindergarchy, under rule by children. People who are raising, or have recently raised, or have even been around children a fair amount in recent years will, I think, immediately sense what I have in mind. Children have gone from background to foreground figures in domestic life, with more and more attention centered on them, their upbringing, their small accomplishments, their right relationship with parents and grandparents. For the past 30 years at least, we have been lavishing vast expense and anxiety on our children in ways that are unprecedented in America and in perhaps any other national life. Such has been the weight of all this concern about children that it has exercised a subtle but pervasive tyranny of its own. This is what I call Kindergarchy.

It was easy enough then to call Epstein’s view extreme. It might even be easy enough now. But if we determine that Epstein wasn’t at all extreme, we may discover he was, in fact, prescient. And it would make it far more predictable that, in 2023, four folks from Gartner would publish this article in Harvard Business Review (HBR), “9 Trends That Will Shape Work in 2023 and Beyond.” The summary of the article says this:

Last year was another tumultuous year in the workplace, with continued high employee turnover rates, evolving return-to-office policies, inflation, and more. In 2023, amid a looming economic downturn, organizations will continue to face significant challenges — and how they respond could determine whether they are an employer of choice.

Employer of choice? Hold on thar, Baba Louie. We might need to do a little research, followed by a little math. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics:

The number of job openings increased to 11.0 million on the last business day of December … Over the month, the number of hires and total separations changed little at 6.2 million and 5.9 million, respectively. Within separations, quits (4.1 million) and layoffs and discharges (1.5 million) changed little.

Okay. Let’s see:

• 6,200,000 hires – 5,900,000 separations = 300 people employed
• 11,000,000 jobs – 300 people employed = 10,999,700 remaining jobs

And that doesn’t take into account the myriad folks who aren’t looking for employment, including everyone from career Pajama Boys to older folks who’ve been aged out and have given up, as well as those who’ve been paid quite handsomely by the government to stay home and do nothing, thank you very much. So, if you’re an employer — one needle in a haystack of 10,999,970 — you’ll spend more time trying to be the employer of choice than you will doing whatever it is your company does.

The Secret Decoder RingIn any case, logic notwithstanding, the nine trends our Gartner friends list in HBR are these:

1. Employers will “quiet hire” in-demand talent. [Translation: Employers will promote from within or find the guts to settle for nothing less than the qualifications they want and the performance they deserve.]
2. Hybrid flexibility will reach the front lines. [Translation: Employers will require those who’ve been slacking to take some pressure off those who’ve been taking up the slack.]
3. Managers will find themselves sandwiched between leader and employee expectations. [Translation: Business as usual.]
4. Pursuit of nontraditional candidates will expand talent pipelines. [Translation: Employers will look for people who actually want to work for a living.]
5. Healing pandemic trauma will open paths to sustainable performance. [Translation: In addition to participation trophies, employers will also start awarding cookies.]
6. Organizations will drive DEI forward amid growing pushback. [Translation: Employers will be forced to check boxes, even though they know meritocracy is the only way to succeed.]
7. Getting personal with employee support will create new data risks. [Translation: Employers will acquire cybersecurity protection, or they’ll be sued out of business.]
8. Concerns around AI bias will lead to more transparency in recruiting tech. [Translation: HR departments will disappear, and hiring will be mechanical and homogenized.]
9. Organizations must address workforce-wide erosion of social skills. [Translation: As surrogate parents, employers will pick up where public schools left off.]

There may be a whole bunch of things you’d like to be these days, but an employer shouldn’t be one of them unless, of course, you need an outlet for your masochistic tendencies, you have an innate and unquenchable desire to be a babysitter, or your altruism compels you to give some folks a place to spend a few hours of their days and take your money without doing too much to earn it.

The Moral of the StoryWith the death of empiricism and common sense, I’m coming to conclude we can analyze things to the point at which our ability to distinguish between cause and effect is eroding unto obliteration at the same time that our ability to read bell curves is suffering the same fate.

As the bell curve above illustrates, the majority of employees don’t need to be fretted over, to be objects of pampering, to have special circumstances created for them, to receive counseling for pandemic trauma, or to get naptimes and cookies. Their epidermis is sufficiently durable. They just need to be treated with fairness and respect, to be allowed to contribute to the best of their abilities, to be recognized and rewarded for their contributions, and to derive a sense of fulfillment for the work they do.

Because that’s true, employers need to get a grip of their knickers, to recognize their prerogatives to impose conditions and to have reasonable performance expectations, to expect a degree of self-discipline and to impose the discipline that’s lacking, to exchange a day’s wages for a day’s work, and to have the respect they give be returned in kind.

If the coronavirus pandemic taught us anything it’s that we’re tougher, more resilient, and more resourceful than we may have realized. When it comes to mental health, I minimize nothing. But please. If we’re going to infantilize people or, at best, treat them like adolescents, let’s not expect them to behave like responsible adults, okay?

We all want to live in Utopia. But we don’t. We live and work in reality.

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As the founder of a startup, Tracy Young often worried that employees and investors valued male CEOs more — and that being a woman compromised her position as a leader. In this brave, personal talk, she gives an honest look at the constraints women face when trying to adapt to a male-dominated business culture — and shares how she developed the courage and vulnerability to lead as her complete, raw self. (This talk contains a graphic story. Discretion is advised.)

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Matthew Piszczek, Wayne State University and Kristie McAlpine, Rutgers University

For most American workers who commute, the trip to and from the office takes nearly one full hour a day – 26 minutes each way on average, with 7.7% of workers spending two hours or more on the road.

Many people think of commuting as a chore and a waste of time. However, during the remote work surge resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, several journalists curiously noted that people were – could it be? – missing their commutes. One woman told The Washington Post that even though she was working from home, she regularly sat in her car in the driveway at the end of the workday in an attempt to carve out some personal time and mark the transition from work to nonwork roles.

As management scholars who study the interface between people’s work and personal lives, we sought to understand what it was that people missed when their commutes suddenly disappeared. In our recently published conceptual study, we argue that commutes are a source of “liminal space” – a time free of both home and work roles that provides an opportunity to recover from work and mentally switch gears to home.

During the shift to remote work, many people lost this built-in support for these important daily processes. Without the ability to mentally shift gears, people experience role blurring, which can lead to stress. Without mentally disengaging from work, people can experience burnout.

We believe the loss of this space helps explain why many people missed their commutes.

Commutes and liminal spaceIn our study, we wanted to learn whether the commute provides that time and space, and what the effects are when it becomes unavailable. We reviewed research on commuting, role transitions and work recovery to develop a model of a typical American worker’s commute liminal space. We focused our research on two cognitive processes: psychological detachment from the work role – mentally disengaging from the demands of work – and psychological recovery from work – rebuilding stores of mental energy used up during work. Based on our review, we developed a model which shows that the liminal space created in the commute created opportunities for detachment and recovery.

However, we also found that day-to-day variations may affect whether this liminal space is accessible for detachment and recovery. For instance, train commuters must devote attention to selecting their route, monitoring arrivals or departures and ensuring they get off at the right stop, whereas car commuters must devote consistent attention to driving.

We found that, on the one hand, more attention to the act of commuting means less attention that could otherwise be put toward relaxing recovery activities like listening to music and podcasts. On the other hand, longer commutes might give people more time to detach and recover.

In an unpublished follow-up study we conducted ourselves, we examined a week of commutes of 80 university employees to test our conceptual model. The employees completed morning and evening surveys asking about the characteristics of their commutes, whether they “shut off” from work and relaxed during the commute and whether they felt emotionally exhausted when they got home.

Most of the workers in this study reported using the commute’s liminal space to both mentally transition from work to home roles and to start psychologically recovering from the demands of the workday. Our study also confirms that day-to-day variations in commutes predict the ability to do so.

We found that on days with longer-than-average commutes, people reported higher levels of psychological detachment from work and were more relaxed during the commute. However, on days when commutes were more stressful than usual, they reported less psychological detachment from work and less relaxation during the commute.

Creating liminal spaceOur findings suggest that remote workers may benefit from creating their own form of commute to provide liminal space for recovery and transition – such as a 15-minute walk to mark the beginning and end of the workday.

Our preliminary findings align with related research suggesting that those who have returned to the workplace might benefit from seeking to use their commute to relax as much as possible.

To help enhance work detachment and relaxation during the commute, commuters could try to avoid ruminating about the workday and instead focus on personally fulfilling uses of the commute time, such as listening to music or podcasts, or calling a friend. Other forms of commuting such as public transit or carpooling may also provide opportunities to socialize.

Our data shows that commute stress detracts from detachment and relaxation during the commute more than a shorter or longer commute. So some people may find it worth their time to take the “scenic route” home in order to avoid tense driving situations.

Matthew Piszczek, Assistant Professor of Management, Wayne State University and Kristie McAlpine, Assistant Professor of Management, Rutgers University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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For much of our lives, we are focused on fulfilling our potential as individuals. We are taught to express our physical and intellectual talents especially. If we are lucky, we may be supported to express and fulfil our desires, our love and our ideals. Over time, we hopefully come to a place where we have a good level of self-esteem and contentment. Along that road, we will have interacted with many people. We may have been part of sports teams or professional work groups and teams and yet the chances are that we have never really considered the higher value or potential of those groups.

As we reflect on teams and groups, collaboration is a word that resounds loudly in many organisations these days. It’s as though there is a growing awareness and consciousness that moving beyond the individual self has a higher value even if true value-added collaboration is still proving pretty tricky to achieve. However, if we stop and consider the deep interconnectedness that is a fundamental design principle within all aspects of life, we can start to appreciate why communities, tribes, families, teams, and groups have such a place in our lives.

What is worth reflecting on now is the growing importance of group work and why and how this needs to move to a new level. A level where we go beyond the identification with the self and truly see the potential that sits within a highly performing team or group.

The why of this on a certain level is pretty straightforward. We live in an age of complexity, ‘wicked’ problems, and deep uncertainty, all of which demand better use of the diverse talent and capability that exists as well as opening up new pathways for that potential to be accessed. We cannot solve most of the challenges without cooperation – across teams, across organisations, across societies and nations.

As it happens, we are being helped in this endeavour by astrological forces (yes, I know that won’t feel very scientific to some people). Nevertheless, astrologically we have entered into the Age of Aquarius which some may also recall as the title of a hippie song from the 1970s. The Aquarian Age, a period that will last around 2000 years, is, amongst other things, a time when we will see far more focus on groups. From paying attention to others in our communities to active collaboration and cooperation – in some cases with quite a high level of impact.

So what are we being called upon to do differently? Well, here we come to the need to move beyond individual and self-focused interest to a higher point of focus. That which serves the collective (however that may be defined for your endeavour) and which puts us into relationship with others in group formation. In high-performing team work, we often see the analogy of the geese used and how they fly in formation, taking turns to lead, share the load and so on. What underpins that though is a higher level of communication. A willingness to sense, be aware of and act on the information coming from the other members of the group as we move together toward the achievement of a shared purpose.

In the coming years, groups will be asked to go even further still. To establish such a deep level of trust and openness that the communication flow is seamless and that our consciousness and behaviours elevate to thinking ‘group’ first. Not in a self-sacrificial sense, but in a way that truly honours the importance and impact generated by high-functioning teams and groups. On a more existential level, it also honours and collaborates with that core truth of interdependence as well.

Letting go of the ‘ego’ in favour of the collective comes easily to some but is often a tough call for seasoned leaders…leaders who have had to battle and assert their individuality to be taken seriously. Now though we must prepare for the age of groups…

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Leadership is a matter of having people look at you and gain confidence, seeing how you react. If you’re in control, they’re in control.

–Tom Landry

The wintry afternoon walk in the field out behind our house with my older sister started out like any other. I was about 10 years old. The field was a great place to play. There were plenty of trails to walk and ride our bikes. We built forts, shot our Daisy BB guns, and caught fireflies in Mason jars. This day, however, would be different.

As my sister and I exited the field before heading inside, I did something I’d done many times before with no thought. I pulled a tall weed out of the ground. But this time the weed didn’t budge. When the force of my pull met the resistance of the weed, it slit my finger open and laid the skin back.

As we approached the backyard my blue coat was already soaked in blood. I went to the water faucet and began rinsing my finger. “Don’t tell mom!” I shouted to my sister as I saw her run inside with no intention of following my command.

Once I went inside, my mother was already in a panic. She walked me up to the kitchen sink and told me to stand still. “I’ll be right back!” she exclaimed. Moments later she returned with a bottle of rubbing alcohol. “Hold your finger still”, she said. I was under the impression that she would perhaps pour just a little on the cut. I was wrong.

With the best intentions that a loving mother could conjure up at that moment, she emptied the entire contents of that bottle of rubbing alcohol onto my finger as I screamed. Which was just prior to my fainting on the kitchen floor.

My mother – God rest of her sweet, loving soul up in heaven, meant well. And in my moment of crisis, she did the best she knew how.

As a leader, there are two things you can be certain of – 1) You will face moments of crisis, and 2) Your people will be looking to you for confidence. So what do you do in a crisis?

Here are a few practical ideas.Stay calm

Remember, in times of crisis, your people will take their cues from you. From you, they need to see steadiness, resolve, and confidence. They don’t need to see you running for the doors. Or reaching for the alcohol.

Assess the situation

In times of crisis, you want to gather as much information as you can as quickly as you can. Gather your key people, ascertain what you know, separate fact from fiction, and start developing your action steps.

Communicate clearly

A good plan poorly communicated will only make matters worse. Make sure everyone knows the plan and everyone knows their role. Don’t assume anything.

Empower your people

Your people will gain confidence when you place your confidence in them. You can inspire your team by empowering your team. A time of crisis is not the time for a one

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How do we end up saying yes to everything and then never having enough time to get it all done? This is a common experience in most corporations these days with shrinking budgets and fewer staff to meet all the expectations required for growth. We often say yes to things that don’t make sense to do rather than saying no to solidify our ‘high performer’ identity.

We can choose to operate differently by embracing A Culture of AND.

We achieve this by adding the word AND to saying YES and NO to others. This empowers us to:

• give our best,
• ensure that our colleagues and leaders have what they actually need vs. what they think they want,
• get what we need to make good on that YES, or
• let others know WHY we are saying no in ways that help them to move forward anyway

Let’s break each of these down –

Giving our Best:What keeps us from giving our best? Often it is a lack of clarity in our role or a misunderstanding about what we are trying to achieve in the first place. Many times, it comes from not having the information required, or the time to digest that information prior to engaging in brainstorming or decision-making with others.

Other times it is the idea that we have to work 80 hours each week just to keep up with the pace of doing 2 full-time jobs while we wait for the new positions to be filled.

When we place getting the job done ahead of our health and wellness, it’s very difficult to give our best. During these times, it’s important to be OK with our best being different at different times. Raising children, supporting parents, dealing with health issues, and learning new skills, all impact what ‘our best’ is in each situation. When we use the power of AND to acknowledge what our best is in each moment and accept that is exactly what is needed, we are free to give what we have to give while managing expectations with others.

Saying YES + AND may sound like this:

‘YES – I’d love to help you get clarity on that. I have been out with a sick child for a week and am booked solid for the next two weeks AND I realize that I’m the best person to help you with this. I could give you a couple of hours next week if you could replace me at the all-day set-up meeting. That would give me the time to help you before the presentation’.

Saying NO + AND may sound like this:

‘NO. I won’t be able to help you with that as I’m off that day with my family AND I have two potential colleagues who may be able to step in on my behalf. I’d like to introduce them to you once I know who is available.

Ensuring that our colleagues and leaders get what they actually need

Too many times our colleagues or leaders ask us for information or assistance that doesn’t make sense to us. We can see that what they are asking for is not going to help them, yet we do it anyway, not wanting to question their authority or ‘higher wisdom’. Many of us learned this as small children when asking ‘why’ we had to do something, and the answer was ‘because I said so’. This taught many of us that others know better and that it’s not our place to question what they ask of us.

Unfortunately, those around us can’t always see the perspective we hold – even if they used to do the same job in the past. If we are going to add our highest value, it’s up to us to ensure the requester actually gets what they need to move forward in their world.

Sometimes the information we are asked for doesn’t make sense given what they are trying to decide or accomplish. When this happens, we can use YES + AND:

‘YES – I understand that you/they are looking for the ‘xyz’ information AND if I can better understand how it’s going to be used, I can get you what you need in a format you can use right away.’

(then) ‘Given what you are trying to communicate, the information you are asking for won’t really help. A quick 15-minute conversation together will give me chance to get us both on the same page to get you what they need so you can effectively make the case. When can we do that?’

Sometimes a request doesn’t make sense because we are not the person that has the answers or owns that body of work. When that happens, we can use NO + AND to steer the conversation in a productive direction. It may sound like this:

‘NO – I’m actually not the one who has that information – AND I don’t want you to have to run around to get what you need. Here is my understanding of who would have that and the best way/timing/approach to get it quickly from them’.

Getting what we need to make good on that YES

Often we ARE the right person and we DO have the information, insights, or content that our colleagues or supervisors need. At the same time, requests that come in with low clarity and a fast-turnaround time can disrupt our progress on existing efforts and priorities. How do we say yes then? When we are asked to focus on something that will take us away from what we are doing, it’s up to us to manage that expectation. It might sound like this:

‘YES – I can get you that information for your meeting tomorrow AND for me to do that, I’ll be skipping the team meeting this afternoon to get you a draft by COB. I will need a response on the draft from you by 9 am tomorrow to make any other adjustments, so you have it for noon.’

If you are not sure what is OK to let go of or delay, you may need to engage your supervisor to help decide what the priority is. It might sound like this:

YES – I understand what you need and why, AND for me to get that to you by COB today, I’ll need your guidance on what to stop working on or delay for now as this will take me the rest of the afternoon. I have two internal stakeholder meetings scheduled and the event calendar is due today. Can you help me run interference on those?

Letting others know WHY you are saying no in ways that help them to move forward anyway

As an organization shifts and grows, roles and responsibilities and lines of the work shift and grow as well. While we may know who does what within our own unit, others that engage and rely on us may not.

Sometimes we end up with requests that are not appropriate for us, even though the requester would feel better if we did it. While this situation may be hiding a deeper problem, it is not up to us to fix it for others. Instead, we can use NO + AND to guide the requester back to those that are accountable for the work. It might sound like this:

NO – while I used to do some of that work, it’s now being done by this group AND it is important that they are the ones to advise you so everything stays integrated. While I understand you would prefer to engage with me, they are working hard to build the skills and responsiveness that you are looking for, and every time they have a chance to respond they get better at it. Let me suggest you contact (this person) and help them understand your overall intention and timeline and that will help them give you a firm date to access the content you are looking for.

How can you cultivate a culture of AND today?

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I share a few examples of doing something as a duty or duty mixed with pleasure.

• Writing or reading- do you do it as a duty or with pleasure to immerse in what you are doing?
• When you lead do you it as a responsibility or feel the pleasure of doing it?
• When you go to work do you do it to earn a salary or because you want to go and feel the pleasure of going?
• When you eat do you do it to satisfy hunger or to enjoy the pleasure of eating?

We read about pleasurable leadership, pleasurable eating, and pleasurable marriages. These descriptions have reasons that this post explores.

Pleasurable Eating and its Relatedness to Pleasurable LeadershipWe have all experienced this scenario. When we eat when feeling very hungry we tend to eat fast. We want to satisfy the hunger of our stomachs. We hardly chew the food and feel its flavor.

When we feel very hungry and it becomes a duty to eat we may not care about the quality of food. We are tempted to eat any food. The pleasure of eating is eaten before even we eat.

It is the same with workers going to work. If they report to work because it is only a duty their engagement shall drop resulting in a high percentage of workers leaving their jobs or having their productivity halved.

I dare say that

Performance = Ability X Pleasurableness

Great leaders and managers realize the value of keeping the workers’ pleasure to work. They keep the workers hungry with the desire to work but not overly hungry to finish the work soonest.

That is to say, setting unrealistic finish dates for tasks may rush the workers to do the work in a hurry. They perform the same way when they eat while feeling extremely hungry. The appetite falls down, the flavor of doing the work diminishes and they just do the work regardless if what they do is junk or not.

One other way for the pleasure of working to fade is the tendency of leaders to overly focus on certain tasks. Research shows that people who excessively focus on the nutritional value of what they eat they too lose the pleasure of eating.

Leaders should realize that introducing some variety of tasks may keep the pleasure of workers up so that they may produce more.

The problem compounds when leaders lead because it is their responsibility. They lose the pleasure of leading. They suffer from pleasure poverty and make workers feel the same too. The fun of being at work vanishes and productivity drops.

Great leaders make Monday days of pleasure than days of depression for workers.

Pleasurable MarriagesA married couple needs to know that keeping the pleasure of their marriage is vital for them to stay married not only as a duty but also for its pleasure. They care to keep the pleasure in their marriages.

Mental pleasure, physical pleasure, charisma pleasure, and appearance pleasure are all possible ways to keep and keep the marriage pleasurable.

This shall reflect on the upbringing of their children too. Then shall eat or study with pleasure and do the right things the right way.

The parents know the value of pleasure in studying. So the parents know how to encourage their children to study with pleasure and do their homework with delight.

When we suffer from pleasure poverty our lives shall suffer too.

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Prachi Gala, Kennesaw State University

The Research Brief is a short take about interesting academic work.

The big ideaCorporate chief executive officers who have a high degree of integrity – that is, a commitment to act by a morally justified set of principles and values – tend to be less creative, more risk-averse, and less likely to take initiative than other CEOs, according to new research I co-authored. Past research suggests that as a result, their companies are likely to be less competitive and less profitable.

Having a lot of integrity has traditionally been considered one of the most important qualities of a business leader. Research has shown that a high level of CEO integrity is a key trait in determining employee loyalty as well as preventing problems like fraud.

My colleague Saim Kashmiri and I wondered, however, if there are any downsides to being a top boss with lots of integrity. So we analyzed financial and other information on 213 companies listed in the Forbes 500 from 2014 to 2017. We only included companies where CEOs had been hired from 2011 to 2013 and stayed with the company until at least 2018.

We determined a CEO’s level of integrity by analyzing their annual letters to shareholders for key words. Specifically, past research has shown that people who use a lot of “causation words” – such as “because,” “hence” and “therefore” – tend to have a low degree of integrity because such words are often used to rationalize ethically questionable actions.

We scored CEOs who used few of these causation words in their letters as having a high level of integrity. We tested the validity of this method in several ways, including by looking at companies ranked as the most ethical by independent observers like Forbes. We found a high correlation between our measure of integrity and these companies.

Similarly, to gauge how innovative, proactive, and likely to take risks these CEOs were, we analyzed the shareholder letters for keywords that existing research has identified as being highly correlated with those traits. We then conducted a regression analysis, a statistical technique that identifies associations between two variables along with the magnitude of that association, as well as the significance of whether the association is by chance.

Our analysis found that CEOs who scored the highest in terms of integrity also scored the lowest on our measures of innovation, proactiveness, and risk-taking – traits often associated with entrepreneurial behavior.

The correlation was stronger among CEOs who were also chairs of their boards of directors – giving them considerably more power over the company – or who we determined to be very overconfident.

The correlation was weaker among CEOs in charge of more consumer-oriented companies, such as retailers, and CEOs who received more of their compensation with company stock – which tends to reward higher performance.

Why it mattersCompanies led by CEOs who take more risks, act more proactively, and are innovative tend to outperform their competitors financially in part because they are active in finding fresh market opportunities, which strengthens the business’s competitive position. Such companies also tend to be stronger at marketing.

We are not suggesting companies should avoid hiring leaders with high levels of integrity. In fact, research has shown that integrity is a predictor of good leadership and fundamental to fostering commitment and loyalty among employees.

However, corporate boards are duty-bound to choose chief executives who will increase shareholder value. So they should be aware of these tendencies and help their high-integrity CEOs counterbalance the negatives, such as by offering more incentive-based compensation and establishing processes and structures that stimulate innovation.

What’s nextWhile this study analyzed word choices to rate CEO integrity, we are now studying how a CEO’s language may affect those around him or her in ways that could have a good or bad impact on a company’s bottom line – such as improving creativity or causing employees to leave their jobs. We are currently gathering data on reactions to leaders’ language choices via employee and manager surveys to learn more.

Prachi Gala, Assistant Professor of Marketing, Kennesaw State University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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It is a rare person who never offers an excuse, and most of the reasoning blames the lack of time available. But there are always at least two sides to a problem, making it worthy of reviewing what we dismiss and why and whether regret was to follow. It is possible that on occasions, more than we care to admit, the answer is Yes! to the question, ‘Are excuses holding you back?’

The typical answer is, ‘I would like to, but sadly, I don’t have the time.’ The question is, what can we do to improve our response?

My StoryTwo recent experiences raise the question, are excuses holding you back? My answer is more so in the early days, but experience and time management, working together, improve my willingness to do more. As time progresses, my responses have a wide meter read, from, quietly believing, ‘this is ridiculous’ to graciously accepting an opportunity.

Losing OpportunitiesWe can improve further when we admit that we dismissed an idea assuming it will never work or is ridiculous. For years, it baffled me why recruiters would ask seemingly ‘ridiculous questions.’ Long ago, I turned down a potential job, thinking, ‘I don’t have time for this nonsense.’ Today, I realized I too quickly moved away from a job interview as the article revealed the answer to why the strange questions.

But a few years later, I thought I’d have fun when asked what animal I would like to be and why. My answer was that I would like to be a giraffe on sales calls! To my complete surprise, the offer came almost immediately. Demonstrating the value, I then turned that answer into an article appearing in US News Magazine, ‘What to Say If an interviewer asks which animal you would be and why:’

Finally, today, the long-awaited answer came to me via an article that reveals why recruiters ask these mind-boggling or annoying questions. The author refers to the questioning style as ‘situational.’ She then states that the answers applicants provide tell a great deal about their thinking and behaviors to determine whether they will be a good fit for the employer.

The Gift of An Athletic CapUpon receiving an athletic cap, a big smile came over me upon seeing the slogan, ‘365.’ As an avid goal-setter always striving to improve, it brought about the thought of 365 days per year and what it means to me. Suddenly, the realization that a lack of time is not necessarily the reason for an excuse but our preference to dismiss.

‘I don’t have the time’ is a weak excuse, most often.

Let’s do some calculations:There are 365 days per year, and we have 24 hours each day to do as we see fit. The total number of hours in a year is 8,760, and 525,600 is the number of minutes we have to spend any way we like each year. Surely, we can do more than we allow ourselves with proper goal-setting and an increase in motivation to accomplish more.

As efficiencies take over, I realize specific strategies work well, allowing me to accomplish more in less time. Taking a calculated risk to test the reality of a new idea working well proves better than expected. And the occasion it does not, I realize what needs to improve to advance. Doing so includes ‘finding time’ for requests and offers that, in the past, I would decline.

The overall benefit of utilizing more of our yearly minutes is:* Being able to build a broader collaborative effort * Branding and marketing will become more robust than ever * Offers that we desire unexpectedly come our way

The lyrics to Jim Croce’s song, Time In A Bottle, come to mind:‘But there never seems to be enough time

To do the things you want to do once you find them…’

Your Story: Are Excuses Holding You Back?Truthfulness begins with each of us. It is best to admit to opportunities you may have dismissed, not bothering to learn the facts before deciding. But it is never too late to realize a habit or two is ready for updates. An excellent place to begin is to ask why they are asking and how the person sees the outcome. Ask for the benefits of participating and the downside, should there be one. It will help you come to a better conclusion and final decision.

On occasion, people propose the opposite of what you may believe. There are almost always two sides to every story or opinion. It’s best to stop and consider the perspective on the other side to see if there is room for compromise. And should time be a real issue, consider how you may increase efficiencies for productivity in the future. With 525,600 minutes available to us yearly, there is little doubt that we can save time in the real world to do the things we want to do.

Most of all, by taking better control of habits and accepting possibilities, advancements of all types will occur more frequently. And should a setback unexpectedly appear, taking the time to learn the lessons will help with progress, too. Either way, you can turn the scenario into a win-win for your success!

In Conclusion: Are Excuses Holding You Back?It is best to review past offers and how we reacted to them in our quiet time to discover if a better approach awaits. Should you desire to minimize excuses holding you back, seek out commonalities of the missed opportunities to improve upon moving forward.

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Jackie Stiles is one of the most renowned basketball players in the history of the women’s game. However, if you knew where she came from, most people would have never thought someone from a tiny farm town in Kansas could have such a profound impact in basketball. Jackie’s story teaches us an important lesson.

It doesn’t matter where you came from, all that matters is where you are going.

Jackie started small by being the best in her town, to the best in her state, then the best in the area, and finally one of the best to ever play college basketball. What’s even more impressive is that she wasn’t the tallest or the fastest, she just continued to work to be the most skilled. She was focused on being the best and she was willing to do what it took to be the best including being the best teammate as well.

The greatest players are at their core some of the greatest people.

They know it takes a team to accomplish anything of significance, therefore they uplift others and don’t ask others not to do anything they also wouldn’t do. Players like Jackie lead by example, then use their words to encourage and uplift others.

There are many lessons we can learn from Jackie Stiles but I think there is one that stands out the most.

Great players make others great around them. They don’t care who gets the credit, they just care about the team’s success and the well-being of their teammates.

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In our February blog, we explored how our focus and attention have been stolen, and how our ability to pay attention is collapsing and described why we need to be intentional in reclaiming it. Yet, many of us are constantly challenged by very short attention spans, where we can often be found sitting at our desks, dealing with a range of very urgent deadlines with a distracted, and unfocussed mind. Despite being intrinsically motivated to meet our deadlines, and being self-aware of needing to focus on completing the tasks in front of us, many of us often still struggle to disrupt and stop our thoughts from wandering randomly and haphazardly. Because, we are no longer being in charge of our minds, our time, or of our cognitive capacities and abilities that help us self-regulate, concentrate and focus our attention, kickstart change, innovate and become resilient.

A recent article in Psychology Today “The war for your Attention” reinforces this problem by stating:

“We live in a time when attention has become our most valuable asset, one for which multiple stakeholders are competing. Political parties, media outlets, companies, and individuals want a share of it, and if they can have it, they want it all. As a result, remaining in charge of our minds has become a daily challenge. Our attention defines our experience, which sets the mindset of our minds”.

Become resilient

Because we don’t know if companies will ever return to their pre-pandemic-like worlds, and what new technologies will emerge, we need to become resilient to be future-fit, in this new world of unknowns. This requires people to unlearn some of their less resourceful “bad pre and post-pandemic habits” to be:

• Open towards relearning and reskilling in how to focus, concentrate and observe, and how to manage, direct and expand our attention spans.
• Intentional, outcome focussed, and therefore, effective, agile, adaptive, and resilient in an uncertain world full of disruption and crises.

This is reinforced by a recent article “Seizing the momentum to build resilience for a future of sustainable inclusive growth” by McKinsey & Co:

“In the past year, leaders have been confronted with a lifetime’s worth of disruption and crises: global conflict, energy uncertainty, food shortages, accelerating inflation, and severe climate events. Natural and human-made disruptions will only persist. To enable long-term, sustainable, and inclusive growth, today’s business leaders and policymakers must strengthen resilience beyond a survival capacity”.

• From surviving to thriving

The nature and speed of change are not going to slow down, at the same time, our uncertain world full of disruption and crises is having a harsh psychological toll on everyone, impacting negatively on people’s states of emotional and physical health.

If we want people to thrive, we have to start helping people to live better than we ever have. Taking the first baby steps requires people to confidently and courageously be, think and act differently.

Starting with empowering and enabling people to take charge of their hearts and minds, and commit to focussing their attention on building their resilience.

The switch-cost effect

In his best-selling book Johann Hari – Stolen Focus, describes how Professor Earl Miller, a specialist in neuroscience, at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, states that “our brains can only produce one or two thoughts” in our conscious minds at once.

Because “we are very, very single-minded” and have “very limited cognitive capacity.”

• Multi-tasking is an illusion

The delusion that we can multitask, or juggle a number of thoughts and activities at the same time, is revealed, through robust research, as actually “switching, back and forth.”

He states that we don’t notice the switching because:

“Our brain sort of papers it over to give a seamless experience of consciousness, but what they’re actually doing is switching and reconfiguring their brain moment-to-moment, task-to-task – which comes with a cost.”

• Losing time to refocus

This is described as the “switch-cost effect” and means that every time we switch tasks while trying to work, we are actually losing a huge amount of time required to concentrate and manage our attention spans to refocus afterward.

“For example, one study at Carnegie Mellon University’s human-computer interaction lab took 136 students and got them to sit a test. Some of them had to have their phones switched off, and others had their phones on and received intermittent text messages. The students who received messages performed, on average, 20% worse. It seems to me that almost all of us are currently losing that 20% of our brainpower, almost all the time. Miller told me that as a result we now live in “a perfect storm of cognitive degradation”.

Reducing cognitive degradation

There are a number of simple and obvious ways to reduce our cognitive degradation and heal our unconscious “attention deficit syndromes”, and cognitively reappraise to be in charge of our minds, concentrate and effectively manage our attention spans. It is also the first step we need to take to empower and enable ourselves and others, in taking charge of our hearts and minds and demonstrating our commitment to focussing our attention and becoming initially resilient.

These simple actions require us to be self-disciplined, methodical, and rigorous and open to re-learning how to concentrate and self-regulated our attention spans by habitually:

• Stripping out distractions,
• Ceasing to multi-task,
• Getting more quality sleep,
• Taking regular short breaks,
• Doing brain exercises,
• Doing physical exercises,
• Listening to music,
• Setting priorities,
• Using a timer.

How to be in charge of our own minds

• Intention transforms

If we want to cultivate a calmer, coherent, and resourceful psychological state, to achieve the outcomes we want to have in our lives, then focus and place our attention on both what we want to manifest (our intention), and on what we want to your attention away from, to cease.

• Attention activates

When choosing to consciously slow down, hit our pause buttons, and retreat into stillness and silence, opens the sacred space, that allows us to reflect, focus and pay deeper attention to the impact of our emotions and beliefs on our thoughts. We can then also attend to, and break down any unresourceful beliefs, emotions, and cognitive distortions about what we can really and truly influence and control to:

• Create a more normalised state of equilibrium and calm, get grounded and fully present and manage our attention spans to concentrate on what really matters to us, in ways that are self-compassionate and optimistic about the future.
• Support ourselves by believing that we can succeed in handling our situations, responsibly, creatively, and effectively.
• Become resilient by knowing how to respond to events in real-time, anticipate events and problems that may occur in the future, and bounce from adversity whilst processing the insights and learnings gained by conquering key challenges.

Developing resilience

We can then be in charge of our minds, become resilient, and create a safe space and generosity for others to fully show up and connect with us, open our eyes, minds, and hearts to all options, unleash possibilities and opportunities, make smart change choices, and innovate, rather than panicking and retreating from the risks emerging in an uncertain world full of disruption and crises.

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The opportunityOver $750 billion a year is spent by organisations globally on advertising trying to boost their brands, products, and services. Marketing and branding functions spend vast amounts of time and money working with agencies on trying to find the best way to resonate both with their current customers and attract potential customers.

Employee brand ambassadors will support this objective and can have a significant positive impact whilst costing very little. However, in my view, the use of employee brand ambassadors rarely reaches the potential it truly has. This would seem to be a “no-brainer” but for some reason, it just doesn’t seem to be on the strategic agenda and, even if it is, it’s not done effectively, often because of a misunderstanding of what has to be put in place to make it work.

To identify and appoint a number of employees as brand ambassadors to work both inside and outside the organisation does have benefits but I believe there is much more that could be done quickly, simply, and relatively easily. Not by just these few employees promoting the organisation, especially if it is part of their job in either sales marketing or associated teams, but that every single employee in the organisation proactively inside and outside work promotes the brand of the organisation to their family, their networks, on social media in their blog posts and to people they meet.

From a branding and marketing perspective, you might say this cannot possibly have the reach that, for example, a television advertising campaign might have, that might be so, but every employee who expresses their genuine belief in what their organisation does is likely to have much more resonance with other people than a TV advert or corporate social media post. A corporate social media presence is not the same as speaking to someone, or seeing a post on their own social media. Also, you are more likely to mention such an interaction to other people. That’s because it’s real people and that’s the potential power of an employee brand ambassador program – the power of real people in support of the organisations brand.

Great organisations realise the power of employee brand ambassadors and leverage it but overall few are leveraging the power of their people effectively.

What is really interesting is that turning everyone into a proactive employee brand ambassador through an employee ambassador program not only has a positive impact on the presentation of the brand but also has a significant impact on the corporate culture, creating a common purpose and boosting the performance of the organisation which then further strengthens brand value and ensures the delivery of brand promises to customers more effectively.

It truly unleashes the power of employees. They become the embodiment of your brand, showing your business in a positive light, using word of mouth to say positive things from their unique perspective and real-life personal experience which can reach a wider audience of consumers and others.

The challengeIt’s fair to say that in most organisations, other than those in branding and marketing or C suite, the vast majority of employees have no clue what the brand promises are that the organisation presents to customers. In fact, most of them are also pretty unclear on vision, values, purpose and the wider big picture into which they fit. This not only causes problems around understanding what the brand is about it also has a significant impact on employee engagement, ie employees giving their best. In addition, this lack of understanding also reduces the ability of employees to ensure that operational activity is aligned with strategic objectives. Even if they don’t know the brand promises at least aligning their work to strategic objectives has them heading in the right direction.

All the data on employee engagement shows that employees can potentially withhold significant effort, called discretionary effort, and still meet satisfactory performance standards. In other words, if the environment isn’t right they will withhold this effort but it will not be possible to tell that they are doing so, or indeed who is and who isn’t. This additional effort which is being withheld could amount to an extra 30% of effort from up to 60% of people within the organisation. Imagine how much impact getting that extra effort could make, and how it could be applied to brand ambassadorship.

Worryingly there are indications that post-COVID this figure could now have risen to somewhere in the region of 70 to 80% of people withholding effort due to higher expectations that employees have of their leaders and organisations not being met post-pandemic.

This is the crux of the challenge of how to start the journey to create brand ambassadors – how to create an environment where no one, or as few people as possible, are withholding effort. That’s quite simply because if they were holding effort they certainly won’t be a brand ambassador Why? Because if they’re withholding effort they just don’t care.

This challenge might seem complex and something which has to be done at strategic level. Certainly if planned and coordinated at that level it will have maximum impact and benefit but there is no reason why individual leaders should not encourage their team members to all be brand ambassadors even if the rest of the organisation isn’t. The impact on team engagement and performance is going to be just as beneficial. Any leader can achieve this through the simple steps set out here, as can the whole organisation if C suite sets an example and supports.

Does it work?In a word yes. I’ve seen a significant positive impact in a number of organisations when implementing employee ambassador programs. From personal involvement during the creation of UBS, the global bank, effectively the result of 6 mergers and acquisitions over a short period of time brand ambassadorship delivered significant impact.

This is now a Harvard Case study “Towards the Integrated Firm”. As Global Head of Leadership, it was clear that creating belief in the new organisation was a key element to successfully bring together the constituent parts to operate as one, as we clearly promoted it “One UBS”. That One UBS had to have one brand identity. This started with the executive team acting in an authentic way to set an example to build a strong company culture and show the essential role that the banks values played in what it did everyday, reflected in the brand promises.

During the early stages of this transformation bringing together the people, processes, and brands into a single entity it became clear to us that alignment on the new brand was key for the optimization of sustainable profitability. But also what was critical was that the brand had to be all-encompassing – equally valid internally with employees as well as externally with customers and the market.

Why both? Because many of us had seen the negative impact of an organisations internal brand being different from the external brand, a perception that customers were treated well but employees not so much. We had the potential to create over 70,000 proactive brand ambassadors across the world, something that could have a significant impact both internally and externally.

It worked because of a clear business case set out by the CEO, picked up by senior leaders, cascaded, and led by example down through the whole organisation. In addition this was reinforced working with the external agency to develop the new a brand line. The result was short and simple “UBS you and Us”, which would apply equally to customers, employees, and indeed other stakeholders.

The application of this was highly flexible and effective and was maintained as the key message both internally and externally for over 6 years. Its external impact was widely credited with contributing to the rapid growth of the bank at that time but what is less widely appreciated is the significant role it played internally in creating willing brand ambassadors at all levels of the organisation, enabled by a culture where everyone gave their best because they cared about the success of themselves, their colleagues and UBS .

This employee advocacy built momentum internally, growing from early adopters inspiring others to join and take it to the next level. The result? 51% increase in brand value and becoming a top global brand in 3 just years, together with higher than peer profitability, and numerous people and business awards.

But the world moves onThe success of this creation of employee brand ambassadors was clear from so many measures. But the world moves on, and encouraging and enabling employee brand ambassadors has to be an ongoing effort, to make it work it never ends, either at strategic or team level. It needs constant momentum building and adaptation. This initial success at UBS was before the financial crisis and that event significantly changed the business environment and employee attitudes. As a result to recover the power of brand ambassadorship UBS had to proactively re-engage at all levels to be successful again, through another concerted campaign.

What is interesting is that to follow on from “UBS – You and Us” which engaged both customers and employees the new line was “For some of life’s questions, you’re not alone. Together we can find an answer.” – again which engaged both customers and employees and subsequently UBS again won a number of preferred employer awards. Note the focus on “working together” in both with common purpose, a theme shared by great brand building and great leadership.

Building the brand inside outMy conversations with marketing and branding professionals about this often reveal that they have not realised the full potential of employee brand ambassadors and their strategic impact. To some degree that’s not unreasonable as it is their brief to focus on the external customer. But I have seen marketing and branding departments frantically trying to create a positive quality brand for the organisation’s customers whilst the perception of employees within the organisation is that it’s not high quality internally due to less than great culture and leadership. I would take the view that employees are the organisations first customers and therefore you need to build the brand inside out.

Any fundamental disconnect between the external brand and the internal brand just isn’t sustainable. Disengaged and unhappy employees will not perform well, will not want to be brand ambassadors and this will, without doubt, eventually feed through reducing the quality of customer service and so damaging the external brand. They just won’t care.

Building the brand inside out is not just about the strategic level brand, it’s also about the organisations operational level brand as reflected by employees’ individual leaders. Thus every leader is a brand ambassador to their people and their example and action can either inspire or destroy the likelihood of employees being proactive brand ambassadors, irrespective of how great the strategic level brand is.

But with the right mindset and a simple action plan, there is a significant opportunity here if marketing and branding professionals work with all leaders and HR to create an environment where a great internal brand provides the opportunity to grow brand ambassadors and which, if done effectively, will be willingly taken up by every employee. Essentially by just spreading best practices to build brand awareness within an environment where people care because simply they have a great boss.

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Hold yourself responsible for a higher standard than anybody else expects of you. Never excuse yourself. Never pity yourself. Be a hard master to yourself and be lenient to everybody else.

― Henry Ward Beecher

Welcome to my latest blog post on self-discipline, where together, we will explore why self-discipline is a key ingredient for achieving success as a small business owner, and in every aspect of life.

As an entrepreneur and business owner, I know firsthand the power of self-discipline and how it has helped me to overcome obstacles, stay focused, and achieve my goals. I also know first-hand the painful results and disappointments that result when I fail to maintain self-discipline. The reality is that despite its many benefits, self-discipline is a skill that many people struggle to develop and reinforce.

Contrary to what some believe, self-discipline is not about being harsh or living a restrictive lifestyle. Instead, it’s about having self-control and inner strength to take charge of your actions and reactions.

Self-discipline helps you make hard decisions and stick to them, even when it’s difficult or uncomfortable. By rejecting immediate pleasure in favor of long-term success, you can achieve greater results and experience more significant personal growth.

In this post, we’ll dive into the importance of self-discipline, exploring how it can help you and I to overcome addictions, laziness, and procrastination. We’ll look at how self-discipline is a key ingredient for success, helping you to stay focused on your goals and overcome setbacks and failures. Plus, we’ll examine how a lack of self-discipline can lead to problems in all areas of life, including relationships, health, and career.

But it’s not all bad news! The good news is that self-discipline is a skill that can be developed and strengthened, just like any other skill.

In this post, I will provide you with practical tips and strategies to help you build self-discipline, such as avoiding carelessness, fulfilling promises, and engaging in positive behaviors. With consistent effort and practice, you can become stronger and more self-disciplined, achieving your goals, and realizing your dreams.

So, if you’re ready to take your self-discipline to the next level and unlock your full potential, keep reading. Let’s explore the power of self-discipline and how it can transform your life.

3 Ways to Become More Self-DisciplinedWe’ll now cover three ways you can become more disciplined and successful in every aspect of your life. These strategies will help you set active goals, ignore negativity, and practice gratitude.

Firstly, active goal setting is a critical skill if you want to become more disciplined. It involves more than just setting goals in your mind, but rather actively defining them and making plans to achieve them. By setting long-term goals and tracking your progress towards them, you’ll be able to stay focused and motivated, which is essential for building self-discipline.

Secondly, it’s essential to ignore negativity, particularly from people who may have a negative effect on your mindset. By avoiding those who are negative or unsupportive, you can protect your energy and stay focused on your goals. Seeking advice from experts can also help you learn how to deal with negativity and maintain a positive outlook.

Finally, practicing gratitude is a powerful way to shift your focus from wanting more to appreciating what you already have. When you cultivate a habit of gratitude, you begin to see remarkable shifts in your emotional well-being, mental health, and spirituality. By focusing on the positive aspects of your life, you’ll be better equipped to tackle challenges and achieve your goals without stress.

Continue to Develop Greater Self-DisciplineIt’s an ongoing process. It’s always too easy to give in or fall back into practices and habits that are not conducive to success in your life and business. You can start by removing temptations from your environment, embracing change, rewarding yourself, and not beating yourself up when you slide back into old habits. Developing self-discipline takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.

When it comes to temptations, we all have our challenges. For some of us, it may be eating too much of the wrong foods that are not healthy for us overall, and these foods make us sluggish and lazy. For another individual, temptation may be to continue watching that television series even though you have deadlines to meet. And for others, it’s simply wanting to do the easy things first that will not make a difference to your business, rather than focusing on the more challenging tasks that will make a difference.

You have the power to create the life you want, and by mastering self-discipline, you can achieve it. Remember that you can start developing self-discipline at any time, and with each step, you will become stronger and more disciplined.

In summary, if you are looking to achieve greater success and happiness in life, you need to develop self-discipline. As we have seen, self-discipline is not only about restricting yourself, but also about making positive choices that help you achieve your goals.

You can start by removing temptations from your environment, embracing change, rewarding yourself, and not beating yourself up when you slide backwards. Developing self-discipline takes time and effort, but it’s worth it.

You have the power to create the life you want, and by mastering self-discipline, you can achieve it. Remember that you can start developing self-discipline at any time, and with each step, you will become stronger and more disciplined to take on even greater challenges.

What is your biggest challenge with self-discipline?

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Let no one say that I have said nothing new; the arrangement of the material is new. In playing tennis, both players use the same ball, but one plays it better.

~Blaise Pascal in Pensées

Creativity is humankind’s great advantage in the ongoing task to prosper on this planet, yet the quality and application of our creativity is inevitably determined by culture. Leaders are called to ensure that human creativity produces what is best for people everywhere and for the environment, while misleaders, as they have done throughout history, either repress or pervert creativity. The examples are endless, but a few representative cases deserve consideration.

The European Middle Ages provide a telling comment on both medieval and modern culture. The renewed interest in and understanding of the Middle Ages is scarcely more than 100 years old. Previously, the modern era, which was born in the Renaissance and the Scientific Revolution, and defined most forcefully in the 18th century Enlightenment, blinded itself to the achievements of preceding ages on which the modern world was built.

Misinformation has corrupted our understanding and attitudes for far too long. We have always been led to believe that women’s rights were suppressed before the emergence of enlightened ideals in the modern era. That the repression of women, wherever and whenever it has occurred, has deprived civilisation of the creative energies and output of half of humankind, is beyond dispute, and in the Western world at least, it has only been during the last century that women have gradually shaken off the fetters that constrained them for so long. So what was happening during the 400 years of the modern era before that? And what was the reality in the medieval period? A few facts are in order.

In the classical period of ancient Greece and Rome — a time greatly admired by the savants of the Renaissance and the Enlightenment, women were indeed kept in the background and subjected to the control of fathers and husbands. The picture presented by the Dark Ages is dramatically different. For example, there was the warrior queen Boudicca, who taunted the men of her tribe when they showed signs of preferring subjection by the Romans to risking their lives for freedom. Similarly, the Byzantine emperor Justinian’s wife, Theodora, wielded massive influence over her husband and the empire, saving his throne on more than one occasion through her cool head and courage in the face of danger.

The French historian Regine Pernoud in Those Terrible Middle Ages, delighted in informing her contemporaries of some long-ignored historical facts: the first book on education known to have been published in France was written by a woman, Dhuoda, in the ninth century; the queens of medieval France were crowned, like their husbands, in Rheims Cathedral; and Eleanor of Aquitaine was one of the predominant political figures of her age.

Women also exercised extraordinary authority in the Church during the Middle Ages, and abbesses often administered vast territories, with full respect shown for both their spiritual and temporal power. Heloise, the famed mistress and wife of the scholar Abelard, and a great scholar herself, was one of many women whose careers provide a more balanced picture of medieval attitudes.

One of the most widely read encyclopaedias produced in the Middle Ages was written by the abbess Herrad of Landsberg, and the intellectual contribution to posterity of women like Hildegarde of Bingen and Gertrude of Helfta, also help to expose the mendacity of much modern scholarship. Well-preserved medieval records show that women worked and ran their own businesses in all sorts of fields — as merchants, millers, hairdressers, doctors, apothecaries, plasterers, copyists, and more. There is even evidence to show that women served as crusaders. So when did the position of women change?

Pernoud argues that the reintroduction of Roman law in Europe brought the freedom enjoyed by women in the Middle Ages to an end. The surge of interest in classical culture that followed the discovery of the Aristotelian texts and their translation from Arabic into Latin led to the renewed study of Roman Law. The Renaissance itself was built on an admiration for all things classical, and consequently a rejection of all that followed the collapse of classical antiquity.

Roman Law, with its entrenchment of the authority of men through the legal concept of the paterfamilias, was steadily brought back to replace the Common Law that had developed over so many centuries. The freedom and rights of women and children were gradually curtailed through the first three centuries of the modern era, and modern culture for the most part deprived itself of the feminine genius. It was left to the heroic efforts of the few to keep the ideal alive and to work for the restoration we are still living through today. Culture is a very significant factor when it comes to creativity.

Another example can be drawn from more recent events: a report in the German journal Der Spiegel a few years back bemoaned the failure of development aid to make any meaningful difference in the lives of the people of Africa, its intended beneficiaries. The incompetence and self-interest of the aid agencies and the donor governments of the developed nations in misdirecting the finance and contributions in kind were seen as significant factors, but the greed and corruption of the recipient African governments and their unrestrained use of power were identified as the main reasons for the failure.

Der Spiegel went on to tell the story of Hendrik Hempel, an agent for the German Society for Technical Cooperation. He led the impoverished people of a state-owned farm in Northern Eritrea to reorganise and rebuild the agricultural facility so as to reclaim the wilderness created by years of war. The people were inspired to build an enormously productive green haven in the otherwise desolate landscape.

Unfortunately, Hempel’s success provided an embarrassing contrast to the regime’s persistent failures. The government forced Hempel’s farm to accept an unsustainable influx of former guerrillas from abandoned state-run projects, and he was obliged to walk away from the beacon of hope he had built amidst deprivation and despair. Where Hempel had held up an inspiring vision and unleashed the creative energies of impoverished people, the misleaders in the regime could see no further than their own arrogance and avarice.

This familiar pattern can be seen wherever a culture of creativity confronts a culture of repression and exploitation. Mugabe’s gangster government in Zimbabwe destroyed what should be a thriving economy; the hopeless malaise has nothing to do with race, but everything to do with a culture horribly distorted by tyranny and the hubris of one man and his cronies. But then every nation on earth should ask itself whether its people are genuinely inspired to use their innate creative abilities in search of the good life.

In The Mystery of Capital, Third World economist Hernando De Soto revealed the cultural quagmire that chokes the efforts of poor people in the undeveloped world to improve their lives. These people — from divergent racial and ethnic backgrounds in Peru, Egypt, the Philippines, Mexico, and Haiti, among others — are extraordinarily inventive and thrifty. However, the corrupt and capricious power wielded by their governments and the absence of formal property rights means their economic assets can never be turned into capital.

It took De Soto’s researchers six hours a day for 289 days to get legal certification for a small one-person business in Peru. Registration costs amounted to $1,231. To acquire approval to build a house on state-owned land, the team worked for nearly seven years, wading through over 200 administrative procedures in 52 government offices. Obtaining legal title for the piece of land required them to negotiate more than 700 bureaucratic stages.

Authoritarian regimes fear nothing more than poor people becoming prosperous and educated, because that spells the end of docile submission to tyranny. A culture that smothers human potential is not a humane culture, and will never prove to be creative in anything other than evading regulation.

It is significant that many poor people in Third World countries slip naturally into the black-market economy that slowly destroys the official economy, and all hope of a society built on truth and justice.

This repression of the natural creativity we all possess as human beings can be as readily revealed in the culture of families, schools, businesses, and communities as it can in the lives of nations. Children all over the world enter school severely handicapped because their parents never told them stories or read to them. Children all over the world give up on maths because some lazy teacher has told them they lack the ability or because they have heard their parents laughing about their own inadequacies in the subject when they were at school. Employees all over the world keep their ideas to themselves or even give up altogether on thinking inventively about their work because of management disdain or a rigid corporate culture where people are not allowed to make mistakes.

However, culture is not the sole determinant of the quality of creativity, because creativity in the first instance is a personal phenomenon rather than a social phenomenon. This is why character plays the same influential role in the individual person as culture performs in the life of society. The best way to understand this is to examine the nature of human creativity itself.

What is creativity? Consider the following prescriptions from some famous creative people.* “An idea is a feat of association.” Poet Robert Frost * “Thinking is connecting things, and stops if they cannot be connected.” G. K. Chesterton * “Lateral thinking is restructuring patterns and provoking new ones.” Edward De Bono * “Creativity is to see what everyone else has seen and to think what nobody else has thought.” Nobel Prize-winning physiologist Albert Szent-Gyorgyi

Each of the definitions is itself a creative insight, but all say essentially the same thing — that physical and mental reality in all its multifarious manifestations, whether familiar or strange, presents itself in forms which people, through the use of free will and intellect, may choose to look at in different ways, and even to reconfigure so as to change reality. Admittedly limited and fallible, the human mind nonetheless has the power to shape the future.

If you believe that life has meaning beyond self-gratification, creativity implies an awesome responsibility; if you do not believe it, you are equipped to do a great deal of harm to your fellow human beings and the environment.

That our troubled world today exhibits so many examples of this reality is evidence that creativity is being repressed, reminding us that the key condition for creativity is courage.

Excerpted from the book, Leaders & Misleaders, by Andre van Heerden

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I was watching a documentary about Spelling Bee winners, where the winners’ parents could be heard saying “we expect them to win, we expect it. They put in their hard work and are excited and expect it.” This made me believe the parents began setting expectations early on in their child’s life to gain the skills to succeed. Growing up with these intentions has helped these children understand they CAN do it. Parents are just like leaders in guiding those around you to become a better you. As a leader in the workplace, we can set these expectations to achieve hard work and gain appreciation from others and ourselves.

Make it RealisticOne huge piece of advice, make sure the expectations are realistic. You wouldn’t want to feel overwhelmed or discouraged if you have a slight feeling that you are not able to accomplish a goal. For instance, you may want to set a goal that YOU can expect out of yourself but others might not be able to expect that. Set goals for your team that are challenging but also obtainable, to help build and shape their growth, development, and confidence. Try to imagine having a leader who expected you to do something you weren’t capable of. How does that make you feel? Anxious? Upset? I would feel this way also. You don’t want to set the bar too low and risk not motivating your team, but if you set it too high then you’ll end up with people who are not satisfied with what they’ve accomplished. Making expectations realistic allows for higher achievement in the long run.

Workplace supportConsider the same concept of the Spelling Bee winners, in the workplace. As a leader, would you want your team to feel excited and confident about their work? Of course! Choosing to provide support and ground rules gives employees motivation and feelings of success. Meeting these expectations in the workplace gains trust throughout the organization. The more connection and guidance they have, the more trust they build. The more trust you build, the more they’ll become their whole selves and show up with greater innovation.

ReflectionAs always, communication is key to success. Being able to communicate with your team can make them feel comfortable and want to grow as a person. If someone was to talk down upon you with little to no communication, would you feel inspired to do your best? If you gave support without boundaries, would they be successful? How about the opposite… boundaries with no support? The trick is to find a balance between setting realistic expectations for yourself and your team and being overly optimistic about what you want to achieve.

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SummaryThere’s a lot of talk about why organizations need to have a purpose beyond a mere marketing tagline: why they do what they do on behalf of those they seek to serve. What’s equally challenging to get at is how an organization defines its why, how they get staff buy-in — or better yet, staff input — and then has the discipline to choose activities that work towards fulfilling it.

I’m never saying that the lack of a real purpose is the only problem that causes organizational dysfunction. But it is one of the most foundational ones because people are looking to contribute with their roles.

— Brooke Erol

My guestMy guest to help walk us through this topic is Brooke Erol. Brooke is a corporate dropout who pursued her dream of having more meaningful work for herself and others where we are not only seeking money but also contributing to a bigger cause. All her life is spent on writing, speaking, coaching, and consulting on this topic of having a life of fulfilling and purposeful work. She works both with individuals- YourBestLife and organizations – Purposeful Business, Inc.

Takeaways√ Many businesses focus on profits over purpose instead of figuring out how to do both.

√ An organization’s pain point is not necessarily an expressed lack of purpose, but lack of purpose is often the driver below the surface.

√ Leaders at the highest point of an organization — founder, and CEO — must have a deep consciousness to understand the imperative of having and living a purpose fully.

√ Companies often face a litmus test as to whether they are going to honor their purpose in their decision-making,

√ Customers and job seekers should monitor a company over time to see if it adheres to its purpose.

√ The number one reason for the purpose to stick is the 100% commitment of the CEO or the founder.

√ Instead of trying to save the whole world, find one area where you can have an impact, and let that be your purpose.

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Last time, we discussed opportunities for weaving intentional gratitude into our professional environments, and we looked at the possibility of adding gratitude to your formal organizational values, encouraging gratitude as a daily practice, and making that gratitude easily and abundantly visible to the people who make up your company.

ENJOY ALL PRIOR PARTS BELOW︎

Gratitude at Work – Tapping into The Power of Appreciation in Your Organization

Today we’re going to focus on ways you can incorporate gratitude into your external-facing spaces. Prospective new employees are checking out your culture, as much as can be seen from outside your organization anyway. To attract top talent, make it easy for them to get a sense of who you are and what matters from a culture perspective. Also, helping your current and future customers and vendors see that gratitude is important to your company can help build stronger relationships, leading to more positive outcomes with them, too. Here are two ideas for making gratitude part of your external-facing landscape.

Recommendation #4: Make intentional gratitude visible externally. Leaning into the intentional practice of gratitude can help your organization differentiate and amplify your company culture as a way to attract top talent. When I’ve worked with companies both in my research and as a consultant, employees frequently share that they appreciate working for an organization where gratitude is already seen being practiced by senior leadership and colleagues. And it doesn’t take long to find complaints on sites like GlassDoor, from everyone from job applicants to long-time employees to former staff when appreciation is simply not there. Even if this is a new addition to your organization’s strategic cultural initiatives, emphasizing your efforts can help reframe your company in a more positive light, no matter where you are starting in that journey.

Leadership may want to consider adding a section to the company website focused on the commitment to gratitude as an organizational driver, to enhance the company’s existing mission and vision statements. Regular blog entries or social media content showcasing recent gratitude messages are also excellent ways to showcase how gratitude is interwoven into your culture. These could be employee testimonials, press releases announcing quarterly gratitude award winners, or simply sentiments shared by your employees that continuously reinforce how gratitude is expressed. One client I worked with had video screens in customer waiting lounges, and they streamed comments like “Sumetra D says, “Thanks to my team for covering my shift while I was out taking care of my mom. It really makes me feel like I matter!” What a great way to elevate that message!

Recommendation #5: Encourage clients to engage in intentional gratitude. Studies show a positive impact from receiving expressions of gratitude from customers and clients, including an increase in both job satisfaction on confidence not only in that assignment but when considering upcoming or potential assignments. Account managers and client-facing employees may want to consider encouraging active gratitude as part of the regular interactions with clients, and certainly as part of any final project documentation. Again, consider including these appreciative comments as part of your portfolio of testimonials to further enhance your brand image to current and prospective clients.

As we’ve mentioned previously, gratitude is simply not a common practice in most workplaces, so for your employees and your clients to feel comfortable expressing and receiving appreciation, intentional, strategic opportunities for gratitude to be part of the conversation are important for employees and clients alike to experience the benefits.

Encourage or even incentivize positive feedback from your clients. We all know people don’t hesitate to complain – so encourage them to tell you when things are going WELL, too. For example, a hotel chain we used to frequent made it known that they actually gave a cash bonus to staff when they received a positive comment that identified that person by name. Given what we know about gratitude in the workplace, expressing gratitude intentionally may not be a routine part of the professional experience for your clients or vendors, either, so make it easy for them, and they’re more likely to share their positive feedback with you. Talk about a win-win!

Conclusion

There is no indication that one form of gratitude is superior to another. Individuals have different communication and learning styles, and cultural and generational differences may make one style more comfortable than the other. Further, individual preferences as to which form of gratitude is more beneficial for them may change depending on the circumstances in which the individual finds themselves, the mood they are in, and so on. Fundamentally, I believe (and the research so far backs me up) that any gratitude practice is better than none, as long as we’re doing so in authentic, meaningful ways.

Are you interested in making gratitude part of your organization’s cultural landscape? I’d love to hear about what you’re doing currently, or the challenges and barriers you’ve faced trying to build more gratefulness into your working hours. And sincerely, thank you for taking the time to consider gratitude as an intentional professional practice. Even normalizing the possibility helps bring this topic into more people’s awareness, and I am deeply grateful for your contribution to changing the professional paradigm.

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Did you know that you shouldn’t choose between being ethical and being successful? 6 questions. 7 minutes. Pure insights. Episode 261: Successful business leaders don’t choose between being ethical and being successful. Wise words from Yonason Goldson, Director at Ethical Imperatives, LLC. https://www.yonasongoldson.com/

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How do you arrive at a ‘meeting’?(Could be any meeting, work, home, family, colleagues, friends, face to face or virtual)

Flustered, in a rush, unprepared, anxious?

Still thinking about the last meeting?

The argument you had this morning and know that it is playing on your mind?

The meeting you must attend at the end of the day is troubling you?

Need to get this meeting finished quickly as you have too many other matters to resolve?

You get the picture…rest assured you are not alone. Most of us arrive at meetings this way. And virtual meetings have made it more so, turn one off, and log in to the next. Off you go. Sometimes, even finishing late, ending it poorly, and arriving late to the next one, apologetic and embarrassed.

Imagine if everyone attending this meeting has any of all of the above going on for them?

What are the chances that the meeting will go well, effective, productive?

I am not saying that we can’t have anything going on in our lives, far from it. Rather, are there some things we can do to navigate these situations, and manage them better?

One simple exercise is to start each meeting with one minute of silence. Each participant notices that they are sitting in their chair, back touching, feet on the floor. Then to take a few deep breaths into the belly, holding and then breathing out and holding again, maybe to a count of 4 in, 4 hold, 4 out, 4 hold, etc.

At the end of the minute, ask everyone, in turn, to share how they are arriving. Far from wasting time, this gives everyone a moment to be vulnerable, if they wish, and to be honest as to how they are arriving, feeling, and thinking. In doing so, it builds connection, it enables empathy and appreciation.

In one group, (where all participants had only just met each other), the first person shared that they were overwhelmed with anxiety about what they would be doing over the next few days together. In doing so, they gave permission for others to be vulnerable themselves. (We reassured them what was going to happen, and they were able to relax).

Had we not asked, this person may not have shared so soon, and we, and the rest of the group, may have wondered if this person was okay. Usually, we display less than attentive signs when we are mentally and/or emotionally distracted.

In a one-to-one conversation with a work colleague, it can play out something like this…

Me: Hi there, how are you doing?

Fine thanks. (Me: They don’t look fine, they don’t seem right…was it something I said, or should have done? So best that I start to ‘armour up’ a little, just in case.). How about you?

Me: I am great thanks. (Said whilst thinking the above).

Are you sure? (They have picked up something and in turn start to ‘armour up’ too.)

Me: Yes, of course, why? (I knew it, I was right, it was something I have done or said.)

Err. (Goodness, there is something not right with them, maybe it is something I have said or done. Need to put more armour on).

You see what can happen.

Even a simple, “Hi, how are you?” can put distance between two people, rapidly.

Have you noticed this happening recently, maybe with your partner?

With my current partner, we used to spend half the week in our own place and the other half together. She lives about 42 miles away and a journey across London can be between 90 minutes and 140 minutes. On one occasion, it was the latter, and when I physically arrived at her front door, I was most certainly not mentally or emotionally. Let’s just say the next hour was not pleasant.

Later that evening, once we had both calmed down, we talked through what had happened and what to do moving forward. We agreed that each time I arrive, we would have a hug, and we would sit down together. We would grab a beverage of choice and sit at the kitchen table.

With no distractions, no judgements, and giving each other our fullest of attention, she would talk about whatever she wanted to talk about for ten minutes. I would give my fullest attention (and in doing so, I noticed I would be calming down, settling, stilling myself, and the journey from hell was receding), look at her eyes, really listen to what she was saying and re-connect with this lovely person.

If she stopped talking before her time was up, I would remain silent and continue to be present for her. I may ask, “And what more”, or the fuller version, “And what more would you like to think or feel or want to say?” And when her time was up, we would swap over and I would be able to share my thoughts and feelings, whilst she listened.

Once we had both had our ten minutes, we would offer a word or phrase of appreciation. Note, that appreciation, (who you are being), is not traditional feedback, (what you are doing), and is therefore always positive. “(use their name), one thing I appreciate about you is your warmth and openness that I felt whilst I was speaking.” The receiver sits with the appreciation, really feels it, and says, “Thank you”.

I know that this is successful and can be used in any setting. People appreciate and value the opportunity to share their thinking and feelings, as well as other times, hopes, fears, aspirations, etc. We all love to feel heard, valued, validated and to know that we matter.

“Listen first, listen all ways, always.”

How are you going to arrive, next time?

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Chronic stress can make you sick.I think we are at a point where most people would agree with that statement. Another way of saying that statement is; We can make ourselves sick.

Because it is not the outside events or our interactions with the world that are causing the majority of stress in our modern lives but the way we interpret and respond to them.

I am re-reading an amazing book called Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers by Robert Sapolsky which talks about the science behind our stress response and it goes into detail about the chemical responses and physiological actions that take place within our bodies in response to stress.

This book also talks a lot about how the systems within us that respond to stress are based on our ancestral need to survive in a more aggressive world and not so much needed to deal with our perceived stressors in our modern daily life.

The statement that we can make ourselves sick ( I think we all have heard the comment, “I worried myself sick about…”) is one that modern science has shined a large light on in the past few decades and is now widely understood and accepted.

The flip side to that coin, which has not received as much acceptance yet, is that we can also make ourselves well/keep ourselves healthy.

Before I go any further with this section let me say that this information or the work that I do is “not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.”

There has been tremendous amounts of work done in the field of Body/Mind science that has shown how this works. The work continues on and the field is always expanding as modern science catches up with and finds explanations for work that has been around for centuries.

If you looked at a large portion of the prescription medications that are prescribed you would see that they mimic chemicals that our bodies already make. When there is an imbalance in our systems then we do not make either enough of the chemical, too much of another chemical or it doesn’t “arrive” at the correct time in our systems. This is, of course, an oversimplification of a very complicated subject but it is for the sake of overview.

By relieving our stress we can remove a lot of the issues that are showing up in our systems in negative ways.

We can do that through several different modalities. We can work to change our reaction/interaction with the outside world so we do not see danger where it may not be.

We can also do things such as meditation and other processes that help calm our nervous system and allow it to operate in a way that supports our lives in a positive and safe way.

The majority of the work I do in this area is based on working with the unconscious mind and clearing patterns (negative emotions, Limiting decisions/beliefs) from the past that are causing the client to have reactions to their world that are showing up as stress and anxiety. Two of the biggest contributors to making us sick and unhealthy.

There is deeper work going on that looks into how our past significant emotional events show up in different negative ways in our bodies later in life. I will let that work speak for itself.

This article is not to speak negatively about modern allopathic medicine practices or pharmacology. They do amazing things for our world, including helping to extend our life expectancy and saving many lives every day.

My goal is to share that there are other ways for all of us to live a healthy and long life.

If you are interested in learning more about any of these processes, please reach out and I would enjoy discussing them with you.

I am including the titles of several books that I recommend reading that I have found to shine a bright light on these practices and explain how they can help all of us live happier and healthier lives. They range from the very scientific to the more esoteric so you can find what fits best with your interests.

You may notice several of the titles mention “healing”.

Healing is not curing.

Healing is about re-establishing a lost connection and I will save that discussion for another article.

1. Why Zebras Don’t Get Ulcers?- Robert Sapolsky
2. The psychobiology of Mind-Body Healing – Ernest Rossi
3. Why am I sick?– Robert Flook
4. Healing and the Mind– Bill Moyers
5. Quantum Healing– Deepak Chopra
6. You can heal your life– Louise Hay

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It should come as no surprise according to the recently released 2023 Edelman Trust Barometer “A lack of faith in societal institutions triggered by economic anxiety, disinformation, mass-class divide and a failure of leadership has brought us to where we are today – deeply and dangerously polarized.” That said it’s more important than ever for leaders to establish themselves as trustworthy entities.

A trustworthy leader establishes strong relationships with their followers and team members. It’s no secret trust encourages collaboration and inspires commitment to shared goals. Not to mention working in an environment which creates trust develops a positive environment where people feel valued, respected, and supported – are less likely to quietly quit.

Trust paves the way for the creation of stronger relationships, better communication, increased productivity, and better decision-making. Not to mention reduces stress.

That said, it’s so easy to lose confidence in a leader who fails to show us they are reliable, and possess integrity and honesty. A trustworthy leader encourages others to be vulnerable enough to place their confidence (faith) in another’s ability to act in their best interest – without the need for constant monitoring or control.

Building trust is important for a variety of other reasons as well:

Aside from developing solid relationships: It allows for open and honest communication; something we are in desperate need of now. When you trust someone, you’re more likely to speak openly and honestly with them without fear of being judged, criticized or laid off. This can lead to better understanding and stronger relationships – when ‘buy-in’ is required of a team to effectively complete the job.

Increased productivity: Trust can increase productivity in the workplace. When employees trust supervisors and managers, they’re more likely to be engaged, motivated, and committed to their work. This can lead to increased productivity and better performance.

Better decision-making: Trust can also lead to better decision-making. When you trust someone, you’re more likely to seek their input and take their advice into consideration when making decisions. This can lead to better outcomes and a more effective decision-making process plus reduced stress – something we’re sorely in need of in today’s changed world.

6 Leadership Skills Which Build Trust:1. Open Communication: Transparent leaders communicate in a way which shows they are open to feedback – sharing their vision, goals and challenges with the team and actively listening to and discussing input received. 2. Empathy: Being empathetic and understanding regarding the needs and concerns of team members is critical to building trust. 3. Accountability: Leaders who hold themselves accountable and take responsibility for their actions build trust with their team – including admitting mistakes, commitment follow through; holding others accountable. 4. Consistency: Leaders who consistently demonstrate their values and principles build trust. Consistency in communication, decision-making and behavior establishes a sense of predictability and reliability essential for building trust. 5. Competence: Leaders who are knowledgeable and skilled in their field build trust. Demonstrating expertise, providing guidance, and solving problems competently shows the leader is credible and capable. 6. Integrity: Leaders who are honest, ethical, and uphold their values build trust. Their actions match their words and they prioritize doing what is right over personal gain.

Leaders who communicate openly, show empathy, hold themselves accountable, demonstrate consistency, exhibit competence, and operate with integrity can build trust with their team members.

Bottom line – Trust can take different forms and built over time through consistent actions and behaviors that demonstrate reliability and honesty. Conversely, it can be broken or lost through actions or behaviors which violate expectations or standards of honesty, reliability, or integrity.

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Only a handful of people actually do what they know to do. Take the best seller Think and Grow Rich. Since 2011 70 million copies of the classic have been sold worldwide. The book synthesizes what successful people do that the unsuccessful people do not … and have done for 200+ generations.

Hill was a reporter who kept up with some 500 citizens that were healthy, happy and wealthy, to find out their secrets. It was Andrew Carnegie that offered the 20-year ‘job’ to Hill.

Today’s most successful people use this plan, whether they have read the book or not. Men have much of this knowledge inherently — that is it is in their DNA. You only need to watch a man step up to the plate on inner confidence and desire, even though he knows he is not qualified. Women don’t do this.

If then, more than 70m copies have been sold and it contains the most concrete plan for expedient success, you must ask yourself this question:

Why aren’t there 70 million millionaires? Every person that can read can be a millionaire or a billionaire.

Because we “don’t do what we already know to do!” And we continue to add more and more information to what we do know — still not applying what we know.

It’s not having knowledge that is power. It is the consistent application of the knowledge over time until it becomes habilitualized. That is the POWER.

Take a quick inventory of your books and programs in which you have invested financially and never used. You are not alone. We are invigorated with new information, yet acting on it isn’t as invigorating — it actually takes something.

The difference between knowing and doing is often called the performance gap.

Why don’t we do what we already know to do?We have a slew of beliefs, paradigms, or clusters of ‘ways of being’ that are automatic. We’ve believed them as true for so long they’ve taken hold and we don’t even notice them.

The beliefs are based primarily on the beliefs of others … those we love and admire and whom we want to please. Unfortunately, most beliefs of others are of lack and limitation rather than abundance and opportunity. These beliefs have been ‘engineered’ by default in our subconscious mind or what the Ancient Greeks referred to as our ‘heart of hearts.’ I will cover how to ‘engineer a belief’ later.

As children when we ‘stubbed our toe’ we became more and more careful where we put our toes. It didn’t take long to learn that by noon the sand at the beach is so hot you must run to give your feet a chance to cool between strides. We run faster or we wear shoes to protect our tender feet.

Likewise, when we are embarrassed or ashamed as children as a result of our behavior, we tend to shy away from repeating that behavior. It’s a protection of sorts … when we are children.

Perhaps your first time in front of the class in early elementary school, sharing a report you wrote, you misunderstood the instructions, reported on the wrong book, and classmates began to laugh and chide you. Fighting back the tears, we plant this truth to protect ourselves, “I’ll never get up in front of a group of people to speak again.” Maybe that’s why some people say that public speaking is a fate worse than death for most!

This protection works well as a child, yet those habits and inner dialogue are ‘still running your life.’ And as adults, this does not serve us very well. We allow ourselves to be stopped from acting on ideas that light us up … mostly because we don’t know how. And the fear of crossing the gap of performance is greater than our desire to have what we want. And we have a host of beliefs that say “it’s selfish to want more,” or “there simply isn’t enough money to go around.”

These beliefs keep us playing small and taking no risk. The level of our reward is always the perfect reflection of how much risk we are willing to take.

The process of developing the beliefs of others follows us into adulthood, adding more opinions of others, including television and news reporters. Negativity sells, so by default, we are ‘filled with’ the negative points of view of others. When you harness the “power of pause” as you step from ‘knowing to doing,’ you will see that you always have a minimum of two perspectives or answers to every question.

So it makes perfect sense that when we go to ‘step’ from knowing to doing, there is a great Fear of the unknown between the two. You want it and you start out, yet when things get dark and you can’t see how you can do it, you step back to safety.

Not only are you hearing your own inner dialogue such as “I’ve tried before and I’ve failed,” or “I’m not smart enough or deserving,” or “Someone else is better at this than I am,” if you share this with others you will also hear “are you crazy, you’ve never done that before,” or “who do you think you are,” or “go get a regular job” (one of my favorites).

It’s a battle for the one conscious thought over which you have control over. Why wouldn’t you back down if your inner self doesn’t believe you can do it and others don’t either?

These beliefs are held by both men and women, and for women it is critical that we overcome them. While men automatically step up to the plate in business, women do not. It doesn’t matter initially if the man is not competent … he’s first at bat. It’s not too long before you realize that just because they ‘stepped up’ does not mean ‘they’ will necessarily navigate the gap.

After 45 years in corporate America, my experience is that I more often than not — and my female counterparts — ended up more often than not ‘finishing up’ what they had started!

Why? Because we have been finishing up and cleaning up after our families for more than 200 generations! We’re good at it, yet we don’t have time to finish up after others and still grow our own businesses.

Here’s an example. Ready to start, a dozen thoroughbreds are at the starting gate ready for the first race of the season. Behind the row of gates, one woman is in charge to get all the horses down the track and cross the finish line.

Three, two, one, and the starting gun is fired. As the horses leave the gates, the woman is behind them. Watch her running sideways behind the horses slapping each one as she runs by, saying, “come on boy, you can do it!” Back and forth she runs, egging all the horses on, and finally, they all cross the finish line at the same time. We bring everyone across the finish line but no clear star or winner.

Now put a man behind the gates. Three, two, one, and the starting gun is fired. As the horses leave the gate, the man is behind them. See him pick out the middle horse and run behind only him, slapping and chiding him to go faster. Finally, that one horse crosses the line first and wins the race. He is the star.

Women must learn to practice laser focus on one idea … and bring it home, to the exclusion of all else. Men already do this naturally. It’s not our way. We are the nurturers and peacemakers. Women make sure everyone is a winner. That doesn’t work in business.

Navigating the performance gapWhen we must step into the gap to apply knowledge and move toward what we want, it is a given that we are afraid. Afraid because we do not know HOW we’ll get across. Our experiences have us automatically stop short. If we do not cross the gap we are destined to going to the edge on one idea, shrinking back; going to the edge on another, and shrinking back again.

To solve this problem, I wedged a large coin with a thick edge in the gap. Now you may cross the divide on the edge of the coin.

What value does ‘crossing above the gap’ provide?1. You are physically higher than you were before so you have vast vision of both sides of the gap. You see all sides of your obstacle or issue. You see why you shouldn’t cross over and why you should cross it, and the best way to do it. You get to make an objective and responsive decision. 2. You have a high level of awareness of your current potential. You can see once you have chosen to proceed the precise steps to the ‘doing’ side. 3. Even if you ‘slip’ the edge is wide enough for you to pull yourself back up. Your ‘muscle of Faith’ is developed enough so that it ‘lifts you’ back to the coin’s edge for a clear view. 4. Decisions that take you from knowing to doing as quickly as possible allow you to grow your business with consistency, momentum and results. 5. Once you are practiced at hopping across whenever you have something new to tackle, you become the Champion for other women who have not found their own ‘sea legs’ and are inspired by what you are doing and the results you are getting. 6. You can use this image whenever you know what you want to do and need to do to forward your business yet are afraid. Every time you lift yourself to the coin’s edge, your intellect grows, and soon it becomes a habit.

The Champion has developed Faith … Faith in herself and Faith in our Universe and how it works.

She lives by the following values from which she avidly seeks their wisdom. These values and laws operate all the time, whether we are aware of them and how they work, or not. Take for example the physical law of gravity. The result of taking a jump off a cliff is well-known to all of us. Down we go with an impact that matches the depth of fall and our physical condition. So you don’t jump off cliffs.

What if all the principles below also worked all the time and you not only were aware of them, you also studied and applied them in growing your business. You would have an extraordinary advantage and step into the realm of ‘the few’ who are not only wealthy — they are healthy and happy. These principles in action spike business growth and momentum and keep it consistent when applied over time. The idea is to have these values become part of you — automatic, or habitualized.

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Staying focused and productive can be a challenge when everything seems to be tugging for your attention. My clients often tell me that they are overwhelmed with so much to do and want to know how they can be more productive.

Here are 15 of my best tips.

1. Plan your day before it starts

You are in control of your day and your calendar. Deciding what you plan to achieve sets the tone of your day. It keeps your mind focused. And a focused mind can achieve a lot.

1. Read and write down your goals every day

This daily reminder will mentally put you in a positive state to accomplish those goals in the best way possible.

1. Use a default diary

Set up a default diary and make sure that you have time scheduled to complete important projects and tasks.

1. Prioritize your work for the day

While reviewing your plans for the day, identify the most important things you need to do. Focus on the most critical work first before doing everything else.

1. Analyze your activities to identify and minimize time wasters

If you want to free up some serious time, start with doing a skill/fun box exercise to determine what you need to do and what you should delegate. My clients have reported to me that they hear my voice in their head asking: “can’t someone else do that?”

1. Learn how to delegate well

Delegation is not abdication – nor is it micromanaging. Delegation is a skill that you can learn – this will help: How to become a master of delegation.

1. Reduce inefficient communications

Develop a regular team meeting rhythm including a daily huddle for managing employees. When it comes to communicating with clients or vendors, sometimes a phone call is faster and more effective than an email.

1. Break large tasks into smaller tasks

Have you ever looked at something on your to-do list and thought to yourself: “I don’t even know where to start”? The best way to start is by breaking that large task into smaller tasks.

1. Take a break when you need one

When you begin to feel overwhelmed and stressed with work, take a break. Breaks are necessary to recharge your brain cells to be more focused when you eventually resume.

1. Manage interruptions

Interruptions will break your flow and significantly impact your productivity. If you need to do some focused work turn off your phone notifications, close your office door and make yourself unavailable.

1. Concentrate on one thing at a time

Once you have identified a key task, stay on it until it’s 100% complete.

1. Work every day towards achieving a long-term outcome

One of the best ways to achieve your long-term visions is to be more productive in your short-term goals. Work towards your long-term goals by actively accomplishing the daily goals you set for yourself.

1. Simplify your work process

Sometimes we fall into habits of doing things the same way every time without stopping to look for a better way. Can you get the same thing accomplished in 5 steps instead of 7?

1. Learn how to terminate unproductive discussions

Find a way to politely extract yourself from casual chitchat. If you have completed everything on the agenda, end the meeting early and claim back some time.

1. Set communication rules for your peers or subordinates who bring you questions or problems

Ask people to do these 3 things before they come to you:

1. Write down the problem. Reduce it to a single sentence.
2. What are the three best solutions or suggestions for the problem? Write them down.
3. What do you recommend?

Being more productive is an intentional decision to make. When you are clear about what you need to do, the above tips can really help you make the most out of each day.

Sometimes “increased productivity” isn’t the answer

If you are uncertain about your goals and your most important priorities or if you know you need to make significant changes to how you are doing business and aren’t clear about what those changes need to be it might be time to consider working with a business coach.

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“98% of the words we hear come from people seeking to profit from our decisions. Seek, instead a happier, more meaningful life by listening to your own heart.”~ Clark Finnical

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is the most adaptable to change.” ~ Charles Darwin

“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” ~ Anais Nin

“I am not a product of my circumstances. I am a product of my decisions.” ~ Steven Covey

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again … more intelligently.” ~ Henry Ford

“Challenges are what make life interesting and overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.” ~ Joshua J. Marine

“No problem can withstand the assault of sustained thinking.” ~ Voltaire

“When We Accept the Fact that No One Can Fully Understand What We’re Capable of Or How Driven We Are, We Can Set Aside Their Opinions and Pursue Our Dreams.” ~ Clark Finnical

“If you’re not humble, Life will visit humbleness upon you.” ~ Mike Tyson

“The Only Words More Powerful than the Words You Say to Yourself, Are the Prayers You Say to God.” ~ Clark Finnical

“It is our attitude at the beginning of a difficult task which, more than anything else, will affect its successful outcome.” ~ William James

“You can let life defeat you……and mentally check out with all of its consequences. Or, You can decide, I’m going to work through this. Because it too will pass. And tomorrow will be a better day.” ~ Clark Finnical

“Until you value yourself, you won’t value your time. Until you value your time, you will not do anything with it.” ~ M. Scott Peck

“Life is 95% Opinion and 5% Facts. Remember that, the Next Time Someone Questions What You’re Doing.” ~ Clark Finnical

“Reinvention involves growing up. Growing above and beyond the hurts and memories of the past.” ~ Steve Chandler

“If you don’t separate yourself from your distractions, Your distractions will separate you from your goals and the life you want.” ~ Louisa Alcott

“Everything Worthwhile Has A Personal Cost.” ~ Frank Reagan, Blue Bloods

Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.” ~ Saint Augustine

“Nothing ever goes away until it has taught us what we need to know. Nothing ever really attacks us except our own confusion. Perhaps there is no solid obstacle except our own need to protect ourselves from being touched. If we run a hundred miles an hour to the other end of the continent in order to get away from the obstacle, we find the very same problem waiting for us when we arrive. It just keeps returning with new names, forms, manifestations until we learn whatever it has to teach us about where we are separating ourselves from reality, how we are pulling back instead of opening up, closing down instead of allowing ourselves to experience fully whatever we encounter, without hesitating or retreating into ourselves.” ~ Pema Chödrön

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This series is targeted at leaders who are interested in learning about how to create a legacy. Upon investigation, most leadership legacy resources focus on the organization you are leaving, the financial portfolio you leave behind and even the transition plan to the next leader. It is hard to find one article that focuses on…well…the leader…you!

Leadership LegacySo, I thought I would put three different legacy paths together in this series to help you discern what might be in your wake and hopefully, in your bow waves as well.

We are starting here, with your Leadership Legacy. It was crafted with the knowledge that not many leaders fully retire. We often find consulting gigs, or projects and boards to be part of and it’s that blurred line that is worthy of some reflection here.

We often see executives jump into consulting roles as they get closer to the end of their official careers. Some say it’s because they can’t put up with the bureaucracy anymore, while others say that their knowledge is antiquated. I imagine it being not so much about these things but a nice big realization that now is the time to live an active life with some work to keep us purpose-filled. It feels good to be able to golf for a few weeks between contracts or do some work in the morning and hike in the afternoon.

But as you get closer to day hiking and golf lessons, it behooves you to take some time to reflect on the wake you are making. The wake of what you are leaving behind in your own career. Not in your company or in your transition plan. This is about you specifically. Are you known as a hard-ass? A financier that focuses only on cost-cutting? The CEO that makes shareholders happy?

List them out if you can – better if you can perhaps ask someone you trust to give you their thoughts as well:

• What are the themes in the work you have done?
• What do you personally want to be remembered for?
• How can you make that truer with the time you have left?

Focusing on your legacy helps craft connections between what you want to be remembered for and what themes currently exist. My hope for you is that they are not that far apart. My other hope for you is that what makes it truer gets you excited about your final days in this role.

If this is hard for you to visualize:

• What do you really love to do?
• What networks are you part of that can make use of those much-loved skills?
• What boards would open those doors to help you use those skills more often?

If we thought of semi-retirement as a true career transition (from one job to the next), we can certainly wrap our heads around the idea that what you leave behind is important to your brand. The difference is that now, it’s not just about your brand, you can now focus on things you love to do, the challenges you enjoy strategizing for and the successes that further deepen that important legacy.

You may be a CEO for a technology company however you may also love arctic adventures – what can you do to make both of those things work for you? While being on the Board of a VR Expedition Company is not your idea of fun, know that it all comes down to what are you known for today and what you want to be known for 5 years from now.

What do you need to do today to begin filling the gap between those two things? It should be closer and easier than you think.

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Being someone who sometimes (ok well maybe often) misses the moment to stop and celebrate the joy, success, achievement of a given moment because I have my eye firmly planted on the future and what’s still to be ‘done’, I have been reminded over recent weeks of the power of taking a moment to celebrate and to share joy and enjoyment with others.

In the organisation world, one of the things that comes up so often in the work we do with Executive groups is the need to ‘celebrate success’ as they spontaneously recognise for themselves that they are too focused on ‘what next’.

Celebration is an important aspect of life – it can be a witnessing of achievements, it can be a moment to spread joy amongst a group, it can be an opportunity to honour oneself or a group. What strikes me even more deeply though is that celebration can have a deeply unifying effect…it helps to build connection, bonds, positive shared experiences, and a sense of well-being. When done alone, it can be nurturing and empowering, when done with others it can be contagious and amplified.

Celebration tunes us into gratitude and gratitude has immensely positive effects, psychologically – that is both mentally and emotionally.

We start to notice the smaller things that we take for granted – in ourselves, in others, in our world, and in our life as a whole. The more we celebrate and connect with gratitude the more powerful our radiance will be. When we radiate we strengthen our well-being – a wonderful virtuous circle.

So, it’s worth asking ourselves regularly, what can I celebrate today? What and/or whom am I grateful for in my life? How will I make time to celebrate alone and with others? As leaders, these are important questions if we want to build a culture of appreciation, possibility, and powerful contribution.

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Unlike a lot of employee engagement initiatives (incidentally on which companies are spending billions each year, with no real improvement in engagement scores or turnover), gratitude is FREE. However, to really capture the benefits offered by having more gratitude in our professional worlds, it’s not quite as simple as encouraging your people to say thanks to each other, although that’s certainly not a bad idea, either.

ENJOY ALL PRIOR PARTS HERE︎

Gratitude at Work – The Results are In… Spoiler, it’s REAL GOOD!

In the next two installments, we’ll look at five different ways your company could incorporate gratitude as a regular business practice. Depending on your sphere of influence or control and the current vibe in your company when it comes to unconventional culture innovations, see if any of these sound like good starting points for your organization. And if you love the concept but would like to kick around ways to actually get it off the ground, let me know. I’m happy to brainstorm or help you build the business case!

Recommendation #1: Frame gratitude as a formal company value. Maybe informal gratitude is already tacitly part of how some of your people interact with each other, so your employees already recognize that leadership currently endorses gratitude to some degree. If this sounds like your current culture, consider making intentional gratitude practices part of your formal way of working. Many organizations dip their toe into the gratitude pool by kicking off a gratitude challenge as part of their employee well-being portfolio (or around Thanksgiving… pet peeve of mine!). Or maybe gratitude is a completely novel opportunity. Wherever you are on the journey, I encourage you to frame gratitude as a company value rather than a well-being initiative.

Employees need to have the psychological safety and trust to engage in well-being initiatives, and even if you’ve already got strong levels of both those, when schedules are already full it can be difficult to try to incorporate a new practice or make time for gratitude.

Some companies do encourage employees to make time for well-being initiatives such as mindfulness programs or other initiatives, so you may feel like the opportunities are already there for people. However, many people, whether they’re already approaching burn-out or are just experiencing normal levels of competing priorities feel frustrated trying to balance self-care opportunities alongside intense workloads.

And when you’re trying to shift mindsets, executive sponsorship of culture initiatives is crucial for success. Have your leadership team really spend some time with the concept of gratitude in the workplace and how it can positively impact both the employee experience and the resulting organizational outcomes that are impacted when your employees are more engaged and more excited to be part of your teams. Get your most recent employee engagement and turnover data and keep that front of mind as you focus on this opportunity to make meaningful improvements.

Just a reminder of some of the value propositions for gratitude we discussed earlier in this series:

• 70% of employees would feel better about themselves if their boss was more grateful
• 81% would work harder if their boss was more grateful
• 95% of employees agree that a grateful boss is more likely to be successful.
• Employees who experience more gratitude at work report fewer depressive symptoms and stress. Lack of gratitude is a major factor in driving job dissatisfaction, turnover, absenteeism, and burnout.
• In recent surveys, half of the people said they regularly said thank you to their family members, but only 15% say thank you at work, and 35% of people say their managers NEVER thank them.
• In research cited by the Wall Street Journal, the workplace ranked last of places where people express gratitude, with just 10% of people saying thank you to their colleagues and only 7% saying thank you to their supervisor.

Recommendation #2: Encourage gratitude as a daily practice for everyone. Reframe gratitude as a valued daily practice and incentivize participation. Many of the people I worked with in my study already valued gratitude as a personal practice, it may not be as common of a belief in general for individuals to practice in their professional environments. Some may suggest that it is not necessary to say thank you. Given the depressing statistics about how rare gratitude is in most workplaces, you may have to help your people (and yourself) unlearn some bad habits around gratitude in the workplace, especially if you or they spent any of your life in environments that actively – and destructively – dismissed gratitude as frivolous, unnecessary, or even unprofessional.

Encourage employees to add time for gratitude to meeting agendas and to their daily schedule.

To combat this mindset, employees may need more than permission to actively engage in gratitude, especially outside of the usual timeframe of October/November, when gratitude gets more attention due to the Thanksgiving holiday. To do this, have your people leaders lean into gratitude by modeling it as a daily practice. Providing the business case for more gratitude in the workplace may help shift employee perspective from a place where gratitude is seen as a soft skill and reshape it as a business differentiator. Encourage employees to add time for gratitude to meeting agendas and to their daily schedule. Offer suggestions for different ways people might engage with the practice to accommodate a diverse set of personal preferences, information processing styles, and schedules. Positive psychologist Shawn Achor talks about his daily practice of sending thank-you emails to people who have positively impacted his life. I’ve had clients flip this around and pencil in 10 minutes at the end of their shift to wrap the day on a high note by sending a thank you note or email before signing off, so they end their day on a positive note. Leaders might start meetings with a positive reflection founded in gratitude or share kudos with their team.

In addition, if you are lucky enough to work for an organization that has formal supervisor or manager training programs, consider including a module on the business implications of gratitude as well as training on how to actively express gratitude authentically. Many of the people I’ve worked with specifically referenced how being thanked by their supervisors made them feel more valued, acknowledged, and appreciated for the work they do. Several also said they specifically felt it improved the quality of their relationship with their supervisor and their team, and that it had a direct, positive impact on their job satisfaction. Good relationships are a key performance indicator, especially if you’re trying to avoid or reverse significant retention issues, or if you are trying to go from good to great.

Recommendation #3: Make intentional gratitude visible to your employees. While the COVID-19 pandemic forced many organizations to take their work fully remote, and it may be preferable to maintain at least a hybrid environment for employees for the foreseeable future, it is still possible to provide opportunities for employees to see gratitude in practice. Some companies use software such as Harkn, described as, “an employee listening and wellbeing platform”, to allow employees to express their thoughts anonymously while creating a social media-like feed accessible to all employees as well as providing real-time analytics on the general emotional landscape of the organization.

If your team works in the same physical location, consider a “Kudos Wall” or gratitude jar where people can share their positive experiences. Another option would be a virtual gratitude wall included on the company’s intranet, perhaps as a channel on Slack, Microsoft Teams, or Google Spaces for either the whole organization or for individual working groups. A couple of my clients run the text from their team’s dedicated gratitude channel through a word cloud generator each month and include that in the monthly newsletter as an opportunity to remind individuals that gratitude is important and valued on the team.

The organization might also encourage participation by creating a traveling award or conducting a drawing for gift cards or other prizes for those who are recognized through public gratitude channels. In a world where gratitude is not the norm, these approaches keep intentional gratitude visible to all employees and reinforce the practice as one that leadership sees as having value to the organization.

Stay tuned for our final article in this series where we offer ways you can highlight a focus on gratitude for your teams and build stronger connections while improving performance!

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In the late 1990s, with several decades working full-time in corporate America under my belt, I was introduced to my new boss at a small scientific company in Research Triangle Park, NC. Serving as desktop publisher (from secretary to technical information specialist) I managed the company’s proposal production department. If you were a secretary in the ’60s and stayed in the field through century end, you had to go through all iterations of word processing, magnetic card readers, MTST a huge machine with a tape on both sides, and more. Without display with the MTST (magnetic tape Selectric typewriter), you would transfer a document from the right tape to the left one having to ‘catch’ where the changes had to be made in between, on the keyboard. All the way through to the TRS 80 (Tandy Radio Shack) … the computer that stored information on an 8″ floppy disk, smaller floppy discs, floppy discs that were no longer floppy, and more. They got small and weren’t flexible. You by this time had to be a master of the craft of being a ‘secretary.’ I say craft as I also learned to write DOS batch files, teach computer-aided drafting systems (CADD) to architects, and more.

About five feet three inches tall and dressed in a well-fitted pantsuit, my new boss smiled and extended her hand which I took and shook. We talked freely and in a very short time, I recognized something very familiar about her. Her conversation included certain words that were ‘coined’ by a transformational technology — one which I had studied in great depth over time. When I asked if she had done ‘the work,’ she said yes, and that “the technology changed her life.” The best part was that since we spoke the same language, I could always be straight with her and not worry about being judged or evaluated on a personal level. We both had done Landmark Education programs.

Over the next few months, I marveled as I watched her fit right in with all the male directors and c-level executives sans one woman director in statistics. She seemed relaxed and confident no matter what she was doing.

One day as we caught up on activities and I sat across from her in her office, I had been itching to ask her something and because of our relationship at this point, I did. “How do you get along with all the men managers so well?” Her answer changed my entire perspective on women in business and became an important milestone in my career. She said with a smile, “I do what they do.”

She was right … she did. I watched her closely from then on and she seemed to interact as they did. They all had short bullet-point dialogues with one another. They shook hands coming and going and they all stood rather still while they talked. I never saw them socializing like their direct reports. They were short, cordial, and to the point. And she ‘fit in’ like a glove.

When I first learned the cold, hard statistics about the gender wage gap — how much more men earn than women for doing the same job, and by when the gap would close — I was in shock.

I began to think of my granddaughters and great-granddaughters to be, waiting to be paid what they deserve while being integral in the financial responsibility of their families. I realized there was not only something I could do to crush that gap … I was fired up about it! I have just the right training, experience, and skills to start teaching women what to do to begin crushing and squeezing the life out of the gender wage gap right now.

And if I didn’t, then who would? Our mothers and grandmothers … and theirs … took their risks on our behalf, stepped out in the face of adversity, and made a difference one woman at a time. It has to be done that way to make steady inroads in more promotions and better pay for women. That is precisely how we crush the gap early and turn the tables in our favor in short order — stepping out, taking action, and taking a stand! Being a Champion for others.

As you read further, see if any of the behavioral business skills mentioned could be affecting your own opportunities for growth in business. Few women have mastered them all, however. It’s about learning, mastering, then habitualizing one skill at a time, at your own pace, which ultimately keeps you inspired and engaged, bringing you one step closer to success. You may feel the laughter of recognition swelling in your smile as things begin to get very clear for you … and you know what to do next.

After 45 years in corporate and 20 years in professional development, it was very clear to me that most women are invisible — not seen or heard by business leaders, both men and women. Being invisible yields lack of credibility. And not being seen or heard gives us almost no opportunity for advancement.

When I held the position of document production supervisor for a company in the healthcare industry, I noticed two small things over the 5 years I worked there.

1. While our department was the last pair of eyes on huge proposals (thousands of pages) that had to arrive picture-perfect by a certain time or date (or would end up in the trash), and I ran it effectively, there was no ‘step up’ for me in the organization — no place for me to ‘go.’ No path to director or executive level. I was stuck there or I could choose to leave.
2. Small yet telling … after securing an 8 figure contract, the company did ample expansion with window offices around the whole floor. Every single person that had direct reports was assigned a window office, except … you guessed it … me. I had 4 direct reports and was not even considered. When I brought this up to my supervisor, I did get the window office. The point here for me was that it wasn’t even a ‘thought’ in anyone’s mind. That’s invisibility.

During the dot.com era while working for a small tech startup, a coup ensued (not atypical then) during a Board meeting which I attended by phone. When an attendee in the meeting asked about my position, the board member in charge told them all “her services are no longer needed.” For about 10 seconds my blood began to boil and then something magical happened. I did a 180 in my thinking and said to myself, “I don’t want to be where I am not wanted. I have excellent skills and I want to be working with people who appreciate what I bring to the table.”

Figure 1 Whether small business or corporate, women are invisible.Women are invisible in business, therefore not credible, and passed over for deserved opportunities for advancement.

Isn’t it time for you to be visible, credible, and enjoy opportunities for advancement? I say YES, it is time!

Were you at all surprised that women are earning far less than men? No? I didn’t think so.

It has been this way since I can remember when my mother’s part-time job for ‘pin’ or ‘mad’ money in the late ’50s and early ’60s, turned into a full-time job in the ’70s, and by the ’80s, all her wages were required to support the household. Earning less is frustrating for you — today’s working woman. You are challenged to make ends meet, you may well be ‘doing it all’ on your own, and you live longer, paying more for insurance.

Business success today has its own personality .. and you likely guessed that — it is male. It made perfect sense to me when I realized for the past 200 generations or so since we began recording history, that history was recorded and read by men, and then the virtues and timeless principles recorded were practiced by men in business, consistently and repeatedly over time, until their way of doing things effectively, simply set the landscape for success in business. It became automatic — a habit.

During that same 200 generations of course women were developing their own unique skills including leadership, collaboration, and peacemaking.

If we had had the luxury of declaring ‘in 5 years we’ll go into business,’ between now and then, we could learn the skills required to be as successful as our male counterparts before we even started! No. We’re already in the thick of it. And most of us are like fish out of water in business

I suspect men becoming ‘house husbands’ while their wives work, experience the same fish-out-of-water experience, as their inherent skills are not very useful in successful home management.

Figure 2 Men have set the context for business success through the ages.Men are unaware of the source of their own influence in business as they are a collection of inherent and hidden habits.

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Quiet quitting is a description for people who are unhappy in their job but, for whatever reason, don’t feel able to leave.What does it mean to be a quiet quitter?

Quiet quitting is a description for people who are unhappy in their job but, for whatever reason, don’t feel able to leave. As a result, they reduce the effort that they are putting into their job, doing the minimum and nothing beyond. Quiet quitting as a term took off in the summer of 2022 after a US TikTokker posted a video that went viral saying “work is not your life”, as reported here on BBC News. This resonated with the post-Covid feelings of millions of employees.

But it’s a significant threat to both short- and long-term organisational performance. And it’s something that all company executives and leaders should be concerned about and take action to address. It eats away at all aspects of the effective operation of the organisation; its ability to deliver strategic objectives and achieve its vision.

Employees who are quiet quitting are a real drain on team performance and can negatively affect workplace culture.

What’s caused quiet quitting?Quiet quitting has always been with us but the Covid-19 pandemic massively increased the potential for it. It’s caused by the same drivers which gave us the ‘Great Resignation’. So, what caused the Great Resignation? One simple phrase explains both quiet quitting and is the impetus for the Great Resignation – our experiences create our perceptions. These then determine our behaviour at work in response to different situations.

As the Great Resignation, or indeed also the great ‘I’m not even going back’, started all of us had come through two years of being locked in and locked down. We all saw serious illness on a scale that none of us had ever experienced. Some of us also suffered a personal tragedy. It brought home to each of us how precious and short life could be. As a result of this potentially traumatic life experience for all of us, lots of people reprioritised what was important in life. For most, this meant that the importance of work significantly dropped compared to the importance of family, free time, quality of life, and well-being. It was probably the greatest reality check many of us have ever experienced.

It was those changed perceptions that raised the benchmarks by which we measured what we wanted and expected from work, especially from our leaders.

What drives quiet quitting or resigning?People are no longer prepared to tolerate poor leadership, overwork and antisocial hours, unfair rules, not being treated with respect, having our private lives undervalued, and not being able to grow and develop as a person or see a positive future ahead. So the benchmark against which people measured their leaders and organisations was raised. Leaders who were tolerated before the pandemic were now seen in a new light and seen as unacceptable – so people left. Analytics firm Gallup reports that this is reflected in falls in employee engagement in many countries.

The reasons for which people left organisations are likely to be very similar to the reasons which trigger quiet quitting, so it’s worth looking at the headline reasons for departure as reported by management consulting firm McKinsey & Company.

These include:

• Uncaring leaders: not feeling valued by the boss or the organisation
• No sense of belonging
• Lack of flexible working
• Lack of visible potential advancement
• Unmanageable workload
• Lack of engagement
• Poor work-life balance

However, how many of us are in a secure enough financial position to leave our jobs without one to go to? Not many. Not everyone can leave when they want, despite a rise in those prepared to do so even without a job to go to.

With a leader who doesn’t meet their standards, people who can’t leave will stay as ‘quiet quitters’ until they can. Just doing enough to get by. In particular Generation Z – that’s those born after 1995 – have a very different view of the priority between work and personal time, and what they expect from their leaders and organisations. They view the reasons listed in the infographic more negatively than other groups and expect a greater focus on well-being in the workplace.

It’s also worth noting that many employers don’t often recognise or admit the key drivers for resignations, they say it’s other things which they cannot control like employees leaving through sickness or being poached by competitors to absolve themselves of any responsibility for the departure.

Why is quiet quitting so dangerous?Quiet quitting is more dangerous precisely because you’re not resigning. It can have a greater negative impact on organisations than if people just left. If somebody leaves, they are gone and can be replaced by somebody prepared to give maximum effort – often coming in as an enthusiastic new employee. If they stay, their negative impact could linger for months if not years, and attitudes impact their colleagues.

Despite the damage they are potentially causing, identifying quiet quitters and trying to re-engage them can be extremely difficult for a leader. Those who quiet quit could be underperforming by 30% on their potential performance. Not only that but if their behaviour starts to have a negative impact on others in the team – they become disengaged and damaging. It’s reported by Gallup that you need to have four engaged employees to counter the negative impact of every one disengaged quiet quitter.

Daily examples of quiet quittingIt might be useful to give a few practical examples of what the difference is in terms of day-to-day behaviour between those who are engaged – giving their best – and those who are quiet quitting, by definition not engaged or even disengaged. Here we illustrate the significant negative impact which this can have.

How widespread is the problem of quiet quitting?The figures for the number of people leaving jobs have increased but there is an additional and worrying dynamic. Before the pandemic, most people wouldn’t leave a job unless they had a new one, but now the number who will has significantly increased. Potentially up to 60 to 70% of people are now prepared to leave without a job if they feel they need to, say McKinsey & Company. Global media company Forbes also reports that this is particularly affecting the Gen Z group, where 77% are already thinking of leaving, a precursor to quiet quitting and potentially departure.

This single change in perception vastly increases the ease and speed at which people can leave. No longer does there have to be a long and sustained period of dissatisfaction with your boss or research into potential new jobs. If you don’t care about having another job, your departure decision can be very swiftly implemented and it could be triggered by just one incident which has pushed you too far.

The data on how many people leave organisations versus those who are potentially quiet quitting is dramatic. Standard organisational turnover could be between 10 to 15%, but in annual surveys, the number of people who say they might consider leaving organisations if they could find a better job is around 40%, rising to 54% for Gen Z. So we can potentially make the judgement that for every person who leaves an organisation there may be 3 or 4 staff members considering it. So a significant number of people could be quiet quitting to some degree. Therefore organisations potentially have a quiet quitting iceberg – the danger hidden under the surface and almost impossible to assess.

How do you measure quiet quitting and the wider problem?While I say that getting evidence of individual quiet quitting is very difficult at a strategic level, an aggregate picture with reasonable accuracy can be obtained using employee engagement data. This data groups employees into three populations:

• The engaged – people who are giving their best.
• The not engaged – people doing enough to get by or sometimes giving their best depending on how they feel.
• The disengaged – people actively avoiding contributing to the organisation.

It’s unlikely that your engaged people will want to leave because, to be classified as engaged, they will have given feedback confirming they are having a positive experience, and their work is consistently good. Your quiet quitters are within the ‘not engaged’ or potentially even the ‘disengaged’ groups depending on how disaffected they are. The ‘disengaged’ are much easier to spot than the ‘not engaged’ because there are often weak elements within their performance. Whereas the ‘not engaged’ can be performing satisfactorily but just not giving their best – withholding their ‘discretionary effort’.

Quiet quitters are embedded in these ‘not engaged’ and ‘disengaged’ groups – and potentially in large numbers. Data from Gallup’s workplace engagement survey 2022 shows levels of employee engagement. This is the percentage of employees giving their best. In most European countries it’s under 25%, with the UK at a dismal 9%. In the USA and Canada, employee engagement levels are a more respectable 33%. The differential between the US and Canada, Europe in general, and the UK are significant – why this is happening is a bigger question for another article.

This means that in the UK, on average, 91% of employees are either ‘not engaged’ or ‘disengaged’ so not giving their best and therefore could be quiet quitters – this is horrifying! But even in the US and Canada, with a 33% engagement rate, it still means a potential quiet quitter population of up to 67%.

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Have you ever come to a solution right after you stopped thinking about it? Walked out of a planning meeting where no one seemed to have the answer and BOOM.. you are on the elevator and it comes to you? That is because the mind works best without the weight of external pressure. Many times the answer is there, but can’t be revealed until we stop, and play.

I believe we can build and rebuild our strengths in play at any age, but we need to start by removing the stigma of play as unproductive or frivolous.

Play is a place where we conquer our fears and open ourselves up to our full potential. Play can change our social interactions, our physical and mental health, our innovative and creative potential, and our drive to take risks, fall, and get up again.

Play answers the question, “What do we do when no one has the answer?”

The creative confidence to develop solutions to insurmountable issues comes from confidence, motivation, trust, and innovation. Watch children turn trees into tree houses, and puddles into oceans, jump from rock to rock, miss a step, and get back up.

Now consider what you experience when someone loves the work they do. What do you feel like in their space? What do you see, hear, and say after encountering people who love and are good at what they do? They are “in play” physically, cognitively, and emotionally; they are invested. What if we could build or rebuild the place where we are most open to learning, least self-conscious, and our most authentic self?

We are only brushing the surface of some of our most difficult societal challenges because we try to overcome them without exploring our full potential. Play gives us perspective and experience. However, play is hard work for many people, as they have to climb over a mountain of guilt, judgment, shame, and long-held beliefs about productivity and the seriousness of work to even imagine it as a driver for change. What if we changed the way we think about play.

What if we said that play is the catalyst to igniting and developing the “soft skills” that drive innovation, productivity, and passion, and focused on developing and growing them?

Play can be the catalyst for conversations that might never have happened, revealing others’ strengths, fears, abilities, and concerns that might never have been discovered otherwise. Play allows us to unravel prejudice, bias, expectation, judgment, and self-consciousness. It creates a reduced physiological stress response and an openness to authentic conversation. But it cannot do that without the foundations of trust, respect, connection, and belonging; that’s where rebuilding happens.

Play disrupts our standardized way of looking at the world — it invites us to change without shaming.

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The myth of emotional detachment has been debunked by modern neurosciences, which demonstrates how emotions are one of the most powerful forms of communication, especially in the context of decision-making processes and human capital management.

Being a leader means mastering the art of persuasion, an element in which emotions play a leading role.

The emotional well-being and effectiveness of a working group depend on the ability to provide constructive feedback, capable of highlighting and welcoming critical issues and directing attention to the crucial aspects that need to be improved.

As all know, the task of a leader is, mainly, to be able to inspire and guide a specific group of people, in such a way as to best channel everyone’s skills in favor of their business.

Someone said that the leader is like a man alone in command, an expression that can probably represent the working situation of many people: entrepreneurs, managers, women, and men who have the responsibility of leading a group but who often have to act independently.

And also we are well aware that in recent decades numerous studies have highlighted the key role that emotions play, in the workplace, not only in terms of psychophysical well-being but also in terms of effectiveness and productivity.

As with every evolutionary leap, made by human civilization, religious, social, political, economic, and technological innovations appear, in the same way, new organizational models also appear. And the more time seems to depersonalize and commodify relationships, the more it is necessary to create emotionally intelligent environments, capable of hosting sincere relationships, made up of emotions and feelings.

In particular, it has been considered that even “the man or woman alone in command” experience emotions and feelings: they get angry, they rejoice, they feel envious, they worry, they are afraid, and so on.

Furthermore, the best leaders are precisely those who have been able to find effective methods to understand and develop their way of managing emotions, their own and those of others. Not only that, but the successful leader is aware that the mood of the team is largely influenced by their own emotions, because “everyone’s eyes are on the boss”.

In fact, every emotion, from the most negative to the most positive, if correctly interpreted and understood, can turn into an opportunity for growth for everyone, from the leader to colleagues who work in the same team.

In summary, a good leader must be able to manage all situations with “high emotional potential”. He must be able to direct emotions in the right direction, otherwise, everything he has undertaken up to that moment, whether it is fine strategies or brilliant monetary investments, will inevitably be affected.

Ultimately, we can agree that the leader’s emotions affect the group and that, therefore, it becomes essential for those who hold leadership roles to reserve part of their energies also for improving their own capacity for emotional self-regulation.

I believe that this can happen starting from an awareness, from a change of mentality that requires commitment and willingness to get involved as individuals, rather than as professionals. Also because the leader is the person who, more than anyone else, has an influence on individuals and their ability to give their best: the perception that people have of the corporate climate depends above all on the leader.

And precisely because many responsibilities weigh on leaders that can distract them from focusing on this aspect, it is necessary to be aware that their emotional state and, consequently, their actions have a weight on their collaborators and influence their performance.

The ability to manage one’s own mood and that of others is not a private matter, but becomes an indispensable soft skill for being good leaders. It is one of the capabilities that have an influence on profits and can therefore lead the company to success. Simply because everyone focuses their eyes on the boss, who, precisely because of the role he plays, has a greater influence on those around him. The leader has a great role in determining the emotional standard of the group: it is known that propagating positive moods has direct implications on professional results, while negative emotions constitute a factor of disturbance on a personal and professional level, since they hijack the attention away from work and, consequently, decrease productivity.

Incidentally, it should be remembered that within a group it is also possible that not only the “role” leaders are at the center of attention, but there may be inside the team, emotional “potential” leaders, able to handle the situation, above all if the role leader has little credibility.

Apart from this, there is no doubt that a leader who aspires to govern his team of collaborators effectively must acquire self-awareness and rethink his role also from an emotional point of view. Being able, in this way, even more easily to get closer to the emotions of the team members.

All of the above is what is commonly referred to as emotional intelligence.

However, being endowed with emotional intelligence does not mean showing off one’s feelings without any kind of filter, exposing them in a crude way and guided by the momentum, but rather it means controlling them, so as to express them appropriately and constructively, thus allowing a serene and effective collaboration.

We can therefore understand that emotional intelligence is a skill that is acquired and that improves as we gain experience in the social field, thus acquiring the necessary awareness, the ability to recognize one’s emotions, to understand how these could affect others and use this knowledge to guide one’s decision-making processes, as well as social skills, i.e. being able to better “read” the different scenarios and the different social situations in which one is immersed, managing to interact constructively with team members, persuade them, avoid disputes and guide them towards common goals.

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It is always a good practice to test options regularly. However, when mishaps occur, it becomes essential to do so. Four errors recently occurred via vendors, but one can potentially affect business having my attention. Rather than lamenting the problem, I am testing what may and may not work today as it may affect future work. The goal is to enjoy, hopefully, a better tomorrow.

My StoryOver time, I learned that agonizing over a troubling situation accomplishes little except extra stress. On the positive side, unexpected issues often lead to better solutions and outcomes. When we allow ourselves to ride the wave of uncertainty, we often find ourselves on a new shore of opportunity.

The word options used in the title can refer to trading via the markets, but that was not my intent. However, a relatable story occurred yesterday. A friend was lamenting that the stock market was headed way down and doomed to crash. Although not a financial advisor, my reply was that the stock market has a history of highs and lows, only to return to its starting point and then surpass that momentary high point. I used the Great Depression as an example.

Hopefully, we won’t be heading toward anything similar, but we are to prepare for the highs and lows of life in all regards. For that reason alone, it is best to regularly test options before us to ensure we can move forward the way we desire. Doing so affects business as well as our everyday life.

Testing aligns with learning. Testing ideas, technology advancements, and strategies are essential to remain ahead of the curve and not stagnate.

The bonus in turning to test options is that our enthusiasm begins to return, and the stress fades away. We know that something good will come out of the situation to become a learning moment in time. Accordingly, the knowledge can and will increase confidence to continue moving forward.

Social media is an outstanding resource for reviewing the thought of others, reading credible articles, and collaborating with people worldwide. We can siphon the best of what we hear and read when we realize various views. By not allowing incidents to pull us back or accept everything, we strengthen our resolve to figure out our next moves. We are then on the path to test options regularly. The bonus is in learning to work with our endeavors cohesively. For this reason alone, diversity and inclusion are essential elements for success.

Your Story: Do You Test Options Regularly?First and foremost, it’s a good idea to realize how you deal with setbacks and if a new method will be beneficial. The common thread is to fret, allow a situation to hold you back, and then scramble to catch up once ready to begin again. The typical scenario doesn’t do well for anyone and it’s best to find a better way forward. Consider the idea to test options regularly.

Those who are motivated will see closing one door as the opportunity to open a new one with greater possibilities ahead. It’s best to remember that life is not stagnant and that the success factor includes being resilient. In other words, whether we have a setback or worse, taking a deep dive by holding the belief that we can not only return to where we were but achieve greater heights will be the motivating force to do so.

While having a keen sense of motivation is great, we must validate our next moves and test options regularly. Not everything works to our expectations. Accordingly, we need to be specific and intentional with the new strategy. It is the only way to realize whether the approach works well or not factually. When you regularly test options, you will have the facts and are more likely to enjoy the success you desire.

In Conclusion:While having a keen sense of motivation is great, we must regularly validate our next moves and test options. Not everything works to our expectations. Accordingly, we need to be specific and intentional with the new strategy. It is the only way to realize whether the approach works well or not factually. When you regularly test options, you will have the facts and are more likely to enjoy the success you desire.

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If you sit in an executive seat whether CEO, owner or manager, are YOU bubble-wrapped? What is a bubble -wrapped leader?For starters, they are not very good leaders. Bubble-wrapping insulates from all the things going on around us. I’ve seen key executives isolate themselves by layers of policy, procedure, and occasionally people.

There is one company I’ve worked with that is so traditional in their hierarchy that various levels are not encouraged to talk more than one level up without being accompanied by someone from the level in between. In an age of fast-moving decisions demanding such a structure creates huge roadblocks and inefficiency.

However, there are more subtle ways we find ourselves bubble wrapped as leaders. Here are a few to think about.

The IntentionalFirst, the very intentional. Like the antiquated hierarchy I mentioned above, some leaders consciously choose to build walls to keep others away. If you’re in sales you know about the “gatekeepers” who defend the castle around the big boss/decision-maker. While this kind of defense might make sense from outside the company, why should you allow it inside?

The CerebralNext, there are the more cerebral ways to get bubble wrapped.

Tangling yourself in technical jargon and complexity can bubblewrap you and isolate you from others. I’ve worked with some pretty smart people in my day. Being truly the smartest guy in the room can have the effect of separating you from others around you.

The PolicyThen there is the leader who immerses him or herself in dogmatic policy, practice or tradition. As soon as someone brings an idea that runs counter to the main way of thinking, the leader quickly rejects the person and the idea. I see this often with companies that have long-standing legacies. If the company is more than 20 years old, likely you will find practices and traditions that insulate the leader’s thinking. In companies like this, I frequently hear emerging managers complain that their chief instruction when taking on new duties was “don’t screw it up.”

The FixHave you created any of the above situations that insulate and isolate your thinking, like bubble wrap protects delicate packages?

Leaders need fresh ideas to compete and stay relevant in changing markets. In addition, changing trends in workforce management require constant vigil for workable new ideas.

The best way to avoid isolation is to actively encourage discussion within your team. Surrounding yourself with talented people is great, but you need to be sure the right things are being discussed. Walking around the floor, shop, or workroom helps too. Engaging with employees at all levels keeps your sensitivity to the real truth of what is going on sharp and tuned in.

Lastly, you might want to check your attitude. One of the biggest hurdles the average entrepreneur faces is pride. If your little idea takes flight and becomes something successful you might deserve to feel good about it.

There is, however, a big difference between a healthy appreciation for what you have and a huge ego.

I’ve seen far too many owners get themselves in big trouble by living behind their ego.

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Formal coursework is just one of many methods for developing leaders. One-to-one mentoring, experiential learning, on-the-job training, online workshops, and stretch projects with coaching can also be ways for effective leadership development among the conceptual, people-focused skills needed in leaders. The best model combines all of these elements in a systematic and positive way.

Companies and organizations are built to do what they do and aren’t really designed to be flexible and take advantage of the learning their leaders are being given.

Unfortunately, this seldom happens and when it does, it still fails over the long haul. Deborah Rowland (Why Leadership Development Isn’t Developing Leaders, 2016) cites the weakness of leadership development programs as curriculum-based programs that bear little resemblance to the workplace reality. “Participants,” She said, “are taken out of their day-to-day workplaces to be inspired by expert faculty, work on case studies, receive personal feedback, and take away the latest leadership thinking (and badges for their resumes)” but what aspiring leaders learn in the workshops doesn’t match what is needed in the workplace. Authors, Beer, Finnstrom, and Schrader in “Why Leadership Training Fails–and What to Do About It (2016) noted, “American companies spend enormous amounts of money on employee training and education—$160 billion in the United States and close to $356 billion globally in 2015 alone—but they are not getting a good return on their investment.” Why? Their article offers several reasons why that seems to boil down to built-in challenges and inertia. Companies and organizations are built to do what they do and aren’t really designed to be flexible and take advantage of the learning their leaders are being given.

My personal favorite is action-based learning. Sometimes, simply diving in and “failing forward” as John Maxwell puts it is the best way to figure out one’s own leadership style and developing success skills. It’s the old story of learning how to swim, which actually happened to me. My dad, who had been a lifeguard and on his high school swim team, decided when it came time to teach his son how to swim, took me out to the swim platform in the middle of an upstate New York campground and threw me off. I remember quite clearly struggling to reach the surface while a wavy image of my Dad looking down at me shimmered just out of reach. After I finally clawed my way up and was gasping for air, Dad said calmly, now paddle like a dog. And just like that I was moving forward in the water.

Of course, I didn’t do this to my own boys (although I thought about it, but my wife nixed the idea). To this day, I tend to prefer to simply jump in and let things sort themselves out.

What do you think is the most effective method of developing leadership skills?

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Project management is a well-architected, deliberate approach with well-defined moves and routines to accomplish the set objectives (at least, that is the predominant view of how project management is conceptualized). The idea is to simplify things, make work visible to people assigned to the project, and provide a sense of direction to get the job done efficiently. In hindsight, as such, project management is expected to promote order and certainty (as much as is practically feasible).

This could mean that the basic role of project management is to reduce disorder or uncertainty within the system, in this case, a project organization. Or, in other words, reducing entropy within the project organization. From a socio-economic systems perspective, entropy is defined as the degree of disorder or chaotic state of a system (Markyna & Dyachkov, 2014).

Given the above, we can redefine project management as a soft skills-based approach that aims to reduce uncertainties and maintain order with an expectation to help reduce the entropy of the system (in this case, a project organization) and keep the free energy or exergy of the system available as much as possible. The availability of free energy is critical for the performance of useful work in a project-based or non-project-based context. Reducing uncertainties and disorder (as much as possible) is important for enhancing work efficiency, as it will help people use free energy to perform work rather than deal with the disorder.

In a similar vein, we can define the entropy of a project system as the degree of uncertainty or disorder present within the project organization that has the potential to impair the project organization’s efficiency and output.

The above discussion points to the value that project management knowledge is expected to bring to a project when it is used for the management of projects. However, the good news seems to just end there.

It is no secret that projects fail (often miserably) and face all sorts of problems. This is despite the fact that extensive guidelines and knowledge about how to manage projects efficiently and successfully are available. Even if we don’t look at the plethora of statistics available on project failure rates on the internet, we can find many real-life examples all around us that illustrate the failures and problems that projects face.

The situation raises many questions.

• Do projects fail or face problems because people don’t have the right skills, knowledge, and capabilities?
• Do projects fail because the environment in which they are being executed is not conducive to a successful outcome?
• Do projects fail because guidelines and standards are not compatible with the way projects are executed across different environments and cultural variations?

But the most important of all: do projects fail because project management as a holistic approach is unable to reduce or control the entropy of the system?

While it is safe to say that multiple factors and actors play a role in the success or failure of a project, it is worth examining project management as a domain (taking a holistic view) to see how much it has been able to reduce the entropy of a project system. Or, conversely, what is causing it to not be able to lessen or eliminate the potential entropy of the system? In hindsight, such introspection is vital for the evolution of project management as a discipline and building knowledge in a way that potentially enhances project success rates.

In relation to the questions listed above, finding answers requires significant effort, and this article does not aim to achieve that. However, the goal here is to highlight the importance of investigating the utility and role of project management in reducing entropy, as well as to highlight some of the areas that aid in achieving such goals. So, what could be some of the areas that could help reduce entropy through the use of project management? While there is no fixed answer, paying attention to the following areas could help.

• People

One way to help reduce entropy is to provide people with skills and training. If people are well versed in the work that they need to perform and have the right capabilities, it is likely that they will be able to carry out that work efficiently both in certain and uncertain times. It will help reduce disorder caused by people themselves and hence reduce the potential for entropy within the project system.

• Time management

While a lot of planning is done to accomplish project work, it is often the case that projects face time delays and schedule overrun issues. The occurrence of such issues often results in disorder within the system, and entropy sets in. Therefore, planning time management and carefully following through are critical to reducing entropy.

Project management provides a number of tools and processes to manage time. They can be used to manage time more effectively. However, either people don’t follow the plans or they lack skills in time management, which then result in project delays. Therefore, an introspection on the cause could help in finding the source of the problem, which could help in reducing potential entropy.

• Process management

Process management is another area that could help reduce entropy. Processes that are too strict or too lax may be counterproductive. People may find it difficult to follow too stringent processes and may become disoriented if they follow too loose processes. Either of the two could result in uncertainty and disorder. Therefore, to help reduce entropy, project organizations need to take a balanced approach to process governance so that they help maintain order rather than generating disorder within the project system.

Conclusion:Given the structured nature of project-based work, it is expected that the use of project management will help maintain order within the system. However, the alarming rate at which projects fail and face all sorts of problems raises the question of whether project management is able to build order within the project system.

Answering the question requires a thorough investigation. But, in hindsight, it seems that a lot more needs to be done to help project management build order. In this regard, we have looked at three potential areas of attention with the expectation that focusing on these areas will help maintain order and reduce entropy within the project system. Needless to mention, the discussion in this article on the role of project management in entropy is of a preliminary nature and is only meant to spur some thought.

References

Markyna, I., & Dyachkov, D. (2014). Entropy model management of organization. World Applied Sciences Journal, 30(30), 159-164.

Note: This article was previously published on: https://www.academiasolution.com/Entropy

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In Parts 1 & 2 (below), we looked at why organizations should consider ensuring gratitude is a part of their normal business practices, and some of the immediate results when one company did just that. In today’s segment, we’re going to dive a little deeper into some of the feedback from people who experienced gratitude as an active, intentional practice.

Gratitude at Work – One Company’s Story

Connections and team culture. Study participants repeatedly emphasized the impact of gratitude on the quality of their connections with their supervisors, colleagues, clients, and their relationship with their employer. They also pointed to an increase in trust, alignment, and psychological safety in their working teams. These are all strong drivers for performance as well as reducing turnover. Recruiting top talent is positively impacted by healthy workplace culture, and people want to stay when they feel good about their experience as a team member.

Study participants who were in supervisory roles also indicated that gratitude as a formal leadership practice improved their sense of connection with their direct report and felt a positive impact on the overall culture of the team as a result of the shift in tone resulting in gratitude being a regular part of the workplace experience. One participant shared the impact for newer employees who were not part of the study, noting, “I would literally have the new consultants say, Is this normal? Is this normal to appreciate and recognize people?”, and further commented that it felt validating to be able to say that this was something the company actively endorsed.

Job satisfaction. The literature highlights job satisfaction as a key driver of employee engagement. In this study, all participants noted that gratitude had a positive impact on their job satisfaction, and several participants reiterated multiple times that experiencing gratitude from the people around them, including supervisors, coworkers, and clients, had an immediate impact on their job satisfaction. However, it is crucial that gratitude be experienced as an authentic expression and not a forced group activity. Inauthentic expressions of gratitude have the potential to damage the employee experience. If you decide to make gratitude a more regular player in your workplace culture, leadership will want to be very intentional in framing gratitude as a positive practice that must be founded on genuine appreciation for a specific activity or experience to realize the benefits.

Role confidence. Gratitude was highlighted as a contributing factor in role confidence for both experienced employees and those newer to their roles. Participants who were in supervisory roles at the time of this study noted that gratitude allowed them to connect with their direct reports in a positive way, improving those relationships and strengthening the team dynamics, improving their confidence not only in their own work but in the ability of their team to meet business objectives. Supervisors also noted that they had previously believed that gratitude was an important piece of their personal leadership style, and that their participation in this trial validated that belief.

From the individual contributors who participated in this study, several noted that the company culture was a key reason they had joined the company, and their experience as study participants reinforced for them that the company actually takes positive culture seriously, which helped them feel more secure in their role.

Further, participants highlighted the challenges inherent in often being on a smaller working group or the only consultant working on a project and felt that gratitude positively impacted their confidence in those situations. This was noted both in terms of current projects, as it provided positive informal feedback that they were meeting expectations. This also resulted in an increased sense of capability for the individual, which translated to greater confidence when looking forward to upcoming projects to which they already had some visibility as well as a more generalized sense of confidence. As one participant stated, “I feel like I’m walking into this new project with the confidence I didn’t have prior.”

Workplace stress and well-being. The strong response from study participants relating to the impact of their gratitude activities and its influence on their wellbeing and stress as not initially part of the study design, but this theme very prominently and quickly emerged from the data. Participants noted that they felt supported by the company by being allowed to pause periodically to engage in gratitude, and that it reinforced their decision to be part of the organization. They also reflected on how it gave them an opportunity to connect with others, both within and outside of the organization, and that the daily practice created a positive impact on the rest of their workday. Several also commented that they found the practice spilling into their relationships with friends and family members as well, helping bolster those connections.

While this study focused on the workplace, it would be remiss to suggest that stress can be compartmentalized into specific parts of one’s day. Several participants also mentioned that taking time to focus on gratitude for even a few minutes each day provided balance, and an opportunity to reframe their experience as being more positive than they might have been feeling previously. This has strong implications for considering how this practice might be embedded in other well-being initiatives sponsored by the organization or individual employee resource groups.

So how can organizations tap into intentional gratitude to improve outcomes for their teams? We’ll explore some recommendations in the next installment in this series on Gratitude as a lever for improving the employee experience and organizational outcomes.

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We know that physical balance is important in life – it enables us to move with confidence in the world without a sensation of dizziness, instability, or indeed actually falling over. Some of us even consciously work on this physical stability by strengthening our core muscles and providing our bodies with a strong base.

We have the same work to do with our inner balance, that part of us that enables us to move in the world with emotional stability, clarity of thought, and even a higher sense of awareness and insight. These capabilities are vital at any point, especially when everything is, or appears to be, in turmoil and uncertainty.

As leaders, our ability to provide a true sense of clarity, calm, and insight comes from how we show up if not more so than what we say or do.

Steadying our inner balance is a deep process that demands awareness, vigilance, and perseverance. Noticing when we are becoming hooked in the outer dramas of life and consciously removing ourselves into a place of objective perspective which we might liken to dis-identifying – that is taking our personal identification with the drama out of the equation. Really ensuring we don’t over personalise without becoming sterile or devoid of connection. Clearly as leaders, this objective stance and perspective is a core requirement and one we cultivate over time. Do we, though, pay enough attention to the things that hook us?

Another aspect of steadying the inner balance is the space we give ourselves for silence and genuine reflection…a deeper level of thought that goes beyond the more task-based focus and one which enables new insights to emerge – as Einstein said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them.”

That new thinking isn’t just the obvious bringing in of different people and perspectives, it’s also about allowing a new alchemy to take place within us, so that we see the challenges from a whole new perspective. This requires a steady inner core.

So as we do those ‘crunchies’ for our abdominals let’s also consider the space and time for our inner workout to strengthen our inner balance.

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Good leaders relate and connect with people for the purpose of inspiring and empowering their lives. Good leaders know how to motivate individuals and teams to be the best they can be because they are emotionally intelligent and understand people and what drives them.

Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, evaluate, and manage your own emotions as well as recognize, understand, evaluate, and influence the emotions of others for the purpose of relating and communicating more effectively. When you are emotionally intelligent you are able to understand your own emotions and those of others and use that information as a guide to making conscious choices for better outcomes.

Daniel Goleman, Psychologist, and leader in emotional intelligence, states that EI encompasses 5 domains: self-awareness, self-regulation, motivation, social skills, and EMPATHY.

According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary empathy is “the action of understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.” At its simplest Empathy is the ability to recognize and experience the emotions of another.

The two most commonly talked about types of empathy are cognitive and emotional.

Cognitive Empathy is knowing, it’s in the mind. This is imagining yourself in another’s shoes. For example, when a colleague is sick you understand they are not feeling well or when a team member is promoted you can relate to their joy and excitement.

Emotional Empathy is feeling another’s emotions. This may be a felt sense of the emotion of another in your body. For example, when someone is crying, and you begin to feel sad, or when you have a meeting with someone that is full of energy and excited, despite being tired you begin feeling energetic.

Feeling someone else’s emotions can be overwhelming and confusing. Therefore, high levels of self-awareness are essential. When you are self-aware you can begin to establish boundaries so that you can recognize what are your emotions and what emotions belong to someone else.

It is important to remember that empathy doesn’t say,” I will take on all of your emotions and problems and lose myself in your troubles.” Empathy says, “I feel what you are feeling. I understand what you are going through.” And it asks questions for the purpose of understanding.

Empathy isn’t agreeing. It is validating. It’s letting someone know they matter. Validating another’s experience is one of the most powerful things a leader can do.

There is also Compassionate Empathy. Empathy is what moves you to feel compassion and compassion is what drives you to act and want to relieve another’s suffering.

Empathy reminds us that we don’t really know what the other person is going through, and it gives us the opportunity to learn more. Empathy invites us to cultivate compassion and curiosity for ourselves, our experiences, and for others.

Imagine walking into a meeting feeling energetic and confident and without anyone even speaking you knowing and feeling the frustration, anger, or hurt in the room. What are you going to do? Would you continue as planned? Is there potential for a better outcome knowing your emotions and the emotions of the room?

This could be the opposite where you walk into a room feeling sad or depressed and the energy of the room is positive, happy, and uplifting. If you are aware, you have a choice. As a leader, it is your job to set the tone and energy for your interactions with others.

You don’t adjust to the energy of the room. You shift it.

The traits below relate to the energy that you bring to a room. They help you inspire emotions in others that support trust, compassion, curiosity, psychological safety, insight, innovation, and more. You don’t have to embody them all—explore them to see how they feel and practice one or two that come naturally.

Sensitivity. This ability to pick up on the emotions you feel within yourself, from the person you are talking to, or from a group.

Solidity. Imagine being a mountain: you are grounded and present as well as open and receptive. This aspect will influence how people respond to you.

Voice. The words you choose, the tone of your voice, your pauses, and your rhythm will impact how receptive people are to your vision and leadership.

Authenticity. Find your own style by identifying when you feel the most natural and be the person you are in that moment. You must be authentic for people to trust you.

Disclosure. Be willing to be vulnerable and to share personal stories. A “hero’s journey” makes you more relatable.

Non-identification. What other people choose to do is not always because of you. Not everyone will follow your lead, so don’t take it personally.

Curiosity. Ask questions, listen intentionally, and explore ideas, values, and experiences in an open-minded and genuine way. When you are receptive, it opens space for others to be as well.

Celebration of success. Recognize, acknowledge, and revel in small successes. This encourages others to have supportive mindsets and perceptions.

Leading with empathy has countless personal and professional benefits The benefits of being an Empathetic Leadership include increased confidence in decision-making, improved well-being and resilience, effective communication for better relationships, reduced stress, overwhelm, anxiety, and burnout

Empathy also cultivates trust, a sense of purpose and belonging, boosts productivity & engagement, supports effective collaboration, improves culture & motivation, elevates customer satisfaction, increases innovation as well as psychological safety, and even increases sales, loyalty, and referral-giving offering businesses a greater competitive advantage and market value.

Empathy is a gift we can all practice. Understanding empathy can change your life, the lives of those around you, and even your business.

In what ways will you embrace being an empathetic leader today?

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As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air. And while this whole topic is highly charged in today’s workplace, there’s a brand of ‘love’ that’s not only appropriate but also necessary in our contemporary business environment—one that can drive engagement, job satisfaction, and bottom-line results.

Leaders who want to make a positive impact on their employees and their organizations will benefit from showing their love through these four strategies.

Loop others in. Information is the lifeblood of productivity and achievement. And connections with others nourish employees, contributing to qualitative outcomes like happiness and quantitative outcomes like loyalty, retention and even customer satisfaction. So, find ways to loop others into what’s happening and facilitate relationships that deepen connections and commitment.

Offer the resources and support required for success. There is little that’s more demoralizing than trying to do good work and being thwarted by not having what’s necessary to make it happen. Ensure that people have the equipment and materials they need to succeed. Make training available so they have the necessary skills and knowledge. Remove roadblocks—systems, processes, rules, and limitations—that undermine employees’ ability to do their best work. Offer what’s necessary and then step back and see results follow.

Vary responsibilities. Variety is the spice of life… at work too. When possible and desirable on the part of employees, mix things up a bit. Allow people to explore different tasks, learn different skills, play in different sandboxes. The expanded perspective that becomes available as a result of these opportunities enriches one’s current role, opens doors to possible new roles, and keeps everyone fresh, engaged and growing.

Earn respect. Employees crave inspirational leadership. In research I conducted last year, people indicated that one of the things they want most at work is a supervisor who they can trust and respect. Be the leader your people need and want. Earn trust and respect through your day-to-day behavior, interactions, and decisions.

Want to capture the hearts and minds of those who work for you? Ditch the chocolates and offer this kind of authentic, genuine attention that individuals crave and need to perform optimally. Want to drive remarkable results? All you need is this kind of LOVE.

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I speak a lot on the Art of Caring Leadership, but not everyone’s leadership style is the same. Although kindness and empathy should be at the forefront of whichever leadership style suits you best, each role you have throughout your career may look a little different and require you to switch up your approach. Some leaders are more oriented with coaching and developing an organization and some may be more focused on team building and providing solutions as a team. Whatever your leadership style is, it’s important to not only remember that there is always room for growth and improvement, but be open to the fact that your leadership style may change over time.

The CoachIf any of you have children, you likely already know the importance of what having a good coach as a leader does for your child as they develop their skills. If they enjoy their coach, they enjoy the sport, which makes them want to be loyal, work hard, value teamwork and achieve the best they can. Much like that, leaders who favor this type of leadership approach work to encourage and support each team member’s strengths so that employees can develop to their full potential. A coaching leadership style also focuses on developing overall team performance. Just putting your time and effort into one individual won’t drive the results you seek. It’s important to learn about your team’s strengths and weaknesses as individuals and apply those assets where you see fit. And again, just like sports, you may have one or two people on the team who are excellent athletes (or excellent employees) but the final results depend on team performance, not just one individual. A focus on communication is also an important part of this leadership approach, as coaching people involves guiding them and offering constructive feedback to help them improve.

The EngagerWhen people feel heard, valued, and understood by their leaders, their engagement typically increases as a result. Recognizing not only your team as a whole but each employee individually plays a huge part in showing how much you truly value them and what they bring to the table. I personally feel this leadership style should always coincide and encompass another as engagement drives loyalty. Engaged leaders prioritize connecting with their employees on both a professional level and a personal level to understand what’s important to each individual. When your people know that you care about their overall wellbeing, the lines of communication remain open and transparent and their efforts will show.

The AuthoritiveAn authoritative leader has total control and power over the team, and serves as the sole decision-maker, which means not allowing your team to have any input on said decision making process or what tasks they’re assigned. This is often also referred to as “top-down leadership” or “command and control leadership.” While authoritative leaders may have productive teams that benefit from clear instructions, quick decision-making and not needing to worry about coming up with improvements, many organizations consider this type of top-down leadership to be “old school.” And in my opinion, it certainly is. This type of leadership style can become problematic as it fails to harness the best ideas of the group as a whole, which can limit innovation and decrease your employee retention.

The CollaboratorContrary to the above, collaborative leaders want to involve and engage their team members in the decision making process. If you are usually very transparent with your people and you have a goal to ensure that everyone not only has a seat at the table, but a voice that’s heard and encouraged in every meeting – you likely hold this type of leadership style. This approach is also commonly accompanied alongside another and proves that you value your people’s opinions. The benefits to this type of leadership is when you do collaborate with your team, ideas and solutions are usually brought about that may not have been produced in a one man show.

The ObserverLeaders who have a high level of emotional intelligence may make strong, observant leaders. They help others identify their own talents and are able to foster building strong relationships with both individuals on their team as well as others within leadership. By building these relationships, it provides you with a better insight on your people as this leadership approach requires you to be able to look beyond the surface and recognize the unsaid. Observing your people’s moods and body language will help you learn to recognize when things or individuals in the workplace feel ‘off.’

ReflectionMany of these leadership approaches often accompany one another and/or compliment each other. Which one relates the most to you?

While styles of authoritativeness may succeed in the short term, encompassing caring leadership and the many qualities that brings, creates long-term success.

By building a positive and uplifting culture, your leadership can showcase your employees’ well-being and teamwork while increasing engagement and playing into a successful overall organizational performance.

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An unwritten rule for nonprofit board membership is that it is best to “go along to get along.” But sometimes a nonprofit director’s “no” vote to an action that has had inadequate discussion can allow him/h to avoid tax penalties that have been levied on other board members for lack of due care.

Stanford University research results indicate that groups with a lone minority dissenter outperform other groups where all members agree. In addition, these groups…”are more successful than (groups) in which all members disagree and fall prey to escalated emotional, difficult-to resolve (group) brawls “ *

The key to success, according to these data, is to,” … have a devil’s advocate (DA) on the nonprofit board. … This is a person or a small board minority that “has the sensitivity to see the differences, perceives them as conflict, and then communicates about the differences in non-confrontational ways.” **

At least one board member with, “high emotional intelligence is needed to play the devil’s advocate role.” *** Other desirable characteristics of a DA are:

• A person(s) with an emotional attachment to the mission generated from personal experience, e.g., a parent whose child has early onset diabetes and has DA attributes described above.
• A person(s) who can be involved with board conflict and not be personally overwhelmed by it.
• A person(s) who does not owe allegiance to friends, family or colleagues also serving on he board.
• A person(s) who has acted as a change agent with other for-profit or nonprofit boards.
• A person(s) with sufficient time to positively drive change.

Can/Should Nonprofits Seek Board Candidates Who Might Become DAs?On the surface, seeking such person might be a waste of time. Most nonprofits seek board members whom they can acculturate to the board norms, not those who might promote board disruptions or conflicts.

Most of the characteristics described above are hard to assess because they are qualitative in character and require the nominations committee to have some unusual sophistication in the interviewing process. For example, the person needs to be visionary to see beyond the current “box” in which the organization finds itself, a difficult trait to perceive in an interview or from records. He/s also needs some modicum of culture intelligence (CQ) to understand the strengths and limitations being addressed for change. It may be that the nonprofit’s culture is strong, but it faces significant headwinds to which the culture is oblivious. Example: Many nonprofit counseling agencies ignored the increased used of prescription medicines that significantly impacted their client counts.

What Can A DA Contribute To A Nonprofit?* Help develop an enhanced vision that allows the organization to avoid the impact of disruptions by technology for social changes. * Help reduce the conflict that will inevitably take place between legacy minded board members and those who want organization modification or reform. * Help set the tone for change. * Celebrate the “health and welfare” of what has been accomplished in the past. * Demonstrate the importance of independent thinking and how it may impact the future of the organization. * Help interest board candidates and potential senior managers to join the nonprofit.

While the need for a nonprofit board DA will be situational, every board needs to occasionally ask itself if a new one will add to its productivity. If the answer is “yes,” then the challenging task is seeking one. Often an independent thinking DA can have productive visions that an acculturated majority on the board needs to consider. In these cases, a DA can be a significant asset.
https://www.gsb.stanford.edu/insights/do-you-have-contrarian-your-team
Ibid.
** Ibid

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Most people do not regularly experience gratitude at work, either as recipients or as an active intentional practice of their own. And yet we know that just generally, when we feel appreciated, we feel and do better. What would happen if we purposefully made gratitude a regular part of the “ways of working”? This question had been nagging me since I first started down the path of focusing on employee experience, and now I had the great fortune to partner with an organization that had already dabbled in a gratitude challenge for their employees, and they were interested in seeing what impact a more robust trial might have.

ENJOY PART 1 BELOW ▼

Hey, Thanks! or, the Power of Gratitude in the Workplace

It was unknown how gratitude practices would influence job satisfaction or role confidence for the company I was working with. Their leadership was keenly interested in employee engagement and understanding the levers and mechanisms which drive this core metric. Further, with an eye to considering future opportunities for product offerings, the client organization wanted to gain an understanding of how gratitude might be positioned as part of a product offering in an employee wellness portfolio of services, specifically with an understanding of the return on energy investment for the individuals in an organization.

Current engagement scores have averaged in the 57-65% range over the last three years, with their 2020 survey reporting an average engagement of 70%. Although this represents some improvement, leadership was aiming for engagement scores in the 80-85% range. This desired engagement level was targeted in terms of both creating a culture that is attractive for prospective new talent—a key consideration in innovation companies—as well as retaining talent in an industry where success relies on technical competence, and turnover was a significant risk to both.

The desired outcome of this study was to gain insight into the potential for gratitude to favorably impact individual employee job satisfaction and role confidence and to identify any appreciable differences in that impact on engagement scores that might be observed when comparing the result of internal and external gratitude practices to allow further longitudinal research on the impact of gratitude on employee engagement when practiced over long periods of time or by a larger percentage of employees at all levels of the organization. In short, the organization wanted to learn if gratitude could create a competitive advantage, and this study was the first step in the process.

For my research-happy peeps, for this work, I opted for a qualitative case study design to explore how intentional gratitude practices could impact job satisfaction and how those practices could be improved to allow the partner organization to realize greater performance outcomes. There isn’t an easy way to quantify gratitude (or job satisfaction, actually…. I wish somebody would discover a cheek swab that was reliable for this stuff!) This study also aimed to fill a gap in existing research by extending knowledge on the impact of intentional gratitude practices in the workplace.

The conceptual framework for this study was built upon the theory that employee engagement is seen as an intersection of two forces: employee assessment of personal job satisfaction, and organizational artifacts which support well-being. Job satisfaction tends to increase when employees believe that the work they do has specific value or the results are seen as being worthwhile in some aspect, and when they have high-quality relationships with the people with whom they work. You may have recently seen an influx of articles about belongingness or the importance of relationships at work, which are based on the same foundational work.

Gratitude in personal practices has been shown to improve life satisfaction and to strengthen relationships. Would it have a similar impact at work?

That’s what we were hoping to learn, through the lens of two research questions:

RQ1: How do intentional gratitude practices influence job satisfaction?

RQ2: How can intentional gratitude practices be improved to increase job satisfaction?

The first question explored how intentional gratitude practices impacted job satisfaction for employees, and we identified several ways in which gratitude, both intrinsic and extrinsic, had a positive impact on not only job satisfaction but also employee confidence, well-being, and stress. Study participants in both groups noted that gratitude had a wide variety of positive impacts on their relationships with clients, supervisors, colleagues, and their perception of the organization.

Participants noted the increase in trust and team alignment, including with group members they knew were not part of this study. Several participants also commented that they noticed a “ripple effect” with gratitude, where one person would express gratitude for a specific action or experience, and the recipient would often reciprocate with an expression of gratitude themselves, creating a positive feedback loop that improved team morale and culture. This was also credited with having a mitigating effect on workplace stress, both in terms of work-related stress as well as more generalized stress based on current global and societal issues, such as working remote due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other political and economic issues.

Another prevalent theme was that having the anchor of a daily gratitude practice helped both focus attention on what was going well, but also over time they noted themes emerging, which reinforced existing positive perspectives or mitigated stressful situations such as complex project challenges or the complications caused by working in a remote environment.

The second question explored ways that intentional gratitude practices could be improved to allow for the organization to continue to realize these benefits or even increase the impact of these practices for employees and the organization as a whole. All participants noted, sometimes multiple times, that it was helpful to have organizational support for taking time to pause and experience gratitude intentionally, noting that it can be difficult to prioritize non-billable activities such as self-care or gratitude, and they appreciated the company’s overt support for this activity.

Another common theme was the belief that gratitude should be considered a core leadership value not only at the executive level but also cascading through the tiers of the organization. Two participants mentioned that they felt it could be a positive addition to leadership development for newer people leaders within the organization, with multiple references to how receiving gratitude from one’s supervisor had an immediate and lasting positive impact for the recipient both in terms of job satisfaction and confidence.

Additional findings were that participants in supervisory roles noted the belief that gratitude as an intentional workplace practice could have a positive impact on employee turnover rates, as well being a beneficial opportunity to connect with and reinforce the supervisor-direct report relationship. This included the supervisor’s own observations and experiences, as well as having the opportunity to share positive client feedback with team members. This reinforces individual contributor sentiments that positive client feedback was beneficial, especially for those working on very small teams with limited interaction with others.

Table 1

Key Findings for Research Questions

(Source, Ratekin, S.A, “Gratitude as an Organizational Performance Lever”, Proquest, 2021)Next time we’ll look at some feedback from the people who actively experienced gratitude in their workplace during this study. How about you? Have you expressed or received gratitude at work lately? How did that impact you? I’d love to hear about your experiences!

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If you have recently been promoted or plan to step up into a more senior leadership position in 2023, these are the three areas you can focus on first to set you up for success and avoid burnout.

1. Reassess your personal and professional boundaries.
2. Explore what gives and takes your energy.
3. Make self-care part of your daily routine.

Reassessing your boundaries is essential. Still, it is one of the main challenges our Executive Coaching clients face when they take on a new role, which is always different from what they experienced in their previous position. Ignoring this will only lead to further challenges in the future.

Gaining awareness about what gives you energy and what takes it away will pay off massively in the future as you become aware of how to recharge during your busy week and learn how to mitigate too many energy-zapping tasks or activities. And lastly, many leaders often overlook prioritising self-care, scheduling breaks, allowing for downtime, and headspace to think and be creative. Without self-care, you can only be an empty shell of a human being and not be the leader your teams deserve.

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How do we react when things go wrong? Miseries sometimes do not come alone, and you fail the skies raining miseries on us?

Let us imagine this scenario. Mr. X lost his job, his house burnt, he fell sick and needed to buy medicines that he couldn’t afford. Normally, like most materials under pressure do, Mr. X weakens. Is it possible to show exceptional behavior under these testing and destructive conditions for Mr. X to expand his possibilities rather than shrink them?

Before you rush to say no I tell you it is possible.

Scientists have made materials that behave differently from normal. These materials expand under pressure and turn the destructive energy into a useful one.

Are exceptional leaders the same? They lead and stretch possibilities when most people see them shrinking.

How to Stretch Possibilities?One great way of stretching possibilities is to use opposite thinking. Opposite thinking is similar to materials that expand under pressure by convert negative thoughts to positive ones.

Opposite thinking is a technique that will help you contest your assumptions and beliefs to generate unfamiliar ideas. See the video below to learn more about this technique.

Opposite materials tell us to think of opposite ideas as they might provide novel ideas. They are mind-stretchers.

Mr. X’s wooden house caught fire. The opposite thinking is to have a wooden house that does not burn. He challenges the commonly accepted assumption that wooden houses burn easily.

Now, stretching the mind becomes possible with more questions such as

• How to make wood fire-resistant?
• Is it possible to change the structure of wood so that it become more resistant to fire?
• Would adding a charring material to wood stop it from burning?

You see the idea is to challenge familiar behaviors, beliefs and assumptions by thinking of their opposites.

Great leaders are mind-stretchers during difficult times. Most people fall under pressure, but great leaders thrive under them to spring back with more possibilities.

These leaders like all successful people know that success is not one shot in the arm. They can repeat their successes under the most challenging conditions.

Milka Zadok Dubai commented on one of my recent posts. Part of her comment reads;

“I can’t agree with you more, doing the opposite. Although overconfidence is one of the most powerful cognitive biases, there are some strategies that can be used to reduce it. You may be the best but make a conscious decision to ask for people’s opinions and be open enough to ultra your ego to see reasoning in someone’s ideas outside yours”

Be an opposite thinker.

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Consider this pattern in your personal and professional world, you are having a conversation and you start to say “something” and you stop. Something inside you hears, knows, has heard, or believes that you may be saying something that is incorrect, insensitive, or “wrong”. And you stop speaking.

It gets hidden. When you add up all the hidden conversations we are not having out of fear or shame, lack of knowledge or understanding you will know why many diversity and inclusion initiatives are failing. People STOP speaking instead of learning to communicate, be curious, ask, say it wrong, fall down and get back up.

Shame shuts down learning.

If our goal IS learning, knowledge, and understanding then we need to build bridges, not barricades to conversations that create real change.

We are all practicing – it is how we learn to do anything, here are some tips for practice:

1. Notice – when you have that feeling or you decide not to say anything – ask yourself what is making me hesitate?
2. Curiosity instead of shame: how can I have my thought or question with curious kindness, not apology and shame, lead with “I’m still learning…” vs “I’m so sorry I don’t know…” the brain actually tells our bodies it’s safe to proceed. THIS is where learning happens.
3. Open the space – if someone is struggling, using language, tone or knowledge that you do not find acceptable, open a discussion not a demolition. I am not writing this from an ivory tower or textbook, I’m writing from experience on both sides. In the world of diversity and inclusion, people often assume I have all the “right words” and all the knowledge, knowing that I don’t makes me human and kind. I have been called out and shamed for not using the “right” words, and every time it made me think – I am not a good person, and that is not the truth…like everyone, I am learning. I am grateful to those who continue to build bridges for my learning, there is NO finish line on inclusion.

Walking with curious kindness. “Creating organizations where people want to be”

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Larry Chao is the founder and Managing Director of Chao Group Ltd., an international organization and executive consultancy. He discusses competency, open-mindedness, empathy, and other “universal truths” for high-quality leadership. Most importantly, how might we each apply these principles to our day-to-day lives? Follow Larry on Linkedin and find out more about his consultancy company at Chao Group Limited.

If you enjoy the Zen Sammich podcast, consider making a one-time donation of any amount through Red Circle or becoming a supporter of the show for as little as $3 at patreon.com/zensammich.

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While there are countless leadership styles and new ones are constantly appearing, as the attitudes of people who play this role are different, there is one leadership style that directly impacts the team, making them feel motivated; it’s about positive leadership.

Leadership qualities do not lead to instant success. You need patience, dedication, perseverance, and a lot of work on yourself to get to concrete results.

A “positive” leadership is a performance accelerator in business and is based on the intent to generate an overall positive effect in society.

The human factor is a competitive advantage that every company should cultivate. And a positive leadership allows empathy to emerge within work groups and improves their performance. If one works on involvement and if inspires positivity in your collaborators, you feed a spiral of benefits that are reflected inside and outside the company.

Those with leadership practice know that positive leadership is a type of leadership that has a positive impact on the work and lives of the people in a team.

I would like to try to translate in simple and explanatory terms “how” a leadership can concretely express its “positivity”.

The “positive leader”, basically, “must know” how to best express:

Trust (the extent to which other people in the organization are open and honest with each other) being accessible to people when needed for help, advice, information, or direction; listening openly to people’s ideas regardless of their position in the organization; providing information accurately and openly without “hidden agendas”; talking about groups or individuals only in ways one would be willing to talk in their presence; making sincere attempts to meet all commitments; acting as a champion for the work team, consistent with organizational goals.

Empowerment (the extent to which individuals and teams feel they have the authority and responsibility to act); establishing an environment that encourages people to work things out for themselves; finding ways to encourage positive performance and build confidence; behaving as though one expects others to do things right; ensuring that people have information, authority, and resources that they need to accomplish their work; encouraging others to show initiative and take reasonable risks; linking the impact of individual and team performance to the overall success of the organization.

Competitiveness (the extent to which people work together to ensure products and services meet customer expectations); finding opportunities to make continuous incremental improvements in products, systems, and control of costs; taking into account the impact of worldwide business developments, as they affect the organization and the work group; behaving as a partner with customers, rather than just a provider of products and services; taking personal responsibility for making wide use of resources; ensuring that immediate actions support long-term strategic accomplishments, in line with positive employee relations practices.

Personal Responsibility (the extent to which each supervisor and manager feels responsible for the products, services, and well-being of the organization); taking initiative to see that things get done; demonstrating a sense of urgency and showing energy to achieve results; making decisions and taking actions that involve reasonable risk; dealing constructively with problems and issues rather than making, or easily accepting, excuses; confronting issues as they arise in an open and honest manner; leading in a way which exemplifies the practice of trust, empowerment, competitiveness, and personal responsibility.

In short, a positive leader is passionate about group management, questions himself when necessary and does not blame others, and has a strong sense of humanity.

But he is also a leader who maintains a high sense of humor: making fun of himself, accepting mistakes, joking about pressure, and exorcising the fear of contagion, means creating teams in which people, although physically tired and in some cases seriously worried, they manage to give their best with a great sense of responsibility.

Is this the image you have of a positive leader?

Comments are really appreciated!

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Leadership includes sharing what you learn so that others may follow and surpass your efforts. Why surpass? Because where one may be today marks a unique point in time, the one factor we can all count on is societal change. As we embrace the best advice, we can add it to our repertoire and enhance it as we move forward. Even better is when more people willingly share their best strategies with those on similar paths. The sign of leadership excellence is in the appreciation one receives.

The sign of leadership excellence is in the appreciation one receives. Below you will find what I believe to be top-notch business advice from leaders in the field.

My StoryOne traditional way to share information is through publishing articles and books. Early in my career, Dale Carnegie’s book, ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’ put me on a better footing for sales success. The secret is not to sell so much, but instead, listen, be professionally personal while sharing stories, and find commonalities between you. Upon developing the relationship, trust builds, and sales are born.

The next book that empowered my sales effort was S.P.I.N. Selling by Neil Rackham. It was the opposite of traditional telling-selling, which spoke to me as I always grasp ‘the opposite’ of tradition. Remembering questions in specific vocabulary is not for me. However, four letters that portray the questions to ask, in my own words, are easy to remember. SPIN stands for ‘Situation, Problem(s), Implied problem(s), and Need. My sales effort greatly improved upon applying Neil Rackham’s suggestions.

An old television and movie quote comes to mind that indicates perhaps there is an even better way to do business, ‘There is a new sheriff in town.’ Focusing solely on sales, marketing, technology, or any other business discipline will not create the results you may seek in today’s environment. Accordingly, it is up to each of us to seek out top-notch business advice from leaders in the field.

Powerhouse Business GrowthToday’s success differentiator is to embrace and combine all the varying disciplines for powerhouse business growth. To my amazement, what typically would be kept secret is openly spelled out in the brand-new book, Reinventing Virtual Events, published by Wiley, and authored by Julia Nimchinski and Justin Michael. The content spells out top-notch business advice from leaders in the field.

Reinvention is Essential for GrowthAlthough planning a virtual event may be outside your plan, the concepts and facts behind the title are bound to help businesses of all types. The theme is to cross-train the skills of staff and oneself. It’s only the beginning to have an excellent skillset in one field, but imagine how and what a cross-over to other disciplines will do for your career or business.

Long ago, a coach advised me to continue adding streams to my core expertise of sales for a more robust output. He then spoke of the ‘Power of 10.’ When we possess one skill, we reach one audience. But the results can be exponential when we expand upon our skills and services, to ten offerings, as an example. Mathematically, when we multiply 10 x 9 x 8 down to 1, the powerhouse business growth number is 3,628,800.

It may sound unimaginable to dedicate oneself to learning the skillset of ten different careers. However, when we undertake to learn the essentials of a couple of other disciplines, we are well on our way. Cross-training oneself plus employees will guide you to the results you desire that may have been previously unimaginable.

HYPCCCYCL is the creation of Julia and Justin, featuring top B2B revenue leaders cross-training their GTM (go-to-market) skills with VCs. The content of Reinventing Virtual Events provides excellent insights to enable you and your teams to achieve more than you may currently believe to be possible. Watching the games in action is remarkable, an ideal learning vehicle, and viewers often participate in future rounds. The book sets the stage for our new business model, and we invite you to join the performance, literally.

If you have any lingering doubts or are consumed with intrigue, you may find more information about Julia Nimchinski and Justin Michael on their LinkedIn profiles.

Office Environment and Entrepreneurial SpiritToday’s theme is not only about learning and combining varying skill sets but also embraces the theme of an inclusive environment. Each person on one team possesses experience and knowledge. Above, we speak about exponential results. Imagine what the cross-over of training between disciplines utilizing everyone’s experience can do for the overall business growth outcome. Moreover, the diversity of teams adds to a greater depth of knowledge that may convert to intriguing a far more robust audience.

In Conclusion: Top-Notch Business Advice from Leaders In The FieldThe choice is always ours to either dismiss the business advice from leaders or pay serious attention to do our due diligence by researching what they have to say. Feeling secure with your current knowledge becomes the right time to heed top-notch business advice from leaders in the field who are making a difference in society.

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At its core, gratitude is an excellent antidote for the isolation which has become such a problem for so many of us. While the COVID-19 pandemic put a painfully bright spotlight on the problems that are caused by isolation, the truth is most of us are more functionally isolated than our predecessors in both our personal and professional lives, and this has been a growing concern for decades.

When I talk about gratitude, I’m speaking about a feeling of appreciation to someone or something that has benefitted you. It can be large, small, life-changing… and it can be direct OR indirect. For example, who are my coffee drinkers in the house? Do you KNOW the farmers who grow the beans that make that delicious elixre of life? I know a handful of coffee roasters, but I don’t personally know any coffee farmers. Despite that, I am sincerely grateful to the folks who work hard to allow me the luxury of enjoying my daily java (and so are the people who have to spend time with me).

When we experience gratitude, whether we are conscious of this or not, our brain is not only experiencing a positive outcome from whatever it is that we’re grateful about, but we’re also reminded that we’re connected to something or someone outside of ourselves.

Gratitude is fundamentally about connections.

Before we dive into the professional implications of gratitude let’s prime our brains for this conversation by giving ourselves a little pick-me-up of serotonin and dopamine as we practice some real-time gratitude. How many of you have heard the expression “Look for the silver lining”? I appreciate the sentiment in those words, and yet sometimes life is really messy, and asking people to pretend it’s not can be more hurtful than helpful. So when I got to a place in my life where things were just RUGGED, I started looking for SILVER THREADS… tiny bits of positive experience, and there are zillions of these throughout even the most rugged days.

I remember when my kids were small and somebody brought a stomach bug home, and one day, I gratefully realized OH MY GOODNESS – NOBODY got sick last night! For the caregivers out there, you know that’s actually a pretty BIG relief… but it’s not something we would normally think of when we’re looking for things to be grateful for, and that’s a shame, because collecting small moments of gratitude periodically throughout our days and weeks is actually an incredibly powerful way to balance out our experiences.

So to kick this off, we’re going hunting for bright, shiny silver threads. Our brains process about 34 gigabytes of information every single day, so scientifically there have to be at least a handful of those moments where you felt good, grateful or positive, at least for a second or two. Don’t overthink this – and don’t reach for the obvious responses. Give yourself permission to mentally stretch JUST a moment and think about ONE THING for which you are FRESHLY grateful. It could be something that you experienced this morning, or maybe even something you’re looking forward to in the next week or so.

Give yourself a few minutes to really think about this moment in time. If it’s something that already happened, re-play it in your mind and let all those positive emotions percolate through your mind again. If it’s something that hasn’t happened yet, imagine what it might be like, in as much detail a you can muster, and enjoy the positive anticipation! Then, jot that thought down on a sticky note or index card, add the hashtag #silverthreads and then grab your phone, take a picture, and, share your snapshot with your people, maybe on Instagram, LinkedIn or Tiktok, or send it as a text if it’s about somebody you know – let them experience some happiness, too!

OK – Now that we’ve done a little self-care, it’s time to make this professional. Odds are if you’re a regular reader of my work you already care about your people. I also recognize that in today’s world, it takes more than that to change hearts, minds, and business practices. So let’s start with some basic (and startling) stats. Employee engagement is a costly and complicated challenge that organizations of all industries have tried to address for decades with little improvement in average engagement scores overall. Gallup’s 2022 global survey found that only 22% of employees globally are engaged at work. If you’re responsible for paying salaries, that number should freak you out. The cost of that disengagement? 7-8 TRILLION dollars, annually.

Meanwhile, 70% of employees would feel better about themselves if their boss were more grateful, and 81% would work harder. 95% of employees agree that a grateful boss is more likely to be successful. Employees who experience more gratitude at work report fewer depressive symptoms and stress. Lack of gratitude is a major factor in driving job dissatisfaction, turnover, absenteeism, and burnout. In recent surveys, half of the people said they regularly said thank you to their family members, but only 15% say thank you at work, and 35% of people say their managers NEVER thank them.

In research cited by the Wall Street Journal, the workplace ranked last of places where people express gratitude, with just 10% of people saying thank you to their colleagues and only 7% saying thank you to their supervisor.

And yet, some people actively discourage gratitude at work. There’s actually an employee-motivation consultant in San Diego, as saying, “We thank people around here: It’s called a paycheck.” Yikes. I think I’ve worked at companies he’s tainted!

And while we’re on this subject, I want to mention that while for SOME things (like laughter) you CAN fake it ‘til you make it… Gratitude is NOT one of those things. Inauthentic gratitude or just “going through the motions” will damage your credibility, decrease trust, create friction on your teams, and generally contribute to an unhealthy workplace culture. People can smell insincere gratitude a mile away.

Here’s one final statistic for you. Regular gratitude journaling has been shown to result in 5% to 15% increases in optimism and 25% increased sleep quality, and the health and behavioral benefits from those two alone are massive. What might it do for organizational performance? That was the question I wanted to answer when I was designing my doctoral research project.

I partnered with a consulting firm whose engagement scores had, much like employee engagement around the globe, remained lower than desired by management. Two questions framed my initial research. How do intentional gratitude practices influence job satisfaction, and how can intentional gratitude practices be improved to increase job satisfaction? A sample of the employee population was surveyed to assess current state job satisfaction and role confidence, then assigned to one of two groups. For four consecutive weeks, one group kept a daily gratitude journal, while the other reached out daily (yes, at least once a day!) to professional connections to express gratitude directly. Employees from each group were then interviewed to determine if there was a change in their job satisfaction, role confidence, or perception of gratitude in the workplace.

In this series, we’ll explore what we discovered, and along with those findings, I’ll share recommendations which I’ve been able to use to help companies create healthier working environments with more engaged teams. In 2023, I’m looking for opportunities to repeat this research with organizations across a wide array of industries, so if this is something that has sparked your curiosity, let’s talk!

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An informal analysis of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s Leadership Style. You can also find this on my website.

Vladimir Putin is a leader who has earned recognition around the world for his style of leadership and ability to maintain control in a highly volatile political environment. Throughout his time as president of Russia, he has put into practice a variety of powerful tactics that have allowed him to achieve long-term success and stability.

His leadership style can be described as authoritative, with strong emphasis on maintaining and exercising power through loyalty and nationalism, as well as closely controlled media outlets.

Putin’s authoritarian approach has been extremely effective for consolidating and controlling the power within Russian politics. By creating a structured hierarchy with clear lines of authority, he is able to direct the actions of government officials in order to ensure that policies are carried out according to his wishes. This hierarchical structure also serves to maintain public order by providing clarity about who is responsible for making decisions and implementing them.

Furthermore, Putin has managed to foster an atmosphere of loyalty amongst those close to him which further reinforces his status as leader. This includes awarding high-ranking positions both within the government and in state-owned enterprises to those who demonstrate complete devotion to him as head of state. Such loyalty also serves as an incentive for others to remain loyal or risk losing their privileged positions if they fail to adhere to Putin’s instructions.

Another key aspect of Putin’s leadership style involves tightly controlling the media outlets available throughout Russia. By curbing freedom of expression in this manner, he is able to sway public opinion towards supporting him and his policies while at the same time blocking out dissenting voices or criticism from abroad. He often uses this strategy along with economic incentives such as higher wages or increased funding for infrastructure projects in order to encourage people living inside Russia’s borders (or living abroad) into supporting him more adamantly than before.

Lastly, one major factor behind Vladimir Putin’s success over the years is his heavy focus on promoting Russian nationalism both within the country and on an international level. Through various measures such as advocating for closer ties between Slavic nations or financing large-scale patriotic events like Olympic Games hosted by cities inside Russia, he has managed to cultivate an atmosphere wherein most citizens view themselves firstly as Russians before anything else – something which has enabled him not only stay in power but even grow it steadily over time.

To wrap up, Vladimir Putin’s leadership style revolves around using authoritarian tactics combined with nationalist propaganda in order to consolidate power while keeping any potential opposition at bay – all while relying heavily on carefully selecting individuals close to him who will remain loyal no matter what happens – something which so far seems have worked very effectively when it comes ensuring long-term success both domestically and abroad.

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“Political Science was founded by Plato and Aristotle… In its essentials the classical foundation of political science is still valid today… As for subject matter, it is nothing esoteric; rather it lies not far from the questions of the day and is concerned with the truth of things that everyone talks about. What is happiness? How should a man live in order to be happy? What is virtue? What, especially, is the virtue of justice? How large a territory and a population are best for a society? What kind of education is best? What professions, and what form of government? All of these questions arise from the conditions of the existence of man in society.”

~Eric Voegelin in Science, Politics, and Gnosticism (1958)

The wages of Woke are upon us. Absurdity, demonization, cancel culture, the death of dialogue, anarchic governance, community breakdown, endemic violence, and socio-economic chaos now rattle our once complacent cages ceaselessly. And though the Woke activists are numerically insignificant, their influence in government, the bureaucracy, the media, academia, and the world’s largest corporations and professions is pervasive. Hence the vast majority of people in western liberal democracies are either dismayed but docile, or aghast but afraid to resist.

The name is new, but the phenomenon is not, and since it impacts all of us, in the home, the community, schools, and workplaces, and the nation at large, we are duty bound to recognise Woke, understand it, and strenuously oppose it. The Woke phenomenon is in fact a repackaging of an old strain of spiritual duplicity that has occurred many times in history. And high intelligence has never proved to be a prophylactic.

Consider the case of a brilliant young academic, a gifted public speaker and celebrity, whose genius has him earmarked for greatness. His popularity affords him no end of opportunities to indulge an insatiable appetite for wine, women, and song, yet he finds these delights in conflict with the restless energy of his exceptional intellect, which demands a relentless search for truth.

The circles in which he moves introduce him to a group of people who are bound together by a seductive philosophy of life that seems to offer relief for his inner turmoil. He is a good man, and there is nothing wrong with his promiscuous lifestyle, they tell him, and his obvious gifts qualify him to become part of a chosen elite, whose members alone have the knowledge to transform society and the world, ridding humanity of the age-old evils that burden us. The young genius is won over, and spends the next eleven years of his life virtue-signaling and virtue-subverting.

The story does have a happy ending, because the young man did escape the lie, and went on to provide a massively positive influence on the lives of millions, just as he still does today.

The words of the political philosopher, Eric Voegelin, quoted above, are rich in their implications for leadership, not only in politics, but also in business, the professions, and indeed, in every form of community. Voegelin was forced to leave Austria because of his opposition to Nazism, and spent the rest of his life, mostly in the US, in analysing why people fall for the utopian promises of totalitarian ideologies like Nazism and Marxism. He sheds a lot of light on the current crises facing the western world.

In his book, Science, Politics, and Gnosticism, Voegelin showed the striking similarities between modern ideologies and the ancient religion of Gnosticism. Modern neo-fascists, neo-Marxists, neo-Liberals, and neo-conservatives, and the Woke vandals of today, like their ancient gnostic forebears, feel deep dissatisfaction with the world as it is, and believe that human beings can and must take control of the historical process and reorder reality.

The essential characteristics of Gnosticism read like a description of the Wokism with which we are wrestling in the secular West of the Third Millennium:

1. Gnostics believe that the world, that is, the way things are, is evil, and must be transformed if humanity is to find true fulfilment.
2. Only an elite minority, gifted with an exclusive knowledge (gnosis), is able to see through the façade of the world as it is, to the reality of the evil that drives it.
3. Life itself is all about the deadly conflict between the dark forces of evil and the chosen elite who have been enlightened by the special gnosis.
4. Gnostics live in what Voegelin calls a “dream world”, obsessed by their vision, and hostile to common sense and any rational argument that exposes the intellectual poverty of the claims they make.
5. In terms of morality, Gnostics exhibit a curious blend of puritan and permissive attitudes. Hatred of the conventional order of things spurs them to condemn traditional moral norms, and to promote radical social programs like veganism, pacificism, and collectivism. On the other hand, their repudiation of traditional marriage and child-bearing and rearing encourages the promiscuous behaviour that inevitably undermines marriage, the family, and all relationships and community through the virus of deceit and betrayal unleashed.
6. Gnosticism typically promises the establishment of a state of bliss once the evil powers that control the existing order are destroyed. However, while for the ancient Gnostics this entailed passing from the evil world of matter to a spiritual paradise, modern Gnostic movements tend to see the world of matter as the only reality, and therefore promise their followers utopia, that is, heaven on earth.
7. All of these points underline the first principle of Gnosticism – the non-recognition or denial of reality, and the call for humanity to construct reality for itself. For a person who does not believe in reality, there is no such thing as a lie. Gnosticism is the empire of lies.

Physiophobia is fear and loathing of being, as it manifests itself in the nature of things, especially human nature. Wokeness is physiophobic, and since you can’t abolish human nature, irrational frustration and rage are common symptoms of wokeness. Then there is the condition known as misology, which is an aversion to reasoning, feeling revulsion or suspicion in the face of logical debate; this too is easily recognised in the Woke phenomenon.

As Voegelin pointed out regarding Stalinism and Nazism, “…we are confronted here with persons who know that, and why, their opinions cannot stand up under critical analysis and who therefore make the prohibition of the examination of their premises part of their dogma. This position of a conscious, deliberate, and painfully elaborated obstruction of reason constitutes the new phenomenon.”

Now we all know people, often family and friends, who are highly intelligent and successful, but who have nonetheless become loud and uncompromising advocates for Wokism, and who have sacrificed dialogue for demonization of anyone who asks questions for which they have no rational answer. How does this happen? Voegelin explains by citing the example of Marx, who he sees as an intellectual swindler, a man whose entire life’s work was constructed on a lie. And he enlists the aid of Nietzsche, another Gnostic, but a rather more insightful psychologist than Marx, to throw light on the matter.

Nietzsche saw the Will to Power, the libido dominandi, as the passion that spurs a willingness to engage in intellectual deception. As all of us should know, it is common in human beings to want to be the master, not just in politics and business, but even in small groups and families; hubris afflicts all of us at some time or other, and the ego is hard to silence. Arising from what is often an innocuous delight in masquerade and fooling others, the libido dominandi develops a malign nature that is ruthless in manipulating and suppressing truth.

And lies always engender greater lies. Awareness of one’s deceit is submerged, and one’s conscience is progressively smothered.

Nietzsche recognises that what drives this is the revolt against God, who is truth itself, because once God is silenced, one can make one’s own truth, and therefore become a law unto oneself. Marx’s own doctoral dissertation makes this clear: “Philosophy makes no secret of it. The confession of Prometheus, ‘In a word, I hate all the gods,” is its own confession, its own verdict against all gods, heavenly and earthly who do not acknowledge human self-consciousness as the supreme deity. There shall be none beside it.”

This is a very seductive appeal to human beings, and has been since the beginning of time. As the serpent said to Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, “You shall be as gods”. Woke appeals to not just those who accept its claims on blind faith, but also those for whom it offers justification for attitudes and actions they don’t wish to change, not to mention those who see in it the opportunity to further a particular agenda, be it political or commercial. These people are not interested in leadership; they simply want to be masters in a new social order.

Of course, the Will to Power that says, “My will is all that matters”, is deeply narcissistic, and even the worst people still want to be seen as good, and justified in all they do. Hence the tsunami of virtue-signalling that inundates the world in the socio-political chaos of the Third Millennium.

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The broad and basic definition of a mentor is “one who is an experienced and trusted advisor”. The more formal definition of mentorship is “the guidance provided by a mentor, especially an experienced person in a company, or educational institute”. Throughout history, there have been various other names for a mentor. In law enforcement, a mentor is called a Rabbi. This would be an experienced officer who guides a young rookie through the ins and outs of being part of a law enforcement agency. In the religious community, a mentor is often referred to as a Confessor. This could be a clergy member or simply someone who is a member of the congregation.

Mentoring can be a powerful interaction between an experienced mentor and a lesser experienced, sometimes younger mentee. The relationship is typically guidance-based and can take place in a variety of formats, such as professional life, school environments, and marriage.

Regardless of the title, everyone at some point in their life, needs someone to assist them in professional, spiritual, marital matters, parenting, etc. At its core, mentoring is helping! Mentoring can be a powerful experience for the mentor and the person receiving the mentoring.

The history of mentoring appears to have originated as far back as Greek mythology. A man named Mentor became a trusted confidant and overseer to Odysseus and his son Telemachus. This was at the time of the Greek war against Troy. Through his dealings with these two famous Greek leaders, the term “mentor” was coined. From this time in Greek mythology, up to the last one hundred years or so, there was little reference to mentoring. Logic would tell us that these types of interactions must have taken place in many communities around the world. The important concept of apprenticeship certainly had strong elements of mentorship in its DNA. Over the course of US history, there have been many who have participated in mentor-mentee arrangements. Some notable examples are listed below:

• Henry David Thoreau, American essayist, poet, and philosopher, was mentored by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Emerson was a powerful American essayist and poet who led the Transcendentalist Movement in the mid-19th Emerson was a major influencer in the same disciplines as Thoreau and shaped his education and philosophy.
• Helen Keller, American author, and disability advocate, was mentored by Anne Sullivan. Sullivan taught Keller to overcome her blindness and become one of the most powerful figures in American history.
• General Colin Powell, Four Star General and former Secretary of State, had what many young people have experienced. That is, having a family member as a mentor. Powell credited his father for instilling in him the virtues of hard work, loyalty, integrity and being a leader, as the central focus of his life.

These three examples are of very public and famous American figures. The fact is, anyone who has some experience and expertise can be a mentor. In addition to having experience and expertise, the main requirement for mentorship is a willingness to help others. Being interested in others, giving back, and “paying it forward,” should be the core values of mentorship.

How do you become a mentor? The options for becoming a mentor are endless! Listed below is a small sampling to get everyone started on their exciting mentorship journey:

1. Your Place of Employment. This can be pursued through a formal channel, such as the Human Resources Dept, or informally as the opportunity arises and someone looks ready for direction.
2. Boys and Girls Clubs of America,www.bgca.org
3. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America,www.bbbs.org
4. Local Churches
5. Just Serve,www.justserve.org

It is never too late to become a mentor. Start your journey now to help others and yourself in the process.

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Most business leaders see their job as permanently trying to overcome problems. But that’s not the only way to go about it. It turns out that smooth business is an art and one that people can learn. You don’t have to overcome hurdles or micromanage staff all the time. You have other options.

Invest In Your Employees

The first and most obvious step is to invest in your employees. You want highly capable people who can run your business for you. They should be natural problem-solvers and troubleshooters. They shouldn’t have to come running to you for answers every time there is a problem.

The way to make this happen is to invest in people. You want individuals who feel like they can master their environment and take care of operations for you, freeing you up for the things that matter.

Leverage Technology

Businesses used to be administration-heavy, relying on legions of staff to file papers and create records. But that’s no longer the case. Today, it’s easy to set up recurring billing, automate emails, and manage customers. There is software for just about every clerical task you can imagine. These reduce the amount of work you need to do or remove it entirely.

What’s nice about these solutions in the modern age is how you can get them tailored to your operations. You can develop specific software for your firm, slotting it into your workflows and enhancing productivity tremendously.

Delegate More

Failing to delegate sufficiently is a major reason why many entrepreneurs feel stressed out of their brains, and unable to get things done. They consistently believe they have to do jobs themselves instead of passing the hassle over to someone else.

The problem isn’t so much attracting the right staff. The issue for most leaders is the problem of “letting go.” Giving power away to other people feels awkward and wrong for some reason.

Getting over this hump is critical if you want to be successful long-term. Fail at this and you won’t achieve the success you want.

Stay Organized

When chaos reigns, you can’t operate a business smoothly. Files scattered all over the place are a recipe for disaster.

Therefore, all successful companies create filing systems that everyone understands. These make it easy for colleagues to retrieve business information quickly and develop effective strategies and techniques.

The best filing systems are digital. Look for cloud-based solutions colleagues can access from any device and location. Try to steer clear of old-fashioned physical files. These are notoriously challenging to manage.

Network More

You can also help your company run more smoothly by networking more.

Networking improves your access to human resources. When you have a large number of people in your inner circle, you’re more able to get things done and retrieve the services you need for effective operation.

You don’t need to be an extrovert to network. However, you do need to stay in contact with relevant people and nurture relationships with them. Check-in regularly, and be of service where you can to create something reciprocal.

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In my daily work, I speak with, and write for an audience that is very familiar, and -I hope- convinced of the value that partnerships bring to the table. However, in the larger context, it is very common to see references to getting rid of “the middleman” and “going directly to the manufacturer”. These messages predicate price savings that rarely materialize, on the basis that the layers in a value chain between the manufacturer and the consumer add no value whatsoever, and all they do is add up to the cost, collecting some type of an underserved fee. This article is from the point of view of someone who has worked for years for companies that have leveraged external partners to make it possible for their businesses to reach new heights, and offer a better experience for their customers.

WHEN THINGS WORK, COMPLEXITIES ARE IGNOREDThis indicates that about 70% of the global economy flows indirectly, and for good reason. Each one of the participants adds value. But how is value added? Why do we need these intermediaries?

In today’s complex business environment, there is almost no product or service that is made or delivered end-to-end, by one single company. There is always an intricate network of supply-chain elements and partnerships of sometimes completely independent companies involved. With the exception of the few of us who are deeply wading in the waters of partner ecosystems, these complexities tend to be ignored.

To make things worse, not even in some partner-friendly companies is everyone adequately acquainted with their own delivery models. More than a few times, I have found myself briefing an executive about the differences between their own Value Added Resellers and Agents.

Very often, these relationships are also, more than simplified, dumbed down. They are sometimes wrongly classified like a “supplier” or even worse, called “the middle man”, as if for some inherited privilege they have earned the right to collect some type of tax that they don’t really deserve.

THE MIDDLEMAN IS THERE FOR A REASONIn reality, many companies rely on partnerships to deliver their products to the market, and their partners are an integral part of their Go-To-Market strategy. In today’s world, it is a rare find a company that is capable to deliver its product or services all the way from the source, to the hands of the customer. Along this journey, several companies -or “partners”- may perform services, attach other products, etc. adding value to the final product that lands at the customer. It is from this journey and the several steps of value-add that the concept of the value chain stems from, and the product or service that is delivered to the customer is experienced through its Joint Value Proposition.

While these concepts are omnipresent in the tech industry, they are all over our economy as well. Two of the most noticeable ones are the Distribution Channel and the Service Delivery Partners. As for the first one, we see it everywhere, from the grocery store, the car dealership, or our trusted IT gal. For example, it is impossible -or not cost-effective- for car manufacturers to set up showrooms in every town, so they rely on entrepreneurs who are willing to enter in this business. In a similar way, growers and other foodstuff producers cannot afford to go to every town to sell their goods, so they engage in the distribution network that brings those goods to your local grocery store.

We must recognize the value that each of these partners offers for the consumer. Yes, they take a portion of the profits as compensation for their services, but they also add value to the product or service. For example, the local dealership makes it easy to get there, they offer financing (they bring together the automobile, and a financial product, the loan), and they can also service your car. In the case of the grocery store, besides making it really convenient to buy, with extended business hours, refrigeration, and now even home delivery, they are also an “aggregator”, allowing us to buy apples, milk, and honey, without having to visit the orchard, the dairy farmer, and the beekeeper.

A Service Delivery Partner can be a key player in the value chain, especially if the product or service requires installation, servicing, or any form of customization. They can be as simple as the independent contractor that may install the carpets that you bought at the big home-improvement store, or as complex as Microsoft’s partner network, where partners specialize in specific technologies. There is a huge difference in value between the carpet just delivered to your house in a roll, vs. actually being able to step on it. How much more value does that have in terms of your ability to enjoy the product?

IS A PARTNER RELATIONSHIP RIGHT FOR YOU?The way we experience a product or service is the result of all the value transactions that occur throughout the value chain, before they reach us. Some of these value transactions and the players involved, have evolved over time, filling a need. Others have been created intentionally, by design. This is where some companies have the opportunity to differentiate themselves from others by designing value chains that complement each other, delivering value to their customers. Across the board, some of the benefits of working with partners, instead of building every single aspect of the business, are:

Let a specialist deal with getting your product to the customer, the way the customer wants it. Partners have been doing what they do, for years. This makes them experts at it, and they can guarantee quality in a consistent manner.

Reduce the overall cost for the customer. Because of the specialization that partners may have developed, they are also in the position to perform the services required at a fraction of the cost that you would be able to do them in-house. (Yes! Partners can actually make things cheaper!).

Limit your exposure, adjust to sales volumes. Partnerships generally operate on a variable cost basis. This means that during times when business is slow, you will not have to pay them that much.

Be agile to scale. In the opposite scenario to the above and in the same way that a partner can scale down when business is slow, they can also quickly ramp up their services when business is booming.

CHOOSE PARTNERS WITH THE RIGHT CAPABILITIESWhen considering the way your product or service should be experienced, your differentiated value proposition. What does it look like? Can you make it happen? From the source to the end? What are you missing?

Instead of creating all the necessary parts to build your ideal differentiated value proposition, one option may be to partner with the right company, to complete your vision, and in this case, create a Joint Value Proposition. What kind of partner would you need to complement the value that you create?

Conversely, Is your business in the channel? Are you a reseller? An affiliates seller? A retailer? It is just as important in this scenario to do the exercise and be able to articulate what value you add. Do you make the customer experience better? Do you provide delivery? Help with selection? Install? Do you provide some kind of support afterwards?

PARTNERSHIPS ARE FOR THE LONG RUN, MAKE THE RIGHT PROMISESPartnership relationships can be complex though, and they require a lot of forethought. Companies partnering remain independent and is important to align incentives in order to make the partnership sail smoother and put in place a contractual framework that supports the partnership. Talking to a specialist in this area can pay off many times over the years.

As someone in business, instead of “cutting the middleman”, it may be wiser to seek it out and have someone to lean on.

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The positive state of mind that brings a deep feeling of appreciation for everyday living.Through gratitude, we cultivate the ability to look at life through the lenses of abundance, seeing the positives instead of defaulting to negativity.

“Grateful thinking” is a powerful practice that opens the door to a more joyful and fulfilling life.

Decades of scientific research and, more recently, findings in the field of social science, show that the practice and embodiment of an attitude for gratitude can be life-changing. Being grateful, and sharing gratitude, is proven to positively support greater health, as it heightens the feeling of connection, trust, and awareness.

Gratitude increases happiness, strengthens the immune system, regulates sleeping patterns, enhances social relationships, and boosts performance at work.

The practice of gratitude is a worthwhile pursuit with many long-term happy returns. Gratitude is amongst the many gifts that mindfulness practice can offer. As we tune in and quieten the mind, we consciously move the focus on the sensations that arise as we recall images of things and people that enrich our lives in many ways and at different levels.

Whatever our individual troubles and challenges may be, it’s important to pause every now and then to appreciate all that we have, on every level.

–Shakti Gawain

Robert Emmons, Ph.D., professor of psychology at the University of California, and one of the world’s leading experts on the science of gratitude, writes that “…gratitude is one of the most neglected emotions and one of the most underestimated of virtues…”(The Psychology of Gratitude)

How does the state of gratefulness awareness support well-being? Through a mental process known as “Positive Recall“, that strengthens the regions of the brain associated with reward, trust, and pleasure which accentuate feelings of happiness, optimism, and positive emotion. When we express gratitude, the brain releases dopamine and serotonin, two hormones that make us feel lighter and happier.

You will agree that there is more to Gratitude than meets the eye.

Here’s to how to start tuning into gratitude, every day. Whether you are at home or at work, make time for a Gratitude Ritual.

𝑯𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌: 5 𝒎𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒕𝒆𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒆.

Carve five minutes out of your busy daily schedule.

Find a comfortable place where you can sit away from distractions.

Start by grounding yourself in the moment through conscious breathing.

Then, think of 10 things you are grateful for today. Keep a journal for them. Revisit the notes to strengthen the practice as you continue offering gratitude to yourself and those around you.

Creating and reinforcing the habit of gratitude within your Team is a key dimension of a culture of recognition where effort, at the individual and collective levels, is rewarded each step of the people journey, resulting in long-term company growth and sustainability.

Share the practice with your people. You may want to start your weekly meetings by opening with twenty minutes dedicated to celebrating and acknowledging the positives, inviting each person in the Team to contribute, by verbalising three things they are grateful for. The space you intentionally make for this exploration, will not only enhance the feelings of connection, but will also enable people to maintain a positive outlook that is receptive of new ideas, which can strengthen collaborative decision-making as the meeting wraps up with everyone being offered the opportunity to take an active part in it.

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues but the parent of all others.” ~Cicero

If you are interested in exploring more, you will find some useful resources in the links that follow:

Mindful: The Science of Gratitude

HBR: Use Gratitude to Counter Stress and Uncertainty

Infographic credit: VirtuesforLife

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Did you ever have an experience like this? You set out on some new activity energized by the exciting expectations of the good things that will result? You may have begun a vacation, visited a relative, hired a new employee, taken on a new project, or launched a new product. Your mind naturally thinks about the result and creates expectations: The vacation is going to be glorious; the visit will be fun and fulfilling, the new employee will immediately contribute, etc.

And then, alas, the expectations weren’t fulfilled, the actual results weren’t up to your expectations, and you end up discouraged.

And because you are discouraged, you question your value. “Do you really have the talent to make something like this happen,” you wonder. You cast a shadow over your relationship with God. “Does He even know I’m here. How could He let this happen?” Your energy and creativity wither and you spend some time sitting on the sidelines of the next opportunity.

Discouragement must be one of Satan’s primary tools. By generating discouragement in the hearts of Christians he effectively places them on the bench in the great contest between Satan and God. It’s like soccer – bench a couple of your best players and the team is less likely to win.

When we distance ourselves a bit from the process and look at the big picture, it’s clear that the problem wasn’t the results we experienced, but rather the difference between those results and our expectations. Since the gap between reality and our expectations was so great, we filled it with self-doubt and discouragement.

It is easy to view every initiative through the lens of high expectations. The world is full of advice to create high expectations.

Every team wants to become the champion. Every entrepreneur dreams of making millions. The idea that we should create lofty expectations goals as a precursor to significant achievement is ubiquitous. It is so deeply embedded in our culture that to question it is to make you feel like a heretic. Create high expectations and then work to achieve them. — that’s the way progress is made and success is realized. It has become part of the common wisdom, so universally acknowledged that only the ignorant would ever doubt it.

Maybe the solution then is to be a bit more thoughtful about our expectations. Don’t do away with them, just lower them a bit. Then we’ve reduced the likelihood of the ultimate discouragement coming from not meeting high expectations. Lowering our expectations looks like a simple solution.

But is it? What if there were another solution?

The problem with lowering our expectations is that those expectations come from the same source – ourselves. In defining our expectations, we reach into our heads and hearts and generate a vision of what could be. The source is us.

But what if we tapped into another source? Instead of us deciding what we’d like to have happen, we deferred to God?

What if, instead of thinking, “I want to begin this new thing and achieve these results” we begin with “Lord, show me what to do and I will trust you with the results.”

In other words, we began a new effort, not because we wanted the end results, but because we were being obedient to God. What if we didn’t even think about expectations, instead we left the results up to Him. That would require a whole new paradigm and a major step on the ladder of spiritual development.

And that brings us to a new term: Expectancy instead of expectations. The thesaurus lists ”hope,” “belief,” and “anticipation” as synonyms. The idea is this: Because the source of the idea is God, we anticipate a greater good to come from the effort than anything we could have expected. We believe God is in control, we hope for a great outcome and we eagerly await the revelation of the results.

He did say, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He shall direct your paths.”

If we stopped ‘leaning on our own understanding” and instead incorporated “trust in the Lord” into our routines, we wouldn’t create high expectations, nor any expectations at all. Our actions may be just the same, but the core motivation would be different. Instead of thinking we are in charge, steering our vessels down the paths we chose to the outcomes that attract us, we would now be motivated by doing God’s bidding in the worlds we occupy. This transformation of heart and motivations would mark a significant step on our spiritual journeys.

We’d cut discouragement off at its base. We’d eliminate discouragement from germinating in our hearts, and we’d be 100% able-bodied and equipped for every challenge, ready to be thrust into the starting lineup of every contest.

All because we substituted expectancy for high expectations.

Note: Article inspiration came from my good friend, Deb Brown Maher, author of Sell Like Jesus: 7 Characteristics of Christ for Ethical Sales.

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Belonging encompasses the feeling that you have value in a home or a place in which you are fully accepted. When it comes to the workplace and inclusive leadership, creating a culture of belonging means more now than it ever has, especially in the wake of the Great Resignation. Seeking to understand your people goes beyond who they are once they walk through the door. It’s a deeper level of recognizing their intricacies that extend beyond the workplace. Everything they go through plays a huge part in who they show up as each and every day. Welcoming your employees’ voices and input helps them feel safe and cared for.

A Deeper UnderstandingYou know the saying, “walk a mile in their shoes?” One of the biggest mistakes leaders continually display is making assumptions about people.

Assumptions lead to microaggressions, misunderstandings, and otherwise harmful behaviors.

Start to understand your employees better by practicing active listening and including everyone’s voices in the conversation. The deeper your understanding of your people goes, the better suited you will be to find the perfect fit for them within your organization.

It’s equally as important to foster relationships among your team as a whole. When you introduce a new team member, make it personal. Keep the dialog flowing and always make an effort to ask questions about how they are and truly listen to what they have to say. Make it a habit to check back in with them, especially if they have shared a hardship with you. Listening is one of the biggest skills you can hone in on within leadership, and this is a great time for it to stand out.

Learning to TrustSeek out your teams’ strengths and let them shine. Always get their input and make sure to include everyone on your team when it comes to meetings, gathering opinions, and be sure to always genuinely value their feedback. Ask them where they think they do best and where their biggest area for improvement is. Ask them which part of their job is their favorite; we tend to enjoy doing what we’re good at! If you have already spent time connecting with and getting to know your team better, it won’t be too challenging to discover their unique talents.

On the flip side, learn to let go and not micromanage. Delegating tasks from your to-do list shows that you trust your team to get the job done and can foster collaboration. Accompany these new behaviors with recognition and positive feedback, even if the result is a failure. Commend your employees for trying and testing their limits and show respect by fully engaging in whatever your people have to say.

InclusionYou can begin this process of inclusion by sharing your own stories first and leading by example to show how powerful the desire to belong really is. Ironically, one of the biggest steps to creating a sense of belonging is, in fact, inclusion. You will only feel that you truly belong somewhere if you are welcomed to the table. Trust is the foundation for any safe space to be possible, but there needs to be an explicit and implicit invitation to your employees to speak openly and honestly. Give them your full attention by making eye contact and eliminating distractions. Let them know by your physical actions that when they speak, you are ready to listen.

ReflectionMentorship and professional relationships can make or break a career. You can take small steps to improve your inclusive leadership and help someone by sharing your own journey and listening to theirs. You’ll get a chance to share your successes and failures and you’ll hear another person’s diversity of experience. When it comes to creating belonging at work, it isn’t just about creating psychological safety, though of course that is extremely important. But you’re building and optimizing the connection of your community and your people. Embrace a culture of belonging, and you will see your people grow and collaborate even more, which will produce all the positive business results for which you are aiming to achieve.

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I was reflecting on the ritual of the inauguration of the 46th President of the USA and whilst the inauguration ceremony wasn’t what we have seen before it retained key anchor points of ritual and ceremony. The presence of former Presidents, the swearing-in on the ‘family’ bible, the singing of the National Anthem by a national treasure, and the inclusion of a poem by a celebrated poet. It contained all of those along with row upon row of flags symbolising the public unable to attend because of the COVID lockdown and previous unrest at the Capitol.

In our lives, we have many ceremonies and rituals – birth, marriage, death, key milestones, sporting achievement, academic achievement and so much more. Ceremony and ritual matter because they offer an opportunity to come together to witness and reinforce key values and truths.

Whether it be the hope of a better democracy, or the joy of new life, or the potential embodied in a loving union…in every significant ritual, we can see the underpinning of hope, truth, love, freedom, justice, joy…the fundamentals of life.

When we look at our organisations it’s equally important that we have in place, and value, our own rituals and ceremonies and consider their meaning and the messages we are seeking to convey. Whether it be the annual conference or the way we mark success, the way we say thank you or showcase loyalty. Each of these can seem like things we just need to tick off – we must have a long service award programme, we must have a sales bonus and reward programme and so on – but what attention do we pay to their impact and messaging of values and truths about the organisation? A local handing over of a letter and a trinket for 25 years of service can feel somewhat ‘underwhelming’?

And what about the transfer of the baton between senior leaders such as when a new CEO starts or there is a reorganisation. Opportunities exist for us to apply a little more thought to the ritual and ceremony surrounding these events. I’m not suggesting a huge pomp and circumstance affair, but I am suggesting that we shouldn’t treat them as ‘shadowy’, under-the-radar events either. These events have an impact on people and their sense of connection and motivation – or at least they should if they’ve been done for good reason, and they deserve more than just an all-points bulletin.

Transferring the baton is an opportunity to recognise and reinforce the core values underpinning an organisation and its community. It’s an opportunity for celebration and hope as a community. It’s an opportunity for broader messaging that feels credible and connected – weaving together the fundamentals that guide an organisation beyond any one individual.

Ritual and ceremony help us connect to that deeper part of ourselves where we touch into belief – the belief in something bigger, something more fundamental – love, hope, truth, connection, goodness, oneness…let’s ensure we afford them due respect.

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If you’ve ever watched a building project, the laying of the foundation is critical. It is the foundation that sets the long-term stability of the structure. The way the foundation is dug in, reinforced, and poured or built is so important.

The same can be said for your ability to become a strong leader. The foundation you build will support your leadership structure, framework, and long-term success. Let’s look at the parallels.

First the PreparationGood construction of a foundation starts with an analysis of the ground underneath. Soil conditions, the level of the nearby water tables, and other elements are checked and evaluated. Foundations being placed in locations with sandy soil, like beachfront lots or lakeside locations usually have to drive pilings deep into the ground to reach bedrock for stability. On the other hand, locations with rocky terrain might not even allow the first footing to penetrate the surface, thus making for bad foundational conditions.

Being able to set the foundational structure into firm ground is the first step in building a solid foundation. Otherwise, the foundation will be likely to shift and ‘float’ once it is built. Movement like that causes weakness in the structures above.

Preparing to be a Leader requires similar searching for solid ground. Learning and knowing your core values is like the bedrock you need. If you don’t spend time digging into the primary motives, values, and principles you want to follow as a leader will be like building your reputation on a sandy beach. It can wash away with the tide.

Next the SubstanceReal foundations come in different forms. Many include poured concrete. Yet some are pier and beam structures. Regardless of the technique used, having the right materials configured and constructed the right way is key.

In the case of concrete, simply pouring a big mass of concrete won’t last long. If reinforcing steel is not placed crisscrossing the structure, the concrete alone can crack, warp and break down in time.

Great leadership is made up of a mix of many different attributes. One size does not fit all. However, having the right mix, properly aligned can serve you well. The blend of skills attributes, and abilities are often shaped over time. Experience can provide good insight into ways you might need to adjust your leadership.

Trying to establish yourself as a leader without first assembling a patchwork of skills, abilities, and values can be futile. The right mix of the right substance can set you on a course for success as a leader.

Making AdjustmentsAs time goes on, foundations may need further work to lift, adjust, and reinforce them. I live near the gulf coast of Texas. Our soil has a tendency to float on a very shallow water table. That may be more technical than you care to know. But it means we have to have foundation work done sometimes. After 30 years of solid performance, my home started to show signs of shifting and settling. SHeetrock cracked and doors stuck. The foundation repair company was called.

We had to dig 15 piers across the front of my house. Once the piers were set, the jacks were installed and the ‘lift’ happened. Within minutes, all the cracks and door jams were once again square. My foundation had started settling across the front. Getting it lifted just fractions of an inch helped return the structure to ‘square’.

Your approach to leadership can likewise settle or shift in time. You form habits. Maybe you get complacent about certain things. Or you let a few bad experiences warp your view of values and principles. You need to perform your own valuation and review of your leadership.

Get feedback from peers or your direct reports. Be open to honest feedback. Determine whether adjustments need to be made to get your leadership foundation back on square.

Gettbricking the Right Help to Build Your FoundationAs with any construction, hiring the right contractor to build the foundation is important. If you are just now starting out on your leadership journey, consider hiring a coach to help you put together the right foundation solution to best serve your needs.

Friends can help you shape some ideas, but someone with proven experience in more senior leadership roles can do more to help you put together the best foundation for your use as a leader.

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