Affective Leadership - Positivity Promotes Productivity: Recent Episodes
Jamie Bricker and Jack Barclay
Affective leadership is the most impactful component of effective leadership. It requires establishing positive relationships with staff and recognizing, respecting, and responding to people’s feelings, attitudes, and emotions. These relationships build mutual trust, which ultimately yields far greater, and far more sustainable, returns for the leader, the staff, and the overall organization.
This week’s podcast welcomes David Michels from Bain & Company, a global management consulting firm. David works with executive teams of multi-national companies on leadership, transformation, and strategy related topics. He recently wrote a compelling article, The Return of Moral Leadership, and he will be discussing different aspects of the connection between morality and leadership.
This week’s podcast continues our look at some of the key reasons and omissions that frequently hinder successful leadership initiatives. In Part 2, we focus on the causes and impact of mismanagement of time and poor personnel decisions. These two important topics highlight that leaders need to routinely make optimal use of their time, and allocate a considerable amount of this time on the recruiting, hiring, and promoting of the best employees for their company.
This week’s podcast switches our vantage point, as instead of looking at what leaders should do, we explore some of the key reasons and omissions that frequently derail leadership initiatives. In Part 1, we focus on personal and professional exclusion, poor communication and the failure to clarify goals and how to avoid these missteps. Our examples show that leaders need to be inclusive, strong communicators, and clearly focused to sustain success in the organization.
This week’s podcast concludes our discussion around the Leadership Blueprint focusing on the final stage, the process. The process includes two key components of encouraging employee growth and celebrating successes and accomplishments within the organization. Affective leaders know that these components, when aligned with the organization’s goals and vision, help motivate the team to strive and move forward.
This week’s podcast continues our discussion around the Leadership Blueprint focusing on the third stage, the people. This stage explores assembling a team; assuming different roles with the team; and, monitoring the impact of the change process. Affective leaders know that it is working with people effectively that ultimately makes change happen in the organization.
This week’s podcast continues our discussion around the Leadership Blueprint focusing on the second stage, the plan. The plan includes the two very important components of first, laying the foundation with the team, and then, initiating the change required for future success. Affective leaders know that developing a specific and coherent plan is essential for overall improvement for the team and the organization.
This week’s podcast continues the discussion around the Leadership Blueprint focusing on the first stage, the connections. These connections with the group include: establishing one’s identity; seeking understanding; and, building credibility. Affective leaders know that focusing on each of these connections helps establish a foundation for future success with employees and the organization as a whole.
Today’s podcast begins a series this month that will focus on the concept of a Leadership Blueprint, or a plan for success within the organization. We have very much focused on the ‘whys’ of leadership in previous podcasts and now, we go deeper by exploring the ‘hows’ of leading affectively. In this overview podcast we discuss the key components for success, as together they form the basis of a quality Leadership Blueprint.
This month we welcomed to the podcast Garth Cressman, CEO of Walter Fedy and AEC in Kitchener, Ontario, Dave Yonkman, president of DYS Media in Grand Rapids, Michigan and Bruce Fikowski, the founder and CEO of Get Assist Inc., in Calgary, Alberta. Their commitment to embracing change and challenges; prioritizing structure; encouraging collaboration; assuming reasonable risk; and, providing both practical and emotional support sustains organizational success and demonstrates affective leadership in action.
Our latest podcast continues the series that welcomes leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. We continue to discuss different key aspects of affective leadership through their insights and experiences. Today’s guest is Bruce Fikowski, the founder and CEO of Get Assist Inc., in Calgary, Alberta. Bruce will be discussing his five keys to situational leadership.
Our latest podcast continues the series that welcomes leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. We continue to explore different key aspects of affective leadership through their stories, insights, and experiences. Today’s guest is Dave Yonkman, president of DYS Media in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dave will be discussing his five keys to setting the standard as an affective leader.
Our latest podcast continues our series that welcomes leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. We continue to discuss different key aspects of affective leadership through their insights and experiences. Today’s guest is Garth Cressman, CEO of WalterFedy and AEC, a leading integrated architecture and engineering firm, in Kitchener, Ontario. Garth will be discussing his five keys to adaptable leadership.
This month, we welcomed to the podcast @Shawn Burcham, the founder and CEO of PSFbrands in Holts Summit, Missouri, @Jevon McCormick, president and CEO of Scribe Media in Austin, Texas and @Mike Otis, the founder and president of Double O Company in Byron Center, Michigan. Their commitment to providing servant leadership; facilitating communication effectively; modelling positivity; embracing company core values; and, conveying genuine humanity all exemplified affective leadership in action.
This week’s podcast continues the series that welcomes leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. Key aspects of affective leadership are explored through their experiences and expertise. Today’s guest is Mike Otis, the founder and president of Double O Company in Byron Center, Michigan. Mike will be discussing his five keys to aligning employee well- being with corporate growth.
This week’s podcast continues the series that welcomes leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. We are pleased to discuss their insights on different aspects of affective leadership. Today’s guest is JeVon McCormick, president and CEO of Scribe Media in Austin, Texas. JeVon will be discussing his five keys that exemplify servant leadership within the organization.
Today’s podcast is the first in a series that will welcome leaders of the most successful small to medium size companies across North America. These leaders will share their insights on many different aspects of affective leadership. Today’s guest is Shawn Burcham, the founder and CEO of PSFbrands in Holts Summit, Missouri. Shawn will be discussing his five keys to establishing a positive and productive culture.
With the holidays on the doorstep after a challenging year, we felt it would be the perfect time to talk about the affective leader’s own mental health and wellness. This week we consider how the leader replenishes and recharges and looks ahead to success in the coming year, by: taking time to decompress, enjoying guilty pleasures, reflecting positively, planning for post-Covid-19, and pondering upcoming challenges. Enjoying the holiday this year will be key to well- being and success in the coming year.
Establishing a workable balance between being engaged effectively at work and invested supportively at home is important for today’s workers, especially during a pandemic. This week we explore five keys to achieving this balance: establishing a plan, living in the moment, respecting others’ lived experiences, accepting occasional outliers, and impacting the greater community. Affective leaders know how to encourage and support employees in seeking a work-home balance.
Affective leaders understand that the resilience of employees is an integral part of positive mental health and well-being. This week we focus on five keys to fostering resilience: conveying a growth mindset, staying the course, learning from mistakes, embracing change enthusiastically, and fostering resilient teams. Strengthening the resilience of employees enhances the health and success of the overall organization.
With the challenges posed by the pandemic and the holidays fast approaching, there is no time like the present to discuss workplace wellness. This week we introduce wellness in five key areas: demonstrating compassion, developing resilience, creating the optimal work environment, encouraging home/work balance, and modeling healthy leadership and self-care. Affective leaders know that well-being in the workplace leads to positive employee morale and sustained success in the organization.
Affective leaders ensure that organizational decisions are seen and discussed through a variety of highly informed lenses. This week we look at five keys to embracing complementary teams: being open to change, creating a culture of inclusion, defining professional and personal lines, establishing fluid team composition, and unifying the exit message. Embracing complements pulls different lenses into focus and brings people and ideas together in meeting organizational goals.
Affective leaders provide not only the means for employees to have the latitude to make decisions, but also the tools to help them succeed. This week we look at five keys to earning greater autonomy: defining boundaries, establishing common direction, initiating top down discussions, clarifying the definition of autonomy, and earning project specific autonomy. Once autonomy is established and supported, greater success is possible for both the employee and the organization.
Affective leaders realize that cultivating a deep sense of commitment among personnel strengthens the overall organization. This week we explore key methods for cultivating this important level of commitment: raising overall expectations, balancing pressure and support, keeping the big picture in view, dispensing genuine praise, and valuing performance over politics. Commitment needs to be firmly established and then nurtured over time, to ensure sustained success in the organization.
Establishing and maintaining high expectations while supporting employees in the pursuit of greater responsibility is key to the development of the individual and the organization. Affective leaders empower employees in several important ways: create a culture of commitment, encourage ownership of a task, offer fluid growth experiences, promote ‘grow and go’ opportunities, and value complementary teams and different perspectives.
Positional Authority exists for any leader in any organization. By making people feel respected, valued and heard, affective leaders also bring Relational Authority to the table. This week we discuss how affective leaders can develop relational authority across their organization: respecting your predecessor, conveying competence, walking the talk, admitting errors, and managing a crisis. Ensuring leaders understand the potential impact of both types of authority is critical for positive outcomes in the organization.
Affective leaders understand that there are times when either spoken or written communication is more advantageous when communicating in the workplace. This week we consider spoken and written communication in five key areas: sharing professional information, following up meetings, responding to disconnects, addressing performance concerns, and supporting personal issues. The particulars of a given situation dictate which combination of spoken and written communication will be most effective.
Affective leaders know that ensuring people receive a message the way it is intended is a key component of successful communication within the organization. This week we discuss five ways of aligning intent and impact when messaging: refining your delivery, monitoring the message, routinely restating information, addressing misalignments, and prioritizing concerns. Being aware of both the message and the recipient at all times is crucial to positive, effective communication.
Affective leaders recognize the importance of having a strong communication network across the entire organization, and it all starts with the leader reaching out. This week we outline five key items to consider: quality of communication, a message’s intent vs. impact, spoken words, written words, and relational vs. positional authority. Affective leaders know that establishing and maintaining a strong communication network is critical to organizational success.
How people see, hear, and interpret what the leader says has a profound impact on the whole organization. This week we explore optics in five key areas: the power of precedents, recognizing different lenses, understanding the need for transparency, buying time (reflecting) as opposed to waffling (avoidance), and the existing in the fishbowl nature of the workplace. Affective leaders are not only aware of the impact of optics, but also realize the need to use optics to their advantage.
Affective leaders know that understanding what makes people tick is time well spent in developing the organization. Five key areas of understanding are explored in today’s podcast: discussing life experiences, recognizing people’s motivations, being emotionally intelligent, sharing vulnerability, and identifying ‘go to’ people. The more a leader understands everyone at work, the more committed people will be both to their specific job and to the overall organization.
Realistic Optimism is the balance between conveying the facts presented, while also communicating an assured path forward amid challenges faced within an organization. Affective leaders show their realistic optimism in a variety of ways: providing an honest assessment of the current situation, balancing facts vs. emotions, conveying a sense of collective ownership, communicating effectively, and celebrating incremental successes. This week’s podcast explores these key components and how they help empower an organization to meet challenges effectively.
Establishing a positive presence is a key component of Affective Leadership. Affective leaders recognize the profound impact they make by what they say and do each day. They focus on being visible and approachable, modeling quality interactions, exuding quiet confidence, projecting realistic optimism, and conveying capability. This week’s podcast explores how these components help establish a positive presence in the workplace.
Affective leadership is all about working with people, not through them or around them. It encourages employee input and enhances organizational output. Affective leaders trigger long-term commitment from staff rather than simply short-term compliance. Such long term commitment helps develop both the employee and the leader alike and sustains and strengthens the organization as a whole.