This post was challenging for me because I have always viewed willpower as more of an account where you make daily deposits and withdrawals. I still believe that to be true but the idea that it is more of an emotional passion feeling issue that can fluctuate wildly has some credibility with my constant ups and downs. This Forbes post is worth the read if for nothing more than what to do when you get stuck:
“Do you want to make some self-improvements this year to become a better version of yourself? Avoid sabotaging yourself. Instead, become more attuned to your feelings and be kinder to yourself. This means being aware of and applying the latest research about willpower.”
The Critical Need For Different Leadership Voices
Directive leadership has taken such a hit that it almost seems out of place in any leadership situation. Tell that to the passengers on any plane or to the patients in any major surgery and they would beg to disagree. Delegation on the other hand is never appropriate until the person has developed the confidence and competency they need to be successful. So leaders need the situational skills to develop different voices. Excellent post by Amy Jen Su:
“Ultimately, you should cultivate enough parts of your voice so that no matter the leadership situation or audience you find yourself facing, you can respond in an authentic, constructive, and effective way.”
5 Simple Tips For Building Trust As A Leader
Probably the best leadership book I read in 2017 was The Speed Of Trust by Stephen M.R. Covey. In the first chapter he quotes Jack Welch,”If you’re not fast, you’re dead.” When everyone faces the reality that demand almost always exceeds capacity, we can’t afford to waste any productivity because there is a low trust organizational culture. This Forbes post was well worth the read:
“Developing a strong and successful relationship involves several key qualities. One of these qualities is trust.
Trust is important to your career and your company success, but it’s not something that you can gain overnight. It’s not something you can, as folks say, “fake it till you make it.” It takes time and effort.”
Important Steps To Improve Daily Productivity
I have been leading long enough to have gone through at least 5 different major approaches to time management and productivity. It all started with simple lists, then prioritization using planners and now technology drives almost everything. Probably the greatest help for me today is to block some open time in my daily schedule to allow for new inputs and unforeseen opportunities. This Forbes post represents some great tips:
“Productivity is an ever elusive concept to me. I often feel guilty for not doing more, but I know I have to give myself time to find and master the techniques that work for me. I think what it really boils down to: trial and error.”
Make Civility The Norm On Your Team
Almost everyone that works through teams believes there needs to be a healthy dose of conflict from time to time that will produce the greatest results. However, when team members are passive aggressive or unload and say something very critical towards another person, all trust can be lost. So the team leader’s responsibility is to establish the core values that will support civility. This post by Christine Portal is helpful:
“We all want to come to work and be treated with kindness and respect. Unfortunately, my research shows that there is rampant incivility in most organizations. I found that 98% of the workers I surveyed over the past 20 years have experienced rude behavior and 99% have witnessed it.”
The 4 Kinds Of Leaders Who Create The Future
I have noticed one very dramatic change within the last year of working with coaching executives. In the past they were constantly looking for strategic innovation when they were not squeezing every ounce of productivity out of their process. Today, they are all in some way having to respond to the powerful forces of disruption. This HBR post is excellent:
“Alan Kay, the educator and computer designer, famously declared, “The best way to predict the future is to invent it.” But what does it take to invent the future in such a turbulent and uncertain world? How do successful organizations build on their history, even as they craft a new point of view about what comes next?”
How To Ensure Change Translates Into Culture
Leading change is one of the most challenging leadership assignments period. The pain of the present must be greater than the fear of the future for most people to even be open to change. The hard part though comes after all the communication of the new vision and now its time to embed the new process into the culture. This Forbes post will give you a good framework:
“Power dynamics are shifting. And though change brings a sense of liberation for some, for others, it brings angst, fear, stress and discomfort. Change is a scary or frustrating process for many.”
The Best Way To Be More Effective In 2018
We all get somewhat offended when we are in a room with other people and they all are glued to their device. However, even in a working context our smart phones can make us stupid when it comes to productivity. They become the classic urgent but not important input most of the time. This post by William Vanderbloemen is helpful:
“It’s time for New Year’s Resolutions. I’ll share my big one with you ahead of time: I’m putting down my phone. And if I could give you one tip for getting a competitive advantage in 2018, it would be:
Put down your phone. You’ve probably heard it before, but you may not realize how much your smartphone is sapping your effectiveness.”
How To Recover From Burnout
One of the most important things I do as a leader is to monitor the margin I have in all of the life accounts included in my Life Plan. I believe in work-life integration and not balance. This allows me to have a short term deficit in one area as long as my overall margin is healthy. However, when my margin is gone in multiple areas, I am in serious danger of moving into burnout. This HBR post will help you in regaining control:
“You feel exhausted, ineffective, unaccomplished, and cynical. Maybe you feel like no matter how hard you work, you can never keep up. Or that you can’t make your boss happy no matter how hard you try. And you’re beginning to question your professional situation: Am I in the right job? The right company? The right career? I used to feel passionate about going into work but now I dread Monday and can’t wait until Friday. Will I ever feel excited about my life and work again?”
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Habits That Keep You Primed For Success
I am personally convinced that every leader who wants to reach their potential needs to develop a Life Plan. This plan will set both personal and professional goals with specific priorities to accomplish. If you do something long enough it will become a habit and eventually part of your character. This Forbes post is an excellent way to get you started:
“Habits matter. Good ones underpin our successes and bad ones undermine our health and aspirations. That’s why it’s important to intentionally build routines that align with what we want: a happy, healthy, successful life. If you know people who have achieved a goal that you also want to achieve, ask them about their habits!”