Tag Archive for: Articles by David Irvine

Self-Care Is Not an Option Or A Luxury. Self-Care Is a Responsibility.

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We all understand the reason flight attendants tell us to, in the event of an emergency, “put your own oxygen mask on first.” We are truly no good to anyone else if we don’t look after ourselves. One of the accountabilities that comes with leadership is your responsibility to take care of yourself—and no situation or person can justify neglecting this duty.

But what exactly is self-care?

  1. Self-Care is not the same as Self-Centered. We take care of ourselves so we can take care of the world we serve. Self-Centered means we take care of ourselves so we can take care of ourselves.
  2. Self-Care is not comfortable. In the words of Brianna West, “True self-care is not salt baths and chocolate cake. True self-care is making the choice to build a life you don’t need to regularly escape from.”
  3. Self-Care is knowing what your values are and establishing non-negotiable daily habits that are in alignment with these values – not because it’s easy but because you made a promise to yourself to ensure that what matters most, matters most.
  4. Self-Care means accepting being an imperfect human. We can’t be all things to anyone. We can only be who we are. Self-care means that we understand that we can say no, so people will trust our yes.
  5. Self-Care means understanding the difference between loving and pleasing. Loving comes from overflow. Pleasing comes from emptiness. Loving comes from strength. Pleasing comes from insecurity. Loving gives us energy. Pleasing depletes us.

Five Common Mistakes Leaders Make That Break Trust

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We all understand the importance of trust and how it’s the glue that holds organizations together. However, trust is like a delicate flower. What can take years to earn can be destroyed in a decision.

What are the biggest mistakes leaders make to break trust – and how can we avoid them? We all get that lying, stealing, committing fraud, or making ethical or legal violations will destroy trust. But there are also more subtle, pervasive, corrosive actions that will erode trust in relationships if we aren’t conscious.

  1. Making sloppy agreements. Don’t be vague about when you’ve promised to do something.
  2. Not showing up on time. Some people don’t care if you’re five minutes late to a meeting. For others, it will cost you a contract or even a job. Why take the chance?
  3. Gossip. Make up your mind to be loyal in people’s absence. It will earn you self-respect and the respect of others.
  4. Not delivering on promises. Be a person who never makes a promise they don’t intend to keep.
  5. Covering up errors. No one will ever think less of you for putting your hand up and saying, “I’m responsible for that.”

Are you guilty of any of the mistakes that erode trust? Decide to be a leader that fosters trust by avoiding the mistakes that break trust.

The undervalued virtue of human goodness

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The undervalued virtue of human goodness

Growing up on a farm meant that we took our garbage to the dump every month.

A man named Monti lived there in a discarded trailer. Monti lived off of what other people dropped off. He had a thick, matted grey beard that hung down his chest and was always dressed in same old tattered coveralls. He smelled worse than a dead rat. And every time we visited the dump, Monti and his toothless smile greeted us as we unloaded the garbage.

Dad would faithfully stop with a thermos of hot chocolate and visit with him when we were done. It was painful for me to sit through the conversation in that old, foul-smelling trailer. I never quite understood why my father had the time of day for Monti.

That is, until my parents sold the farm and Monti rode his old bike ten miles to say good-bye to my father. He had tears in his eyes the last time he and my father shook hands. I saw how much my father’s kindness meant too him.

Today, after many years of working with and learning from a wide range of leaders, I understand that those seeds of goodness planted in my formative years were my first exposure to leadership. I’ve learned that although ability matters in a leader, inner qualities matter more.

Leadership and the trap of the tyranny of the transaction.

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Every leadership position comes with two components: transactional and transformational. Transactional deals with administration, budgets, planning, forecasting, measuring, and managing tasks. Transformational has to do with mentoring, connecting, inspiring, coaching, welcoming, building your culture.

Transactions get the job done. Transformations make the difference.

In every job, there’s always a pull toward the transaction. It’s the squeaky wheel of organizations, the voice that yells the loudest. It’s the easiest to measure and if we aren’t intentional, it can take up all our time to the point we aren’t even leading anymore. If you aren’t careful it will suck all the energy out of your work.

Here are some tips to move beyond transactional and make TODAY transformational:

  1. In every email to a team member include a sincere statement of why you appreciate the person you are sending it to.
  2. Take time to listen. Find out what matters to people and show genuine interest in what they are interested in.
  3. Check in regularly with your people. How are they feeling about their work? About the organization? What do they need to ensure their success here?
  4. Share your vision with your team periodically and talk with each member about how they contribute to that vision.
  5. Whether it’s through encouraging words, a thank you card, a smile, fulfilling projects, or a pat on the back, be sure every person on your team feels appreciated and valued.
  6. Ask people what inspires them to work here, and what keeps them inspired to come back. Be sure people are inspired.

How do you avoid the tyranny of the transaction – and ensure that you make today transformational?

To deepen your transformational work, check out my complimentary Mini-Series https://lnkd.in/g4M9qpWh that will give you a taste of our upcoming Authentic Leadership Academy https://lnkd.in/gMi2euzp

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How To Fix An Accountability Problem

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It’s frustrating when the people we work with don’t meet our expectations.
While it’s easy to blame others, people fail to perform as expected for three reasons:

  1. Communication.
    People are not clear about expectation(s). Make sure you have communicated clearly what you expect and how you will measure results. Be sure to include both operational and attitudinal expectations (how you expect people to act in alignment with your values).
  2. Capacity.
    People don’t have the competencies or adequate resources to ensure that expectations are met. Make sure you’ve made it safe to talk about it with your team and to work together to ensure that they have the capability and resources to meet your expectations.
  3. Commitment.
    People choose not to perform as expected. Be sure you have done everything you can to find out why the commitment is absent:

    • a. Is it a poor fit? Is there a better place in the organization for them or is there a better way to define their work?
    • b. Is there something going on their life that is temporarily distracting them and draining their energy? What support might they need? (Notice if their lack of commitment is out of character or if its been a long-term pattern).
    • c. Have you been clear enough and tough enough to follow through? Set your people up for success, and then ensure that you have the right people on the team.

We can understand, at least intellectually, that straight talk is critical to trust.

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Yet how do you embrace it when you have grown up trying to keep the peace, be nice, or avoid the hard truths?

1. Be Intentional.

Straight Talk is important enough that we have made it one of our team values.

2. Be clear.

How we define it and describe it. We Talk Straight:

a) We are direct and open in our communication with each other.
b) We tell the truth; we are transparent and aren’t afraid to confront reality.
c) We face the brutal facts; we don’t skirt the real issues.
d) We choose to be genuine over being polite.
e) We are loyal in people’s absence.

3. Get an Agreement.

While the team agreed we would talk straight with each other and act in alignment with these behaviours, we also included four critical components in the agreement:

a) None of us will do it perfectly.
b) We will ask for help to be direct at any time with anyone.
c) We will communicate directly with anyone at any time if it appears that any of us – likely unintentionally – is not honoring this agreement.
d) We will practice patience as we practice this skill: direction is more important than velocity.

4. Reinforce the message.

We set aside time in meetings to shine a light on, and celebrate, success stories (e.g. When in the past week did we experience people being direct with each other?)