Tag Archive for: leadership

How do you counter entitlement in your culture?

/in , , , , /by

When you see entitlement in the culture where you live or work, there are five steps to counter it:

  1. Model the way. Just as you won’t expel darkness with frustration, you won’t drive out entitlement with annoyance. Instead of complaining, be the light. You attract others by being attractive.
  2. Stick with the winners. Find the allies in your culture who live by the values you are committed to and work together to create the kind of environment you want to work and live in.
  3. Put your attention on personal responsibility. Whatever you focus on will grow. If you focus on being frustrated with entitlement, your frustrations will flourish. If you attend to the values you are committed to live, they will grow.
  4. Stay grateful. The attitude of gratitude is the antidote to entitlement. What you appreciate will appreciate.
  5. Be careful not to make things too easy for those under your care. Comfort breeds entitlement.

If you want to learn more about how giving too much and making it too easy for people breeds entitlement, check out my next webinar, February 23rd at 11 AM MT. https://lnkd.in/d37Prt4a

VALUES BASED LEADERSHIP – It’s Not What You Think

/in , , , , , , , /by

After guiding a senior leadership team to helping them identify their values, I proceeded to take them through a process of defining specifically how they would ensure that they would live these values in their leadership, first as an SLT and then throughout the company.

Like most organizations, the value of “respect” was up near the top.

And that’s when it got sticky.

“What about Bob?” the COO asked.

“What about Bob?” I responded.

“He heads up our main sales division, and it’s well known that he’s one of the most disrespectful people in the company. We can’t fire him. He singly brings in more money to the company than our entire sales team.”

“You don’t necessarily need to fire him,” I said. “But if you don’t do something about this, then I suggest you take the word respect off your values list and replace it with the word profit. Be honest about what you truly value.”

They decided to fire him, and the entire sales team started to flourish. They got the message that the senior leaders were serious about the values they were touting.

In walking organizations through the values journey over the years, I’ve learned five things:

  1. Make it real. It’s been trendy over the past couple of decades to re-brand your values every five years. It’s also been a lucrative business for consultants. While having clearly defined values is important, you make it real by involving the front-lines in developing them and creating meaningful and accountable culture conversations with everyone. If the end result isn’t real and relevant at the field level, you’re wasting your time and breeding cynicism.
  2. You don’t really know what your values are until they’re tested under pressure. If your values haven’t come into conflict lately, if you haven’t had some tough conversations about the contradictions in what you claim to be important, if you haven’t had some uncomfortable value discussions, you probably haven’t taken your values seriously enough. Don’t mistake value statements for real values.
  3. Just as you can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do, you can’t build a reputation in your organization on espoused values. For example, if you’re serious about creating a safe workplace, don’t tell people “We’re going to be #1 in safety.” Tell people what you are willing to pay to get there.
  4. Values based leadership is built on the foundation of values based living. When we clarify our own values and develop a process for holding ourselves accountable to live in alignment with those values, we make better leaders in every aspect of our lives.
  5. When it comes to values, most of us really are doing the best we can. Let’s grant each other a bit of grace and support each other to use values to strengthen our organization, bolster our relationships and our fortify our resolve to be better people.

“Power Corrupts, Ultimate Power Corrupts Ultimately”

/in , , , , /by

I once met a CEO who never promoted anyone until they spent a minimum of six months volunteering in a charitable organization. She understood that when working with volunteers, titles mean nothing. “If you can’t inspire and influence people without a title, there’s no way I’m putting a title in your hands.”

Here are six ways to help ensure that power doesn’t corrupt you:

  • Surround yourself with people who will be brutally honest with you – and listen to what they say.
  • Assume you are never the smartest person in the room. Adopt a growth mindset and recognise that you can learn from everyone.
  • Expect the same from yourself that you expect from others.
  • Be open to challenge and constructive debate.
  • Create an open and transparent decision-making processes, and insist that people be involved.
  • Own your mistakes, seek feedback, and make amends.

Whether power is bestowed on us by the trust of others or by added responsibility, it’s critical that we stay conscious and alert to the warning signs of when power can blind us in our ultimate accountability to be a leader with strong character.

How Do You Know If You Are Drunk On Power?

/in , , , , /by

In 2020, Michelle Gibbings, from LEADERONOMICS, wrote a great article entitled, Four Warning Signs That You Are Drunk On Power. https://lnkd.in/gs5kSAZh.

Gibbings lists four warning signs:

  1. The leader thinks their rights and needs outweigh those of others and so their decision making is all about what works best for them.
  2. The leader stops listening to the ideas and opinions of others, believing that their knowledge and insights hold more weight and value than others.
  3. They ignore feedback from people seeing it as unhelpful and irrelevant, rather than reflecting on what is driving the feedback and what they may want to adjust to be more effective.
  4. They believe they are smarter than others and have little more to learn, and so they stop seeking out new ideas and diversity of thought.

What I’ve learned from the best leaders over the years is that titles don’t give you greater power. What they give you is greater accountability.

Find Your Inspired Leadership: The Power Of Your Presence

/in , , , , , /by

The ability to inspire separates leaders from bosses. It takes inspired leadership to create an environment where people genuinely care about their work, about each other, and about going the extra mile. Only a few leaders are able to infuse the necessary energy, passion, and connection into their team.

The ability to inspire isn’t about your proficiency. It’s about your presence.

Eight conditions that access inspiration:

  1. Curiosity. Ask people what inspires them. Bring an inquiring mind to your work, and make inspiration a priority.
  2. Attention. Inspiration is all around us, if we slow down and pay attention. One definition of leadership is the ability to amplify the beauty of the ordinary.
  3. Perseverance. Inspiration can come from the dedicated commitment to a cause greater than oneself. The courage to recover from an addiction, care for a dying loved one, or show up for a colleague are all acts of inspiration.
  4. Self-Awareness. Inspiration is about accessing energy – first of all within ourselves. To inspire others we must be inspired. What activities take your energy or give you energy? How is your own personal energy account?
  5. Connection. When we truly connect with others we make deposits in the inspiration account. Getting past the daily grind of the transactions of work and making time for connections brings a transformative quality into our work.
  6. Authenticity. When we connect with our true nature and express it consciously in our life and our work, inspiration is born. Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive. What the world needs is for you to come alive.
  7. A Compelling Why. What inspires you to get up early? To stay late? To go the extra mile? Defining for yourself a persuasive, meaningful reason to get out of bed in the morning will breed inspiration within and around you.
  8. Generosity. To be inspiring, be kind. Generosity generates inspiration. What we appreciate appreciates.

While connections, courage, and compassion are conditions for inspiration, it ultimately takes commitment. It’s easier to move people than to get people moving. The most powerful inspiration is our personal commitment.

If you are committed to go beyond learning about leadership to true leadership development, check out our Authentic Leadership Academy: https://lnkd.in/gMi2euzp

And if you want a taste of the Academy, sign up for our complimentary Academy Mini-Series in March. https://lnkd.in/g4M9qpWh

17066306094501706630609450
17066306098991706630609899
17066306094801706630609480
17066306094161706630609416
17066306092941706630609294
17066306093791706630609379
17066306097611706630609761
17066306093541706630609354

Reflections on Resolutions – Meeting The New Year With Authenticity

/in , , , , , /by

On behalf of our team, we appreciate you being part of our Authentic Leadership community and look forward to continuing to support your commitment to live and lead the authentic way.

With a new year comes a renewed resolve to better ourselves. While this time of year presents an opportunity for self-reflection, a review of the past year, and considerations for the year ahead, we know that most New Year’s resolutions often peter out in the first month or even week. The busiest month for gyms is January.

Here’s three simple reminders for making your New Year’s resolutions meaningful and sustaining:

  1. Take an honest self-assessment. Take time to reflect on the past year and consider the year ahead. Truthfully ask if you want to make changes in your life. No one has to transform their lives just because our culture suggests you need to make resolutions. Maybe you have been through too many changes in 2023 and need some rest this coming year. Nothing wrong with that as a resolution. Listen to your authentic self, not your apathetic self that wants to hang on to the status quo or your conforming self that wants to follow the crowd.
  2. Create a compelling vision. Following through on an agreement to change something requires a persuasive reason to do so. My vision to build a global community of authentic leaders and difference makers requires that I sustain my mental and physical health. My vision inspires me to get up in the morning and exercise. This year I want to get back to playing the piano – a passion I have neglected the past few years. I’m not planning on being a concert pianist; I just enjoy it and it’s good for my brain to learn new pieces.
  3. Create a system of non-negotiable habits. Change occurs with consistent daily progress. It’s not the big wins that propel us forward. It’s the unwavering habits that you integrate into your life that builds integrity and self-respect and move you toward a new life. Integral to these new habits will require assistance from others. Rarely does lasting change happen alone, so find an accountability partner who will support you and hold your foot to the fire to follow through.

Lasting change is about direction, not velocity. Please reach out if we can support your journey in any way.
May you find you find meaning and prosperity in all your efforts.