Explore Disrupting Leadership Blog
In the case of far too many leaders, it can be uncomfortable to challenge employees to dream big dreams and go where “no one has gone before.” Successful leaders know they have to forge new ground that “we’ve never done this before, but I’m going to lead you there.”
In this new remote world, we’re more dependent on others to step forward. It's important to recognize the various behaviors that can disengage and alienate allies.
True, authentic power does not emerge from authoritative postures, titles, or position. Influence comes from a submission to serve. Serve from the heart.
Unless we carefully cultivate the characteristics of humility, we can be distracted by humility’s opposite: The levers of pride. C. S. Lewis penned, “Pride gets no pleasure out of having something, only out of having more of it than the next man.” That is when we run into trouble.
I remain uncertain if any of us quite appreciate the importance of trust. We retain the unconscious position that trust is black and white with others while an ever expanding gray area in ourselves. Trust webinars, books, and conferences prevail upon us at an increasing rate when the need for trust in those particularly in top roles continues to reign elusive beyond lip service. In the Ben..
Ask yourself this question. Am I the leader I started out wanting to become? Why not? What changed? Character as it relates to leadership has taken on a particular interest for several years. An overwhelming desire to live a life of ethical consistency appears to prevail on the most passionate leaders who deign to merge passion with consistency.
That work ethic has caused me to appreciate people who took such personal responsibility to turn their lives inside out to become so much more when they started out with so little. Which is why I become bereft when I see people from many organizations placate their insecurities by demeaning colleagues and employees whose abilities and ambitions exceed their own.
How to transform people and achieve business outcomes is a trait of a true leader. However, working on one’s personal persona rather the public persona is what makes one legendary. Your task for your employees is the same as for yourself, to become more effective, authentic individuals and leaders. One must:
Authentic leadership requires establishing a genuine connection with people. Most certainly not dictatorial stances incumbent of keeping them in their places. A form of hierarchal control prevalent in low achieving ..
Authentic leadership consists of inherent tensions: You must remain true to who you are and at the same time adapt or conform to a situation all the while thinking about your worker’s needs. You must decide what's special about you that works with others. What core values compels you? How have your life experiences shaped you? What strengths differentiate you? What weaknesses
Yes, it really is the fault of management. Your attrition rate is high. You are losing competitive advantage. In meetings, the only people to speak up are the usuals. You know them. You lose money due to lack of employee engagement that leads to dismal customer service ratios .... but alas, you don't care. Hear that knock?
As author Gary Hamel noted, "The bottleneck is at the head of the bottle." That is where the potential of an organization is slowed. Where customer and employee promises are miscommunicated.
In business, we still yearn for intimate relationships that strengthens us emotionally and physically. As we desire for more success we tend to be competitive leading us not knowing how to build intimate workplace connections. We forge a façade protecting our authentic heart. We become belittling, blameful and shaming others so we can feel a bit safer.
