Want Better Results? Be a Better Leader. Better Yet, Be a Coach.
The world’s greatest leaders have something in common – the ability to engage, inspire and connect with those around them. From leaders on the championship court such as LeBron James to those at the top of forward-thinking organizations like Sheryl Sandberg, they have a way of rallying others to produce outstanding results.
The way you lead has a direct impact on your organization’s culture. Consider this…according to a report in USA Today, nearly one-third of employees reported that their bosses hurt company culture and roughly 25% said that their manager didn’t care about them as a person. Your leadership style has a direct impact on performance, engagement, and how others view your organization.
But what makes a great leader? Traditional leadership models continue to be challenged in today’s modern workplace. Modern leaders resemble that of a coach, yet many leaders today still don’t know what this looks like. According to an article in Inc. magazine, 93% of managers feel they need training on how to coach their employees. There are many elements to being a great coach in today’s modern workplace – here are few of my favorites:
- Be a coach, not a dictator
John Wooden said it best, “Make sure that the team members know they are working with you, not for you.” A leader today needs to be viewed as part of the team – not someone who is dishing out orders from behind a desk. Roll up your sleeves and get into the trenches with a collaborative style. Know when to be hands-on and when to let your team run with it. Cultures should be designed around networks, squads or teams – not a traditional top-down hierarchy.
- Practice involved detachment
According to research by DeLoitte, recent shifts in organizational design models require a different kind of leader – one who embraces a fluid, collaborative culture. Practice involved detachment…let your team members set their own goals and get to the end on their own. As General Stanley McChrystal shared, “A leader isn’t good because they’re right; they’re good because they’re willing to learn and trust”.
- Cultivate your digital mindset
As the world evolves, leaders need to embrace a digital mindset and coach their teams to do the same. Research by Josh Bersin indicates that much like the technologies that power our organizations, leadership needs to “be” digital. Be adaptable, try things before you have all the answers, and form a healthy relationship with risk.
Bobby Knight once said “To be as good as it can be, a team has to buy into what you as the coach are doing. They have to feel you’re a part of them and they’re a part of you.” This philosophy holds true on and off the court. Leaders shape the culture of their organizations. The time is now to be an inspiring, collaborative, and empowering leader – coaching your team to the finish line.
Looking to sharpen your leadership style and create your best culture? Reach out to us here. We love helping our clients grow into the leaders they were destined to be, and build their most successful organizations. We want to do the same for you.
Personal Development IS The Goal
Personal development is not a tool for reaching a bigger goal. Instead, becoming a “complete human being is already the biggest and most noble goal you can aspire to.” Most of us are on a quest of continuous self-improvement, with the goal of attaining greater success. “If I attend this school, if I obtain this certification, if I achieve this milestone, then I will be able to attain another level of achievement.” The personal development is often tied to a desired outcome that moves us from one level to another.
Monday Mindfulness: Purposeful Listening for Greater Connection
There is a big difference between “hearing” and “listening.” We often hear the people around us, whether engaged in a group dialogue or one-to-one discussion, but we don’t always “listen.”
Especially in today’s environment where there are so many platforms to speak, we are bombarded with noise and messages that dissolve into useless babble.
Ideally, the art of conversation is an intentional exchange between two like-minded individuals that is mutually beneficial, and creates connection and harmony. In this circumstance, the two participants are equal partners. The speaker is active, and the listener is receptive. A conversation in which someone is speaking but no one is listening – either intentionally or non-intentionally – creates disharmony in the conversation and the relationship.
When Your Bedroom Becomes Your Boardroom: (Happily) Working With Your Spouse
Spouses that choose to work together embark on a very unique journey. This arrangement is not a conventional marriage. Two of the hardest things a person can attempt is to build a successful business and a successful marriage. 90 percent of all businesses fail within the first 5 years. The divorce rate (in the U.S.) is now higher than 50 percent. Combine these two endeavors, and you face a lot of risk. There is a lot at stake at home and at work if things get rocky. The levels of expectations for one another are much higher than in a typical business partnership or typical marriage. Consideration must extend much further than, “I have this great business idea, can you help me?”
As a follow up to my January 10, 2013 segment on Washington Business Report (http://www.wjla.com/articles/2013/02/washington-business-report-feb-10-2013-85006.html) on working with your spouse, I’ve interviewed several other business owners who have braved this model to learn what makes it work, and how to avoid trouble in paradise. Rather than giving a simple bulleted list of strategies such as “schedule a date night” or “agree not to talk about marriage at home,” I’m sharing a more detailed behind-the-scenes glimpse of the complexities of this arrangement. If you are currently working with your spouse, or thinking about it, this is an important column for you.
My Eight Wishes For You In 2013, And a Final Wish of Healing, Happiness, and Peace
Public and private events of 2012 have challenged many of us emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. As we transition into 2013, I wish you….
Feeding Your 4 Food Groups in 2013: Mind, Body, Heart/Soul, Spirit
Forget the USDA Food Pyramid (at least for the next few minutes). The four food groups that truly nourish us are our Mind, Body, Heart/Soul, and Spirit. When we feed these every day, the rest of life takes care of itself.
Here are specific ways you can feed these four food groups in 2013.
Growing Into the Title of CEO Starts Today – Four Reasons Why It Must.
As a small business owner, nothing communicates confidence to prospective customers, employees, and partners more than your title as CEO.
In just three letters, the title communicates self-confidence, leadership, vision, strategy, and credibility.
Six Unique Traits Biz Owners Look For in Potential New Hires
As a business owner always looking for exceptional talent, and as a mentor to emerging entrepreneurs seeking guidance on how to hire great people, I’ve learned that there are six definitive traits that great potential new hires share. These apply to candidates in all positions, in every sector, at any level – from intern to senior management.
If you’re in the market for a new position, if you’re charged with scouting for new talent in your organization, or if you’re a business owner trying to make those essential first hires, consider these characteristics or behaviors.
I Challenge You to Ask Yourself: Where are You on Your Ladder of Learning?
It occurred to me this weekend after I attended Yanik Silver’s (http://www.yaniksilver.com/) Underground 8 Online Seminar that one of the primary reasons I am SO FIRED UP about my future is because I am on the LOWEST RUNG of what I call my Personal Learning Ladder™ (PLL). I can’t remember the last time I learned so much in such a short period of time…. Learning opportunities are all around us. We have unprecedented access to knowledge, people, and information that previously was unattainable. What are you doing to continue your learning and growth?
Creating a Culture of High Engagement – And a Future That is Bigger and Better than Your Past
How engaged are you in building a bigger and better future for you, your company, your family, our world?
That was one of the questions I pondered as I absorbed every word that Matthew Kelly delivered at a recent Entrepreneurs Organization (www.eonetwork.org) event. Kelly is a master organizational consultant to several Fortune 500 organizations on the issue of employee engagement. He is also the author of the New York Times Best Seller “Off-Balance” and “The Dream Manager.” Kelly led 125 entrepreneurs through the thought-provoking exercise of questioning our own engagement, as well as the engagement of those around us, such as our employees.
