If leadership was easy to master….well, for one thing, we’d have a whole lot less complaining around the water cooler.
Leadership is an art that requires regular practice, feedback and coaching. Highly gifted, trained and booked musicians are always looking for more practice, quality feedback & coaching. Leaders must do the same to master their art form.
I remember an old joke my voice teacher would tell me when I was preparing for exams. What does it take to get to Massey Hall? (I’m Canadian and it was the early 80’s so he used Massey Hall–not Roy Thompson Hall–in Toronto. I learned the actual joke used Carnegie Hall). The Answer: Perfect Practice. I have since chosen to refrain from seeking perfection so I will instead suggest that Mastering Leadership requires Reflective & Thoughtful Practice. Only by being open to feedback, as tough as that is, AND when seeking coaching (whether professional or otherwise) is mastery possible.
As a professional coach I often view my role as the “holder of the mirror”. My questions are prompted by deeply listening to my clients which allows me to hold a mirror up in a variety of ways so they can see themselves, their impact and influence in a new way. Sometimes the mirror comes in the form of sharing tools, models, stories or insights of my own. Regardless, all insights, awareness and conversational areas of focus come out of exploring with and listening to my clients.
I have concluded, leadership is all about knowing yourself more fully and bringing your best self to every encounter. You can develop business acumen generally or as it relates to a particular industry. You can learn to think critically and strategically. You can also learn how to master communication skills. All related knowledge and skill will add value. AND YET, the most important ingredient to using any or all of them is how you self manage from the inside-out. This no one can teach you. This requires constant ongoing practice, feedback and coaching.
What have you decided to work on in 2016? What strength in yourself, your team and your organization do you plan to nurture and grow this year? What part of you do you want to stretch?
What are you working to improve in 2016 so you will be more effective in leadership?
This is the first in a 7 part series where we will explore a few of the character traits that may help you be a more effective leader.
Assignment #1:
- Choose a character trait (2 at most) you want to strengthen in yourself. Starting next episode we will look at 2 of the 12 each week. (I suggest you observe how you behave, or perform, relative to each of the two we discuss each episode and wait to choose the one, or two, you wish to really work on until the end of the series.)
- Once you have chosen the area of focus….take 3 months and develop a deep awareness of how you exercise this characteristic of leadership. For example one of the characteristics of leadership is diplomacy. If you choose this one I encourage you to observe yourself for 3 months to see how you use diplomacy well and how you do not. What impact do you have when you over-use or under-use it?
- After acting on your own observations, choose two people you trust and request feedback from them on how you use diplomacy, both in over and under use. Share a few examples from your own observations and ask them for their own. Listen with curiosity and consider how to act on the feedback.
- Invite these two people to look for opportunities to observe you as you continue to act on their feedback and solicit the details.
PLEASE NOTE: focus on specific observable behaviors, NOT conclusions. If you are not clear on what this means, watch for an upcoming post detailing why and how to distinguish between the two.
While as a leader you MUST constantly work on yourself, you are also responsible for growing and nurturing future leaders. This requires you to be aware of a variety of strengths and approaches.
In Episode #28 of ImpactBank’s the Kickass Koach podcast, I share a story of observing the diverse set of values and approaches that were part of the leadership team who reported to me. In this opening episode in the series on mastering leadership I reflect on each of the four distinct mindsets or ‘ways of being and doing’ I observed.
Assignment #2:
- Determine which of these four (described again below) is most like you?
- Identify the diverse styles & mindsets that exist within the team reporting to you?
- Over the next seven weeks see what you can learn about how you can better value, nurture and leverage the diverse make up of your team to master leadership and develop your leaders.
…you are not only one style. You likely have a “go to” place…a comfortable place where you linger especially when you are facing obstacles or are in a new role. Knowing where that place is, and how it impacts your leadership, will improve your self-awareness and increase your influence. IT IS NOT about labeling or limiting yourself.
The Four Ways of Being and Seeing the World as discussed in Episode #28 of the Podcast:
- Execution (I call this leader Alan on the podcast and for the series):
- A focus on the details and the oversight of the project. Who will do what and by when
- Emphasis on the need for stability
- The gift of action and a willingness to roll up his sleeves to do the hard work and expecting others to do the same.
- Ruthlessly focusing on priorities and taking action to test them for sustainability.
- Alan came to planning meetings out of breath and just in time with lists and assignments for the rest of the members of the team.
- He would say things like, “I’ve got a plan to implement that will require precision and attention to detail” or “Just so you know, there is no room for error.”
- People (I call this leader Marley on the podcast and for the series:
- A focus on the impact the project will have on the people, both clients and employees?
- Emphasis on how people are and will feel?
- The gift of sensitivity and a willingness to hear the emotional reactions and feelings that my sabotage the success.
- Ruthlessly focusing on the danger of ignoring the needs of the people.
- Marley came to planning meetings with energy and a need to share…she came armed with stories, both cautionary and enthusiastic
- She would say things like, “I am hearing from people that they really hope we will…” AND “we need to be more sensitive to the needs of…..”
- Logic and Evaluation (I call this leader Pete on the podcast and for the series):
- A focus on the purpose and evaluation of the project even questioning its value after it was in implementation stages.
- Emphasis on what makes sense and slowing things down.
- The gift of seeing details missed by others and challenging our assumptions and thinking.
- Ruthlessly focusing on the logistics and measuring as we moved forward.
- Pete was the first to arrive for planning meetings with notebook in hand offering well thought out challenges and hard questions or an analysis of several risks.
- He would say things like, “I’ve crunched the numbers and looked at the impact and we need to be really cautious about…” or “My risk assessment suggests we need to….”
- Insight/Action/Vision (I call this leader Cynthia on the podcast and for the series):
- A focus om the opportunities and possibilities.
- Emphasis on moving more quickly and creatively…changing as we moved to maximize benefits.
- The gift of bold ideas with a fearless resolve to keep moving.
- Ruthlessly focusing on the future and all the possibilities that awaited us.
- Cynthia arrived early some days and in her own sweet time on other days but always came with enthusiasm, new ideas and a clear and confident comfort with taking risks and acting on original ideas.
- She would say things like “We have to get moving because I see the possibility for…” AND “I refuse to listen to people’s fears…it will only limit us…let’s get moving…”
If you have been paying attention as a leader I know you have heard each and every one of these ‘ways of being’ on your teams. Each way of seeing or reflecting on a project or change has merit; each perspective comes with its own fears, energy, strengths and perspective. In this series we will touch on them all.
Clearly we are better in teams when we value our differences. It requires a leader who is able to recognize the value, harness it and allow it to shine.
Who are you most like? Go back over the descriptions above and reflect on it. There is no right or wrong answer…come to next week’s episode having considered it. While we will be looking at 12 different character traits I will describe how each of them shows up for Alan, Marley, Pete and Cynthia.
Don’t forget to review the homework outlined above.
One more thing…see if your connection to the characters I describe changes as we dig deeper. You may learn more about yourself and you may shift the way you see yourself as a result.
Please note, you are not only one style. You may have a “go to” style–a comfortable place where you linger especially when you are facing obstacles or are in a new role. Knowing where that place is, and how it impacts, will increase your self-awareness and influence. IT IS NOT about labeling or limiting yourself.
Self awareness is a key foundational requirement of mastering leadership.
Self awareness is a key foundational requirement of mastering leadership. When you are willing to do your own work (practice, receive feedback & coaching) to improve your thinking, mindset, performance, way of seeing and being in relationship to others, you will be ready to make a difference. To be a leader of influence.
NEXT TIME…. Part 2 –we’ll start digging into the character traits of a leader. In Episode 29 we will explore Diplomacy and Integrity. What’s the impact of each and how do they conflict with each other.
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