Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 67

The Best Way To Deal With An Insecure Leader

Working with an insecure boss, leader or manager often presents a challenging situation. But there are effective ways you can deal with an insecure leader and still improve your work environment and foster a productive and harmonious relationship. Here are some key things to remember when you’re dealing with an insecure leader:

Don’t take their lack of confidence as a reflection on yourself. An insecure leader typically expresses their lack of confidence as mistrust—for their employees, for their employers, and even for the workplace in general. They may blame others for things that go wrong or assume that people are out to get them or are after their job. The best way to handle a mistrustful leader is to know that their behavior is isn’t a reflection on you or anyone else but only of their own self-doubt.

Praise their strengths. It can be hard to find anything positive to say when your boss’s insecurity is making your life uncomfortable, but it’s important to look for the good even in frustrating circumstances. If you can focus on their strengths and talents and capabilities, if you can find genuine reason to praise them, it will help calm their insecurities. Anything you shine a light on will get brighter. And the less insecure your boss feels, the easier for everyone.

Don’t allow comparisons. Insecurities often result when someone is comparing themselves to others. Don’t compare your boss with anyone else, and discourage them from trying to be someone they are not. Model security and individuality, and encourage everyone to be themselves and to realize that while it’s not a contest, everyone has room to develop and grow as an employee and as a person.

Pinpoint productive ways to handle frustration. If you have an insecure boss, there’s a good chance that you experience some degree of frustration on a daily basis. It’s important to avoid acting on that frustration in negative or passive-aggressive ways. Instead, try to find some productive avenues to channel it. Commiserate with trusted colleagues, give yourself a workout or long walk at the end of the work day, or work on building the skills you need to find a better position.

Link your success to your leader’s. Thriving under an insecure boss can be tough, especially if you’re doing well and they worry that you may be eclipsing them. Often your best response lies in reminding your boss that your success is tied to theirs. Let them know that your achievements would not be possible without their able guidance and leadership.

Workplace frustration can take a toll on everyone’s well-being, so make sure that you’re dealing with the things that frustrate you in the best possible way. Don’t let frustration consume you; instead, find ways to make it serve you.

Lead from within: Don’t allow a leader’s insecurities to hold you back from being the person you are called to be.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post The Best Way To Deal With An Insecure Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How Your Defensiveness Can Undermine Your Leadership

It’s a natural human response to feel defensive, especially when you think you’re being accused of something or receive feedback you don’t agree with. There are countless reasons why people have feelings of defensiveness.

Feeling defensive may be normal, but acting on that defensiveness—letting it show in your words and behavior—is another matter, especially for leaders. When you’re a leader, your actions and reactions are constantly being watched and emulated by others. So if you find yourself frequently behaving defensively, be aware that you’re not only undermining your own leadership but also potentially harming those you lead with your bad example.

If defensive responses are ingrained into your behavior, you may not even be aware of them. Here are some of the most common ways defensiveness manifests in leaders. See if any of them sound familiar:

Attacking the messenger. If someone gives you feedback that’s critical in nature, the last thing you should do is attack the critic or become argumentative. Instead, make a genuine effort to understand what’s being said and why.

Rationalizing away feedback. If, as a leader, you cannot be open to what is being said and instead distort the critical perspective while rationalizing your behavior, you harm your reputation and effectiveness. Make it a goal to be seen as a leader who can listen and acknowledge anything without easily offended.

Making excuses. No one wants to hear excuses—why you are the way you are, why you do the things you do, or why the issue at hand isn’t your fault. The people you’re leading want to know that you’re the kind of leader who shares the blame and gives away the credit. It’s not easy to accomplish, but it’s a hallmark of the best leaders .

Reacting badly. If you respond with anger, annoyance or exasperation, your defensiveness will scare people away, which means they’ll be unwilling to talk with you when there’s something important that needs to be addressed. Fear is the death of communication, and it can do grave damage to your relationship with your team. Great leaders create space between the stimulus—in this case, criticism—and the response. Within that space, they give themselves the time to choose to respond rather than reacting in the moment.

As a leader, you likely face criticism and critics on a daily basis. The best leaders take it in stride—they find ways to learn from the perspective of others, even if it’s not something they enjoy hearing, and they respond thoughtfully.

Lead from within: We’re all capable of being triggered by our feelings in difficult moments, but it’s the leaders who learn how to control their defensiveness who will accomplish the most.

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post How Your Defensiveness Can Undermine Your Leadership appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

Your Leadership Power Is Contagious. Now What?

As a leader, what you do and how you do it, what you say and how you say it will all be imitated by those you lead. A leader’s power is contagious. Whether you know it or not, the way you carry out your leadership will influence others. Whether that influence is positive or negative is up to you.

Here are the top ways you can use the power of your leadership to be a force for good for the people around you.

Model the way. Be aware that you’re being watched and emulated every day. That means modeling the attitudes and behaviors you want to see in others. Let the visibility of your leadership bring out your best so you can be proud of who you are and who you inspire others to be.

Honor character. For anyone in a leadership role, the importance of character and integrity can’t be overstated. Your character fundamentally shapes how you engage with the world around you—what you notice, what you reinforce, what you value, what you choose to act on, and how you make decisions. Character is the foundation of everything you do, and it will have a ripple effect on those you lead. A leader’s character always influences others—sometimes to their benefit and at other times to their detriment.

Take ownership. At some point, you’ve probably experienced a leader who constantly makes excuses and blames others. It’s a form of bad leadership that creates a toxic culture and an environment of mistrust. But when you take ownership of your actions as a leader, whatever the outcome, you eliminate the distraction and negativity of the blame game and show others how to handle both success and failure. When you show accountability for your actions, you are effectively guiding those around you to take responsibility for theirs.

Connect with impact. Leaders tend to be busy people, with lots to do and little time to waste. That’s why the best leaders focus on pursuing meaningful connections. If you’ve ever been in an environment where the leader stays hidden away behind closed doors and it’s all but impossible to get their attention, you know that the result is an organizational culture built on silos and isolation, one where information is not shared and knowledge is not available. It’s critical that a leader be accessible and available and that they connect with meaning and impact.

Remind yourself every day that your leadership is contagious and your attitudes, words, and actions transfer to others. Think and rethink how you show up, because you will have a whole organization mirroring who you are.

Lead From Within: Your leadership is contagious, and every moment you choose great leadership you move toward a better world.

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post Your Leadership Power Is Contagious. Now What? appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Know You’re About To Make A Bad Leadership Decision

Do you know a successful leader who’s made bad decisions? The answer is almost certainly “yes.”

Decision making is a big part of leadership, and strong leaders pride themselves on their judgment and decisiveness. But even the best of them have made bad decisions at some point—and some of those mistakes were preventable.

Here are the top red flags that can warn you that you may be making a bad choice. Watch for them in your day-to-day decision making and if you see cause for concern, take some time to reconsider. No decision is without risk, but if you’re thoughtful and deliberate in your decision making, you’ll be right more often than not.

If you don’t ask for other opinions. Many leaders make the mistake of thinking they have to make decisions on their own. But especially when you’re faced with an important decision, it’s smart to seek out the counsel of others. Talking through the issues with someone you trust can bring clarity and new insights.

If you decide too quickly. We live in an age where everything seems to require an instant response. The need to make decisions on the fly can lead to mistakes even for the best leaders. Some situations require swift action, but whenever possible give yourself time to process and think.

If you don’t have all the information you need. The devil is in the details, as the old saying goes, and it’s hard to make a sound decision when you don’t have access to information you need. Carry out your due diligence and do your research. You can’t remove uncertainty from decision making, but you can minimize it by making informed choices.

If you only want to follow your gut. Many leaders pride themselves on following their gut instinct. For the best, those instincts are grounded in years of education and experience. For most of us, though, our instincts need backup. If all the evidence and facts point in one direction, and your gut disagrees, ask yourself if something else is at work—maybe denial, wishful thinking, or bias. In most situations where you’re facing a significant decision, trust your head more than your gut.

If you’re too emotional. As a leader, your decisions may be bold, but they also need to be rational. Decisions based on emotion and carried out in the fervent heat of the moment may feel good in the short run, but they aren’t likely to bring good results. Especially if it’s an important decision, take a break and slow things down. Buy yourself some time to quiet your emotions and think things through.

Making good decisions is not always easy, but heeding the warning signs can help keep you from making bad ones.

Lead from within: We all make choices, and in the end our choices make us who we are as leaders.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post How to Know You’re About To Make A Bad Leadership Decision appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

Why You Need to Stop Pushing Yourself So Hard at Work

Most of us believe that in order to succeed, we have to push ourselves hard. Working excessively and compulsively has become the norm, to the degree that Americans are considered workaholics.

Many of us don’t take the time to think about the toll that working so hard takes on us. But science tells us that overwork is damaging—that pushing yourself too hard comes with serious consequences for your physical and mental health.

Keep yourself and your employees in mind as you read through these early symptoms of stress from overwork. If they sound familiar, consider finding ways to begin adjusting the norms so everyone within your organization can maintain productivity without sacrificing their health and well-being.

Chronic irritability. Cranky behavior often signals an imbalance within; it’s a sign that things are not right. Are workloads and expectations creating unhappiness and irritability?

Feeling that you never do enough. Do you suffer from constantly thinking you you’re not accomplishing enough? Are you always pushing and pressuring yourself to do more, feeling that you can’t even stop to acknowledge what you’ve achieved or celebrate what you’re accomplishing? If so, you need to rebalance your work life.

Constantly having to be on. Overworked people often feel pressure to be productive all day every day, constantly connected to their computer and devices. If any effort to relax, even for one night, fills you with guilt and anxiety, think about how much unnecessary stress you’re subjecting yourself to.

Distancing yourself from your personal life. If you find yourself coming up with work-related reasons to avoid doing the things that matter to you and spending time with the people who are important to you, you’re doing damage that will be hard to repair later. The people and causes in your life need your presence, and you’ll never be able to reclaim the time you lose out on with them.

Compromising on self-care. If you hardly leave your desk, if you’re living on takeout and junk food, if you can’t remember the last time you had a good night’s sleep or worked out or even took a walk, you have a problem that’s going to take a profound toll on your health and well-being. Long-term productivity requires that you keep your body in good working order.

If pushing yourself too hard at work is harming your life, your relationships, and your mental and physical health, you already know what you need to do. Make it stop, now. Don’t allow yourself to get away with saying “I’ll start taking care of myself after this project is complete” or “I’m only working this hard until my promotion comes through.” Begin today to insist that you, and everyone in your organization, deserves a happy and well-balanced life and take the steps you need to make it happen.

Sacrificing your well-being in the hopes achieving something great is never smart.

Lead from within: The way to succeed is not to work long hours, but to work hard in each hour.

 

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#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post Why You Need to Stop Pushing Yourself So Hard at Work appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Break Your Bad Leadership Habits

Habits—the behaviors we repeat so often that they become automatic—can be beneficial or destructive. Fastening your seat belt, for example, is a habit you’d never want to break, but paying bills late month after month can get you in real trouble. In leadership, too, habits can be positive or negative. Here are some of the most common bad leadership habits—look through the list and see which of your own automatic thoughts and actions may be in need of reforming.

You think you’re good at everything. If you’re like most leaders, you know to leverage what you’re good at, but letting your weaknesses slide does real damage to both you and your team. Break the habit by working to understand and address your challenges. Remember that setting an example of self-improvement is part of your job as a leader.

You take people for granted. Everyone wants to be valued and recognized for what they do. If you are taking your people for granted, you and your organization are missing out on their full value and the potential. Break the habit by structuring opportunities for recognition into staff meetings, weekly emails, or other regular events.

You’re always expressing a negative point of view. If your first response is always negative, people around you will eventually become reluctant to present you with new ideas or speak to you about what’s on their mind—and those are things you need to know. You may not be able to change how you feel, but you can always choose to act in a way that builds connections. Break the habit by expressing openness to other people’s ideas.

You avoid difficult conversations. If you are in the habit of avoiding conflict, you are weakening your leadership. It’s hard for people to have faith in a leader who won’t confront difficulty. Break the habit by forcing yourself to meet problems head-on and have difficult conversation when they’re needed. However painful it seems at the time, it’s easier than avoidance in the long run.

You live in the weeds. The best leaders don’t micromanage, because they know it creates mistrust and breaks down innovation and motivation. At the heart of most micromanagement tendencies is the fear that your people will make you look bad. Break the habit by learning to trust the people you’ve hired to do the job you hired them to do.

When it comes to breaking bad habits, change might not be fast or easy. But with time and effort, almost any habit can be reshaped.

Lead from within: A leader who doesn’t take the time to take stock of their attitudes and behavior doesn’t even know what bad habits they need to break.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post How to Break Your Bad Leadership Habits appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

Why Every Leader Needs to Spend Time Alone

Studies have long shown that chronic loneliness and isolation are damaging to people’s mental and physical health. But a balanced amount of time spent alone has clear benefits—and depending on your temperament, it may be a necessity. It can even help strengthen your leadership. Here’s how:

Improved social relationships. At first glance, it doesn’t make sense to improve your social relationships by being alone . But when you take the time to look inward, defining your needs and priorities, your social life will be better spent. Similarly, time alone can improve your relationships at work. And the better your relationships, the happier and more productive you’ll be—as a human and as a leader.

Improved creativity. The best way to foster creativity is to take the time to give yourself a framework of goals, outcomes, objectives and results. If you don’t slow down to do this work you will find yourself going around in circles. And once you’ve determined a destination, getting and staying in touch with your creativity requires the kind of deep dives that are best accomplished alone.

Improved confidence. Many leaders subscribe to the mantra fake it till you make it, but as a leadership coach I have seen this approach cause far too many implosions. Instead, lead from within by developing an understanding of who you are and what you’re good at. From there you can build on your strengths and leverage your weaknesses in authentic ways that benefit both you and those you lead. It’s a deeply rewarding process, one that will benefit you in every way, and it requires spending the kind of focused time and energy that you can find only when you’re alone.

Improved emotional regulation. Most leaders have a thousand things coming at them all at once. Those who spend some daily time centering themselves in quiet meditation, prayer, or thought are able take it in stride. Those who never give their nerves a break from the constant overstimulation and chaos of the work day are far more likely to react badly as soon as something goes off track.

Improved decision making. When decisions need to be made—and especially when they need to be made quickly—the best leaders take a moment to themselves. They aren’t stalling—they’re making a peaceful space to review their options, make sure they’re thinking clearly and accounting for everything. A little focused time yields clear, well-thought-out decisions.

Many people, especially those who are extroverts by nature, may find it hard to spend time alone. But if you can develop a regular practice of closing your door to the world, you’ll give yourself time with your thoughts and a space for your mind to wander in new directions. Time alone can be restorative, building your confidence, creativity, and productivity, and helping you better engage with others.

Lead from within: Give yourself a break and spend some more time alone so you can become the leader you are meant to be.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L   B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post Why Every Leader Needs to Spend Time Alone appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

What is the Worst Leadership Styles and Why

People who study leadership theory learn about numerous styles of leadership: autocratic, democratic, strategic, transformational—on and on. It can be interesting to debate the pros and cons of each.

But whatever theory you subscribe to—or if you’re a self-taught leader who doesn’t believe in theories—there are some styles of leadership that are always detrimental. Here are a few of the worst:

Know-it-all leadership. People don’t admire leaders who pretend to know everything and insist that whatever they do is right. Leaders who think they’re smarter than everyone else create isolation and quickly come to be resented by their peers and the people on their team.

Absent leadership. Some leaders are physically absent—always away at a meeting or conference, wandering somewhere else in the building or working from home. Many more are physically present and may even pride themselves on being accessible because their office door is always open. But if they’re distracted and checked out, never really listening or pitching in, they might as well be somewhere else.

Inflexible leadership. A leader’s behavior is the single biggest factor they bring to bear on influencing others. Agile, creative leadership has the power to energize, engage and motivate people to go the extra mile for their organization. But a leader who’s inflexible and stubborn creates demotivation, poor performance, frequent absences, and high turnover.

Micromanaging leadership. Micromanagement has a devastating effect on even the best teams, destroying morale and productivity. Part of the problem is that most micromanagers aren’t even aware of what they’re doing. They’re often the ones saying “I don’t believe in micromanagement, but…”. Effective leadership means a commitment to focus on the big picture and on motivating employees, not standing over their shoulder.

Self-serving leadership. Ego can undermine leadership in two ways. The first is false pride, when you focus on self-promotion and making yourself look good even at the expense of your team or peers. The second is self-doubt or fear, when you lose confidence and question yourself and your abilities. They move in different directions, but they’re equally destructive.

Leadership by intimidation. Those who lead from fear are often terrified of looking weak, but in trying to look strong they fail themselves and their team. Instead of sharing a vision that motivates, they threaten and complain. Instead of analyzing problems and looking for solutions, they focus on placing blame. Talented team members find new options, leaving only mediocre performers who are lacking enough in confidence to allow themselves to be bullied on a daily basis.

At the end of the day, every leader has their own preferred style. The important thing is to be aware of what style you’re putting out there and to check in periodically to make sure it’s serving your team and yourself well.

Lead from within: It’s said that the best sign of a good leader is not how many followers they have, but how many leaders they create. If your leadership style is right, your influence will quickly spread.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L   B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post What is the Worst Leadership Styles and Why appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Recognize A Strong Leader In A Group Of People

Strong leaders emerge in different ways and at different times. Some people seem born to leadership, and others build their abilities more slowly. Some have the capacity but need their confidence to develop before they can make best the best use of it. Others don’t step into their leadership until the circumstances call for it—usually in difficult times.

But in any group of people there will be a few who show leadership qualities, even if they’re not fully developed. Here are some things to look for if you want to know who’s capable of being a strong leader:

They share their expertise. Those who are supportive of others, those who guide and mentor and are quick to share their expertise are showing key leadership traits. Their attention inspires others to care about what they do, and they’re committed to helping others be their best.

They are trust builders. People build trust in lots of different ways. Many prospective leaders do so by being competent and reliable in their job. That dependability is the foundation for them to build strong relationships with the people they work with at every level, from their bosses to their peers to support staff. They show integrity, focus on solving problems instead of placing blame, and when things go well they share the credit.

They are an influence for good in challenging times. People’s true natures tend to emerge when difficulties arise. Some complain or make sure their own interests are served. But those who are empathetic, realistic and proactive—and especially those who look for patterns of recurring challenges and seek ways to solve them—are likely to emerge as true leaders.

They are emotionally agile. The best leaders know how to manage their emotions and are agile enough to let go of any thoughts, beliefs or emotions that aren’t serving them well. Anyone with that ability has already mastered one of the most challenging components of leadership.

They are great listeners. Leadership is based on connection, and connection is based on listening. Good listeners—those who seek to understand by asking clarifying questions and by giving their complete attention—have the foundation to make good leaders.

They don’t wait to be asked. In almost every group there will be few people with no official authority who are quick to step up with support and guidance. Generally it’s the ones who are already excellent at their job, and their combination of helpfulness, initiative, competence and confidence makes them strong contenders for leadership roles.

You can’t always predict leadership potential, but those who exhibit these positive traits are likely to be effective leaders. Recognize them for who they are, and give them as many opportunities as possible to grow into their potential.

Lead from within: We sometimes look at leadership in a superficial way. In reality, the person who cares the most is the one who will stand out from a crowd of prospective leaders.

 

#1 N A T I O N A L  B E S T S E L L E R


The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

buy now

 

Additional Reading you might enjoy:

12 Successful Leadership Principles That Never Grow Old
A Leadership Manifesto: A Guide To Greatness
How to Succeed as A New Leader
12 of The Most Common Lies Leaders Tell Themselves
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
The Deception Trap of Leadership

 

Photo Credit: iStockPhotos

The post How to Recognize A Strong Leader In A Group Of People appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Prepare Your People for the New Normal

As a coach working with CEOs and other leaders, I help my clients learn to be ready for what the future is likely to bring—and for the possibilities that they can’t see coming. Lately I’ve been focusing on helping them prepare themselves and their people for what’s being called the new normal—life after this initial phase of the crisis is over, when we return to a workplace that in many ways won’t be the same as the one we left.

Here are some of the most important things you need to consider as you prepare your team for the weeks and months to come:

If the team was struggling before, now they will be challenged even more. If your team found working together to be a struggle before the pandemic, they’ll be more challenged than ever. Even for those who come back in to work, office life will be different. Anything new takes extra effort and adds extra stress, so provide plenty of clarity and patience.

If the team was used to a set process before, now they will need to make adjustments. A wide reassessment is happening everywhere: Is what we did six months ago still relevant today? Many teams will be required to pivot or revise their projects and projections. Not only processes but also organizational priorities and needs are changing.

If the team was only semi-engaged before, now they will have to tune in more than ever. Even in the best teams, there are disagreements and conflicts. Where before people could work things out face to face, reconciling differences is going to remain difficult. Leaders must prepare their people to tune in to one another even more and find room to agree before disengagement can even begin.

If the team had a hard time with accountability before, now they will have to be more responsible than ever. Change and uncertainty lead to anxiety and stress—which means no one on your team is likely to be at their best and problems become magnified. People who struggled with accountability before will be more likely to blame others. Coach your team to take ownership and model accountability for them.

If decisions always came from the top before, now teams will have to learn to make them together. If there’s a silver lining to crisis, it’s that it shakes up structure. In the past weeks many teams have seen people across functions step up and speak up with effective results—and now that they’ve found their voices, taking them away would be both difficult and wrong. Leaders and teams alike need to learn a new style of collaborative decision making.

The best leaders are preparing their people for the new normal, because they know that if their people are prepared, the rest of the organization will be aligned.

Lead from within: Preparation is everything. Leaders know that when you fail to prepare, you are preparing to fail.

 

 

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The Leadership Gap

What Gets Between You and Your Greatness

After decades of coaching powerful executives around the world, Lolly Daskal has observed that leaders rise to their positions relying on a specific set of values and traits. But in time, every executive reaches a point when their performance suffers and failure persists. Very few understand why or how to prevent it.

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Additional Reading you might enjoy:

How Great Leadership is Generated in Significant Crisis
How to Lead Your Team When The Future Is Uncertain
The One Aspect Of Crisis Management That No One Talks About
How The Best Leaders Are Already Planning Past The Crisis
How to Engage Employees During Uncertain Times
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed

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