Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 82
March 5, 2019
The Worst Mistakes You Can Make at Work
We all have witnessed or heard stories of inappropriate workplace behavior—not just everyday mistakes or issues, but the kind of things that get people fired and cause long-term career damage.
You may feel that nothing like that will ever happen to you, but knowledge is the best prevention. Here are nine of the most damaging things you can do on the job:
Losing control of your emotions. Whether you experience frustration, irritation, worry, anger, dislike or unhappiness, learn how to manage your emotions at work constructively. Even if everything you’re feeling is 100 percent justified, emotional outbursts are never appropriate.
Saying one thing and doing another. When you make promises, people hold you accountable. And when you say one thing and do another, people lose trust in you—and once trust is lost, it’s hard to win back. Your reputation depends on keeping your word.
Burning bridges. The things that matter most in the course of your career are the people you work with and the connections you make. The last thing you want to do is burn any of those bridges, however tempting it may be. We live in a small world, and you never know whose help or goodwill you may need down the road.
Gossiping. Gossiping is bad for a multitude of reasons, but it still happens on a regular basis. No matter how bad the consequences, gossip seems to be human nature. But especially when it comes to gossip that does real harm to someone, it accomplishes nothing but making you look negative, vindictive and untrustworthy.
Taking credit for someone else’s work. Taking credit for someone else’s work isn’t just unethical and dishonest, it rarely fools anyone. What people come away with is the sense that you haven’t accomplished anything significant on your own and that you have no respect for your colleagues, making you look even worse.
Backstabbing. Backstabbers specialize in saying wrong things at the wrong time to the wrong people. It may be disguised as assertiveness or self-defense, but backstabbing is incredibly destructive behavior that harms everyone involved and ruins good teams.
Self-aggrandizement. Bragging, even when it’s justified, is seen as a show of weakness more than strength. Confidence is silent and insecurities are loud. It’s always tempting to toot your own horn, especially when you’re proud of something you’ve accomplished. You can make your point more graciously by instead bragging on your co-workers’ role in a successful project.
Lead from within: Some mistakes can be costly, so it’s good to be aware of them and to know your own weaknesses so you can steer clear at work.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post The Worst Mistakes You Can Make at Work appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
March 4, 2019
How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others
Learning how to bring out the best in others is one of the most important things you will ever do as a leader.
Once you have confidence in yourself and feel you’re on the road to being the person you want to be, it’s time to focus on bringing out the best in others. Here are some of the top ways you can empower those you serve as leader:
Appraise them carefully. The best way to start is with evaluation. If you give inexperienced people too much responsibility or authority too soon, you could be setting them up to fail. On the other hand, if you move too slowly, people will feel bored, discouraged or demoralized. People genuinely want to succeed, and as a leader it’s your job to appraise and evaluate them so you can equip them with what they need in order to develop.
Model the way. Even the most successful people expect their leaders to provide an example. You have the opportunity—and the obligation—to show people how to lead. Model the attitude, the work ethic and the standards you want to see in others.
Believe in their success. As a leader, you need to make people to believe they can succeed and show them that you want and expect them to. People need to hear that you believe in them. Tell them often that you know they are going to succeed and give them reinforcements as often as you can. Once people recognize that you genuinely want to see them do well and are committed to helping them, they will begin to believe they can accomplish what you give them to do.
Provide feedback. As a leader, it is your responsibility to give people honest, positive feedback and to mentor and coach them through their mistakes and misjudgments. Feedback should never feel like criticism but should communicate empathy and caring.
Give them power. Many people in leadership are willing to give others responsibility—they will gladly delegate tasks—but empowering others means sharing your power and ability to get things done. People become strong and effective only when they are given the opportunity to make decisions, act to solve problems and meet challenges.
Offer public praise. Tell people publicly how much confidence you have in them. As you raise people up, show them your confidence in them and you will find how quickly they’ll live up to your expectations.
Give autonomy. The best way to see people succeed is to release them to continue on their own. Give them the skills to make decisions and succeed, then give them the autonomy to do it for themselves.
Bringing out the best in others is a win all around—it frees you up as a leader to have more time for the important things, and it can increase the effectiveness of your team and company. Most of all, though, it’s the right thing to do.
Lead from within: When you bring out the best in others, you have an incredibly positive impact on the lives of the people you empower.
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.
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: iStock Photo
The post How Great Leaders Bring Out the Best in Others appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 28, 2019
5 Important Things Most Leaders Are in Denial About
Leaders are a diverse group, but they do share some common traits. For example, there’s something in the nature of virtually every leader—whether it originates in pride, a primal need for power, a desire for control, or an obsession with success— that causes them to be in denial about certain types of things.
Once you know what to look for, you’ll be better prepared to make sure you stay connected with reality. Here are five of the top topics that leaders are in denial about:
1. Self-awareness. Many of the leaders I coach assure me that they have more than enough self-awareness. It’s a statement that almost always is grounded in denial. It’s not that people want to fool themselves, but it can be genuinely hard to look in the mirror and see the truth about yourself. Most leaders are inaccurate in assessing their own strengths and weaknesses.
2. Communication skills. Many leaders think they’re great communicators, not realizing that they may be communicating only in one direction. Some pride themselves on being approachable and accessible, but they never really hear what others are saying. Some fail to set goals or provide context for the things they ask people to do, and others never offer feedback, leaving people wondering what they need to do to be successful. Communication is imperative for good leadership, so if there are gaps in your skills you need to know about them so you know where to improve.
3. Autonomy. The biggest mistake many leaders make, especially if they’ve worked their way up through the ranks, is failing to make the mental shift from being a doer to being a leader. As a result, they refuse to let the members of their do their job, and end up micromanaging to the point of frustrating their most talented people. An important part of a leader’s success rests in giving people the freedom to do their jobs.
4. Connection with their team. Most leaders know almost nothing about what their employees want, for the simple reason that they never take the time to ask. Employees quit because they see greener pastures in another workplace. That’s typically because of a leadership failure, and it happens more often than you’d think.
5. Mistakes. Successful leaders own their mistakes—they take responsibility, they learn from their missteps and move forward. Leaders in denial, however, put more energy into hiding their mistakes than it would take to own up to their responsibility and explore ways to make things right.
Leaders who choose to live in denial are likely doomed to fail. Think of these symptoms as warning signs, indicators that you may not be adequately attuned to the reality of their leadership. It’s well worth your time to take a second look or even to compare your perceptions with those of a trusted advisor.
Lead from within: More leaders would learn from their mistakes if they weren’t so busy denying them.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post 5 Important Things Most Leaders Are in Denial About appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 26, 2019
10 Ways Successful People Work with People They Don’t Like
For productive and effective work, there’s nothing like collaboration with people you already like and respect—people you trust and know you can work well with. Eventually, though, it will likely fall upon you to work with someone you just don’t like. If you try to get out of it you only end up looking bad. That’s why learning to collaborate successfully with people you dislike is such a valuable skill.
Here are some starting points—try them out on your nemesis in small-scale situations so you’ll be prepared when you’re assigned to a major project together.
Start with acceptance. You don’t have to learn to like this person. All you have to do is get along and work well with them. Acknowledging that you clash with someone without judgment can help clear the strong emotions that often accompany challenging relationships.
Examine your own behavior before you blame. In many cases, we form a dislike for people because they remind us of parts of ourselves we dislike. Do some reflecting, and if you find this is the case, acknowledge and deal with it. Remind yourself that being triggered by another person isn’t cause to mistrust or despise them.
Manage your emotions. Dealing with someone who rubs you the wrong way can have a negative effect on your own emotions. A negative person or know-it-all can quickly wear you down—but only if you let them. Remember that you have power over your own emotions and that you don’t have to allow anyone else to influence your state of mind. Learn to manage your own emotions, because the only person you can change is yourself.
Improve your communication. To be better at collaborating with anyone—but especially with people you dislike—work to improve your communication skills. That means having more dialogues than monologues, more listening than speaking and more understanding then conflict. Work on your own communication challenges and you may inspire your difficult collaborator to do the same.
Keep your head down. If you cannot improve the situation, you have to learn to play it as well as you can. Forget about trying to have harmony and focus mainly on achieving the goals of the project.
Rise above. Never stoop to the level of those you dislike; don’t let their dysfunction change who you are. You don’t have to respond to the drama. Instead, rise above the circumstances, respectfully, quietly and without fanfare.
Keep it professional. Regardless of another person’s behavior, always take the high road. Avoid making it personal, because it will only cause destructive behaviors. Try to make the best of things by concentrating on the situation, not the person.
Find common ground. There may be many things setting you apart, but if you work at it you can find something to come together over with just about anyone. Concentrate on what you have in common more than your differences and you may find yourself disliking the person less.
Pick your battles. Not all things are worth your attention and focus. Sometimes dealing with a person you dislike can become so frustrating that you have to ask yourself, “Do they really deserve my time?” If not, don’t waste your precious resources on someone who doesn’t deserve your energy or attention. Be wise and choose your battles carefully.
Cultivate a support system. Doing anything on your own can be difficult, so try to find people to support you. Trusted individuals can help you feel supported and less alone. They can bring objectivity to the situation and help brainstorm ways to deal with a difficult person.
Lead from Within: Working with a colleague you dislike is never fun. However, it’s important that you never let interpersonal problems get in the way of your professionalism.
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.
Additional Reading you might enjoy:
4 of the Most Important Skills of the Future
How to Increase Your Influence Using 5 Simple Words
How to Succeed as A New Leader
The Difficult Day Every Leader Has to Face
4 Proven Reasons Why Intuitive Leaders Make Great Leaders
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
How to Recover After a Deadly Leadership Mistake
Photo Credit: iStock Photo
The post 10 Ways Successful People Work with People They Don’t Like appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 25, 2019
The Shocking Truth About Your Leader You Need to Know
Are leaders born or made? That debate will never be resolved. But one thing is certain: many of the skills that make up good leadership have to be learned along the way.
Leaders are human, and here’s the surprising truth: sometimes they simply get it wrong. And when that happens, it’s our obligation to help and guide them, whether they’re a peer or someone in leadership above us. Because, after all, leadership is a two-way street.
Here are some ways you can help a leader who’s going in the wrong direction:
When your leader exudes negativity, set the example by leading with positivity. Be the example the leader needs to see. Negativity limits any leader’s effectiveness. A huge part of your leadership is the energy you exude—it affects your team and your entire organization. It may be hard when you’re bombarded with negativity from your leader, but keeping your own attitude positive will help show them—and your co-workers—the way.
When your leader becomes fatalistic, remind them that a mistake isn’t the final word. When times get tough, remind your leader of Winston Churchill’s words, “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts.” Even our leaders need our encouragement from time to time. The right message at the right moment may be the thing to jolt your leader back into the mindset they need to have.
When your leader exhibits disrespect, show them what respect looks like. Disrespect should never be tolerated. But it finds a way to creep in, even in the best organization. When that happens, it’s important to do everything you can to stop it in its tracks. Whatever is accepted today—especially in someone in leadership—becomes the norm tomorrow. When a leader exhibits disrespect, give feedback on the consequences—in a respectful way. Ultimately you can’t force a leader to respect you, but you can refuse to tolerate their disrespect, and you can make sure your own behavior is impeccable.
When your leader doesn’t take responsibility, remind them that they’re accountable. When an overburdened leader shrugs off responsibility, it often results in a ripple effect throughout the company. Support your leader in the understanding that power carries responsibility not only for what we do but also for what we don’t do.
You may be thinking, I can’t say any of these things to my leader. It’s a task that calls for a degree of courage and tact. But unless your leader is genuinely awful—and that’s rare—they’re human, just like you. And just like you they sometimes need reminders and encouragement. Those who recognize this fact and show the leadership to act on it invariably stand out from the crowd.
Lead from within: It may be surprising to see your leader stumble, but the biggest surprise will come when you take ownership of your own leadership.
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.
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 Shocking Truth About Your Leader You Need to Know appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 21, 2019
How to Recognize And Weed Out Toxic Leaders
You invest a lot of your time and energy into your work, and part of the return on that investment is the benefit of being led by someone you respect and admire—someone you can emulate. But of course, it doesn’t always work that way. Far too many people end up working for toxic leaders.
As a leadership coach, I’ve seen the kind of damage toxic leaders can do. Left alone, a single toxic individual can undermine relationships, wreck teams, and destroy the fabric of an entire organization.
A number of strategies can be effective against a toxic leader, but the first step is to identify the problem. Here are some clear signs that your leader is toxic and not just overloaded or inept:
Toxic leaders speak but never listen. A leader who does all the talking is trying to cover up for the things they don’t know. Those who are secure in their leadership tend to listen more than they speak, because they know they can learn something new from everyone they listen to.
Toxic leaders dismiss other people’s ideas. It’s a terrible feeling when you share an idea or direction you’re passionate about only to have it ignored or even mocked. “My way or the highway” is the motto of toxic leadership.
Toxic leaders belittle and ridicule others. If you sit in a meeting and can hardly believe you’re hearing someone in leadership speak with such contempt to a member of their team—if you’re reminding yourself to stay silent so you don’t put yourself in the line of fire, you’re dealing with a toxic leader.
Toxic leaders are easily frustrated by teaching, mentoring and coaching. Patience is one of the hallmarks of effective leadership. And while some are better at it than others, most great leaders love helping their team members develop and grow. Toxic leaders, on the other hand, are unable to meet people where they are without quickly becoming frustrated.
Toxic leaders constantly micromanage. When a leader believes in their deepest core that their way is the only good option and no one else can do anything nearly as well as they can do it themselves, they micromanage. The result is that it’s difficult for others to bring forth their talent, state their ideas or even do their job.
Toxic leaders lack social skills and emotional intelligence. Knowing how to manage their own emotions and being aware of the emotions of others are among a great leader’s biggest strengths. But toxic leaders are unaware—of self and of others—a trait that seriously disables their leadership.
Toxic leaders take credit for other people’s work. There’s nothing more infuriating than someone taking credit for your work—especially when it’s being done by a so-called leader. The likely cause is that they don’t feel secure enough to give credit to others; if they don’t have the light always shining on them, they may feel they’re no longer in control.
Toxic leaders blame others for their own mistakes. When a leader points fingers for their own errors, their lack of responsibility and accountability is toxic—and it often causes others to feel they are at fault. Great leaders take the blame and are accountable; they find a lesson where others see only a problem.
Toxic leaders never admit to being wrong. How many times have you seen a leader pretend to ask for opinions when they’re really ask for validation of their own ideas? When push comes to shove their way is the only acceptable answer. It’s an attitude that breeds toxicity and demoralizes everyone, especially the smartest people on the team.
Unfortunately, recognizing toxic leaders is easier than dealing with them. One frequently successful approach to weeding them out involves talking to them and letting them know the effects of their behavior—respectfully, so you don’t become part of the problem. The longer their behavior continues the more acceptable it becomes, and ultimately the only way out may be to find a better environment.
Lead from within: Understanding your leaders, cultivating deep relationships with them, and supporting them can create a positive culture that will keep you and your organization on the road to success.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post How to Recognize And Weed Out Toxic Leaders appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 19, 2019
This is How the Best Leaders Coach Through Change
The world is changing fast, and business has to constantly evolve to keep up. Organizations are always looking for new ways of doing business, new products, new innovations—it’s an important part of almost any successful business strategy.
Even with all its advantages, change requires some care to implement. One important factor, often neglected, is the need for leaders to coach their teams through times of change. Great leaders understand that people need support and guidance so they can adapt.
As an executive leadership coach, I’ve seen leaders who were reluctant to share information and guide people along the way—and the results were never good. The nature of change is disruption, and when people feel that change is something that’s happening to them rather than something they’re helping to create, they become defensive and fearful. It’s important to bring people on board and let them know they’ll continue to have a valuable role.
Here are the techniques used by the leaders I’ve seen do the best job of coaching their people through change:
Communicate frequently. When change is happening, one of the most important things you can do is communicate frequently and repeatedly. Don’t assume people know what is going on—tell them and keep them in the loop. Avoid sidebar conversations and gossip, and don’t accept them in the workplace. When people start to talk among themselves without solid information, the rumor mill takes over and you lose control of the message.
Tell a compelling story. As a leader, you need to tell a compelling story that explains the why for change, which in turn will lead naturally to the how. Remember that one of your top goals is to give people a context of meaning and purpose for the change.
Address fears. It’s important that you hear, understand and address the fears that people are experiencing and that you address the change from their perspective. Above all, they want to know what will happen to them and how their role will change. Try not to get frustrated with those who are resistant and fearful. Challenge preconceptions and assumptions and be supportive.
Lead with respect. Take the time to coach others with respect and help them through what they likely perceive as a challenging and intimidating situation. Pay close attention to people’s reactions at every stage. Respect their emotions as you communicate the change.
Understand to learn. The best leaders take time to understand why people feel the way they do. Don’t rush it—some people may not want to talk about their feelings at work. Others may be confused about their emotions. As their leader, be the coach you need to be to take to understand and to learn from them what they are going through.
Give a sense of purpose. The best leaders understand that for people to take risks, they need to connect to a clear vision. People need to understand how the future will look and how it will affect them. Once that is in place, focus on the individual’s strengths and goals and where they can fit with the organization’s shifting needs and priorities.
A great leader has the responsibility of also being a great coach. Coaching is a powerful tool for helping people understand and embrace change. It takes time and patience, but the investment pays off in the long term.
Lead from Within: Effective coaching through change will help people and keep them working together in a setting where everyone knows their role, responsibility and value they can bring to the company.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post This is How the Best Leaders Coach Through Change appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 18, 2019
10 Ways Meditation Can Make You a Better Leader
Mindfulness is a growing concept in business, one that’s been adopted around the world. Many top leaders practice daily meditation–they’ve experienced its benefits and value, and they report that it makes them a better and more successful leader.
On the basis of their executives’ experience, companies are beginning to integrate mindfulness techniques into their high potential programs, with the goal of creating agile and flexible mindsets in their developing leaders.
If you are still among the skeptics, here are 10 ways mediation can make you a better and more successful leader:
Sharpening your attention. Research shows that a daily mediation practice can help individuals sharpen their focus and improve on their concentration. Our minds tend to wander about half the time, but with meditation you can teach yourself to curb distractions and strengthen your ability to focus.
Developing self-awareness. Meditation naturally leads to increased introspection, which in turn allows you to recover faster when provoked, disengage when you need to, and control bad habits.
Building resiliency. By decreasing anxiety, meditation may be able to boost resilience and performance under stress. Daily mediation can help you keep your composure and reduce the impact of stress.
Cultivating emotional intelligence. A mindfulness practice can help you slow down enough to manage your emotions and respond with empathy and logic. People who practice mindfulness have greater control over their emotions and are less likely to react impulsively to frustrating or emotionally charged situations. This could aid in making more logical decisions and remaining calm.
Enhancing creativity. Studies on creativity suggest that we come up with our greatest insights and biggest breakthroughs when we are in a more meditative and relaxed state of mind. That is when we have the “aha!” moments. Meditation encourages divergent thinking, which generates multiple solutions and is a key component of creativity.
Deepening relationships. Leaders who meditate daily report higher levels of satisfaction in their personal and professional relationships. Meditation can help protect you from the negative effects of the conflict and challenges that are built in to relationships.
Controlling anxiety. Leadership comes with a burden of constant apprehension and concern, and learning to reduce anxiety is among the most valuable benefits of meditation and mindfulness.
Building confidence. Meditating teaches you to stop rushing between things and limiting yourself. It makes you believe that you can accomplish all the things you thought were impossible.
Improving sleep. About 50 percent of people experience insomnia at some point in their lives. Studies show that meditation can help you get to sleep sooner and stay asleep for longer period of time. It teaches you techniques for redirecting or controlling the racing thoughts that frequently result in insomnia, helping you feel relaxed, tension-free, and peaceful.
Fostering equanimity. Especially when it feels like everything’s falling apart, a tool that gives you peace of mind and composure and helps you stay calm and level-headed is a good investment of your time and energy.
Lead from within: Meditation is a secret weapon. If you want to be a better and more successful leader, cultivate it as a daily practice.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post 10 Ways Meditation Can Make You a Better Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 14, 2019
The Best Ways to Motivate People Effectively, Without Authority
To be an effective leader, you need to stay on the right side of the line between motivating people and trying to hold control or power over them. Leadership doesn’t need to lean on authority; it never asks people to do things with a parental “because I said so.”
Leadership is complex. Many leaders think their position carries a right—even an obligation, in tough times—to make demands. But it’s exactly in those tough times that people need a leader who can manage effectively. Ideally, that means bringing together a diverse team with different expertise, skills and work styles and exploring different ways of moving your organization toward its goals. As the leader, you have accountability, authority. To accomplish the team’s goals, you’ll be expected—among other things—to motivate, facilitate, encourage, communicate effectively, build trust, and resolve conflict. And that is leadership.
So how do you motivate people without authority? Here are some possibilities:
Cultivate a healthy culture. Establish a relaxed environment where everyone is encouraged to speak up and share their opinions and ideas. A respectful, encouraging climate makes people feel valued and motivated to work hard and accomplish great things.
Set goals that give direction. Leadership depends on setting understandable and attainable goals. When you bring together a diverse set of people, clear, specific goals are even more essential. Team members have their own perspectives and views that can lead your team in different directions to the point that they’re going in circles if there’s no central direction. Work to earn the respect of your team to protect it from conflict, friction, dispute or discord. Set he goals and direction in such a way that everyone feels they are supported and motivated.
Get rid of dumb rules. A heavy-handed approach can lead to resentment and noncompliance. Get rid of any rules and regulations that aren’t really necessary. If you’re stuck in an old model of arbitrary regulations, learn to adapt to the changing environment. Freeing people up from being policed over dumb rules is always motivating.
Make relationships partnerships. If people believe you are in it with them, it will motivate them to work harder to succeed. Partnership creates community; it means that together you will accomplish great things. Thinking of yourself as a partner helps keep you flexible and inspires others to do great things.
Empower people to be great. Leaders who give power to others can be very influential and motivating. When you use your power to help others accomplish great things, they will naturally feel a sense of trust. And when people feel trust, they take more responsibility for outcomes. Empowerment is a great motivator, and it can be used to recognize the efforts of those who work hard and achieve success.
Leading a team is a definite challenge that can put all your skills to the test—from setting goals to involving team members in decision making to creating a climate of openness and honesty. But when you demonstrate that you believe in the value of their work and you’re willing to help overcome any obstacles they encounter, they will respect your integrity and work hard to achieve great results.
Lead from within: If you remember to put your team’s needs first and work hard to protect their interests, you’ll prove to them that you’re passionately committed to their success.
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.
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 Ways to Motivate People Effectively, Without Authority appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
February 12, 2019
How to Be Sensitive to Other People’s Feelings
One of the most important traits of a leader is sensitivity to the feelings of the people around them. Sensitivity may come more easily to some, but it’s a skill that anyone can learn, a flexible set of capabilities that can be acquired and improved with practice.
For leaders, managers, bosses—anyone who lead or manages people—sensitivity not only helps them be a better leader, but also provides insight into themselves. Here are some of the ways top leaders develop their sensitivity:
They practice passive activism. Great leaders grant emotional people the dignity of their own processes. They allow the person who is being emotional to define the meaning of what is happening by encouraging them to discuss the issues in practical, human, simple, and direct terms.
They build snowballs. The best leaders give their undivided attention to whomever they’re with. They don’t allow themselves to get distracted by other activities or let their mind wander, because they know their undivided attention will help the conversation grow like a snowball as it unfolds. A snowball conversation is an opportunity to learn someone’s true feelings and motivations.
They leave their judgment at the door. We all have biases and make judgments—that’s only human. But as a leader, listening and learning are more important than expressing your own point of view. This doesn’t mean you have to agree with what’s being said, just that you’re willing to keep an open mind.
They don’t make comparisons. Sensitive leaders understand that each person’s experience, strengths, and challenges are unique and can’t be compared to anyone else’s. Being pleasant and courteous to other people is a good way to be respectful of what they’re feeling.
They listen with care. Leaders pay close attention to anyone who’s expressing themselves. If you struggle with careful listening, try summarizing or paraphrasing what the other person is saying. It forces you to pay attention, and gives the other person a chance to confirm that you’ve understood correctly.
They ask questions. Asking questions is a great way to learn more about the perspective of another person. Questions also signal that you value their thoughts and feelings. Being open to whatever the person might have to say is a sign of compassionate communication.
They avoid stock responses. If a person is going through a hard time, try not to say things like “Everything happens for a reason” or “I know exactly how you feel.” Your intentions may be good, but as a leader you have to be smart about what you say and how you say it. Saying that a bad experience may be “a blessing in disguise” is insensitive to the person who is struggling.
They acknowledge the person. It’s important to recognize the person in front of you and not minimize what is going on or being said. There is no shame in expressing your authentic feelings. Especially when feelings are sensitive, it’s important to feel acknowledged and understood.
Lead from within: Being sensitive to other people’s feelings can teach you a lot about yourself.
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.
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: iStock Photos
The post How to Be Sensitive to Other People’s Feelings appeared first on Lolly Daskal.
