Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 84

10 Warning Signs You Are Working for the Wrong Leader

We all want to work for someone who makes us feel valued for the work we do. Some leaders will always be better than others. But if your boss is less than stellar, how can you tell if you are working for the wrong kind of leader? Here are some warning signs that you should pay attention to:

Your leader lacks vision. It’s hard to build success when a leader lacks vision. How are you supposed to follow someone who doesn’t know where they are going? Good leaders create a compelling vision that people can follow.

Your leader cannot make decisions. The ideal leader, the one everyone wants to work for, is a strong decision maker who keeps problems at a minimum. When a leader lacks the ability to make decisions, the results are extremely frustrating for everyone. A leader who refuses to make a choice has already made a wrong choice by allowing their indecision to rule.

Your leader is constantly micromanaging. Leaders who micromanage often have trouble letting go of their own self-doubt and insecurities, and as a result have a strong need to feel in control. But no one likes a leader who micromanages; when you feel that every move you make is being monitored or questioned, it’s hard to get excited about your work. Micromanagement is extremely disempowering.

Your leader is a know-it-all. Leaders who profess to know everything are usually the ones who lack any real knowledge or wisdom and make it difficult for others to share their own thoughts and ideas. It’s never enjoyable to be led by someone whose ego stands in the way of anyone’s success but their own.

Your leader is dishonest. Dishonesty is the surest and fastest way to lose trust, and once it’s lost it may never be regained. Dishonest leaders often have hidden agendas and come across as too political at best, devious and inauthentic at worst. It becomes (understandably) hard to trust anything they say or do.

Your leader is a horrible listener. Poor listeners are bound to be inconsistent leaders. When people are literally not being heard, they can’t feel their voice matters. Eventually they just stop speaking. Leaders who don’t take the time to listen to their employees miss opportunities that are right in front of them.

Your leader doesn’t practice what they preach. When leaders say one thing and do another, they signal a lack of respect and trust to their team—which in turn makes it difficult for employees to respect, trust or value their leader. The result is a uneasy feeling that tells you you’re working for the wrong person.

Your leader lacks reliability. If you cannot count on your leader, who can you count on? Responsibility is an undervalued leadership trait, one that leaders must develop if they want to earn respect and trust. Employees expect their leaders to have the discipline, structure and mindfulness to deliver great and consistent leadership in everything they do.

Your leader is always negative. Leaders who lack enthusiasm and positivity can deflate an entire organization. Often negative leaders have a hard time seeing past their own troubles to their team’s strengths and opportunities, resulting in even more negativity.

Your leader is never grateful. Any leader who doesn’t appreciate or acknowledge their team’s hard work and contributions is missing out on an important opportunity to make people feel valued. It surprises me how many leaders don’t take the time express appreciation—as if they  expect you to do your job without any encouragement. No one wants to feel taken for granted.

Lead from within: Working for the wrong leader has many warning signs. Are you paying attention? And what are you going to do about it?

 

 

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 10 Warning Signs You Are Working for the Wrong Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

This is What You Need In Your Leadership to be Successful

To be a great leader you need this one leadership trait, to be successful, you have to be able to have an open, adaptive mind—you must be able to adjust, readjust, and reshape your thinking and opinions. You need the ability to look at each circumstance, each person and each venture as an opportunity to do better, learn more and succeed in a way that exceeds your past successes.

The older and more experienced you get, the more difficult this becomes. Generally speaking, we become less willing over time to change or rework the way we do things, less capable of adapting and adjusting.

The more you know, the less you want to correct your own thinking, in your personal life and in your leadership. You may become inflexible to the point of stubbornness.

Great leadership demands, however, that you remain an adaptive leader. Here are some proven ways you can stay open, flexible and agile in your actions and thinking:

Learn more than you know. Once they get to a certain level, many leaders think they’ve made it and they don’t have much more to learn. But speaking as a coach, I have to say that cultivating ignorance is a great way to shortchange own development as a leader. Deep, broad learning habits are among the defining characteristics of our greatest leaders. Lifelong learning helps you catalyze insight, innovation, empathy and personal effectiveness. Adaptability to change is itself a hallmark of successful, and ongoing, education.

Listen more than you speak. In other words, become a great listener. Don’t interrupt until the other person has finished what they are saying; maybe even respond with a question rather than a statement.

Share more than you suppress. Transparency in communication is imperative. Many old-school leaders believe that sharing too much information with their team is unwise, but the new thinking in leadership is to share what you know and speak with full transparency. When information is suppressed, people become suspicious.

Give more than you take. It’s important as a leader to give more than you take—to invest in your people, support them and provide them with whatever they need. Again, some would disagree, saying you shouldn’t have to invest too much in your people, but adaptive leaders know that investing in their people has great dividends.

Read more than you watch. Leaders are readers. And the more you read, the more you know that binge-watching TV or spending hours on your computer won’t make you smarter, only more numb. Reading will challenge you. If you’re a leader, you should be working to always improve yourself, your company and the people who work for you. To do anything less is to shortchange your own ability to lead.

Show more than you conceal. Be the leader who shows up—who doesn’t hide behind closed doors and conceal what they do and how they do it. Adaptability is being able to adjust to any situation at any given time. People need to see you model that behavior so they can emulate and be inspired by you.

Enjoying success requires the ability to adapt. Only by being open to change will you have a true opportunity to get the most from your leadership.

Lead from within: As the old adage says, the only constant is change. To succeed as a great leader, it’s up to you to stay adaptable.

 

 

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 This is What You Need In Your Leadership to be Successful appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

When Is It Important to Change How You Lead

I have a habit of reading a book a day, and my favorite subjects are history and biography. I like to study what has happened to leaders in the past and how they dealt with their own challenging times.

We have our own challenges in the here and now: business changes quickly and technology is constantly evolving. But the principles of leadership are timeless. So do we change our leadership to adapt, or stay the course we’re already on?

As with so many things, the answer is “It depends.” The changes themselves aren’t the issue—it’s the things that get lost in the shuffle. Especially when change is whirling around you, take some time to examine the basics and see what’s missing—then adapt your leadership to provide it. Here are some examples:

When character is lost, lead with character. Character sets the tone for how people will be, and when it goes missing it leaves a definite void. Lead by example; show what character looks like and sounds like. The importance of character can’t be overstated. Authentic leaders are grounded in a strong set of personal values that can have a profound effect on everyone.

When self-awareness is lacking, lead with self-awareness. Research suggests that leaders who are self-aware—who know themselves—are up to four times more effective in managing change than people who aren’t. The need for self-awareness and understanding is a constant. “Leader, know thyself” is the biggest asset to leadership.

When honesty is gone, lead with integrity. There’s nothing more destructive than dishonesty, and broken trust can rarely be regained. In a broken environment it’s more important than ever to lead with integrity and to maintain standards of honor and truthfulness. However difficult it may seem, it always pays off in the end.

When empathy isn’t present, lead with compassion. One of the most valuable traits a leader can possess is the ability to tune in to people and truly understand them. Understanding the emotions of others equips you to respond to them and to develop strong relationships. When empathy is missing from a workplace, a leader needs to set the tone by demonstrating the power of compassion and understanding.

When decisiveness is absent, lead with determination. One of the biggest challenges of our time is trying to choose from a dizzying multitude of options. Decisiveness has never been more important. In its absence, a leader needs to be even quicker on their feet and prepared to gather data quickly and make huge decisions on the fly in an educated manner.

When optimism is gone, lead with positivity. Even the sunniest people find it hard to keep up positive energy in a sour environment. When morale sinks, an excellent leader can always start to change things up. They know the power of encouraging words and team spirit, and they make sure people feel good enough about what they are doing in order to keep forging forward.

When vision is missing, lead with a viewpoint. It’s incredibly hard to rally a group of people together without vision, so it’s imperative for a leader to connect people with a vision so compelling that it draws them to become part of it.

When innovation is absent, lead with creativity. If those around you are not tapping into the team’s innovation or creativity, it’s the leader’s duty to demonstrate inventiveness and inspiration, leading others to think and act with creatively and passion.

To truly be a timeless leader you need to pay attention to what is missing and become the person who provides it. The times will keep changing and so will you, but if you grow in leadership while staying agile and alert, you will be able to deliver great leadership under any circumstances.

Lead from within: Different types of leadership are needed at different times. Figure out what is right for the circumstance and become the agent of needed change.

 

 

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 When Is It Important to Change How You Lead appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

6 Toxic Beliefs That Will Ruin Your Leadership

As a leadership consultant and coach, I have had the privilege of coaching leaders in hundreds of organizations. Through that experience, I have come to see that a leader’s beliefs are powerful enough to affect not only the leader but the overall performance of their team—and potentially their entire organization.

When leaders have confidence and high expectations for their team, the results typically rise to meet those expectations. But when a leader’s attitudes are grounded in toxic beliefs, it will likely damage their leadership and sabotage those they are leading.

Here are six of the most common toxic beliefs that hold leaders back. Be mindful of these beliefs; don’t allow them to derail your own leadership and the work of those around you.

Assuming that tenure equals ability. You may have been in your position for a long time, but that doesn’t necessarily qualify you to stay there. Times are changing and changing fast—leaders who think they know it all and don’t have to learn anything new are incredibly damaging.

Needing to always be right. If you think you’re always right, eventually you’ll be wrong. In leadership the aim is to be successful together, so setting up false right-and-wrong thinking that ends with one person (usually you) feeling validated and another feeling shut out will harm your team. It will also erode your own ability to learn new things and move forward with creativity and innovation.

Keeping people feeling that their jobs are at risk. Most of us have experienced a leader, boss, or manager who always threatens people who don’t blindly follow or meet expectations out the gate. Jeopardizing other people’s careers isn’t leadership—it’s manipulation, and it doesn’t serve anyone well.

Believing it’s OK to hoard information. I have stopped counting how many leaders I’ve encountered who feel people don’t need to know what’s going on in their organization. Far too many leaders feel it’s not necessary to share information and that their people should just trust them. People need to know what’s happening around them. When they don’t, confusion and rumors abound and morale suffers. This is among the most damaging toxic thoughts a leader can hold.

Thinking the grass is always greener on the other side. If your attitude is that other people always seem to be in a better situation than you, you’re undermining your organization. A defeatist attitude can destroy a team, do serious harm to a company, and wipe out any respect the people around you may hold for you.

Presuming that mistakes will disqualify you from leading. If you think leaders should never make a mistake, it’s time to rethink what you know about leadership and success. Failures and mistakes can erode your self-confidence, but they can also show you how to achieve something greater than you thought possible. So if you want your leadership to succeed, you need to take risks, make mistakes and accept your failures as a requirement for doing something worthwhile. Don’t allow a failure to stop you from believing you have the ability to succeed and lead.

You may be susceptible to other toxic thoughts. But whatever form they take, being aware of them is the first step in obliterating them from your leadership.

Lead from within: It’s amazing what happens when we remove toxic thoughts from our leadership. Leaders succeed, teams thrive and companies flourish.

 

 

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 6 Toxic Beliefs That Will Ruin Your Leadership appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

7 Things That Make Great Leaders Unforgettable

Some leaders are harder to forget than others. A few may be memorable because they make life unbearable, but the great leaders among us make their mark by imparting unforgettable meaning and growth.

How does a leader change lives? What makes them unforgettable? Here are some of the most important characteristics of memorable leaders—we may never reach their level, but we can still try to emulate them.

They have character. Few things are more demotivating than a leader who lacks character. Unforgettable leaders, on the other hand, bring character and conviction to everything they do. They believe in what they are trying to accomplish and are mindful of how they come across.

They are confident. Most individuals suffer from self-doubt. I have found that a very high percentage of people suffer from imposter syndrome—the feeling that they aren’t good enough or strong enough for the task at hand. Unchecked self-doubt can do severe damage, professionally and personally. We admire and want to emulate leaders who are confident, assured and competent.

They have insight. An unforgettable leader has the intuitive skill to understand their own strengths and weaknesses, likes and dislikes, and they use that insight to draw the very best from others. It is that literal “in-sight,” the awareness of their inner self, that gives them the intuition to assess and lead others and to empower those around them to do amazing things.

They are compassionate. Unforgettable leaders are compassionate individuals who show others how much they care. When you have a leader who lets you know that what you do is important and that how you do it makes an impact, it makes for an unforgettable experience.

They have determination. Most people are able to keep going when things get tough, but the unforgettable leader manages to stay completely unflustered and goal oriented even when they’re under immense pressure and surrounded by chaos. They keep their cool and lead with fierce determination. People who work for an unforgettable leader often look back later and marvel at their tenacity under pressure.

They are in charge. An unforgettable leader is always coaching, mentoring, guiding their people, showing them the way while leading them to a purposeful destination. They value ideas and collaboration, but they’re never afraid to be in charge.

They are relatable. How many times have you found it genuinely difficult to relate to a boss? Many keep their distance and almost seem to be playing a role. For leaders to be unforgettable they have to be willing to show their human side, to be personable, to express genuine emotion and connect with others.

Lead from within: Cultivate these characteristics to become the unforgettable leader that your people will remember for the rest of their lives.

 

 

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 7 Things That Make Great Leaders Unforgettable appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Become an Improved Version of Yourself

All of us who are privileged to serve in leadership should hold a commitment to constant self-improvement. Becoming a better version of yourself is worth doing on its own merits—plus it can help you become a more successful and effective leader.

It’s something you can do at any level of achievement, at any point in your career. We all have room for improvement. Here are some tips and starting points for you to try in building a better version of yourself:

Resolve to change. Many people think they’re fine the way they are and don’t feel any need to change, improve or evolve. But in both leadership and life, if you’re standing still you’re falling behind; if you’re not improving or growing you’re not progressing. Great leaders are always willing to change—and also willing to make a thoughtful investment of time and effort in themselves.

Become more self-aware. If you’re serious about wanting to become a better leader and person, self-awareness is a great place to start. Assess your behavior, evaluate your actions, and gauge the reactions you receive. Try to view yourself through the eyes of those around you, and ask yourself where you need to improve.

Model the way. Become aware of yourself as a role model—to others within your organization, to your colleagues, to the young people in your life. That awareness will encourage you to constantly do your best and maintain the highest levels of integrity so you don’t disappoint or lead astray those who are looking up to you.

Control your temper. Any display of anger is a sign of lack of emotional control. Anger is a common human trait, but it’s a quality that is unpleasing, unhelpful and self-destructive. If you give in to anger, you hurt yourself more than anyone else. If your temper is an issue, practice anger management techniques when things are calm, so when your temper flares you’re already on top of it.

Practice radical honesty. I am a big supporter of telling the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, because at the end of the day any communication laced with lies will make people lose respect for you. Being honest while exhibiting compassion is one of the most important characteristics of a great leader.

Find ways to be helpful. Helping others is one of the best paths to becoming a better person. When you support someone in need, you realize that you can be of value to other people and that you have a role in adding to the store of good in the world.

Show people you care. Showing people you care about them builds the connections and trust that fuel great teams. It also makes them feel happy—which will likely spread back to you.

Lead from within: As a leader, if you really want to improve, work on the one thing over which you have control: 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.

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 Become an Improved Version of Yourself appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

6 Important Tips on How to Prevent Your Employees from Burnout

Unfortunately, employee burnout is a commonplace event. Too many good people leave jobs they should love, saying, “I just can’t take it any more.”

The other day I was coaching a client of mine who’s a senior vice president. He’s one of the best—he works hard and long hours, he’s dedicated, loyal and hard working, and he excels at what he does. He said, “I can’t do this any more—I’m totally burned out.” If he leaves it will be determent to the company, the team and the organization.

It is widely known that burnout results from workload pressures, long hours, tight deadlines and picking up the work of others. And it’s the most talented and high-performing people who are at highest risk.

Often, though, a lack of leadership support or managerial motivation is also to blame. It’s important to recognize when you might be overloading your best people so you can do everything in your power to protect them from burnout. Here are six strategies that will help:

Set clear goals. Define goals for your team, and then leave them alone unless there’s a compelling reason for change. Let people do what they do best to work on achieving the goals and being successful without moving the goalposts or deadlines.

Define roles. Assigning well-defined roles and responsibilities is the first step to accountability and excellence. Structure the team in such a way that no one ends up having to pick up the slack for others. Be clear about responsibilities and expect excellence from everyone.

Give autonomy. The worst thing you can do as a leader is to micromanage a talented individual. Hire them, orient them to the work and the team, then let them shine and do their work. Offering people autonomy shows you trust them, and micromanaging them shows you don’t.

Prune out mediocrity. As important it is to acknowledge talented individuals, it is just as important to weed out the ones who aren’t performing, meaning more work for those who are already performing well. Expect everyone to pull their weight equally.

Show appreciation. Everyone loves praise and for their contributions and hard work. When you acknowledge your people and thank them for their great work, you energize them and motivate them to keep working hard and excelling at what they do.

Deliver on meaning. The best way to keep people energized is to connect them to the meaning of the work they do. Let them know how their work affects the bigger picture, and transform them by giving them a sense of purpose. What does their excellence do for the wider world? How are they delivering meaning to others? This is a great way to avoid burnout.

Studies show that people who are satisfied with their work life perform better and are likely to stay longer at their jobs and avoid the stresses that cause burnout. Make sure your best people have that kind of satisfaction.

Lead from within: It is the responsibility of every leader to prevent burnout and protect their top talent.

 

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: iStock Photo

The post 6 Important Tips on How to Prevent Your Employees from Burnout appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

It’s Never Too Late to Learn These 12 Powerful Leadership Habits

Effective leadership is mostly made up of good habits. And some of the most important habits aren’t taught in school and can’t be picked up from reading or studying. They can be learned only through experience. But without them, making your mark in leadership will be a struggle. Here are 12 of the most powerful leadership habits

1. Care. The best leaders, the ones who are remembered and admired, are the ones who care not only about their business but also about their people, and whose caring shines through in their words and actions. Care shouldn’t be a four-letter word in our workplace today.

2. Conviction. Every great leader knows that strong convictions precede great actions. Leadership implies movement toward something, and its conviction that provides the direction.

3. Clarity. If you want to lead, you have to know where you’re going. And if you want to lead with influence, you have to get everyone to focus and stay on course. The only way to get results is by becoming absolutely clear about where you’re going and why you’re going there. Clarity helps everyone say yes to the right things and no to the rest.

4. Confidence. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one else will. People want to know who you are, what you know and where you plan on taking them. Your own confidence has a ripple effect on those you lead.

5. Courage. The courage of leadership lies in giving others the chance to succeed even though you, as the leader, bear the responsibility for getting things done.

6. Commitment. Great business leaders know the power of being responsible. If those who follow you know they can count on you, they will let you know in turn that you can count on them.

7. Celebration. Great leaders are constantly finding ways to honor their people and celebrate their success. Extraordinary leaders understand the importance of marking progress and expressing appreciation for those who have worked long hours and long days.

8. Collaboration. True leaders solicit input and feedback from those around them so that everyone feels they have something to contribute. If you run your organization in silos, you’re undermining your talent and doing harm to your business.

9. Communication. True leaders know how important it is to communicate, and to communicate often. Used effectively, words have the power to motivate people and help them overcome barriers and exceed expectations.

10. Candor. Leading with the truth and insisting on honest and forthright communication builds great relationships and partnerships—in business and in your personal life.

11. Courtesy. Courtesy is simply following the Golden Rule by treating others as you would like to be treated.

12. Credibility. People have to believe in you and have faith in your credibility. Guard it carefully—it takes years to build but only a moment to destroy.

Lead from within: The best leaders are always working to learn new skills and habits to improve their 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.

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 It’s Never Too Late to Learn These 12 Powerful Leadership Habits appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

11 Things Employees Complain Most About Their Leaders

As a leadership coach, I constantly hear people complaining—sometimes with good reason. Here are some of the top complaints I hear about leaders, with a positive action for each. Ask yourself if any of these sound like something you and your coworkers say. If so, start working to create the change you need.

My leader makes everything urgent. When everything is always top priority, nothing ever really gets done. Let your boss know that you need to understand priorities so you can focus on the most important things.

My leader is controlling. It’s always demoralizing when decisions are made and announced without any input from others. Demonstrate for your boss that inclusion is the secret to innovation and creativity.

My leader is not genuine. Sometimes there’s a disconnect between who a person says they are and what they demonstrate. Things don’t match up. Make sure you maintain for yourself the importance of authenticity in words and actions.

My leader is unpredictable. With this kind of leader there’s never a dull moment, but not in the good way. Inconsistency causes people to always be on edge. Do everything you can to steer your organization—or at least your team—toward consistency.

My leader micromanages. If the leader always thinks they can do everything better than anyone else, why should employees put forth an effort? Starting with small projects, try to persuade your boss to let you go at things on your own.

My leader is never satisfied. It doesn’t matter how much you do, this leader is always saying, “You could have done better.” Ask your boss in advance about expectations for success.

My leader is indecisive. Too many leaders that have “paralysis of analysis” and can’t make a decision. And everyone waits. And waits. And everything feels stuck. Help your boss with making decisions by talking them through and guiding them to a conclusion.

My leader withholds information. When you don’t have all the information you need, you can’t succeed. Ask specific questions and offer to help with fact-finding.

My leader gets defensive. When you can’t talk to your leader about a problem without a defensive response, it’s time for a different approach. Instead of bringing the problem, approach your boss with lots of potential solutions—even if you have to call them directions or strategies.

My leader is lazy. With some leaders, it’s not “Do as I do” but “Do as I say, because I’m not doing anything.” Challenge them to become a co-creator on your projects.

My leader is always distracted. Sometimes leaders appear so busy that no one ever seems to have their full attention. Make sure your boss is present and attentive by catching them at the right moment and grabbing their attention with a well-organized set of questions and ideas.

Negativity in the workplace costs billions of dollars and impacts the morale, productivity and health of individuals and teams. We all have complaints about our leaders and bosses, and many are warranted. But whether the complaints are mild or serious, we don’t have to become the victim of our circumstances—we can always do something about it.

Lead from within: Complaining is never an effective strategy. There is always a positive action you can take to deal with any complaint you have about your leader.

 

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: iStock Photo

The post 11 Things Employees Complain Most About Their Leaders appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

The Difficult Day Every Leader Has to Face

At some point every leader has to face what is for many a difficult day—the day they are no longer the leader. Maybe they’re retiring or just slowing down or moving on to something new.

The reason for the departure isn’t as important as the work that precedes it. Every leader should have a succession plan in place. (Even if you’re young and plan to stay where you are, you should still prepare for the remote possibility of a sudden illness or accident.) If you haven’t yet made a plan, here are some guidelines that can help:

Take your time. A great plan can’t be put together overnight, but the time to start is today. Start by sketching out your areas of responsibility, the reporting and governance structure of your organization, and any parties—team members, colleagues, board members—you want to have input into your planning.

Groom those with potential. Identify the people in your organization you believe have the potential to be great leaders and begin to teach, coach and prep them. When you invest in your organization’s future leadership, your influence remains long after you’ve left.

Recognize your emotions (and understand they’re normal). As in many other areas, the best leaders are those who know how to manage their emotions. They don’t allow themselves to be blindsided; they give themselves healthy outlets for voicing and expressing what they’re feeling so when the day does come, the emotions aren’t overwhelming.

Map your second purpose. I believe our lives comes in stages. For many of us, the first purpose consists doing what’s expected of us, and our work life is driven by the arc of our career. When that stage is over we can move on to our second purpose, where things slow down and we spend our time on things that align with our values.  It’s time to be intentional about where you spend your time and energy.

Let go and move on. Once you’ve decided to move on, the worst thing you can do is to not let go. Trying to keep hold of the reins leaves you—and everyone around you—in limbo. Especially if you’ve spent years or decades in control, it may be among the most difficult challenges of your life—that’s why you have to prepare far in advance.

Learn your lessons. Sometimes looking back can help you move forward. Reflect on all the struggles, the lessons you’ve learned, the strengths you’ve developed, all the connection and growth and regrets of your career as leader, and you’ll attain a greater awareness of yourself and where you’re headed.

When the day comes that it’s time to change seasons, it will be a much easier and more fulfilling transition if it’s handled with care for all concerned—yourself, your organization, and the new leadership.

Lead from within: Every succession plan will be different, but the only way to know what’s next is to be prepared long before the day arrives and it becomes difficult.

 

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: iStock Photo

The post The Difficult Day Every Leader Has to Face appeared first on Lolly Daskal.