Lolly Daskal's Blog, page 85

Why You Should Ditch Your Performance Reviews

Every year, more and more organizations are ditching annual performance reviews. If your company is still holding on to this outdated practice, maybe this should be the year you let it go.

Think back over the process for annual reviews and how much time and effort they take—preparing the reviews, discussing them, writing them up, sending them through approvals. It’s a huge chore, a big commitment of time that you (or someone else) can’t devote to the things you’re supposed to be accomplishing.

The biggest problem with annual performance reviews,however, isn’t that they’re time-consuming. It’s that they’re done once a year,so important feedback occurs at a single point in the year instead of being given along the way. It’s a system that doesn’t allow people to improve in real time, making it frustrating for everyone involved.

A better alternative is a frequent check-in,held monthly or weekly or at the end of each project, or on whatever time table works for your people, in which the employee answers six questions:

What are your short- and long-term goals? Leaders should be aware of their people’s goals so there are no hiccups or surprises for anyone. Asking people to outline their goals for the immediate future and for the long run keeps you informed and—just as important—it keeps them focused.

Are you satisfied with your role and responsibilities? There are always expectations of what needs to happen, and people can situate themselves for success if they know how their performance aligns with the company’s objectives, goals and purpose. Regular check-ins allow you to assess performance and provide support and guidance when they’re needed—not when the calendar says it’s time.

What challenges are you facing? The quickest way to overcome a challenge is to treat it not as something to avoid or shy away from but to truly take it on and work through it. When people are facing particularly challenging times, a weekly or monthly check-in it will help you connect them with coaching and guidance, giving them a chance to think of the issues in a new way and keep things moving forward.  

What can be improved or fixed? Encourage people to speak up on process issues, whether they’re simple or complex. When you do, you foster engagement and keep them thinking of ways to make things better. It’s great when people can have a say on how to improve things, not only for themselves but for everyone—and no one is in a better position to see where improvements are needed than the people on the ground.

How can I support you? People work hard and put in tremendous effort,and knowing their leader cares will inspire them to do even more—not once a year until the good feeling wears off, but weekly and even daily. Listening deeply, taking in everything that’s being said and addressing concerns bring benefits to everyone involved.

Are you engaged and satisfied? Engagement and satisfaction have an important influence on performance, and regular check-ins provide leaders with a way to assess and evaluate people’s satisfaction. Engagement and satisfaction should be assessed frequently so any issues can be caught early.

Using frequent check-ins instead of annual performance reviews can provide better communication and constant feedback on an employee’s performance and engagement.

Regular communication results in mutual understanding, and there’s no telling how much an individual will contribute to the team, the company and their own leadership when they are constantly being supported and guided.

Lead from Within: Consider doing away with performance reviews and instead work to build a better relationship with those who work hard and put in tremendous effort. The happier your people are, the longer they will stay and the better they will perform.

 

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 Why You Should Ditch Your Performance Reviews appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

My Best Advice for Leaders When Things Are Going Wrong

I’ve been coaching top leaders in almost every industry for decades, and I’ve learned that even when it appears that an organization is running well and its leaders are effective, it’s often a very different story behind the scenes.

Tough times are a fact of life for nearly every organization at some point. And when times get tough, leaders have to get tougher.

I once heard a CEO yell in frustration, “I’m going to walk away from this whole company.” He was over it almost immediately, but his words in that tense moment genuinely frightened his board and team to the point that they began to question his leadership.

Maybe more than at any other time, when things go wrong your words and actions as a leader are critically important. Here’s my best advice for those times:

Face your obligations. Harriet Beecher Stowe said, “When you get into a tight place and everything goes against you till it seems as though you could not hang on a minute longer, never give up then, for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn.” Sometimes what is needed most will happen when you face your challenge and own your struggles. Success often lies in your ability to face difficult situations.

Use the struggle to pivot. The uncertainty and uprootedness of moments of crisis have a strange benefit: they make it a great time to change direction. Moving to things that will serve your organization in a different way and pose new challenges—the kind of change that people find frightening under many circumstances—can instead be a welcome source of hope in tough times. Sometimes problems are pushing you directly into the path of opportunities that weren’t visible before.

Change your thinking. It’s easy to turn your thoughts to a dark and negative place when things go wrong, especially if you don’t have the resources or influence to change a tough situation. But in these cases, the only thing you can control is the way you think and respond. However difficult, struggle makes us strong and comes with important lessons. Instead of giving in to negativity, try to view the situation as a chance for you and your team to learn and grow.

Make a plan to move forward. As a leader, you cannot get stuck in a problem but need to be the source of plans and solutions. Problems come and go, but ultimately you won’t be remembered for the problems you faced but the solutions you came up with. Leadership at its best is when you don’t like something and you move ahead and use your influence to do something about it.

Don’t let anything stop you. Whatever the obstacles or challenges, the best time to show determination is when you’re facing your biggest challenges, because the true essence of determination will get you through anything. The difference between impossible and possible lies in a leader’s determination. Some people succeed because they are destined, but most succeed because they are determined.

Lead from within: When things go wrong, become the kind of leader who can make things turn out the best—and make the best of things along the way.

 

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 My Best Advice for Leaders When Things Are Going Wrong appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

This is Why People Really Quit Their Jobs

You’ve probably heard the expression that people are only as good as the company they keep. Well, the reverse is also true: a company is only as good as the people it keeps.

As a leadership coach and business consultant I have the privilege of seeing many organizations through a lens that most people don’t, because leaders are busy leading and managers are busy managing and people are busy doing their jobs so the big picture gets hard to see. People may be unhappy and want to leave without even knowing why. If you’re experiencing more turnover than you’d like, think about why people are leaving. Here are some of the top reasons:

They don’t like their boss. Most bad bosses aren’t bad people; they’re good people with certain weaknesses. They may micromanage, bully employees, avoid conflict, duck decisions, steal credit, shift blame, hoard information, fail to listen, set a poor example, goof off, or fail to invest in developing their team. A boss with a major weak spot can leave their entire team feeling unhappy and unproductive.

They don’t get to make use of their strengths. It’s a terrible but common disservice to hire someone talented and then ignore their abilities. The best companies create multiple opportunities for people to use and develop their talents. If you fail to do so, you drive away your most gifted and high-performing employees. Stay in touch with all the amazing things people can do and find ways for them to use those abilities.

There’s no plan for professional development. Workplaces that retain top people give them access to meaningful learning opportunities—they enable people to be energized by their projects, to perform at their best, and to advance their skills and move forward professionally. When you care about your employees’ happiness and success, in their career and in life, they end up with a better job and you end up with an energized team.

There’s no room for advancement. The best companies and leaders make it a point to have their managers work with people to create career opportunities that mesh with their goals and personal priorities. This deep level of support gives people confidence and motivation, making them not only more effective and productive but happier and more loyal.

They’re exposed to dysfunction. Dysfunction saps even the best employees—it distracts them from their work, keeps them on edge, and drains their energy. No one can excel under those conditions. The best leaders do away with dysfunction within their own area and shield their people from the dysfunction they can’t control.

They feel unappreciated. We all have a human need to be appreciated for our efforts, so when you don’t notice your employees’ contributions—if they feel undervalued on an ongoing basis—they’ll soon wonder why they bother to show up at all, let alone excel. And they’ll leave at the first sign of an opportunity where their talents and hard work will be appreciated.

Lead from within: If something isn’t working for your people, it isn’t working. Make it right or risk losing your best performers.

 

 

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 Photos

The post This is Why People Really Quit Their Jobs appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

4 of the Most Important Skills of the Future

The future is being built now with robotics, artificial intelligence, and all kinds of automation that will take over many of the skills we perform today. But there are some skills that we will need for the future, skills that can’t be automated. If you want to excel in the years to come, make sure you’re up to speed in these areas:

Communication. If you’re in leadership, how you communicate, what you communicate and—most of all—how you listen are all supremely important. In communication, it’s the tone that inspires and the spirit that motivates. No robot or machine could ever have the same effect as a leader with great communication skills. Knowing how to communicate is all about creating and clarifying expectations. It’s important to communicate not just what you want someone to do and (without micromanaging) how they should do it but also why you want it to be done and why the person you’re asking is the best person for the job. People want meaning, so communication will always be a crucial leadership skill.

Engagement. Gone are the days of a leader sitting at their desk with the door closed. That doesn’t work (and really, it never did). For any enterprise to excel and achieve its goals leaders need to value engagement, because great leadership begins with connection. When we understand that despite the ways in which we differ we’re all alike in our desire for acceptance and connection, we can recognize those needs in ourselves—and in others. That’s when we can truly make a difference, and it requires human connection.

Influence. Many sources contribute influence in our lives. Parents, other family members, teachers, friends, books we’ve read, discussions we’ve had, life experiences—all of these influences merge together to form our core values and build our character. In the years to come it’s predicted that our biggest commodity will be ourselves—that people will follow others because of who they are and what their character represents. That’s not something you could ever get from a machine, robot or automation.

Heart. Automation can never substitute for heart, care and love. When a leader demonstrates caring, it makes a difference in everyone they touch. The world is full of people who need to be exposed to a caring heart. Great leaders care about the people they lead above their own leadership; they are close enough to show they care but far enough ahead to also motivate. The future relies on this wisdom: leadership is not about being in charge but about taking care of those in your charge.

There are doubtless numerous skills you’ll need to build a successful future, but it’s these core skills that matter most.

Lead from within: The future belongs to the leaders who excel at today’s most important skills.

 

 

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 4 of the Most Important Skills of the Future appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

This is How Successful Leaders Make it to The Top

Not all leaders aspire to the executive level, but lots of them do. And some aim even higher. People want to reach the C-suite for lots of reasons—because it suits their temperament and skills, because they see it as the apex of success, because they believe that’s where they can do the most good… the reasons are too varied to list.

Whatever your motivation, if you’re among those who aim for the highest positions you need to know that it’s not going to happen on its own. You can take your career pretty far by doing a great job and waiting to be noticed, but the path narrows significantly at the top, and you have to demonstrate strategic planning and bold action if you want to move into the C-suite. As an executive leadership coach, I know, these are the ways you can navigate yourself to the top:

Create a roadmap. Write yourself a strong strategic plan, just as you would for workplace planning. Set goals and measurable objectives and a timeline.

Keep learning. Education doesn’t end when you graduate. Be a lifelong student, whether it’s through formal study or learning on your own.

Network constantly. You can be the most qualified and best educated person for miles around, but if you’re not out there leveraging every resource and relationship, your success will be limited. Learn to make the most of your network.

Go the extra mile. In everything you do, work harder than most. Put in the hours and the effort. Work harder and longer to stand out from the crowd. Build a reputation as someone who gets things done and done well.

Mind your mindset. Develop an attitude of fortitude and resilience— resolve that no matter what comes your way, you will find a way make it work. In a world filled with negativity, one of the best ways to stand out is a positive attitude.

Become a valued resource. Be known as someone useful, someone who adds value to any undertaking. Be generous with your time, help, and support.

Exceed expectations.  Don’t allow anyone, ever, to define who and what you can accomplish. When others try to hold you back with low expectations and biased thinking,­ show them you are limitless.

Look the part. If you want to climb the organizational ladder, look the part. As the saying goes, dress for the job you want, not the one you have.

Make your boss look good. Aligning yourself with your boss’s efforts and goals and do everything you can to help them be successful.

Sharpen your leadership skills. Practice leadership wherever you are, take classes, read books and online resources, find a mentor. Do whatever it takes to make sure your skills are at their best.

Be appreciative. Recognize others and appreciate them for who they are. When you make it to the top they’ll all be cheering for you.

Lead from within: Being promoted to the top isn’t just about luck or power. It takes a plan, networking, experience, and the right skills and attitude.

 

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 This is How Successful Leaders Make it to The Top appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How Successful Leaders Make it to The Top

Not all leaders aspire to the executive level, but lots of them do. And some aim even higher. People want to reach the C-suite for lots of reasons—because it suits their temperament and skills, because they see it as the apex of success, because they believe that’s where they can do the most good… the reasons are too varied to list.

Whatever your motivation, if you’re among those who aim for the highest positions you need to know that it’s not going to happen on its own. You can take your career pretty far by doing a great job and waiting to be noticed, but the path narrows significantly at the top, and you have to demonstrate strategic planning and bold action if you want to move into the C-suite. As an executive leadership coach, I know, these are the ways you can navigate yourself to the top:

Create a roadmap. Write yourself a strong strategic plan, just as you would for workplace planning. Set goals and measurable objectives and a timeline.

Keep learning. Education doesn’t end when you graduate. Be a lifelong student, whether it’s through formal study or learning on your own.

Network constantly. You can be the most qualified and best educated person for miles around, but if you’re not out there leveraging every resource and relationship, your success will be limited. Learn to make the most of your network.

Go the extra mile. In everything you do, work harder than most. Put in the hours and the effort. Work harder and longer to stand out from the crowd. Build a reputation as someone who gets things done and done well.

Mind your mindset. Develop an attitude of fortitude and resilience— resolve that no matter what comes your way, you will find a way make it work. In a world filled with negativity, one of the best ways to stand out is a positive attitude.

Become a valued resource. Be known as someone useful, someone who adds value to any undertaking. Be generous with your time, help, and support.

Exceed expectations.  Don’t allow anyone, ever, to define who and what you can accomplish. When others try to hold you back with low expectations and biased thinking,­ show them you are limitless.

Look the part. If you want to climb the organizational ladder, look the part. As the saying goes, dress for the job you want, not the one you have.

Make your boss look good. Aligning yourself with your boss’s efforts and goals and do everything you can to help them be successful.

Sharpen your leadership skills. Practice leadership wherever you are, take classes, read books and online resources, find a mentor. Do whatever it takes to make sure your skills are at their best.

Be appreciative. Recognize others and appreciate them for who they are. When you make it to the top they’ll all be cheering for you.

Lead from within: Being promoted to the top isn’t just about luck or power. It takes a plan, networking, experience, and the right skills and attitude.

 

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 How Successful Leaders Make it to The Top appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Answer the Dreaded “Got a Minute?

How many times a day do you think a leader is asked, “Got a minute?”

The answer is often—more often than you’d think.

When you have work to be done and goals to be met and tasks to finish, it’s easy to view a steady stream of people asking “Got a minute?” as intrusive and unwelcome. Any interruption can throw you off task and cause you to lose momentum, and after several of them resentment can set in.

On the other hand, it’s important for leaders to be available and accessible. So what can you do?

Is it possible to meet the needs of your team and respect your own time and workload. Yes, here’s how:

Say yes. This is the first principle and the most important. People come to see you because they need your support, and as a leader you need to be there for your people. People come first.

Manage your reaction. Part of being a leader is learning to have patience and being available even when you’re yelling “Noooooooooo!” on the inside. Make sure your reaction is an inviting and welcoming one. Manage your emotions and take care of people who need you.

Establish a system. A good system—one that everyone understands and follows— allows you to attend to people and still have uninterrupted time every day. The best systems give you and other leaders the perfect balance between discipline and freedom. Consider having your top-tier people come in an hour earlier than the rest of the team so you have a built-in time to confer, and empower them to deal with as much as possible on their own. Another option is to set daily open-door hours, with access at other times limited to emergencies.

Don’t make excuses. Everyone is busy, so don’t let your time crunch be an excuse. Find the time for your people and let them know they matter. Excuses are tools for incompetent leaders.

Treat time as a precious resource. Remember that the way you use time serves as a model for your entire team. Let them see you organize your time efficiently and in alignment with your priorities. Show them how to make time to be accessible. And remember to respect their time as well, by not asking them to waste it on do-nothing meetings and busywork administrative tasks.

Show that access is a privilege. When someone needs you, let them know they have your full attention. At the same time, help them understand that there will be times when someone else has that same full attention, and that your ability to focus helps you maintain a standard of excellence that benefits the entire team. When they understand this, they’ll be less likely to take access to your time for granted.

Lead from within:  “Got a minute?” It may be one of the most dreaded questions a leader can be asked, but you have to be prepared to answer it correctly.

 

 

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: IstockPhoto

The post How to Answer the Dreaded “Got a Minute? appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

These Powerful Traits Can Make You into a Successful Leader

Some traits set a great leader apart from the pack. Great leaders are multidimensional, continually improving, growing and learning.

Here are the most powerful top traits that can make you be the most successful leader you can be:

Self-management. One of the most important traits of successful leadership is self-management. Be aware of your strengths, but also learn how to manage and leverage your weaknesses.

Being a visionary. Exceptional leaders have the ability to look into the future and create a vision that will benefit their organization. Being a visionary means understanding that continuous change is occurring all around you, so what worked in the past may not work now.

Setting goals: A successful leader must be able to set clear goals and be determined and purposeful in achieving them. Set your goals, then back them up with unshakable self-confidence.

Effective communication. Great leaders are effective communicators, able to clearly and succinctly explain everything from organizational goals to specific tasks. Develop your ability to communicate to people what they need to know in order to excel.



Exhibiting integrity. Great leaders never separate character from success. They know there can be nothing of real value if those who follow them can’t respect their leadership. Integrity is about more than just doing the right thing—it’s about standing for something bigger than yourself and setting an example in the process.

Demonstrating decisiveness. Every effective leader has to learn to make sound decisions under pressure. As you build your agility in solving problems under rapidly shifting circumstances, you’re learning to act decisively in a complex environment.

Expressing curiosity. Great leaders share the trait of curiosity. They’re genuinely interested in people, their company and the world around them. They ask questions, read, listen and surround themselves with mentors, coaches and advisors. Build the habit of listening more than you speak, because curiosity is the best way to stay informed.

Conveying compassion. Great leaders consider the needs of others ahead of their own. They care about people beyond what people can do for them personally. Compassion isn’t a trait you can fake, but it is one you can develop by simply paying attention to the people around you.



Communicating expertise. It’s crucial to keep a finger on the pulse of what’s happening and to stay on top of relevant facts, figures, and best practices. To be successful requires mastering your field.

Supplying innovation. Leaders must have the courage to take risks and to encourage creativity in others. Orient your thinking to always look forward with an open mind.

Exemplifying humility. Humility is crucial to real success—the kind that’s based not in what you get but in who you become as a person. Be humble in your confidence and courageous in your character.



Establishing endurance. Every great leader knows that the most important trait you can have is the ability to persevere when things go wrong. Challenges and difficult times will always come and go, but those who stay the course will endure.



Lead from within: If you want to be a successful leader, begin today to cultivate the traits you need.

 

 

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 These Powerful Traits Can Make You into a Successful Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

A Year-end Checklist That Will Make You a Much Better Leader

As with everything in life, if you want to improve you need to see where you are and where you want to go. To succeed (or stay successful) in leadership, you need to see what you did this past year and where you want to go in the new year.

On the other hand, the best leaders know that progress isn’t something you check in on once a year. Progress and success can be achieved only through continuous improvements.

Effective leadership can be mastered, and a leadership checklist is an effective tool for making it happen. A solid year-end checkup will make you a better leader—today, tomorrow, and every day of the year.

Here’s my checklist. Try it out and see how you score:

Did you lead with character? Is what you said the same as what you did? Describing you as a leader, will people cite your character?

Did you create a compelling vision? Were you able to translate your personal goals into a compelling vision that people can rally around?

Did you identify next steps?  Did you articulate goals, roles and responsibilities so everyone could be successful in their own right?

Did you think strategically? Did you set forth a pragmatic strategy for achieving both short- and long-term goals?

Did you act decisively? True leadership is about making good and timely decisions and ensuring they are executed. Have you done that? If yes, great! If not, why not? What will you do differently?

Did you build others up? Did you build confidence in others?

Did you communicate effectively? Did you communicate persuasively, concisely and memorably?

Did you listen before you spoke? Did you listen to people until they felt heard? Did you listen with the intent to learn?

Did you encourage feedback from others? Did you listen to feedback and adapt in response?

Did you cultivate leadership in others? have you spent time developing leadership throughout the organization? If not, why not? And how will you begin?

Did you lead with positivity? If you aren’t leading with positivity, you’re likely leading with negativity, and it has to change for you to become an effective leader.

Did you take ownership? Always be responsible for what you do as a leader. If not, people come to feel they cannot count on you.

Did you manage relationships? Personal relationships are at the core of great leadership.

Did you lead with inspiration? Did you create an environment in which others feel inspired and motivated, secure in their capabilities and competence, ready for new challenges and successes?

Did you cultivate a culture of respect? Did you treat people respectfully?

Did you navigate or fix? Did you get out of the way and allow people to show you what they’re capable of? Or did you do the work for them?

Did you value the unique contributions of others? Did you value the gifts that each individual brings by recognizing and appreciating their individual efforts and work?

Did you lead by example? As a leader, did you set an example others would want to emulate?

This year-end checklist is really a year-round checklist—it works as a daily, weekly, monthly and annual self-evaluation. Make adaptations to suit your particular situation, then use it to hold yourself accountable for who you are and what you do to become the kind of leader you want to be.

Lead from within: Use a checklist to become a better leader, for yourself and for those you lead. It will help you and your team become more effective and successful.

 

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
The Most Successful Leaders Do These 10 Things Every Day 
The One Quality Every Leader Needs To Succeed
This is How Leaders Improve Their Self Confidence
How the Most Successful People Spend Their Mornings

 

Photo Credit: iStock Photo

The post A Year-end Checklist That Will Make You a Much Better Leader appeared first on Lolly Daskal.

How to Cope with the Loneliness of Leadership

One aspect of leadership many people don’t talk about is loneliness. As an executive leadership coach, I have access to concerns and issues that are rarely discussed in the open. Loneliness in leadership is real and causes significant difficulty and isolation for those who are experiencing it.

The higher up you go, the more pervasive loneliness becomes. In a recent study, half of the CEOs who responded reported feelings of loneliness. For new CEOs, the percentage rose to 70 percent. The responsibility of a role that involves making the toughest decisions alone—without supporters, mentors, or friends—creates a sense of loneliness few of us ever experience.

Loneliness can negatively affect your performance and effectiveness, lead to burnout, and do harm to both you and those around you. Every leader should have a set of skills for coping with loneliness on board. Here are some of the most important:

Dismantle silos. While organizations need some division to function, silos create isolation. Work to build and cultivate relationships within your organization, and eliminate as many isolating structures as possible. Bring teams and workers at all levels together to collaborate and socialize.

Foster a culture of trust and transparency. It’s not uncommon for people to withhold even important information from a leader. There are lots of possible reasons, but they all stem from a lack of trust—something that also contributes to isolation. Change the environment by showing you’re dependable, transparent with what you know, trusting, and trustworthy.

Seek support. One of the hallmarks of a successful leaders is knowing when to get help. Look up an old mentor or connect with a leadership coach or a counselor, but find someone who can help you regain perspective, align priorities, and adapt management practices.

Gather advisors. Assemble four or five wise individuals from different industries and positions who can advise and learn from one another in an informal advisory group. Among other advantages, you’ll have a group in which you can bounce around ideas, discuss fears and challenges, and gain perspective.

Read up. You’re not the only person to go through what you’re feeling, and reading—whether it’s a book or a blog post—is a great way to connect with shared experience and learn coping strategies and best practices.

Work to understand. Understanding the essence of loneliness can help you accept and cope with the reality. Simply acknowledging that you’re lonely is the first step in lifting the burden. Don’t try to escape the reality of what you’re experiencing. Remember, the only way out is through.

Loneliness does exist, but there are things you can do to cope and overcome. We are biologically, cognitively, and spiritually wired to love, to be loved, and to belong to communities. The more you do to bring yourself back into that state of being, the more of its benefits you will experience.

Lead from within: Everyone experiences loneliness at times the trick is to learn how to cope with it and move through 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.

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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 Cope with the Loneliness of Leadership appeared first on Lolly Daskal.