5 Top Leadership Articles for the Week of April 11, 2016

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Each week I read a number of leadership articles from various online resources and share them across social media. Here are the five articles readers found most valuable last week. I have added my comment about each article and would like to hear what you think, too.

How Did That Person Get to Be a Leader? By Mary Schaefer at Lead Change Group

As an HR manager, it’s amazing what people will tell you. Sometimes when a promotion notice was posted, employees would seek me out and ask, “How did that happen???” It was particularly perplexing when the person in question was observed to be more talk than action. Or they were unreliable in making good on commitments. Maybe they were known for creating more work than necessary.

I would get questions about how a specific person got a job with so much responsibility. I often thought to myself, “Because he or she is willing to do it when no one else is. And that’s not necessarily a good thing.” Depending on the organization, there comes a time when the peer group at a certain level is not healthy. I’ve seen this. It’s almost like the higher they go, the worse they get at being team players.

My Comment: Schaefer addresses one of the most common questions I hear from audiences of frontline and middle level leaders: “Why don’t I see healthier leadership behaviors from my executives?” She addresses some of the key reasons this happens as well as how you can safeguard yourself from similar problems. I would also invite you to become part of the solution: how can you build results and relationships in your everyday work? As you promote people into positions of responsibility, pay attention to both the results they achieve and how they achieve them. When you focus on both, you help prevent some of the narcissistic tendencies and poor behavior that happens when we look only at results.

4 Ways to Provide Meaningful Encouragement by Karin Hurt

My guess is that right about now, you could use some encouragement. Not meaningless cheer-leading, but some well considered, well-timed, well-meaning “you’ve got this and here’s how I know…” In fact, I’d be willing to bet that the next five people you encounter could use some meaningful encouragement too. No matter how confident people appear on the outside, chances are they could use some encouragement to bolster their insides.

My Comment: My Winning Well co-author, Karin Hurt, shares a powerful story where she received just the right amount of encouragement and feedback. It’s a great example of how we can support our people with what they need in order to boost their energy and performance.

5 Bulletproof Confidence Strategies from a Former FBI Agent by LaRae Quy at SmartBlog on Leadership

As an FBI agent making an arrest, success wasn’t an option — it was an absolute necessity if I wanted to stay alive. I couldn’t wait for success to show up before I became confident in my abilities. The confidence was there first; the successful arrest came afterwards. Confidence is a critical building block for a successful career because it is the one mindset that will take you where you want to go. The good news is that confidence is a set of learned skills and beliefs.

No one is immune to bouts of insecurity at work, but they don’t have to hold you back. For entrepreneurs, leaders, and business owners, it means having the grit you need to get through those times of doubt and the presence of mind to learn the lessons they can teach you about yourself and others.

My Comment: This is a fantastic read. Quy has been there and knows first hand the challenges of building your confidence. Many leaders who want to Win Well struggle with the confidence side of the confidence & humility formula. Quy gives you practical suggestions to help you get the confidence you need to lead well.

The Cup of Leadership (and the real meaning of servant leadership) by John Keyser

Leadership is a gift. It is meant to inspire others towards greater performance and to positively influence them so they are fulfilled by their work. Are we living and leading as we are called to, which is to live and lead with compassion and service for others? Helping others brings satisfaction and happiness not only to us; it impacts the spirit of those around us as well. Certainly knowing what inspires each of our team members – and it is different for each person – is the foundation for our effectiveness as a leader. This is servant leadership. Leading with humility and personal attention will significantly improve the morale and the quality of the work of our team.

My Comment: There is a very soulful focus in Keyser’s approach to leadership. Winning Well managers know that if you want your employee’s hearts to be in their work, you’ve got to connect to earn their trust and connect with them. Leadership is a gift – and so is everything your team member contributes every day.

The Biggest Workplace Trends for 2016 Infographic by Chantal Bechervaise

Bechervaise supplies another fascinating look at the evolving workplace including trends in Boomerang Employees, Millennial Managers, Generation Z entering the workforce, the role of wearable technology and more. It’s enough to make your head spin, but her graphic makes it digestible and less overwhelming.

My Comment: Winning Well leaders do well to stay apprised of these trends and remember that the dual focus on results and relationships built on a foundation of confidence and humility will help you through these constant changes.

David works with leaders to get results without losing their soul (or mind) in the process. Have David keynote your next event or deliver corporate training: Email today or call 303.898.7018!

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