The Leadership Looking Glass – What Mask Are You Wearing Today?

As leaders, we often get so caught up in our day-to-day responsibilities that we forget to think about how we come across to the people around us, and how their actions, communications and concerns may be driven by their perception of the persona we put forward.  When was the last time you took a long gaze in the leadership looking glass? Are you showing up at work as your authentic self or is there a mask that gets in the way?  In honor of Halloween, let’s look at some typical masks a leader might wear. Do you recognize yourself in any of them?

The Super Hero

You have confidence, boundless energy and can seemingly handle any problem that comes your way (“Bring it on, tall buildings!”) You are protective of your team.  In your need for speed you often charge ahead with activities that could be delegated.

While your team may admire your ability to “handle it all,” they’d like the chance to solve issues and take on more responsibilities and, perhaps, risks themselves. They may be hesitant to give you honest feedback or make alternative suggestions as you appear to have it all under control.

The Alien

You’re distracted right now – could be the job, could be personal issues – and your mind seems to be on another planet. You’re communicating less frequently with your team, and you appear out of touch with their projects and issues.

Your team is wondering where you parked the UFO.  They miss their leader, and are frustrated with the gap left by no clear direction.

Your lack of communication has made them stop trying. Some are considering
abandoning ship.

The King

You may ask for ideas and input, but in the end you like things “your way.”

You have tendency to redo your team’s work rather than discuss or give them constructive
feedback because it’s faster and, well, you know how it should be done.  You sing “I Did It My Way” in the shower.

Your team is beginning to lose confidence in their skills and ability to make an impact. They’re hesitant to make suggestions because they know they’ll be rejected or ignored.  Some are beginning to wonder why they show up at all.

Angry Bird

You’re not happy at work right now and it shows in your attitude.  You snap at team members and colleagues, you have no patience for work that is less than what you expected or later than when it was due, no matter the reason. You delegate as much as possible.  You’re frequently unavailable.

Your team is feeling overworked and underappreciated. You appear unapproachable so they’re afraid to communicate their thoughts and feelings to you.  The less you communicate with your team, the less they communicate with each other.  The silos have been built, and collaboration is not a priority.

At Halloween you can put on a mask and be whoever you want to be.  But Halloween is one day. The rest of the year you need to remove the mask and be a strong, dependable, and visionary leader.  Only then will you be able to move yourself, your team and your organization forward.

Till next time,

Karen

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How Would YOU Say It in Only Six Words?

What are the chances you can convey your message in 6 words?
Impossible, you say…

A few years ago SMITH Magazine published Not Quite What I Was Planning: Six-Word Memoirs by Writers Famous and Obscure. The book, inspired by a six-word story said to be written by Ernest Hemingway (“For sale: baby shoes, never worn.”) was a compilation of six-word memoirs submitted by SMITH readers.  Since then, SMITH has come out with additional six-word books on a variety of life topics, including love, Dads and work.

So it’s gotten me thinking. What if we look a bit deeper into the work topic and talk, say, about your leadership style? Or how you communicate? Or your learning style? Or the value you bring to the organization. What would that six-word elevator pitch be? I’d love to hear it.

To give you some inspiration, here are a few examples from the original book:

Mistook streetlight for the moon. Climbed. – Zack Wentz

It was worth it, I think. – Annette Laitinen

Still lost on road less traveled. – Joe Quesada

Former band nerd dreams big dreams. – Jesse Poe

And here are a few we’ve come up with on our topics:

Leadership style:

I set the vision. They execute.

Inspire. Support. Let them surprise you.

Communication style:

Two ears. One mouth. Use proportionally.

Learning style:

I learn something new every day.

Value:

Turned team around. Now profits soaring.

OK. Now it’s your turn. Let’s hear YOUR six words on leadership, communication, learning or the value you bring.

Please share…

Till next time,

Karen

Adapting Your Leadership Style for Improved Results

As leaders, each of us has a certain leadership style. Much of it stems from who we are at our core, flavored by the experiences and examples we’ve had on the journey here.  With that said, it’s important for us to continue to learn new skills and adapt who we are based on our audience.

As we grow in our leadership role, we need to be very clear about our leadership competencies – both strengths and weaknesses. There are a gazillion leadership models out there.  But what does leadership mean to you? Do you lead with vision? Do you lead with drive? Do you lead to deliver? Or do you lead through people? You probably tend toward one or two over the others, but you should have capability in all four competencies. The key is learning to flex them appropriately based on the situation.

Think of the best leader you’ve ever had. What do you think their leadership preference was – Vision, Drive, Deliver, or People? Now think…how well did they adapt to accommodate all four leadership competencies to be the best leader?  Each person must flex at certain times to get the desired outcome. If a leader becomes too rigid in doing things their way, they may have people who are only following because they’re afraid of the consequences of doing otherwise. You and I both know that we don’t get the best out of our employees in a fear-based environment.

Our great leaders are clear about who they are as leaders, are capable of flexing when it makes sense, and are willing to hold their ground when it is right for the business. They have a backbone, and will make what they believe is the RIGHT decision, even if it’s not the POPULAR decision.

As a leader, you want people to follow you because they trust you, and because you are stretching them by providing opportunities they would not have without you. You want them to follow you because you have created a vision and they can see the connection between the organization’s goals and their own goals. People will stay…or leave…because of you. We’ve all heard about the Gallup Poll that found people don’t leave organizations, they leave their managers. If you are not willing to adapt your style, you will have a large exodus of employees. There are endless formulas for turnover costs.  Let’s just use the one that says turnover costs for a mid-level employee equal 150% of that employee’s annual salary. That isn’t pretty for the bottom line, and won’t reflect very favorably on the leader.

So think about your people. How do you need to adapt these four competencies – Vision, Drive, Deliver, People – to ensure that you create and maintain an environment of trust and productivity for sustainable business results?

Want to learn more about leadership and communication styles? Check out our assessments at PeopleThink.biz.

Till next time,

Karen

Communicating from Your Strengths

Have you ever walked away from an interview, a meeting or a presentation and had that sinking feeling that what you were saying wasn’t what your audience was hearing?  Or have you ever wondered why you can have an amazing connection with someone you’ve just met, yet never seem to be on the same wave length with someone you’ve worked with for ages?

Each of us leans toward a particular communication “style.”  Understanding that style, and adjusting it to meet the needs of a situation and/or your audience, will help you communicate so that you are truly “heard.”

Rate the following statements from 1 to 4, with 1 being “most like me” and 4 being “least like me” to determine your preferred style. Then read the corresponding tips to learn how to leverage your strengths and adjust your style for more effective communication. We’ve labeled the four styles A through D as a reference for the tips below.

Determine your style – Rate each style from 1 (most) to 4 (least)

___I tend to focus on facts and details, and take a structured approach to my work.  I like to have all relevant information before making a decision.  I don’t do hugs at work. (A)

___I am naturally informal and laid back. People often confide in me because I’m a good listener.  I tend not to direct where a conversation goes. I’m uncomfortable with conflict.  (B)

___I am energetic and animated when speaking. I love to discuss creative ideas.  I may switch from topic to topic within the same conversation.  I prefer big picture, vision talk. Spare me the details!  (C)

___I get to the point quickly and appreciate others who do the same.  I focus on action.  I don’t shy away from conflict.  If a meeting or project is stalled, I’ll get it going.  (D)

Leverage your strengths

Each style brings unique value to a team, a project, an organization.  You have all four styles within you.  The key is knowing when to pull from your less dominant styles to adapt to a situation and communicate more effectively with the people around you.

If you rated yourself highest in “A” your strengths are ensuring that all details are covered so that nothing falls through the cracks. You like structure and process. You need to be aware, though, that overusing your strengths can turn off others, meaning you won’t be heard. Those who are higher “D” will want a quicker decision. Those who rate higher as “C” will want less detail.

If you rated yourself highest in “B” your strengths are promoting harmony and ensuring that everyone’s input is heard. Remember that conflict can be a good thing when managed constructively and often leads to innovative ideas.  Engage those who are high “D” by discussing the tough topics.

If you rated yourself highest in “C” your strengths are creating a vision and bringing energy and a sense of fun to the task at hand. Recognize, though, that others may interpret your energy and fun as a lack of commitment and focus. Have details available for those who need them. Get to the point quicker when communicating with those who focus on action. And stay on topic for those who are strong “B”s.

If you rated yourself highest in “D” your key strengths are decisiveness and moving a conversation, a team or a project forward. You are direct in the way you communicate. Understand that others may interpret your directness as arrogance, or worry that a speedy decision will miss important details. To ensure that you are heard, slow your pace a bit for those who are high in “B”. Outline the decision process for those who need the details. And map to the vision for those who focus on creativity.

Want to learn more about your style and how to recognize and adapt to others?  Check out the PeopleThink assessments.

Till next time,

Karen