Leadership Best Practices

This past week at the Conscious Capitalism Conference in Chicago, I learned so much about how I can be a better leader that I wanted to truly dig into the content and compile it into one summary document for my reference.  Our President, Joe Cox, created a document that communicated the key points beautifully so I ended up adapting what he wrote and added a few of my favorite key points to it.  During those days that I get caught up in priorities and feel rushed, this will serve as my reminder.  This will also apply to my parenting! J

 

I am sharing this with you because as Coordinators, each of us is truly a leader.  Leadership is not a status – it is a behavior, a way of being.  We all help to lead our teams to be successful.  I’d love to encourage you developing your leadership in any way that I can.  Please take some time to read the content below.  Also if you ever feel like I can improve in any of these areas, I would love to hear it (honestly!!).

 

[Graphic from Curtis Hite - CEO of Improving]

 Personal/Cognitive Leadership (These points are characteristics that can serve as guiding tenets.)

1.      Listen and Connect:   Be the last one to speak. When you see someone that is struggling or not performing, ask them what is going on.  Connect with them.  Listen to and understand them.  Let them know you care.  If there is something that needs to change, tell them, “You’re right.  We should change.”  Determine how to best make those changes to improve the processes that are affecting them so that they are empowered. 

2.      Increase Emotional Intelligence:  Exhibit the traits that motivate others by applying a “one size fits one” mentality that can unleash talents, inspire creativity, and drive productivity.

3.      Have Empathy:  Articulate an authentic vision of overall direction; from the heart and to the heart by paying attention to people’s feelings and emotional needs.

4.      Lead From Behind:  Lead others by providing them the tools that they need to excel.  Teach, mentor, coach and inspire by serving others.  Leaders are responsible for the people, not the results.  Be the leader you wish you had.

5.      Be Self-Aware:  Assess my own strengths and weaknesses so that I may surround myself with a team of people whose strengths complement my weaknesses.  Always continue to learn how to be better. 

6.      Celebrate Accomplishments.  Celebrate great achievements – no matter how obscure they are.  Let each person know they matter and what they do makes an impact.  This must be done in a truly authentic way that feels good to receive. 

7.      Be Consistent.  Consistency is way more important than intensity.  The little things each day make a huge difference to people.  If you work out for 9 hours one day, you don’t get the same results as if you work out for 10 minutes every day.

8.      Lead by Example.  To have maximum impact, we work inspired. We can increase our energy by balancing sprints of inspired work with renewal periods.  Set the example by having a balanced work load as this will set the tone for others. 

9.      Hold Positive Opposites Gracefully:  By expanding our capacity to hold paradoxical opposites, we become more balanced and full beings.  We should always seek to find value in the opposites we undervalue.

10.   Create a safe environment.  Create a safe environment where there is a community of openness and the team is encouraged to build off each other.  Embrace leadership practices that send people home each day safe, healthy, and fulfilled.  Be transparent.  There should be no surprises.

Organizational/Action Leadership (These steps will apply throughout the process of a project – they are listed in logical order.)

1.      Navigate Uncertainty:  Provide guiding leadership by asking the right questions when things are unknown.

2.      Be Agile:  Exhibit confidence, maturity, and acuity when challenged in a changing environment.

3.      Innovate:  Think (and inspire others to think) beyond what we can see. To look at something ordinary and see the extraordinary.

4.      Be Resilient: Bounce back and maintain a professional, positive, and inspiring presence during any challenge, any confrontation, any setback.

5.      Provide Clarity:  Energize others by setting clear expectations with clear communication and visible organizational methodologies that follow best practices.  My task delegation is SMART.

6.      Guide Focus:  Focus only on what truly matters to our organization and drive our projects to completion.

Be Accountable:  to hold myself accountable for providing conscious leadership by adhering to all of the above practices.  Then, to hold myself accountable for inspiring others to do the same.

 

I would love to hear your comments! J