Smart Leaders Practice Mindful Pausing to Boost Performance and Well-being

 

 

 

 

 

"The trail is the thing, not the end of the trail. Travel too fast, and you miss all you are traveling for."   ~Louis L'Amour

Leaders have a lot on their plate – and a lot on their  minds. They have responsibilities galore and likely a full inbox. They are expected to be on point, on-the-ball, and on top of everything. Many wear busy as a badge of honor. Despite all this, and perhaps even because of it, smart leaders practice pausing throughout the day.

The most effective and confident leaders know that even when it seems they shouldn’t (or don’t think they have time), they need to take a deep breath...

And mindfully pause.

Six Reasons Leaders Need to Mindfully Pause 

Here are six reasons why mindfully pausing is so important – even if it is counter-intuitive to the pressures and demands of the job.

1. Pause to gain perspective. When we are in the middle of the fray, we can’t look up and out to see a bigger picture. But when we stop and pause, we can (literally and metaphorically) lift our eyes to see a different and bigger picture. And a pause might look like asking others for their perspectives too – which is often a very good use of everyone’s time.

2. Pause to refresh. For many years, Coca-Cola used the tagline that it was the pause that refreshes. Maybe you need a soda or water. Maybe you need a five-minute walk. Maybe you need to sleep on a decision or next step. Pauses often help us refresh our minds and reset our attitudes – and both can be valuable to us, and to our teams too.

3. Pause to reflect. The best leaders are learners. If you want to be a more effective learner, one of the best things you can do is reflect on what you have already done. Asking learning questions like “what happened?”, “what worked?”, “what didn’t?”, and “what will I do next time (or next)?” will build your knowledge and skills. But none of that happens until you pause long enough to ask yourself those (and other powerful) reflective questions.

4. Pause to think. Our brains don’t multitask. If we are answering questions and making decisions in real time, we are reacting to the stimulus around us. And reacting isn’t thinking. The biggest reason we need to pause to think is to help us make better decisions.

5. Pause to ignite employee ownership. The powerful ask more, tell less tool is predicated on leaders staying curious a little, rushing to advise a little more slowly. It requires leaders to pause and let silence do the heavy lifting after they ask an empowering question designed to facilitate employee buy-in.

Click here to read a related post:  Leaders Who Ask More Leverage the Power of the Brain to Ignite Employee Ownership ( 5 min read) 

6. Pause to overcome habits. As leaders, we are asked to make decisions and take actions all day long. And the largest percentage of those things we do on autopilot. We react based on our natural inclinations and learned responses - by habit. Habit is incredibly helpful to us. If we treated everything as new, we would be immobilized and accomplish little. 

But if we never consider any options beyond our norm, how can we expect to improve? How can we expect to adjust to changing situations? To be an effective leader in a changing and uncertain world we must be willing to flex. And until we pause long enough to consider something other than our habit, we won’t flex, we will simply repeat.

Most would agree that these outcomes are important. Most leaders would say they could use more perspective, a reset or refresh, new ideas and more. And most of those same leaders say they don’t have time. 

A pause could mean 3 or 30 minutes. It could mean overnight or next week. A pause is a mental deep breath – which doesn’t have to run counter to your need to move projects and plans forward and solve problems and choose between options.

The power of the a mindful pause helps you do all those things more effectively.

Now that you have seen the six reasons to understand the power of the pause, I hope that you will be more willing to consider it as one of your leadership power tools.

I urge you to practice mindful pausing today.

Click on the following links to read two related posts: 

Why It’s Vital for Leaders to Cultivate Mindful Moments During the Day (3 min)

Stop Rushing All the Time  (1-2 min read) 

To your greater success and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, energy storage and facilities management, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Insights and Strategies for Leading in a Time of Great Uncertainty and Pervasive Anxiety

 

 

 

 

 

 Leading in an uncertain world is a serious challenge facing leaders right now. 

Anxiety is taking a toll on people. American Psychiatric Association research confirms it: anxiety is at an all-time high. Teams spend too much time worrying about things they can’t control.

Leaders are expected to provide certainty even if they have as many questions as everyone else. And the cost is massive.

Anxiety is a productivity killer: It hijacks focus, stifles creativity, and slows decision-making. But pretending anxiety is not an issue? That backfires.
         
The most resilient teams don't waste time trying to eliminate uncertainty — they learn to lead through it. 

Adaptive leaders expand the clarity zone, communicate what they do know, and act with consistency. They don’t get lost in hypotheticals they can’t solve yet.

Here are three steps for leading when you don't have all the answers:

1. Embrace uncertainty:

In his book Managing as a Performing Art, Peter Vaill introduces the metaphor for the uncertainty, turbulence, and angst that shape business dynamics: permanent whitewater.

We must embrace uncertainty, not as something temporary, but permanent.

As Vaills explains:

“Most managers are taught to think of themselves as paddling their canoes on calm, still lakes. They’re led to believe that they should be pretty much able to go where they want, when they want, using means that are under their control.

(They think) disruptions will be temporary, and when things settle back down, they’ll be back in the calm, still lake mode.”

But, as the author explains, we never get out of the rapids — We will always experience continuous upset and chaos.

When you realize the river will never be calm, uncertainty feels less threatening.

2. Read the waters

Though times of great uncertainly feels random and  chaotic — It’s mostly composed of patterns. If you stop and watch a river or waterfall carefully, you can notice that some patterns are quite stable.

Whitewater is formed when a river generates so much turbulence that air is entrained into the water body. It creates a bubbly, unstable current — the foamy water appears white.

Whitewater is exciting but also risky — You can drown in turbulent waters, smash a rock or get stuck in river features. You must learn to read the waters before you jump into them.

Training and coaching helps us understand the different patterns and rules to navigate permanent whitewater. Like in any space, to thrive in an uncertain reality requires formal training.

3. Play

 However, formal training is not enough — We must experience the challenging waters first hand. Through play, teams can test the rules, break them, and mend them.

Playing allow us to get used to practice and gain confidence in a safer space before we jump into more dangerous waters. Ken Gergen calls it ‘Play with Purpose’ — a spirited way of deeply, but safely, exploring patterns that create significant impact in the long run.

The Approach 

To thrive in great uncertainty, organizations and teams must develop a human, adaptive, and innovative culture.

Emotion intelligence → Mindset → Behavior

Teams must learn to manage their — individual and collective — emotions so they can reframe their mindset and, only then, can adopt new behaviors. The following is the framework you can experiment with.

Human (Emotions):
Enduring change happens from within. Self-awareness is key — the more you know yourself, the more you can lead yourself and others.

By increasing self-awareness, we can identify the emotions that are at play. We can choose which ones we want to avoid, and which we want to use on our favor. Addressing our relationship with fear helps us understand why we resist the unexpected and also prepare for it.

Self-awareness help us shift from fear to courage and resilience. Building a courageous and resilient culture matters because it helps people do their best work.

Click here to read a related post: The Leadership "Super Skill" for Thriving in the 21st Century   

Adaptive (Mindset):
Managing our emotions is critical to stop resisting reality. Instead of fighting the uncertain waters, we learn to embrace their nature.

An adaptive mindset requires letting go of perfectionism and expectations. We learn to focus on paddling — what we can control — not on trying to change the reality of the whitewater.

Click here to read a related post: Develop 5 Essential Skills to Lead Effectively in Today’s 'VUCA' World

Instead of trying to dominate whitewater; we need to allow it to become. Focus on what you can control — the input, not the outcome.

Innovative (Behavior):
To thrive in uncertainty, great leaders tap into the humanity in their company and teams. They see and liberate the best in others by creating a safe space for experimentation. Playing is not only permitted, but encouraged.

Click here to read a related post: Experimentation is Vital for Leadership Excellence

Improvisation is a necessary skill to navigate great uncertainty— teams must be able to think on their feet to solve unexpected problems.

Click here to read a related post:  9 Tips for Thinking on Your Feet

Mistakes are lessons to discover what doesn’t work so we can then uncover what will work.

Uncertainty will remain present for the foreseeable future.  However, every time our limits are tested, we can grow and adapt our way through it.

We are all in this together. We are stronger when we fight together rather than on our own. Welcome to the new normal. 

To your greater ability to adapt to uncertainty,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

Replace Weekly Status Updates with Meetings that Align, Educate, Energize and Unite!

 

 

 

 

 

 What Are People Thinking In Weekly Status Updates?

"I’m bored." "I've got real work to do that will move the KPI needle." "That's too hours of my life I'm never getting back!"

Too many status meetings get repetitive and boring. They can waste time. They often don't move the business forward.

I think weekly status meetings take root when new managers have a staff meeting (because they know they are supposed to have meetings), but they are not sure what to do in their meeting, so they ask each person to give a status update about their work. What ensues is basically a series of one-on-one meetings between the manger and each team member while everyone else is watching  (or checking their devices).

Many Status Meetings Create More Problems Than They Solve

Many status reviews are almost a form of anti-communication. They often do not foster a healthy sharing of knowledge, ideas, and risks. They choke the system with so much detail that the insights can never appear. There are three key problems that status/review meetings cause:

1.  You don’t gain necessary insights about risks and opportunities.
2.  You keep people from doing real work and waste a lot of time.
3.  You fail to discuss the things that would give you insights about risks and opportunities because you spend all your time and energy reviewing KPIs and/or project/task details.

What to Do Instead

There are two things that you need to rework once you decide to stop or reduce the frequency of status meetings:

1.  You need an alternate, effective plan to track status and keep score.
2.  You need to decide what else to do at your team meeting if you are not reviewing status. 

In the spirit of challenging the status quo and the relentless pursuit of a better way, I invite you to experiment with some of these ideas.

Find the Control Points 

The first step in improving your ability and effectiveness in tracking progress is to define the right control points. If you are measuring the right control points, you get very solid information about the performance of your business and team without wading through hours of status detail.
 
Create a Useful Tracking Framework and Process

Once you know what the key outcomes or control points are, and have them staged out on a timeline throughout the middle, then you can create a process and framework for each team to report ahead of time on those key measures.

Each team will still create and use their detailed project plans to do and manage their work, but what gets reported upwards will be a new communication-based, outcome-oriented  report. This report will contain insights about the key control points for each project and how you are performing on those.

Have a Different and Better Meeting

Then when you have the staff meeting or review meeting, reading of the new reports about the control points is pre-work. It gives you a chance to flag the issues, risks, and opportunities. Those become the things you talk about in the meeting. One company got the quarterly business review process down from five full days per quarter to two by doing this. And the quality of the insights and output was better. Everyone was happier.

Better Things To Do In Your Staff Meetings

Now that you have freed up all that status review time, here are some examples of more productive things you can be doing with staff meeting time. Start thinking about using your team when they are together to pursue higher value outcomes  as a team. This is also necessary for building the capacity of your team.

1.  What are the key outcomes we are on the hook for?   What control points should we measure? How will we know if we are achieving them?

It’s really worth putting the question of key outcomes and control points out there for team discussion, and aligning on both the control points and what the measures are. You will be surprised by how many different potential opinions exist if you haven’t had this discussion already. Going forward with dif­fering opinions on what is important and how you measure it results in low productivity.

2.  What are the risks we face? What should we do about them?

It’s always important to remember that everyone  has a different risk profile. You will find that some people are afraid of everything and others are afraid of nothing. When you talk about risks with your team, you’ll get critical insights on how aligned your team’s belief system is about what you are trying to do and how you need to manage the individuals on your team—and you may even learn about an important risk that you didn’t see before.

3.  What is the data we wish we knew about our business? 

Is it knowable? How will we find it? If it is not knowable, what scenarios should we plan for?

Make the list with your team. Get the data you can get and make explicit scenario-based plans for what you will all agree to do when there is no data.

4.  What stupid stuff are we doing?

I'd recommend having this as a team topic at least twice a year. This one never ceases  to pay off. Annoying, time-wasting stuff always creeps into the environment, and then teams just accept that as the new reality. Once or twice a year, talking about “what stupid stuff are we doing?” gives people the permission to not have to just accept the annoying, inefficient, ineffective stuff, but to highlight the issues causing them.  Then as a team you can choose one or two and fix them. Productivity always improves after this meeting.

5.  Question the habits

Habit is a very powerful force that makes organizations get stuck doing things the same way over and over again. Old habits become ingrained, and some lose their usefulness. And then everyone gets too busy to think about how there might be a  better way to do something. One of the most useful things I've repeatedly done in my business and life is to step outside of the my current habits—and  to really observe, question, and then improve them. I learned to always  ask  and investigate:

•  Why do we do this?
•  Who uses this? And what do they use it for?
•  Have we asked them if it is useful?
•  Would something else be better?
•  How much does this cost and why? What do we get?

6.  What has changed?

What has changed  in our market and business, or our customers’ markets and businesses? What does that mean for our plans?
Here again, you will find that some people care deeply and know a lot, and others are happy to just keep their head down plowing away at their former job descriptions. Find out. Discuss. Drive important change.

7.  What improvements can we make?

 What process or infrastructure  improvement would have the biggest impact on our ability to deliver? As the manager you are responsible  for  making improvements and increasing the capacity and capability of  your team over time. But you don’t have to think of all the answers yourself. Crowdsource it with your team. This question is actually important to ask everyone in the organization, not just your direct reports.

8.  What has become harder and easier in our work and business?
What should we consider changing?

At the pace technology and communication changes, something is now harder or easier in your business than it was before. If competition or margins  have become harder, shine the spotlight on it and discuss it as a team.  If technology advances could make things easier, don’t miss it. Don’t keep doing things the same old, slow, hard way because you never paused to think and talk about it.

9.  What should we all be learning?

What should we learn this year in addition to our core work? What do we want to be better at, or smarter about, next year?

Elevate the discussion about what we should all be doing (in addition to our day jobs) to improve. Make it clear that doing the job is only part of the job. Everyone should have goals to improve, and your team should be focused on “something we all need to learn or get better at” at any given point in time.

10.  Who should we thank? 

Who in our company has done something remarkable that we should recognize?
I find that if you don’t have this discussion at your regular team meeting, all kinds of great things happen in your company and they go unseen and therefore un-thanked. Not recognizing exceptional efforts destroys trust. Talk about this so you don’t miss it! 

11.  Who are the stars?

Who are the high potential people in our organization that we should be investing in developing?

Always have a short list of high potential people who should be getting extra exposure, bigger challenges, and introductions to mentors. One of the best things you can do as a leader is to grow top performers in your company It’s good for them, for you, and for the company, and ultimately for the world!

12.  What is our team brand?

Who/what groups should our team be communicating, networking, or improving our brand with? How should we do it?
 
This is a topic that always brings  a lot of energy when discussed in off-sites. Who are the stakeholders  that your team serves? How do they perceive you? How do you need them to perceive you? Do you have any detractors? Do any departments currently have a  wrong assumption about your team or what it does? What is your team brand? What do you want it to be?

Laughter 

*I read once that people are more productive after they have been laughing.  I started opening my team meetings with casual conversation, telling or inviting jokes, and getting people laughing (Now it's a central part of my leadership training classes). 

In the beginning everyone was concerned that I was wasting time, but I was amazed at how quickly we could get down to business and start working on hard problems together after the fun. Once I told them that I was doing this on purpose, everyone recognized how well it worked and appreciated being allowed to be less robot-like.

*Click here to read a related post. Cultivate Laughter at Work to Boost Well-Being and Performance

Meetings don't have to waste time. If run properly they can align, focus, raise energy levels, motivate, inspire, educate, unite and provide a much needed break during the week.

To your greater success and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement ? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees or a SMART Development consultant please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, energy storage and facilities management, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

7 Leadership Lessons from Great Basketball Coaches

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Lights, camera, jump ball! Let the games (And madness 😃) begin! The NCAA basketball tournament begins this evening with "Selection Sunday.'

When I was a young blade the first thing I remember purchasing with my own money that I earned was a basketball. I've always loved the game. I know longer play but I do enjoy watching, especially college games. 

Time spent watching and really observing these exciting games has gotten me thinking about the lessons we all can take from the paid leaders of these teams - the head coaches. Even if you're not a basketball fan, I encourage you to read on because the lessons are powerful for everyone - fan and non-fan alike. 

These seven lessons are reinforced for me by the best basketball coaches. Look for the lessons you can apply today.

1) Great coaches flex their system, but not their philosophy. All great coaches have a coaching philosophy. They know it takes skill in all phases of the game, but it's their philosophy that informs their focus. Some coaches always have great rebounding teams; some focus on a fast break offense; some are defensive minded. Yet, if their current lineup gives them different strengths, they may flex their system or make adjustments to best take advantage of the current talent. 

Non-basketball leaders can do the same thing - focus on your core philosophy, yet be flexible in implementation based on the circumstances and talent on your team.

2) Great coaches measure performance. Of course, wins and losses are measured, but the best coaches measure far deeper than that. Assist to turnover ratios, number of offensive rebounds, number of steals, and free throw percentage in the last five minutes of games are just a few examples. What they can measure in their context is almost endless. Coaches who focus on rebounding will have deeper and more extensive rebounding measures that they follow. Those measures inform them on progress, development needs and more. 

The important lesson for us is that they measure those things that are important to winning, based on their philosophy. We must do the same if we want to achieve top performance. 

3) Great coaches practice everything (in a variety of ways). Supervised practice for college basketball teams begins several weeks before games. And once the season begins teams still practice most every day (including having walk throughs and film sessions on game day). They practice fundamentals and simulate particular game situations, so players are prepared for every situation on the floor. Most leaders in organizations fall far short in this area. 

Are you taking or allowing time for walk throughs, practice and review of results? Are you allowing and helping people prepare for the tough situations that may occur on their jobs? If not, this is an opportunity area for you and those you lead. 

4) Great coaches recognize and utilize passion and enthusiasm. Have you ever seen a really disengaged basketball coach? Like non-athletic leaders, different coaches have different personalities, and therefore their passions and enthusiasm may manifest differently, but they all show passion - typically so plainly that even the last person in the arena knows how the coach feels from moment to moment. They all are enthusiastic, and they all support and extend the passion and enthusiasm of their teams. 

Are you doing the same? If not, try the "Act As If" principle. Act enthusiastic and you'll be enthusiastic!

5) Great coaches are products of their coaches. Watch college basketball for long and you will hear about "coaching trees." This coach coached under that guy, who actually played for coach X. Coaches obviously benefit from a network of past bosses (a lesson for us), but the best also regularly credit their former coaches and mentors in helping to develop their skills and philosophies. Generally speaking, I'm not sure most leaders are as consciously aware of what they have learned from their former bosses. 

There are two lessons here. Make it a priority to learn from the best, and reflect and recognize what lessons and principles you have learned from others that you can apply for yourself as a leader. And, give credit to your coaches as often as you can!) 

6) Great coaches define their team broadly. The best coaches want their players to succeed both on and off the court. The best coaches start or extend these "coaching trees" by developing their assistant coaches. The best college coaches recognize the role they play as a part of the larger organization (the college or university in their cases). 

Leaders can learn from this example as well. When you define your role broadly you allow yourself to have greater impact and more overall success. 

7) Great coaches coach! They aren't just managers or leaders. They actually coach! They recognize that an important part of their job is to develop others and help them reach their potential. Perhaps they have an advantage because their job title is coach. 

Your title may not remind you of this priority every day (and you may say you have other priorities). However, if you look closely at the other everyday tasks of a head coach you will find many of the same tasks and distractions you face. Yet the best "coaches" don't stop coaching.  

The best "leaders" shouldn't either.

Click here to read a related post:  You Can't Be A Great Leader If You're Not Coaching Your Team

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

7 Leadership Lessons from Great Basketball Coaches

  

 

 

 

 

 

Lights, camera, jump ball! Let the games (And madness 😃) begin! The NCAA basketball tournament starts on Sunday.

When I was a young blade the first thing I remember purchasing with my own money that I earned was a basketball. I've always loved the game. I know longer play but I do enjoy watching, especially college games. 

Time spent watching and really observing these exciting games has gotten me thinking about the lessons we all can take from the paid leaders of these teams - the head coaches. Even if you're not a basketball fan, I encourage you to read on because the lessons are powerful for everyone - fan and non-fan alike. 

These seven lessons are reinforced for me by the best basketball coaches. Look for the lessons you can apply today.

1) Great coaches flex their system, but not their philosophy. All great coaches have a coaching philosophy. They know it takes skill in all phases of the game, but it's their philosophy that informs their focus. Some coaches always have great rebounding teams; some focus on a fast break offense; some are defensive minded. Yet, if their current lineup gives them different strengths, they may flex their system or make adjustments to best take advantage of the current talent. 

Non-basketball leaders can do the same thing - focus on your core philosophy, yet be flexible in implementation based on the circumstances and talent on your team.

2) Great coaches measure performance. Of course, wins and losses are measured, but the best coaches measure far deeper than that. Assist to turnover ratios, number of offensive rebounds, number of steals, and free throw percentage in the last five minutes of games are just a few examples. What they can measure in their context is almost endless. Coaches who focus on rebounding will have deeper and more extensive rebounding measures that they follow. Those measures inform them on progress, development needs and more. 

The important lesson for us is that they measure those things that are important to winning, based on their philosophy. We must do the same if we want to achieve top performance. 

3) Great coaches practice everything (in a variety of ways). Supervised practice for college basketball teams begins several weeks before games. And once the season begins teams still practice most every day (including having walk throughs and film sessions on game day). They practice fundamentals and simulate particular game situations, so players are prepared for every situation on the floor. Most leaders in organizations fall far short in this area. 

Are you taking or allowing time for walk throughs, practice and review of results? Are you allowing and helping people prepare for the tough situations that may occur on their jobs? If not, this is an opportunity area for you and those you lead. 

4) Great coaches recognize and utilize passion and enthusiasm. Have you ever seen a really disengaged basketball coach? Like non-athletic leaders, different coaches have different personalities, and therefore their passions and enthusiasm may manifest differently, but they all show passion - typically so plainly that even the last person in the arena knows how the coach feels from moment to moment. They all are enthusiastic, and they all support and extend the passion and enthusiasm of their teams. 

Are you doing the same? If not, try the "Act As If" principle. Act enthusiastic and you'll be enthusiastic!

5) Great coaches are products of their coaches. Watch college basketball for long and you will hear about "coaching trees." This coach coached under that guy, who actually played for coach X. Coaches obviously benefit from a network of past bosses (a lesson for us), but the best also regularly credit their former coaches and mentors in helping to develop their skills and philosophies. Generally speaking, I'm not sure most leaders are as consciously aware of what they have learned from their former bosses. 

There are two lessons here. Make it a priority to learn from the best, and reflect and recognize what lessons and principles you have learned from others that you can apply for yourself as a leader. And, give credit to your coaches as often as you can!) 

6) Great coaches define their team broadly. The best coaches want their players to succeed both on and off the court. The best coaches start or extend these "coaching trees" by developing their assistant coaches. The best college coaches recognize the role they play as a part of the larger organization (the college or university in their cases). 

Leaders can learn from this example as well. When you define your role broadly you allow yourself to have greater impact and more overall success. 

7) Great coaches coach! They aren't just managers or leaders. They actually coach! They recognize that an important part of their job is to develop others and help them reach their potential. Perhaps they have an advantage because their job title is coach. 

Your title may not remind you of this priority every day (and you may say you have other priorities). However, if you look closely at the other everyday tasks of a head coach you will find many of the same tasks and distractions you face. Yet the best "coaches" don't stop coaching.  

The best "leaders" shouldn't either.

Click here to read a related post:  You Can't Be A Great Leader If You're Not Coaching Your Team

To your greater success and fulfillment,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

 

Take the Next Step...
Interested in learning how to develop your organization's leadership capability, culture, and employee engagement? We begin with a collaborative discovery process identifying your unique needs and business issues. To request an interview with Peter Mclees please 

contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile: 323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, third-party maintenance providers, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.

Having worked with several companies throughout their growth cycle, we have valuable insights and strategies that would help any late stage startup, small or medium sized company achieve sustained growth and prosperity.

 

Strong People-Leadership Is Vital Now More Than Ever

 

 

 

 

 

Recent surveys and forecasts have underscored a concerning trend in the business world: a significant leadership deficit. A Zippia survey revealed that a staggering 77% of businesses report a lack of leadership, with only 33% of employees feeling engaged.

Alarmingly, less than half of these companies (49%) are investing in cross-skilling and upskilling their leaders. Furthermore, a mere 31% are engaging in leadership development programs to identify potential leaders within their ranks.

The 2023 Global Leadership Forecast further accentuates this issue, with only 11% of organizations confident in their leadership bench strength. The root of this crisis lies in many organizations’ failure to provide leadership development and transition training for their employees.

This trend is particularly unfortunate as organizations grapple with significant workforce changes, high turnover rates, marketplace disruptions and declining engagement levels. With numerous changes impacting organizations simultaneously, the demand for effective leadership is at an all-time high.

Indeed, effective leadership is the pivotal element that determines whether an organization will flourish in the face of adversity or fade into the shadows of irrelevance.

Consider the case of Microsoft under the leadership of Satya Nadella. When Nadella took the helm in 2014, Microsoft was struggling to maintain its relevance. However, Nadella saw potential and initiated a cultural shift within the company.

He introduced a new mission statement and promoted a growth mindset, encouraging employees to learn and take risks. This led to a wave of innovation at Microsoft, resulting in the development of successful products and a significant increase in the company’s stock price.

Under Nadella’s leadership, Microsoft regained its position as a leading tech company. This story underscores the transformative power of effective leadership and makes a great case for leadership development.

Here are four reasons why leadership development is crucial now and should be treated as a top priority if we are to achieve future success:

1. The Key to Future Success

Leadership development is not just about creating leaders; it’s about shaping the future of organizations. It equips leaders with the skills necessary to motivate teams, unlock potential, and navigate change.

In an era marked by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics, the ability to adapt and innovate has become crucial. Leaders who have undergone comprehensive development programs are better equipped to steer their organizations toward success in this volatile environment.

2. Motivating Teams and Unlocking Potential

A well-developed leader can inspire their team to achieve their best work. They foster a culture of collaboration and innovation, where every team member feels valued and motivated. Moreover, they can identify and nurture the potential in their team members, guiding them towards personal and professional growth.

This not only enhances the performance of the individual but also contributes to the overall success of the organization.

Check out a related post: How good are your motivation skills? (5 min)

3. Navigating Change

Change is a constant in the business world. Market trends shift, new technologies emerge, and consumer preferences evolve. Leaders play a pivotal role in guiding their organizations through these changes.

With the right development, leaders can become adept at anticipating market shifts and making strategic decisions that keep their organizations ahead of the curve.

Check out a related post: Six Tips for Leading During Uncertainty  (5 min)

4. Improving Recruitment, Engagement, and Retention

Leadership development also significantly impacts recruitment, engagement, and retention. It signals to prospective employees that the organization values growth and development, making it an attractive place to work.

For existing employees, the opportunity to develop their leadership skills can lead to higher engagement levels. It provides them with a clear pathway for career progression, which in turn, increases retention rates.

Check out a related post: 8 Great Ways Leaders Can Immediately Boost Employee Retention (5 min read)

In today’s dynamic business climate, leadership development is not just significant, it’s paramount. It forms the foundation for future success, hinging on leaders’ abilities to inspire teams, unlock hidden potential, and navigate the VUCA (Volatile. Uncertain. Complex. Ambiguous.) business landscape. This is why it is vital for companies to invest in robust leadership development that includes training, coaching, mastermind groups and other learning activities.

To your greater success and well-being,

Peter Mclees, Leadership Coach, Trainer and Performance Consultant
SMART DEVELOPMENT

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contact: Email: petercmclees@gmail.com  or  Mobile:323-854-1713

Smart Development has an exceptional track record helping service providers, ports, energy storage and facilities management, sales teams, restaurants, stores, distribution centers, food production facilities, wealth management services, real estate services, nonprofits, government agencies and other businesses create a strong culture, leadership bench strength, coaching skills and the teamwork necessary for growth.