Leading in Action is about turning intention into everyday leadership.
Simple, practical leadership actions you can take right now — to communicate clearly, act with courage, and elevate your real-world impact as a leader.
If you consider the teamwork and teams that you have been on, it is likely you could easily assess which were high performing and which were dysfunctional. As with anything involving human relationships, there are a multitude of dysfunctions in teamwork is possible. However, there is one distinction I have consistently used to help turn […]
What if you were to consciously practice developing a “success cycle?” No doubt, you have heard of the term “vicious cycle”. It’s that incredibly frustrating experience of repeating the same patterns over and over with less than desirable outcomes. It is “vicious” because every time you think you have outsmarted the cycle, somehow there it is again. It can seem like there is no way out!
Are you ready to become the leader you are meant to be? Hint: You don’t have to be like “them”!
The gap between expectations and reality can be a big source of frustration when leading or managing. So how can you close that gap for the future?
How To Deal With The Gap Between Expectations and Reality at Work Read More »
A common solution when things break down on a team is to define roles and responsibilities. What if you could also improve accountability at the same time?
How to Define Roles and Responsibilities to Increase Accountability Read More »
Accountability is an essential leadership skill if you want to be an effective leader. But it requires an important step beyond managing to get work done. Accountability as an act of leadership requires that you empower others to not only own tasks, but to also own the results with you.
Leadership Accountability is Key to Leading Effectively Read More »
Meetings are a persistent source of complaints. We complain there are too many of them. They are not productive. They waste our time. They take up valuable time during which we could actually be getting work done to name a few. What if instead of complaining we practiced some ground rules for effective meetings.
Three Simple Ground Rules For Effective Meetings Read More »
Clearly there is a big difference between delegating and abdicating in definition. However, all too often I see the two being confused in practice. When a well-intentioned delegating leadership style devolves into abdication, it is disempowering, ineffective, and degrades trust. It also undermines our ability to hold people accountable with honor and respect which further undermines the health of our relationships and our organizations.
When a Delegating Leadership Style Becomes Abdication Read More »
No matter how positive we may be or how much we try to think positive, let’s face it, at times we need to find an antidote to worry. I notice myself drifting in and out of worry and in those moments when the worry tries to grab my mind I am finding I am able to shift it quickly.
Wanting an Antidote For Worry, Try These Three Simple Strategies Read More »
We have a sense about recognizing leadership when we see it. Think of someone whose leadership stands out for you. Consider those around you right now. Is there someone you can identify whose leadership is noteworthy? With a specific person in mind, ask yourself: what is it that they have done or provided that has you name them as a leader?
We talk a lot about the theory of leadership, but what about leadership in action? How do we put the theory into practice? We watch people; we make assessments about whether we think someone is a leader, or try to assess their style of leadership. Yet we won’t really know what it is until we see it in action.
Seeking the best definition of leadership is a bit like trying to find the best definition of beauty: it has many interpretations, although we know it when we see it. It is also said that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. In fact, beauty does not look the same in all cultures and perhaps neither does leadership. This points to the power of context in shaping our interpretations of “truth” about anything, including leadership.
Have you taken the time to get clear for yourself why you want to be a leader? Or, are you waiting to get to a particular level or actually have people reporting to you before that question seems relevant? Consider that: “Why do you want to lead?” is a question you should be asking yourself early and often in your career.
To lovingly tend the garden of your mind every day, sift your thoughts for gold, choose your words wisely, and engage in conversations that matters. You will sow the seeds of an abundant harvest and keep the weeds at bay.
It goes without saying that we live at a time, in the knowledge age, that external distractions are compounding. Everything keeps moving faster and faster. We are all so busy: there are so many things we need to do, and many more things going on around us all at once. It can be quite hard to create the mental and physical space necessary to really listen to another human being.
How to Listen in an Age of External Distractions Read More »
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