leadership

Provocative and effective new messages

Yesterday, I attended the Presidents Summit in Copenhagen where many industry leading experts shared their knowledge on leadership, organisational change, and growth. Here are some of the most actionable insights from the speakers:

· Rasmus Bagger – “What we do, we will master the most!”

·  Dan Ariely – “What are the downsides of measuring without thinking?”

·  George Mumford – “The keys to unlocking personal greatness are self-reflection, response control amidst adversity, and fostering a conductive success mindset.”

·  Jen Sincero – “Why do we need data, facts, and proof before we trust our intuition?”

· Jay Abraham – “Risk vs. Yield: Look at your business differently as overlooked opportunities can be found from outside your industry. How will you mine, monetise, and maximise them?”

· Leslie K. John – “Interpersonal trust is declining, and loneliness is a chronic problem. What am I not sharing what I could be sharing?

·  Stephen M. R. Covey – “We are moving away from the old leadership methods of command and control into a new era where leaders will trust and inspire to drive peak performance.”

It was great to see leaders and managers being challenged to look in the mirror when something isn’t going to plan in their organisation’s.

““The bottleneck is always at the top of the bottle.””
— Peter Drucker
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An influential SCARF

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Every time we interact with someone, we are either meeting or depriving them of their social needs. The language and behaviour we use can either be uplifting and motivational or it will cause them to shut down and withdraw. In 2008, David Rock concluded in his neuroscience research paper "SCARF: A Brain-Based Model for Collaborating with and Influencing Others." The SCARF model introduced us to five key domains that impact people's behaviour and emotional responses in social situations.

  1. Status – our relative importance to others.

  2. Certainty – our ability to predict the future.

  3. Autonomy – our sense of control over events.

  4. Relatedness – how safe we feel with others.

  5. Fairness – how fair we perceive the exchanges between people to be.


According to the SCARF model, these factors are considered to be fundamental to human motivation and can greatly influence how individuals perceive and react to different situations. I think the specific measurement of the SCARF model may be challenging, even though it provides a framework for understanding the important aspects that influence human behaviour and motivation.

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Clarity 3 of 3

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Do or should you care?

I think this question is crucial for individual employees and their engagement within an organisation. When leaders effectively communicate the organisation's purpose, values, and goals, employees will evaluate their alignment with these factors. Clarity in communication allows individuals to understand the impact of their work and whether it resonates with their own values and aspirations. When employees see the significance of their contributions, this fosters a sense of commitment, pride, and engagement within the organisation.

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Clarity 2 of 3

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What value does your organisation serve?

Identifying the value or purpose an organisation serves is closely tied to its mission. I think this involves recognising the impact the organisation has on its stakeholders, whether it's customers, clients, employees, or the broader community. Leaders should be able to clearly articulate the unique value proposition of the organisation and how it differentiates itself from competitors. This clarity helps employees understand the significance of their contributions and how they can create value through their work.

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Clarity 1 of 3

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Why does your organisation exist?

I think understanding the purpose and reason for an organisation's existence is essential for both leaders and employees. It also provides a sense of meaning and helps guide the decision-making process. By articulating the organisation's mission and vision, leaders can clarify the overall objective and communicate it to the entire team. This clarity allows individuals to understand how their work contributes to the larger picture and motivates them to strive towards shared goals.

All good leaders can communicate

c/o Forbes magazine

I think leadership and communication are intertwined, as effective leaders are skilled at expressing their beliefs and vision. And by doing so, they build trust and foster a sense of community among their followers. Leaders can also articulate shared values and aspirations. Acknowledging one’s mistakes and vulnerabilities is another key aspect of good leadership. The aim of leadership is not to attract people who need what you have, but to attract those who share your beliefs. Leaders can stand on a street corner and articulate their convictions, drawing others to their cause, as our unwavering belief in an unseen future and our ability to articulate it is our greatest asset.

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The triangle of change

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In general, most individuals and organisations will only change when there is either a massive reward or there’s going to be massive pain, suffering or inconvenience by not changing. The "triangle of change" is a model used to explain the three key elements that need to be present for change to occur successfully in any organisation. The three things that make up the triangle of change are:

  1. Leadership
    Change needs to be led by someone who has a vision and is willing to take action to make that vision a reality. Effective leadership is crucial for creating a sense of urgency, inspiring and motivating people to embrace the change, and providing direction and guidance throughout the process.

  2. Culture
    The culture of an organisation or system plays a crucial role in determining whether change is successful. A positive and supportive culture can create an environment where change is embraced and people are willing to take risks, learn new skills, and adapt to new ways of doing things. On the other hand, a culture that is resistant to change can make it difficult to implement new ideas and initiatives.

  3. Process 

    The third component of the triangle of change is the process, which refers to the steps and actions that need to be taken to bring about the desired change. This involves setting goals, creating a plan, implementing the plan, and measuring progress along the way. Effective processes are essential for ensuring that change is managed in a structured and systematic way, and that everyone is working towards the same goals.

Pave the way

c/o Shutterstock

As a leader your job is to help people get clarity on the things that matter the most. Clarity about the purpose will help translate the next steps for action to achieve the desired outcome. Marcus Buckingham said, “Effective leaders don’t have to be passionate. They don’t have to be charming. They don’t have to be brilliant…They don’t have to be great speakers. What they must be is clear. Above all else, they must never forget the truth that of all the human universals…our need for clarity is the most likely to engender in us confidence, persistence, resilience, and creativity.” I think clarity leads to attention and attention leads to results.

““If you cannot explain something in simple terms, you do not understand it.””
— Professor Richard Feynman

Leadership commitments

When employees believe what you believe they will work for you with their metaphorically speaking, blood, sweat and tears. When employees don’t believe what you believe they will work only for your money. I think it’s best to be a leader who commits to their employees, and he acronym ”C.O.M.M.I.T.S“ stands for:
C = Create a shared vision
O = Own the results
M = Measure progress
M = Motivate your team
I = Inspire with your actions
T = Take calculated risks
S = Stay focused and disciplined

Think differently

Image c/o Vector Stock ©

Authentic leaders know they can learn a lot from those that think differently than they do. Leadership is not just about skills and abilities, it’s more about having the right mindset to inspire and empower others. The most successful leaders are really good at keeping people informed and making them feel valued.

““I’m a big believer ability takes you so far and personality takes you that extra yard. When you’re a player it is down to you to go out and perform. You need leaders, people who drive standards in training and on the pitch with the intensity levels.” ”
— Gary Cahill

The control process

Why is it that most people don’t realise that they have control over their lives?
I have never understood why human beings are so reactionary, they are reactive to their subconscious mind and the feelings and impulses they have in the moment. For example, how would you react when someone is driving irrationally and when they overtake you, they give you the bird (finger)? The natural reaction for most people would be to return the gesture. Now who are you relinquishing control to, the “twat” who gave you the bird or would you remain in control - what would your response be? The outcome would be extremely different depending on which decision you take. I think in general, when you react you relinquish control of the situation, and you only remain in control by not responding.

Leadership is about

The single most important characteristic of a leader that people will willingly follow is honesty.  Leadership must live these values as no one likes being tricked by a business or, within a business, by its leaders. Ensure that your company is purpose as well as commercially driven. We need to make more of an effort to showcase successful leaders who build great companies based on honesty, fairness, respect, and generosity.

Leadership is NOT about:
Authority
Egocentric
Fame
Greed
Position
Power
Title

Birthday love

As a leader, it’s your responsibility to achieve success for the team and develop and empower others to become leaders themselves. Creating a leadership culture and empowering others to lead are crucial for long-term success and sustainability. I think the best leadership qualities are as follows:

L = Loyalty
E = Engagement 
A = Authenticity 
D = Dedication
E = Empathy
R = Respect
S = Service
H = Humility
I = Integrity
P = Perseverance

““Leadership is not about avoiding struggles, but about facing them with courage, resilience, and determination. The greatest leaders are those who embrace their challenges and use them as opportunities for growth and development.””
— LollyDaskal
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Managing your emotions

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Behave with emotional intelligence by acknowledging your feelings and thoughts, demonstrate healthy optimism, humility, and kindness, and only focus on what you can control. Sometimes we diminish our life experience and success by trusting our mind to solve everything. In reality, our intuition takes in way more information than our intellectual mind can process. This is why I think the wisest leaders rely on their mind, heart and experience.

Leading a winning team

Tom Landry correctly described a heroic leader as someone “who tells you what you don't want to hear, who has you see what you don't want to see, so you can be who you have always known you could be.” Leading is the pinnacle of human achievement. Your task and number one priority is to help others grow, develop, and contribute to their colleagues and communities. I think your accomplishment list will be measured by those who went on to be wildly successful in large measure because of time spent with you.

Don't say it

Leadership is about inspiring others to believe and enabling that belief to become reality. Inviting dissenting views and amplifying quiet voices are acts of leadership. The true leader in a group is rarely the person who talks the most, it's usually the person who listens best. Listening is more than hearing what’s said, and I think it’s also noticing and surfacing what isn’t said as communication doesn't only happen verbally.

The power of leverage

I think leadership is not only about vision and setting strategy, leadership is also about building a team and nurturing their talent to enable them perform to the best of their abilities. The Centre for Creative Leadership think these are the ten traits of great leaders, in no specific order:

- Ability to delegate
- Ability to inspire
- Commitment
- Communication
- Confidence
- Creativity
- Honesty
- Intuition
- Positive attitude
- Sense of humour

Which one do you think is most important? Contact me via e-mail and let me have your thoughts.

Don't hold back

Most people crave simplicity, and beyond simplicity is complexity. I’m interested in the simplicity on the other side of complexity. There’s an inextricable link between leadership and communication because those who lead are those who clearly speak about what they believe. I think communication is the most important skill in the world, and simple communication skills should be taught in schools. Communication is both words and emotions but what’s really powerful, are words loaded with emotion. Words filled with emotion can move nations, they can help people change directions and establish good or bad ideology. The stronger and wiser you become, the more caring you become shows up in your language and manner of communication. Would you like some help with that? Contact me via e-mail and we can arrange a meeting in person or online.

Never admire quietly

Leadership is not a natural by-product of career progression, it’s a skill that takes time, patience, and practice. Mental toughness is often portrayed as determination and persistence, but it can also be viewed by your flexibility and adaptability. When you build a habit of appreciation and gratitude into all you do, you will see a positive impact on team members' motivation, idea generation, and enthusiasm. I think that when your employees feel valued, they are more likely to be more engaged and be satisfied in their work. Remember the best doers won’t always be the best leaders, and the best leaders won’t always be the best doers.