Leadership Today - Practical Tips For Leaders

Summary

Leadership is challenging at the best of times, but even more so when people aren't hitting the mark. This week we explore how to deal with underperformance.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 199 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to deal with underperformance.

Leadership is challenging at the best of time, but even more so when people aren't hitting the mark. Underperformance can be tricky to address. Research shows that the further people are away from performance standards, the less feedback they receive. Managers often avoid dealing with underperformance, hoping that things will magically get better with time. But performance rarely improves by itself. It takes a concerted effort on the part of the leader and the individual to turn things around.

It's helpful to consider two dimensions of underperformance - skill and will.

Skill refers to a person's capability and proficiency in performing their tasks. It's possible that an individual's skills are not aligned with the requirements of their role, leading to subpar performance. Addressing skill-related underperformance involves identifying skill gaps and providing the necessary resources for improvement.

Will refers to the person's motivation in completing their tasks. Motivation plays a significant role in performance. Low motivation can result from various factors, including personal issues, disengagement, or a lack of recognition. Dealing with will-related underperformance involves understanding the root cause of demotivation and implementing strategies to reignite enthusiasm and commitment.

Underperformance may also be a mix of skill and will gaps.

With those principles in mind, here are five practical strategies you can apply to help with underperformance in your team.

1. Goal Setting and Monitoring: Set clear, achievable performance goals that align with the person's role and the team's objectives. Clarity comes first. If people aren't clear about their role and expectations, you can't manage underperformance. Regularly monitor progress and provide timely feedback. This approach keeps employees on track and motivated to achieve tangible results, addressing both skill and will dimensions of underperformance.
2. Personalised Development Plans: For skill-related underperformance, work with the employee to create a tailored development plan. Identify areas that need improvement and provide resources such as workshops, courses, or mentorship. This proactive approach not only enhances skills but also demonstrates your commitment to their growth.
3. Motivational Conversations: When dealing with will-related underperformance, engage in motivational conversations. Understand the person's concerns, aspirations, and potential roadblocks. Together, devise strategies to reignite their passion and commitment to their role. Sometimes, a simple change in responsibilities or opportunities for skill application can reignite enthusiasm.
4. Constructive Feedback and Recognition: Initiate open and honest conversations with underperforming employees. Address skill gaps by providing specific feedback and suggesting training opportunities. For issues related to motivation, recognise their efforts and contributions particularly where you see improvements, reinforcing the value they bring to the team. Constructive feedback motivates improvement and fosters a sense of belonging.
5. Mentorship and Role Modelling: Pair underperforming employees with mentors who can provide guidance and support. Mentorship encourages skill development and fosters a sense of belonging. Additionally, lead by example—demonstrate enthusiasm, dedication, and a growth mindset. Your actions can inspire others to embrace improvement and take ownership of their performance.

Underperformance can be tricky to manage well. Being clear and supportive, while also providing the help and development people need, will provide your best opportunity to turn things around.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Summary

It can be one of the most tricky conversations to have with your manager. This week we look at how to ask for a pay rise.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 198 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at how to ask for a pay rise.

In a competitive job market it can be tempting to go for a job in another organisation in order to increase our pay. Often people find out that the grass isn't greener and regret their decision to leave. It is worth at least asking whether a pay rise is possible before making a more drastic decision.

It is important to recognise that what you are paid is based on a number of factors, including your industry, your organisation, your role, and your contribution within that role. Industries pay wildly different rates for the same roles. Generally speaking, the more profitable the industry, the higher the pay levels. Organisations also vary in their pay practices. Some will pay higher than their competitors, and others will pay lower.

People care about their pay compared to those in other organisations before they join an organisation. This is called external competitiveness - the extent to which an organisation is competitive against its peers. Once they've joined an organisation, people then really care about how their pay compares to others within the same organisation. This is called internal equity - the extent to which my pay is competitive against others doing similar roles within the organisation. You could find the largest pay increases are possible by changing organisation or industry. But work life isn't just about pay.

So let's say you want to stay in the same organisation. How do you ask for a pay rise?

1. Don't get too caught up with what others are being paid. Rather focus your conversation on what you can control and what you are bringing to the organisation. This could include changes in your role such as greater accountability, more complex problem solving, or increased skills required to complete your work. It could also include changes in your contribution such as improved performance, helping others, or contributing to projects beyond your usual role.
2. Check any existing pay review processes. If you have a Human Resources department it's worth seeing how often pay is typically reviewed and the standard process. Having said that, most organisations will have some scope for out of cycle reviews.
3. Flag the conversation ahead of time. Say something like "I was hoping we could discuss my pay. Can I set up a meeting to do that?". This will give your manager time to prepare rather than feeling like they have been hijacked by the conversation.
4. Recognise that your manager may be nervous about this conversation as well. Help put them at ease by being polite and calm.
5. Prepare for the meeting. You might structure the conversation by saying that you want to stay with the organisation and are enjoying the role. You can then discuss changes in the role and in your contribution since the last pay review.
6. Don't put your manager on the spot. The manager will typically not be able to make a decision right away, so discuss what time they might need to review your pay.
7. Be prepared for a no. It is entirely possible that your pay rise request may be denied. Prepare for this by considering whether you are prepared to stay with the organisation. You might want to look for other roles within the organisation, or could even start exploring roles outside the organisation.

Asking for a pay rise can be a tricky conversation. However, preparation, being clear about what you want, and being considerate can increase your chances of a good outcome.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Summary

We all know holidays are important, but in our always-on work culture it can be hard to take a genuine break. There are some practical steps you can follow to ensure your holiday is a success for you and your colleagues.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 197 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at how to take a holiday. Given our always-on work culture and the technology that allows us to work anywhere, taking a holiday has never been more important and more challenging. Many people struggle to find the time to take a break. And when they do they find it difficult to truly switch off, continuing to check emails and answer phone calls. We are built to oscillate between stress and recovery, preferably on a daily basis. But even if we have effective daily strategies to maintain our wellbeing, there's an ambient level of stress that a genuine break from work can help address. Taking a clean break from work can have significant benefits to our health, well-being and performance. As leaders, we need to role model this to our people as well. There's no point encouraging your team members to take time off if you never do. Here are five ideas for how to take a holiday well:

1. Plan ahead. Secure the time in your calendar and gain the required approvals. I have found when I failed to plan ahead, it was difficult to find a completely free week. Lock the time away early so it can't be booked over.
2. Delegate and collaborate. Distribute any responsibilities that need to happen while you're away. Use this as an opportunity for further development and growth. Pay it forward by supporting others when they take leave.
3. Prepare for the break, but don't overwork. Communicate the dates you will be away. Document any work in progress and take time to walk others through what might come up while you're away.
4. Switch off completely. Set clear boundaries with your work. Leave the work laptop and phone at home. You might want to provide a contact phone number to a trusted colleague for any emergencies that arise, but be clear about what constitutes an emergency.
5. Choose the type of holiday you need. Holidays come in many different forms. A holiday might be about activity, or connections with friends, or rest by a pool, or a cross-cultural experience. Try new things and broaden your horizons. But make sure you don't come back from your holiday exhausted.

Holidays are an important part of sustained performance as a leader. Build a culture where holidays are encouraged and supported. Be prepared and set others up for success. Role model taking a break to your team and colleagues.

Now's a great time to book that next holiday in. Have a great week.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Erica Keswin is a bestselling author, internationally sought after speaker, and workplace strategist. Her first two bestselling books Bring Your Human to Work: 10 Surefire Ways to Design a Workplace That's Good for People, Great for Business, and Just Might Change the World (McGraw Hill 2018), and Rituals Roadmap: The Human Way to Transform Everyday Routines Into Workplace Magic (McGraw Hill 2021) were widely discussed in media outlets like Good Morning America, MSNBC and Live with Kelly & Ryan, as well as many print articles and reviews. Her forthcoming book is called The Retention Revolution: 7 Surprising (and Very Human!) Ways to Keep Employees Connected to Your Company (September 2023 McGraw-Hill) and will set leaders up for success in this new world of work.

When Erica isn't writing books and offering keynotes, she coaches top-of-the-class businesses, organizations, and individuals to help them improve their performance by honoring relationships in today's hybrid workplace. Erica is honored to be one of Marshall Goldsmith's Top 100 Coaches, as well as one of Business Insider's most innovative coaches. She's also the founder of the Spaghetti Project, a roving ritual devoted to sharing the science and stories of relationships at work. Erica lives in New York City with her husband Jeff, three children and her labradoodle, Cruiser.

During our interview we discuss:

- Workplace trends and what Erica is seeing as the major changes over the past few years

- The competing forces taking the world of work forward and backward

- The significant impact a well-designed onboarding process can have on employee engagement and retention

- What Erica has learned from organisations about flexible working and what it takes to make it work

- How to make the most out of meetings

- The importance of managers

- The off-boarding process and how to support people wanting to return in the future

You can learn more about Erica here: https://ericakeswin.com/

Her latest book is available here: https://www.amazon.com/Retention-Revolution-Surprising-Employees-Connected/dp/1265158681

Summary

Trust is the cornerstone of effective leadership. This week we explore practical ways to build and maintain trust.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 196 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to build trust. Trust is not just a word; it's the cornerstone of effective leadership. Anyone who has experienced working with someone they didn't trust understands the detrimental impact a lack of trust can have. The definition of trust we use at Leadership Today is "being confident you have my best interests at heart and can be relied upon to deliver". Let's break down the two crucial elements of trust and explore actionable steps you can take to build it.

Element One - Having My Best Interests at Heart

Here are four actions you can take to build connection and care.

Action 1: Build a Personal Connection

Begin by getting to know the people you lead on a personal level. Understand their career aspirations, interests, and what truly fulfils them in their work. Genuine conversations about their goals and challenges help foster a deeper understanding.

Action 2: Demonstrate Genuine Care

Show that you genuinely care about your team members' well-being. Advocate for their interests and advancement. Look for opportunities to support their growth, whether it's through projects that align with their interests or training that boosts their skills.

Action 3: Provide Personalised Recognition

Recognise and celebrate the unique contributions of each team member. Publicly acknowledge their achievements and show appreciation for their efforts.

Action 4: Regular Check-ins and Feedback

Engage in regular one-on-one conversations to discuss progress, challenges, and goals. Seek feedback on your leadership style and actions, showing that you are open to improvement and value their input.

Element Two - Being Reliable

Here are four actions you can take to foster competence and consistency.

Action 1: Set Clear Expectations

Communicate your commitments and expectations clearly. Let your team know what you're working on and what they can expect from you. Clarity minimises uncertainty and establishes a foundation of trust.

Action 2: Demonstrate Expertise

Share your knowledge and skills with the team. Offer guidance and support based on your expertise. Be careful to also remain open to diverse perspectives and be willing to learn from others.

Action 3: Consistency in Behaviour

Consistency breeds trust. Keep your emotions in check, regardless of circumstances. Uphold your values and principles consistently, demonstrating your reliability and predictability.

Action 4: Accountability and Humility

When things go well, acknowledge and praise your team's contributions. When things don't go as planned, take personal responsibility as the leader. Admit mistakes, apologise if necessary, and work together to find solutions.

Trust begins with you and your actions as a leader. By investing in these actionable steps, you can cultivate an environment of trust where your team members feel valued, supported, and empowered. Remember, trust is not just an outcome; it's a continuous effort that strengthens the foundation of your leadership journey. Choose one or two actions to try out this week and let me know how you go.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Summary

Our thinking can fall into a rut over time. This week we explore five ways to take a broader perspective.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 195 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at five ways to take a broader perspective. Over time it's easy to fall into the trap of narrow thinking. Our minds can become confined to familiar sources of information and limited perspectives from the people around us. To excel as leaders, we need to break free from this thinking rut and embrace new ways of approaching challenges. Here are five ways to expand our horizons, foster innovation, and become more effective leaders.

1. Read Widely: Leadership is not confined to a single field of expertise. To gain a broader perspective, it's crucial to read widely and explore knowledge outside our usual sources of information. Pick out books, articles, and research from various disciplines. By immersing ourselves in diverse sources of information, we can spark creativity, uncover new insights, and develop a more holistic approach to problem-solving. When we expand our intellectual horizons, we become better equipped to tackle complex issues with fresh and innovative ideas.
2. Seek Out Diversity: Leadership thrives on diversity – diverse perspectives, experiences, and ideas. Actively engage with colleagues and stakeholders from different backgrounds, departments, and roles. Embrace diversity in ideas and actively seek out the viewpoints of others. Innovation often arises at the intersection of diverse ideas.
3. Stay Informed about Industry Trends: In the ever changing world of business, staying informed about industry trends is essential. Keep yourself updated on the latest developments, challenges, and emerging opportunities within your industry or field. Dive into industry publications, attend conferences, and participate in webinars to broaden your knowledge base. Being informed empowers you to make data-driven decisions and see the bigger picture.
4. Encourage Feedback and Constructive Criticism: Role model an openness to improvement by encouraging feedback and constructive criticism from your team members and peers. Create a culture of psychological safety, where everyone feels comfortable sharing their thoughts without fear of retribution. Embrace feedback as opportunities for growth, not personal attacks. By being receptive to suggestions, you can expand your perspectives and gain valuable insights that you might have otherwise missed.
5. Use Data and Analytics: In today's data-driven world, relying on data and analytics is essential for informed decision-making. Data provides an objective understanding of a situation and reveals patterns and trends that might remain hidden from our limited perspectives. By analysing relevant data, you can gain a clearer and more holistic picture of your organisation's performance, customer needs, and market dynamics. This empowers you to make well-informed decisions that drive growth and success.

As leaders, it's important to recognise the risks of falling into a thinking rut. To thrive in the face of challenges, we must actively break free from our comfort zone and expand our horizons. Reading widely, seeking diverse viewpoints, staying informed about industry trends, encouraging feedback, and using data and analytics are great strategies to become more effective and innovative leaders. Try applying one of these approaches this week and let me know how you go.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Summary

This week we're exploring an ancient technique to help you memorise a presentation with numerous points in a set order.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 194 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we're exploring an ancient technique to help you memorise a presentation with numerous points in a set order.

Think about the best presenters you've seen. Were they constantly checking their notes, or reading off PowerPoint slides? Probably not. There's nothing wrong with having notes, but it is compelling and indeed freeing to be able to present your ideas in a clear sequence without notes.

Today we're going to explore a mnemonic or memory technique that is perfectly suited to storing away numerous points in a particular order.

Many of us would say we don't have a great memory, but the problem is usually the initial storage of the memory rather than recall of the memory. For thousands of years people have used various techniques to store memories in a way that makes them easier to retrieve. One approach that's particularly effective is the Memory Palace, also known as the Method of Loci (or location). I've used this approach to memorise presentations up to 30 minutes long comfortably without needing to use notes. I really don't consider myself to have special memory abilities. This technique really makes it quite easy.

The first thing you need to do when using the Memory Palace technique is to think of a location with various way points that you know well. For example, I use the house I currently live in, storing points away in rooms and locations in a set path through the house. It could be a path you regularly walk that has clear landmarks and objects along the way. Ideally you will use this same path for every presentation you want to remember. The pathway and landmarks should be effortless to recall. Using my house I have a number of places where I can store a memory or point in my presentation. I start at the front door, then there's the entrance hall, around the corner to a bathroom, a son's bedroom, on to the kitchen, then the living room, another son's room, then the dining room, lounge room, upstairs to yet another son's room, another bathroom, and then a final bedroom. That's 11 way points which is plenty. I typically find I don't even need to use the upstairs rooms.

We then chunk up our presentation into main points. Each of these main points should be easy to talk through. You can even contain multiple points within these points if you want to get really advanced. The key then is to create a vivid and hopefully unusual visual association you can store in each location. The more bizarre, colourful and ridiculous the better.

Let's say I'm giving a general presentation about leadership. My first chunk is a discussion about the definition of leadership I typically use and some discussion that will come out of that. I have about 5 minutes worth of content that I can use around this point. So the first point I want to remember is "what is leadership?". The visual reminder could be the word "leadership" shaped like a large bright red inflated question mark. Perhaps I could also put some smaller question marks following the large question mark as it walks around in a circle. My second point is around the impact leadership can have. So in the second room, the bathroom, I might have a large hammer smashing the mirror on the wall - a memorable image of impact. If I have several sub-points under that main point, I could memorise a sequence of events unfolding in the room. For example, if I want to talk about the impact of leadership on people, organisations and society, I could have the hammer smash a figurine representing people, then a building representing organisations, then a globe representing society. We repeat the storage process through the remainder of the rooms. To store all of this information away I just walk through the house in my mind, recalling each of the visual cues and ensuring I can then bring to mind the points I need to make. I physically walk through the house the first few times, closing my eyes in each room to store away the visual associations. I find that makes the memories even stronger.

A few final tips - think about key objects in each room. For example, my eldest son has a record player in his room, so I use that to interact with other visual cues. We have a fire place in our lounge room, so I often have points interacting with fire in that room.

I recommend the first time you use this technique that you keep a simple paper copy of the points. If nothing else, getting your presentation down to a post-it note of points is far ahead of reading from slides or pages of notes. Also, you can use this approach for more than just presentations. Anything you need to memorise in a particular order will work, so you could memorise your calendar for the day, a list of errands, or people you need to speak with.

I hope you find this approach as helpful as I have. Give it a try and let me know how you go.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 140+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

Summary

Cynicism in others can be challenging for a leader. This week we outline some practical steps you can take to deal with cynicism in the workplace.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 193 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. Cynicism in others can be challenging for a leader. This week we outline some practical steps you can take to deal with cynicism in the workplace.

Cynicism is a belief that others are only focused on their own interests and are not sincere. At work this might include assuming leaders are just out for themselves, and any initiatives are ultimately going to be bad for people. Cynical behaviour can be discouraging for leaders and colleagues alike. It can decrease trust, creativity and collaboration. As a leader there are some practical steps you can take to deal with cynicism.

1. Lead by example. Make sure you're being positive and honest in your communications. Cynicism can breed in environments that lack transparency and trust, so make sure you are role modelling these.
2. Encourage people to talk about their frustrations, and focus on continuous improvement. Sometimes as leaders we think it's best to avoid discussing frustrations, but it's actually helpful and indeed necessary to bring them out to the surface. The key thing is to then focus on improvement.
3. Bring people together from different areas. It's difficult to be cynical about someone you know well. More in-person time helps people to see others as real human beings and can reduce cynicism.
4. Provide direct and timely feedback. It can be tempting to make generalisations about a person's character or approach when trying to tackle something like cynicism. However, instead of describing someone as cynical, it's more effective to base your feedback on observed behaviour. What did the cynicism actually look like? What was the impact of that behaviour on you and others? This approach will help the other person to understand and accept the feedback.
5. Coach people past cynicism. Those who are being cynical are often frustrated by their inability to shape the team and organisation. You can help them to explore what they want to achieve and more effective ways to influence outcomes.

In my experience, with a little bit of effort and empathy, people who have been cynical in the past can often become the biggest agents for change. Why not try some of these approaches in the coming week.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.learn.leadership.today and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription.

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Our annual conference including a range of leadership experts - valued at $450

- Five online courses with workbooks - valued at $250 each

- Five five day challenges with workbooks - valued at $150 each

- Nineteen recorded webinars - valued at $100 each

- A searchable library of 150+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges - valued at $350

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

Find out ways to get connected here: https://leadership.today/connect

In this interview we speak with Ralph Kilmann, conflict management expert and author of the book Mastering the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument, detailing the tool he co-created almost 50 years ago. We discuss: - What drew him to conflict in the first place - Why conflict is on the rise and what we can do about it - His conflict mode framework - The core skills of managing conflict well - How to think about conflict in an organisational setting - Thinking about conflict across cultures

You can learn more about Ralph Kilmann, his latest book, and even take the Thomas-Kilmann Conflict Mode Instrument here - https://kilmanndiagnostics.com/

Summary

Decision making and problem solving are significantly important to any leadership role. This week we look at ways to make better decisions.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 192 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at ways to make better decisions.

To help us make better decisions, we will explore three elements - the inputs, the outputs, and involving others.

First element, the inputs. We tend to use either an analytical approach or a conceptual approach when considering inputs to our decisions. They are distinct cognitive processes, each with their benefits and limitations.

Analytical thinking is a logical and structured approach to problem-solving that involves breaking down complex issues into smaller components and analysing them individually. It relies on data, facts, and evidence to understand the current situation, identify patterns, and draw conclusions. This could include detailed analysis of the financial situation, or exploring current customer data.

Conceptual thinking is a more abstract and creative cognitive process that involves synthesising diverse ideas, connecting disparate concepts, and envisioning new possibilities. It focuses on the "big picture" and the underlying principles or frameworks that shape a situation. This might involve combining products or services together to reach new customers. It could include drawing on lessons from a completely different industry.

Leaders need to employ analytical thinking to analyse data, evaluate risks, and make evidence-based decisions. At the same time, conceptual thinking enables them to envision future possibilities, set strategic direction, and inspire their teams. By leveraging both approaches, leaders can develop comprehensive insights as an input to decision making. Coming up with our Leadership Today On-Demand service involved both analytical and conceptual thinking. The conceptual idea was to draw lessons from online fitness training and apply these to leadership development. So our service feels quite different to traditional online courses. You don't have to access content in any particular order. Just start where you're interested and expand from there. The analytical thinking involved testing the market, reviewing the content people were most interested in, and analysing competitor offerings.

Second element, the outputs. Once we've gather information and have completed our analysis, an effective decision needs to consider what could be called both the head and the heart. The head is logical, rational, cold and detached. Here we focus on consistency and objective facts. The heart focuses on the impact of our decisions on people. It's empathetic, warm, involved and connected. When using a heart approach things can become more subjective, however we can still use rigour when considering the implications of our decisions on the people likely to be impacted.

Third and final element, involving others. We each have preferences around how we take information in and make decisions. I tend to be more of a conceptual and heart kind of person when it comes to analysis and decision making. While that brings some strengths around drawing together broad trends and considering the human impact of decisions, I risk not considering enough data and involving too much emotion in decision making. I therefore involve others at the input and output stages. I find this helpful to check my thinking and ensure I'm not overlooking important information or implications. It's particularly helpful to involve people who may be directly impacted by the decision making. Here we do need to be clear about what help we are seeking. Is their involvement an input to decision making, or are they actually making the decision? Clarity around involving others is very important.

I hope you found these three elements of effective decision making helpful - the inputs, the outputs and involving others. This week I encourage you to apply one aspect that stood out to you.

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