How is it that a rich, successful leader and owner of a large business can fire 900 of his employees on a 3-minute Zoom call? This shines a light on the clashing of the positive and negative traits of leadership, and Thom Dennis, in his Thought for the Week challenges the necessity for the negative traits, particularly because of their negative and traumatising effects on people. 

Why we can't hide from bias and colonialism and 'I'm Not Racist' is a self deception.

Our colonial history has left us fundamentally biased and also unaware of our in-built sense of superiority. It's time for us to own up and name this and then move on from it. But we do have to own up first.

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#diversity #racism #equality #biases #bias #colonialism #racismincricket 

Part of the resistance to change is a willingness to take tentative steps; these can be slow and give a sense of safety. The trouble is they don't actually achieve anything when the need is urgent and major. Companies need to rethink the way they do business, especially examining their Purpose for validity and currency today.

Small steps won't cut it for the companies that are going to be thriving in 5-10 years' time 

When we make decisions, it's important to look at the wider ramifications and by-products of those decisions. This calls for an unbiased look at the situation and how it will change as a result.

When we're keen on an idea it's quite easy to get into a 'wilful blindness' mindset which will prevent us from seeing what else will happen over and above what we intended.

Unintended consequences - it's worth taking the time to explore what they might be. 

People stay or go largely because of the culture of the organisation in which they work. Feeling respected is the single greatest influencer on their decisions, so it's beholden on senior management to ensure that people want to stay; it's very expensive to replace staff, particularly at the moment.

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#culturechangeintheworkplace #culturechangemanagement #workplaceculture #employeeretention 

We are all role models for someone, and the greater our profile, or footprint, the larger the impact we have. So whatever we do people will emulate, and some will amplify, for good or for bad. It's therefore for us to be sensitive, and responsible, for our actions. Divisiveness leads to anger and frustration. Care, kindness and active listening lead to the defusing of tension.

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#leadershiprolemodel 

How could a man so decorated and loved for his courage, professionalism and leadership take his own life, leaving family and friends behind? I can’t even guess at the turmoil and desperation he must have felt in making such a tragic decision.

However courageous we are, however resilient we’ve been, sometimes something happens that knocks through the veneer. It’s at that moment we all need support, and paradoxically it can also be a moment when we cannot ask for, or find the support we need. 

It’s not the kind word we need then so much as the kind ear. Sometimes it’s not about hearing something, but simply being heard - without judgement, just empathy.

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#mentalhealthsupport #listening 

Standing out for Right calls for the essential leadership ability of being vulnerable and that requires great courage. If we know something is going wrong we must stand up and call it for what it is - fraud, dishonesty, cruelty. We may become unpopular and be excoriated but in the long run lives may be saved, and that surely makes it worth while.

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Serenity in Leadership is a culture change consultancy with outstanding skills in leadership development and conflict resolution strategies. Subscribe to our channel to listen to powerful interviews on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, honest reflections on leadership skills and tips on how to succeed in business today.

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Based on a conversation between Simon Sinek and Brené Brown, Thom highlights the difference between Finite and Infinite games and thinking. In finite games, like football or athletics, the players are known, the rules are fixed, and the endpoint is clear. Winners and losers are easily identified.

In infinite games, like business or politics or life itself, the players come and go, the rules are changeable, and there is no defined endpoint. There are no winners or losers in an infinite game; there is only ahead and behind. 

Many of the struggles that organizations face exist simply because their leaders were playing with a finite mindset in an infinite game. These organizations tend to lag behind in innovation, discretionary effort, morale, inclusion and ultimately performance.

The leaders who embrace an infinite mindset, in stark contrast, build stronger, more innovative, more inspiring organizations. Their people trust each other and their leaders. They have the resilience to thrive in an ever-changing world, while their competitors fall by the wayside. Ultimately, they are the ones who can lead the rest of us into the future.

The original ideas come from James P Carse's book 'Finite and Infinite Games' (1986) which offers two contrasting viewpoints on how to live your life, whether you’re engaging in sexual relationships or warfare. Carse argues that any activity can be seen as either a finite or an infinite game, the former being end-oriented and the latter leading to infinite possibilities. He reveals how the world appears through the eyes of those who play with the finite or infinite in mind, and concludes that how and what games we play are our own choice. 

The absolute need for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion training to be a core of organisational thinking is slowly being accepted. And there's still a long way to go!

CEO, Thom Dennis shares why EDI training is important in the workplace. 

Serenity in Leadership is a culture change consultancy with outstanding skills in leadership development and conflict resolution strategies. Subscribe to our channel to listen to powerful interviews on diversity and inclusion in the workplace, honest reflections on leadership skills and tips on how to succeed in business today.

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#diversity #equity #inclusion