Transforming Leadership Podcast

The absolute best way to increase your value to the organization is through delegation. There may be a few, a very few, reasons for not delegating, but the high-performing leader is constantly looking for ways to push work down. It lowers the internal cost of the responsibility, increases the value of the Direct Report, and opens the leader up for higher level tasks.

Micromanagement is the manifestation of the fear of failure. The greatest challenge in high level leadership is the inability to STAY OUT OF THE WEEDS! There seems to be an insatiable need to "make sure they are doing it right." This behavior, or the perception of this behavior, robs engagement, inhibits individual growth and development, and stifles innovation.

Humans are just not wired for ambiguity! Whether it is mergers and acquisitions, leadership change, department mission and direction, or Covid-19, ambiguity and uncertainty erode production. In uncertain times what can be done about it?

Think (Always). Then Speak (Maybe). High performing leaders are intentional in communicating for effectiveness, not speaking the emotion they might be feeling. To ensure effectiveness, it is essential that we always consider the impact of our words. Remember, the listener can only judge our intent by our words!

If you want to deepen your impact, narrow your focus. While senior leaders are tasked with keeping track of a plethora of responsibilities, laser focus of the 1-3 items that will most significantly impact the business bring greatest returns on time invested.

Understanding by the listener is always the responsibility of the speaker. Too often we find that we have to keep explaining over and over, or we told them what to do, and then we were disappointed with the outcome. Our research indicates that all too often there has not been a total and complete understanding by the listener. There may have been agreement! But not understanding!

The greatest failure in training is the WHY! The difference in knowing and understanding lies in the student (mentee, team member, subordinate, etc) knowing WHY they are doing what they are doing. We often instruct in what to do. There is greater value in training WHY we do!

Often leaders fall into the trap of focusing on the bottom line or metrics. It's important ot remember that metrics are merely the result of aggregated behaviors!

The highly effective leader is always preparing their high potential team members to move up. This increases the value of the team member, requires ongoing delegation, and positions the leader for their next opportunity!

Every leader has both functional responsibilities (what you are paid to do) and leadership responsibilities (what you are paid to get done). Dr. Steve Steff and host Jim Brangenberg discuss the mindset necessary to ensure the success of their people. The role of the leader is to provide guidance, clarity, the resources, and the accountability to ensure their success. Don't drive for the bottom line! Drive for the success of your people!