Leader's Digest #85 (March 2024)

WHY META’S LATEST WIN SCARES ME: A LESSON TO TAKE TO HEART

WHY

THE GUILT-FREE MORNING ROUTINE: A MORE WORKABLE WAY TO START THE DAY RIGHT

BOOK REVIEW: BREAKTHROUGH LEADERSHIP

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From the

Editorial Desk

That talk about CHANGE. The world paused in wonder and awe when the first human set foot on the moon and that day when we first saw an electric car.

A breakthrough gives the temporary openings created by extraordinary events to facilitate the expression of the human needs for believing, belonging, contributing and transcending. Extraordinary events, both positive and negative, are provisional openings for breakthroughs in personal growth, organizational development, and human progress. We can seize these moments to explore a world of new possibilities for ourselves, our organizations, and society because we hang onto beliefs about what is possible and what is not.

Within our organizations, we can facilitate breakthrough moments by creating the space, opportunity, and resources for the expression of belief, belonging, contribution, and transcendence; they deny these by limiting, suppressing, or opposing their expression. Dr Bart Sayle, the CEO and founder of Breakthrough Global, says that great businesses consistently exhibit exceptional personal power and an inordinate ability to turn insights, inspiration and intentions into reality without controlling, manipulating or dominating their people. In the process, they build exceptionally talented people who build businesses with sustainable generational growth.

Breakthrough leaders use the openings created by extraordinary events to explore a world of new possibilities for themselves, their organizations, and society. These leaders become role models in words and deeds for expressing belief, belonging, contribution, and transcendence.

Anything is possible. Begin with yourself.

“Emotional intelligence is the sine qua non of leadership. Without it, a person can have the best training in the world, an incisive, analytical mind, and an endless supply of smart ideas, but he still won’t make a great leader.”

Daniel Goleman

Upskilling the Team?

Don’t Do It Alone

BY MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Source:

Strategies for Engaging Your Team in Future-Ready Capability Building

You don’t have to look too far to see reports about how technology is changing the nature of work, with a consequential impact on the skills and capabilities we need now and in the future.

AI and automation will reduce and, in some areas, eliminate process-based tasks. There will be new roles and functions, roles we have never heard of. Most of these roles will require higher cognitive, social, and emotional skills.

Organisations focused on being future-ready are examining how they upskill and reskill team members. This BCG report highlights some actions organisations should consider.

Capability building has always been important, and so too is looking ahead and understanding the future skills that are needed.

When leaders are asked if they think developing their team is important, the answer will invariably be ‘yes’. If they are then asked if they consider the development programs effective, the answers are less robust. In one study, only one-third of leaders interviewed said that their capability programs were successful. Success, in this context, was defined as achieving objectives and having the desired business impact.

Securing better outcomes starts with better team engagement.

Engage Broadly

Successful capability building happens when organisations are clear about what’s needed and why.

Gaining that clarity doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It requires a deep understanding of the organisation’s capabilities, which means each leader needs to know the capabilities across their team.

Consequently, when thinking about capability building, your team’s engagement and involvement must start in the design phase, not just the implementation phase.

Why It Matters

Engaging often and early is essential.

When you don’t, you risk creating development programs misaligned with individual and team needs, and so motivation to attend is low. All of this means you won’t secure your desired outcomes, and your scarce development funds will be wasted.

In contrast, when leaders do engage with their team in meaningful ways, they can better ensure that development initiatives are aligned with the organisation’s objectives while addressing specific needs and challenges within their team.

Taking a tailored learning approach helps elevate participation rates and learning outcomes.

Make it Contextual and Personal

When team members have more involvement and choice they are more motivated to participate actively. Researchers Edwin Locke and Gary Latham explain how “goal-directed choice and action are at the core of human motivation”.

If you want your team to grow and develop, make the learning contextual, relevant, and personal. This approach requires balancing self-directed learning, micro-learning, online, faceto-face and on-the-job training.

With AI’s arrival, there will be a plethora of people pushing AI-generated learning. This article is just one example. I’m a big fan of new ideas and technology when leaders use them carefully.

Be deliberate about your approach because successful capability building is multi-faceted and multi-layered.

Do Your Homework

McKinsey research suggests that creating the foundation to support organisational change requires the organisation’s capability program to engage 25% of employees directly.

Your approach is not one-size-fits-all. It depends on your context, organisational size, current capabilities, and development gaps. However, what is consistent is that you must allocate time and resources to work this through, and you will want to engage and discuss this with your team throughout.

Most organisations have their team members create Individual Development Plans. Rather than put the IDP process into ‘set and forget’ actively use it through this process. Each person’s IDP becomes a critical part of this process so you can coordinate and align needs.

First, you want to assess and identify the capability gaps at individual and team levels. This step involves conversations, skills assessments, competency mapping and development plans.

Then, you can determine the specific areas where training and development are required. Consider technical skills, competencies, and industry-specific and role-specific knowledge.

Now, you are well placed to consider the options to address the gaps. Your approach will likely involve a combination of internal and external training resources, workshops, seminars, online courses, mentoring, coaching and on-the-job learning.

As the suite of initiatives rolls out you want to reinforce the learnings. So, ensure active and focused conversations at team and one-on-one meetings about learnings and progress. This way, you are working to embed the learnings while assessing how the activities are helping to close the gaps.

Of course, the need to learn, grow and upskill will never stop. As the leader, keep abreast of changing needs, industry trends, and emerging skill requirements to ensure ongoing capability uplift. Have regular chats with your team about learning opportunities and pathways to growth. Consider options for testing and learning new ideas.

This quote from William Pollard, an English writer and Quaker from the mid-1800s, is a great reminder that to thrive today and tomorrow you must continue to learn: “Learning and innovation go hand in hand. The arrogance of success is to think that what you did yesterday will be sufficient for tomorrow.”

So, where are your team’s capability gaps and what will you do next to close those gaps?

Michelle Gibbings

Michelle Gibbings is a workplace expert and the award-winning author of three books. Her latest book is 'Bad Boss: What to do if you work for one, manage one or are one'. www.michellegibbings.com.

THE POWER OF UNCONVENTIONAL LEADERSHIP

BY RABI'AH MUTALIP

Embracing diversity as a strategic advantage and championing inclusive leadership practices!

In the garden of leadership, there often stands a thorn among the roses – the unconventional leader, a leader who disrupts the status quo, challenges norms, and embraces the beauty of diversity. This thorn among the roses is not a flaw to be overlooked but a unique asset that propels organisations towards innovation, resilience, and success. While traditional leadership models emphasise conformity and adherence to established norms, the thorn among the roses defies convention, standing out with its unique approach and remarkable effectiveness.

So, who is this thorn among the roses in the realm of leadership? They are the outliers, the mavericks, the ones who dare to question, challenge, and pioneer. They may not always conform to traditional leadership archetypes, but therein lies their strength—the ability to see beyond the ordinary and envision the extraordinary.

See their noteworthy traits below:

Embracing Individuality

ӹ Unorthodox Thinking: Instead of following the herd, the thorn among the roses dares to think outside the box. Jack Ma, the founder of Alibaba Group, exemplifies this trait by challenging conventional retail models and pioneering e-commerce in China, transforming the country's economic landscape.

ӹ Risk-taking: They embrace calculated risks, understanding that innovation often requires stepping into the unknown. Sara Blakely, founder of Spanx, took a risk by introducing a new product category to the market, revolutionising the fashion industry and empowering women worldwide.

Authenticity and Vulnerability

ӹ Transparency: Rather than hiding behind a facade of perfection, they embrace authenticity. Reed Hastings, cofounder and CEO of Netflix, openly acknowledges the company's past failures and learns from them, leading to continuous improvement and growth.

ӹ Empathy: They connect with others on a human level, fostering trust and loyalty. Patagonia's CEO, Rose Marcario, prioritised environmental sustainability and social responsibility, demonstrating a genuine commitment to making a positive impact beyond profit margins.

Visionary Leadership

ӹ Big-picture Thinking: They possess a clear vision for the future, guiding their actions and decisions. Reed Hoffman, cofounder of LinkedIn, envisioned a world where professional networking would transcend geographical boundaries, revolutionising the way people connect and collaborate globally.

ӹ Adaptability: They navigate uncertainty with agility, adjusting their course when necessary without losing sight of their long-term goals. Mary Barra, CEO of General Motors, led the company through the transition to electric vehicles and autonomous technology, positioning it as a leader in the future of mobility.

So, how can organisations cultivate diverse leadership and harness its full potential? It begins with a commitment to inclusion at all levels of the organisation. From recruitment and hiring to talent development and succession planning, leaders must prioritise diversity as a strategic imperative, not merely a box to be checked.

Additionally, organisations must foster a culture of openness, respect, and collaboration, where diverse perspectives are not only welcomed but celebrated. By creating opportunities for meaningful dialogue, cross-cultural exchange, and mentorship, organisations can unlock the collective genius of their teams and drive innovation forward.

In conclusion, the thorn among the roses symbolises the power of diversity in leadership—a power that transcends boundaries, challenges norms, and transforms organisations from within. By embracing diversity as a strategic advantage and championing inclusive leadership practices, businesses can unlock new opportunities, drive sustainable growth, and shape a brighter future for all.

Rabi'ah Mutalip

Rabi'ah Mutalip is the Partnership Manager of Leaderonomics.com editorial work. She is an extroverted-introverted bookworm trying to find her place in this world. Connect with her via LinkedIn if you are interested in publishing your work on our website!

ARE YOU PICKING UP THE TRASH?

BY MICHELLE GIBBINGS

Navigating Complexity, Embracing Perspective, and Setting Ethical Standards

Watching the TV series Mr. Bates vs The Post Office is one of those times where I had to pinch myself because it’s hard to fathom that what happened not only occurred but remained unaddressed for so long.

The TV show is a four-part ITV drama series that chronicles the real-life scandal involving the British Post Office, where over 900 postal employees were wrongly prosecuted and convicted of theft and fraud due to an error with the company’s accounting software. The issue ran from 1999 to 2015.

It all started when the British Post Office rolled out Horizon, a new accounting software developed by Fujitsu. From the get-go, self-employed people running postal services (known as subpostmasters and postmistresses) reported that the new system was inaccurately showing deficits. Instead of addressing the system’s defects, management charged hundreds of employees with fraud and embezzlement. Many were pushed to financial collapse, some were imprisoned, and at least four committed suicide.

Despite increasing media attention, the organisation maintained that Horizon was dependable, yet it’s now known that they were aware of system defects as early as 2003. As this article in The Conversation outlined, “The bosses of a powerful institution simply didn’t believe and didn’t listen to its people”.

Many questions and issues surround this story, and if you want further detail it’s worth reading these two articles: BBC News and The Guardian

There are multiple lenses through which to examine the systemic failures that led to this scandal, and a critical one is that of organisational leadership.

It can be easy for leaders to only see what they want to see or hear what they want to hear. Leaders can sidestep issues because it feels too hard. Leaders can apply one set of standards to themselves and another to those around them. They can fail to see how their experience of power has clouded how they think and act. They can stop listening or only listen to people they assess as important and relevant.

Open Your Eyes

The writer Marcel Proust wrote, “The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

We think we are rational and objective. We’re not. We make decisions based on hunches, feelings, assumptions and gut reactions, which are formed from our past experiences. Research shows our brain discards information that doesn’t fit with its worldview. It takes shortcuts when making decisions and can be easily influenced.

Leaders need to go beyond what’s obvious and easy to make wise decisions. They need to be willing to challenge the assumptions and expectations underpinning the lens they use to view the situation.

As Harvard Business School researcher Tsedal Neeley said in the podcast interview with Brené Brown and Paul Leonardi, we “…lead in a pluralistic world where our perspective, our vantage point could be extremely limited and very different from those whom we are interacting with…”. She wisely advises that leaders need to understand perspective if they are to effectively serve, influence and get people to follow them.

Be Willing to Change the Channel

Being open to different ideas and hearing opinions you disagree with is challenging.

I can be quick to judge and to see the world through the prism of ‘It’s this way’, rather than the myriad of colours and shades of grey in which we live and work. It is something I have to work on all the time.

It can help to have a trusted colleague or partner to discuss things with. This needs to be someone who will challenge your perspective on the issue and encourage you to see things differently.

As well, meditation will help. Meditating teaches you to slow your mind down, so you are better at ‘responding’, rather than ‘reacting’.

Vector image is from freepik.com by @pchvector

When you find yourself in a situation where you want to quickly shut down an idea or perspective, ask yourself two questions:

1. Am I shutting down the person or the idea?

2. If this idea was presented by someone else, would I hear the message differently?

When you take those steps, you will more easily discover when it’s time to change the channel and hear a different perspective and idea.

Do the Hard Work

Leaders need to tackle the issues that are hard and messy. It’s too easy to outsource it to consultants, delegate it to a team member or worse, hope it will disappear.

Qantas recently received much criticism for calling in the consulting firm McKinsey to review its operations and on-time performance. The engagement was reported in the AFR and copped a lot of flak on LinkedIn.

Why? Because it appeared that management was calling in an external organisation to do work that is part of their core business.

Good leaders roll their sleeves up. They do the hard work. They are not averse to getting in the trenches and really understanding what’s going on; something that is very hard to do if you encase yourself in your office (as I’ve written about before in my article, Are you Leading From the Front?).

You have to be visible and spend time – quality time – with your team and with people at all levels of the organisational hierarchy.

Apply the Same Standard

I’ve seen people in organisations who considered themselves ethical and having high integrity do things that others would easily view as unethical. Often, the unravelling of a person’s integrity takes place little by little. For example, a small cheat on a work expense claim, that goes unnoticed, gets more significant over time.

In one organisation I worked in, despite the expense policy clearly showing that gifts for staff were not permitted, the senior leaders regularly bought Christmas gifts for staff on the corporate card. My peers saw nothing wrong with their behaviour because it was accepted practice. I paid for my team’s gifts at my own expense for two reasons. Firstly, I couldn’t say the gift was from me if I hadn’t paid for it. Secondly, and this for me was the crux, while this behaviour was accepted at senior levels, if I had been at a lower level, I would have been sacked for misuse of company funds.

To not hold yourself to the same standard you expect of your team or those in support roles is hypocritical.

And yet, it happens all the time. Consider the language we use when we position issues. For example, author Simon Sinek explained in a podcast, that when leaders do less work, “it’s balance”; however, when workers do less work, it’s couched as “disengagement”.

If you want to be a fair leader, and an honourable leader, the same rules must apply.

Pick Up the Trash

Ryan Holiday, one of my favourite writers and Stoic advocate, writes about how it is easy to complain about things, yet what’s better is to play your part in shifting the issue. The example he shares is about the rubbish he would see on the beach when walking.

He wrote: “But then one morning on my walk with my kids, a thought hit me that was both freeing and indicting. How many times do I have to walk past this litter, I thought, before I am complicit in its existence. Even if I moved to a place where this didn’t happen, I thought, it would still be happening here. Marcus Aurelius was right when he said that you can also commit injustice by doing nothing.”

This concept applies to leadership. What are you stepping over that needs to be addressed? Are you living your values at work? I mean, are you really living your values, or are you saying something matters to you but either doing the opposite or nothing about it?

So the last question to consider – What trash do you need to pick up today so you can set the standard at work?

Michelle Gibbings

Michelle Gibbings is a workplace expert and the award-winning author of three books. Her latest book is 'Bad Boss: What to do if you work for one, manage one or are one'. www.michellegibbings.com.

THE IRRESISTIBLE MAGNETISM OF INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

BY RABI'AH MUTALIP

In today's interconnected world, the ability to navigate social interactions with finesse is a priceless asset. Interpersonal skills, often dubbed as people skills or soft skills, are the secret sauce that fuels success in both personal and professional realms. Let's delve into what makes these skills so invaluable, how to sharpen them, and the myriad benefits they bring.

Source: Photo by Megan Rexazin Conde @ Pixabay

Notable Traits of Interpersonal Skills:

ӹ Communication: Effective verbal and non-verbal communication lies at the heart of interpersonal skills. It's about not just speaking but also listening attentively and empathetically.

ӹ Empathy: The capacity to understand and share the feelings of others fosters deeper connections and enhances collaboration.

ӹ Conflict Resolution: Being able to navigate conflicts calmly and constructively is a hallmark of strong interpersonal skills. It involves finding mutually beneficial solutions and maintaining relationships.

ӹ Adaptability: Flexibility in adjusting one's communication style and approach depending on the situation and the person involved is key to successful interpersonal interactions.

Honing Interpersonal Skills:

ӹ Practice Active Listening: Engage in active listening by giving your full attention to the speaker, asking clarifying questions, and paraphrasing to ensure understanding.

ӹ Seek Feedback: Solicit feedback from peers, mentors, or even through self-reflection to identify areas for improvement.

ӹ Role-playing Exercises: Simulate real-life scenarios to practice different aspects of interpersonal skills, such as assertiveness or conflict resolution.

ӹ Empathy Building: Engage in activities that cultivate empathy, such as volunteering or actively seeking to understand others' perspectives.

Transferability and Versatility:

Interpersonal skills are akin to a Swiss Army knife, versatile and applicable across various domains:

ӹ Professional Settings: They are crucial for effective leadership, team collaboration, and client/customer relations.

ӹ Personal Relationships: Interpersonal skills form the bedrock of healthy relationships, fostering trust, understanding, and mutual respect.

ӹ Networking: Whether it's forging new connections or nurturing existing ones, strong interpersonal skills can open doors and create opportunities.

Benefits of Interpersonal Skills:

1. Enhanced Communication

Clear and effective communication minimises misunderstandings and maximises productivity.

2. Improved Conflict Management

The ability to navigate conflicts leads to smoother workflows and stronger relationships.

3. Increased Empathy

Understanding others' perspectives fosters a more inclusive and harmonious environment.

4. Greater Influence

Mastering interpersonal skills allows individuals to inspire, motivate, and influence others positively.

In a world brimming with technological advancements, it's easy to overlook the timeless importance of interpersonal skills. Yet, they remain the cornerstone of success, enriching both personal and professional lives. So, let's nurture these skills, for they hold the key to building bridges, fostering connections, and unlocking a world of possibilities.

Rabi'ah Mutalip

Rabi'ah Mutalip is the Partnership Manager of Leaderonomics.com editorial work. She is an extroverted-introverted bookworm trying to find her place in this world. Connect with her via LinkedIn if you are interested in publishing your work on our website!

WHY META’S LATEST WIN SCARES ME: A LESSON TO TAKE TO HEART

BY JULIET FUNT

Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, has scared me as a mom and as a person who is deeply averse to the impact of social media on our lives. It has worried me about its scope and influence, but now it’s caught my eye for a new reason.

Along with everyone else who pays attention to business news, last week I learned that Meta Platforms experienced the largest one-day gain in Wall Street history, increasing its stock market value by a mind-boggling $196 billion

But what has really stuck with me—and gotten under my skin— is the fact that this achievement was made possible, in part, by extensive layoffs. Meta has reduced its workforce by a staggering 22 percent since late 2022, and over 21,000 individuals have found themselves navigating the upheaval of job loss. The same radical shaving of staff has been reported across the technology sector and beyond, from Amazon to Citigroup to UPS. The trend is clear.

Layoffs can sometimes be a very smart thing, and often, they follow illogical and needless over-hiring, but there is part of their aftermath that’s going unaddressed.

It’s part of a type of work psychology that began a long time ago.

The Jack Welch Executive Playbook

Jack Welch, who ruled GE with a single-minded focus on shortterm profits for two decades (1981 to 2001) and was at one time called the “manager of the century,” created a ruthless style of leadership and an elite training ground for rising executives that shaped a generation. (In the early 2000s, five of the top 30 companies on the Dow were led by alumni of GE.)

David Gelles, the New York Times reporter, former Corner Office columnist, and author of The Man Who Broke Capitalism, shed this light: “For generations, corporate profits were largely reinvested in the company or paid out to workers. That changed with the ascendance of men like Jack Welch…. Under Welch, G.E. unleashed a wave of mass layoffs and factory closures that other companies followed. The trend helped destabilisse the American middle class. Profits began flowing not back to workers in the form of higher wages, but to big investors in the form of stock buybacks.”

The Ruthless Norm We’re Up Against

You might think the brutal Welch et al. style of leadership is passé, especially if you read articles and watch TED talks about the importance of emotional intelligence, psychological safety, and the call to serve all stakeholders—not just shareholders. These people-first leaders get their share of attention—rightly. And I love working with them. But the impact of Welch is all too alive and well.

Source: Vector image is from freepik.com by @storyset.

Look at leaders such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and Mark Zuckerberg, and you will see that the financial success of the most high-powered and often most-celebrated executives (they are all men, yes?), who drive intensity and rigour in their organisations, always moves the norm for all of corporate culture. Their cash and prizes gained from pushing brutal work schedules set a new standard—a new set point—that everyone has to live up to.

These alpha men are teaching all of us how to behave, and the fact that their choices lead to increased profit validates their approach despite the human cost.

Anyone who isn’t willing to martyr themselves at the altar of this kind of all-in culture becomes potentially dispensable. There soon are just two options: Either sacrifice important elements of balance and sanity to remain at your job, or live every day on the edge of losing it.

Consider The Leftovers

The focus here is not on those who have to pack up their desks but on those who remain.

There’s a television show called The Leftovers. In this show, a seemingly normal and peaceful town goes to sleep. When it wakes up, about half the residents have vanished overnight. Their dinner plates are where they were, and their beds are as they slept in them, but they’re gone. Then, the rest of the town has to grieve and adjust, steeped in ambiguity and fear, as they deal with being left over.

For a long time, my team at the Juliet Funt Group has been talking about the corporate parallel to this show in an environment of not only layoffs but also resource cutting. People are being laid off, budgets are getting rolled back, roles are being consolidated, and an awful lot of good people are waking up feeling like they are left over as the people and resources around them shrink. They’ve had to sit and grieve, make a new plan, and figure out what to do (usually involving soldiering on).

When Zuckerberg speaks about his “year of efficiency,” he speaks about maintaining a lean organisation and using AI to fill the roles that people have previously held. Well, AI can do a lot, but I am sure the technology is not filling in every gap caused by the cuts. Leaders like the Zuckerbergs and Welches of the world believe they can squeeze extra work out of human beings by giving ten people the work of 15. And you know what? They are right. Sadly, workers have shown, over and over and over, that they have the tendency to abandon personal boundaries, time with family, and self-care to become slaves to the needs of the organisation.

Anyone who knows me is well aware that I’m a huge (and at times over-the-top) advocate for efficiency, but of a different kind—not the efficiency where everyone piles more work on an individual— but the kind where a mental filter is created that only lets in highvalue work, and streamlined methods of getting work done are adopted. Taking low-value work off people’s plates and reducing the scope of the work pays dividends in effectiveness, profits, and culture. However, reducing the number of people while leaving the general amount of work to be the same or similar is where the problem lies.

" But the more authoritarian CEOs are rewarded for the behaviour that crushes people beneath them, the harder we

will have to fight against this trend."

Changing the Train Track

A note of colour: I’m writing this piece on a week where I have interacted with not one but two narcissistic male CEOs of large companies. In speaking to the people who work for them, I have been reminded that this label is not a stereotype or exaggeration but a hard-core fact that is given a wide berth in the corporate landscape.

As a female executive and as someone who has had very few bosses, I cannot imagine what it must feel like to have your entire livelihood under the thumb of such an employer. But the more authoritarian CEOs are rewarded for the behaviour that crushes people beneath them, the harder we will have to fight against this trend.

The corporate status quo will be what we make it. It is up to us, the heart-centered leaders, the innovative consultants, and the outliers from the standard perspective, to begin to chip away at these directive norms. It will be hard to fight against the undeniable (short-term) financial gain that comes from squeezing people at work. But if we do not begin to chip away at it, we are on the train track toward an increasingly miserable experience for workers around the world. And that’s a track I don’t want to be on.

Juliet Funt

Juliet Funt is the founder and CEO at JFG (Juliet Funt Group), which is a consulting and training firm built upon the popular teaching of CEO Juliet Funt, author of A Minute to Think.

WHY WOMEN HOLD THE KEY TO AUTHENTIC LEADERSHIP

BY WILLIAM ARRUDA

How Women are Redefining the Leadership Landscape

In a world where change is accelerating, authentic leadership has emerged as an important leadership philosophy for future-focused organisations. At the heart of this, women leaders are proving to be the ideal torchbearers. Their innate qualities and distinctive perspectives are not just enriching leadership but are also setting a new benchmark for authenticity.

Of course, you can’t paint an entire gender with one brush, but data show that women excel in many of the competencies that are essential for effective authentic leadership. “An analysis of thousands of 360-degree reviews revealed that women outscored men on 17 of the 19 capabilities that differentiate excellent leaders from average or poor ones,” according to Harvard Business Review.

Here are seven ways women are redefining leadership:

1. Pursuing Self-awareness

Self-awareness is the foundation of authentic leadership. Before being able to understand those around you, you must understand your own strengths, challenges, preferences, and biases. Selfawareness is the first step in Daniel Goleman’s emotional intelligence (EQ) model, the first phase of the personal branding process, and an essential attribute for building relationships. It is obtained through self-reflection and external feedback. Yet, despite women being 20% less likely to receive actionable feedback, according to Korn Ferry, ”Women are 86% more likely to display consistent and effective emotional self-awareness.”

2. Embracing Emotional Intelligence

Women often bring a high degree of emotional intelligence to the table. They are adept at reading the room, empathising with their colleagues, and responding to non-verbal cues. “Women are superior to men at decoding emotions,” according to the National Institutes of Health. Empathy is a strategic asset for women in leadership. By genuinely understanding and valuing the feelings of others, women leaders create a supportive environment that encourages risk-taking and innovation. This emotional acumen positions them to forge strong bonds and nurture a culture of trust and respect within their teams.

3. Prioritising Collaboration

The female approach to leadership often emphasises collaboration over competition. Women tend to build networks of cooperation that benefit the whole, understanding that a collective effort often results in greater success. Collaboration is essential to solving challenging problems and innovating at work. CEO/founder of HR consulting firm, Chief of Minds, Lakeisha Robichaux shares one of her secrets to successful collaboration, “Celebrate the wins, challenges, and lessons learned. Often times, we get bogged down with only identifying wins, however, success and solutions can be found in every stage of collaboration.”

4. Communicating Effectively

Women excel in open and honest communication. Their leadership style is often inclusive and transparent, encouraging feedback and sharing information openly with the aim of empowering their teams. Women are better communicators than men, which can lead to an enhanced ability to connect with others, motivate and strengthen teams, and perhaps most importantly, become better leaders, according to a study featured in Harvard Business Review. Women leaders have a unique ability to be assertive without foregoing compassion. They can drive performance and demand excellence while also being supportive and understanding. And because women hold fewer senior leadership roles, they bring a different perspective to the discussion with peers. Women represent roughly only one in four C-suite leaders, according to LeanIn.org

5. Fostering Inclusivity and Belonging

A natural inclination towards inclusivity means women leaders are often champions of diversity. They work to ensure various voices are heard and acknowledged, paving the way for more innovative and inclusive decision-making processes. They build environments of belonging where team members feel heard and acknowledged. Belonging is a common value among most people, according to research from Valuegraphics

6. Demonstrating Resilience

Women have a remarkable capacity for resilience, often built through overcoming personal and professional obstacles. This resilience is infectious and inspires teams to bounce back stronger from setbacks. Women were rated as excelling in “acting with resilience,” according to HBR.

7. Championing Growth

Women leaders are perpetual learners who value development and growth. They are often seen leading the charge for training and continuous improvement within their organisations. They recognise the power of guidance and are often passionate about mentoring others, fostering the next generation of leaders. One prominent women leader, civil rights activist, and suffragette Mary Church Terrell summed it up in this four-word challenge: Lift as you climb.

The key to authentic leadership lies not in commanding authority but in demonstrating genuine care for the organisation and its people. These traits are powerful tools that women use to unlock the true potential within their organisations. Women, with their nuanced approach to leadership, are setting a new standard that resonates with today’s talent and the needs of a rapidly evolving workplace.

This article was originally published in Forbes

This article is also available in Chinese

William Arruda

William Arruda is the bestselling author of the definitive books on personal branding: Digital YOU, Career Distinction and Ditch. Dare. Do! And he’s the creative energy behind Reach Personal Branding and CareerBlast.TV – two groundbreaking organizations committed to expanding the visibility, availability, and value of personal branding across the globe. For more information on Personal Branding , please visit williamarruda.com.

Realistic Morning Routine Strategies for Success and Well-Being

If you listen to self-help podcasts, audiobooks, or thought leaders, you’ll soon find one suggestion in almost all of them: develop a morning routine. The morning routine is designed to make us feel good and ready for the day ahead, but in reality, it can accidentally make us feel bad about ourselves.

As we sit at the feet of these high performers, we hear about the myriad morning activities they engage in daily, which include meditation, morning walks, getting sunlight, exercise, journaling, reading spiritual literature, writing gratitude lists, taking ice-cold showers, and drinking salt water (not kidding).

“Morning routines” at this scope sound inspiring but are also guilt-inducing and practically impossible for most people.

What’s not often highlighted is that many of these morning routine celebrities are younger men who work for themselves and don’t have kids. As a result, their advice sometimes feels disconnected from the realities of people waking up to toddlers or teenagers or people heading to early morning jobs with bosses and time clocks. I once wrote out everything I wanted to do in an ideal morning routine, and it required two and a half hours. Who can do that?

Another interesting aspect of the omnipresent morning routine advice is its clash with another widely advocated wellness pillar: sleep. There are books, gadgets, apps, classes, and of course, TED talks about sleep. Why? We’re learning that sleep is central to almost everything we value in our mental and physical health, from cancer prevention to longevity to memory enhancement. And for children (and the rest of us), it’s the starting point for emotional regulation, learning, good moods, and the general calm every family and home needs. It’s puzzling then, that many morning routine recommendations involve setting a 4:30 or 5 am alarm. What’s a conscious individual to do when caught between these two priorities?

I’m a firm believer in some form of morning routine. I resonate with Tim Ferriss’s rallying cry: “Seize the morning, seize the day.” That’s what I strive for, albeit imperfectly.

The routines I practice and promote are simple, flexible, super realistic, and based on the principle of “good enough.”

Here are three approaches to your own morning routine that might better serve you:

Option #1: The PM-Prep Routine

Prepare everything for your day the night before to free up more time each morning so that whatever you do plan has a higher chance of happening.

Option #2: The Accordion Routine

Create a list of activities you commit to, doing them in the same order daily but with durations that vary based on available time. For example, on a leisurely day, I might get in a 45-minute workout, but on a hotel day before an event, 5 minutes of yoga in the room might have to suffice.

Option #3: The Daily-Design Routine

Choose from a short list of activities you know and like, doing some and skipping others, depending on the time you have each morning. Some days I meditate and some I walk and some I read inspiring literature, but I may not always do the same routine.

Here is the ultimate key: begin each day with intentionality. Do that in any form, and you win.

As you contemplate your morning routine, remember that the wonderful meditation teacher Dan Harris says he fulfills his commitments daily-ish. I think “daily-ish” is a perfect goal. Yes, start each day with a moment of clarity, but in a way that sets you up for a feeling of success.

This article was also published on Juliet Funt's LinkedIn

Juliet Funt

Juliet Funt is the founder and CEO at JFG (Juliet Funt Group), which is a consulting and training firm built upon the popular teaching of CEO Juliet Funt, author of A Minute to Think.

This book is an introduction to breakthrough leadership. The author provides detailed descriptions, a historical approach, vivid and easy-to-understand illustrations and applicable quotes for a given topic. According to Lee, leaders must learn how to be interested in others, to listen, act and challenge, and give support and recognition. He utilizes data from over 800 managers to identify six leadership behaviours that can significantly impact the lives of those being led.

Lee describes Breakthrough Leadership as a new frontier in leadership because it is concerned not only with what leaders do but also, with the impact leaders have on the people they lead. It is based on a decade of applied research into three key issues:

1. What is it, that leaders do to inspire the people they lead?

2. What are the impediments to the development of potential that these leaders help their people to break through?

3. How can organizations build competitive advantage by unlocking this potential in their workforce?

Breakthrough Leadership explores the evolution of leadership trends from command-and-control management to transformational leadership. Lee tries to bridge the gap between the use of charisma and behaviour in leadership, which becomes the central theme of the book. These leadership behaviours impact individuals from within and manifest positively on the outside. He then posits that every leader can have an opportunity to become a breakthrough leader through training and discipline. The book addresses leadership by encouraging leaders and aspiring leaders alike to uncover the potentials of their subordinates and help them overcome the impediments to making breakthroughs.

DIANA MARIE

Diana Marie is a team member at the Leadership Institute of Sarawak Civil Service attached with Corporate Affairs who found love in reading and writing whilst discovering inspiration in Leadership that Makes a Difference.