The Thoughtful Leaders™ Blog

Where are you derailing your effectiveness?

Posted by Robyn McLeod on April 25, 2013

Recently on the way home from school my daughter recounted an incident where a classmate hit another student, and then said that it was a reflex to having her hair touched. My daughter shared that this “reflex” was out of her classmate’s control and an unfortunate consequence for the hair-touching culprit. “That is a reaction,” I said. “Not a reflex. A reflex is an automatic impulse that we do not have control over, like kicking your leg when your knee is tapped in just the right way. Hitting someone because they touched your hair is a reaction. A reaction that you in fact have complete control over.”
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Filed under: Awareness,Change and grow,Communicate/communication,Personal growth - Tags: behavior, Communication, effective relationships, feedback, self awareness —

It’s more than the thought that counts

Posted by Chatsworth Consulting Group on April 15, 2013

“All the beautiful sentiments in the world weigh less than a single lovely action.” James Russell Lowell

Recently I watched a former colleague struggle with how to show up for her team at work. Her organization had gone through a merger and a few “restructures” – people had been let go and although the team was functioning, it was, in many ways, reeling internally. My colleague was unsure of how to reach out to her team, how to lead them, and what to say…or whether or not it was really necessary to say anything at all.
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Filed under: Change and grow,Choose,Take action,The Thoughtful Leaders Minute - Tags: feedback, intentions, kindness, sentiments, taking action, trust —

Are you getting honest feedback?

Posted by Robyn McLeod on April 11, 2013

It’s said that the only way to truly grow as a leader is to have access to candid feedback about what you are doing well in leadership and where you need to improve. There are certainly processes that have been established in many organizations to get some of that – annual performance evaluations, 360° feedback, employee opinion surveys, executive coaching – but what steps can you take on your own to ensure that you are getting honest feedback?
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Filed under: Awareness,Communicate/communication,Thoughtful leadership,Time management - Tags: feedback, leadership development, perceptions, self awareness —

Your strengths can hurt you

Posted by Robyn McLeod on March 28, 2013

I am a big proponent of 360-degree feedback – gathering the perspectives of your direct reports and staff, your peers, and your higher-ups to become more aware of how your behaviors, attitudes, and actions impact those around you. My own experience with receiving 360 feedback helped me to appreciate the value of this process and revealed that some of the very things that were my strengths were also the things that were getting in my way of being more effective.
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Filed under: Awareness,Change and grow,Communicate/communication,Leadership,Managing - Tags: feedback, perspectives, strengths, weaknesses —

The Zen of giving feedback

Posted by Lisa Kohn on January 24, 2013

Feedback is something we all hate to do. I teach this stuff and yet I sometimes cringe at having to deliver constructive feedback (we consultants and coaches call it “constructive” or “developmental” instead of “negative”), and I can forget to offer positive feedback, appreciation, and praise. But feedback is essential, because without it how can anyone know what they should keep doing because it’s working, and what they should stop doing or change immediately before it causes real problems. The question is, how do you give feedback, and how can you possibly be Zen about it?
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Filed under: Awareness,Communicate/communication,Leadership,Managing - Tags: behavior, feedback, perspectives —

2 Responses to “The Zen of giving feedback”

Paul Reeves says:

February 5, 2013 at 7:14 am

Try the Perfection Game from the Core Protocols for the most effective “feedback”.

Reply
- Lisa Kohn says:
  
  February 5, 2013 at 10:57 am
  
  Thanks for the suggestion Paul. I’ll check it out.
  
  Reply

What you need to know in your first management job – and it can still help you now

Posted by Robyn McLeod on December 20, 2012

First managerial roles can be so exciting and so challenging. Most of us are thrown into jobs managing others because we were really great at doing the job at hand – without any direct reports. Suddenly we are given the management reins and expected to smoothly and effectively lead a team of people to great results and even greater success.
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Filed under: Awareness,Communicate/communication,Managing - Tags: communicating, feedback, Managing, self awareness —

3 reasons you should have a leadership program

Posted by Kyle Lagunas on November 7, 2012

Why is the process of finding a leader–whether to backfill someone or to fill a new role–often treated as an isolated event rather than an ongoing process? With the cost per hire only rising, why do so few organizations have a process for identifying and cultivating leaders within their existing talent pool?

Neil Nicoll, President and CEO of YMCA warned us in Finding Leaders for America’s Nonprofits: Commentaries that, “Until [we] become much more intentional about development of internal talent, we are doomed to an ever-growing leadership deficit.” That was three years ago.
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Filed under: Leadership,Managing,Team development - Tags: feedback, intentions, leadership development, leadership program —

Your face may be stopping you from moving ahead

Posted by Robyn McLeod on August 30, 2012

Recently an issue has come up several times in my coaching conversations that got me thinking about the importance of facial expression to effective leadership. Now, you may be thinking, what does your face have to do with leading? But, hear me out.

One client shared how he is not a natural “smiler.” His stoic nature is part cultural and part personality, he explained. Coming from a proud and well-off African heritage, his mannerisms tend to be reserved and almost regal, and his personality is such that, as he describes, he has “no patience for foolishness or incompetence.” So, what people often see, is a straightforward and impassive demeanor when they approach him.
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Filed under: Awareness,Change and grow,Communicate/communication - Tags: Communication, feedback, perceptions —

What is your greatest strength?

Posted by Lisa Kohn on April 26, 2012

To grow as a leader, or in any endeavor, it is essential to build upon your strengths. And in order to do that, you must be aware of your strengths – the specific things that make you you, that make you great, and that make you good at what you do. This awareness is something many of us have trouble identifying and embracing.

A great way to find your strengths is to do some research. To spend time in reflection; to look around you and notice what you love, what you excel at, where you truly shine. Your research should include asking others – to reach out to those people who know you really well and ask them to notice and to list the best things that make you you. Noticing the strengths in others, and contemplating which of those you might also possess, is another way to find your strengths.
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Filed under: Awareness,Change and grow,Choose,Personal growth,Thoughtful leadership - Tags: choosing, feedback, knowing yourself, self-reflection, strength —

Tips for dealing with difficult people

Posted by Robyn McLeod on April 19, 2012

Recently I attended a workshop led by two dynamic facilitators. Their credentials, renown, and years of experience certainly were impressive, but it was their handling of one incident during the session that truly highlighted their mastery of facilitation and connection to others and provided a great leadership lesson for dealing with difficult people.

Here’s what happened: As I settled into my chair in the front of the room, I heard a woman (Let’s call her Pat) behind me speaking in very irritated and angry tones. It seemed that someone had moved her belongings to another chair while she was up getting coffee. Pat clearly took this as an affront and fussed, mostly to herself, about inconsiderate and rude people. I noticed that people around her were looking somewhat uncomfortable.
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