Leadership

If you don't like change. "If you don’t like change, you’ll dislike irrelevance even more." Leaders are agents of change. The "status quo" concept doesn’t belong in a leader’s vocabulary. Change is inevitable. External factors like the economy or unforeseen challenges may be out of our control, but internal change—whether to scale, improve systems, or elevate the business—is within our grasp. Just as cars need tune-ups, businesses benefit from intentional check-ins. Proactively ask your team: What can we improve? What’s holding us back? Those closest to the work often have valuable insights—but you’ll only discover them if you ask. Reflect: Are there issues I’ve tolerated for too long? Am I actively pursuing improvements in critical areas? Do I subscribe to “if it [...]

Only a few years ago, the business world used the terms leadership and management interchangeably. Today, however, we have recognized a significant difference between the two. Management is focused on developing and maintaining systems and processes, while leadership is designed to motivate and mobilize people. When managing people, we often turn to policies and rules to direct or correct them. There can be a tendency to treat everyone equally instead of using good judgment. Leaders who lead people use personal connections within the team to guide everyone toward success. They listen and offer feedback. Effective leaders understand that standards and expectations bring more out of people than rules and regulations. Lest I be misunderstood, I am not saying one is [...]

We are very familiar with the importance of EQ (emotional intelligence). There is an ongoing discussion of which is more important: IQ or EQ. Frankly, I don’t feel qualified to enter the debate. However, I have learned that forming and developing people skills (a component of EQ ) is critical in growing a business. Emotionally Intelligent leaders have a people-first mindset and can satisfy their own needs and wants while serving the needs and wants of those they lead. Our ability to develop connections and lasting relationships separates us as leaders. In my coaching practice, I encounter leaders who are too busy with strategy, marketing, product development, systems, etc., resulting in insufficient time for people development. However, when asked what [...]