Leadership creates pressure. In the Netflix series The Playbook, Doc Rivers shares the philosophy that inspired the Boston Celtics to a championship and his response to racism while being the Los Angeles Clippers head coach. One valuable lesson he shares for leaders to consider is a mindset that "pressure is a privilege." What is the alternative to leadership pressure? No productive conflict? No aligned goals? No board meetings? No difficult customers? As an executive coach, I spend a lot of time speaking with leaders. One common theme is the immense pressure they are under. It is easy for leaders to become quickly overwhelmed by the increasingly complex and fast-paced digital business environment. Stress is a serious issue facing leaders. A recent extensive global study of CEOs and C-suite executives suggests that 56% are burned out, a 52% increase from the prior year. Leading successful organizations creates personal and professional situations that result in increased stress. It seems logical to think of pressure as a negative and something to be avoided, but as a leader, should you? Here are three reasons to embrace the leadership journey, including the pressure it brings, and four tips for making better decisions under pressure. "A soft, easy life is not worth living if it impairs the fiber of brain and heart and muscle. We must dare to be great, and we must realize that greatness is the fruit of toil and sacrifice and high courage." Theodore Roosevelt Reason #1: Pressure Accelerates Change One reason to embrace pressure is that pressure accelerates change, and leadership is about change. In the book Leading Change, renowned change management thought leader John Kotter identified that overcoming complacency to change requires a sense of urgency. Leaders in a fast-changing world need to be influential in articulating their vision and, paradoxically, at the same time, be open to changes as the idea needs to change due to the world's turbulence. Leading change creates pressure and stressful situations. While too little or too much stress creates anxiety and health problems, research at UC Berkeley demonstrated that some stress improves performance and health. Pressure influences leaders and organizations to move in new directions and reject the status quo. No organization wants to stay the same, and pressure is a powerful change agent for leaders who want to accelerate change. Reason #2: Pressure Creates Learning Leaders and organizations need to learn at a pace consistent with change. They need to perpetually learn because the future is unpredictable. You are either ripe and rotting or green and growing. But shouldn't the learning process be as free from stress as possible? A foundational research study on learning discovered that an element of struggle significantly improves long-term retention. While pressure can slow the learning rate temporarily, it also improves long-term retention and application transfer. Pressure creates desirable difficulty and enhances the learning opportunity and the opportunity for personal and professional growth . "Usually, if you have tremendous pressure, it’s because an opportunity comes along. Give me the ball. Give me the problem to solve. Let’s figure this out. Let’s go." Billie Jean King Reason #3: Pressure Creates Purpose High-pressure situations reveal more about who you are than the specific skills you possess. The unfortunate reality is that it often takes the pressure of a crisis to break away from the day-to-day. Pressure creates a reason to challenge assumptions about our purpose or the organization's purpose. There is no better life lived than a life lived on purpose. Studies have demonstrated that leading with purpose results in higher personal satisfaction, performance, innovation, and economic growth. "Don't aim at success. The more you aim at it and make it a target, the more you are going to miss it. For success, like happiness, cannot be pursued; it must ensue, and it only does so as the unintended side effect of one's personal dedication to a cause greater." — Viktor Frankl How to Make Your Best Decision Under Pressure How you approach decisions while under pressure makes a difference in the outcome for you and those you lead. Here are four tips to help you make your best decision: Decision-Making Tip #1: Visualize the desired outcome. Athletes are trained to visualize themselves successfully achieving their goals before events. Numerous scientific studies link creative visualization to improved performance, goal achievement, and stress management. Research supports that creative practice boosts our confidence and competence. Check out this short video from an Olympic athlete on the power an use of mental imagery. Decision-Making Tip #2: Be curious. Asking questions helps reveal alternative scenarios. The field of strategic foresight offers some great tools for assisting leaders with seeing around the corners, which can lead to feeling more competent and confident about your decision. The Futures Wheel, STEEPLE, and scenario planning are a few tools that can help leaders and organizations break free from a fixed mindset. Decision-Making Tip #3: Don't get stuck on stupid. One of my favorite leadership quotes comes from a military commander serving after Hurricane Katrina destroyed New Orleans. At the time, the community was paralyzed and lacked direction. In an interview, the commander said he didn't know what specific time frames looked like but could guarantee the recovery operations would not be stuck on stupid. Leaders who are biased toward action and make decisions for the right reasons help overcome the fear of failure that comes with the pressure of the situation. Decision-Making Tip #4: Avoid isolation. Most leaders indicate that their organization does not provide the support needed to help them manage the increasing levels of stress they face. A leadership coach facilitates experimentation and self-discovery by applying what is discussed during the coaching conversation. Skillful executive coaching enables you to "dance in the present moment" and take the actions necessary for what matters to you. Modern organizations are like pressure cookers. Great leadership serves as a pressure control valve. When needed, releasing pressure to prevent catastrophic disasters and increasing organizational pressure when it's too low to maximize performance. The reality of a volatile work environment is that training for every potential cross-cultural leadership situation is impossible. As a leader, you are asked questions that have no known answer. Seeing the pressure of leadership as a privilege can help you enjoy the journey. References: Bjork, E. L., & Bjork, R. A. (2011). Making things hard on yourself, but in a good way: Creating desirable difficulties to enhance learning. Campbell, M., Baltes, J.I., Martin, A., & Meddings, K. (2019). The stress of leadership. Center for Creative Leadership. DDI. 2023 Global Leadership Forecast. Development Dimensions International. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Ekeocha, T. (2015). The effects of visualization and guided imagery in sports performance Kotter, J. P. (2012). Leading change . Harvard Business Review Press. Ottesen, K. (2019). Tennis icon Billie Jean King on fighting for equal pay for women: Pressure is a privilege. The Washington Post. Pomerantz (Eds.) & FABBS Foundation, Psychology and the real world: Essays illustrating fundamental contributions to society (p. 56–64). Worth Publishers. Powell, A. (2018). When science meets mindfulness. The Harvard Gazette. Quinn, R. E., & Thakor, A. V. (2019). The economics of higher purpose: Eight counterintuitive steps for creating a purpose-driven organization . Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated. Sanders, R. (2013). Researchers find out why some stress is good for you. Berkley News.

Great leaders dream of a better future – from business sustainability to growing future leaders, increasing speed to market, or operating with greater purpose. To turn dreams into workplace realities, leaders set strategies. Unfortunately, many organizations keep strategic plans a secret and don't involve others outside the executive leadership team. Evidence suggests that only 5% of employees grasp their company's strategy. This is alarming, given that a direct positive correlation exists between employee commitment to strategy and employee involvement in strategy development. It is hard to argue that being more inclusive is a bad idea. But how inclusive should your strategic thinking and planning be? Here are the strategic thinking competencies leaders need to develop and a plan to foster employee commitment and overcome workplace obstacles to inclusivity. Benefits of Inclusive Strategic Thinking and Planning A strategy is simply a plan of action to achieve a stated goal. A business strategy aims to align followers and teams toward achieving a shared goal from the company's vision. The best strategies in business meet the following four criteria: Developed inclusive of followers, Focus on helping others for the greater good, Account for mixed future realities, Are implemented. “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality” — William Bennis In this short video, Gary Hamel discusses why leaders must shift their roles from authors to editors and why traditional strategic planning must die. Leaders must comprehend various complex situations. Strategic thinking uses critical thinking to consider the fundamental business drivers and challenges specific to an organization. It is about awareness of what could be and the foresight to help the organization be successful. The following video breaks down the difference between strategic planning and strategic thinking. Leveraging diversity enhances strategic thinking, creativity, engagement, and strategy quality. Although achieving complete transparency and involving every possible stakeholder is likely not feasible, there is high value for inclusive leaders and organizations. Research has demonstrated a direct positive correlation between individual commitment to strategy and involvement in strategy development. Inclusive strategic thinking impacts the organization's bottom line, leading to a leader's success and significance. When leaders solicit ideas from others outside the traditionally involved management team, it improves the creativity of the ideas and reinforces that leaders value employees. Creative ideas that reflect the customer's stated and unstated needs likely will come from those with no stake in the status quo and closest to the customer. Being transparent with access to strategic input and processes enhances follower outputs. When the employees responsible for implementing strategic plans are the same employees contributing, there is increased awareness, engagement, buy-in⁠, and firm performance. 5 Key Leadership Strategic Thinking Leadership Competencies A leader's ability to question and make connections between ideas and evaluate options improves strategic thinking. Here are five strategic thinking leadership competencies that are often underdeveloped: Strategic Thinking Leadership Competency #1: Scanning When searching for weak signals, businesses are essentially delving into the realm of potential disruptions and opportunities that may not be readily apparent. These signals are often subtle, emerging trends or environmental changes that could significantly impact the future. By actively seeking out these weak signals, organizations can gain a competitive edge by being better prepared to adapt and respond to evolving market conditions. Strategic Thinking Leadership Competency #2: Visioning Clarifying the organization's shared purpose and dreams with group benefit is crucial in fostering a strong sense of unity and direction among team members. By clearly defining the common goals and aspirations that everyone is working towards, individuals within the organization can align their efforts and work collaboratively towards a shared vision. This process not only helps in creating a sense of belonging and camaraderie but also enhances motivation and engagement among employees. A culture of teamwork and cooperation can be cultivated by emphasizing the group benefit that comes from pursuing the organization's shared purpose and dreams. Strategic Thinking Leadership Competency #3: Reframing Encouraging a shift in perspective by questioning established beliefs and exploring innovative ideas for what lies ahead. Challenging current assumptions opens the door to new opportunities and unexpected solutions. Embracing fresh thinking allows us to break free from conventional boundaries and envision a future filled with exciting possibilities. It is through this process of reevaluation and creativity that we pave the way for progress and growth, sparking a journey toward a more dynamic and promising tomorrow. Strategic Thinking Leadership Competency #4: Making Common Sense An intellectual process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and evaluating data. It involves a series of cognitive activities that require critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Conceptualizing is the ability to form abstract ideas or mental representations based on the information. Applying involves applying these concepts or using them in real-world situations to achieve a specific goal or outcome. Analyzing requires breaking down complex information into smaller parts to understand their meaning and significance. Synthesizing involves combining different elements or ideas to create a coherent whole or new understanding. Evaluating is assessing the data's validity, relevance, or quality and the conclusions drawn from it. Strategic Thinking Leadership Competency #5: Systems Thinking This methodology involves considering the whole system rather than individual parts in isolation. By examining how different elements interact and influence each other, researchers can comprehensively understand the underlying dynamics at play. A holistic approach encourages researchers to consider the broader context in which these interactions occur. Factors such as environmental influences, historical background, and cultural norms can all significantly shape outcomes. By incorporating these external elements into the analysis, a more nuanced and accurate understanding of the interrelationships between different parts can be achieved. Various psychometric leadership assessments can measure an executive's strategic and critical thinking capability. The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is a valid leadership assessment based on recognizing assumptions, evaluating arguments, and drawing conclusions. For more information on the Watson-Glaser critical thinking appraisal, visit www.talentlens.com. In addition to measurement, leaders looking to improve strategic thinking skills need time for deliberate practice and coaching feedback to shape strategic thinking habits beyond motivation and commitment. Partnering with a qualified executive coach is proven to improve strategic thinking skills. How to be Inclusive with Strategic Planning and Thinking Before taking an inclusive approach to strategic planning and thinking, senior leadership needs to agree on the process, participating stakeholders, and the organization's business vision, values, and mission. For larger hybrid organizations , it will likely be helpful to first place participants into groups based on their planned involvement, such as crowd, selected crowd, business leadership, and strategic planning decisions team. Finding a user-friendly system for all stakeholders is vital when choosing strategic planning technology. A generic, inclusive strategic planning process engages others in ideation, refinement, and development. Ideation. The first step is to listen . Stakeholders are invited to submit ideas using a planning platform. It is crucial to select a technology readily accessible and use multiple forms of communication to encourage participation in the strategic planning process. Refinement. Ideas are tagged and compared through comparison sorts. Stakeholders are invited to prioritize the ideas submitted using pre-identified criteria such as culture alignment, cost, quality, and timeliness. This phase also includes a checkpoint for leaders to ask for more information and accept, revise, or reject ideas. The use of scores makes it easier to filter ideas. Development. After collecting and refining the ideas, it is time to transform them into a strategic plan. Stakeholders from each part of the business are asked to take the refined strategy and create a detailed plan. A strategic plan typically includes a vision statement, mission statement, goals, objectives, tactics and measures, and a review timeframe. How to Overcome 3 Inclusive Strategic Planning and Thinking Barriers Advances in technology enable a more inclusive, timely, and less costly approach. However, an inclusive approach has some potential drawbacks to address rather than ignore, such as bias, agility, and communication effectiveness. Strategic Planning & Thinking Barrier #1: Bias When being inclusive, leaders must avoid potential bias toward certain stakeholder groups. There is no need to go through the work of being inclusive only to have a process that devalues different inputs based on a tendency toward a particular group's feedback. Approaches that promote anonymity of feedback are demonstrated to reduce bias and not negatively impact output buy-in. Strategic Planning & Thinking Barrier #2: Agility Leaders need to pay attention to time and effort when being inclusive. It is easy to be less agile and get caught in analysis paralysis when being inclusive. Solid project management processes can help leaders avoid the trap of over-analysis. Strategic Planning & Thinking Barrier #3: Communication Effectiveness Thoughtfully incorporating technology has many positive impacts, but that does not mean it is without challenges. Numerous research studies have shown that different communication mediums effectively support in-the-moment feedback, information sharing, communication cues, emotions, and message customization. Scientific research probably does not need to be conducted to understand that face-to-face communication is the most effective type of communication. Schedule a meeting with us today if you need help creating compelling and inclusive strategic plans. With a flexible, systematic, and proven method, you can establish robust strategic plans that transform your business to achieve success and significance. Key Summary Points It is hard to argue that being more inclusive is a bad leadership habit. A business strategy aims to align followers and teams toward achieving a shared goal from the company's vision. The best strategies are developed inclusive of followers, focus on helping others for the greater good, account for mixed future realities, and are implemented. A leader's ability to question and make connections between ideas and evaluate options improves strategic thinking. Making common sense requires critical thinking skills. Various psychometric leadership assessments can measure an executive's critical thinking capability. The Watson Glaser Critical Thinking Appraisal (WGCTA) is a valid leadership assessment based on recognizing assumptions, evaluating arguments, and drawing conclusions. Leaders looking to improve their strategic thinking skills need time for deliberate practice and coaching feedback to shape strategic thinking habits beyond motivation and commitment. A generic, inclusive strategic planning process includes engaging others in creativity, refinement, and development. Advances in technology enable a more inclusive, timely, and less costly approach. However, an inclusive approach has some potential drawbacks that must be addressed rather than ignored, such as bias, agility, and communication effectiveness. References: Amrollahi, A., & Rowlands, B. (2017). Collaborative open strategic planning: A method and case study. Information Technology & People (West Linn, Or.), 30(4), 832-852. https://doi.org/10.1108/ITP-12-2015-0310 Bennis, W. G. (2008). Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality. Journal of Property Management, 73 (5), 13. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Hughes, R. L., Beatty, K. M., & Dinwoodie, D. (2014). Becoming a strategic leader: Your role in your organization's enduring success. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Kaplan RS, Norton DP. The office of strategy management. Harv Bus Rev. 2005 Oct;83(10):72-80 Nwachukwu, C. E., Chladkova, H., & Olatunji, F. (2018). The relationship between employee commitment to strategy implementation and employee satisfaction. Trends Economics and Management, 12(31), 46-56. doi:10.13164/trends.2018.31.45

“The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.” Taken from lessons in history and life experiences, Niccolò Machiavelli wrote these words in The Prince, published over 550 years ago. The message is clear: the end justifies the means. These words might seem harsh, but they are not surprising. They reveal the tension that can exist in business between profit and people. Is cheating to achieve favorable results part of doing business? Should managers exploit others to achieve goals? These are not uncommon leadership dilemmas. And are situations that your company or you might be navigating. The way forward is obvious for some leaders. However, the best way forward is more complex for those with Machiavellian personality tendencies. The best place to start is by weighing the good and bad of Machiavellianism in the workplace. The good and bad of Machiavellianism in the workplace “The lion cannot protect himself from traps, and the fox cannot defend himself from wolves. One must therefore be a fox to recognize traps and a lion to frighten wolves.” Machiavelli Machiavellianism refers to a manipulative personality trait. The personality is cunning and calculating, believing that the end justifies the means, regardless of how ruthless or moral. Psychologists Christie and Geis studied the thought processes and actions behind individuals who manipulated others and were the first to define this personality trait as Machiavellianism. Their construct was based on personality traits displayed in the characters of Machiavelli’s literary work The Prince. In this book, Niccolò Machiavelli described how leaders must manipulate and use power through any means necessary to achieve their goals. He presented that people cannot be trusted to do what is needed because they typically lack the experience and motivation or have biases and prejudice toward doing what is needed. Here is a short video about What “Machiavellian” really means. Despite the negative connotations of Machiavellian leadership, sometimes its admired, and the presence of this personality trait is found in all kinds of businesses and at all levels. Interestingly, research into Machiavellianism leadership suggests both highly damaging implications along with some surprisingly positive outcomes for individuals and entire organizations: The Good: Able to retain social control during difficult and chaotic situations, strategic foresight and planning, lower operating costs, high task orientation, not impulsive, gets work done by others, able to be competitive and cooperative. The Bad: Unethical behavior, moral ambiguity, lying, revenge, threats, fraud, cheating, emotional abuse, lack of trust in others, excessive politics, theft, and paying for kickbacks. Although research reveals some good business outcomes of Machiavellian leadership, an overwhelming number of studies demonstrate this kind of manipulative leadership hurts leadership performance. The impacts of lower-quality leader-follower relationships negatively influence performance, company culture, and results. Do you have Machiavellian tendencies? Fortunately, extreme levels of Machiavellianism are rare in the workplace. However, we all likely have some degree of Machiavellianism in our personalities. The Mach-IV is a 20-question inventory that assesses your Machiavellianism tendencies. This site provides your Machiavellian score and a graph showing how you compare to others taking the assessment. The higher your score on the Mach-IV, the more Machiavellianism. If you score 60 out of 100 or higher on the MACH-IV, you are considered a “high-Mach.” If you score below 60 out of 100, you are considered a “low-mach.” High Mach tendencies: Business goal-oriented and calculated when interacting with others. Taken to the extreme, they are highly focused on winning and willing to use any and all means possible. Low Mach tendencies: Believe everyone has a good and bad side. They tend to be more people-oriented and empathic in their interaction with others. Taken to the extreme, "low-Machs" can be passive, highly agreeable, and socially inept. What do you do when you find Machiavellianism in the workplace? “There is no other way to guard yourself against flattery than by making men understand that telling you the truth will not offend you” Machiavelli, The Prince Can you change your personality? Or is it true that Yoda told Luke that if you start down the dark path, it will forever dominate your destiny? Luckily, there is hope. The Big Five personality traits serve as the building blocks of personality: openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. Research into these personality traits suggests it is possible to change them through persistent interventions. There is no single right way to change personality. Behaviors constantly evolve from situation to situation and moment to moment. The following are six proven countermeasures for Machiavellian behaviors in the workplace. Machiavellian Countermeasure #1: Executive Assessments The higher you move within an organization, the less objective the feedback you tend to receive; however, it becomes more critical personally and professionally. Executive assessments can provide deep insights into areas that, with attention, lead to enhanced potential. When selecting an assessment, using a qualified executive coach to help interpret and apply the learnings is crucial. Machiavellian Countermeasure #2: Executive Coaching There are many benefits of executive coaching . 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence. Over 70% benefit from improved work performance, relationships, and more effective communication skills. 86% of companies report recouping their investment in coaching and more. Machiavellian Countermeasure #3: Leadership Style Research in organizational behavior has illuminated the importance of ethical leadership in addressing and mitigating undesirable behaviors often associated with Machiavellianism. Ethical leadership, as a concept, encompasses a wide array of principles and values that guide individuals in making decisions that are not only morally sound but also beneficial for the greater good. It involves considerations of right and wrong and a sense of moral duty and obligation towards others. One particular leadership style that has gained attention for its ethical underpinnings is Servant Leadership. This approach emphasizes influence over positional power, focusing on the well-being and growth of others rather than asserting authority through hierarchy. By prioritizing the needs of their followers and empowering them to reach their full potential, servant leaders create a positive and nurturing work environment that fosters trust, collaboration, and innovation. Organizations that embrace a servant leadership style stand to reap numerous benefits. Leaders can inspire greater employee engagement, loyalty, and productivity by cultivating a culture of empathy, humility, and service. Furthermore, emphasizing ethical decision-making and social responsibility can enhance the organization's reputation, increasing stakeholder trust and support. Machiavellian Countermeasure #4: Reward and Recognition Systems Tightly aligning your company's reward and recognition systems with desired behaviors is crucial in fostering a positive work environment. When incentives are directly linked to the behaviors and values the organization wishes to promote, employees are more likely to be motivated to align their actions with these expectations. This enhances individual performance and cultivates a sense of unity and collaboration within the team, as everyone works towards common goals and shared rewards. Machiavellian Countermeasure #5: Training and Development Training and development play a crucial role in honing the skills and abilities of individuals across various personality types. Research indicates that providing targeted development opportunities during significant career transitions can significantly impact individuals with Machiavellian personality traits. By investing in tailored programs that focus on shaping work expectations and behaviors, organizations can effectively steer these individuals toward more constructive and beneficial outcomes. Such initiatives not only enhance individual performance but also contribute to a positive organizational culture, ultimately leading to reduced risks of potential errors and financial losses. Machiavellian Countermeasure #6: Therapy A "high-Mach" personality can present unique challenges in various aspects of life, including relationships, work environments, and personal well-being. Individuals with Machiavellian traits often exhibit manipulation, deceit, and a lack of empathy. These behaviors can lead to difficulties in forming and maintaining healthy relationships and challenges in navigating social interactions effectively. Seeking support from a mental health professional can be instrumental in developing coping mechanisms to manage these traits and their impact on daily life. Therapy can provide individuals with the tools and strategies needed to address underlying issues, improve self-awareness, and cultivate healthier ways of relating to others. Some therapeutic approaches that may benefit individuals with Machiavellian personality traits include cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which can help identify and change negative thought patterns and behaviors. Additionally, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) may be useful in developing skills for emotional regulation and interpersonal effectiveness. By working with a mental health professional, individuals with high-Mach personalities can gain insight into their behaviors, learn how to navigate social situations more effectively and cultivate healthier relationships based on trust, honesty, and empathy. Seeking help is a proactive step towards personal growth and well-being for those grappling with the challenges associated with Machiavellian traits. So, what is your real leadership challenge? References: Christie, R., & Geis, F. (1970). Studies in Machiavellianism. Academic Press. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Kumar, D. (2019). Good, bad, ugly: Exploring the Machiavellian power dynamics of leadership in medical education. Journal of advances in medical education & professionalism, 7(1), 42–46. Page, N., Bergner, S., & Wills, S. (2017). Who empathizes with Machiavellian or Narcissistic leaders? Harvard Business Review. Rehman, U., & Shahnawaz, M. (2021). Machiavellianism and task-orientated leadership: the moderating effect of job autonomy. Leadersh Educ Personal Interdiscip J 3, 79–85. Van Dierendonck, D., & Patterson, K. (2015). Compassionate love as a cornerstone of servant leadership: An integration of previous theorizing and research. Journal of Business Ethics, 128 (1), 119-131.

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Trending Leadership Development Insights Recommended F or You Why Your Employees Aren't Committed to Your Company Strategy Great leaders dream of a better future – from business sustainability to growing future leaders, increasing speed to market, or operating with greater purpose. To turn dreams into workplace realities, leaders set strategies. Unfortunately, many organizations keep strategic plans a secret and don't involve others outside the executive leadership team. Evidence suggests that only 5% of employees grasp their company's strategy. This is alarming, given that a direct positive corr How to Navigate Machiavellianism in the Workplace “The promise given was a necessity of the past: the word broken is a necessity of the present.” Taken from lessons in history and life experiences, Niccolò Machiavelli wrote these words in The Prince, published over 550 years ago. The message is clear: the end justifies the means. These words might seem harsh, but they are not surprising. They reveal the tension that can exist in business between profit and people. Is cheating to achieve favorable results part of doing busine How Executive Leaders Build Trust Building trust is increasingly challenging and vital for executive leadership teams. Distrust in society is breeding polarization.... How Leaders Can Get the Feedback No One Wants to Give Most leaders are not getting the feedback they want and need. Evidence suggests that eight out of ten employees feel their leader has an... Develop a culture of high performance Attract and retain top talent Create a robust leadership pipeline Great leaders are great learners! Some people think taking time to invest in learning is not worth the time, and others know that you become more effective and efficient by sharpening your edge. We all know that our cars and technology we use need updates, but we don’t always treat our knowledge, skills, and abilities the same. 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We intuitively know that for leaders to be successful, we need to invest in developing our skills as leaders. The more a leader learns and effectively applies the better they become, and consequently, our organizations achieve better results. Modern organizations can avoid costly mistakes by investing in leadership development. Organizations that invest in developing all levels of leadership deliver stock market returns 5 times higher than those of companies with less emphasis on human capital. Leadership development investments enhance employee engagement, reduce costs associated with employee turnover, and increase organizational capacity to manage change. No organization is looking to stay the same year over year. Business strategy is essential but not sufficient for a business to succeed. As the world changes, people and businesses must change. Leadership strategy must be tightly aligned with the business strategy for leadership to shape the organization's culture effectively. Leadership Devlopmnt Insights Your Path to A Robust Leadership Pipeline 1 Schedule a Meeting Help us understand your specific needs so we can determine your best next steps. 2 Partner with Us We assess and analyze your situation, provide insights and partner to develop solutions that bring out your best. 3 Learn - Change & Thrive With a plan that is proven to work for getting more out of life and work, you'll have the confidence and competence needed to maximize your full potential! SCHEDULE A MEETING 100% Money-Back guarantee Your Best Choice for Leadership Development Our Leadership Development Guarantee We’re so confident you’ll love our leadership development services and experience growth, we offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee. If we do not meet your objective, we will refund your full fees. Connect with Jeff Doolittle Ready to learn and develop a culture of high performance? Hi, I'm Dr. Jeff Doolittle . I'm determined to make your personal and professional goals a reality. 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JOIN NOW 2 Start seeing results right away Each step in the program is designed to maximize your life-changing leadership habits, and after you finish, you’ll have a comprehensive plan, saving you time and benefiting from new insights. 3 Learn from a community of growth-minded leaders Through the exclusive invitation-only mastermind community, you’ll join a cohort of peers you can connect with, learn from, and partner with to share best practices over the course of 6 months. APPLY NOW Have questions? Schedule a call to sepak with a member of our team. What you get in Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind 18+ hours of Leadership Development & Group Coaching to Completely Overhaul Leadership Habits. Membership gives you access to 12 highly interactive and bite-sized virtual leadership development and group coaching sessions that are 90 minutes in length. The training and coaching sessions include deep-dive learning content, issue management interactive discussion, and actionable steps on 10 proven principles, 28 virtues of life-changing leadership, and habit formation. The timeline and topics include: Session 1: Launch & The Fundamentals Session 2: Loving Followers +Servant Leadership +Humility +Reinforcing performance Session 3: Focussing on Strengths +Reward and Recognition +Strengths thinking Session 4: Embracing Data-Driven Decisions +Data-driven Oriented +Analytical organization Session 5: Maximizing Purpose Self-awareness +Leadership Purpose +Effective delegation Session 6: Living in balance +Managing job expectations +Self care +Enhancing community +Work-life boundary management Session 7: Excelling in Management +Active listening +Creating influence +Empowering others +Partnering Session 8: Managing difficult conversations +Being vulnerable +Managing conflict +Focsuing on what matters most Session 9: Being trustworthy +Being credible +Being reliable +Being transparent Session 10: Embracing failure +Learning mindset +Supporting failure Session 11: Thinking strategically +Being farsighted +Inclusive strategic thinking Session 12: Overcoming common challenges & Closing APPLY NOW Executive Coaching with Dr. Jeff Doolittle Executive coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires you to maximize your personal and professional potential. As a Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind member, you’ll get two one-to-one 60-minute sessions with Dr. Jeff Doolittle, debriefing your program assessment reports and creating a robust development plan. APPLY NOW Access to the Members-Only Mastermind Community Are you eager to connect with other leaders on their journey to Life-Changing Leadership Habits? With the members-only Mastermind Community, you’ll get 24/7 access to our private forum, where you can connect with other leaders you can relate to and get insights from your cohort peers and Dr. Jeff Doolittle. You’ll finish Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind with total clarity about where you're starting, where you're going, and how you’re going to get there. APPLY NOW 360 Executive Leadership Survey We all see the world from our point of view. However, leading with a limited point of view creates potential blind spots and distortions that can seriously jeopardize goals and derail careers. At the start of the program, you will complete the Life-Changing Leadership Habits 360 Executive Survey and receive a one-to-one debrief on your assessment results. APPLY NOW 1% Better Act Fast Resources Often, the biggest barrier to creating Life-Changing Leadership Habits is NOT needing to create more desire for better habits. The answer can be found in greater awareness of proven principles and practical tools that busy leaders can successfully apply. Becoming 1% better every day means focusing on small steps you can take today to get one step closer to where you want to be tomorrow. As a Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind member, you’ll get access to resources designed to help you get 1% better every day. APPLY NOW Plus, a Bonus gift... An autographed copy of... Life-Changing Leadership Habits ($27.00 value) Dr. Jeff Doolittle's award-winning book, Life-Changing Leadership Habits: 10 Proven Principles That Will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose , offers a proven approach to achieving success and significance in life and work. It’s an everyday guide on how to lead in ways that life-changing habits emerge and bad habits disappear. How it Works Apply to join a Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind cohort Begin your journey and create a personal leadership development plan using 10 proven principles and our transformational tools APPLY NOW Have questions? Schedule a call to sepak with a member of our team. Be your best, and become the leader you want to be and your organization needs you to be How is Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind different from other leadership development programs? Life-Changing Leadership Habits is for executive leaders and business owners who want to accelerate their growth at a rapid pace alongside fellow leaders with the support of a highly qualified and experienced strategic leadership guide, Dr. Jeff Doolittle. The focus is on developing habits that become ingrained in your daily routine, influencing your actions, decisions, and relationships over the long term. You won't find a more practical program that leverages insights from you and the latest research to elevate your leadership and empower organizational excellence. APPLY NOW Build your Life-Changing Leadership Habits plan that will Elevate People, Profit, and Purpose By the end of this mastermind program, you'll... Have a plan to elevate your leadership and empower organizational excellence. Grow your confidence in knowing exactly what to work on to get the best leadership results for your career and your organization. Have a long-term plan to ensure your lasting success and significance. Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind includes... 18 hours of leadership development in the curriculum ($3,500 value) 2 hours of one-to-one executive coaching with Dr. Jeff Doolittle ($600 value) Access to the exclusive mastermind community ($500 value) An executive 360 leadership survey and debrief ($750 value) 1% better act fast resources for the 10 proven principles ($250 value) Autographed copy of Life-Changing Leadership Habits ($27 value ) TOTAL VALUE: $5,627 Two Ways to Get Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind 6 MONTHLY PAYMENTS OF $69 9 Va lue: $5 ,627 Save $1,433 (25 .5%) APPLY NOW *Interested in training your team of 10 or more? Let's talk ONE-TIME PAYMENT OF $2,7 95 Va lue: $5 ,627 Save $2,832 (50 .3%) APPLY NOW *Interested in training your team of 10 or more? Let's talk Love it or Leave it The Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind is a community. It's not a hostage situation. You can leave anytime at no additional cost. If you leave and you are unable to rejoin for 12 months, you are eligible for a pro-rated refund. Let us walk you through the mastermind program. If you're wondering if Life-Changing Leadership Habits Mastermind is... Relevant to your business and situation Easy to access and apply? Full of new and valuable content to help you elevate your leadership and empower organizational excellence? The answer is YES, but don't just guess. Schedule a call to walk through the program so you can see exactly what you'll get when you join. SCHEDULE AN INQUIRY CALL FAQs 01 Does the Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind work for any industry? Yes! the Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind will work for any industry, and our one-to one coaching ensures you get the help you need to apply the leadership frameworks to your specific business and industry. 02 How much does it cost? Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind is a one-time purchase of $2,795 or monthly of $699 for 6 months. 03 Can I go through at a different pace? The Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind is run as a single cohort and as such we all progress through the content at a reasonable pace together. 04 How will I interact with others in the Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind community? Enrolling in Life-Changing Leadership Mastermind gives you exclusive access to a VIP community. Post questions and comment on others’ posts to get real-time support from other leaders committed to building better leadership habits. The Mastermind community is designed to support you as you build your development plan and build Life-Changing Leadership Habits.

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