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Strong character is foundational to outstanding leadership. No amount of education, experience, persuasiveness, charm, or results can make up for a leader's lack of character strength. Now and then, you hear about a leader failing big due to a lack of character. This principle was brought into sharp focus on an investigative podcast. It was about the rise and fall of a large, rapidly growing multi-million dollar non-profit. In six weeks, it went from being the third most prominent organization in its segment with $31MM in assets to not existing. How is it possible? At the heart of this question is why character trumps charisma. Here is what you need to know about charismatic leadership and a character strength that can supercharge your ability to perform. Why Leadership Character Matters A leader's knowledge, skills, and attributes define what should be done in a given situation, but the leader's character governs what will be do ne . In a study of executive leaders and their organizations over two years, CEOs who scored high on aspects of character had an average return on assets (ROA) of 9.35%, in contrast to CEOs with low ratings who had a ROA of 1.93%. Leadership character is shown to align the leader-follower relationship, increasing both leader and follower productivity, effectiveness, and creativity. Leadership character is vital in unifying a team and creating team cohesion. Followers actively support a leader who is effective and ethical and actively oppose a leader who is ineffective and unethical. What is charismatic leadership? Charismatic leaders can bring about tremendous positive change and unleash destruction on an organization. When discussing leadership and charismatic leaders, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Churchill are often brought up as examples of having positively impacted the world. If the conversation goes on long enough, examples of leaders and events like the murder of millions of people by Stalin and Hitler are used as sad reminders of the potential dark side of charismatic leaders. “Charisma can make a person stand out for a moment, but character sets a person apart for a lifetime .” – John C. Maxwell The charisma of charismatic leaders doesn't come from a place of positional power but from the perceptions followers hold of the leader. Charismatic leadership creates immense inspiration and dedication within followers to give extra effort. Charismatic leadership is influence applied to a follower's emotional involvement and commitment. Charismatic leaders tend to emerge from difficult times, offering solutions and hope. Their early successes, combined with a strong sense of self-confidence, assertiveness, and ambition, create the perception of extraordinary in the eyes of their followers. Charismatic leaders also tend to be polarizing, creating loyal followers or enemies. The strong sense of awe among followers tends to limit new ideas and critical feedback given to the leader. Charismatic leaders tend to take all the credit for success and blame others when things go wrong, alienating those who need help. This all-eyes-on-me approach creates enemies when the leader lacks a moral compass or strays too far from cultural norms . Charismatic leaders are skilled communicators and able to connect with followers on a deep, emotional level. Here is a speech from Winston Churchill, best known for being the prime minister of England during World War ll. What is leadership character strength? Leadership character is often taken for granted and considered hard to define and measure. Good leadership habits involve a combination of competence, commitment to challenging work, and character. Character is commonly described as a unique combination of personal traits, beliefs, and habits that motivate and guide how you relate to others. Having character strength is doing the right thing, for the right motives, and with the right feelings. Often, decisions between right and wrong are reactions made without contemplation because they come from our values, worldview, and past experiences. “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” Martin Luther King, Jr. Our history, even as children, shapes our perception of the right thing. Our family, friends, religious leaders, and our community reinforce our morality. Universal leadership character principles include: Integrity – Being honest, acting consistently with principles, standing up for what is right, and keeping promises. Responsibility – Owning personal decisions, admitting mistakes, and showing concern for the common good. Forgiveness – Letting go of self and others' mistakes, focused on what is right versus only what is wrong. Compassion – Empathizing with others, empowering others , actively caring for others, and committing to others' growth. A leader's character influences both individual and organizational performance. Character determines how competencies are applied, shaping how decisions get implemented. Here is a short discussion with Simon Sinek and retired Navy Seal Commander Rich Diviney about the importance of character and how to measure a person's character. Conclusion: Why Character Trumps Charisma Charismatic leadership is powerful, creating immense inspiration and dedication within followers to go the extra mile. However, it can unleash destruction on an organization when moral character is absent within the leader. If you are curious about the podcast that inspired this article, it was The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. At the root of this story was an influential and domineering leader with a weak character. Leadership power was the drug that produced a domineering and influential leader who achieved great success by the numbers but, in the end, also a culture of toxicity and an organizational disaster. Leadership character strength is doing the right thing, for the right motives, and with the right emotions. Great leaders are influential and take responsibility for their followers and the business. They dare to make personal sacrifices so others can gain. Are you relying more on your character or charisma to lead? References: Badaracco, J. (1997). Defining moments: When managers must choose between right and right. Harvard Business School Press. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Kiel, F. (2015). Return on character: The real reason leaders and their companies win. Harvard Business Review Press. Sosik, J. & Jung, D. (2018). Full range leadership development; Pathways for people, profit, and planet. Routledge.

Calling yourself a leader is easy. It’s leading in ways that others feel included, are able to take risks, and speak up without fear that it is hard. A recent McKinsey global survey makes this truth glaringly obvious. Evidence suggests that most leaders believe their workplace is psychologically safe. However, only 43% of employees indicate a positive team climate at work, only 30% see a reason to say something when they see something is wrong, and only 30% believe their opinion counts. Some leaders are more prepared to challenge their assumptions and accept this reality than others. In a fast-paced digital workplace, leaders accept silence and high employee turnover on their team as variables outside their direct influence. And, of course, the workplace is volatile and complex. Leaders must stay laser-focused on delivering results and being responsive or risk falling behind. But a daily focus on what is urgent and important traps leaders in bad habits that rarely pay off. Here is a survey to measure the level of psychological safety on your team and five actions to battle the myth of a psychologically safe workplace. Benefits of a psychologically safe workplace We all share a need to belong. Psychological safety is a condition when you feel included, able to learn, contribute, and provide critical feedback without fear of being embarrassed, excluded, or penalized. There are four levels of psychological safety: Psychological Safety Level #1 Inclusion Safety. We are constantly dividing the world between them and us. Inclusion safety creates a shared identity so that others are viewed as being in the same group. Psychological Safety Level #2 Learner Safety. This is feeling safe enough to experiment, ask questions, and fail as part of the learning process. Psychological Safety Level #3 Contributor Safety. Is participating as an active, full-fledged member of the team supported by autonomy and encouragement. Psychological Safety Level #4 Challenger Safety. This is the last stage at which others can provide constructive criticism and engage in productive conflict without fear of exclusion or retaliation. It is the stage at which individuals can innovate. Evidence suggests that psychological safety leads to reduced costs and increased profitability from: Increased innovation and quicker time-to-market Ability to learn from mistakes and increased efficiency Increased health and safety reporting and decreased risk Higher employee engagement and lower employee turnover and absenteeism Improved company brand reputation and ability to recruit Psychological Safety Myth Buster #1: Gain Perspective If you don’t know where you are going, any road will get you there. While the most important action is taking the first step toward improvement, creating a burning platform for change provides the motivation to take the first step. A great way to gain perspective into psychological safety is by getting curious. You can use the following questions in a one-to-one meeting or as an anonymous pulse survey with a team. I would suggest asking for responses in the form of a rating scale versus simply yes or no. Q1. I feel a sense of belonging within my team. Q2. I am myself at work. Q3. I am comfortable asking my leader about my work. Q4. I am comfortable asking my peers for help when needed. Q5. I offer advice to my peers. Q6. I go above and beyond my job expectations. Q7. I am comfortable suggesting ways of getting work done better. Q8. I speak up without fear of retaliation. Psychological Safety Myth Buster #2: Embrace Vulnerability There is no one complete checklist of actions that leaders can take to show vulnerability in every situation. However, you can use the following behaviors derived from research and a short survey to determine your tendency to be vulnerable in difficult conversations. Being yourself in difficult conversations. Being transparent in conversations. Taking risks and accepting uncertainty in difficult conversations. Share your emotions with others in difficult conversations. In this short video, Simon Sinek expands on the tension leaders face and how to show vulnerability in the workplace as a leader. Psychological Safety Myth Buster #3: Express Appreciation Expressing appreciation is a positive consequence and builds psychological safety. The following tips will help you get off to a great start with recognition and avoid costly mistakes: Effective recognition is connected to profitable behaviors and is specific about what is praised. Don't recognize the ordinary, so when you appreciate the excellent, it is meaningful. The golden rule does not apply, so consider the platinum rule: do unto others as they would want to be done unto them. An excellent way to get to know how someone feels about recognition is to listen and observe what they like doing with their time away from work. Rewarding the wrong behavior can have unintended consequences. For example, a distribution company rewarded employees for on-time performance and inadvertently encouraged risk-taking and unsafe practices. The leadership of an organization was pleased that the number of employees with active development plans had increased until an audit revealed that only 20% were well-written plans. Start each day by focusing on an area of your business. Keep a list of when you find excellent performance and recognize an employee to track your progress. Effectively using employee recognition brings out the best in employees and boosts retention and psychological safety. Psychological Safety Myth Buster Activity #4: Participatory Decision-Making How you make decisions moderates the degree of psychological safety on your team. The key is to use the appropriate decision-making style for the situation. Recognizing that the more participatory decision-making styles you can use will build psychological safety. The model consists of 5 different styles, each with different levels of leader involvement. As you move down the list, employee involvement grows, and leader involvement diminishes. Decide/Command: The leader makes the decision without consultation. Consult Individually: The leader makes the decision after obtaining advice and involvement from an individual who has relevant knowledge or who is a key stakeholder. Consult Group: The leader makes the decision after obtaining advice and involvement from others who have relevant knowledge or will be impacted by the decision. Facilitate: A decision is made by the group, with the leader directly facilitating the process. Delegate: A decision is made by the group without directly involving the leader in the decision process. Psychological Safety Myth Buster Activity #5: Avoid Blame Leaders who are willing to learn and avoid blame listen well. Here are some phrases you can use that will either keep the conversation going positively or likely kill psychological safety. Positive Phrases: Keep talking Keep going I am glad you brought that up How can we build on that That’s an interesting idea Let's try it Conversation Killers: The problem with that is It’s not a bad idea, but You haven’t considered We’ve tried it before You don’t understand the problem Has anyone else ever tried that What challenges are you facing leading in ways that create psychological safety? What is the cost to you and your business if you throw in the towel on psychological safety? References Clark. (2020). The 4 stages of psychological safety : defining the path to inclusion and innovation (First edition.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Edmondson, A. & Hugander, P. (2021). 4 Steps to boost psychological safety at your workplace. Harvard Business Review. Wood, W., Tam, L., & Witt, M. G. (2005). Changing circumstances, disrupting habits. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(6), 918-933. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.88.6.918

Let's face it. Those you lead already know you are not perfect. It may be a minor shortcoming that is a blind spot, or it could be a leadership habit impacting those you lead or the company's financial results. When you become self-aware of accidental bad habits, the only real decision is between choice and change. Change always begins with a choice. It is one thing to recognize the need for change and another to be entirely willing to act. Striving for better habits is a competitive advantage for any leader and business looking for a powerful point of differentiation. If you choose to create better leadership habits – here is what you need to know based on the latest research and six proven tips to get you moving in your best direction. "The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken." – Samuel Johnson⁠ Myth-Busting: It takes 21 days to form a habit Habits are routines, patterns, or practices performed regularly. A common myth is that it takes 21 days to break a habit. Evidence from Dr. Maxwell Maltz's 1960 book 'Psycho-cybernetics' is believed to have led to this myth. The number of times you complete a healthy habit before it becomes a habit can vary substantially by the person and the situation. One study concluded it typically ranges from 18-254 days of consistency. The key is repetition, and eventually, it will become a habit. Habits (good or bad) are often enjoyable and automatic Often, our brain works against us when we try to build better habits by reinforcing our bad habits. Some of these habits produce pleasure and release dopamine as a reward. We are wired for repetition and doing things automatically. This creates advantages for mindless tasks and makes changing habits harder. Good intentions are not enough to break habits. However, leaders are not doomed to live with certain habits. You can change and reorient your behavior. You can build self-control, making standing firm while trying to change easier. After you begin with a choice, these tips will keep you moving in your best direction: Better Habits Tip #1: Know Your Why Living daily without a vision for the future is not a great approach if you want to make the most of your life. Success and significance are not accidents and will require being deliberate and persevering. Starting with the end in mind goes far beyond knowing what habit you want to create. It requires considering why and what outcome you want from your personal and professional investment of time and energy. To answer this question, you have to factor in the impact you will have on others, what you stand for, and how you want to show up daily. Ikigai (e-key-guy) is a Japanese concept that refers to your direction or purpose in life, providing fulfillment, satisfaction, and a sense of meaning. The literal translation consists of two words, 'iki' meaning to live and 'gai' meaning reason. Evidence suggests that the positive psychological effects of Ikigai include professional success, well-being, and physical benefits such as longevity of life. A study of over 40,000 adults found that men and women with Ikigai had a decreased risk for death from external causes. Better Habits Tip #2: Get a Plan You may have heard the saying that if you fail to plan, you plan to fail. There is not a one-size-fits-all plan template. However, a good development plan, at a minimum, should include your why, making it easy, making it automatic, planning for accountability, and falling forward. Also, writing down your goals is associated with goal success. Evidence suggests you are 1.2X to 1.4X more likely to accomplish goals when they are vivid and explicit versus when they are not. If you want to take the easy route, you can take the free Accidental Habit Assessment, pick up a copy of my book Life-Changing Leadership Habits, or schedule a 20-minute call, and we can put a plan together specific to your needs. Better Habits Tip #3: Make it Easy It's about consistency over intensity. Don't try to make too many changes at once. Make it easy. Pick one easy change and gradually increase the difficulty when creating a new habit. Multiple changes at once make creating a new habit more difficult. For example, if your goal is to create a healthy habit of appreciative thinking. Rather than starting with implementing an appreciative inquiry summit or redesigning your organization's approach to strategic planning, pick one appreciative question to incorporate into existing one-to-one meetings. Keeping it simple to start allows you to build on success. Better Habits Tip #4: Make it Automatic Habit stacking is a proven approach to starting and making a new habit automatic. Habit stacking involves connecting new habits with existing habits to make them memorable. For example, suppose you are looking to create a habit of saying thank you to your team. In that case, you could benefit from connecting it with another behavior you already have formed. For example, if you walk through your facility daily to check production status, you could start using that time to catch your team doing something valuable and immediately say thank you. Pairing new habits with existing routines makes the new habit more memorable and establishes automaticity. Better Habits Tip #5: Get an Accountability Partner Life was not meant to be done alone. Too often, we fail to consider leveraging accountability to help us create a new healthy habit. Being accountable to ourselves and someone we trust is proven to help you create a new habit. Conducting check-in meetings with an accountability partner to increase your motivation. We all tend to do better when someone is watching, even if that someone is you. Daily reflection and considering improvement opportunities establish personal accountability and a continuous improvement mindset. Better Habits Tip #6: Fail Forward No, I didn't just say to fail—plan for falling forward and not backward. When you first learned to walk, you fell more than you walked. You are human, and failure only comes with giving up. Being consistent is essential for creating a new habit and not being perfect. Develop a plan for getting back on track when you fall. It's not that you expect to fail but thinking ahead about how you will get back up rather than being perfect. Creating new habits is not a game of all or nothing. The steps described are not an exhaustive list of every potential action you will need to overcome every challenge you may encounter when creating new leadership habits. Instead, these steps help you with the more common situations and significant difficulties you may encounter. "Virtues are formed in man by his doing the actions ... The good of man is a working of the soul in the way of excellence in a complete life.” Aristotle, The Nicomachean Ethics You can develop better leadership habits with a bit of planning. Like hiking, the first step is being entirely willing to make a change. References Clear, J. (2018). Atomic habits: An easy and proven way to build good habits and break bad ones. Avery. Cleo, G., Glasziou, P., Beller, E., Isenring, E., & Rae, T. (2019). Habit-based interventions for weight loss maintenance in adults with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Obesity, 43(2), 374-383. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Garcia, H. & Miralles, F. (2018). Ikigai: The Japanese secret to a long and happy life. Penguin Life. Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, Cornelia H., Potts, H., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998-1009. Murphy, M. (2010). HARD goals: The secret to getting from where you are to where you want to be. McGraw Hill.

So, what can leaders do to gain a competitive advantage in a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous (VUCA) world? Current research suggests there is a significant benefit in focusing on individual and organizational virtues and character traits. In organizations, there is most often a disproportionate focus on the development of leadership behaviors when compared to the development of a leader's character and virtues. Most Human Resources (HR) departments have focused on embedding defined behavioral expectations into talent management processes to reinforce alignment. However, few have given little, if any, thought on the role of leadership character and virtues. Although not often discussed within organizations, character and virtues historically are accepted as having a significant influence on both individual and organizational performance. Ancient philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Marcus Aurelius spent much time discussing virtues. They articulated that character and virtues determine what and how individuals think and apply competence in different situations. "The greatest virtues are those which are most useful to other persons." - Aristotle Why Virtues and Character Counts Many studies demonstrate the proven benefits associated with virtues and character in individuals and organizations. Fred Kiel conducted a study involving 84 CEOs from companies around the US to understand the connection between character and return on assets. They found that leaders rated high on the four-character dimensions of integrity, responsibility, forgiveness, and compassion had a return on assets of nearly five times those rated low. In a large-scale empirical study on the influence of virtues on employee and customer identification, distinctiveness, and satisfaction, Rosa Chun found significant positive correlations with all dimensions. In a study of over 232 firms by Carole Donada and colleagues, they surprisingly discovered that virtues had a more substantial positive significance on organizational performance than organizational management control systems. Pablo Ruiz- Palomino and colleagues conducted a study of 436 employees in the commercial banking and social economy to understand the impact of virtues and ethical culture. They found that virtues in an ethical culture positively influence the person to organization fit, job satisfaction, organizational commitment, and intent to stay. "Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man's character, give him power." -Abraham Lincoln Leadership Virtues and Character Explained Virtue is the English translation of the Greek word for excellence and the Latin word for human. Aristotle considered virtues a habit or disposition to think, act, or feel in the right way that is not deficient or in excess and toward a proper goal. Virtues are a part of an individuals' distinctive character. Gerard Seijts and colleagues established a modern character framework from over 2500 leaders that comprised 11 leadership qualities (see infographic below). When presented with a new or unknown situation, an individual's character will govern the actions taken. The modern reality of ambiguity is that most circumstances an individual will encounter are unexpected. Virtues and character are often considered complex and challenging topics to articulate and measure, contributing to minimizing their inclusion within the workplace. However, validated instruments to measure character and virtues exist. Muel Kaptein introduced and validated the Corporate Ethical Virtues Model, which measures virtues at the organizational level. Vincent Ng and colleagues expanded on the Comprehensive Inventory of Virtuous Instantiations of Character instrument by creating a valid multidimensional forced-choice individual character instrument. The Leadership Character Insights Assessment measures an individual's character through self-assessment or 360-degree assessment using behavioral anchors. Gerard Seijts and colleagues found in their research that an organization can expect a yearly savings of up to 23% of an executive leader's annual salary when using the assessment for organizational placements. Like with the use of all assessments, an organization needs to consider the cost-benefit analysis. Special consideration needs to be given to the individual's scope of authority because the potential benefit is positively aligned with an increase in the scope of authority. A New Approach to Leadership Development Like competencies and behaviors, character and virtues can be developed and embedded within organizational processes for talent management. Also, like competency development, the development of virtues and character can have a variety of positive consequences for businesses. According to a neo-Aristotelian view of virtue and character development, an individual's development should include knowledge transfer, reasoning, and practice. Character development is primarily developed through role modeling, including feedback and reflection. Feedback is a gift; most people want more feedback on their performance. However, feedback on character gaps is not commonly provided, given the complexity of these types of conversations. Additionally, most leaders spend little to no time reflecting on character experiences because of ethical blind spots. Godfrey Owen, CEO of Brathay Trust, suggested that utilizing a dedicated and skillful executive coach can improve character feedback and purposeful character reflection. Numerous studies have found that dedicated mentors can also support character development by openly reflecting on insights gained from experience. Research supports that organizations can incorporate character and virtue development into existing competency-based leadership development programs. It is not required for organizations to create separate leadership courses focused only on character and virtue development. An equal focus needs to be on both character and competence within organizations. To gain a competitive advantage in an uncertain world, leadership needs to move beyond a focus on leadership behaviors to include character and virtues. Given modern realities, no leader considers their business and thinks they do not want to change. Likewise, as leaders, we should expect a need to look at leading others differently, as well. It’s fair to assert that leading the same way and expecting different results is the definition of leadership insanity. Key Points Today's leaders are facing significant challenges amid high degrees of environmental turbulence. Developing leadership behaviors is essential but is not sufficient for today's challenges. Virtues and character provide an answer to meet the unknown challenges of the future. References Chun, R. (2017). Organizational Virtue and performance: An empirical study of customers and employees. Journal of Business Ethics, 146(4), 869-881. Donada, C., Mothe, C., Nogatchewsky, G., and de Campos Ribeiro, G. (2019). The respective effects of virtues and inter-organizational management control systems on relationship quality and performance: Virtues win. Journal of Business Ethics, 154(1), 211-228. Kiel, F. (2015). Return on character: The real reason leaders and their companies win. Boston, Massachusetts: Harvard Business Review Press. Ruiz-Palomino, P., Martínez-Cañas, R., & Fontrodona, J. (2013). Ethical culture and employee outcomes: The mediating role of person-organization fit. Journal of Business Ethics, 116(1), 173-188. Seijts, G., Crossan, M., & Carleton, E. (2017). Embedding leader character into HR practices to achieve sustained excellence. Organizational Dynamics, 46(1), 30-39.

In today's fast-paced digital economy, it is easy to find yourself always connected and always at work. Additionally, the recent pandemic lockdowns have led to increased workdays, according to a study published by the National Bureau of Economic Relations. The global survey of 3.1 million people in more than 21,000 businesses found that the workday length has increased recently by 8% or about 48.5 minutes. Like me, you have likely experienced moments when you have realized that spending more time working will not lead to better results. In economics, this is described as the principle of diminishing returns. In any production system, there is a point when increasing the quantity of your input while keeping all other inputs constant yields progressively smaller results. The fallacy of thinking that many of us find ourselves in is that when work demands increase, we have to work harder and longer to achieve improved results. In reality, we are less efficient, make more mistakes, and are less engaged when we do not get any downtime to recharge. Is there another way? If so, how can we shift our thinking and prevent overwork? Shifting Our Thinking Overwork's well-researched impacts include emotional exhaustion, stress, burnout, and sometimes Karoshi (Japanese for death from overwork). This list likely doesn't surprise you because you have already experienced some of these effects or know someone that has. There is simply no easy answer for how to shift our own thinking about working longer. However, the following are a few strategies worth trying: Reflection: Make time to reflect daily. Ask yourself, is it true? Do you need to work longer or smarter? Your mind is a muscle and shifting your thinking can begin by putting 10-minutes into your calendar each day for a time to reflect. Trusted Advisors: Recruit a personal board of trusted advisors made up of experts in your work area, strong supporters of you, thoughtful critics of your ideas, and networkers. These individuals will be able to provide perspective and insights based on their skills and backgrounds. They can help cultivate new perspectives on challenges you are facing. Life was not to be spent alone and it is helpful to get outside input. Hire an Executive Coach: We all experience the effect of not seeing the forest because of the trees. A coach provides a unique perspective gained by coming alongside you, partnering in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires you to maximize your personal and professional potential. Investing in ourselves or as Covey explained in his seventh habit "sharpening the saw" is to preserve the greatest resource we have. When working on your mindset it is essential to keep the focus on continued progress, versus perfection. Take a Break Although taking short breaks may not have the same benefit as an extended vacation, the reality is that shorter "within-day" breaks can lead to significant benefits. In a recent study on the role of breaks, researchers discovered that individuals who took breaks to do something they enjoyed experienced increased energy, better health, job satisfaction, improved performance, and reduced burnout rates. The research concluded that having a choice on what to do during the break and the predictability of the break schedule are significant factors in moderating the associated benefits. Here are five tips for incorporating breaks into your day: Take a break with someone else, accountability helps when starting a new behavior. Plan to take short breaks throughout your day and place the time into your calendar. Shorter work periods help to eliminate distractions and increase concentration. One approach is to work for 25 minutes, take a short 5-minute break then after four repetitions, take a 30-minute break. Another approach is to work for 52 minutes, then break for 17 minutes throughout the day. Use your breaks to do something you enjoy; you are more likely to commit to doing something you find fun. Keep track of how the breaks make you feel, positive consequences influence future behaviors. Use wearable devices to prompt you to take a break. While your entrepreneurial mindset may be telling you to keep pushing, in reality going slower in the short run can lead to significant gains psychologically and physiologically in the long run. If you are considering an executive coach, we can partner with you to develop the right thinking. Contact us to schedule to begin your journey. References: Covey, S. R. (1989). The seven habits of highly effective people: Restoring the character ethic. Simon and Schuster. DeFilippis, E., Impink, M., Singell, M., Polzer, J. & Sadun, R. (2020). Collaborating during Coronavirus: The impact of COVID-19 on the nature of work. National Bureau of Economic Research. https://www.nber.org/papers/w27612 Hunter, E. M., & Wu, C. (2016). Give me a better break: Choosing workday break activities to maximize resource recovery. Journal of Applied Psychology, 101(2), 302–311. Randolph, S. A. (2016). The Importance of Employee Breaks. Workplace Health & Safety, 64(7), 344–344. Sugumar Mariappanadar & Ina Aust (2017) The Dark Side of Overwork: An Empirical Evidence of Social Harm of Work from a Sustainable HRM Perspective, International Studies of Management & Organization, 47:4, 372-387 Zhu, Z., Kuykendall, L., & Zhang, X. (2019). The impact of within‐day work breaks on daily recovery processes: An event‐based pre‐/post‐experience sampling study. Journal of Occupational and Organizational Psychology, 92(1), 191-211.

Evidence-based trends indicate that trust in leadership is declining. Two commonly underdeveloped leadership skills are the ability to have uncomfortable conversations and conversations that explore "what if" scenarios. Both of these skills are crucial to building trust. Leadership is accomplished through relationships, and distrust does not have to be considered the end of a relationship. The challenge of shifting a relationship from distrust to trust is the opportunity to make a difference. Consider the following example. It is a high stakes meeting where the decisions being considered will determine the future of the company's survival. People are suggesting innovative ideas that are challenging other teams' structures and budgets. Some people begin getting angry at each other, rarely are the new ideas building on the others. Some of your peers in the meeting are retreating to silence amid the chaos. Everyone wants to help the business survive, and under the pressure of time, ideas are thought of and shared out loud. At that moment, you have and share an idea that could change the company's direction; however, one person in the meeting begins critiquing your concept. No one supports your opinion verbally, and you immediately feel a wave of emotion go over you. You begin to feel self-conscious and betrayed. Sound familiar? Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon situation. Chemical Reactions to Trust and Distrust In the above example, when we feel fear and distrust, cortisol, catecholamine, testosterone, and norepinephrine levels in our blood increase within 0.07 seconds. This chemical reaction triggers the wave of emotion, producing stress and fight or flight, limiting creative thinking, and increasing aggression. In different conversations, when we feel a sense of trust, oxytocin levels increase in our body, which leads to feelings of well-being. These different chemical reactions influence thoughts and feelings, which shape beliefs and ultimately drive behaviors and actions in conversations (see Figure 1). How to Build and Restore Trust If leadership conversations first take place at a chemical level, is it possible to shift our perspective? Is it possible to restore trust in relationships where there is distrust? "Distrust is not the absence of trust" (Glaser, 2014). Ironically, the most robust trust occurs when we can disagree and leave the conversation without negative feelings. A common theme in the research on building and restoring trust is to be transparent in your discussions. The goal is to create safety by being open and candid to demonstrate caring and respect. This intimacy requires being personal and the willingness to have an uncomfortable conversation. Next, focus on building a relationship with the other person. As a leader, this requires you to step back and discuss what works for others and you. Creating a shared idea of success is the goal. The "your way or the highway" leadership style does not work to build or restore trust in relationships. It is essential to understand both the context and perspectives of others and emphasize the other person. Lastly, do not judge too quickly. Learn to test assumptions and try to see the world as the other person does. The following acrostic, created by Glaser (2014), provides a helpful way to remember how to build and restore trust: T – Transparency R – Relationship U – Understanding S – Shared Success T – Testing Assumptions Research supports that we create stories about people as being adversaries or friends. When we repeatedly label someone as distrustful or an adversary, we will shift from not only experiencing pain from the relationship with that person, but we tend to seek out revenge. Moving from distrust to trust provides many personal and organizational benefits, such as increasing information exchange, resulting in improved leadership effectiveness and efficiency. If you have questions on trust or getting started with individual and corporate development, we would like to help (contact us). Also, you might enjoy reading about Leadership Skills at Full Speed and Sodexo. References: Covey, S. R. (2006). The speed of trust: The one thing that changes everything. New York: Free Press. Glaser, J. (2014). Conversational Intelligence: How great leaders build trust and get extraordinary results. New York: Bibliomotion, Inc. Maister, D. H., Green, C. H., & Galford, R. M. (2000). The trusted advisor. New York: Free Press. Upcoming Webinar Series We know you are going to love these complementary leadership and professional development events! Organizational Talent Consulting’s webinar content is developed to help leaders meet today's complex workforce and digital challenges. Our free live webinars deliver superior leadership development based on the latest research with no travel costs. Participants interact directly in question-and-answer discussions with subject matter experts and authors on crucial topics to enhance expertise. Webinars are recorded and shared with participants for convenient on-demand access after the live event. Topics include leadership, strategic planning, coaching, change management, and more (register and learn more).

We often think "yes" is the key to achieving big goals. But, Elon Musk would disagree. When this polarizing CEO and entrepreneur considers the reasons for his success, he credits actively seeking out and carefully listening to negative feedback. Although sometimes painful, Elon doesn't avoid it but encourages anyone to tell him what they don't like. His real motivator is to learn how to make products and services awesome. One of the greatest gifts any leader can receive is the rare gift of being told what is critical to improvement. It is also one of the greatest gifts you can give others. Unfortunately, negative feedback is rare when stakes in the workplace are high. To achieve success and significance in life and work, leaders need to trade what is comfortable for what is uncomfortable. Here are eight tips for encouraging others to give you the critical feedback necessary to learn, grow, and achieve big goals. Why Critical Feedback Matters It's hard to get better when you don't it's needed. Evidence suggests that leaders who cannot accept negative feedback have a higher probability of failing. Also, seeking and listening to critical feedback presents an opportunity for leaders to demonstrate openness to change and value others. The best leaders ask more frequently and more people for critical feedback. Evidence from a study spanning more than ten years and over 50,000 executive leaders revealed that leaders who ask for feedback are significantly more effective than those that don't. Research has demonstrated that leaders scoring in the bottom 10% in willingness to ask for feedback ranked in the bottom quartile of leadership effectiveness. But, those leaders scoring in the top 10% of willingness to ask for feedback ranked in the top quartile of leadership effectiveness. The least effective leaders are the most unwilling to seek the truth. Also, evidence suggests that the leader's degree of commitment to a goal moderates the strength and direction of the outcome from feedback. Negative feedback motivates committed leaders to make progress toward achieving their goals. However, the degree of commitment to a goal determines how likely leaders will persevere after receiving the feedback. "You don't learn anything from success, but you learn a lot from your failures." Gwynne Shotwell, President of SpaceX How to Encourage Critical Feedback Begin with an open mind. You likely don't have as open of a mind about your big goals as you think. If you disagree with this statement, there is your proof. Start with an assumption that you likely don't know everything you need to know and that you have something to learn. Planting a seed of doubt can help you to become curious. Assume positive intent. Negative feedback can reflect a desire of others to help you improve. Start with a mental paradigm that feedback is an opportunity to build deeper relationships. Although positive intent may not always be the driving force for the feedback, you can occasionally get great critical feedback even from enemies. Actively listen. Receiving critical feedback is not the same as listening. Actively listening is your ability to hear and improve mutual understanding. When you actively listen, you pay attention, show interest, suspend judgment, reflect, clarify, summarize, and share to gain clarity and understanding. When you are practicing active listening, you are available to the other person. Verbal, nonverbal, and empathic listening are important skills for truly hearing negative feedback. Ask. The higher your position in the organization, the longer you have been working toward the goal, or the higher the stakes for you and the person giving the feedback, the less likely you will receive positive or negative feedback unless you ask directly. It is important to ask what they don't like, not what they do. Questions grounded in curiosity create awareness and leadership influence. Create safety. It is not enough to schedule a meeting or focus group, leaders need to be vulnerable. Knowledgeable well-meaning people often are reluctant to be wrong or offend the leader. You can create safety by demonstrating humility. If followers perceive you know everything, they are less likely to tell you what you need to hear. Create a learning environment where raising questions and concerns are celebrated. Let others know that failure is a natural part of innovation and promote failing small and learning fast. Consider readiness. Sometimes you or your team may not be emotionally able to give or receive critical feedback. Assess and as needed adjust the timing rather than trying to force a conversation that is not ready. Make it requested, not required. People giving the feedback should not feel it is required. Forced feedback is often not very helpful. Say thank you. Accept the feedback like a gift, even when the gift isn't what you were hoping to receive. At the moment, the best thing you can do is say thank you. Don't challenge or minimize critical feedback. How to Embrace Discomfort from Negative Feedback Encouraging negative feedback is in your reach, but you might have to learn to become more comfortable with the uncomfortable. Each of us has different thresholds for the discomfort that comes with negative feedback. You can make embracing the discomfort easier regardless of your natural comfort level by starting with those you trust. Also, when you ask for negative feedback: acknowledge that all kinds of people have all sorts of opinions stay curious don't make critical feedback personal identify the discomfort as a natural path to your success Conclusion When you lean into critical feedback in an uncertain and complex world, you can learn, grow, and achieve big goals. Leaders unable to accept negative feedback are proven to be more likely to fail. Leaders can encourage negative feedback by having an open mind, assuming positive intent, actively listening, asking others, creating safety, considering readiness, making it voluntary, and saying thank you. What is the real challenge for you to give and receive negative feedback? References: Edmondson, A. C. (2018). The fearless organization: Creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Folkman, J. (2006). The power of feedback: 35 Principles for turning feedback from others into personal and professional change. Wiley. Papasava, A. (2017). Embracing negative feedback for effective leadership. The Journal for Quality and Participation. 40(3), 20-22. Zenger, J. & Folkman, J. (2013). Overcoming Feedback Phobia: Take the First Step. Harvard Business Review.

It's likely to happen. Those words you were determined never to say come out of your mouth. And immediately, you think to yourself. I really do sound like my parents! Is that good or bad? It only makes sense that the leader you become in the workplace is influenced to some extent by your experiences and those you admire. Not surprisingly, evidence suggests that personality traits and virtues also significantly influence behavior, especially when you have the freedom to make choices. Let's get clear on what this means. Self-understanding is essential to breaking leadership bad habits. And the bad habits of leadership that we have all witnessed or engaged in are not destiny. An inside-out approach to leadership development is essential for breaking bad habits. Here are four attributes quietly influencing how you lead and practical steps to enhance self-awareness. Attribute 1: Leadership personality traits and habits Clear connections between habits and leadership personality traits exist. A leadership study across many different business sectors found that follower perceptions of leader personality significantly correlate to leader behaviors that moderate organizational engagement and performance. The most widely accepted trait framework is the Five-Factor Model. It presents that openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism as the building blocks of personality. These factors are a causal force on patterns of thought, feelings, and actions. The American Psychology Association describes the five factors as: Openness - Open to new experiences from a visual, cultural, or intellectual perspective. Conscientiousness - Reliable, efficient, responsible, and hardworking. Extraversion - Talkative, outgoing, sociable, and openly expressive. Agreeableness - Cooperative and unselfish. Neuroticism - A lack of emotional predictability and a tendency to struggle with emotions like anxiety. Personality assessments combined with executive coaching are an excellent way to get subjective and objective feedback on personality traits and leadership habits. However, not all assessments that measure personality are equal. In addition to understanding the cost and time involved, it is crucial to consider the assessments: Degree of reliability (i.e., consistency) Validity (i.e., the accuracy of interpretation) Fairness (i.e., equivalence across different populations) Type of feedback (group norms or self-reported) Education requirements to interpret the results There are many different aspects of personality and trait assessments. Here are four examples: 16PF (PSI Services): The 16PF Questionnaire assesses global and primary factors. Global Factors: Extraversion, anxiety, tough-mindedness, independence, and self-control. Primary Factors: Warmth, reasoning, emotional stability, dominance, liveliness, rule-consciousness, social boldness, sensitivity, vigilance, abstractedness, privateness, apprehension, openness to change, self-reliance, perfectionism, and tension. DISC Temperament Inventory (Wiley): Measures a person's temperament, the foundation on which personality forms. The DISC measures dominant and recessive temperaments, including driving, influencing, stabilizing, and conscientiousness. Hogan Challenge (Hogan): Measures 11 common dysfunctional patterns of interpersonal behavior. To evaluate how a person will perform during times of stress and conditions of uncertainty. To aid personal development by identifying behavior patterns that may be derailing tendencies. To inform leaders preparing for or undergoing significant change, for individuals experiencing performance issues, and for leaders whose personality characteristics interfere with their performance. Personality Vector Analysis (Bartell & Bartell): A snapshot of personality, current growth/development, and vector/valence, measuring a person's natural influence through a task/output approach or a people/process orientation. Very useful in building synergistic teams. Attribute 2: Leadership virtues, character, and habits A leader's virtues and values are foundational attributes to effective leadership. Aristotle considered virtues a habit or disposition to think, act, or feel in the right way that is not deficient or in excess and toward a good goal. Virtues are a part of an individual's distinctive character that influences personal values. In a study involving 2,000 manufacturing companies, researchers discovered that a leader's character had a more significant positive impact on organizational performance and quality than management control processes. Using an assessment like the Character Strengths Survey from the VIA Institute is an excellent place to build self-awareness about your assumptions and beliefs. The VIA has been completed by over 15 million people globally, and all scales have satisfactory reliability. The free version of the VIA Character Strength Survey provides insights into character strengths which are described as: Values in action or positive traits for thinking Feeling Behaving that benefit the leader and others Attribute 3: Leadership experiences and habits Past events shape the experiences you have today. The positive and negative consequences associated with these past events have the most significant impact on influencing your future behavior. Consequences increase or decrease patterns of behavior, creating habits. Consequences from events you observe also influence your attitude and actions. According to self-perception theory, you infer a response when put in a new situation. This is why when you are served a meal and see other people's reactions to taking a bite can become anxious to take a bite. Here are a few questions to improve your self-understanding of the experiences and observations influencing your leadership: What do you like about the way you have been led? What leadership mistakes would you not want to repeat? Who is a leader you have admired? Why? Attribute 4: Leadership purpose and habits Any path you take will get you where you are going if you don't know where you are going. A serious threat to achieving success and significance is not being deliberate about your purpose. Living without a vision for the future is not a great approach if you want to make the most of your life and avoid repeating bad habits. Ask yourself the following two powerful questions: What do I want to be remembered for in life and at work? Starting with the end in mind goes far beyond knowing what you love or desire. This question requires considering why and what outcome you want from your personal and professional investment of time and energy. To answer this question, you have to factor in the impact you will have on others, what you stand for, and how you want to show up daily. What does personal and professional success look like this year and over the next five years? We are bombarded with images of what success should be. Images such as vacationing at a luxurious resort, buying a dream house, or driving a new car are images likely floating around your mind when you think about success. Also, our answers to this question are influenced by our culture and upbringing. When thinking about the answer to this question, consider the following types of success: material, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, physical, commercial, organizational, environmental, time, and team. You can get the most out of these questions by taking these steps. Schedule some time in your calendar to reflect for ten minutes on each question. Discovering your answers can be challenging in a world full of suggestions for what success and significance should be. Ask yourself each question and journal what comes to mind. Don't filter. Just write it down. Journaling is often an underutilized tool. It is simply not enough to reflect. To gain traction, you need to be able to come back at a later time and reflect on your answers. If you aren't in the habit of journaling, you may like the structure and ease of the Day One app. Find a few people that know you well, that you trust, and will be encouraging of your exploration. Ask them how they would answer the questions for you. Consider hiring an executive coach. Some leaders become anxious with introspection. An effective executive coach will challenge assumptions and views and encourage, stretch, and challenge you. Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires clients to maximize their personal and professional potential. Finding an individual leadership purpose can be challenging in a world full of powerful and influential advice about what success and significance look like. Reflect on what you heard. Consider themes rather than specific points shared and, as needed, edit or delete points you journaled. Conclusion: Leadership bad habits don't have to be your destiny Self-understanding is essential to breaking leadership bad habits. The bad habits of leadership that we have all witnessed or engaged in are not destiny. Striving for better habits is a competitive advantage available to any leader looking for a powerful point of differentiation. Through a better understanding of personality traits, virtues, experiences, and purpose, you can get in front of the busyness of life as a leader and better persevere when life throws you a curveball. What accidental leadership habit do you want to avoid, and what is your real challenge? References: American Psychological Association. (n.d.). APA Dictionary of Psychology. American Psychological Association. Retrieved January 17, 2022, from https://dictionary.apa.org/ Daniels, A., & Daniels, J. (2006). Performance management: Changing behavior that drives organizational effectiveness. Performance Management Publications. Egan, V., & Parmar, R. (2013). Dirty habits? online pornography use, personality, obsessionality, and compulsivity. Journal of Sex & Marital Therapy, 39(5), 394-409. Judge, T., & Zapata, C. (2015). The person-situation debate revisited: Effect of situation strength and trait activation on the validity of the big five personality traits in predicting job performance. Academy of Management Journal, 58(4), 1149-1179. Langford, P., Dougall, C., & Parkes, L. (2017). Measuring leader behaviour: Evidence for a "big five" model of leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 38(1), 126-144. McCrae, R., & John, O. (1992). An introduction to the five-factor model and its applications. Journal of Personality, 60(2), 175-215.

"I've got an opening on my team; do you know of anyone?" How often have you initiated this conversation or been a part of it recently? It's been months since you have done any workforce and succession planning, and unfortunately, it looks like it will be several more months before you get another chance. Work is just too busy. Most leaders struggle to find and develop the ready-now talent they need. But should leaders even bother spending time trying to develop employees and plan for the future, given the turbulence in the labor market and uncertainty in the world? Workforce challenges are nothing new. However, industry experts forecast that your talent challenges will become increasingly severe by 2030. Building a pool of qualified candidates ready to fill newly created or vacated positions can be challenging. But with a few steps, you can disrupt your processes to improve your talent pipeline position. Why Disrupting Your Talent Pipeline Matters You might be thinking to yourself, no one knows the future for sure, so why bother trying to build a pool of ready-now candidates? One of the most significant downfalls of strategic planning in today’s turbulent marketplace is that the process often fails to consider future changes in the environment. But, only relying on short-term planning is gambling with your company’s future. How many job titles exist in your company today that didn’t exist 5-10 years ago? I expect that you will be able to think of more than one. An estimate from the Institute for the Future suggests that up to 85% of the jobs that will exist in 2030 did not exist in 2019. While this estimate is likely high, given we are only seven years away from 2030, we know that recent changes are profoundly impacting the workforce. Data from LinkedIn reflects a 60% increase in new job titles related to the future of work. The pace of change is only getting faster and having broader impacts on your business. When facilitating workshops on the topic of change, I often ask leaders to think back and recount their company changes on a timeline. Each time I see an increase in the frequency of changes closer to the current date, some of this could be the tendency to weigh recent events more heavily than older events, but even excluding a reasonable error of attribution, leaders will agree there has been an increase. Today this stems from rapid advances in the fields of robotics, artificial intelligence, biotechnology, advanced materials, and genomics. These changes are driving additional change. The following video from MIT Sloan provides some insight into an explanation for this increase in the pace of change. A standard tool most companies use to identify and develop their talent pipeline for the future is succession planning. The current state of most companies’ succession planning is not good. According to the Corporate Executive Board, organizations fail to identify 50% of their positions with pre-identified successors. Also, executives have the lowest succession plan success rate, filling only 28% of jobs with pre-identified successors. There are likely many contributing factors to these poor results. One core, common, and critical factor impacting most businesses is the variability in the effectiveness of developing employees. Development investments do not always deliver on promised results. A survey of leaders by McKinsey & Co. found that only 25% of thought that training actually improved employee performance. There is a fundamental shift underway within the employee population from traditional company-based employment to a gig economy. Mastercard reported that the size of the gig economy will reach $455 billion, and approximately 50% of the workforce will be freelancing in the US by 2027. Currently, estimates from the Pew Research Center are that 16% to 35% of the U.S. workforce has earned money on a gig platform There are lots of reasons, both internal and external to your business, that may make it seem like you should walk away from planning and managing your talent pipeline. But what you need now is a disruptive change to improve your talent pipeline processes. dis·rupt (verb) 1. drastically alter or destroy the structure of (something). Disruption Step 1: Strategic workforce planning It is time for strategic workforce planning (SWP) to become a formal part of your company’s strategic planning. It is a repeatable, measurable business process that helps execute strategic initiatives in a time-sensitive fashion. The focus of SWP is on roles that most significantly impact the company's strategies. Inputs are both quantitative and qualitative workforce measures from both current and future state perspectives. The outcomes are people strategies embedded into your strategic initiatives. Environmental scanning is a strategic workforce planning process to systematically survey and interpret relevant talent data to identify external opportunities and threats that could influence future decisions. It is similar to a S.W.O.T. analysis. As the world changes, companies must change. It is too easy for workforce plans to get behind and out of sync with the direction of the company without formally embedding strategic workforce planning into the company's strategic planning processes. Disruption Step 2: Strategic foresight and scenario planning Likely, the single most value-added strategic talent planning process in today's complex and ambiguous marketplace is the application of strategic foresight. Industries and the labor market are changing so fast that it is no longer an option for leaders not to be paying attention to the trends that will impact their business and the workforce. Scenario planning is a decision-making tool used in the application of strategic foresight to explore and understand a variety of issues impacting organizations. Since we cannot predict the future, both learning and preparation are essential. The goal is for leadership teams to become more informed by broadening ideas about what multiple futures might bring. Scenario planning involves identifying a specific set of uncertainties and different realities of what might happen in the future. This process helps you keep a pulse on the current state but also an eye on the future. Disruption Step 3: Critical role identification All of the jobs in your company are important. Right? If not, that is another disruption needed. But some jobs are more critical or add more value than others. It is time to take a very thoughtful and structured approach to identify your company’s critical 'few' roles, so you can forecast and focus your talent plans. Critical role identification must go beyond the top of the organizational chart. While executive roles are essential, they may not be critical. When identifying critical roles, it helps to consider each position’s skills value to the customer and company, and skills uniqueness both within the company (bench-strength) and outside the company. The use of a multivariate rating tool with a broad item scale, such as a one to seven-point scale, allows for greater differentiation across roles. Disruption Step 4: Succession planning Succession planning is intended to increase the availability of experienced, capable, and diverse talent, ensuring the right people in the right jobs now and in the future. Depending on how advanced your company's succession planning is, the following are a few potential changes that most companies could benefit from making: Talent management needs to be integrated. Talent acquisition, talent sourcing, and successor identification process activities should be aligned. Sourcing is aware of the external labor market potential, talent acquisition is aware of the current trends, and both can proactively stay connected with passive external candidates that may be able to step into a forecasted succession gap if aligned. Talent calibration and learning and development activities need to shift from competencies and skills to also include specific virtues and experiences necessary for the successor role. Virtues are better predictors of what someone will do, and experiences ensure a higher success rate of identified successors. Talent reviews need to be robust discussions, not confirmation of what is already known. They should take on the same level of rigor as company business plan reviews. When reviewing talent, it is crucial to discuss the buy, build, and bounce needs for talent. Too often, talent reviews are an afterthought or get minimal as compared to business planning discussions. Disruption Step 5: Data-driven decision-making There is a real opportunity for disruption of the talent processes by using data analytics and data-driven decision-making. Leading HR organizations are using descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive people analytics. Studies support that when HR applies people analytics to identify low and high performers' skills and attributes, leaders tend to make unbiased decisions in talent acquisition processes. What if you could mine external sources of data on competencies from benchmarking sites, skills from social networking sites, and talent availability from employment sites? You could match the external data with internal data on the value and internal bench strength from your HR information systems, informing strategic planning with a more accurate and real-time understanding to shape company strategies and tactics. If companies are going to successfully navigate and thrive in a time of continual innovation and change, ultimately, they will need to leverage technology to help us meet the business opportunities created by technology. What is your real talent pipeline challenge? Take up the mantle of change. For this is your time. Winston Churchill References: Al-Hashimi, A., Holding, T., Barcia, J., Benitez, S., Duong, J., Frauenfelder, M., Gorbis, M., Harrles, M., Harrington, P., Rawana, M., Rose, D., Tay, K., and Whitehouse, B. (2019). Future of work: Forecasting emerging technologies' impact on work in the next era of human-machine partnerships. Institute For The Future. Anderson, M., McClain, C., Faverio, M., and Gelles-Watnick, R. (2021). The state of gig work in 2021. Pew Research Center. Fahey, S. (2003). High-impact succession management: From succession planning to strategic executive talent management. Corporate Executive Board. De Smet, A., Mcgurk, M., and Schwartz, E. (2010). Getting more from your training programs. Mckenzie and Company. Krikorian, S. (2020). Fueling the global gig economy: How real-time, card-based disbursements can support a changing workforce. Mastercard. McGreggor, J. (2022). The next in-demand job title: Head of the Future of Work. Forbes Tsekov, P. (2023). How to properly navigate the gig economy and the large pool of IT experts. Forbes. Plamen Tsekov Zielinski, D. (2019). People analytics software is changing the HR game. SHRM HR Magazine.

Periods of excessive stress can have consequences as severe as heart disease. Not just individual well-being and happiness suffer when mental health suffers. The well-documented business impact of a stressed-out workforce is significant. In a recent global study of 14,800 knowledge workers, 49% of leaders and 42% of non-managers struggled with anxiety. Research by Gallup suggests that employees reporting poor mental health are less productive and five times more likely to miss work than those reporting good mental health. Being able to de-stress unlocks improved performance, joy, and health. So what are you to do? There is a lot of discussion and evidence on the broad benefits of exercise, mindfulness, and gratitude. These are key, but here are three surefire ways to de-stress your work (and life). De-Stressing #1: Identifying Your Stressors It's hard to address what is not understood. There is a long and rich history of research into factors with the potential to create stress for leaders. Here is a list of ten everyday workplace stressor s : Role Ambiguity Self-Doubt Organizational Culture Misalignment Expectations Conflict Role Overload Inadequate Resources Work-Life Boundary Mismanagement Stalled Career Isolation Underemployment We each experience the workplace from unique perspectives shaped by our past experiences, current reality, and personality. We also measure stress intensity differently. The common challenge is during periods of excessive stress. At these times, it can be difficult to identify the primary driver of your stress, and leadership assessment s can be a valuable tool for revealing your stressors. De-Stressing #2: Enhancing Self-Awareness Although counterintuitive, after identifying the source of the stress, the next best step you can take to de-stressing your work and life is enhancing self-awareness . When you focus on others and concerns outside your influence, it keeps you from gaining traction. You can make the most progress by working in areas where you already have influence. The last thing a leader needs in today's demanding workplace is someone or something telling them what they already know. The better the quality of the feedback you receive, the better the decisions you can make. Evidence suggests that executive coaching combined with assessments provides deep insights into areas that, with attention, lead to enhanced potential. Evidence also suggests that leaders lacking self-awareness are more likely not to be able to regulate their emotions and behaviors effectively. This contributes to poor physical health, work performance, and social interactions. The importance of self-awareness is not new. However, a recent study of 486 companies demonstrated that the most self-aware leaders populate the best organizations. Poor-performing businesses had 20 percent more leaders with blind spots than high-performing businesses. The medical model can be a helpful analogy for understanding why leaders benefit from assessments to enhance self-awareness. Consider your last visit to the doctor. You weren't going to the doctor to be told what you already knew, but you needed answers or help with something you couldn't answer alone. You were likely going to the doctor as a reaction to something not being right or proactively to uncover something before it became a problem (or possibly because someone you care about told you to go). At the doctor's visit, the assessments likely started with subjective questions, then progressed to more objective measures to pinpoint where additional review or attention might be helpful. Potentially, the doctor then ordered the use of advanced targeted assessments that required a specialist's technical interpretation. De-Stressing #3: Building New Habits In my new book, Life-Changing Leadership Habits , I provide ten proven principles to help leaders get more out of life and work. When making changes, it's critical to pick a replacement habit to start and not only focus on what you will stop doing. Even if you identify several practices you want to change, you will see the most growth by taking it one step at a time rather than attempting to change multiple habits simultaneously. A common myth is that it takes 21 days to build a habit. The number of times you have to perform a life-changing habit before it becomes a habit can vary substantially by the person and the situation. One study concluded that typically it ranges from 18-254 days. The key is repetition, and eventually, it will become a habit. Most of us have experienced trying to break a bad habit or create a good one before, only to keep doing what we don't want. Viewing the process of breaking habits with a pass-or-fail mental model sets you up for frustration. Building new habits is a learning process that needs to be considered, as the only failure is giving up. "If you want to go fast, go alone; if you want to go far, go together." African Proverb If you are struggling with making changes, it is helpful to answer why you are trying to change in the first place and find an accountability partner. The confidence and growth from a creative thought partnership can't be beaten. Now more than ever, executive coaches are a crucial relationship for busy leaders. What is the real de-stressing challenge you face? Discover Your AHA! Join leaders discovering their leadership AHA to achieve success and significance in life and work. Striving for better habits is a competitive advantage available to any leader looking for a powerful point of differentiation. Understanding your accidental leadership habits unlocks your potential to bring out your best and be the leader you want, and the world needs you to be. Take the Accidental Habit Assessment . Get your Personalized Results. Explore, Build, and Apply Life-Changing Leadership Habits Throughout Your Life. References: APA. (2012). APA survey finds feeling valued at work linked to well-being and performance. Goh, J., Pfeffer, J., & Zenios, S. (2016). The relationship between workplace stressors and mortality and health costs in the United States [PDF]. Management Science. Goh, J., Pfeffer, J., & Zenios, S. (2016). The relationship between workplace stressors and mortality and health costs in the United States [PDF]. Management Science. Hardesty, L. (2023). Tips to keep stress from hurting your heart. Mayo Clinic Health System. Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, Cornelia H., Potts, H., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998-1009. Wigert, B., & Pendell, R. (2023). 6 Trends Leaders Need to Navigate This Year. Gallup Workplace. Williams, N. (2016). Top ten types of workplace stress. Bartell and Bartell.

It’s that time when people start to talk about a new year. You might be entirely on board and curious about how work and leadership will be different in the future. But maybe you are feeling a bit resistant. Especially given the unpredictability of this past year, it is no surprise that you may feel skeptical about preparing for the future or even a bit exhausted by the idea. No matter if you find yourself resisting or embracing change in the workplace, more is coming. Disruptive innovation, increased global competition, and evolving market pressures are converging. Businesses are responding by speeding up transformation. No leader sets out to become obsolete, and developing leadership habits is a competitive advantage. Now is the time to 'bet the farm' on you. Here are two timeless leadership skills and four low-cost, high-impact leadership development ideas to keep you growing and bring out your best in the new year. Why develop future-proof leadership skills? Every business is vulnerable to threats. But too few businesses and leaders stop to consider the possibility of becoming irrelevant. Harnessing the potential of company growth takes well-equipped leaders. "If you believe that training is expensive, it is because you do not know what ignorance costs." Leboeuf Well-equipped leadership makes a difference. Here is how: Team Performance: Several research studies have investigated the connection between the leader and business performance. Studies have demonstrated that effective leadership improves follower performance and promotes higher business results, follower job satisfaction, and follower organizational commitment. Innovation and Creativity: Evidence suggests that leadership is essential for driving innovation in a company. A study involving over 400 executives from 48 companies connected strategy and innovation performance directly with good leadership habits. Trust and Change: Studies have demonstrated that the level of trust in leadership directly correlates to employee retention, organizational commitment, and support for organizational change. Furthermore, when executives build trust, evidence suggests that organizational change readiness increases. Internal Communication & Relationships: Words shape worlds. Studies have revealed that influential leaders enhance two-way communication, creativity, collaboration, job attitudes, and organizational commitment. Leadership Transitions: Leadership transitions, whether successful or not, are costly. Evidence suggests that, on average, 35% of internally promoted executives fail, and direct reports spend 10-20% of their time helping a new leader transition. Successful leadership transitions increase company revenue, have 13% lower attrition rates, and are 90% more likely to achieve long-term performance goals. Leadership development is a leadership transition acceleration tool. 2 Future-proof leadership skills Future-ready leaders need the right skills to be effective. In a complex and fast-paced digital workplace, leaders need to be able to quickly discern and apply the appropriate leadership skills to bring out the best in followers. Leaders need employees that go beyond what is expected in ways that contribute to the organization’s results and make the communities where they operate better. Leadership Behavior – is how a leader responds within the leadership system. A behavior is something that can be seen and described. Leadership Attribute – is an inherent quality of a leader as perceived by others. When you think about the future of work and consider the leadership behaviors and attributes needed, it is likely that technical and analytical skills will come to mind. According to a study by McKinsey & Company, it is projected that by 2030, the time spent during a workweek on information technology and programming tasks will increase the most. Leadership is a relationship, and technological innovations change the work, worker, and workplace. While some skills will likely be less in demand, it is important to consider the human leadership skills that remain in the technology-driven workplace. Evidence suggests that more dynamic leadership skills are the most effective. Idealized influence and inspirational motivation are two key leadership behaviors and attributes to help leaders meet today’s and tomorrow’s complex organizational challenges. Future-Proof Leadership Skill #1: Idealized Influence Leadership is achieved through others rather than by a leader alone. Establishing idealized (positive) leadership influence is vital. Idealized influence increases trust, enhances learning, increases emotional connection, and empowers followers to think independently and express their individuality. Leaders that can display idealized influence tend to possess a high degree of moral behavior, virtues, character, and work ethic. These leaders reflect the organizational culture, impart pride in followers, and reinforce the importance of teamwork and shared success. Idealized Influence Behaviors: Talk about their most important values and beliefs Communicate the importance of team trust Reinforce the importance of purpose Evaluate the ethical consequences of decisions Reinforce the need for teamwork and its possibilities Idealized Influence Attributes: Infuse pride in others Make personal sacrifices for others Create respect Demonstrate confidence Encourage others about the future A modern example of a leader that displays idealized influence was Jack Welch. He was the former GE CEO known for achieving tremendous organizational results by developing others. Future-Proof Leadership Skill #2: Inspirational Motivation Leaders in a volatile and uncertain marketplace need to adapt and motivate followers toward a challenging and aspirational vision. Human nature focuses on what is missing or needs to be fixed. However, inspirational motivation behaviors involve creating and effectively communicating a shared positive vision and purpose for followers. Inspirational Motivation Behaviors Optimistically communicating about the future. Enthusiastically communicating about what needs to be achieved Communicate a compelling vision of the future Provide an exciting image of what is essential to consider Express confidence that goals will be achieved Like idealized influence behaviors, inspirational motivation enhances the leader-follower relationship by increasing trust and emotional connection. Additionally, inspirational motivation behaviors heighten the willingness of followers to excel. Jack Ma is a modern example of inspirational motivation leadership behaviors and attributes. He is the former Alibaba CEO known for his ability to communicate a small business eCommerce vision, leading Alibaba to become the world's largest retailer and online marketing company. Are your leadership skills future-proof? Taking time to self-assess is a valuable means of deepening your awareness to ultimately enhance your leadership capability. Here are a few questions to consider that encompass the idealized influence and inspirational motivation leadership skills: How often do I build trust and act with integrity? When have I experienced positive or adverse trust outcomes? When have I experienced positive or adverse integrity outcomes? How often do I encourage others? When have I experienced positive or adverse motivation outcomes? 4 Low-Cost, High-Impact Leadership Development Ideas Many leaders recognize a need to develop their skills continuously; however, they often lack the resources to make it happen. Leaders wanting the best chance to thrive in the future need to be continuously developing. Here are four ideas to keep you growing: Development Idea #1: Reflection It is easy to move quickly from one task to the next and miss opportunities to learn and grow from experiences. Simply try asking a question to create the space for focused reflection. The following powerful questions come from an after-action review process used by the military to provide a structure for reflection: What was expected to happen? What occurred? What went well and why? What can be improved and how? Development Idea #2: Executive Coaching An executive coach is not a counselor or mentor. Counseling deals with past or current trauma, mental health, and symptoms, to restore emotional wellness. Executive coaching focuses on the future and not the client's history. A mentor, unlike a coach, sets the agenda for their client using their experiences to guide the relationship. While that approach can be helpful in reality, we are all created with different strengths and backgrounds. A coach draws out the executive's desire and works to co-create options to achieve the executive's goals with individual and organizational benefits. In a literature review of 81 executive coaching studies, researchers found that executive coaching positively impacts the leader and the organization. These benefits range from becoming more confident to contributing more effectively to empowering employees and improving employee retention. The confidence and growth from a creative thought partnership can't be beaten. Now more than ever, executives need coaches to support their continuous development due to the complexity placed on leadership roles. See how our goal-oriented executive coaching turns your aspirations into your future. Accelerate your career - Coaching keeps you challenged and increases your blind spot awareness. Live life to the fullest - Coaching facilitates experimentation and self-discovery. Shift your mindset - Coaching helps you challenge your assumptions and views. Development Idea #3: Networking Results-driven leaders have a bad habit of working harder and longer hours. Hard work isn't bad, but isolation is hazardous. If achievement-oriented leaders are not careful, their drive can limit career opportunities, professional success, and the joy of living. In an increasingly uncertain world, executives need high-quality relationships with followers, but also peers, and others outside the workplace. Relationships impact the leader's effectiveness and ability to get help and information necessary to innovate and solve complex issues. In one study, high-performing leaders were found to establish high-quality networks and use those connections to establish better priorities and obtain necessary resources, support, and approvals for their team. The study also revealed that leader networking effectiveness of low-performing leaders was attributed to a lack of awareness associated with a lack of relationships. Development Idea #4: Thought Leadership Books, articles, and assessments on leadership can enable leaders to examine a particular situation from different points of view. Thought leadership grounded in research provides leaders with proven solutions that can be applied and short-cycle the learning process. If you are not a skilled speed reader, you may be surprised that you can learn how to read a book in an hour. Like any skill, there are tips and tricks to increase your speed and retention. Here is a bonus link to an assembled collection of my top five favorite books from thought leaders on change management, coaching, culture, innovation and creativity, leadership style, servant leadership, and strategic planning. As a word of caution, while leadership skills are essential, they are insufficient. The effects of your character, the company culture, the quality of your leader-follower relationships, your traits, and the traits of your followers are all elements that directly impact leadership effectiveness. What do you do to keep growing personally or professionally? References Conger, J. & Fulmer, R. (2003) Developing your leadership pipeline Harvard Business Review. IBM (2014) The value of training IBM Corporation Sosik, J. & Jung, D. (2018). Full range leadership development: Pathways for people, profit, and planet. Routledge. Acemoglu, D., & Restrepo, P. (2020). Robots and jobs: Evidence from US labor markets. Journal of Political Economy. McKinsey Global Institute. (2016). Skill shift: Automation and the future of the workforce. McKinsey & Company.

Have you ever found that it never seems possible, despite your best intentions, to be strategic? For most leaders, as pressure and stress increase from the urgent needs of the business, they put in more hours. The tyranny of the urgent comes at a high price for leaders and businesses. When businesses focus on winning the day, it is easy to fall behind, which can be disastrous in a highly competitive marketplace. Studies show that 85% of executive leadership teams spend less than one hour a month discussing strategy, and up to 95% of employees are unaware of or do not understand their organization's strategy. In reality, some leaders don't know how to lead strategically, and some company cultures reward leaders for saving the day. Being strategic is not easy for busy leaders. Market myopia is the lack of ability to see the bigger picture. It is very real and has come into focus because of the increasing volatility and complexity in the workplace. Here are three leadership practices to free yourself and your organization from market myopia. Why being strategic makes matters Leaders create influence through shared understanding and organizational alignment. Organizations create value by capitalizing on individual actions toward worthy goals. Nothing in the workplace is certain. No rational person would argue that the modern workplace is predictable. Leaders are forced to respond to disruptive change and ambiguity in the world. Being strategic is not to predict the future but enable better decision-making and preparedness. Strategic leadership reduces costs and increases revenue. A large global study of the empirical research on strategic leadership concluded that the positive impact on organizational performance is consistent regardless of the industry and whether the business is private or public. The complications associated with a lack of strategic leadership extend beyond the organization’s performance. When followers become confused about the company's direction, it leads to lower levels of engagement and creativity. Also, over time a lack of strategic leadership can contribute to a toxic culture with significant misalignment. Escaping market myopia involves the leadership practices of strategic thinking, acting, and influencing. Strategic Leadership Practice #1: Strategic Thinking Strategic thinking is about the present and future. It also includes logical and creative thinking aspects. It needs to be continuous, adapting to the shifting markets and organizational capability rather than a once of year activity. When rushing from one meeting to the next, it can be hard to find time to listen. Strategic thinking is not something best done alone or only with the board/executive leadership team. Leveraging multiple perspectives improves strategic thinking and organizational buy-in. "It is impossible to formulate a strategy, let alone a "best" or preferred strategy, without engaging in strategic thinking." Abraham Strategic thinking involves: Assessing Internal and External Environments Clarifying the business Mission, Vision, and Values Discovering and Prioritizing Key Strategic Drivers Strategic thinking is not strategic planning. The following video breaks down the difference between strategic planning and strategic thinking. Strategic Leadership Practice #2: Strategic Acting Gaps between the created strategy and the realized strategy put performance at risk. Strategic acting is both short, and long-term focused. You need to be able to set strategic priorities. Then manage the tension between daily issues and bigger-picture tasks. Strategic acting encompasses creating awareness and desire for change as well as finding ways to reward appropriate risk-taking to sustain the change. Strategic acting includes reflecting on decisions made and continuously learning from individual and company actions. “Leadership is the capacity to translate vision into reality.” Warren G. Bennis Strategic acting involves: Creating Business Strategies Developing Business Strategies Executing, Performing, and Learning Leading Change Strategic Leadership Practice #3 Strategic Influencing Strategic influence isn’t just about influencing others. It includes also being open to influence from others. Like all healthy relationships, strategic influence involves trust. How leaders approach strategic thinking and acting will moderate their strategic influence. In an increasingly uncertain workplace, executives need high-quality relationships with followers, peers, and others outside the workplace. Networking is not a distraction but an essential strategic influencing capability. Strategic leadership involves the willingness to be vulnerable to discussing difficult topics with conflicting points of view when you don’t have all of the information. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” John Quincy Adams Strategic influencing involves: Architecting Culture Decision Making Leveraging Priorities Direction, Alignment, and Commitment If these three strategic practices were made into a commercial for market myopia, it would go something like this: Is your business suffering from disengaged employees? Confusion? Loss of creativity? Does your team lack commitment? Do you ever wonder to yourself, what happened? Then you might be suffering from market myopia. Nearsightedness affects 10 out of 10 leaders and businesses worldwide that lose sight of the big picture and focus only on winning the day. It can lead to a toxic culture and cause slow growth. Being strategic helps your company gain a competitive advantage. The results of leading strategically may vary. Side effects include reduced stress, employee turnover, and burnout. Don’t attempt strategic planning if there is no desire to grow. Talk to your team before you start. You can escape market myopia and achieve strategic targets. It all begins with your strategic thinking, acting, and influencing. What's the real market myopia challenge for you? References Abraham, S. (2005). Stretching strategic thinking. Strategy & Leadership, 33(5), 5-12. Amrollahi, A., & Rowlands, B. (2017). Collaborative open strategic planning: A method and case study. Information Technology & People (West Linn, Or.), 30(4), 832-852. Folkman, Z. (2021). Strategic thinking: The pathway to the top. Forbes. George, B., Walker, M., & Monster, J. (2019). Does strategic planning improve organizational performance? A meta-analysis. Public Administration Review. Hughes, R., Beatty, K., & Dinwoodie, D. (2014). Becoming a strategic leader: Your role in your organization's enduring success. John Wiley & Sons, Incorporated. Kaplan, S., & Norton, D. (2005). The office of strategy management. Harvard Business Review. 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.