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Most leaders want a better year than the one they just had. Perhaps you have a clear vision of a better future, purposefully and thoughtfully crafted. Maybe you have been working deliberately toward an exciting goal, but nothing seems to change. Success and significance don't just happen. In an increasingly complex workplace, leaders struggle to achieve their most meaningful goals. After spending thousands of hours coaching executive leaders and completing my doctoral research, I have learned that achieving big goals takes more than being deliberate and passionate. You need perseverance. Here are two ways to improve just that. Why do you need perseverance? The best things in work and life don't come easy or quickly. Sometimes it can appear that success just happens. However, consider true love, a good laugh with a friend, hearing an honest opinion from a direct report, or discovering an innovation that transforms your business. Most often it is the result of a series of decisions and overcoming significant challenges that lead to success. Each requires choices and effort. "Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race." Calvin Coolidge Perseverance is a form of goal orientation. Fueled by passion, perseverance requires sustained commitment and discipline despite the difficulty or length of time needed to succeed. Evidence suggests that perseverance is a better predictor of success in work and life than intelligence or talent. In a peer-reviewed study involving 2235 college students, perseverance, passion, and deliberateness were better predictors of success than IQ. Researchers concluded that success involves a sustained and focused application of talent over time. A global study involving 686 employees found that perseverance is highly associated with work performance and negatively associated with behaviors that undermine the goals and interests of business. While one can not predict the future, you can expect to encounter setbacks as you work toward big goals. The more meaningful the goal, the more significant impact these challenges can have on you and your team's thoughts and feelings. Learning how to improve perseverance is important for leaders in a fast-paced turbulent workplace. Real-life Example: In the Netflix documentary The Last Dance, you get a behind-the-scenes view into one of the greatest NBA dynasties and Michael Jordan's final season with the Chicago Bulls. While the series is not without criticism one thing that becomes obvious is that leading a team to achieve amazing results requires perseverance to overcome adversity in the locker room and on the court. In one episode you learn Scottie Pippen purposefully delayed surgery so he would miss opening season games during a compensation dispute. Rodman is shown to be able to disrupt an offense and his team with his complex personality. Also, following his first three-peat, Jordan admitted to being past exhausted mentally and physically. In The Last Dance, he is quoted as saying, "I didn't think about being tired because I wanted to win the game." 2 Ways to Improve Your Perseverance 1. Pursue your passion and purpose Although the concept appears straightforward, the value lies in the uncovering the intersection of: What do you love? What are you good at? What does the world need? The busyness of a fast-paced digital world has a way of keeping leaders from understanding and pursuing their life's goals. Following your purpose is a journey rather than a quick fix. A deeper understanding is revealed from listening to others. Here are four steps to help you find and follow your purpose and passion: Step 1: Schedule a time to reflect for ten minutes on each of the questions about what you love, are good at, and what the world needs. Find a quiet place where you are relaxed and can focus without distraction. Ask yourself each question and journal what comes to mind. Don't filter. Just write it down. Step 2: Find a few people that know you well, that you trust, and will be encouraging. Ask them how they would answer these questions for you. Step 3: Consider hiring an executive coach . 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. Step 4: Reflect on what you have learned . Consider themes rather than specific points shared and, as needed, edit or delete points you journaled. Leaders with perseverance pursue their passion and purpose. Is your work aligned with your purpose and passion? 2. Hope for a better future How you perceive the future can significantly affect how you feel and behave in the present. Every leader has or will face moments where they think their situation is hopeless. Hope involves emotion and belief. Finding hope for a better future when you feel a sense of hopelessness takes work. Here are four steps to cultivate hope: Step 1: Reframe negative thought patterns. There are times when you will struggle to find anything positive about a situation. The key is to intentionally imagine the positive possibilities in a given situation and be aware of the little things until you think of the more considerable positives. Step 2: Believe in yourself. Acknowledge your strengths and give yourself the grace to accept where you are. Try using affirmations phrased as questions, such as: What if everything goes right? What if I can trust my intuition? What if I am totally prepared? Step 3: Cultivate positive trust-based relationships . We are all more closely connected than we often realize. It is much easier to have hope for a better future in a supportive community. If you surround yourself with mostly positive and encouraging people, you will likely begin to shift your attitudes and perceptions. Step 4: Envision a specific future. It is easier to find something when we know what you are looking to find. We need clarity. Define what a better future looks like. One approach is to create a virtual picture collage that represents a better future. Then find a place to keep it in front of you. You can learn more about the science and power of hope from this TedTalk with researcher Dr. Chan Hellman. Leaders with perseverance have hope for a better future. Are your thoughts and feelings about the future mostly positive or negative? Conclusion: The Importance of Perseverance Without the commitment to a plan, you never start. Without perseverance, you never finish. Success and significance come from a sustained and focused application of your knowledge and skills over time. In a volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world leaders need the perseverance to lead teams to achieve meaningful goals. Pursuing your passion and purpose, and having hope for a better future are two ways to improve perseverance. What is the real challenge for you in pursuing your purpose and passion at work and in life? or finding hope in the future? References: Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92 (6), 1087–1101. Littman-Ovadia, H., & Lavy, S. (2016). Going the Extra Mile: Perseverance as a Key Character Strength at Work. Journal of Career Assessment , 24 (2), 240–252. Schaffner, A. (2022). Perseverance in psychology: 4 activities to improve perseverance. Positive Psychology. Weir, K. (2013). Being hopeful is good for you — and psychologists’ research is pinpointing ways to foster the feeling. Science Watch. 44 (9). 42

According to a 2020 MIT Sloan Management Review survey, modern leaders are struggling with leading a complex workforce in today’s digital marketplace. Over 4,000 leaders from more than 120 countries were recently surveyed, interviewed, and engaged in focus groups. Only 12% of executive leaders indicated that their leaders have the right mindset to move them forward. Modern leaders are running fast from meeting to meeting every day with many different stakeholder groups compete for their time. While success with all stakeholders is essential, if all stakeholders are the focus of a leader, then in reality none are essential. Leadership creates decisions between right and right and a leader's focus holds the key to a complex workforce in a digital marketplace. Leaders would benefit from reflecting on the question, who do you serve? The Needs of Today's Complex Workforce Followers are looking for contemporary leaders that possess these ten characteristics: (1) listening to self and others, (2) empathy, (3) healing self and others, (4) awareness, (5) persuasion, (6) conceptual thinking, (7) foresight, (8) stewardship of other’s needs, (9) commitment to people development, and (10) building community. Foundational to these leading with these characteristics are the virtues of: “love, humility, altruism, vision, trust, empowerment, and service” (Patterson, 2003). Contemporary Servant Leader – Liz Theophille, Chief Technology & Digital Officer at Novartis AG speaks in this TEDx Talk about leading with the heart. Liz reveals examples from her personal life and that speaks to the challenge of leading a complex workforce in a digital marketplace. Are Leaders Born or Developed? Contemplating the characteristics and attributes of great leadership brings to into question, can leaders be developed, or are they are born? While research experts frequently debate the answer to this question, it is likely a combination of innate characteristics and experiences that make a great leader. Both the characteristics and associated virtues can be developed. Does Servant Leadership Belong in a Multicultural Workplace? The Cultural-Endorsed Implicit Leadership Theory infers that followers are more motivated to establish a relationship with a leader if they behave consistently with the follower’s expected mental model . Servant leadership characteristics and virtues are not a western civilization concept. The characteristics and virtues of servant leadership are a global model aligned with other cross-cultural concepts (see Infographic). What are the benefits of Servant Leadership? One of the most sought-after performance benefits in organizations is discretionary effort also known as organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Discretionary effort is when employees take actions outside of the expected roles for the benefit of an organization. Consider two employees walking down a hall, both seeing a piece of paper on the floor and only one employee stopping to pick it up even though it is neither employees' job responsibility. Servant leadership improves the workplace climate and increases discretionary effort that benefits the organization. Servant leadership creates an increase in the leader and follower commitment yielding increased intrinsic motivation . Increased leader-follower commitment amplifies the benefits of workforce alignment. Workforce alignment is the difference between created strategies and realized strategies. High levels of intrinsic motivation cause people to do more and results in higher performance. Scholarly evidence supports a positive link between higher levels of employee intrinsic motivation and work productivity. Furthermore, intrinsic motivation is a moderating factor in employee engagement, independent of a leader's style. Organizations should place an emphasis on creating intrinsic motivation. Contemporary Servant Leader – Cheryl Bachelder, Former CEO of Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen increased market share by eight points, increased margin by 400 basis points, and improved her leadership training by 22% in just seven years. In this TEDx Talk video, Cheryl speaks on the topic of daring to serve. It all comes back to the question, whom do you serve? The Servant Leader focuses on the follower. Maybe now more than ever in today’s volatile, uncertain, complex, and ambiguous world, followers and organizations are looking for the virtues, behaviors, and outcomes achieved by servant leaders. Leaders with a focus on service to their followers first and leading second. You may also enjoy reading about how leadership can respond to racism and poverty . Servant Leadership Webinar and Workshop Register for an upcoming FREE webinar on servant leadership. Here is what you can expect: • What is servant leadership? • Contemporary Leadership Theory Comparisons • Servant Leadership Value • The 5 Best Resources on Servant Leadership If you register today, we’ll send the recording as an added bonus at no charge. Upcoming leadership development webinars . Contact us to earn how you can bring a virtual or in-person Servant Leadership Program to your organization: Based on the best ideas from the leadership gurus of today, leaders learn how to apply a head, heart, and hands approach to ancient principles that reinforce selfless service. This one-year program for leadership teams includes a pre/post servant leadership 360, pre/post leadership style inventory, quarterly development workshops, and much more. "The signature of the greatest executives we studied is their humility" Jim Collins. References: Becchetti, L., Castriota, S., & Tortia, E. C. (2013). Productivity, wages and intrinsic motivations. Small Business Economics, 41 (2), 379-399. http://dx.doi.org.ezproxy.regent.edu/10.1007/s11187-012-9431-2 Boerma, M. Coyle, E., Dietrich, M. Dintzner, M., Drayton, S., Early II, J., Edginton, A., Horlen, C. Kirkwood, C., Lin, A., Rager, M., Shah-Manek, B., Welch, A., & Williams, N. (2017). Point/Counterpoint: Are outstanding leaders born or made? American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education, 81 (3), 58. doi:10.5688/ajpe81358 Kopaneva, I., & Sias, P. M. (2015). Lost in translation: Employee and organizational constructions of mission and vision. Management Communication Quarterly, 29 (3), 358-384. Patterson, K. (2003, October 16). Servant leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant Leadership Research Roundtable. Ready, D., Cohen, C., Kiron, D., & Pring, B. (2020). The new leadership playbook for the digital age. MIT Sloan Management Review . Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University. (2014, April 2). Dirk van Dierendonck - Servant leadership [Video] . YouTube. Shu, C. (2015). The impact of intrinsic motivation on the effectiveness of leadership style towards on work engagement. Contemporary Management Research, 11 (4), 327-349. Spears, L. C. (1998). Servant-leadership. Executive Excellence, 15 (7), 11. TEDx Talks. (2015, July 4). Dare to serve: Cheryl Bachelder -TEDxCentennialParkWomen [Video]. YouTube. Walumbwa, F., Hartnell, C., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (3), 517-529. Winston, B. (2003, October 16). Extending Patterson’s servant leadership model: Coming full circle [PDF]. Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant Leadership Research Roundtable. Winston, B. & Ryan, B. (2008). Servant Leadership as a Humane Orientation: Using the GLOBE Study Construct of Humane Orientation to Show that Servant Leadership is More Global than Western. International Journal of Leadership Studies , Vol. 3 Iss. 2, pp. 212-222.

Building trust is increasingly challenging and vital for executive leadership teams. Distrust in society is breeding polarization. Evidence suggests less than a third of employees are willing to help, live near, or work alongside someone who disagrees with their point of view on things that matter. Trust is the currency of any business and holds a company together during change. CEOs and top management teams are expected to be visionary change catalysts. However, many leaders privately question whether it's possible to be considered trustworthy during change events, given the decline in employee confidence. The good news is that you can rebuild trust after it is broken, but only if you manage what you say and do well. Here are proven strategies to build high-quality trust-based relationships and a quiz to gauge your trustworthiness. Why executive leadership trust matters "The reliance on the character, ability, strength, or truth of someone or something." Merriam-Webster.com Numerous studies demonstrate that leadership is a critical determinant of successful organizations and change. Regardless of whether a change is department-specific or company-wide, it benefits from executive engagement. Executive leadership teams provide vision, establish strategy, prepare the corporate culture for change, and motivate employees to change. This is important because trust has been shown to mediate employee openness to change and, ultimately, the outcome of change. When trust is present, organizations navigate and manage change with improved outcomes. Change events heighten emotional responses, making communicating effectively challenging for the most skilled leaders. How to build trust with your communication A boss-subordinate relationship and transactional leadership style are not helpful when trying to build trust. The most effective leaders are transparent and vulnerable and demonstrate caring and respect for others. There are two common themes that emerge from the research on building trust; transparency and relationships. To communicate effectively, leaders need to understand the context and perspectives of others and avoid jumping to conclusions too quickly. In the book, Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results, Judith Glaser provides a helpful way to remember these attributes: T – Transparency R – Relationship U – Understanding S – Shared success T – Testing assumptions Establishing trust during change requires building rapport, inviting and responding to emotions, and explaining the change event clearly and concisely. Communications that create openness to change and build trust include: Communication Trust Builder #1: Vision The idealized goal for the organization to achieve in the future. Communication during change events should link to organizational values and provide enough detail so employees see the roadmap and benefits of the change. The goal is to create positive attitudes toward change and support for change. Communication Trust Builder #2: Energy Demonstrating personal excitement. An executive leader's positive emotions and mood are contagious. Research has shown that leadership communication that enables followers to experience positive emotions enhances happiness and well-being. In return, the improved positive emotions of followers increase employee motivation, cooperation, and support for change. Communication Trust Builder #3: Support Executive leaders demonstrate support by providing encouragement, reassurance, listening, and sharing feelings. Research has found that when individuals receive help, they are more receptive and willing to cooperate with change. How to be a trustworthy leader Trust takes place between two people and is earned. Successful businesses are built upon relationships. In his book Trust: The Social Virtues and the Creation of Prosperity, Francis Fukuyama presented that business would not be productive without trust. The International Coaching Federation has identified six behaviors essential for building trust-based relationships: Show genuine concern for the other person's welfare and future. Continuously demonstrate personal integrity, honesty, and sincerity. Establish clear agreements and keep promises. Demonstrate respect for other's perceptions, learning styles, and personal being. Provide ongoing support for and champion new behaviors and actions, including risk-taking and fear of failure. Ask permission to coach others in sensitive, new areas. Leadership trustworthiness comes from four essential attributes of the leader: Leadership Trustworthiness Attribute #1: Credibility Credibility is the most frequently achieved attribute of trustworthiness. However, having the title of leader does not always equate to being perceived as credible. Credibility has rational and emotional aspects related to an individual's expertise and personal presence . Leadership Trustworthiness Attribute #2: Reliability Reliability is based on the frequency of interactions with someone and the consistency of expected behavior. Saying what you are doing, doing what you say, and saying what you did matter for building reliability. Leadership Trustworthiness Attribute #3: Intimacy Intimacy requires your willingness to be vulnerable and have a courageous conversation when needed. This is one of the key differentiating attributes of trustworthiness. Leadership Trustworthiness Attribute #4: Self-Orientation Self-orientation relates to the amount of focus placed on oneself versus the emphasis placed on the other person. A high degree of self-orientation creates significant distrust from others. Self-orientation is linked to the leader's conscientiousness, agreeableness, and openness to experience personality traits. The attributes of trustworthiness (see Figure 1) can be placed into the following equation to measure your trustworthiness. Are you a trustworthy leader? High-quality relationships are high-trust relationships. Evidence suggests that improved workplace relationships increase individual and organizational productivity and profitability. The Relationship Trust Checker is a free quiz you can use to gauge your level of trust in a relationship and identify opportunities to improve your trustworthiness. "The unexamined life is not worth living." Socrates Ready to take the next step? Effective leadership affects the results you achieve and the life you live. Leaders must continually transform and adapt or fall behind. Striving for better habits is a competitive advantage for any leader looking for a powerful point of differentiation. Upskill your leadership with our development approach that is grounded in evidence from the fields of behavioral psychology and neuroscience - and helps leaders to successfully apply the servant leadership skillsets and mindsets that bring out the best in their teams to achieve strategic goals. References: Bono, J., & Ilies, R. (2006). Charisma, positive emotions, and mood contagion. The Leadership Quarterly, 17 (4), pp. 317-334. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Fukuyama, F. (1995). Trust: The social virtues and the creation of prosperity . Free Press. Glaser, J. (2016). Conversational Intelligence: How Great Leaders Build Trust and Get Extraordinary Results. Routledge. Men, L. R., Yue, C. A., & Liu, Y. (2020). Vision, passion, and care: the impact of charismatic executive leadership communication on employee trust and support for organizational change. Public Relations Review, 46 (3). Kanfer, R., & Ackerman, P. (1989). Motivation and cognitive abilities: An integrative aptitude-treatment interaction approach to skill acquisition. Journal of Applied Psychology, 74 , pp. 657-690. Maister, D. H., Green, C. H., & Galford, R. M. (2000). The trusted advisor . Free Press. Shamir, B., House, R., Arthur, M. (1993). The motivational effects of charismatic leadership: A self-concept based theory. Organization Science, 4 (4), pp. 577-594 Wanberg, C., & Banas, J. (2000). Predictors and outcomes of openness to changes in a reorganizing workplace. Journal of Applied Psychology, 85 (1), pp. 132-142,

High speeds create blurred perspectives. Likewise, today's leaders work in fast-paced and complex environments that create a blurred perception of reality. Too often, what appears to be task-oriented problems, in fact, are process-related problems. When leaders focus on individual or department performance instead of organizational performance, it can lead to individual and department success without achieving organizational success. For example, working as an internal talent consultant, I have observed a common phenomenon across many different industries and organizations. Performance systems often focus too heavily on the individual performer rather than the organization's performance. This focus can lead to individuals performing above average and the organization below average. Individual performance is necessary, but not entirely. This is important because recent research supports that the organization is four times more impactful on business results than individual talent. "Talent matters; organization matters even more " (Ulrich, 2020). Leading at full speed requires skill . A servant leadership style creates increased intrinsic motivation toward shared goals by building healthy relationships and a shared vision . More simply stated, dip increases organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) or discretionary effort, the "holy grail" for organizational talent. OCB is a worthy contribution made by employees beyond their job requirements. As organizations strive to increase revenue, OCB reduces opportunity costs and increases productivity and efficiency by bringing out the best in employees. Sodexo When most people think of organizations that embrace and apply servant leadership, Starbucks, Marriot, and Chic-fil-A come to mind. However, another one of those companies that sit behind the scenes to most consumers is Sodexo. Sodexo is the global leader in the business services and supplies industry with its headquarters in France. As of 2019, this international organization employed over 470,000 people in 67 countries. Unlike some of the more commonly considered companies, Sodexo does not have an overt statement on servant-leadership. However, its mission and leaders’ actions align with the Greenleaf and Spears (2002) servant-leadership characteristics (See Table 1). Leadership Skills at Full Speed The pandemic has increased the speed and volume of work for leaders. Sarosh Mistry , Region Chair for North America and Chief Executive Officer Homecare Worldwide, recently described a couple of organizational pandemic responses demonstrating servant leadership skills at full speed. Showing genuine care for communities beyond the company Sodexo provided comprehensive food services for children no longer receiving free lunches due to school closings. Additionally, Sodexo demonstrated altruism for employees' welfare , creating a $30 million relief fund for COVID impacted employees. When asked what he would do differently in response to the pandemic, Sarosh indicated that he wishes he would have done even more for Sodexo employees. If you are interested in learning more about servant-leadership and other emerging leadership styles you will want to read the article 4 Emerging Leadership Styles and Why You Should Care . Also, are you interested in better understanding your own leadership style? Contact Organizational Talent Consulting to learn more about a leadership style inventory assessment you can use to measure your preferred leadership style and receive individualized executive coaching. References Adjibolosoo, S. (2000). The human factor in shaping the course of history and development . University Press of America, Inc. Ehrhart. M. G. (2004). Leadership and procedural justice climate as antecedents of unit-level organizational citizenship behavior. Personnel Psychology . 57 (1). Hassell, B. (2017). What do today's workforce trends mean for business, leadership? Chief Learning Officer. Kwittken, A. (2020, May 4). Moving from service leadership to servant-leadership during a pandemic: A conversation with Sodexo North America chair Sarosh Mistry [Audio podcast]. Brand on Purpose . Patterson, K. (2003, October 16). Servant leadership: A theoretical model [PDF]. Regent University School of Leadership Studies Servant Leadership Research Roundtable. http://www.regent.edu/acad/global/publications/sl_proceedings/2003/patterson_servant_leadership.pdf Sodexo. (2019). Fiscal 2019 universal registration document [PDF] . LABRADOR. Sodexo. (2020). About Us. https://us.sodexo.com/about-us.html Ulrich, D. (2020). Knowing which organization capabilities make a difference . Winston, B., & Fields, D. (2015). Seeking and measuring the essential behaviors of servant leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal, 36(4), 413-434. Register for an upcoming FREE webinar on servant leadership. Here is what you can expect: • What is servant leadership? • Contemporary Leadership Theory Comparisons • Servant Leadership Value • The 5 Best Resources on Servant Leadership Use this site to find registration links for upcoming leadership development webinars

The leadership topic of high-performing teams is timeless. Leaders that focus on building high-performing teams reap significant rewards and return on their investments. There is much that can be learned from the coaches of teams playing at the world's highest levels of athleticism. José Mário dos Santos Mourinho is widely considered one of the greatest football team managers, winning league titles in four countries. In the Netflix series, The Playbook, Mourinho points out that the hidden talents of exceptional players such as football great Cristiano Renaldo can never be revealed without great teams. Mourinho makes a powerful yet subtle point that great teams and leaders are not selfish. This article explores the current research into the importance of a selfless leadership style and presents questions for any leader to consider that is looking to build a high-performance team. "The concept of a team is one of the most beautiful things." Jose Mourinho What are High Performing Teams? Team potential is more than the sum of the individuals on the team. The value of high-performing teams is widely understood. McKenzie & Company found that a high-performance management team working together toward a common goal is 1.9 times as likely to have above-average financial performance . Leadership guru Ken Blanchard said it this way, “no one of us is as smart as all of us.” What team would you think of if asked to name a high-performing team? Living south of Chicago during the 1990s, my thoughts immediately go to the Chicago Bulls and their domination of six National Basketball Association championships. While there is much debate over the greatest of all-time teams, there is little debate that the 1990's Chicago Bulls were a high-performing basketball team. There is a clear difference between a team and a high-performing team. High-performing teams outperform other teams by consistently having better morale and collaboration and delivering better results and innovation . The following short video provides some valuable insights into high-performance teams through reflections from the Chicago Bulls Last Dance Netflix mini-series . What is Leadership Style? Leadership is a system increasingly impacted by technology and consists of the leader, followers, the situation, and time. Effective leadership is one of the critical qualities of high-performing teams. Leadership style is how the leader influences a team to accomplish a common goal and consists of both the leader's attributes and behaviors: 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. In today’s turbulent and fast-paced digital marketplace, leaders are challenged to quickly discern and apply an appropriate leadership style that brings out the best in followers. Servant leadership , transformational leadership, authentic leadership, and spiritual leadership are four emerging leadership styles gaining increased attention globally for their proven benefits. While similar, these leadership styles are not the same, and often each leadership challenge requires a blended style approach. To learn more about how these leadership styles compare, check out this article on 4 Emerging Leadership Styles and Why You Should Care . Selfless Leadership and High-Performance Teams Leadership is difficult. Shifting the focus from individual performance to collective team performance among talented individuals will unlock what Jose Mourinho described as hidden talents. Several research studies have linked a selfless leadership style (altruism) with high-performing teams and organizational citizenship behaviors . Organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) is considered in organizational development to be the most prized treasure of performance management. It is a term used to describe positive employee behaviors that are not a part of an employee's formal job description. An example to illustrate this behavior in the workplace is to consider two retail employees working at the same store with the same job description. One employee pushes a cart in the parking lot into the store on their way into work, and the other does not. Neither of them has this behavior as a requirement of their job description; however, the benefit to the business's customers is clear. This is the idea of organizational citizenship behavior. When employees go beyond what is expected, it unlocks performance potential and enhanced results. Knowledge sharing within a team is vital because no one’s knowledge is perfect. In the modern workplace, where employees' jobs involve handling or using information, knowledge hoarding behaviors are incredibly damaging to the individual, team, and organizational performance. How a leader chooses to lead is proven to influence a team climate of knowledge sharing. In one study of more than 1,800 employees across 67 sales teams, it was discovered that leaders applying a selfless leadership style positively influenced knowledge sharing and, ultimately, the team's performance and organization. Leaders that display a selfless leadership style are viewed as positive role models by followers. Selfless leaders show a high degree of moral behavior, virtues, character, and work ethic. According to Jose Mourinho, an example of selfless leadership in Portuguese professional football is that they “sweat their shirt.” They work so hard that they are drenched after playing. Selfless Leadership Development Leaders looking to build high-performing teams require leading the team from being selfish to selfless. The following are a few questions for leaders looking to build high-performance teams to consider: Selfless Behaviors Have I talked about my most important values and beliefs with my team? What have I done to communicate the importance of team trust ? What steps can I take to reinforce the importance of purpose? How can I reinforce the need for teamwork and make the possibilities real for others? Selfless Attributes What actions can I take to infuse pride in others? What personal sacrifices am I willing to make for others? How can I demonstrate respect for others? What can I do to create hope for the future within others ? If you are interested in learning more about selfless leadership, you will want to check out one of our upcoming webinars on Servant Leadership: Skillsets and Mindsets for Success and Significance . Also, if you are interested in better understanding your leadership style? Contact Organizational Talent Consulting to learn more about a leadership style inventory assessment and personalized executive coaching to elevate your potential. References: Scott Keller and Mary Meaney, Leading Organization: Ten Timeless Truths , New York, NY: Bloomsbury, 2017. Song, C., Park, K. R., & Kang, S. (2015). Servant leadership and team performance: The mediating role of knowledge-sharing climate. Social Behavior and Personality, 43 (10), 1749-1760. Sosik, J. & Jung, D. (2018). Full range leadership development: Pathways for people, profit, and planet. Routledge. Walumbwa, F., Hartnell, C., & Oke, A. (2010). Servant leadership, procedural justice climate, service climate, employee attitudes, and organizational citizenship behavior: A cross-level investigation. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95 (3), 517-529.

In some organizations, silence on the issues impacting the world today is deafening. Organizations and communities are more connected than some may want to believe, and I don’t mean six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon. Minor changes in organizations can lead to significant differences in our communities. Experienced leaders understand that what happens at work does not stay at work, and what happens at home does not remain at home. Society is looking for modern leaders and organizations to be positive sources of influence on global issues. This article reveals the unfortunate truth about how poverty is connected to racism and how an emerging 21st Century leadership approach can be a catalyst for solving racism and poverty. Poverty & Racism Poverty is a little understood issue that creates real disadvantages to achieving the American Dream of upward socio-economic mobility. While most Americans (88.2%) do not live in poverty, as of 2018, African Americans were 2.5 times more likely to be in poverty than whites. The median white family had 10 times as much wealth as the median African American family. Escaping poverty in the U.S. is difficult, and racial difficulties mean that movement out of poverty for African Americans is much more challenging than it is for whites. Over the past century, the issues of poverty and racism are not new and have remained real issues, and earlier attempts to resolve the associated issues have been inadequate. The following figure is from the U.S. Census Bureau, 2007–2011 American Community Survey , and reflects the percentage of the black alone population in poverty in the United States. Servant Leadership Theoretical leadership development has historically been used to explain observations, make sense or bring order to complexity, and solve problems people are facing. In 2006 researchers conducted a review of over 160 articles and books identifying 91 distinct attributes within the literature for defining leadership and there would likely be more today. “probably more has been written and less is known about leadership than about any other topic in the behavioral sciences” (Bennis). The world needs a different leadership approach and Servant Leadership is an emerging 21st Century model that holds potential answers for poverty and racism. This leadership theory promotes attributes of altruistic and compassionate love for others. Compassionate love is “doing the right thing at the right time and for the right reason"(Winston). When organizations adopt a servant leadership approach they measure effectiveness based on the growth of employees, customers, and the community. Servant leaders lead organizations to impact society positively. For example, a servant leader philosophy in an organization will focus attention on leader-follower relationships. This focus on people then leads to growing employees and, in return, growing the company. Pioneering research in 2013 lead by Shruti Gupta found the organizational commitment to the poor and customer growth, has both a positive impact on organizational performance and poverty mitigation. When leaders get involved it makes a difference both in their organization and society. Do you agree or disagree, and why? References Barbuto, J. E., & Wheeler, D. W. (2006). Scale development and construct clarification of servant leadership. Group & Organization Management, 31 (3), 300-326. doi:10.1177/1059601106287091 Bennis, W. G. (1959). Leadership theory and administrative behavior: The problem of authority. Administrative Science Quarterly, 4 (3), 259-301. doi:10.2307/2390911 Gupta, S. (2013). Serving the "bottom of pyramid" - A servant leadership perspective. Journal of Leadership, Accountability and Ethics, 10 (3), 98-106. Jerneck, A. (2015). Understanding poverty. SAGE Open, 5 (4) doi:10.1177/2158244015614875 Kuhn, T. S., & Hacking, I. (2012). The structure of scientific revolutions . McCann, J. & Holt, R. (2010). Servant and sustainable leadership: An analysis in the manufacturing environment. Int. J. of Management Practice. 4. 134 - 148. doi:10.1504/IJMP.2010.033691. Wagmiller, R., & Adelman, R. (2009). Childhood and intergenerational poverty : The long-term consequences of growing up poor. National Center for Children in Poverty . Winston, B. E., & Patterson, K. (2006). An integrative definition of leadership. International Journal of Leadership Studies, 1 (2), 6-66. Servant Leadership Development Learn how you can bring a virtual or in-person Servant Leadership Program to your organization : Based on the best ideas from the leadership gurus of today, leaders learn how to apply a head, heart, and hands approach to ancient principles that reinforce selfless service. This one-year program for leadership teams includes a pre/post servant leadership 360, pre/post leadership style inventory, quarterly development workshops, and much more. "The signature of the greatest executives we studied is their humility" Jim Collins

Are you looking to level up innovation and creativity in your business to produce a competitive advantage? Maybe you're skeptical of whether it is possible to develop your team and believe you should hire for it. It's the debate of nature versus nurture. A common argument presented in support of team development is that if people were born with creativity, we would observe more consistency in creativity among team members. Evidence suggests an individual's behavioral drives and abilities activate creativity within a positive company culture. Cognitive skills, personality traits, work habits, and social and environmental variables affect innovation and creativity. Here are five low-cost and high-impact steps leaders can take to improve their team's innovation and creativity. Why talent development matters As the world changes, people and businesses must change too. Your team's development needs to keep pace with workplace changes, or you risk falling behind. Evidence from a large-scale study revealed that training and development positively affected innovative performance by building employee competence and organizational commitment. Leaders need to consider the employee's desired knowledge, skills, and abilities, the desired organizational culture, and the workplace climate. However, evidence has also revealed that the training program does not produce the desired competitive advantage if employee capability development becomes the goal. Leaders seeking to develop innovative and creative teams should take a results-based focus versus an activity-based approach. What are the right innovation behaviors to hire for and develop? Enhancing an employee's self-leadership capability improves self-awareness, inspiring experimentation with new ways to solve existing challenges. The following behaviors are linked to activating workplace creativity and innovation and are ideal to look for when hiring and reinforcing in training programs: Idea generation: The desire to try new things, a preference for original thinking, and finding solutions for existing problems. Idea search: Collaborating with others for new ideas and an interest in how things are done in other organizations. Idea communication: Persuading others toward new ideas and showing others the positive sides of new thinking. Implementation starting activities: Developing project plans to launch new ideas, secure funding for innovation, and search for new technologies to support implementation. Involving others: Seeking others to find solutions to problems and involve decision-makers. Overcoming obstacles: Not giving up on new ways of doing things and persistence. Innovation outputs: Being successful with implementing new ideas and improving processes valuable to the organization What are low-cost and high-impact steps leaders can take to foster innovation and creativity? Organizations searching for efficiency tend to hire and promote employees who conform to group norms and encourage unity. According to US Department of Labor statistics from 2017, 47% of the workforce in the United States is women. Yet, only 22% are in c-suite positions. Companies have historically viewed differences as detrimental. But, the benefits of leveraging diversity within organizations include more viewpoints, new ideas, and reimagined solutions. “A homogenous workforce limits the range of a company's innovation capabilities." Gary Oster Organizational culture consists of artifacts, values, and underlying assumptions: Artifacts: These are the things you can see, feel, or hear in the workplace. Examples include what is displayed, office layouts, uniforms, identification badges, and what is discussed and not discussed. Espoused Values: What you are told and beliefs that you can use to make decisions. Examples include a company's vision and values or mission statement. They are explicitly stated official philosophies about the company. Basic Assumptions: These things go without saying or are taken for granted. Examples could include speaking up in meetings, holding a door for someone, smiling, or greeting someone by name when walking down the hall. High Impact Step #1: Recruit and Retain Who gets hired, promoted , and fired, and for what, creates and reinforces your organization's culture. Talent management decisions can be viewed as a more subtle nuance to culture change because they are influenced by explicitly stated criteria and unstated value priorities. A job candidate is more than just a list of experiences, education, and references presented on paper. To better understand their suitability for a position, it's essential to evaluate their behavioral drives and cognitive abilities (the head), as well as their values and interests (the heart), alongside their knowledge, skills, and experience (the briefcase). We typically examine a resume to determine a person's knowledge, skills, and experience. The information you can gain from the Predictive Index Behavioral Assessment provides the rest of the picture. Care to see how this might work in your context with a 5-minute assessment? We can unpack the results together, and I’ll show you how it reduces unwanted attrition and mis-hires and helps leadership. Worse case, you learn something about yourself. High Impact Step #2: Leadership Style Several well-researched employee and company benefits, such as creativity, are associated with  servant leadership . Evidence suggests that a servant leadership style improves employee productivity and creativity. Employees are more likely to provide constructive criticism and engage in productive conflict without fear of exclusion or retaliation, which is an environment in which employees can be creative. High Impact Step #3: Define Desired Results This is one of the most potent mechanisms leaders have available. What leaders choose to systematically measure, reward, and control matters, and the opposite is also true. Define desired results in terms of explicit business goals and innovative behaviors. High Impact Step #4: Leverage Data Leverage data analytics and empirical testing to discover and communicate what works quickly. Rewards and recognition come in many different forms. Also, what is considered a reward varies from person to person. Both what gets rewarded and how it gets rewarded and what does not get rewarded reinforces organizational culture. There are tangible rewards and social rewards. Simply saying thank you for presenting a decision using data analytics is a social reward. High Impact Step #5: Embrace Interesting Failure Much can be revealed when a business or a leader faces a significant challenge. These crucible moments are like a refining fire. It is the heightened emotional intensity that increases individual and organizational learning. Innovation and creativity will challenge the status quo, which is risky in most organizations. How a leader responds to interesting failure will reinforce if the team will take risks in the future. References: Amabile, T. M. (1983). The social psychology of creativity: A componential conceptualization. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 45 (2), 357-376. DeWolf, M. (2017). 12 Stats about working women. U.S. Department of Labor. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose . Organizational Talent Consulting. Ghosh, K. (2015). Developing organizational creativity and innovation: Toward a model of self-leadership, employee creativity, creativity climate, and workplace innovative orientation. Management Research Review, 38 (11), 1126-1148. Lukes, M., & Stephan, U. (2017). Measuring employee innovation: A review of existing scales and the development of the innovative behavior and innovation support inventories across cultures. International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research, 23 (1), 136-158. Oster, G. W. (2011). The light prize: Perspectives on Christian innovation . Positive Signs Media. Schaffer, R. H., & Thomson, H. A. (1992). Successful change programs begin with results. Harvard Business Review, 70 (1), 80-89.

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

While there is no single definition of leadership, every organization, and senior leader is looking for ways to increase revenue and avoid costly mistakes to stay competitive. There are two very costly mistakes that leaders frequently commit. Unfortunately, it is the unintended consequences of these mistakes that are so costly. What makes these mistakes so challenging is that they are rooted in the leader's culture. These cultural "blind-spots" influence leaders to feel that they are forced to make unavoidable choices between opposite ends on a continuum. One mistake is the view of having to choose between leading and serving , and the other is the view of having to choose between rules and exceptions. When leaders decide between leading and serving, it is a failure to recognize that the leader becomes stronger when empowering and providing space for others to grow. The mistake of choosing between rules and exceptions is a failure to realize that good rules allow for exceptions, and both work together toward the organization's continuous improvement. Solving for these dilemmas requires the leader to make a fundamental shift in thinking. What is at risk? One-dimensional and linear thinking within organizations increases costs. Most leaders recognize and will openly espouse that employees are the organization's greatest assets. However, these same leaders also know that employees are a significant hard cost to the business . Labor accounts for up to 50% of budgets within some retail organizations. Failing to empower and grow employees and failing to improve an organization continuously is proven to result in the lack of employee loyalty, increased turnover, increased absenteeism, and ultimately an organization becoming obsolete. One IBM study found that employees were 12 times more likely to leave a company when they feel they cannot grow their careers. "If you believe that training is expensive, it is because you do not know what ignorance costs." (Leboeuf, 1985) Turnover costs for hourly employees are, on average, $1500 and up to two times of annual salary for senior-level employees. Absenteeism-related direct costs, such as paid days off, accounted for 8.1% of payroll costs in 2013 ( SHRM ), not including indirect costs associated with unpaid days off, such as the Family Medical Leave Act. Then there are the unintended opportunity costs when leaders inappropriately choose to use power in relationships to solve for these perceived opposing points of view. Inappropriately using power in the leader-follower relationship decreases intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort. Discretionary effort is the level of performance employees could give if they wanted to above and beyond the formal job requirements. Consider two employees are walking down a hall, both seeing a piece of paper on the floor. Only one employee stops to pick it up even though it is neither employees' job responsibility. Intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort involve unlocking the full human potential of an organization's employees. Cyclical and holistic thinking increases intrinsic motivation and discretionary effort. Case Study: A leader in an international company responsible for a corporate and companywide functional department faced a decision involving selecting a new information management system that would require organization-wide alignment of process. The influences of the different cultures, historical company decisions, regulations, and the use of a standard system amplified the rules versus exceptions dilemma. Unfortunately, the lack of alignment created a conflict that was eventually resolved by a costly mistake of using power (linear and one-dimensional thinking rather than cyclical and holistic thinking). The decision, while resolving the system issue, furthered the competition between parts of the same organization . Also, it contributed to feelings of unfairness and inequality and not being valued because it was turned into a win or lose situation. What can leaders do? Adopting and applying a servant leadership approach facilitates the necessary shift in thinking to solve common organizational dilemmas. Research has identified seven everyday leadership dilemmas that are amplified in a culturally diverse workforce: (1) leading-serving, (2) rules-expectations, (3) parts-the whole, (4) control-passion, (5) specific-diffuse, (6) short term-long term, and (7) push-pull. Table 1 reflects the foundational thinking shifts leaders make when adopting a servant leadership approach. Servant leadership involves: (1) listening to self and others, (2) empathy, (3) healing self and others, (4) awareness, (5) persuasion, (6) conceptual thinking, (7) foresight, (8) stewardship of other’s needs, (9) commitment to people development, and (10) building community. Servant leadership is proven to minimize the leader’s "cultural blind-spots" by shifting the thinking and focus on serving others, listening to employee’s needs, and developing strategies that consider cultural differences. It is through serving, the servant leader obtains a greater authority with followers. To learn more about servant leadership and three other emerging 21st-century leadership styles check out 4 Emerging Leadership Styles and Why You Should Care. References : Greenleaf, R. K., & Spears, L. C. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness (25th-anniversary ed.). Paulist Press. Leboeuf, M. (1985). The greatest management principle in the world. Putnam Pub Group. Spears, L. C. (1998). Servant-leadership. Executive Excellence, 15 (7), 11. Trompenaars, A., & Voerman, E. (2010). Servant-leadership across cultures: Harnessing the strength of the world's most powerful management philosophy . McGraw-Hill. Are you interested in better understanding your own leadership style? Contact Organizational Talent Consulting to learn more about a leadership style inventory assessment you can use to measure your preferred leadership style and receive individualized executive coaching. Register for an upcoming FREE webinar on servant leadership. Here is what you can expect: • What is servant leadership ? • Contemporary Leadership Theory Comparisons • Servant Leadership Value • The 5 Best Resources on Servant Leadership Use this site to find registration links for upcoming leadership development webinars

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. Here is what the evidence suggests about networking and whether it is a distraction or an essential leadership capability. Why Networking Matters Networking is a life skill, and it involves building personal and professional contacts and relationships with others inside and outside of the workplace. Networking relationships can span the continuum of collaboration from cooperation to integrated relationships. Shared identity theory suggests that leaders share identity with individuals with whom they associate. And as a result, leaders are more likely to trust and influence those individuals than individuals and groups with whom they do not associate. The documented workplace benefits of networking include: Increased job opportunities Increased knowledge opportunities Enhanced innovation capacity Career growth Enhanced executive presence Increased influence 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. However, not all studies reveal a consistent positive association between networking and effective leadership. A recent study found the relationship between networking, business results, and leadership effectiveness more involved. The impact of networking appears to be moderated by the leader's ability to apply two different leadership behaviors: Representing - the ability to promote the group's interests and coordinate activities. Monitoring – scanning the environment for information and locating other people or groups that can help or potentially hinder team goals. In other words, if the networking is primarily self-oriented toward building friendships or advancing your career, the benefits on leadership effectiveness are less likely. How to Grow Your Professional Network A good starting point is to look internally at your organization. As you advance your career, your external network will become increasingly important, and you will want to make the most of your professional associations and conferences. Examples of potential network contacts include: Peers and co-workers from prior employers Past vendors, suppliers, and clients Professional connections from conferences Alumni from universities you attended Friends, neighbors, spiritual community members Professional organization members Professional service providers such as your accountant or insurance provider Using LinkedIn is a great networking hack for finding new connections and staying connected as time passes and people change jobs. Next, you need to get organized. You will be most effective with networking when you are prepared. I suggest you follow these steps to get started and remember that networking is a skill to be developed. Step1: Check your Motivation Evidence suggests that you will achieve more success if your focus is on growth and advancement instead of avoiding the negative consequences of not networking. Create a positive vision in your mind that will result from your networking. You are ready to start when your motivation and vision are primarily positive, and your paradigm is that networking is a critical leadership skill. Step 2: Be deliberate Remember, networking is more than exchanging business cards. You want to be interesting and interested in the other person. Think through the aspects of your current position and where you could use some support. Then create three questions in advance of your meetings based on your needs. Step 3: Schedule a networking meeting Using a short 20-minute meeting is a great way to be respectful of your contact's time. Keep your conversations focused. Spend the first couple of minutes connecting over a high-level topic. Shift and provide a short one-minute update on what you are doing now. Then use the bulk of your time to discuss your three prepared in advance questions. You may want to ask if they know anyone else you should connect with to help you learn more about your questions. End with asking if there is anything you could discuss that would help support them and wrap up your meeting. Step 4: Follow-up After the meeting, following up with a short thank you note for their time and help never hurts. Also, you will want to stay connected since you have invested in this relationship. Setting reminders at a frequency that makes sense can help you not lose track of this network relationship. Conclusion: Is Networking a Distraction or Important Leadership Skill? Growing and cultivating high-quality networks takes an investment of time and energy. Effective leaders understand the value of their network relationships. Being curious and deliberate is the best way to prevent your networking investment from being a distraction and maximize the return on your investment. Who do you need to get in your network? What information or experiences do you need to leverage? References Ballinger, M., & Perez, N. (2012). The 20-minute networking meeting - Executive edition: Learn to get a job. Career Innovations Press. Druskat, V.U. and Wheeler, J.V. (2003). Managing from the boundary: The effective leadership of self-managing work-teams. Academy of Management Journal. 46 (4), pp. 435-457. Hassan, S., Prussia, G., Mahsud, R., & Yukl, G. (2018). How leader networking, external monitoring, and representing are relevant for effective leadership. Leadership & Organization Development Journal . Johansen, M. and LeRoux, K. (2013). Managerial networking in nonprofit organizations: The impact of networking on organizational and advocacy effectiveness. Public Administration Review . 73 (2). pp. 355-363. O'Leary, R., & Bingham, L. (2009) The collaborative public manager . Georgetown University Press. Pollack, J., Forster, W., Johnson, P., Coy, A., & Molden, D. (2015). Promotion and prevention-focused networking and its consequences for entrepreneurial success. Social and Psychological Personality Science. 6(1) pp. 3-12.

Getting leadership transitions right is rare. Alarming evidence shows that more than half of executives fail within eighteen months of starting a new position. Organizations operate more like organisms than machines, and leadership changes increase workplace anxiety. When a leader struggles, the entire business underperforms. A recent pulse survey by PwC reveals that a staggering 65% of employees are considering a new career opportunity. In the new normal, leadership transitions are more common and more important than ever to get right. Investing in leadership and career development are great ways to drive business growth. So, how do you know which is a better investment for you to make, executive coaching or mentoring? Why You Need to Invest in Leadership Transitions Leadership transitions, whether successful or not, are costly. On average direct reports spend 10-20% of their time helping a new leader transition. Also, a study revealed that two-thirds of leaders in transition report they do not receive the support they need from their team. Evidence suggests that successful leadership transitions increase company revenue, have 13% lower attrition rates, and are 90% more likely to achieve long-term performance goals. Unsuccessful leadership transitions lead to 20% less employee engagement and 15% lower performance. Direct expenses for recruiting and hiring senior leadership positions are estimated at two times the job's annual salary. Also, businesses experience increased hidden costs from the loss of potential gains associated with not having the leader in place. Leadership transitions increase anxiety and stress in the workplace . Most leaders in transition wonder if they will get along with their new direct reports. And team members wonder how the change will impact their performance and future with the company. According to DDI, 35% of all executives promoted internally, and 47% of hired externally are considered failures. Leaders need feedback and support to make a successful transition. "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Derek Bok What Is The Difference Between Executive Coaching and Mentoring? Executive coaching and mentoring are excellent strategies to support leadership and career development. Both approaches have been growing in popularity in successful organizations. However, as a certified executive coach and organizational consultant with over 25 years of talent management experience, I have seen firsthand how they are distinctly different and often confused. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) defines coaching "as partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential." Executive coaching focuses on moving toward the leader's future, assessing where they are currently, their goals for the future, and exploring and discovering the steps to get to their desired future. The ultimate goal is a change (e.g., behavioral, attitudinal, or motivational). Executive coaching is a purposeful process that helps executives develop and experience a positive transformation in life and leadership. The executive coach-client relationship is grounded in trust, transparency, and confidentiality. While the coach and client are the primary stakeholders, the executive's sponsoring organization is often an additional formal or informal stakeholder. Current evidence-based research supports various psychological approaches to executive coaching, such as cognitive-behavioral, solution-focused, strength-based, and GROW. While each approach is similar, the GROW model is a popular executive coaching approach. Mentoring, like coaching, can be approached in vastly different ways from business to business. The most effective mentoring is mentee-driven and mentor-guided. Mentoring is a dynamically reciprocal, active learning process. A mentor asks questions and shares personal past successes and failures. A coach uses questions but focuses on the leader, not the coach's experience. The Association for Talent Development (ATD) defines mentoring as "an informal association focused on building a two-way, mutually beneficial relationship for long-term career movement." Although many people believe that a mentor needs to be senior to the mentee, it is not critical to success. Like executive coaching, mentoring is a trust-based partnership. It is most effective with clearly defined roles, driven by the mentee, voluntary, and confidential. When Executive Coaching is Your Best Choice Executive coaching , instead of mentoring, can be the best choice for leaders preparing to make a leadership transition, are just getting started with a new career opportunity, or have hit a wall in their development. Many companies use executive coaching as a leadership transition acceleration tool. Executive coaching helps leaders who need a plan get focused. An executive coach increases blind spot awareness. Also, the coach keeps the leader feeling challenged versus being worried about what is next. Living life to the fullest can be at risk during a leadership transition. A coach can help the leader see different interrelated factors that impact them and be a true champion in a supportive way. Executive coaching encourages experimentation and self-discovery through the application of what is discussed. A skillful coach helps the leader dance in the present moment and take the necessary actions for their future. During leadership transitions, leaders need to shift their mindset to allow for new perspectives and take advantage of new opportunities. An executive coach challenges assumptions and encourages and stretches the leader to reach new heights in life and work. The benefits of investing in executive coaching are many; 80% of people who receive coaching report increased self-confidence. Over 70% benefit from improved work performance , relationships, and more effective communication skills. 86% of companies report that they recouped their investment in coaching and more. A limitation of executive coaching is that it focuses on the future and doesn't deal with the past. Executive Coaching Transition Example: A leader from one part of the world was assigned to take on operations in another in one organization. They hired an executive coach as part of the leadership transition support and cultural agility development. The virtual executive coaching relationship had three specific goals: improve the cultural awareness and agility of the leader in a new culture, keep the executive focused on their 90-day plan, and creative thought partner about decisions in a new culture. It is crucial to find a skilled and qualified executive coach. The International Coaching Federation (ICF) is a globally recognized association with evidence-based competency and code of ethics certification requirements. Look for a coach that: Demonstrates Ethical Practice Embodies a Coaching Mindset Establishes and Maintains Agreements Cultivates Trust and Safety Maintains Presence Listens Actively Evokes Awareness Facilitates Client Growth I challenge you to invest in an executive coach for your leadership transition and see your business results improve. When Mentoring is Your Best Choice Mentoring can be the best choice for an organization looking to increase talent mobility and internal visibility to talent across the organization. Mentoring creates purposeful relationships providing access and mutually beneficial interactions between employees that may not typically connect. Mentoring provides leaders with a development-oriented relationship and can expose leaders to different business areas and encourage new careers. Both the mentee and the mentor benefit from increased exposure in the business. Mentoring is effective for encouraging ethical behavior and virtues. Where past experiences can help leaders understand decisions between right and right. The benefits of mentoring include increased job satisfaction , expanded perspectives, strengthened technical, interpersonal, and leadership skills. A limitation of mentoring is that the learning is grounded in the past experiences of the mentor. While that approach can be helpful, we are all created with different strengths and backgrounds. Also, contemporary leadership challenges can be vastly different. Mentoring Transition Example: In one successful mentoring relationship, the mentee was the VP of HR for a nonprofit. The mentor was the managing director of finance. The leaders from different parts of the organization arranged in-person and virtual face-to-face meetings once a month. The mentee described that the relationship helped them grow as a leader. Specific technical advice was provided on the use of financial dashboards. The connection enabled the mentee to approach the challenge from a big picture business finance lens. The mentor described that the relationship improved their awareness of the role of organizational talent and how to navigate difficult conversations with senior leaders. The right mentor is critical to the outcomes of the relationship. To find the right mentor: Get clear about what you want to accomplish personally and professionally. Know yourself and the characteristics you admire in others. Consider what career opportunity you would like to have Know the difference between a sponsor and a mentor Develop a pitch and a few questions to use with a potential mentor. Include your goals, how often you want to meet, agendas, and clarify it is OK to say no. Conclusion: Getting Leadership Transitions Right Leadership and career development are two of the best and most important steps companies can take to drive lasting success in the new normal. Supporting and investing in leadership transitions unlocks tremendous business value. Both executive coaching and mentoring provide massive leader and company benefits. However, this does not mean there isn't a best choice to make for you, given your situation and unique context. Let's talk about how we can help you achieve your goals with transformational executive coaching and organizational solutions that work. References Bharucha, K. (2013). Corporate finance: The cost of poor leadership transitions. Corporate Executive Board. Boushey, H., & Glynn, J. (2012). There are significant business costs to replacing employees , Center for American Progress. Eskandanian-Yee, C. (2020). A mentor versus an executive coach: Which one is best for your business? Forbes. Ettore, M. (2020). Why most executives fail: And four things companies can do about it. Forbes. Keller, S. (2018). Successfully transitioning to new leadership roles. Mckinsey & Company. Krbechek, A., & Tagle, A. (2020). The right mentor can change your career. Here's how to find one. NPR. Next in Work. (2021). PwC pulse survey: Next in work. PwC. Pease, M. (2021). Private struggle: Why executive transitions continue to fail. DDI. Syed, A., Miller, S., Safferstone, T., Selinger, R., Schmidt, C., & Freire, P. (2005). Succeeding with your new manager: Strategies for getting your relationship right. Corporate Executive Board. Tyler, K. (2014). Executive coaches ease leadership transitions. SHRM.

More than a few things have recently changed, and experts can agree that the world and workplace will remain turbulent into the future. We all likely need to make some changes now or will soon. Like rapids in a river, change is a natural and healthy part of growing your business. As the world changes, leaders and companies must change too. No CEO brags about the status quo. But, change imposed is often opposed. Making change work in a way that brings out the best in your organization is a leadership skill that is more important now than ever. Here is a simple four-step positive, strength-based framework to leading change that can breathe new life into your team. 70% of all organizational change initiatives fail. Really? A widely held perception is that most workplace changes fail. McKinsey and Company surveyed over 1,500 executives on their perceptions of change. They concluded that most changes fail because only a third of the executives in the study indicated that changes were entirely or, for the most part, successful. No matter your perception of change, the reality of a fast-moving economy and complex business environment makes the "change problem" increasingly difficult to execute well. Change is complex, whether broad or incremental. Like running a successful race, the work begins well before the first steps of the race and before the visible aspects of a change take place. In his book Leading Change, Kotter suggested that these initial steps are required to set the stage and loosen up the system. If organizations move too quickly or out of order, they get into trouble, leading to faulty decisions and wasted efforts. A positive strengths-based approach to change Too often, change processes begin with what is wrong. While it is imperative to fix problems, if you never spend time talking with others about what is possible, you miss the opportunity to engage in inspiring work that connects to purpose. A constant focus on what is wrong not only diverts attention from the best of what can be, but it's draining. Consider a scenario where one employee always asks what is wrong and complains about needed fixes. Another asks about the best of what is possible. Both conversations can lead to improvements, but focusing on what is wrong misses capturing the potential of what is possible. What if the leader reframes a need for change? From a negative to a positive? Instead of  reducing employee turnover, to  retaining your best employees Instead of  improving customer satisfaction, to  creating loyal brand advocates Instead of  improving quality, to  delivering exceptional customer experiences From problem to opportunity? Instead of  addressing a declining market share, to  identifying new growth opportunities and expanding into new markets Instead of  resolving conflicts within the team, to  building a cohesive and high-performing team culture Instead of  overcoming a skills gap, to  investing in employee development and upskilling From a challenge to a transformation? Instead of  dealing with a leadership crisis, to  embarking on a journey of organizational transformation Instead of  facing a major setback, to  learning from the experience and emerging stronger Instead of  dealing with resistance to change, to  engaging employees in the change process and building buy-in Appreciative Inquiry is an approach to change management that fosters positive transformation. It can be used in one-to-one coaching sessions, with teams to create strategic plans , or in companywide large-scale change initiatives. The fundamental assumptions of the Appreciate Inquiry process are that: People are more confident to make changes building on the best of the past Individuals, teams, and organizations move in the direction discussed In every person, team, or organization, something is good and works Questions create influence Words shape worlds Like other change management processes, this process starts with identifying the right team of core stakeholders to identify the focal point. The Appreciative Inquiry change management approach is a four "D" change management process. Use this link to download a one-page overview of Appreciative Inquiry. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 1: Discovery Once the focal point for the change initiative is identified, it begins with finding the best of what is already within the business. Traditional change management processes often begin by asking people to think about and discuss gaps and weaknesses. While this approach has been used successfully, it is not without risks. Asking what is wrong can put people on the defensive, create resistance and a lack of buy-in, and sometimes hinder rather than encourage change. One of my favorite appreciative questions to use at this step is: What would you wish for if you had three wishes to improve your organization's health and vitality dramatically? (and no, you cannot wish for more wishes) Appreciative Inquiry Step # 2: Dream After interviews are conducted, and the feedback is analyzed from the discovery step, the team phrases the vision and images of the dream into aspiration statements. The dream (or vision) step is about collaborating on the best of what can be. The outcomes from the discovery step are shared, and members of the change team co-create aspirational statements about the ideal future. Note: Some organizations dislike the idea of dreaming. In these organizations, I will substitute the word vision, which conveys a similar meaning and keeps people from getting hung up on the word. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 3: Design The design step is about establishing creative strategies to move from what is to what can be. Actionable organizational design elements are identified, critical internal ad external relationships are identified, and action-oriented design statements are created. Design statement example: Our customers expect and deserve timely service and expertise. Our organization has a state-of-the-art, world-recognized knowledge management and customer care system to support our capability to make on-the-spot, informed decisions necessary to meet all of our customers' individual needs. Appreciative Inquiry Step # 4: Destiny The Destiny Phase is the final stage in Appreciative Inquiry, where the organization takes action to implement the vision and goals created in the previous phases. It's a time of execution, celebration, and ongoing learning. In this phase, organizations review their goals and action steps to ensure they remain aligned with the vision and values. They then execute the strategies and initiatives developed in the Design phase with a focus on excellence and continuous improvement. The Destiny Phase emphasizes adaptability and flexibility. Organizations should be open to revising strategies and plans as circumstances change or new opportunities arise. This phase aims to establish an appreciative culture that supports the ongoing implementation of the vision. The Destiny Phase is not merely the end of the Appreciative Inquiry process; it is the beginning of a new era for the organization, characterized by a positive and appreciative culture that drives continuous improvement and innovation. How is Appreciative Inquiry different from other popular change management approaches? Traditional organizational transformation or problem-solving techniques often ask people to consider and discuss gaps, weaknesses, and problems in the current system or organization. While these approaches have been used successfully in many settings, they are not without risks. Problem-solving techniques can put people on the defensive, create resistance and a lack of buy-in, and sometimes hinder rather than encourage change. In contrast, AI focuses on the positive and builds on strengths to shape the future. Like other organizational transformation approaches, AI begins by framing the issue(s) and collecting data. However, unlike most other methods, AI provides a mechanism for framing problems and collecting data in an appreciative rather than a critical manner. While it is helpful to learn from mistakes, it is equally beneficial to learn from and carry forward victories and best practices. References: Cooperrider, D. & Whitney, D. (1999). Appreciative inquiry: Collaborating for change . Berrett-Kohler Publishing. Doolittle, J. (2023). Life-changing leadership habits: 10 Proven principles that will elevate people, profit, and purpose. Organizational Talent Consulting. Rosenzweig, J. & Van Tiem, D. (2007) An appreciative view of human performance technology. Performance Improvement . Tasler, N. (2017). Stop using the excuse “organizational change is hard” . Harvard Business Review .