Most leaders want more out of life and work. Leadership expert Simon Sinek describes working hard for something we don't care about stress and working hard for something we love passion. In his poem, The Voiceless, Oliver Wendell Holmes concluded that many of us will go to our graves with our music still inside and unplayed. Before you can unlock a better future, you have to know what it looks like. Taking an "I will know it when I see it" approach will not help you get in front of the busyness of life as a leader or persevere when life throws you a curveball. Why Knowing Your Purpose Matters Evidence suggests that the positive psychological effects of knowing your purpose include professional success, well-being, reduced stress, and physical benefits such as longevity. A research study of over 40,000 adults found that both men and women with a clarity of purpose had a decreased risk for death from external causes. Once you understand where you are going, you are better positioned to know when to say no and when to say yes. The clarity that knowing your purpose creates is a competitive advantage for individuals and organizations. Purpose leads to personal engagement, which energizes the leader and their team amid complexity and volatility. 2 Powerful Questions for A Better Future Simply living day to day without a vision for the future is not a great approach if you want to make the most of your life. Success and significance are not accidents and will require being deliberate and persevering. Ask yourself the following two powerful questions: What do I want to be remembered for in life and at work? Starting with the end in mind goes far beyond knowing what you love or desire. This question requires considering why and what outcome you want from your personal and professional investment of time and energy. To answer this question, you have to factor in the impact you will have on others, what you stand for, and how you want to show up daily. What does personal and professional success look like this year and over the next five years? We are bombarded with images of what success should look like. Images such as vacationing at a luxurious resort, buying a dream house, or driving a new car are images likely floating around your mind when you think about success. Also, our answers to this question are influenced by our culture and upbringing. When thinking about the answer to this question consider the following types of success: material, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, physical, commercial, organizational, environmental, time, and team. The following answers come from recent interviews I conducted for my new book, "Breaking 10 Leadership Bad Habits." I spoke with successful high-potential directors, executives, and businesses owners to understand how they measure success and significance. Hopefully, their responses will inspire you to consider these questions: being able to chart my course faith family financial and business metrics employee engagement joy of living If you want to unlock a better future, now it is your turn to answer the questions and the following steps can help you get started. Finding Your Purpose A serious threat to achieving success and significance is not being deliberate. Use these steps to get the most out of these two powerful questions. Schedule some time in your calendar to reflect for ten minutes on each question. Discovering your answers can be challenging in a world full of suggestions for what success and significance should be. Ask yourself each question and journal what comes to mind. Don't filter. Just write it down. Journaling is often an underutilized tool. It is simply not enough to reflect. To gain traction, you need to be able to come back at a later time and reflect on your answers. If you aren't in the habit of journaling, you may like the structure and ease of the Day One app. Find a few people that know you well, that you trust, and will be encouraging of your exploration. Ask them how they would answer the questions for you. Consider hiring an executive coach. Some leaders become anxious with introspection. An effective executive coach will challenge assumptions and views and encourage, stretch, and challenge you. Coaching is a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires clients to maximize their personal and professional potential. Finding an individual leadership purpose can be challenging in a world full of powerful and influential advice about what is success and significance. Reflect on what you heard. Consider themes rather than specific points shared and, as needed, edit or delete points you journaled. Likely your answers to these four powerful questions will evolve. Yearly, repeating these steps will help keep you moving in the best direction. Are you feeling stalled in your current role? Have you faced challenges without the success you had hoped for? Do you want to switch careers? Are you unsure how to focus on your personal development? Do you want to live your best life? If you said yes to any of these questions, you might want to hire an executive coach to help. Let's talk about how we can help you achieve your goals with transformational executive coaching and organizational solutions that work. References: Hollensbe, E., Wookey, C., Hickey, L., & George, G. (2014). Organizations with purpose. Academy of Management Journal, 57(5), 1227-1234. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2014.4005 Holmes, O. (1891). The autocrat of the breakfast table: Every man his own Boswell. Mifflin Schippers, M., & Ziegler, N. (2019). Life crafting as a way to find purpose and meaning in life. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 2778-2778. Sinek, S. [@simonsinek]. (2012, Feb. 28). Working hard for something we don't care about is called stress; working hard for something we love is called passion. Twitter.

Effective leadership is communication. Great leaders recognize they are part of a team and want to inspire followers to be their best, but it's not easy. In fact, sometimes, it's incredibly challenging. From being vulnerable to saying what others don't want to hear to endless Zoom meetings. It can be exhausting. But being an influential communicator is not something you are born with or not. You can be just as trustworthy and inspiring working remotely as in the office. A few things about effective leadership communication are proven based on several studies over the past two decades. With these recommendations, you can focus on the critical few proven leadership communication solutions that create business results. Why Leadership Communication Matters Effective leadership is a competitive advantage and at the core of leadership is the human experience. The leader-follower relationship is everything. Followers and organizations thrive with influential leaders and suffer from ineffective leaders whatever the context: businesses, government, community, education, or faith-based. Communication effectiveness is proven to moderate leadership effectiveness. Numerous peer-reviewed studies provide evidence that communication effectiveness is a strong predictor of leadership performance. A comprehensive study of significant organizational change initiatives revealed that 58% had failed, and another 20% never realized the total value expected. The inability to identify or react to followers' needs during change contributes to leadership failures. Many of us are working from home now, either part-time or full-time. Surprisingly, evidence from research suggests that proximity is not the critical determinant of communication effectiveness. Leading at a distance is still leading. The key is to be able to create feedback loops and transparency. A recent survey of leaders across companies with under $10m to over $1bn in annual revenue identified the following negative consequences associated with ineffective leadership communication: 52% reported higher stress levels 44% lead to failure in completing their projects 31% contributed to low morale 25% said they missed their performance goals 20% experienced obstacles to innovation 18% reported a failure to close a sale Build Your Emotional Intelligence Emotional intelligence is considered the ability to recognize, express, comprehend and regulate emotions. Your degree of self-awareness, self-management, motivation, empathy and interpersonal skills make up your emotional intelligence. Evidence suggests that a leader's ability to self-assess and modify a response to an individual's emotional needs directly impacts leadership effectiveness. Emotional intelligence is two times more impactful on leadership effectiveness than your mental or technical ability. Emotional intelligence helps you build better relationships, reduce workplace stress, create productive conflict and improve employee retention. Leaders with higher emotional intelligence achieve better customer satisfaction and business results. Here are a few practical tips to boost your emotional intelligence: Learn to identify, evaluate, and express your emotions. For example, can you identify a low, moderate, and high-intensity descriptive word for happy, sad, and scared feelings? As simple as this sounds, expanding your ability to explain variations of emotional intensity is proven to make a difference. Recognize and respond to the emotions of others. The next time you find yourself in a meeting, and you don't know why you are there. Play a game and try to recognize and name the emotions of others. Also, when you are talking with someone, try reflecting on their emotion by naming it, such as, "that is frustrating when you don't have what you need to get the job done." Get feedback. Identify five people that know you well and would be comfortable giving you constructive feedback. Ask them to rate how well you respond to challenging situations or how empathetic you are. Alternatively, working with an executive coach and using valid assessments can help you overcome some common barriers to getting good feedback. Cultivate Your Cultural Agility Culture is one of the most potent forces in business. Culture identifies what is essential and reinforces communication norms and behaviors for leaders—cultural forces impact leadership communication effectiveness and, ultimately, organizational effectiveness. A leader's words create in-groups and out-groups based on familiarity and understanding of the words. People in different companies and even parts of the same company might assume other intentions or meanings from the same leadership communication. Today's leaders face a growing number of cross-cultural differences when working with customers and employees. Cultural agility is vital because, with over 60 global society cultures identified and numerous variations in regions within the national cultures, it is virtually impossible to be experienced in every situation. I experienced the importance of cultural agility early in my career. When working for a global organization, I met with a colleague from Rome and immediately started discussing business to respect our limited time together. This culturally expected behavior in the US was considered insensitive by my colleague from Rome. Before working together, it was expected we would make introductions that go beyond our work and titles. Thankfully he was gracious, and we both recognized the difference between our intent and impact. Successful, culturally agile leaders: Understand their own culture, their organization's culture, and how it impacts the organizational culture impacts their communication and the business. Recognize and appreciate the differences of other cultures as compared to their own. Use their understanding of cultural differences to adjust their communication within cross-cultural situations effectively. Developing your cultural agility requires dedicated effort and investment to break from the typical classroom presentation, book, or eLearning module. It requires a blended learning environment that includes assessments, cross-cultural immersion experiences, and structured feedback. Executive coaching, instead of mentoring, can be an excellent choice for leaders wanting to cultivate their cultural agility. Executive Coaching 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: improving the leader's cultural awareness and agility in a new culture, keeping the executive focused on their 90-day plan, and creative thought partner about decisions in a new culture. Tell Stories Stories have the power to engage and build strong relationships with others. Although storytelling has become more popularized in business over the past few years, leaders have used it for thousands of years. The oldest cave paintings in the world were used to tell stories of pre-historic events. Stories can be used in several ways to increase your leadership communication effectiveness: Inspiring others to take action by being able to visualize how something might work Communicating who you are and what you care about Communicating a brand image Conveying organizational values and culture to others Encouraging collaboration Clarifying between rumor and reality Sharing knowledge about problems and why solutions worked Strategic foresight about the future. Consider the "I have a dream" speech by Martin Luther King, Jr. The right anecdote can be worth a thousand theories. Warren Bennis Here is a good TedTalk on how leaders tell stories: Once you have a great story to tell, you will want to use these tips: Start by providing the situation and context Incorporate metaphors into your story Highlight emotions Keep the story specific and avoid corporate jargon Add an element of surprise This short sample video from Neil Gaiman's master class on storytelling provides a great example of how to put these all together: Lead with Questions Questions grounded in curiosity create influence. The higher you move up in an organization, the easier it becomes to feel like having you must always have the answer. Learning to ask the right question instead of always having the answer benefits you, your team, and the organization. Leaders that ask questions become better listeners and gain deeper insights into how to bring out the best in others and guide the organization. Followers asked questions develop greater self-awareness, self-confidence, and empowerment. Organizations with a questioning culture experience improved organizational learning capability, enhanced problem solving and decision-making, greater strategic foresight, engaged followers, improved teamwork, and innovation. However, not all questions are equal. For example, if you ask followers why are they behind schedule? You will likely get a defensive response rather than a solution. If you ask, what key things need to happen for you to achieve the goal? You will encourage followers to apply critical thinking to identify a solution. Appreciative Inquiry is a positive, strength-based approach to change management that can bring new life to change initiatives. Too often, change processes begin with what is wrong. While it is imperative to fix problems, if we never spend time talking with others about what is possible, we miss the opportunity to engage in inspiring work and realize our dreams. The Appreciative Inquiry change management approach is described as a four "D" change management process: Discovery – finding the best of what is Dream – collaborating on the best of what can be Design – establishing creative strategies to move from what is to what can be Destiny – executing the design strategies with excellence and revising as needed Try asking using these powerful questions during your next one to one meeting: What's on your mind? What else? If you had three wishes to improve the workplace's health and vitality dramatically, what would you wish for (no, you cannot ask for more wishes)? What have you accomplished so far that you are most proud of? Conclusion: Improving Leadership Communication Effectiveness Highly effective leaders communicate in ways that encourage, inspire, and motivate followers to bring out their best. Your cultural agility, emotional intelligence, and communication skills contribute to your leadership success. Now more than ever, leaders need to ask, what can I do to bring out the best in my team? How you communicate has a significant impact on your leadership effectiveness. Communication skills like leading with a question or telling a story can dramatically improve your communication effectiveness. What is your biggest opportunity to improve your communication effectiveness? References Clancy, C. (2014). The importance of emotional intelligence. Nursing Management, 21(8), 15-15. Communication barriers in the modern workplace. (2018). The Economist Intelligence Unit Denning, S. (2007). The secret language of leadership. San Francisco. John Wiley & Sons. Fu, J. H., Hong, Y., Menon, T., Sim, J., & Chiu, C. (2010). Blazing the trail versus trailing the group: Culture and perceptions of the leader's position. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 113(1), 51-61. Goleman, D. (1999). "Emotional intelligence" key to leadership. Health Progress, 80(2), 9. Goleman, Daniel. (1998). What Makes a Leader? Harvard Business Review, 1998. Hackman, M. Z., & Johnson, C. E. (2018). Leadership: A communication perspective (6th ed.). Long Grove, Ill: Waveland Press. Johnson, C. E., & Hackman, M. Z. (2018). Leadership: A communication perspective (6th ed.). Long Grove, Ill: Waveland Press. Joseph, D. L., & Newman, D. A. (2010). Emotional intelligence: An integrative meta-analysis and cascading model. Journal of Applied Psychology, 95(1), 54-78. Neufeld, D. J., Wan, Z., & Fang, Y. (2008;2010;). Remote leadership, communication effectiveness and leader performance. Group Decision and Negotiation, 19(3), 227-246. Schein, E. H. (1996). Culture: The missing concept in organization studies. Administrative Science Quarterly, 41(2), 229-240. Schein, E. H. (2017). Organizational culture and leadership (5th ed.). Hoboken, New Jersey: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Solomon, A., & Steyn, R. (2017). Leadership styles: The role of cultural intelligence. SA Journal of Industrial Psychology, 43, e1-e12. Vandervoort, D. J. (2006). The importance of emotional intelligence in higher education. Current Psychology, 25(1), 4-7.

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

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

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.

Harnessing the potential of company growth takes having well-equipped leaders. Every successful leader needs the right tools and useful skills. When companies look for a competitive advantage, there is often talk about making leadership development investments. It also tends to come up when budgets get tight or during mid-year reviews when there is a realization that half the year is gone. But during these conversations, leadership development programs are typically questioned. The truth is that leadership is more than a position, and event-driven development often fails to create lasting change. But, while narrowly focused programs don't work, leadership development does. Surprised? Why is leadership development important? We know technology needs frequent updates to perform well. In a fast-paced and turbulent workplace, leaders must also continually add to and enhance their skills or risk falling behind. Here are a few ways that well-equipped leadership makes a difference in the workplace: Team Performance Several research studies have investigated the connection between the leader and business performance. Studies have demonstrated that effective leadership improves follower performance and promotes higher business results, follower job satisfaction, and follower organizational commitment. Innovation and Creativity Evidence suggests that leadership is essential for driving innovation in a company. A study involving over 400 executives from 48 companies connected strategy and innovation performance directly with good leadership habits. Trust and Change Studies have demonstrated that the level of trust in leadership directly correlates to employee retention, organizational commitment, and support for organizational change. Furthermore, when executives build trust, evidence suggests that organizational change readiness increases. Internal Communication & Relationships Words shape worlds. Studies have revealed that influential leaders enhance two-way communication, creativity, collaboration, job attitudes, and organizational commitment. Leadership Transitions Leadership transitions, whether successful or not, are costly. Evidence suggests that, on average, 35% of internally promoted executives fail, and direct reports spend 10-20% of their time helping a new leader transition. Successful leadership transitions increase company revenue, have 13% lower attrition rates, and are 90% more likely to achieve long-term performance goals. Leadership development is a leadership transition acceleration tool. "If you think education is expensive, try ignorance." Derek Bok Who is leadership development for? A common barrier to leadership development comes from companies and individuals failing to recognize leadership as something more than a job title. A company avoiding this mistake is Amazon. They offer a month-long training and leadership development program prior to hire. They believe that all employees should be owners one day, so they train them to take ownership over their products, services, and careers. "At Amazon, we believe that everyone is a leader. And leaders know that they always have things to learn." Amazon Jobs As companies have flattened organizational structures or moved to self-directed work team structures, the need for leadership development has expanded. However, not all leadership development programs are effective. The development needs of a project manager, frontline leader, or executive are similar but different. Leaders learn best when development is bite-sized and personalized. What does leadership development mean? Leadership is one of the most researched and least understood topics in the social sciences field. Just as there is no one definition for leadership, there are often many different perspectives on what is and is not considered leadership development. Leader vs. Leadership Development: There is a common debate over whether leader development differs from leadership development. Leader development typically focuses on the individual, including self-awareness and leadership identity. Management Development vs. Leadership Development: Another common area of confusion is between management and leadership. Adding to this confusion is that different global cultures have different preferences for using leadership or management development. Management development is typically company-specific task knowledge and skills for managerial roles. Leadership development includes formal and informal activities and practices that enhance leaders' qualities, traits, and behaviors that improve results and relationships. What are the elements of an effective leadership development program? While skills and tools are often emphasized in leadership development programs, there is much more to consider. The effects of the leader's character, company culture, the quality of leader-follower relationships, and leader and follower traits are elements that directly impact program outcomes. Leaders make decisions based on their character every day, consciously or unconsciously. The impacts of these decisions reinforce desired or undesired behaviors, thinking, and employee feelings. In a study of executive leaders and their organizations over two years, CEOs who scored high on aspects of character had an average return on assets (ROA) of 9.35%, in contrast to CEOs with low ratings who had a ROA of 1.93%. Gaps in leadership performance are frequently tied to a lack of support rather than an individual's lack of desire to perform well. To maximize development investment returns, programs need to account for environmental performance influences such as leadership feedback, resources, and incentives. "A bad system will beat a good person every time." Edwards Demining How to get the most out of your leadership development investment? Many leadership development programs are missing the mark because they are event-driven. Leadership development is best viewed as a system and not an event. Aligning development readiness with high-quality coaching improves development outcomes. Development readiness refers to the leader's and organization's ability, orientation, and motivation to develop. Leaders who want to learn and can focus on learning tend to view obstacles and challenges to their learning as the path to improvement. Effective leadership development programs leverage a continuum of leadership development approaches, such as: Classroom and executive development programs Executive coaching with leadership assessments Mentoring and cohort learning Self-paced e-learning Adaptive delivery, microlearning, and prompts in the moment 3 Reasons to Invest in leadership development Reason #1: Reinforcing Company Culture Financially successful businesses, according to Forbes, have identified organizational culture as the critical factor in their success. Evidence from a study involving 1435 companies over 40 years revealed that great sustained results depend on an overarching corporate culture. Company culture impacts everything in business and plays a role at the individual, team, and organizational level. A company's culture exists within the shared experiences and learnings of its employees. A simplified working definition of organizational culture is how things get done within the organization when no one is watching. What leaders reinforce, either intentionally or unintentionally, influences what does and doesn't get done. Leaders at all levels play a vital role in creating the organizational culture. Ultimately every organizational result is the direct contribution of an employee. Evidence from numerous studies repeatedly confirms the vital importance of company culture on business results. Also, research links company culture to employee morale, commitment, health, productivity, and well-being. Leadership development programs equip leaders with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to effectively reinforce the desired company culture and d the company's vision, mission, and values. Reason #2: Attracting and Retaining Your Best Leaders The best leaders in your company place a high value on continuous growth and development opportunities. The 2018 LinkedIn Workplace Learning Report involving 400 people managers and 200 executive leaders revealed that 94% would stay at a company longer if they received development opportunities. According to an IBM study from 2014, employees who do not feel they are being developed to achieve their career goals are 12 times more likely to leave. Great companies are the outcome of having great employees. Gallup's 2013 State of the American Workplace report declared that the single biggest decision executives make is selecting the leader. "When you name the wrong person manager, nothing fixes that bad decision . Not compensation, not benefits—nothing." Jim Clifton Multiple studies reveal that leadership style can enhance organizational commitment. More committed leaders and employees are less likely to leave, are more productive, and are more likely to give discretionary effort toward their goals. Reason #3: Creating a Robust Leadership Pipeline A lot of businesses are experiencing a leadership shortage. Alarming data from a new global study reveals that only 14% of leaders are confident with hiring decisions. Also, only 11% of CEOs rate their organization as having a solid bench of ready-now leaders. Having the right leadership in the right place at the right time is vital to harnessing the potential of company growth and navigating the volatility in the marketplace. Good leadership can make a success out of a weak plan, and ineffective leadership can destroy a business with a great strategic plan. What could be more vital to company growth and sustained business performance than a pipeline of well-equipped, ready-now, and future-ready leaders? Leadership development programs build current capability and future capacity. Our suite of leadership development programs are: personalized packaged into bite-sized formats supported with tips and tools to create good daily leadership habits Let's talk about how we can help you achieve your goals with transformational executive coaching and organizational consulting solutions that work. References Avolio, B. J., & Hannah, S. T. (2008). Developmental readiness: Accelerating leader development. Consulting Psychology Journal, 60(4), 331-347. Bambacas, M. (2010). Organizational handling of careers influences managers' organizational commitment Journal of Management Development. Cameron, K. S., & Quinn, R. E. (2011) Diagnosing and changing organizational culture: Based on the competing values framework (Third ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Conger, J. & Fulmer, R. (2003) Developing your leadership pipeline Harvard Business Review. Gartner (2019) Gartner says 45% of managers lack confidence to help employees develop the skills they need today. Goler, L., Gale, J., Harrington, B., & Grant, A. (2018) Why people really quit their jobs Harvard Business Review. Gurdjan, P., Haibeisen, T., & Lane, K. (2022). Why leadership development programs fail McKinsey & Co. IBM (2014) The value of training IBM Corporation Jan, J. & Kandampully, J. (2017) Reducing employee turnover intention through servant leadership in the restaurant context: A mediation study of affective organizational commitment International Journal of Hospitality & Tourism Administration 19(2),125-141. Kleinman, C. (2004) Leadership: A key strategy in staff nurse retention The Journal of Continuing Education in Nursing 35(3). Korn Ferry (2022) The leadership shortage. LinkedIn (2018) 2018 Workplace learning report LinkedIn Rhyne, R. & Neal, S. (2021) Top CEO challenges 2021: 4 key trends in leadership.

What if I told you that your greatest leadership challenge isn't what you think it is? A while back, a results-driven leader came to me with a serious personal dilemma. Their work harder and longer hours approach had left them feeling exhausted and with a deep sense of regret from missing out on life. The newly promoted executive was on the edge of burnout. You can likely feel their pain if you've ever taken on a stretch assignment. As we began to work together, it became clear they didn't have the time management challenge they initially believed. There is no shortage of challenges and stress in leadership. But if not careful in the busyness of life and career, a presenting problem can be misdiagnosed. Leadership can appear to force a choice between spending time to achieve professional success or personal significance. But it doesn't. Taking a systems point of view of leadership highlights the value of building personal stress resilience and capacity. Let's take a closer look at why and how. Why your stress resilience and capacity matter Leaders want sustained high performance for themselves and their team. While time is a fixed part of every leader's equation, how the leader thinks, feels, and acts are variables that influence the leader's performance and potential. A recent global workforce study by Gallup revealed that 44% of employees are experiencing a lot of daily stress and 40% feel worried a lot throughout the day. Stress in the workplace is at an all-time high, and 60% of employees are unwilling or unable to connect with others as a result. The complications stemming from a lack of stress resilience and capacity include increased turnover, decreased productivity, decreased customer satisfaction, and decreased performance at an organizational level. While broken relationships, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and even suicide are associated at an individual leader level. Avoiding stress is unrealistic. However, in addition to minimizing external workplace stressors, enhancing personal resilience and capacity is proven to improve performance at work and in life. Evidence suggests that high resilience and stress capacity reduces anxiety levels, and lowers the risk of burnout. How to enhance personal capacity and resilience Physical wellness is one way to build your stress resilience and capacity. Evidence indicates that being physically fit produces many emotional and health benefits in addition to reducing stress reactivity, protecting against negative reactions from stressful events, and preventing chronic diseases. Physical wellness and exercise are associated with increased happiness, self-confidence, and energy. Going for a hike in the park with a friend and talking about life can give perspective during challenging times. Achieving physical wellness is an individual path. Whether you already have some healthy habits or not, here are a few questions to consider: Nutrition: Are you improving your diet and setting goals for small changes? Activity: Are you taking breaks every one to two hours throughout the day to get physical activity like taking a short walk? Rest: Are you getting regular periods of sleep? Drugs: Have you identified triggers that make you want to use substances and do you have a plan to help you avoid them? Medicines: Do you visit a health care provider for routine care and monitoring? Self-care is not selfish behavior. Like every living thing in this world, if leaders are not continually investing in restoring and strengthening physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health, it is deteriorating. No one in the workplace escapes this reality. When creating a new habit, pick one change to make that's easy and then gradually increase. Don't try to make too many changes at once. Make it easy. Life is not meant to be done alone. Too often, we fail to consider how we can leverage accountability to help us create a new healthy habit. Being accountable to ourselves and someone we trust is proven to help you create a new habit. Hiring an executive coach is one way to help you stay focused on your goals leading to improved performance. It ultimately doesn't matter where you start, but that you actually do all those healthy things you know you ought to do. What is a healthy physical wellness habit you could start today? References Cleo, G., Glasziou, P., Beller, E., Isenring, E., & Rae, T. (2019). Habit-based interventions for weight loss maintenance in adults with overweight and obesity: a randomized controlled trial. International Journal of Obesity, 43(2), 374-383. Gallup. (2022). State of the global workplace 2022 report. Gallup. Godfrey, C. M., Harrison, M. B., Lysaght, R., Lamb, M., Graham, I. D., & Oakley, P. (2011). Care of self – care by other – care of other: The meaning of self‐care from research, practice, policy and industry perspectives. International Journal of Evidence-Based Healthcare, 9(1), 3-24. Loehr, J., & Schwartz, T. (2003). The power of full engagement: Managing energy, not time, is the key to high performance and personal renewal. Penton Media, Inc. Nituica, C., Bota, O. A., Blebea, J., Cheng, C. I., & Slotman, G. J. (2021). Factors influencing resilience and burnout among resident physicians-a National Survey. BMC medical education, 21(1), 1-9. Perez-Blasco, J., Sales, A., Meléndez, J. C., & Mayordomo, T. (2016). The effects of mindfulness and self-compassion on improving the capacity to adapt to stress situations in elderly people living in the community. Clinical Gerontologist, 39(2), 90-103. Richards, S. (2010). The benefits of self-care. British Journal of Healthcare Assistants, 4(5), 246-247. SAMHSA. (2016). Creating a healthier life: A step-by-step guide to wellness. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)

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

Have you ever felt it wasn’t safe to speak up at work? This challenge is universal. According to a study involving over 195,000 US employees, only 30% strongly believe their opinion really matters. Contemporary workplace challenges are increasingly defined by incredible technological advances and workforce friction. Evidence suggests that psychological safety is at the core of highly competitive organizations. An absence of physical safety leads to serious accidents, but the absence of psychological safety leads to poor employee mental health and company performance below expectations. Growth in knowledge-intensive business requires the creativity and skills of many employees built on timely and candid collaboration. There is no perfect organizational culture, and there is no infallible leader. It is best to consider both continuous works in progress. Here are four keys to nurturing psychological safety for executives to keep in mind. What is psychological safety? We all share a need to belong. Psychological safety is a condition when you feel included, able to learn, contribute, and provide critical feedback without fear of being embarrassed, excluded, or penalized. The goal is to increase intellectual friction while decreasing social friction, and the four sequential stages of psychological safety are: Inclusion safety – We are constantly dividing the world between them and us. Inclusion safety is creating a shared identity, so others are viewed as being in the same group. Learner safety – This is feeling safe enough to experiment, ask questions, and fail as a part of the learning process. Contributor safety – Is participating as an active full-fledged member of the team supported by autonomy and encouragement. Challenger safety – This is the last stage when others are able to provide constructive criticism and engage in productive conflict without fear of exclusion or retaliation. This is the stage where individuals can innovate. Psychological safety is different than trust. Trust is if you will give others the benefit of doubt, and psychological safety is the environment influencing if others will give you the benefit of doubt. Psychological safety helps you and others work better together. Trust is a component of psychological safety. It is extremely dangerous in a competitive marketplace not to have a culture of psychological safety. When it is emotionally expensive in the workplace to share what you think and feel, it triggers a self-censoring instinct that shuts down and blocks collaboration and innovation. Psychological safety is a tool for leaders to help care for followers. Whispers become shouts as an executive leader. How you approach creating psychological safety as a peer is different than as a leader due to positional power in the relationship. “The presence of fear in an organization is the first sign of weak leadership.” Timothy Clark Key 1: Humility It is OK to be confident, however, when executives appear to be asking a leading question or know everything, few people will take the risk of upsetting the leader. Smart executives realize there is always more to learn, and humility is not the opposite of confidence. Being humble is recognizing that you may miss something without being inclusive of others' points of view. Key 2: Selfless love St. Thomas Aquinas stated that “to love is to will the good of the other.” As an executive, your whispers become shouts within the organization. Self-awareness, empathy, and compassion rather than the use of a position of power are needed to practice selfless love. Self-awareness improves verbal and non-verbal communication clarity and the ability to understand multiple perspectives. Empathy helps you understand how others are feeling, and compassion inspires actions that are helpful. Willing for the good of your followers is caring so much that you are willing to risk failing. Selfless love may seem complex and challenging to articulate, much less measure, however, validated measurement instruments exist. Like competencies and behaviors, selfless love can be developed. Virtue and character development involve learning, reasoning, and practice. Key 3: Performance-based accountability Psychological safety matters, but it is a means to an end, not the end. Providing clear expectations and giving feedback is essential for employees to achieve high-performance levels. When psychological safety is high, but performance accountability is low, results suffer. Without a focus on the organizational results, there is no incentive to be proactive. It is logical to think that creating comfort is a good place to be, but ideas can die, people coast, and problems not get resolved without performance-based accountability. The following TEDx presentation by Annie Edmondson provides some insight into the value of performance-based accountability in building a psychologically safe workplace. Key 4: Vulnerability Although leaders are expected to convey an image of competence, confidence, and power, followers already know you are not perfect. Being vulnerable as a leader requires courage. Leadership vulnerability involves the willingness to take risks that might end in failure or create the best of what might be in the organization. The following short video from Simon Sinek expands on the tension leaders face. Practicing vulnerability as a leader involves checking your motivation, vision, and paradigm (MVP) before having a difficult conversation. Motivation. Is your motivation about caring for others first? Or is your motivation to be right? Goals for a conversation matter. Vision. How do you see the result of the conversation going? When you see a conversation as a positive step in the journey, it provides a sense of purpose and direction. Paradigm. Is your paradigm for the difficult conversation that real transparent conversation will provide the best foundation for a healthy culture and your relationship? When the lens through which you perceive the difficult conversation is off, your results will turn out poorly. You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers. You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions. Naguib Mahfouz Good leadership habits to build psychological safety Here are a few specific good leadership habits taken from research for setting the stage, inviting participation, and responding effectively to build psychological safety: Ask questions proactively. Address employees by name and ask questions that you don’t have an answer for, that don’t limit responses to a yes or no (or either or choice), and that helps others think about a topic in a new way. For example, you may have a goal to improve an absence of diversity in the organization. Instead of asking others how they can improve the situation, a better way would be to ask others how the organization can embrace diversity. Be transparent. Keep conversations genuine, especially when it involves your mistakes. Being transparent pertains to both the logical rationale aspects of the conversation as well as your feelings about the other person and the conversation. Be willing to learn. Vulnerability is about being weak to defend your point of view and desiring to listen and learn something new. When asking for feedback, it is essential to remember that it is a gift given. Silence is expensive. A good tactic is to ask others for what you need to hear but that they think you may not want to hear. Avoid blame. Use collaborative language. For example, how can we (instead of you) make this better? We statements turn the responsibility into a group effort, keeping the emphasis on the solution rather than an individual. Set expectations about failure. Innovation is increasingly important and dangerous for leaders. Organizations desire certainty, success, and efficiency, and it is uncertainty, failure, and inefficiency that are sources of innovation. Many organizations are designed to keep leaders from taking risks. It is important for leaders to differentiate between excusable and inexcusable failure. Express appreciation. Compensation for the work is not enough. The rewards and incentives you provide can be as simple as saying thank you. Effective reward and recognition systems target specific behaviors, are applied immediately, are tailored to what the individual values, are focused on what and how, and present everyone the same opportunity to achieve the reward or recognition. Use participatory decision-making styles. Although delegating and making command decisions have a place, they should not be the only or primary styles of leadership decision-making. Highly participatory styles such as consulting and facilitating not only improve feelings of belonging but they improve decision quality. So, what is the challenge for you to invite others to challenge the status quo? What steps can you take to create autonomy for followers to contribute in their own way to deliver results? References Clark. (2020). The 4 stages of psychological safety : defining the path to inclusion and innovation (First edition.). Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Incorporated. Daniels, A. (2016). Bringing out the best in people: How to apply the astonishing power of positive reinforcement (3rd edition). McGraw-Hill. Edmondson. (2019). The fearless organization : creating psychological safety in the workplace for learning, innovation, and growth (1st edition). Wiley. Edmondson, A. & Hugander, P. (2021). 4 Steps to boost psychological safety at your workplace. Harvard Business Review. Frazier, Fainshmidt, S., Klinger, R. L., Pezeshkan, A., & Vracheva, V. (2017). Psychological Safety: A Meta‐Analytic Review and Extension. Personnel Psychology, 70(1), 113–165. Gallup. (2020). State of the American Workplace Report.

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

Change is certain. Getting it right isn’t. Whenever leaders introduce bold change, creating workforce desire and understanding are vital. Without these two things, any change investment will amount to nothing more than pushback and anxiety. Large-scale artificial intelligence models like ChatGPT and Stable Diffusion are reshaping the workplace and world. A quick look at the Stanford University AI index provides several data points confirming the rapid expansion of AI and its broad implications. There are many reasons for excitement and concern. Navigating your company’s introduction to AI well could ensure growth in the future. But, poorly navigating the workforce transformation could cost your company significantly. No pressure, right? Here are three steps toward getting the people side of your company's AI deployment right. Why your AI workforce introduction matters A new workplace relationship between employees and machines is being created through AI. The value of AI comes from automating and augmenting the way work gets done. The changes created by AI range from enhancing the image from your iPhone camera to using AI to rebuild our trust in the internet by exposing deep fake images and videos. AI is being used in healthcare to improve the prediction of future medical issues in patients to save lives by bringing AI in behind humans to make them better at what matters most. Some of the many ways different business functions could begin utilizing generative AI in the workplace now are: Marketing and sales functions - writing sales copy and creating product user guides. Operations - improving customer service and identifying production errors and defects. Engineering - writing code and generating data tables with contextual information. Legal - drafting legal documents and answering questions from large amounts of legal documentation. Human Resources - creating interview questions for candidate assessment and self-serve support. Communications - creating presentations and employee communications. The introduction of AI in the workplace is resulting in new jobs. Have you heard about the new hot tech job, AI Prompt Engineer, that can pay up to $335,000 annually without an engineering degree? This position helps companies build context around their AI language model by understanding user needs and creating custom prompts that improve the user experience. Given these benefits, there are reasons for excitement but also for concern. A recent global survey revealed that only 35% of respondents in the US agree that products and services using AI have more benefits than drawbacks. There is a growing interest and concern with ethics associated with AI models. Also, there are fears that job automation will worsen job loss and income inequality. Deploying artificial intelligence has the potential to dramatically transform your company with improved results and harm it if the workforce introduction is not handled well. Whether it is the visible impact of an unanticipated departure of an employee or the more devastating hidden impact of a disengaged employee collecting a paycheck and creating problems in the organization. With today’s highly competitive employee-driven market, you cannot afford to make a mistake that negatively impacts your employment value proposition. Here are three practical steps you can take to get your company’s people side of AI-related change started off right: Workforce AI Introduction Step 1: Create a vision statement for AI in your company. Starting with the end in mind is a significant first step. Get ahead of questions and concerns with transparency and authenticity. Update your company vision. An ideal future state for your organization should include improved results and relationships. Change is an opportunity for the growth of your business and team. As a leader, establishing a shared vision of a bold future is vital. Here is an example from Microsoft on how they cast a balanced vision for AI: Microsoft is a technology company whose mission is to empower every person and every organization on the planet to achieve more. We strive to create local opportunity, growth, and impact in every country around the world. Our strategy is to build best-in-class platforms and productivity services for an intelligent cloud and an intelligent edge infused with artificial intelligence. Workforce Introduction Step 2: Engage your employees in meaningful conversations about AI. Being guarded promotes distrust. Start the AI conversation with employees. Plan a team meeting with company leadership to discuss: What is AI? What does the future of AI look like? What is the potential company use and vision for AI? In this meeting, listen to both verbal and nonverbal communication. Your goal is to uncover the differences, commonalities, hopes, and fears of your team. These meetings are the beginning of a dialogue that engages those impacted by the change in the discussion on the change; toward that bold future. To follow up on these meetings, capture the conversation and share key points. Likely these conversations will identify future topics. Most likely, you won't feel fully prepared with having all the information wanted or needed to have this conversation. Although leaders are expected to convey an image of competence, confidence, and power, followers already know you are not perfect. Being vulnerable as a leader requires courage. Vulnerability in the workplace enhances trust, collaboration, innovation, employee retention, and a feeling of connection that improves the quality of leader-follower relationships and employee performance. The following short video from Simon Sinek expands on the tension leaders face and how to show vulnerability in the workplace as a leader. Workforce Introduction Step 3: Conduct a strategic workforce planning session. One way to rise above the talent challenge is with workforce planning. Identify the roles that will be strategic, operational, and supporting for introducing AI to your company. Next, consider the various roles and needs to identify what talent you can develop internally and what expertise you will need to attract into your company. Lastly, based on the gap and competencies required to grow internally, develop a plan for employee development according to the different roles. Demand for AI-related skills is growing fast. Labor analytic data revealed that AI job postings increased significantly in the US, especially in California, Texas, and New York. Employers in the US are increasingly looking for workers with AI skills. Every industry (except one) increased AI-related postings year over year, even those that are not directly associated with AI. Every AI-related skill category grew in 2022, with Python being the most requested AI skill. Projections are that 97 million jobs involving AI will be created in the next three years. The discovery of fire by Neanderthals was life-giving. The control of fire was the cultural turning point that led to life-altering innovation. Likewise, today, the invention of AI is giving life to new organizations and jobs. The future of AI is controlling its deployment and introduction in your company. What's your real workforce AI deployment challenge? References: Beckett, E. (2023). The 2023 Stanford AI Index: Demand for AI skills continues climbing. Chui, E, Roberts, R., and Yee, L. (2022). Generative AI is here: How tools like ChatGPT could change your business. McKinsey. Edelman. (2022). Trust in technology. Gebrekal, T. (2022). What worries the world. IPSOS. Maslej, N., Fattorini, N., Brynjolfsson, E., Etchemendy, J., Ligett, K., Lyons, T., Manyika, J., Ngo, H., Niebles, J., Parli, V., Shoham, Y., Wald, R., Clark, J., and Perrault, R. (2023). The AI Index 2023 Annual Report. The Institute for Human-Centered AI, Stanford University.

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