Walk Into the Future

Tag: Authentic Leadership

  • Balanced Leadership

    balancedleadership

    “Leadership is a potent combination of strategy and character.  But if you must be without one, be without the strategy”.

    (Norman Schwarzkopf)

    I try to leverage things I’ve learned over time from diverse leadership principles daily.  This quote signals leaders are concerned with positive outcomes not who should receive the credit.  How many times have you heard a leader exclaim what ‘they’ did but maybe not provide full credit to the team who helped along the way.

    Balanced processing is an Authentic Leadership variable that encourages leaders to seek the ‘big’ picture within the work environment before making decisions.  This concept provides a ‘full view’ of the current situation and solicits input to ensure decision making is done with sound information.  Leaders can leverage balanced processing to build trust, encourage professional growth for direct reports and provide the organization with reliable decision-making techniques.

    How can leaders initiate balanced processing in the work environment?

    • Look at both sides of a situation
      • Positive and negative
    • Show the ability and willingness to gather multiple viewpoints
      • Not just what you want to hear
    • Actively seek different views and professional opinions
    • Eliminate a defensive or negative position when receiving information

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    Work place impact of balanced processing

    Leaders who leverage balanced processing actively seek information from others (direct reports, colleagues, etc.) then make decisions based on collected information.  This decision- making model highlights the importance of feedback to direct reports and encourages them to seek feedback for themselves.  Balanced processing helps build trust in the work environment—it emphasizes ‘all’ opinions are valued and expected.  The concept also eliminates personal bias from the decision-making process, everyone in the organization has input prior to the final decision.   Finally, balanced processing allows for the development of objective action plans in decision making.

    Balanced processing encourages direct reports to be engaged in the work place.  Leaders are viewed as approachable, trusted and influential because they want and seek feedback in the decision-making process.

    *Leaders should also explain they value input from all but the decision made must be the best for the organization. *

    My Authentic Leadership research identified balanced processing as the variable that best explains job satisfaction for direct reports.  They want to be involved!

    How can you leverage balanced processing in the work environment?  What impact would a leader who displays balanced processing have on your daily outcomes?  Curious, thanks!

    balancedleadershipchess

    (Play chess, not checkers!)

  • Leaders Build People

    encouragement 3

    How often do you make the time to encourage others?  What benefits can a kind word from you have on the daily outcomes for someone you know?  How do leaders build direct reports into valuable team members and future leaders?

    Encourage them and watch them grow!

    I look for ways to reach out and help my tree continue to grow daily.  Some days it’s just a simple text to say hello and other days jumping on a phone call may be a better option to be a people builder.

    A simple ‘check-in’ can be the catalyst to help someone experiencing a difficult challenge in their day.  This approval process can be what they have been craving but didn’t know they needed.

    Leaders can bring this concept into the work environment by having a complete understanding of their staff members. Knowledge of strengths and weaknesses can enhance this process.  Look for ways to emphasize and cultivate the strengths of your team to unlock hidden potential.  Also look for opportunities to encourage team members to stretch their skills for additional growth.  Leaders who encourage their people to test their limits and provide a foundation for growth are ‘people builders’.

    I make it a point to tell direct reports, “I don’t care if you make a mistake, just don’t make the same mistake twice”.   This statement is my way to let people know they are encouraged and should explore additional ways to get things accomplished in the work environment.  We constantly hear about work place diversity but at times hinder the process of diverse thoughts, ideas and concepts.

    ‘Never let your ego get so close to your position that when your position goes, your ego goes with it’. (Colin Powell)

    Everyone wants to be valued—plant the seeds today and watch the people around you grow.  Show an authentic belief in them and their overall success.  This concept can be utilized in the work environment and with daily interaction with family, friends and others you cross paths with.  Take the time to showcase the ‘positive’ when communicating throughout the day.  Go ahead and give that vote of confidence to someone who is considering making a big change in their professional or personal life.  Your encouragement may be the thing they need to move forward.

    You become a ‘people builder’ when you provide the nudge, advice or encouragement needed to help them Walk into The Future.

    Who can you build up today?

  • The Humble Leader

    close up photography of a cellphone
    Photo by Prateek Katyal on Pexels.com

    The concept of the humble leader sounds contradictory to what most people envision in the workplace.  The traditional leadership view (real or perceived) cast leaders as hard charging, take no prisoner and only out for themselves.

    Humility: the quality or condition of being humble; modest opinion or estimate of one’s importance, rank, etc. (Dictionary.com)

    A true leader understands you lead people and manage programs.  Not the other way around.

    A humble leader displays a level of self-awareness within the workplace to ensure growth for everyone.  A humble leader does not seek or need the spotlight to highlight the great work of the team.  The humble leader can inspire better team cohesion, eagerness to learn and a better performance outcome for their teams.

    The process of leading by example and a leader with a humble approach when working with individuals and teams is an excellent example of this concept.  This consistent approach provides a template for others to follow and allows the team to perform knowing the true nature of their leader.

    Humble leaders:

    • Build relationships
    • Listen
    • Enable trust in the workplace
    • Show appreciation
    • Reflect
    • Display authenticity

    A humble leader puts the needs of others before themselves.  This could be a simple process of ensuring direct reports have the tools needed to perform their duties.  Sounds simple but how many times are work assignments delegated with deadlines, but instructions/tools needed to perform are not provided.  The humble leader looks to provide tools needed to ensure overall team success.  They are also not afraid to ask questions to ensure the assignment is fully understood.  Asking follow-up questions does not show weakness but shows the leader cares and wants to optimize time spent on a specific project.

    Being a humble leader does not imply weakness.  Humble leaders are always looking to improve themselves and focus on larger, organizational goals—not just their individual goals.

    A leader is best when people hardly know that they exist. (Lao Tzu)

    What impact does humility have within your current work environment?  How would this concept enhance overall productivity in the work environment?

     

     

     

     

  • The Self-Aware Leader

    Self Awareness2

    “If we agree on everything, one of us is redundant”

    (Colin Powell)

    This is one of my favorite leadership quotes from Colin Powell.  This statement identifies true leaders want and encourage feedback from their direct reports.

    This concept provides the leader with information needed to make sound decisions to help organizational growth.  New and ineffective leaders miss the opportunity to engage with direct reports on decision making for multiple reasons.  Some can be attributed to inexperience, lack of trust, and lack of self-awareness.  All can be overcome with concerted efforts to develop as a leader and engage within the work environment.  Leaders who are self-aware can begin to mitigate the inexperience and lack of trust mentioned earlier.

    How do you become a self-aware leader?

    • Look inside and become introspective
    • Identify your strengths, weaknesses, values and how others view you
    • Understand how your self-view impacts others and the work environment
    • Knowledge of how your interactions (positive or negative) influence direct reports
    • Ensure actions and decisions are based in an authentic framework
    • Strive to build authentic relationships with everyone within the organization
    • Adjust based on interactions and feedback from others
    • Advocate for a continuous learning work environment

    Work place impact of the Self-Aware Leader

    The self-aware leader improves the work environment by modeling the attributes of self-awareness.  This modeling allows direct reports to see and understand the importance of self-awareness.  The leader actively acknowledges strengths and weaknesses.  This provides a framework to enhance staff members’ development within the work environment by catering to staff strengths and working to mitigate weaknesses.

    The self-aware leader provides direct reports an engaging work environment where they know they are valued and input is encouraged.  This attribute showcases a leader who fully understands how they are viewed within the work environment.

    Finally, the self-aware leader provides an organizational foundation for success by creating additional self-aware leaders.

    How can you model self-awareness in your daily interactions?  What benefits would self-awareness bring to your work environment?

    Self Awareness

  • Authentic Leadership – Part 2 / The Interview

    Authentic Leadership and the four variables (self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency) were introduced in Part 1.

    This posting will highlight an interview conducted by Danielle Sebranek who was an Employer Relations Graduate Assistant (GA) at the Florida State University (FSU) Career Center during my time there.

    Danielle wanted a better understanding of Authentic Leadership and we agreed to partner on this interview project in the Spring 2018 semester, so she could ask questions to get a better Authentic Leadership understanding and how to integrate this leadership style into daily interactions with direct reports.

    Danielle provided her approval to post her questions and overall summary below.  My direct responses follow her questions:

    • What first introduced you to the concept of authentic leadership? Is this something you sought out or did you naturally possess many of the qualities of a good authentic leader?
      • I stumbled across authentic leadership.  I wanted to complete my dissertation on the ‘1st Year Experience’ course but my advisor identified there was not enough Industrial/Organizational (I/O) Psychology involved with this subject.  My dissertation mentor introduced me to Authentic Leadership.  I liked the idea because I could relate to this leadership style.  After doing additional research, Authentic Leadership was selected as my preferred leadership style.
    • What are some ways you seek to create a positive work environment for your team?
      • I use daily interactions, adjusted for each person. Some team members I high five, some get a fist bump or elbow, etc.  Others, I just say good morning.  Establishing this daily routine and having personal conversations helps them know you are there for them.  I also take their input into consideration.  It is not my style to only talk to my team when I need something from them.
    • Who/What inspired these practices? In your work history, have you had a positive work environment stand out to you?
      • Honestly, I look back on two of my worst supervisors. I made a vow to not do things I didn’t like about their supervisory style.  My years at Macon State College standout because my supervisor (now mentor) gave our team the freedom to find our niche and conduct outreach to students as we saw fit.  I played volleyball with students on-campus as part of my outreach program.  The students saw me as a person and approachable.  Overall, my supervisor was willing to see things differently.  Colin Powell’s leadership approach also influences me daily.
    • What experiences have shaped your self-awareness?
      • Becoming a leader in the Air Force was the start of being self-aware because I couldn’t assume everyone learns the same and knows what I mean without explanation. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Management Leadership Institute (MLI) feedback program was also important because I heard what past colleagues had to say about my work and I learned how others viewed me.  I learned you always need to check yourself and you need to be self-aware every day.  I approach my team on purpose; they don’t need to come to my office to approach me.
    • Is there someone in your past work experiences who showed relational transparency?
      • My mentor at Macon State College showed relational transparency. She took the time to explain processes.  My last Air Force supervisor was also good at pushing the team out to do things to understand the big picture.
    • How do you demonstrate relational transparency with your team?
      • I never sit on a high horse and say I’m the boss. I always listen to my team.  If something can’t be done, I make sure to explain the limitations.
    • What past experiences have helped you develop a strong internalized moral perspective?
      • I’ll share a conversation that has stuck with me and feels like it just happened yesterday. When I was a young Air Force instructor, a more veteran administrator observed my work and pulled me to the side for a quick chat.  He praised my work and asked me out of the blue if I wanted to know how to be successful in life.  He gifted me with this knowledge, “Be where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to be doing, when you’re supposed to do it”.  Never compromise yourself and not be able to look yourself in the mirror.
    • Using balanced processing and welcoming feedback from your team is something you practice on a regular basis. Is this something you received training on or did you learn from experience?
      • I learned from experience and through reading Colin Powell’s book on leadership principles. If you don’t get up and walk around, it gives the perception you don’t care.  That’s why I go to my people.  I realized this concept (walking around) was tied to authentic leadership after conducting additional research.
    • How has your leadership style changed from each industry you’ve worked in? Have some environments been easier or more difficult to lead with authenticity?
      • Yes, I have grown as a leader. In the Air Force, leadership was based on rank.  People can complain but ultimately you can order people to do things.  Leadership is adaptable, and I have grown to be adaptable by learning how different people on my team work.  I talk with Gen X team members differently than Millennials. I’m comfortable enough to understand conversations with team members will all be different.  I know when certain team members ask ‘why’, they aren’t questioning authority but looking to understand.  Overall, authentic leadership works with and helps balance a team with multiple generations present.

    Danielle’s Summary:

    My conversation with Dr. Williams provided valuable insight into how to both grow as a leader and adopt authentic leadership in the workplace.  Leaders are not born overnight; it takes conscious reflection and communication with others to develop the necessary self-awareness.  Practicing authentic leadership foremost entails establishing approachability with your direct reports.  Daily interactions, visiting your team in their space, taking the time to learn about their individual personalities and backgrounds, and valuing their voices and opinions all help to show you care.  Adaptability is also an essential component of authentic leadership.  Recognizing team members think and behave differently allows you to cater your interactions in a way that is relatable to them.  Lastly, Dr. Williams stressed the importance of mentorship and learning from example.  Find someone you look up to in your workplace and sit down with them to hear their story and how they implement leadership in their role.

     

    Authentic Leadership

  • Authentic Leadership

    “Be yourself.  Everyone else is already taken”.

    (Oscar Wilde)

    Authentic Fish

    Authentic Leadership is rooted in positive psychology and can lead to greater self-awareness and regulated behavior of leaders.  This leadership style continues to grow and can be applied to multiple organizations and work settings.

    Authentic Leadership can be used to create positive work outcomes and improve organizational performance.  Authentic leaders are true to themselves, to others and are trusted by all levels.  Authentic leaders seek continued growth and can align thoughts, feelings and actions.  They are humble and consistent; this can be a positive predictor of direct report satisfaction.

    The four components or variables of Authentic Leadership are:  self-awareness, internalized moral perspective, balanced processing and relational transparency.

    • Self-awareness: the authentic leader has a full understanding of their strengths, values, weaknesses and how others view their leadership
    • Relational Transparency: the authentic leader presents authentic self to build trust.  They are consistent with words, thoughts and actions.
    • Internalized Moral Perspective: ability to integrate personal morals with self-perspective.  The leader must be self-aware to understand how their internal morals influence their actions.
    • Balanced Processing: the authentic leader can view both sides of an issue (positive and negative) before deciding.  This encourages the leader to seek multiple views and opinions and eliminates taking a defensive position when information is received.
      • My research shows direct report job satisfaction is best explained when leaders display balanced processing.

    Authentic Leadership implications for the work place

    • Interventions are received better
    • Work place efficiency improves
    • Encourages direct reports engagement
    • The leader is approachable, trusted, influential and displays relational interactions with direct reports

    How can you leverage Authentic Leadership in your work environment?  How would an Authentic leader impact your current work place?

    Authentic Leadership Part 2