Lead Artfully

Tag: leadartfully

  • Lead courageously with vulnerability

    Lead courageously with vulnerability

    One thing a global pandemic should have taught us is that we cannot escape being and feeling vulnerable.  To think we can is naïve.   The feeling of vulnerability comes from how we emotionally deal with risk and uncertainty.  It is normal to feel vulnerable when we feel exposed.  Courage comes from consciously working through feelings of vulnerability, no matter what the source.  We all experience it, leaders, and followers alike.  We all want to be courageous leaders, so how do we lead courageously with vulnerability?

    Situations that trigger vulnerability

    Vulnerability is an emotion that is triggered from all kinds of sources.  Some are physical in nature, like actual risk to your physical safety or the safety of others.  Others are a lot less visible, like potential emotional, political, commercial, or professional risks.   For example, being in the military you will at some point come face to face with physical threats that trigger an emotional vulnerability response.  You might be put in a situation that is physically risky (like being shot at), but the actual vulnerability you feel comes from how others will judge your action (or inaction).  Similarly, you might work in a commercial firm that is working up a major deal.  The deal could be worth a lot of money, and some in the group maybe wanting to act in a way that goes against your ethics or values.  Challenging them may make you feel vulnerable to personal attack.  How we process these triggers and choose to act comes down to acknowledging them and working through them rationally.

    Note: For more information on a rational thinking process – see our article here on critical thinking.

    Leadership & vulnerability

    Leadership is particularly tough when it comes to dealing with vulnerability for two key reasons.  First, many of us falsly believe our role as leader is to reduce vulnerabilities.  Secondly, being the leaders creates situations where we ourselves in this role can feel even more vulnerable as the complexity of the role is far greater.  As followers you focus on your own role and performance.  But as leader, you are also accountable for the performance of everyone in your team.  So, a leader who does not acknowledge vulnerability is immediately diminished.  They no longer act courageously but live in fear trying to avoid the unavoidable.   This leads to shifting blame or acting unfairly when feeling threatened, and miss acting on real opportunities. Worse still, they may try and hide this fear by constantly being on the defensive or offensive with others, leading to unethically behaviours.  This is why it is so important to lead with vulnerability.

     

    Sharing vulnerabilities improves human relationships

    There may be times that acknowledging a vulnerability means sharing our uncertainty with others.  It is human to not want to do this and expose our inner thoughts and fears, so we try and just press on by ourselves.  But in reality, sharing our vulnerabilities with others actually improves our relationships with those around us.  Being authentically yourself, warts and all, builds  stronger connections with others.   They feel trusted by you, which in turn builds trust with them.

     

    Use vulnerability as a strength

    Lead courageously with vulnerability means not treating it as a weakness to avoid, but an indication of what we need to pay attention to.  It is our mind and body giving us cues.  To turn this to a strength means having the courage to share this vulnerability with others so you can work through it with them.  A problem shared is a problem halved and the added benefit is that it improves our relationships with those around us.   Treating vulnerability as a weakness means we try to hide it, which leads us to acting poorly.  If we act to avoid feelings of vulnerability we either steam ahead mindlessly without thought, or let fear lead us.  In either case, these can make us behave in ways that do not support our values or enable us to grow.  Facing our vulnerabilities means facing our fears and taking reasoned, sometimes difficult, but always honest and necessary action.  That is leading courageously.

  • How do you set achievable goals?

    How do you set achievable goals?

    We all want to succeed, and we have been told so often that to win you need to set goals for yourself and your team.  But many people fail to stay focused, or do not properly define what they are trying to achieve.  Whether it is a New Year’s resolution, or a wish list from a team planning day, how many fail to bare fruit?   How do you set achievable goals that help you stay focused?  How can you set a level of urgency on a goal, so you actually succeed?  There is an art to this, but it is not complicated.

     

    The SMART Goal method

    We believe artfully crafted goals should be SMART.  That is, contain attributes that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound.  This is a well practiced method that really does work.   Like most things, how you start out is just as important as the journey itself.  You do not build a house without a plan, and the same is true for goals. So how do you put the art into your SMART goals?

     

    Working SMARTer

    First, to make a goal specific it needs to clearly explain what you are trying to achieve. Vague goals go nowhere, so give precise details.   Also make them measurable so you can monitor progress.   If there are no clear numerical ways to measure success think imaginatively how you might monitor outcomes.  Of course, goals will fail if they are not actually achievable.  That is, do not set yourself up to fail, but also do not be afraid to aim for aspirational results, just keep it realistic.

    Now a goal also needs to be relevant to you, or your teams’ mission, or it just diverts time and attention away from what is actually important.  Always ask yourself how achieving a goal would contribute to either your own life (for personal goals), or teams success (for work goals).  And finally, make them time-bound by including realistic end date.   Not setting this invites procrastination and a lack of urgency, meaning “someday” will become never.

     

    How do you set achievable goals?

    Let us explore an example of a poorly defined goal, and how you could reframe them to make them SMART.  Say your goal was “To write a novel.”  That is pretty vague and lacks any kind of specifics.  You might think it is measurable because writing a novel means you have achieved it, but how do you measure progress?  What sort of novel?  How is it relevant to you?  Is it a subject you know much about, or do you first need to learn or study something? When do you want to actually achieve your goal?  There are no timeframes, which means goals like this often languish and are rarely achieved.

    So, let’s say you wrote your goal down as, “I am going to write my 45,000-word autobiography in the next 12-months.”  Now that is a SMART goal that you can focus on and break down into an actionable, achievable plan.  “I am going to write my 45,000-word autobiography”, is specific.  It precisely explains the goals details.  It is measurable, 45,000 words divided up into 12 months = 3750 words a month (minimum).  And it is achievable, 3750 words a month does not sound unreasonable.  You clearly know the subject material, so it is relevant, being an autobiography.   And finally, it is time-bound with a 12-month deadline.

     

    Putting goals into action

    As shown in the above example, writing down goals using the SMART technique allows you to break these down into an actual plan to succeed.  Knowing what it is you want to achieve provides the scope, how and who you will need identifies the effort or resources required.  What to measure enables you to check progress.  The time you set on your goal enables you to work backwards and define the schedule.  SMART goals help you think about the steps, priorities, skills and resources, dependencies, and risks.  That sounds like good project management!

    If you liked this topic, please check for other management topics on our site by going here.

  • What is servant leadership and how do organisations benefit?

    What is servant leadership and how do organisations benefit?

    Servant leaders are revolutionising the art of leadership and the running of organisations.  So what is servant leadership and how can organisations benefit?

    The role of a leader has been traditionally associated with authority, assertiveness and power.  A leader is often perceived as someone who hands down tasks, assigns roles and chastises failure.  This perception is not wrong.  Many leaders possess authoritarian personalities and tell other employees what to do and how to do it.  A workplace may become silent, or staff experience a sense of unease at the prospect of a meeting with the head, for example.

    Servant leadership turns this form of outdated thinking on its head.

    What Is Servant Leadership?

    The term ‘servant leadership’ is not new; it was coined in 1970 by Robert K. Greenleaf. In his famous essay, ‘The Servant as the Leader’, the underlying concept is that the leader serves the people they lead. This is radically different from the traditional leader who wants to lead through power and control over others.

    Servant-first and leader-first are two extremes of a continuum where most people fall somewhere in between.  An individual who practices servant leadership focuses on the growth and well-being of their people.  In this case, the employees are at the top of the workplace hierarchy, and the leader willingly occupies the bottom.

    What do Servant-Leadership qualities look like?

    The serve-first mindset motivates servant-leaders to empower their employees instead of brandishing a do-it-or-else approach.  Their primary purpose is not to enforce power, but to unleash the teams creativity and potential.  By doing so, servant-leaders produce positive, lasting results in terms of employee morale, engagement, and retention.  Positive company culture is born, and all these factors ensure that productivity hits an all-time high.  At the same time, the bottom line gets boosted on its own, without negative tactics, aggression or stressful ultimatums.

    Good leadership qualities that reinforce this typically result in performance growth that only gets better.  Most traditional business leaders are positional managers; they oversee transactions that are often conceived and executed by their staff.  Such leaders derive their authority solely from the fact they are the bosses.

    But servant leadership moves beyond the traditional model and does not depend on a sense of entitlement.  Servant-leaders support and encourage staff.   Furthermore, they seek to align the team’s purpose with the company values and mission.

    Driven and motivated staff perform at high levels, feel appreciated, and continue to develop as future leaders.  Moreover, observation and emulation train them to adopt the same leadership behaviours, in turn.  So in addition to producing exceptional results, servant-leadership sets a positive cycle that self-perpetuates.   In this way, servant leadership benefits the organisation.

     

    Servant Leadership Characteristics

    We have seen that the concept of servant-leadership involves letting your ambitions and needs to take a backseat and moving away from autocratic leadership models.   But a good servant leader knows when to find strength in the guidance and feedback from their team.

    It’s not necessary to become best friends with your employees in order to empower them in the right way.  You just need to connect and develop your staff in a safe and supportive way.

    So how do you practice effective servant leadership skills?

    1. Start with on-boarding

    Once new employees have been welcomed and familiarised with their duties, the servant-leader connects with the individual one-on-one.   Next, ask them about first-impressions and their opinions.   This will introduce them to the concept of serving others right at the beginning.

    2. Listen attentively

    Pay attention to your team and listen to what they’re saying.  Seek their feedback proactively and ask for their ideas and opinions.  By observing and listening carefully, you become aware of their strengths and weakness and can adapt your leadership approach to serving them better.

    Influential leaders spend at least 25% of their time developing future leaders.

    3. Give credit where it is due

    Did someone come forward with a fabulous idea to save money or time?   If so, give them their due by praising them (if possible, in front of their peers).   Also, refrain from hogging the limelight and stealing credit.

    4. Make meetings more collaborative

    Do you find yourself talking the most during meetings? If so, control your urge to interupt.  Encourage every member to offer their ideas.

    To Learn more about running effective meetings, see our related article here] .

    5. Accept feedback gracefully

    Conduct anonymous surveys and process negative feedback calmly.   This grows an appreciative culture where employees feel empowered to voice their opinions.  Complaints are reviewed without the fear of reprisals.

    Servant leadership and how organisations benefit

    By practising servant-leadership and serving your team, you can build a better and happier business with a boosted bottom line.   As a result, Servant-leadership is a winning formula that challenges traditional autocratic leadership styles and nurtures a more democratic workplace environment.  Now that is leading artfully!

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