Parents as Leaders

My latest article for Harvard Business Review focused on soliciting and using feedback effectively. In a fun twist, this was written for use at home, in particular with children. The complete version (which has colorful examples from my family) will be printed later this year as part of HBR’s Working Parents Series. In advance of that, here is a link to the digital version to provide a little bit of support in perhaps the most important leadership role you have – as a parent. I received many comments since it was published last week and I’d love to hear your experiences as you try this at home. And by all means, do try this at home!

Learn to Solicit Feedback…from Your Kids

Of course, getting good feedback from colleagues is especially valuable for leaders who want to continue to have a greater impact. While 360 degree surveys are useful, I’ve observed that some of the best and most pragmatic feedback comes from candid conversations. It also provides a chance to discuss the feedback productively which static comments and numeric rankings in a standard 360 lack. If you’d like to try that informal approach, here is a link to the video I did for Harvard Business Review video on that very topic. Conduct an Informal 360 

Be More Inspiring

Does anyone not want to be a more inspiring leader? A few years ago I wrote an article on how to become more inspiring in as little as ten minutes a day. A client brought this article to my attention recently and shared that she found it helpful during these often-uninspiring times.

Inspiring leadership is not all about emotionally evocative speeches and grand gestures. A simple shift in the way you approach your work can inspire and instill greater confidence in your team. If you need an inspiration reboot with your team, consider these tips:

• Model the way. Too often leaders talk the talk but fail to walk the walk. There is nothing more inspiring than a leader modeling the behaviors they expect from their team. Behaviors tend to proliferate, so embody the traits you want to flourish in your organization.

• Connect on a human level. When you build relationships with individuals, you begin to understand their perspectives and priorities. Not only are people inspired by leaders who care, you will gain a greater understanding of what motivates each person on your team.

• Prioritize innovation. Create an environment where it is safe to express new ideas and thinking outside the box is encouraged. This will help facilitate creative ways to approach problems.

• Send fewer emails. I’ve said many times that “no one was ever inspired from an email.” Yes, email is an important and effective form of communication, but phone calls, face-to-face meetings, and videoconferences enhance connection with your team and create space for dialogue. These modes of communication allow for faster problem solving, greater collaboration and more effective consensus building.
• 
  Invest in others. People develop deep loyalty and respect for leaders who invest in them as individuals and professionals. Take time to mentor and guide team members, and make your commitment to their growth clear. For busy leaders, more one-on-one meetings can seem impossible - but meaningful investment goes beyond individual mentorship. Create opportunities for people to engage in professional development activities or hold monthly small group leadership discussions over lunch. Supporting one’s development improves their skillset, enhances engagement and performance and inspires them to grow. It’s a win-win!

Select one or two things and commit to a few actions per day. Before long, you will have developed a new, more inspiring approach to leadership and management – in as little as ten minutes a day.

You can read the full article here: Be More Inspiring In Just Ten Minutes Per Day

LinkedIn Live:

On my last LinkedIn Live I was joined by Robbie Kellman Baxter, author of The Forever Transaction and a leading expert on strategic subscription pricing and membership models. We talked about aligning your sales organization with recurring revenue strategies. The initial sale is only the beginning, and the ‘landing and expanding’ is equally important. In other words, once someone subscribes, how do you ensure they stick around? We also talked about the transition to a recurring revenue platform and some of the challenges and opportunities you may face. One of my favorite parts of LinkedIn Live is the thoughtful questions listeners ask, and this discussion was no exception. I will be live again on July 28^th and would love to hear what you would like me to cover, click the button and let me know. 

Current Read:

After months of remote work, most of us can expertly navigate Zoom. As the months go on, we are faced with the challenge of conducting a greater variety of meetings on various virtual platforms. Early in the pandemic, many of us put our collaborative brainstorming meetings on pause and only focused on critical tactical meetings. We cannot ignore the need for collaboration forever, and we know virtual is here to stay (for a while). How equipped are you to facilitate a successful remote brainstorming session? This article outlines several approaches to help you solve complex problems remotely.

Question to Ponder:

What topics would you like to hear about in the newsletter? What challenges are you facing in your business that you would like me to address? I’d love to hear from you, so click the button and let me know your thoughts.

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