What makes a well-rounded and effective leader? There are many proficiencies that define a leadership style. Some are technical, come from previous experiences and many are based upon clear communication with your various audiences. Having self-awareness, being empathetic, goal oriented, empowering, charismatic and data driven is great, but how do others really see and relate to you?
A few examples of how leadership perception can be out of alignment with intent:
- Focused or uninterested
- Confident or arrogant
- Supportive or micromanaging
- Active listening in a meeting or just attending and multitasking
How do you desire to show up in front of others? Developing oneself to be more positive and impactful with your colleagues, customers, teammates is an investment that always offers a good return. Growth through coaching is a commitment to better engagement. Your coach will help you prioritize and guide your personal development in order to influence others and optimize outcomes.
Teambuilding
Brining a diverse set of people together is complicated. If your group does not have their shared values and expectations well defined, they will not be able to reach their maximum potential. Camaraderie is often overlooked until their is a breakdown in decision making or a failure in execution. The conversation shifts to having difficult discussions, assigning blame and performing damage control, rather than forming proactive strong relationships.
Building blocks of winning teams:
- Leadership transparency – clear communication regarding purpose aand goals
- Development – utilizing assessments and workshops to learn how everyone fits together
- Joint experiences and sharing – virtual and in person activities, such as charity and skill building sessions
- Creative play – Fun games and strategic team challenges that translate well to the work environment
Building trust takes concerted effort from executive leadership, throughout the management chain as well as the individual contributor roles. Engagement and clear direction are essential, then contribution and cohesion will follow, resulting in the creation of high performing teams that are unbreakable.