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What You'll Learn: How transformational leadership develops unconscious thought processes  Why conscious purpose and mindset are crucial for leadership effectiveness  The importance of cultivating commitment to meaningful purpose  How integrity integrates words and actions through accountability  Techniques for helping people understand unconscious motivations  The connection between personal growth and organizational transformation  Why leadership is about "who people are being, not what they do" Here are the 3 most important parts of your mindset to improve in order to become an effective leader. For 26 years, we have been working with organizational leaders to develop within themselves the capacity and propensity to lead their people effectively. Our clients have made transformative changes in their mindsets, resulting in dramatic increases in the effectiveness of the people that comprise their organizations. And this transformation in mindset has resulted in improvements in quality, service and financial sustainability. Recent advancements in the sciences shed light on the inner workings of how our process works. “We are living in the middle of a revolution in consciousness. Over the past few years, genetics, neuroscientists, psychologists, sociologists, economists, anthropologists, and others have made great strides in understanding the building blocks of human flourishing. And a core finding of their work is that we are not primarily the products of our conscious thinking. We are primarily the products of thinking that happens below the level of consciousness. The unconscious parts of the mind are not primitive vestiges that need to be conquered in order to make wise decisions... Instead, the unconscious parts of the mind are most of the mind – where most of the decisions and many of the most impressive acts of thinking take place. These submerged processes are the seedbeds of accomplishment.” (1) The work of leadership development involves helping one shape their unconscious thoughts and submerged process, thereby affecting these “seedbeds of accomplishment.” Part of the revolution in the sciences is the recent understanding that the brain is malleable (some refer to this as "plastic"). As we learn, we develop new neural pathways in the brain. So, we can consciously adopt new perspectives and ways of thinking that, with practice and repetition, become unconscious competencies. When a team of leaders is engaged in this growth process together, their thoughts change and they change the culture of their organizations. Culture is the unconsciously agreed upon mores and norms that define the rules of engagement in any group of people. So, by impacting the unconscious thought processes of a leadership team, and helping them develop the capacity and propensity to do the same for others, we intentionally shape both the mindset of individuals and the culture shared between members of the group. A fundamental principle at work is this: It’s about who people are being, not what they do. Two different people can give a speech on the same topic. They are doing the same thing. One can be optimistic, open, and accepting and produce a particular affect in their audience. Another can be pessimistic, closed and judgmental and produce an entirely different affect in the audience. A practical example of this: The techniques of brainstorming are widely understood and utilized in organizations. However, if the members of the group are committed to the purpose, open, future-focused and willing to take risks, the session can be very productive. On the flip side, if the members are committed to protecting themselves, the status quo, and being risk averse, the process will produce little other than frustration. The work of leadership is transformative in nature. Transformation is creating a change in the basic nature or character of a thing. In this case, helping people to consciously create a transformation in their mindset that allows them to affect their thought process, those of others, and the culture of the group. Being able to conceptualize these features of a leadership is a critical step in growing our capacity to be a leader. So, how is this done? The key is to develop three separate and distinct features of your mindset: Inspiration: The conscious cultivation of a commitment to a purpose that they see as meaningful is at the core of great leaders. Every great leader in history has stood up for something that they believed in. We all know inspirational people who are "on a mission.” Their “mission” gives them more energy, and desire to accomplish results and grow their capacities. How are you inspiring others? Integrity: The integration of word and action is critical. Simply put, integrity is giving your word and keeping your word. Individuals and organizations that strive to operate with high integrity use accountability to ensure execution and to support success. What are you doing regularly and consciously to foster integrity and accountability? Insight: Helping people attain insight into their unconscious motivations is a key in creating growth for each individual and for the organization. Growth occurs when we generate actions that are focused on the higher purpose we are in the service of rather than merely pursuing what is comfortable and habitual for us. How are you growing and improving? And how are you helping others improve? (1) “The Social Animal” by David Brooks, Copyright 2011 by David Brooks Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: Why a leader's primary job is to develop other leaders, not solve problems  How to model leadership behaviors effectively  Techniques for encouraging input and engaging all team members  Strategies for recognizing and rewarding good performance  Methods for understanding individual motivations  How to create appropriate urgency and empower decision-making  Ways to build a coaching culture where feedback is welcomed As a business owner or a team leader, your job is to bring out the best in your team and to help everyone grow and improve. This includes yourself. This should be the top priority for any leader who wants to generate effective and efficient results AND have the most fulfillment in their job. It’s rare indeed; however, to find a leader who not only believe this but puts it into practice. The reasons for this vary by leader, but often times it boils down to this… often times, the best problem solvers are promoted to leadership positions. And problem solvers do what problem solvers do… they keep solving problems. And as a new leader, they now face the challenge of even more problems to solve which stretches their abilities and can lead to burnout. And the more problems a leader solves, the more problems his or her team bring to them to solve. This creates an unfortunate cycle of unsustainable behavior where the leader feels overwhelmed with all the work (problems) they have and the team feels like they must bring all the problems to the leader. So, what’s the antidote? The key is to realize that your primary job is to lead, not solve problems. Once you start to work on this, you’ll start to see your team step up to take on more and more work because they start to realize that you are not there to solve every problem. And they start to feel empowered by you to be creative and solve the challenges on their plates. And this empowerment allows others to step up and become leaders themselves. Here are a few of the things that you can do to bring out the leader in each of your team members. 1. Be Their Leader If you want to bring out the leader in others, you must first model leadership for them. Think of the very best leaders and model their behavior. You want your employees to look up to you as their role model. This is a lifelong journey so continue to study leaders as you grow into the leader you want to be. 2. Encourage More Input More often than not, employees are filled with fresh ideas that they are too afraid to share because they don’t think anyone, especially their manager, wants to hear. This is why you need to constantly encourage your employees to voice their ideas. Make sure they know that feedback is actively encouraged. Your job is to make every single person feel safe so that they can do so effectively. If you get the sense that someone is “holding back” on you, then you haven’t done your job yet. Stay focused on building the relationship until they start to open up more and more to share feedback and ideas. 3. Engage Everyone Whenever you’re in a meeting room, try to engage everyone in the conversation and listen to what they have to say. Don’t forget to thank them for their input. Obvious? Yes. Practiced? Rarely. Too often leaders don’t take the time to actively listen to what their team is saying. The best way to actively listen is to ask open-ended questions. Creating this discipline will encourage others to express their opinions more often. 4. Get to Know Each Employee You can’t help motivate your employees if you don’t know anything about them. Make time for one-on-one meetings with each of your team member to get to know them better. Even quick, informal conversations go a long way in building relationships. The more you know about them, the more you can nurture their leadership potential. 5. Reward Good Performances If an employee impresses you with great ideas that help the team moving forward, don’t forget to acknowledge them. The best way to show them that you appreciate their contribution is to acknowledge it in a very specific way. Instead of say, “John, great job” be more specific and say, “John, the way you treated that customer yesterday afternoon was great. You listened to what they had to say and asked 4 questions to make sure you really understood their concern.” 6. Motivate Your Employees Once you have gotten to know each employee better, figure out what motivates them personally. When in doubt, ask them. That way you’ll know exactly what motivates them and they’ll get the exact recognition that they need. And as they get the recognition that they need, they will be motivated to produce more of the same results. This will create a virtuous cycle. 7. Create a Sense of Urgency You want your employees to be proactive and act fast. By creating a sense of urgency and letting them know exactly what is expected of them, they will be more driven to fulfill their role and contribute more to the company. 8. Empower Them to Make Decisions Every good leader needs to be able to make hard decisions. You can bring out the leader in your employees by giving them a chance to make major decisions regarding their jobs. This will show that you trust them to be in charge, and it will help them to be more confident in themselves as well. 9. Build a Coaching Culture Everyone struggles to see how their attitude and actions impact others. This is why coaching is so critical because it allows everyone to help each other to see how their behavior impacts others. As a leader, you should be able to let them know what they could do to better themselves as well as tell them what you want them to keep on doing. This will encourage them to be the best version of themselves while prompting them to work on their weaknesses effectively. And the very best way to get your team to ask for coaching is to ask them for coaching. And it can be as simple as this, “John, what could I start doing that would help you the most in your role?” A leader must build relationships strong enough where this is not only ok to do, but it is welcomed by others who have a genuine desire to constantly improve. The key is to never offer coaching unless the other person asks for it. Coaching is only coaching if it is asked for. If you need any advice on how to improve your leadership skills, Phoenix Perform is your best bet. Our staff can help you to become the best version of yourself, and we can help you realize your full potential. Contact us today for more information. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How executive coaching enhances cognitive understanding of leadership  Why coaching helps leaders reach their full potential faster  Techniques for developing greater self-awareness  The value of learning difficult truths in a supportive environment  How coaching accelerates the development of necessary skills  The importance of having a trusted space to process leadership challenges  Why openness to learning maximizes coaching benefits Executive coaching continues to grow in popularity in recent years, and companies are increasingly starting to employ coaches for their executive leaders. Here are some of the key benefits of executive coaching for newly appointed leaders: Cognitive Enhancement The primary “tool” that a leader can utilize to accomplish work through and with others is the brain. A master car mechanic must understand how an engine works in the same way that a leader must understand how a brain works. Understanding how the brain work is critical for any leader, especially a new leader. This may seem overwhelming, but don’t worry, you don’t need to be a brain surgeon. Here’s why… the amount of information available on our brains has exploded in recent years. Work can become stressful very quickly for anyone who is just starting a new position as there is an overwhelming amount of new information to learn, typically in a short amount of time. On top of that, new leaders are expected to perform well in their main responsibilities, help new team members grow all the while adjust to the cultural norms of the organization. Combined, these factors put great pressure on the new leader, making them feel obligated to perform well. This is where executive coaching can prove immensely valuable. An executive coach can help a new leader understand how their brain works (including the role of the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system) and how to boost the powers of cognition to more effectively lead themselves and their teams. An executive coach can also a leader see things from a different perspective. They’ll learn understand their minds better and to see the role of various factors such as automatic proclivities and unconscious bias. This way, one can see things in a more objective way, making it more effective for the person to work as efficiently as they can. Better Productivity Executive coaching can help new leaders to reach their full potential with incredible productivity. Effective executive coaching can help a person add value to the company twice as quickly. Learn to Be More Aware Those who have been coached by an executive coach are found to be more self-aware. This means that they are better at foreseeing whether solutions will work and they are more likely to spot any potential limitations. If a person is self-aware, they are able to portray themselves in a good light on their first day of work, making a great first impression. Also, coaching allows new leaders to be more adaptive in how they face a problem and how they choose to solve it. Learn the Hard Truth Having an executive coach by your side to constantly give feedback on your performance is very beneficial for self-improvement. It may be just what you need to hear… the hard truth that no one has had the courage to say to you as of yet. During the coaching period, new leaders will have time to process and reflect on how to improve themselves in a safe space. In a way, it serves as a preparation period prior to the start of a new role that may prove to be rather stressful. Learn to Develop Necessary Skills In a Short Amount of Time Sometimes, we don’t have the luxury of time to learn and develop as we grow. Executive coaching can boil years of learning down to only a few months, weeks or even hours. This is perfect for leaders of small to medium-size companies or even start-ups as they deal with their growing businesses. Executive coaching can help them prepare for the hard work that is to come. They Can Talk It Through Executive coaching offers a supportive environment for an individual to work through some issues that they might encounter in their new positions. Coaches will also provide appropriate encouragement and help them to grow the confidence that they need. As a result, they won’t feel as if they are going through the transition alone. Takeaway Mentioned above are the benefits of executive coaching that have been found to be true for many CEOs, business owners, and numerous others. However, it is imperative to note that even the most incredible coach can’t help someone who doesn’t want to learn and grow. Remember: Coaching is only coaching if it’s asked for! NOTE: Select Wisely The quality in the executive coaching world varies widely so it’s important to find the right one. This is especially true for a new leader since the executive coach has the potential to significantly alter the trajectory of a new leader. A great executive coach can help a new leader soar and, well, a poor executive coach can cause significant harm. If you need any advice on how to improve your leadership skills, Phoenix Perform is your best bet. Our staff can help you to become the best version of yourself, and we can help you realize your full potential. Contact us today for more information. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: What intrapreneurship means in organizational contexts  How fear and unconscious emotional reactions impede innovation  The brain science behind resistance to change  Five attributes of an innovation-embracing culture  How conscious awareness helps overcome unconscious reactions  Why shared purpose transcends individual agendas in innovative cultures  The importance of constructive confrontation of difficult issues Disruptive forces are reshaping our economy. Responding quickly and effectively with innovative solutions is crucial for survival. Yet, implanting innovation into organizational DNA remains elusive. Many approaches have been attempted to foster innovation but fall short of resolving the innovation dilemma. Fostering innovation requires: 1) an understanding of the root cause barriers to innovation and 2) a comprehensive approach to creating a culture that fosters innovation. If humans operated like computers with the simple logic of the binary code, no barriers to innovation would exist. We are not rational beings however, we are emotional beings with the capacity for rational thought. Our emotional mind, which controls most of our perceptions, is a-rational. That is, it is without reason, as opposed to irrational, or unreasonable. At times this unconscious, arational response serves our purpose, at other times it’s counterproductive. Our emotional mind resists change, as it is always looking to past experiences to inform our present actions. The latest brain research reveals that the part of the brain that is our “fear center” (the amygdala)is essentially an organ that senses novelty.  That means that anything that we are not accustomed to, that is new, or that is not our idea triggers fight or flight in us all!  The specific fears that get triggered in us are, of course, individualized however, most people share: 1) The fear of failure. 2) The fear of the unknown. 3) The fear that our creative idea will be rejected by others. 4) Our propensity to believe that we are “right” and any other viewpoint is “wrong". In order to engage in real innovation, one must become aware of the presence of these unconscious beliefs, suspend them, and consciously engage the executive center of the brain. Thinking is volitional as opposed to emotion which is involuntary and automatic.  Therefore it requires a great deal of conscious effort and will. Thus, if we are to innovate, we must learn to govern our unconscious emotional reactions with our conscious thoughts. If you are looking to develop an innovation embracing culture you must nurture the following attributes: Team members have a conscious awareness of their unconscious emotional proclivities, and reactions. Team members are united by a consciously generated, emotionally compelling shared purpose that is superior to their individual agendas. This emotional force counteracts unconscious barriers. Personal accountability for measurable outcomes motivates the development of innovative processes, products and services. Team members do what they say they will do, even when barriers arise. Open communication is utilized, unimpeded by organizational rank. Confronting difficult issues is accepted as a necessary and integral part of the creative process, and is conducted in a manner that strengthens interpersonal relationships. We refer to such a culture as intra preneurial . "An intrapreneur is a person who takes the direct responsibility and commensurate authority to organize and manage an enterprise, within a larger organization." The distinguishing characteristic essential to intrapreneurship is the voluntary taking of initiative and risks associated with generating the outcomes of the enterprise. The organization that consciously, methodically develop an intrapreneurial culture will have the greatest opportunity to survive the forces of entropy in an ever-changing world. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: Why genuine desire for improvement is the foundation of leadership development  How journaling can enhance self-assessment and awareness  The importance of maintaining openness to feedback and learning  Techniques for adapting leadership models to your unique situation  Why stepping outside your comfort zone accelerates growth  How strategic breaks prevent burnout and sustain development  The truth that leadership is a teachable trait anyone can develop In today’s world, it’s important that we learn to be leaders. The world needs more people with good ideas who are willing to take the initiative to make things better, and it’s a skill that not many people have. Although leadership skills may come innately to some, it’s a teachable trait. One can be trained to become a good leader. In fact, you can even teach yourself to be a good leader with the right approach and mindset! This is what we’ll be talking about in this article. Here are six tips on how to make yourself a better leader: Have a desire to be better The very first thing that you need to become a good leader is the desire to be better and to improve the things and the people around you. Without a team to surround them, a leader is not a leader at all. Therefore, a leader also has the desire to bring people together and to take them in the direction of success. Remember - the desire to be better will drive you to improve yourself, and that is the key to every successful leader. Assess yourself You have to keep track of what you can do to make yourself a better person and develop it from the ground up. By keeping a journal about your thoughts, ideas, and other things drawn from your self-assessment, you will know exactly what you need to work on. This is the key to self-improvement. A good leader is someone who is willing to break their comfort zone and be better every day. That’s what you need to be willing to do daily if you want to be a leader. Have an open mind and be willing to learn Another important trait of a good leader is someone who is willing to learn. To be able to learn, you need to have an open mind. Instead of being offended by criticism, you need to take it as it is and use it as feedback to strengthen your weak points, determined to do better next time. Don’t just blindly copy someone else When you learn about something that has the potential to be integrated into your leadership model, the next thing to do is to think about how it can be translated into the way you do things. Don’t just copy your entire leadership model from someone else, as there are leadership different needs for every situation. The best leadership style is one that fits your personality as well as the role that you’ve been assigned to. Be adaptive and apply your knowledge to solve a problem Before you sign up for a leadership coaching program, you should know that it’s not going to be an easy path. You will have to step out of your comfort zone a lot and you should be eager to do so. In fact, the key to success is to do something that challenges you and makes you uncomfortable. This means that you’re working toward something new and making constant progress in the direction of your goals. Give yourself a break from time to time Another important aspect of being a good leader is knowing when to take the load off of yourself from time to time. The more work and pressure you put on yourself, the more likely you are to do something that you don’t want to do. You need to learn to delegate and give yourself a break so that you don’t get too stressed out. If you need any advice on how to improve your leadership skills, Phoenix Perform is your best bet. Our staff can help you to become the best version of yourself, and we can help you realize your full potential. Contact us today for more information. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How to assess the value of investing in your leadership development  Why action beyond learning is essential for growth  The importance of taking responsibility for your development  Why patience with the development process leads to better results  How willingness to leave your comfort zone accelerates growth  The connection between determination, commitment and coaching effectiveness Great executives are always striving for more. They are constantly trying to improve themselves to achieve more, reach higher, and accomplish their goals. These people will attend countless seminars and workshops just because they want to stay on top of the trends. They can also be seen holding a career coaching book. You may also see them participating in a leadership training program. If you’ve been stuck in the same position for a long time now, it could be that you’re not doing any of those things that other driven executives are doing. That being said, it’s never too late to change. Here are five signs that will tell when you’re ready for a leadership training program: 1) You are prepared to invest in yourself It’s true that hiring an executive coach means that you will have to spend some money and sacrifice some time. However, you should look at it as an investment in yourself. After you have learned everything from your executive coach and applied it to your professional life, the return on your investment will be immeasurable. 2) You are ready to put in some work No programs or coaches can make a difference if you don’t do the work on your part. Unlike a therapy or counseling session, an executive leadership development program requires action. You need to be ready to put in some work before you commit to the training. Otherwise, you will be wasting your time and money for nothing. 3) You are willing to put excuses aside A good executive coach will know when you’re making excuses. If you show up late and unprepared, there is no use lying or coming up with justifications for your actions. After all, you’re paying to be coached, and so you should do whatever it takes to make the most out of the experience. In other words, you’re here to reap all the benefits that the training has to offer. 4) You are committed A leadership coaching program is not there to provide you with all the answers to your problems. Rather, it is there for you to learn from your executive coach as much as you can so that you know how to come up with new solutions to your problems on your own. You need to understand that you won’t get the results that you want overnight. Therefore, you need to be patient and do your best while you’re at it. 5) You are ready to take risks Before you sign up for a leadership coaching program, you should know that it’s not going to be an easy path. You will have to step out of your comfort zone a lot and you should be eager to do so. In fact, the key to success is to do something that challenges you and makes you uncomfortable. This means that you’re working toward something new and making constant progress in the direction of your goals. The Bottom Line A career development training is only suitable for those who want to better themselves. This will only be effective if you’re ready to learn and take some risks. An executive coach can guide you toward success, but only if you’re determined and committed enough. Are you ready for the challenge? Phoenix Perform provides executive coaching & team building consulting for enterprises, get in touch today to see how we can help. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How reliability and follow-through build team integrity  Techniques for communicating effectively while respecting others  The importance of stepping outside comfort zones to support team goals  Strategies for handling change professionally  Methods for establishing positive work relationships  Why team player effectiveness depends on contribution, not personality Every team needs someone who is committed to completing the task and achieving the goal. And the very best teams take turns being this person because the reality is that everyone has a bad day or week and needs to rely on their team mates during these tough times. And while most of us can easily list the qualities of negative team members, it is much harder to pinpoint the qualities of strong team players. As a starting point, we offer these five characteristics that every good team member possesses: 1. Reliable A strong team player is someone that people can always count on. This does not mean they will always say yes to everthing. Quite the contrary… reliable people act with integrity which means their yes means yes. And their no means no. Because if someone can’t say no with integrity then they can never say yes with integrity. When a team member is reliable, you can trust them to get the work done before deadlines, keep their word, and produce great work in a consistent manner. 2. Communicates Effectively and Confidently Some team members may have great ideas, but they are not likely to speak up because they are concerned that their idea isn’t perfect. Great team players on the other hand do not hesitate to speak up confidently when they have an idea while also being respectful of other team members’ opinions and standpoints. These great team members are quick to ask lots of open ended questions as a way of understanding what others are saying and as a way of getting the best ideas out of everyone. 3. Takes on Extra Responsibilities Good team players will get their part of the job done, but great team players will take on more responsibilities than what was asked of them. They understand that in order to learn and continuously grow, they need to step outside of their comfort zones and take more risks. 4. Adapts Without Much Trouble When going through some changes, great team players will not take too much time adapting to new situations. In addition to being flexible, they act in a professional manner by being able to handle the stress that comes with any change. This, in turn, will encourage others in the team to do the same. 5. Shows Passion and Commitment Some team members come to work and do their job just to get their paycheck. Strong team players, on the other hand, make the most out of their time to ensure that positive work relationships with others on the team are established. They also show genuine commitment toward other team members in the hopes that they will also return the same level of commitment. Great team players come to work with passion and commitment to drive the team forward. The Bottom Line Contrary to common belief, great team players are not always extroverts fond of socializing with others. There are no fixed personalities for great team players. You only have to be an active team player who is willing to do more than what was assigned. In the end, you will be recognized for your positive performance, thus gaining more meaningful connections to thrive in your career. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: Why leadership isn't limited to those at the top of organizations  How effective leaders embrace not having all the answers  The truth about leadership development versus innate ability  Why purpose motivates more than results alone  How leadership can emerge regardless of formal title  The essential role of failure in leadership growth  Why great leaders take responsibility and inspire compelling visions “Just do what you're told.” We’ve all heard that phrase before and most of us have probably said something like it at some point in our life. And whether at home with kids or in the work place, this “do as I say” approach has never really worked. And there’s no mystery as to why it isn’t effective in the workplace … we humans love our autonomy. We all want a job that allows us to contribute more to our organizations and be involved in the decision-making process. And leaders that fail to adapt to this way of thinking create challenges and pitfalls for themselves. And this “do as I say” misconception is just one of many challenges that can be avoided. Below are some of the other most common misconceptions about leadership that every leader should ask themselves, “How might this be showing up in my approach to leadership and what should I do about it?” 1. Leaders Are Those At the Top Leaders are often perceived as those people at the top of the pyramid who hold all the power and control over the organization: CEO, Superintendent of Schools, Executive Director, President (the person at the top of the org chart). This view of leadership is far too simplistic & one-dimensional and thus it lacks the depth that true leadership contains. A leader is anyone who can generate a view of the future that others see as their future . Leaders are responsible (i.e. they decide how they want to respond to anything and everything) for their own lives and take this role very seriously. The most inspiring leader we’ve come across in the last 3 years had such a sense of energy and excitement that it only took her 2 minutes to bring life into a room full of complete strangers. She spoke with passion and said things like, “when I come to work, I come to get busy and serve these kids!” She takes responsibility for her role and wakes up every morning thinking about how she will own and respond to what life presents her. Each and every day. Her job title? School Janitor. She’ll forever be a leader. This means that anyone and everyone in an organization can be a leader if they so choose. Leadership is not about a title. 2. Leaders Have All The Answers There’s a common view that leaders have all the answers because how else would they have risen to their roles. This notion that leaders are “strong” and never show weakness is a relic of the past. People that spend their time hiding their limitations/weaknesses and work hard to manage what others think of them are actually eroding their effectiveness. This is because we don’t trust and thus aren’t able to follow a leader who isn’t human. The truth: we admire leaders who are willing to be human and to show that they aren’t perfect. This doesn’t mean that these leaders are willing to just sit idly by. No, effective leaders are continually pursuing growth and personal mastery. They are always working to get better because they know they do not have all the answers. 3. Leaders Are Born That Way Some people are referred to as “a born leader.” Life is far too complex to rely on such a simple notion. There’s no doubt that we are each born with different strengths and weaknesses, but it’s what we do with those that make all the difference. We are the sum total of the millions of decisions we make over our lives. And it’s never too late to go to work on becoming an effective leader. Mozart was eight years old when he wrote his first symphony. And have you heard of Dimitrion Yordanidis? He was 98 years old when he ran a marathon in Athens, Greece. Now that’s inspiring and the stuff of leadership! These are great reminders that we’re never too young and never too old to lead others. 4. Leadership Is All About The Results In this fast-paced working environment, the reason that we work has become harder and harder to see. It’s no secret that employee engagement is pathetically low and a great deal of this is due to the fact that organizations have lost sight of the power of leadership to connect people to the purpose of work. Most organizations are managing their people to death by focusing only on results. There’s nothing wrong with getting results. In fact, the very best organizations generate remarkable results year after year. A great leader is also a great manager, and a great manager helps their team generate results by holding them accountable in a supportive way . But getting results is not why people do what they do. A leader’s job is to connect the purpose of everyone on their team with the purpose of the organization so that they are intrinsically motivated and excited about their work. 5. Leadership Is Fixed If someone believes that leadership is a title then it would be logical to assume that someone can only become a leader when a current leader gets another job, resigns, or is fired. The reality is that leadership is not fixed to certain job titles. In the very best organizations, leadership is dynamic because everyone has a chance to inspire and lead anyone else within the organization. This means that everyone can choose to be a leader regardless of their title. 6. Leaders Cannot Afford Failure People tend to hold a misconception that failure is not an option in successful leadership. This could not be further from the truth. Failure is part of one’s exploration and road to growth and improvement. If a leader is stuck in their comfort zone for fear of failure, new innovations will never be discovered and nothing will ever improve. By failing, a leader can learn from their mistakes and grow as a leader. The willingness to do so also sets an example for the rest of the organization that it is ok to make mistakes, learn from them and get better as a result. Great leaders embrace failure as natural in life and as the very best way to improve. The Bottom Line Outdated misconceptions of leadership need to be put aside and replaced with a new one: great leaders are those who take responsibility for their actions and generate a view of the future that others take on as their own . A good leader understands that they are in control of their own lives and that they can learn from their mistakes. By letting go of leadership myths, anyone can be a leader. Any time, any place and anywhere. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How to recognize and manage emotions during decision-making  Why focusing solely on past experiences can limit effective choices  Techniques for verifying information from multiple sources  Strategies for gathering and filtering meaningful feedback  The importance of trusting yourself despite uncertainty  How courage serves as the foundation for effective decision-making The ability to make decisions is a crucial skill for all of us living in the 21st century. The world continues to change at break neck speed and we can no longer rely on the 19th century model of “command and control” management. It’s simply impossible to adapt to the myriad of decisions that come before us every week with a model that requires “asking the boss” every time. So it’s simply not practical anymore. And more importantly, relying on the boss to make decisions is the surest way to sap the life and energy out of every team member. Being able to make decisions in the moment makes it possible for us to adapt to new situations as they happen. How does someone become a better decision maker? It would be disingenuous to offer a simple formula; however, we can offer these five ideas to consider: 1. Notice your emotions. Breath. Think. We find that the best way to do this is to: make a conscious decision to start noticing your emotions, keep a simple list of emotions that you notice throughout a day, and do not try to change your emotion… just acknowledge it. This is hard to do, especially those of us who are a bit self-critical. Resist the temptation to say something like, “I shouldn’t be having this reaction or this emotion right now.” Just notice the emotion. And then what? Well, after you notice the emotion, often times you don’t need to do anything. It will dissipate quickly just by acknowledging it. If it remains, then think about what the situation is that has you reacting the way you are reacting. For instance, if you’re not in the best emotional state to make a decision, you’ll be prone to being led by anger, fear, or jealousy. When it comes time to make a decision and you’re not in the right headspace to do so, give yourself a moment to regather your thoughts. Take a deep breath in, count to ten, then focus on the decisions that you have to make. This quick exercise in clarity allows us to engage our prefrontal cortex so that we can make the best possible decision. 2. Don’t focus on past failures and success Mistakes and achievements are something that most of us have to deal with on a regular basis, but that doesn’t mean that we should let that deter us from making a decision. If you focus on your failures, you will be too afraid to take a risk. Leaders make decisions even when they are worried about making a mistake. This is the definition of courage. “Courage is not a virtue or value among other personal values like love or fidelity. It is the foundation that underlies and gives reality to all other virtues and personal values. Without courage our love pales into mere dependency. Without Courage our fidelity becomes conformism. The word courage comes from the same stem as the French word couer, meaning “heart”. Thus just as one’s heart, by pumping blood to one’s arms, legs, and brain enables all the other physical organs to function, so courage makes possible all the psychological virtues. Without courage other values wither away into mere facsimiles of virtue.” ~ Rollo May On the other hand, if you focus solely on your successes in the past, you will start to overreach, which may lead to a harsh reality check. You need to see your achievements and failures as lessons but not a guarantee of future outcomes; think about what you did wrong and what you did right in previous decisions and combine those elements together in your next decision. 3. Always cross-examine your data Decisions should be made based on research and empirical data as much as possible. This necessitates reliable sources of information. Be diligent in examining your information sources. Always cross-reference your data with multiple sources. You need to keep an open and unbiased mind to ensure that you always have the most accurate and up-to-date information. If your decision is based on faulty data, it will lead to inefficiency and complications, so it’s better to get it right the first time that to regret when it’s all said and done. 4. Take feedback but cut out the noise Humans are social creatures, which means that we base most of our decisions, thoughts, and feelings on those around us. While this has its merits when it comes to team building and collaboration, we must keep in mind that people have their own agendas and opinions that may not be the best for the group as a whole. The best strategy for uncovering any personal preferences and biases is to ask a lot of open-ended questions. Keep asking “What” and “Why” questions until you’ve fully understood the various perspectives. This doesn’t mean that you should disregard getting feedbacks and evaluations from other team members, but you should make sure that what they're suggesting is actually for the good of the group. 5. Trust yourself When we have to make a big decision, it’s understandable that we might be anxious or even scared about the consequences of our actions. Yet, it doesn’t mean that you should reverse your decision as soon as something starts to go wrong. Therefore, you need to stick to your decision and make adjustments along the way rather than turning back on your words and your promises at the first sign of failure. A good leader doesn’t fear failure as much as they fear the lack of opportunities to grow and learn from both good and unfortunate decisions. The key here is to work hard at acknowledging your emotions so that they don’t cloud your judgment. Here’s the thing: we tend to know what to do and what decision to make. Trust yourself and make it! Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How coaching positively impacts organizational performance  The connection between culture and business success (310% revenue growth)  What culture really is and why it's difficult to change  How leadership shapes organizational culture  The three key categories for effective cultural transformation  Practical approaches to inspire, create accountability, and foster growth I've been coaching executives since 1992. In the beginning, it was very difficult to convince people that coaching was a credible and effective way to improve performance. Now there are several studies proving significant benefits to coaching. “The results show that coaching has significant positive effects on performance...” (1) Meta-study, The Journal of Positive Psychology “Coaching produced intangible and monetary benefits for seven out of eight business impact areas; and ROI of 689 percent.”(2) Industrial and Commercial Training The vast majority of the coaching interventions studied involved a coach working with an executive one-on-one to help them improve in some way. The efficacy of coaching as a practice in improving performance has been well documented in these and many other research studies. In 1992, John Kotter and James Heskett wrote a book titled, “ Corporate Culture and Performance.” The authors referenced a Harvard study that followed the results of two groups of firms over an 11-year period: one with performance-enhancing cultures and one without such cultures. Among other metrics, the firms with performance-enhancing cultures showed revenue growth 310% greater than their peer firms and net income growth of 756% vs. 1% for peer firms without such cultures. (3) This book led me to begin to shift the emphasis of our coaching practice to help organizational leaders transform their cultures. Over the last 27 years, leveraging coaching to transform culture, I have seen amazing measurable improvements in key performance indicators that measure profitability, quality, customer service and innovation. Culture eats strategy for breakfast Peter Drucker The practice of changing cultures is very complicated and difficult. However, once we understand the nature of culture, why it's so difficult to change, and what the steps are in creating that change, it greatly simplifies the process. In this article, we're going to lay out a road map for cultural change. What is culture? If we are to change it, we had better understand what it is. We define culture as The unspoken rules of engagement within any group of people. These unspoken rules govern everything; what can and cannot be discussed, what language is allowable, how people dress, the assumptions they base decisions on — everything. In our work, we have noticed that within industries there tend to be cultural similarities: For example people in engineering firms tend to be outspoken, assertive, results-focused, and very analytical. Whereas people in mental health organizations tend to be reserved, conflict avoidant, people-focused, and empathetic. Why is culture so difficult to change? Your organization has a culture that is distinct from other organizations and may be distinctly different from other places you have worked. When you walk in the door in the morning do you say to yourself, “I’m going to follow these rules today,” or “I have to remember how to act today in order to fit in?” Of course not. Culture is unconscious. We automatically adopt the group’s norms and play by the rules without thinking about it. Because it is unconscious it’s really difficult to change. How can we possibly change something we’re not aware of? What is the source of culture? Where does it come from? The short answer is leadership. Cultures arise from the collective behavioral patterns of their leaders. One of our clients is a real visionary, she’s known for being a leader in her industry — her firm creates innovative products and services that are defining the state-of-the-art. She doesn’t like to be bothered with details, preferring to move on to the next visionary idea. It’s no coincidence that her organization, although innovative, is constantly struggling to remain profitable — they lack the discipline and focus on details necessary to maximize efficiencies. It’s a mirror image of her priorities. This is a simplistic (but accurate) example. Most cultures do not mirror just the CEO’s behavior, but the collective behavior of the top executives and satellite locations frequently mirror the behaviors of their local leaders, producing sub-cultures. You might ask: Why doesn’t she just change her priorities? Not so simple! Those priorities arise from her unconscious behavioral needs . Behavioral profiles such as Disc, Myers-Briggs, or our own Insight Coaching System offer insight for people into what their unconscious priorities are and how they shape behavior and therefore culture. Any culture change effort must begin by helping leaders become conscious of these unconscious needs. Making them conscious allows people to choose when to employ them and when not to. Any such change process that ignores these “comfort zone” behaviors is doomed to failure. Once leaders are aware of their unconscious habits, which ones support the type of culture they’re trying to build and which do not, they can begin to develop conscious habits that intentionally support a high-performing culture. Although there are many individual behaviors required to generate such a culture, they can be summarized in three categories: Leaders utilize inspirational leadership . People throughout the organization are united by a personal commitment to a common purpose that is superior to their individual agendas. Leaders use supportive accountability to create an organization rooted in integrity. “We do what we say we do” becomes the standard. Leaders create a coaching culture . They coach one another, ask their team members to coach them, and coach their teams. In this way, people can support one another in utilizing conscious behaviors. Once organizational leaders begin to behave in these ways, these norms cascade throughout the organization and culture change is underway. All told, changing our behavior and our cultures is difficult, but doable. In our experience, it takes months or years, depending on the nature of the organization. If you want to be successful, follow this roadmap: Help leaders become conscious of their unconscious, automatic behavioral needs. Help leaders develop new conscious behaviors that generate inspirational leadership, supportive accountability, and coaching culture. CEOs and their leadership teams who intentionally commit themselves to make these behavior/cultural changes and make it the #1 priority will dramatically improve their organization’s performance. #CultureEatsEverything Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week. (1) Tim Theeboom, Bianca Beersma & Annelies E.M. van Vianen (2014) Does coaching work? A meta-analysis on the effects of coaching on individual level outcomes in an organizational context, The Journal of Positive Psychology: Dedicated to furthering research and promoting good practice, 9:1, 1-18, DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2013.837499 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/17439760.2013.837499 (2) Vernita Parker‐Wilkins, (2006) "Business impact of executive coaching: demonstrating monetary value", Industrial and Commercial Training, Vol. 38 Issue: 3, pp.122-127, https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610659373 Permanent link to this document: https://doi.org/10.1108/00197850610659373 (3) Kotter, John, & Heskett, James, “Corporate Culture and Performance.” Copyright 1992 Kotter & Assoc. Inc. and James Heskett.

What You'll Learn: How to build genuine confidence through facing fears and taking action  Techniques for identifying and prioritizing high-impact work  Strategies for effectively communicating accomplishments and career goals  Methods for increasing visibility and building valuable relationships  The importance of leading, managing, and coaching direct reports  Why deciding to pursue advancement already differentiates you Are you wanting to get ahead at work? Or perhaps you’re brand new to a company and making a plan that will ensure you get promoted as quickly as possible over the coming years? In any case, the simple fact that you have your eyes on the future and you want to take on more responsibilities and get promoted to a more senior role is a wonderful thing. It means you don’t just “show up to work” and do the bare minimum. This by itself helps you to stand out from the crowd. Now the question is, how do you best stand out from the crowd? Here are four tips to help you get noticed and increase your chances of getting a promotion: 1 - Show That You are Confident Before you can ask anyone else to believe in you, you need to have faith in yourself. If your boss sees that you are a capable and confident person, they are more likely to see you as a serious candidate and consider you for a promotion. The trick is to figure out where confidence comes from. Often times we think of confidence that we are born with or not. This is just not true. Confidence can be learned and practiced like any other skill. First, think about what you bring to the company and what your strengths are. Second, think about the areas where you need to grow the most. If you are like the rest of us, some of these areas of growth can seem overwhelming and scary. This is the first sign that you are working on an area of your life where building confidence is at play. The solution is actually rather simple. Not easy, but simple. The way to build confidence is to do something even when it scares you. This is what confident people do. They face their fears and make a conscious decisions to do it anyway. Think about riding a bike. It may have been scary at first but most of us wanted to ride a bike so badly that we tried to ride a bike anyway. And after a few crashes and some bruised knees, we finally figured it out. And once that happens, we had the confidence to ride a bike. Simply put, confidence comes after we do something that seems difficult. If you need help improving your confidence, it may make sense to get a life coach to guide you and help you structure a plan to boost your confidence. 2 - Prioritize Your Work If you want to get recognized and be respected, it’s time to change how you do your work. Instead of just working through whatever task is in front of you, reshuffle your work and focus on the high priority jobs. Do the things which will make an impact on your department and company first. Make it the highest quality possible and deliver it before any and all deadlines. Too often, we do the easy work first. Unfortunately, the easy work isn’t what makes us stand out. Your team leaders will notice these changes and it will put you in good standing for the next promotion. 3 - Ask to be Promoted If you don’t ask, you won’t receive. Your supervisors aren’t mind readers, and if you don’t inform them of your wishes for a higher position, you may never get promoted. Never be embarrassed to ask about a promotion. By stating your intentions, you are demonstrating that you’re ambitious and decisive. Discuss with your manager the accomplishments you’ve made for the company and be clear about your desire for a promotion. 4 - Increase Your Visibility & Build Relationships A great way to be considered for a promotion is to increase your visibility. Offer to work on significant and high-profile jobs, suggest innovative solutions, and demonstrate your talents. If you do this successfully, your hard work and dedication will soon be recognized and rewarded. Get to know everyone, both staff and managers. Go to work on building genuine relationships with as many people as you can. Help others as often as you can. People help and support people that they like. Be likable. You will gain a competitive advantage for the next senior vacancy by having better knowledge of the company and a wider range of skills. Take it a step further and volunteer yourself for interdepartmental committees. Bonus - Lead, Manage and Coach If you have direct reports, it’s critical that you are the best possible leader, manager and coach for each and every one of them. Lead them by inspiring them around the future you are all working towards. Manage them by holding them accountable in a way that is supportive to their growth ( see this article for more information on supportive accountability ). And coach them by providing whatever support they need to be successful. And remember, coaching is only coaching if they ask for it (so the key is to get them to ask for it!). Now that you know the steps required to get ahead in your job, make a plan and implement them immediately. You want to stand out and have the support of your peers when you eventually apply for your dream position in the company. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn  for bite-sized leadership wisdom throughout the week.

What You'll Learn: How project managers drive company growth through influential leadership  Strategies for handling projects of varying nature and complexity  Techniques for quickly assembling effective project teams  Methods for understanding and addressing diverse stakeholder needs  Approaches for guiding teams through the forming, storming, norming, and performing phases  How project management develops valuable leadership skills like strategy and patience Project managers are among the most influential leaders in an organization. Every successful initiative in a company that leads to its growth typically starts as a project. It’s safe to say that without project managers, many businesses will not grow. Project management is a challenging role, from planning to implementing such a plan, the project manager overlooks everything aspect. Project managers are not only accountable for the progress and success of the project but also for the people in the team. Project management can prove to be good training for anyone hoping to become a good leader. It teaches one to become more strategic, patient, and innovative. If you have your eyes set on trying to become a project manager, you need to learn about the tasks and challenges that come with being one. Here they are some of them: Handling Projects of Varying Nature Project managers need to master how to deal with uniqueness. Projects, for the most part, are temporary. Once a project has been successfully done and completed, the project manager will be assigned a new project to manage. This new project may be different from the previous appointment. The saying that a project manager needs to be flexible is an understatement. Every project needs a different approach, so the project manager needs to come up with a fresh strategy and plan each time. Having to Assemble a New Team in a Hurry More often than not, project managers need to build a team from scratch. Even though they just worked with a high-performing team previously, there are times when they need to build a new team because of unique project requirements. So, a project manager must assess what type of talents and professionals are needed for the project and know where to find those talents. Furthermore, the project manager is also required to negotiate for resources that will be needed for the project. These resources may be necessary to make sure that the new set of people can work together harmoniously. Exploring and Understanding the Needs of Stakeholders When planning for a project, the manager needs to carefully look at the needs of the customers and stakeholders to whom the project is essentially directed to. The project manager needs to assess aspects such as timing, budget, and resources. The manager has to determine how the project will affect not just the company but the people, directly and indirectly, involved in the project. For instance, the project is to upgrade an e-commerce site. How will it affect the buying experience of customers? How will it affect the sales of retailers selling their products through the website? These are a few things that will fall under the care of the project manager. Helping the Team Move Through the Project’s Phases To complete a project, teams move through various phases: forming, storming, norming, and performing. The project manager needs to work to make sure that every team member is on board, although the team members may be working with each other for the first time. The project manager is expected to guide the team towards moving forward through each project phase to ensure they follow the project timeline. Indeed, being a project manager is no walk in the park. However, once you can finish the project together with your team, you become a better leader than when you first attempted to become a project manager. If you’re looking to improve your management skills, no matter in which facet, Phoenix Perform is here for you. Get in touch with us today to see how we can help. Did you find this article valuable? Don't miss our weekly insights on transformational leadership and building exceptional cultures. Subscribe to Elevate Your Culture  - our Monday morning newsletter delivering actionable leadership strategies directly to your inbox. Subscribe Now Join leaders across industries who start their week with clarity, purpose, and practical tools to unlock potential in themselves and their teams. No time for another newsletter? Follow us on LinkedIn