As leaders we must always be pursuing new avenues that can improve or enhance our overall leadership influence. In today’s knowledge economy, we must continually transform our own leadership effectiveness, the performance of our people, and the overall productivity of our organization.
Leader behaviour is the singular most important skill that we must be constantly aware of and continuously developing in order to be effective. What’s more, when it comes to workplace behaviour we are all leaders because it is through our own personal behaviour competency that we influence others. So whether you are in a formal role of leader or not, you are always an influential leader.
Do you know what behaviours you display on a daily basis? Are your behaviour habits bringing you closer to achieving higher levels of performance necessary to make a significant difference in the lives of other people? Is your behaviour impelling the people you lead and those around you to achieve peak performance? For a true reflection of how well you’re doing as a leader, you have to have the courage to ask your followers and your peers.
The questions we ask must be simple and clear, and solicited in an environment of trust and safety. These six simple questions create a good starting point for leader influence:
1. Do I clearly communicate a vision for our team/organization?
2. Do I treat people with courtesy and respect?
3. Do I solicit contrary opinions to my ideas and directives?
4. Do I encourage people to share ideas?
5. Do I actively listen to people in meetings?
6. Do I give people the impression that I am accessible and approachable?
Having the courage to ask these questions shows your people and colleagues that you are committed to self-examination and self-improvement in key behaviours that drive performance and productivity.
Influential leaders understand that how they think and behave affects the way they lead. They must be committed to all kinds of improvement and solicit regular feedback from their colleagues and followers. Influential leaders fully support the organizational mission and vision, and they ensure that their personal values and purpose, and the values and purpose of those they lead, align with those of the organization.
Influential leaders do not bow to their ego. Nor are they concerned with protecting their authority. They believe in and display transparency in everything they do, and getting and soliciting feedback is one means of ensuring that this transparency continues and that self-improvement never ends. German philosopher Johann Goethe said, “Self-knowledge is best learned, not by contemplation but action.”
Do you have the courage to take action? Do you have the courage to solicit feedback from those that matter most?
A word of caution – feedback only tells us what we need to change in our behaviour, not how to do it. I cannot change what I do not mange and I cannot manage what I am unaware of. But when I know how people experience me in my behaviour I am closer to learning what to change, and most importantly, I am that much closer to developing the trust foundation necessary to becoming an influential leader.
When you are ready to change, start with the skill of Positive Presence, an innovative thought model connecting workplace behaviour to human energy and provides a systematic, programmatic methodology for equipping leaders with the knowledge and understanding necessary for developing and sustaining the behaviour skills needed for influential leadership.
Catherine is the President and CEO of CORPORATE HARMONY, providing virtual solutions for leadership development and organizational culture change. Her leadership and coaching experience as a Project Manager in an ever-changing, fast moving technological organization with unrelenting demands drove her to the realization that a positive mindset and strength-building behaviors are essential for today’s complex and chaotic organizational systems. CORPORATE HARMONY’s virtual platform of programs, coaching and performance measurement, is an innovative online technology of tested proprietary content. The world-class content of CORPORATE HARMONY’s Positive Presence Program develops the skill of ‘Positive Presence’ and the necessary ‘Positive Presence Behaviour Competencies’ for maintaining a positive and energized mindset and increased performance in today’s complex work environment, and leading to a culture of collaboration and connection. Catherine’s vision for Corporate Harmony is to bring the skill of “Positive Presence” to the corporate world as it becomes more complex, ambiguous and chaotic. Catherine is uniquely positioned to impact organizations’ productivity and long term success, with her powerful vision of eliminating bad stress from every workplace around the globe, bringing purpose into the people equation to promote healthy, productive and meaningful work cultures and turn the tide on the neglect of mental health on a global scale. Catherine is author of the book: “CORPORATE HARMONY – The Performance Link for Today’s Modern Organization” Catherine can be reached at: Catherine.Osborne@corporateharmony.ca or go to ‘contact us’ on our website www.corporateharmony.ca. Catherine is available for consultation, and can be reached by 519-695-3407.