In 1995, author Daniel Goleman changed the definition of an “effective leader” with his book Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ. Goleman challenged leadership convention by shifting the north star of long-term leadership success from only “business know-how” and included “human know-how.” Although high IQ makes leaders smart, high emotional intelligence (EI) makes leaders great. An effective leader with high EI can navigate the complexities of the market and the emotions of themselves, their teams, and their customers. Since then, EI has been solidified as a core leadership competency, being named a top 10 skill leaders need in 2020 by World Economic Forum as 75% of companies value EI more than IQ for team members, from CEOs to new hires. If the picture of a healthy, effective leader were like a puzzle, then EI offered the pieces to fill the gaps left by the former focus on IQ and technical skills for leaders. For instance, adding EI to the puzzle made sense of … [Read more...]

Effective leaders develop themselves and their team members. Since the 1990s, many leaders have leveraged the development possibilities from 360-feedback surveys, or multi-rater feedback, for themselves and their team members. And like many development tools, 360-feedback has generated plenty of controversy. A Google search for “360 feedback” reveals many articles warning readers of dilemmas like the “horrible truth of 360 feedback assessments.”1 360-feedback surveys can promote disagreement, dissension, and discord—when implemented improperly. However, when used as a developmental tool, rather than an evaluative appraisal, 360 feedback affords individuals greater self-awareness, deeper alignment opportunities with company goals, and insights for clearer paths to professional success. Just like any driver behind the wheel, leaders have blind spots as they move forward in their development and direct the progress of their companies. Effective leaders, like great drivers, ensure a … [Read more...]

Most leaders today recognize the value of diversity in the workplace. In 2017, Deloitte surveyed 10,000 leaders for their Global Human Capital Trends report. In the report, Deloitte found that two-thirds of the surveyed leaders said they felt diversity is “important” or “very important.” Yet many leaders wrestle still with practicing leadership strategies that promote and utilize the business-growth opportunities inherent in diverse workforces. Technological and informational advances continue to shape the demands and opportunities of business at an unprecedented rate. Technologies such as virtual reality (VR) and artificial intelligence (AI) now demand workforces with deep technical understanding and cognitive agility. Additionally, customer information needs to move at the speed of social media and its numerous outlets, necessitating team members with both creative and psychologically astute minds. In other words, leaders help their companies remain competitive by cultivating … [Read more...]

The year’s end brings a unique opportunity for leaders and their teams. No two leaders experienced 2018 the same way. And no company is ending the year in the same place as when it began. Many leaders are ending an exciting year for themselves and their companies and look to the new year with enthusiasm. Some leaders, though, who navigated a seemingly endless onslaught of dilemmas are ready to leave 2018 behind but look to 2019 with a hint of reluctance. Truth is, no matter how thrilling or frustrating the year was, every leader can capitalize on the opportunities the end of the year brings to reflect and ready themselves to begin the new year with fresh outlooks, eager teams, and renewed confidence. How should a leader help themselves and their teams relate to and think about the transpiring year? What tools can effective leaders use to lead their teams into 2019 with energy and excitement? Effective leaders find creative ways at the year’s end to allocate time with their … [Read more...]

Executive leaders operate at the crossroads of many pressures. Leaders navigate their businesses through the complexity of the market; they harness the insights of emotional intelligence and organizational psychology to cultivate team cultures; they embody the public face of their firms; they protect the trust of investors and stakeholders. And they’re human, which means another reality emerges at leadership’s crossroads: fumbles. Most leaders know the stories of famous thinkers and leaders who, after mistakes or setbacks, became larger than life: Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Oprah Winfrey, Warren Buffett, J.K. Rowling, etc. These narratives connect with every leader’s dreams of success and industry influence, but they also remind leaders that success exists on the other side of mistakes—if leaders are prepared. So how should a leader lead in light of the inevitability of a fumble or mistake? How should they lead when it occurs? First, effective leaders lean into the … [Read more...]

For business leaders, conflict can be a four-letter word. Gossip at the water cooler, passive-aggressive comments flung back and forth at meetings, and grade-school like factions between teams plague many office settings. Although conflict may seem to entice and encourage these destructive dilemmas, conflict doesn’t have to be the enemy of a company’s work culture and productivity. Conflict itself emerges at the intersection of workplace diversity, where differing opinions, commitments, and strategies are backed by employees’ strong emotions and beliefs. When emotions go unchecked, disregarded, and left to their own devices, that’s when problems—and significant costs—disrupt a company’s morale and productivity. Truth is, leaders can see conflict as a revenue-generating asset, if they change their thinking and behavior toward conflict management. Because conflict can be unpleasant, many leaders avoid it, tackle it head on, or assume it will resolve itself with time. But these … [Read more...]

No aspect of executive responsibility is easy as company leaders develop strategies to navigate their companies through the market’s inevitable ebbs and flows. Nevertheless, no aspect of a leader’s role proves more difficult than when a business strategy leads to a necessary reduction in staff. Whether it’s due to business contraction or technological advances making positions irrelevant, an executive leader’s business strategy shouldn’t stop at the moment of a staff reduction. Rather, it should include an understanding of the impact of layoffs and a strategy for the comprehensive care of not only the exiting employee but also the remaining employees, key team members facilitating the process, and the company’s market reputation. When leaders and their HR teams face the difficult of staff reduction decisions, outplacement services provide the best opportunity to help leaders balance careful strategy and comprehensive care for everyone involved. The Value of Outplacement … [Read more...]

Of all the abilities an executive leader must possess, delegation may be the most crucial. Delegation is intrinsically connected to every aspect of executive leadership. Find a leader who delegates effectively, and you’ll likely find a company with high retention of top performers, high engagement, and a healthy work culture. Additionally, you’ll find a leader who’s not stretched too thin and is able to stay focused on company vision, strategy, and execution. Even so, many executive leaders still wrestle with comprehending the importance of delegation and how to effectively implement it on a daily basis. Delegating: an Art and a Science A lot of ink has been spilled to explain what delegation is and its role within companies, and rightfully so. A leader’s ability to delegate reveals both their leadership worldview and the potential trajectory of the company. But what is delegation, really? For many leaders, delegation is nothing more than shifting a responsibility from the … [Read more...]

In 2013, Stanford University released an attention-grabbing survey on executive coaching, stating that “nearly two-thirds of CEOs do not receive outside leadership advice,” but “nearly all want it.”1 Stanford’s study revealed a notable transition in C-Suite sentiments toward executive  coaching. It was seen less as a professional irrelevancy or worst-case scenario reaction and more as a legitimate and desirable opportunity for professional development. Since then, the demand for executive coaching has only grown. Because of the rise in demand, an explosion of coaches and firms has taken place. While it isn’t bad news per se, this increase of coaching opportunities has meant many executives pursuing coaching for the first-time have difficulty identifying the differentiating factors between coaches. As Erika Andersen, author of Growing Great Employees, wrote, “...as with anything that gets popular, there are now many, many people jumping on the coaching bandwagon, hanging out their … [Read more...]

A leader’s ability to build a healthy team makes or breaks an organization’s productivity and profitability. Not only does a healthy, engaged team have a direct correlation to a strong bottom line, but if a leader’s team begins to fray, splinter, and atrophy--initiating and perpetuating a revolving door of transition--the corporate and personal costs to the organization, the leader, and their team members can be exorbitant.1 What is Team Health? Team health is how a leader recognizes and understands whether their people are connected to the company mission and each other in a way that ensures operational success. Seems Obvious, Right? While the positive implications of a healthy team seem obvious to most leaders, what’s required to cultivate and sustain a healthy team may not be. Many leaders feel confident and competent to navigate the ebb and flow of the market, traverse the expectations and desires of shareholders, prepare dynamic keynotes for conferences, etc., but when … [Read more...]