We hope you have enjoyed bringing to life the first 5 LeaderShift tips covered in our last blog post.
Today, I bring you the next 5!
Remember, leadership starts with you. It is an inward job, and we need to lead ourselves before we can lead decisions and teams.
As part of a senior leadership program last month, we focused on 10 key tools and strategies (there were more) to create more ease, headspace, time, and stronger leadership.
I have now shared these 10 LeaderShifts over 2 blog posts to give you a chance to implement these and create habits and awareness of bringing these into your daily work life.
6. Spread the energy of optimism
Optimism is contagious and a key trait in successful people and leaders. Smile and laugh like an optimist; this increases mood and your immune system and affects others around you. Think about what makes you optimistic, as this can raise your optimism levels. Reframe the mundane greeting of “How are you?” to “What’s the best thing that’s happened today?” Being grateful gets you to focus on what you do have, and the practice of gratitude can raise optimism.
7. Do what lights you up
Too often, people do what they are good at but not necessarily what they are good at and enjoy. There is a big difference. Since we spend on average 90,000 hours at work in our lifetime, this needs to be a priority. Identify the things that light you up and energise you at work. Know what doesn’t light you up and leverage this from others. Do these things as often as possible and satisfy these to ensure happiness, fulfilment and effectiveness in the role. If you are leading a team, ask them what lights them up. Leverage this for limitless success.
8. Unwrap the gift of curiosity
Curiosity is the portal to exploring, learning, and bringing ideas to life. Instead of thinking of things as a statement such as “That team is amazing”, flip this to a question such as “What makes that team amazing?” This turns the thought from observation to provocation, where we ask questions, seek information, and explore the idea or thought further. This can increase innovation, creativity and sharing of best practice in the workplace. Creativity leads to connection and co-creation, with the by-product being collaboration.
9. Debate with intent trumps harmony for comfort’s sake
Got something to say, say it!
Too often don’t voice our opinions, ideas, or mistakes as we fear judgement and rejection. Focus on what this is costing you, your team and your organisation. To be in service, you need to lead out loud and share your ideas and thoughts by explaining the “why” and the story behind them. Expression in the workplace is needed; suppression stifles culture. We have a new game that explores the fun and thought-provoking ways to bring this to life.
10. Coach others to delegate thinking
The best organisations have an “asking” culture vs. a “telling” one. By asking questions, instead of giving the solution, you are delegating thinking, empowering others, creating future leaders and freeing up your time to focus on the things that matter. When people can think for themselves, this increases confidence, risk-taking and stronger leadership. Ensure you have both formal and informal coaching conversations in play and lose the need to be the all-telling leader instead of the all-asking one.
Enjoy bringing these strategies and tools to life! If you haven’t read the previous post with LeaderShifts 1 to 5, you can do that here.
