I’ve learned a lot from the leaders I coach. I’ve summarized my key learnings into 8 principles.
Here’s my Be A Better Leader Manifesto.
Choose curiosity over fear: When fear is the primary motivator, we infrequently get what we want. Lead with curiosity and the results will follow.
Be present and exude presence: There’s been eons of research on this, those with the best presence make everyone else around them feel great. From Muhammed Ali to Dalai Lama, this is a hallmark of developing as a leader.
Stop motivating and start listening: You are not a driver of KPIs as much as you think you are; you’re a support network. You’re measured on how you get results via others.
Respect others every day: Say hello. Be compassionate. Listen to understand.
Command less and coach more: As new generations rise up in the workplace and want different elements from work, command, and control will naturally erode. Are you ready for that?
Look beyond the numbers: “What’s measured is what matters” is a frequent refrain from the executive suite. Makes perfect sense — but it often leaves a lot of crucially-important soft skills on the table.
Advocate for your team (and yourself): Otherwise, why are you leading at all?
Hire and fire for character: It’s hard to turn character into a series of metrics, but remember the measure of a (wo)man quote from Martin Luther King? It went: ‘The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.'
When I first thought along these lines, I kept having The Sunscreen Song pop into my head as a kind of words-to-live-by manifesto. I’m not as creative as Baz Luhrmann, but … the race is long, and in the end, it’s only with yourself. So let’s make you the best leader you can be. Let’s really do it.
Leaders who work with Lisa as their executive leadership coach have seen great results when it comes to becoming a better leader. Perhaps this is the next step for you?