Top three keys to a CEO’s success

The year 2023 has set records for CEO turnover, and many are not surprised. From shareholder activism to global unrest, inflation, fallout from the pandemic and the uncertain impact of AI’s infiltration into the workplace, CEOs face often impossible 24/7 challenges.

As we approach the sunset of this year and set an eye on 2024, let’s examine the advice of 20 organizational leaders who recently ascended to the top role. They give insights on what their key areas of focus will be in 2024.

The CEOs we surveyed identified three main challenges they faced during their transition into the role: gaps on the senior executive team (88%), a lack of a transformational culture (65%), and unclear strategies and key priorities (53%).

Tackling these issues requires enterprise leadership and the courage to inspire the organization to transform for the future. And according to the CEOs we surveyed, there are three keys to success for both new and veteran CEOs:

1. A CEO must prioritize a clear purpose.

“Define a clear north star, and then align the organization.” – Rania Llewellyn, CEO, Laurentian Bank of Canada

Executives who prioritize a company’s purpose and values are more likely to be effective leaders. In fact, 88% of CEOs we surveyed believe having a clear purpose and vision contributed to their success as a new CEO.  Although driving business decisions based on purpose may cost the company in the short term, a purpose-driven strategy will likely provide long-term gains—whether related to impeccable customer service or supporting ESG initiatives. As Robert Soto, CEO of Estée Lauder Mexico, told us: “A clear purpose allows you to tolerate when things are going wrong. We have the ability to build—build for the future, build for the business.”

Yet, there is another reason why connecting to a company’s purpose is integral to a CEO’s success as a leader. According to Korn Ferry research, leaders who are more connected to the organization’s purpose are more likely to be seen as authentic. With authenticity comes trust, and with trust comes loyalty from employees and customers alike.

In our interviews, we learned that CEOs who were true to themselves were better able to navigate times of uncertainty and build trust among their team. This includes authentically representing and supporting the company purpose rather than simply paying it lip service—like engaging in greenwashing or failing to meet espoused commitments to diversity and inclusion, for example. Thanks to our digitally enabled world, where information is accessible in seconds, an inauthentic leader can go viral—and in a bad way—if their words don’t match the actions of their company. During a time when attracting top talent is already a challenge, being seen as inauthentic can have irrevocable harm on the company’s and the CEO’s brand. In the words of Scott Uzzell, CEO of Converse: “Authenticity is a lifestyle, a passion, not profession….”

2. A CEO must focus on the top team.

“You can’t have a high-performing team without people owning their KPIs.”  Mark Wakeford, CEO, IndoAgri

More than half (53%) of the leaders we surveyed said having a strong senior leadership team was crucial to their effectiveness as a new CEO. And the CEOs agreed that selecting executives for their team went beyond considering ability. Leaders, they said, should be inclusive and intentional about gauging how candidates will fit the team dynamic. “I demand integrity of myself, and I value building better teams and inclusive cultures,” FuelCell Energy CEO Jason Few told us in an interview. “I think about the voices I need around the table, throughout the organization. We cannot all look alike. That’s how we get the best results.”

As we spoke with CEOs, a clear theme emerged: take the time needed to focus on the executive team. The leaders shared multiple perspectives of how best to ensure, as a CEO, that they have the right people in the right roles. When establishing a high-performing C-Suite, the executives advised, a newly appointed CEO should first have a clearly articulated and aligned strategy, and secondly, make sure their team is on board with the vision for the company. Then, they should set the right key performance indicators (KPIs) for each executive team member, which should be reviewed regularly. New CEOs should also avoid micromanaging and build trust among the team by providing the tools they need to be successful.

Korn Ferry’s research on top team alignment reinforces their advice. A high-performing top team can advance the CEO’s agenda more quickly, making the organization nimbler and more responsive to market changes.

3. A CEO must drive transformation.

“I want us to be better tomorrow than today…” Deborah Dunsire, CEO, Lundbeck

To drive a culture of transformation, leaders must create an environment that embraces change and encourages innovation at every level of the organization. We heard from executives that, as a CEO, it is important to make people comfortable telling you what is wrong, so you do not work on the wrong priorities. It is about creating a mindset where leaders and employees alike are willing to challenge the status quo and continuously look for ways to improve.

Transformational companies require enterprise leaders who, through empathy and compassion, can unite the organization behind a common purpose. Leaders who are catalysts empower their teams, their organizations, and their entire ecosystem to transform in order to maximize the organization’s full value and potential.

Transformation does not happen overnight. According to 71% of the CEOs we surveyed, it takes leaders with a strong presence and communication skills to model the values, behaviors, and practices that define how people within the organization interact, partnering with employees at all levels to inspire a culture of transformation. Other critical competencies for a successful transformation include attracting top talent (65%), embodying a strategic mindset (53%), and managing complexity (47%). The long-term result can lead to the benefits of innovation at a time when it matters most.

Effectively fostering a culture of transformation is an important KPI for CEOs to help ensure the organization remains relevant to its employees, customers and other key stakeholders —now and in the future.

As CEOs advance their companies and rise to meet their organization’s ever-changing challenges, prioritizing purpose, focusing on the top team, and driving transformation are all critical elements for achieving success. By taking a strategic and intentional approach to these areas, CEOs will create the innovative, growth-oriented and purpose-driven organizations of the future.

6 Leadership Communication missteps that can lead your company to success or failure.

Poor communication from leaders can disrupt a team’s structure and performance. Leadership communication can make or break your company. Leaders need to pay attention when communicating with their team to ensure that everyone is on the same page.

Poorly delivered messages can lead to confusion, disorganization, and a decline in overall revenues. On the other hand, effective leadership communication can create a sense of certainty and accord among staff, resulting in a more productive and profitable organization. To ensure that your communications have the desired effect, avoid making these five common mistakes.

Not communicating at all

One of the most common mistakes leaders make is failing to communicate with their team. This can take many forms, from neglecting to update employees on company changes or developments to not providing clear instructions on tasks or projects. Poor communication creates an environment of uncertainty and confusion, which can lead to decreased productivity and morale.  It can also make team members do what they think is right, instead of what the company really needs.

How to correct it: Make a point to regularly communicate with your team, whether by holding weekly meetings, sending out regular updates or simply being available to answer questions. Establishing and maintaining clear communication lines will help ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards common goals.

Communicating too much

While it is important to keep your team updated, inundating them with information can have the opposite effect of what you intended. Trying to cram too much into one update or email can overwhelm employees and make it difficult for them to process everything. This can lead to apathy or even resentment towards company communications.

How to correct it: Be concise and focused on your messages, highlighting only the most essential information. If you have a lot to communicate, consider breaking it up into smaller chunks or sending it out over a period of time. Employees will be more likely to engage with messages that are easy to digest and relevant to their needs. Make it a standard practice to ask employees how they like to be communicated with. In some instances, employees might prefer and appreciate a phone call or an in-person meeting. You do not know if you do not ask!

Being inconsistent

Another common mistake leaders make is being inconsistent with their communications. This can take the form of sending out sporadic updates, skipping team meetings, changing the expectations for projects without warning or communicating different expectations to different stakeholders regarding the same matter. This inconsistency can create confusion and frustration among employees, who may feel they can’t rely on their leader for direction.

How to correct it: Try to maintain a consistent communication schedule, whether holding weekly meetings or sending out regular updates. Let your team know in advance if there are any changes to the schedule or expectations. This will help employees feel they can count on you for consistent guidance and leadership.

Being vague in your communication

When communicating with your team, it is important to be clear and specific about what you expect. Vague messages can lead to confusion and misunderstanding, ultimately hampering productivity. For example, simply telling employees to “be more productive” will not likely result in real change. Being inclusive or respectful does not mean that you cannot be honest or direct in your communication style, but it does mean that honest, reciprocal communication should be valued on your team.

How to correct it: Be specific in your communications, giving clear instructions on what you expect from employees. If you want them to increase their productivity, give them tangible goals to work towards and a timeline for improvement. The SMART goal framework can be helpful for both managing priorities and improving the communication that supports them. This will help ensure everyone is on the same page and working towards the same objectives.

Not listening

One of the most important aspects of effective communication is listening. This means taking the time to hear what your team has to say, whether it’s feedback on a project or concerns about their work environment. Active listening shows employees that you value their input and are willing to work together to find solutions.

How to correct it: Make a point to listen carefully when employees are speaking in individual conversations and team meetings. If you are not sure you understand, ask clarifying questions. And once they’ve finished speaking, take the time to consider their input before responding. This will help ensure that you consider their needs and concerns.

Not providing context

When sending out updates or giving instructions, leaders often forget to provide context for their employees. Without this context, employees may struggle to understand the purpose of the message or how it applies to them. As a result, they may feel disengaged or even resentful.

How to correct it: Make sure to provide context for your communications, whether you are sending out an email update or giving a presentation to the team. Explain why this information is important and how it will impact employees. This will help ensure that everyone is on the same page and invested in the message you’re trying to communicate.

The mistakes above can have a serious impact on your company’s communications. However, if you catch them early and make the necessary corrections, you can avoid any potential damage. Are you making any of these mistakes in your own communication? How will you correct them and empower your team to hold you accountable for improving?

Managing Stress Through Chaos

Perhaps every leader around the world has dealt with a huge amount of stress in 2020. And 2021 has not brought any relief thus far. Even those companies who are thriving during the pandemic had a different kind of stress.

I found that leaders who took the time to think through their actions and get feedback from other stakeholders did much better than those who did not.  Yes, we have to cut costs and make tough decisions, but the way you go about it can make a big difference.  A big difference to your company, your employees, and your customers.

Sometimes in the midst of a situation we do not realize how stressful it is.  We need to be more self-aware and acknowledge that this situation is different, more complex, and perhaps with higher stakes than normal.

Once you know that your situation is more stressful than normal, it is important to remember that denial is not a good strategy. Simply saying we will be fine will not work.  You do not have to be super-hero.  It is ok to acknowledge that you are stressed and that it is having an impact.  In fact, when you can name and acknowledge the stress you are feeling you are taking a positive step in dealing with it. Additionally, your recognition of the stress will help you lead by example – your denial could lead to the team’s denial as well.

You know how you respond when stressed. You can make that list, and please do.  Whether you get agitated more easily, talk too quickly, yell too often, or become reclusive, know your “signs”.  When you see yourself acting in those ways more frequently take that as a sign that you need to apply some approaches to reduce your stress. If you have a trusted advisor who can point these behaviors out to you, please ask for their help.

Decision making is an important part of our leadership role – and something that is often impacted by our stress level. Once you know you are feeling the stress of a situation, consider the following:

• Am I involving the right people in and getting the right perspectives on my decisions? Often in stressful times people make quick decisions and do not benefit from the insights of others.
• Is this the right decision? Stop and take a deep breath (which will help with your stress to start with), and look at your decision again – have you considered the right factors, and will this decision be successful?

Don’t stop after your decision is made and your action taken.  Keep the team involved and communicate as much as you can with your employees.  Now is not the time to stay in your office.  If you have remote workers, keep them informed.  Allow for questions.  In the end your entire company will benefit from the way you handled an extremely stressful time.

Silent Forces that influence your decision making

Good leadership is about good decision-making. Processes upon processes have been developed to help leaders make decisions, yet we often fail to consider the silent forces that influence decision-making.

This post identifies three hidden forces, offering a self-awareness exercise and an action to improve decision-making.

Identity

A leader’s identity is entwined intricately with their decision-making. When an employee is promoted to a leadership position, yet still identifies with being an employee, that leader will struggle to make decisions, course-correct and initiate difficult conversations.

For example, some leaders identify with being nice more than they identify with being a leader. As a result, patterns such appeasing and avoiding are developed to cope with conflict. While these issues may be partly skills-related, the core issue is identity. We will not and cannot make decisions outside of our own identity.

Self-awareness: Describe yourself by starting each sentence with the statement “I am.” For example, “I am impatient,” “I am dependable” and “I am a perfectionist” might be the first three ways you identify.

Next, look at how these definitions serve you or inhibit your leadership. If you identify with being an impatient perfectionist, chances are you micromanage, believe no one else can get it right and are not as approachable as you need to be. The point is that your self-identity manifests itself in leadership behavior and results.

Action: Pick an area where you want to shift your identity. For example, if being impatient is not working for you, start to shift your language. Instead of saying, “I’m impatient,” say instead, “I’m learning to delegate and become more present.” Or “I balance urgency, while paying attention to what’s important and relevant.”

This will start to elevate your awareness so you can change your automatic programming to become more intentional with your leadership behaviors.

Intention

To paraphrase author, Gary Zukav, “If you don’t know your intention before an interaction you will know it afterwards.” Your intention is like a goal with a soul.

Intention is about not only the final outcome but the journey. For example, if you need to have a difficult conversation, start by examining your real intention. The two primary questions you need to ask are:

1. What do you want to accomplish by having the conversation?
2. How do you want the other person to feel afterwards?

Do you really want to help the employee, or are you just “documenting” the conversation so that you can legally terminate employment? Do you really want to improve the employee’s performance, or are you using your conversation as a match point to prove your power?

Self-awareness: Think about one or two interactions where you got sidetracked or surprised. Describe a conversation where you reacted (and felt justified) then later had regrets. What would you have done differently if you had been thinking more logically? Perhaps you should have spoken up sooner, or you should have researched to confirm or deny assumptions.

Action: Before any difficult conversation, write down your end result. Then write down how and why you want to help the person involved. Do not act until your motives are pure.

Once your “energy” is cleaned up, articulate your intention at the start of the conversation. It should sound something like this: “My intention for our conversation is to help you get up to speed on your client calls, and to understand what barriers might be in your way.”

Emotion

Decision-making happens from the logical brain, the pre-frontal cortex, but emotions can hijack your decision-making. The human brain has limited resources available for self-control. The key is knowing how to interpret emotions rather than having emotions guide decision-making.

For example, anger is not telling you that you are right, and the other person is wrong. Most likely, anger means an expectation has not been met, or a boundary has been crossed. Anger is not the truth, but it is the fuel to get you there. 

Self-awareness: Make a mental list of a recent conversation that went south. Work backwards and remember what emotions you had before the conversation. Notice the themes and patterns. You will probably find some unprocessed emotions. Or you may find that you avoid conversations and need to speak up sooner.

Action: The next time you feel strong emotion, breathe, and take a pause. Buy time if you find yourself in a situation with a high-conflict person where you feel the strong urge to fight, flight or freeze. Get a meeting with the other person on the calendar so that you have time to get a plan in place. Talk with a coach or counselor if you need a thought partner to gain clarity.

How Nice Leaders Can Destroy Your Company

In my business I see this a lot, people in leadership positions who’s desire to be liked overrides their ability to be competent leaders. Although the boss-employee relationship is of critical importance, when relationships become misaligned with organizational goals, team problems shortly follow. A pattern that’s easy to miss: A faltering team that belongs to a likeable leader.

Overly “nice” leaders often create unintended and unnecessary team drama because their overriding priority is to be liked and to avoid conflict.  There are three styles that nice leaders often use to unintentionally create team drama.

The Best friend

New leaders often have not developed the leadership identity they need to set boundaries, initiate difficult conversations and separate their feelings from the facts of their job. They often thrive at first during the honey-moon period when everyone gets along, but falter when reality sets in. Reality begins when Jane complains about Tom. The best friend leader is more invested in making sure no one gets their feelings hurt than giving honest feedback and guidance. Instead of coaching Jane and Tom to work out their differences, the best friend listens, offers explanations and short-term tactics to create harmony. If push comes to shove, the best friend leader takes sides to protect his own turf, thus creating trust violations.

Here is a list of some best-friend behaviors to look out for:

• Gossiping with employees about other employees
• Avoiding difficult conversations
• Being inauthentic about the real problems
• Blaming upper management for decisions
• Listening to hear-say

The best friend leader cares more about being liked and making employees feel good than he/she does about aligning with the mission of the organization.

The hero

The hero  is the boss who loves to help. The hero does well at first with a new team that lacks skills or confidence. The problem is that heroes never seem to shove the baby birds out of the nest. These leaders create unhealthy codependence and do not understand the difference between helping and rescuing. Helping is teaching a man to fish, while rescuing is giving the man a fish — over and over. 

The hero leader has certain qualities that can be identified:

• Inability to ask for what he/she wants
• Taking credit instead of giving credit
• An addictive desire to fix everyone else’s problems
• The open door has become a revolving door
• Overly dependent employees

When a leader tells you he/she has had to compensate for a brilliant yet somewhat incompetent employee, don’t look at the employee as incompetent, but instead to look at the leader as one who needs to be the hero. The reason the incompetence exists is because it has been allowed in the first place. There is always a secondary gain the hero gets from other people’s incompetency.

The hands-off leader

It sounds great at first to hear that the leader is “hands-off.”  You’ll hear statements like, “I trust everyone to do their job,” “I provide a lot of autonomy,” “I’m a “hands-off delegator,” or “I’m always here if people need me, otherwise I just stay out of their way.” This method works until it doesn’t. If the team is having trouble don’t look first at team dynamics, look to see if there’s a hands-off leader who is avoiding. Look for signs of a hands-off philosophy when you find complaints that have not been addressed, or if team squabbles and turf wars are hampering productivity.

Some signs of hands-off leadership include:

• Brushing complaints under the carpet
• Changing the structure before talking to the individuals
• Failure to assist lower-level leaders when problems occur
• Not seeing the drama until it has gotten out of control
• Inability to see the role leaders play in the team’s drama

Sometimes a hands-off leader helps create autonomy and more responsibility and sometimes “Hands off” translates to disengaged leader. Use wisdom to discern that distinction.

The paradox of likability is this: The very qualities that makes a leader likeable can also become the obstacle to growth and the root cause of costly mistakes. When you notice team drama, the natural response is to look at personalities, but when you dig deeper you find a hidden root: A leader that is simply too nice. While likeability can be an advantage, the disadvantage of unbalanced likeability is unintended team-drama and lowered productivity.

 

 

The 5 Most Important Traits of a True Leader

1. Consistently Strong Work Ethic; Set the Standard

Actions are stronger than words, and this is personified by the respected leader. Great leaders despise false promises and people that create lots of unnecessary noise to get attention. There are many leaders that play the part on the outside but have very little substance on the inside. Respected leaders are those who consistently prove through their work ethic that they are reliable and trustworthy on the inside and out.

These leaders set the tone and are great role models. The tangible and measurable results of their consistent work ethic influence new best practices and cultivate innovation. Ultimately, their leadership defines the performance culture for the organization. They set the standard and leave behind an indelible impact.

2. Not Afraid to Take Risks; Admit Wrong Doing

Respected leaders are those who are not afraid to take risks. They are bold enough to change the conversation and seamlessly challenge the status quo for the betterment of the organization and their competitive advantage. They can anticipate when a paradigm shift is in order and are courageous enough to act on it.

The other side of this admirable quality is the ability to admit wrong doing. Respected leaders do not hesitate to make the most difficult decisions and will put themselves out on the frontline to lead by example. They gravitate towards what many view as a “leap of faith” and willingly accept the challenge – knowing very well that the odds may not be in their favor given the personalities and inherent obstacles that surround them.

3. Sponsor High-Potential Employees; Serve Others Rightly

Respected leaders think about making others better. They don’t leach, they lead. They are mindful of those that give a 100% effort to their responsibilities. Respected leaders find ways to discover the best in people and enable their full potential. When they detect high-potential talent they impart upon them their wisdom and provide a path for long-term success.

Leaders that “sponsor” their employees put their own reputation at risk for the betterment of the individuals they are serving. This is an admirable quality and one that is highly respected amongst a leader’s peers. For example, my career was shaped and defined by one of my bosses in the early stages of my professional development. He witnessed my raw talent and saw that it needed refinement. He wasn’t afraid to take risks and exposed me to environments in the workplace that were too advanced for my experience to-date.

This challenged me to make decisions and tested my ability to think and use my instincts. He lifted me up and guided me rightly each time I failed along the way. My boss taught me all his tricks and trusted me to use them in ways that represented my personality, natural style and approach. Others noticed and didn’t always think that I was worthy of his sponsorship – but in the end I proved the doubters wrong and eventually became their supervisor.

My boss earned a lot of respect from the organization and other leaders began to model his sponsorship approach. Five years later, I became the youngest senior executive in the company’s 100+ year history.

4. Powerful Executive Presence; Long-Lasting Impact

The most respected leaders are the most authentic people. Their executive presence is genuine and true. They make those around them feel that they matter, and they welcome constructive dialogue regardless of hierarchy or rank. Respected leaders trust themselves enough to live their personal brand and serve as powerful role models to others. Their presence creates long-lasting impact that leaves a positive mark on the organization and the people they serve.

Respected leaders are passionate, impact-driven people. Their presence is felt when they walk into the room; their reputation and their track-record precede them.

5. Have Their Employees’ Backs; Deflect Their Own Recognition

Too many leaders are recognition addicts and want all of the credit. They spend too much time breaking-down rather than building-up their teams. They don’t take the time to genuinely learn about other’s needs. Leadership is ultimately about knowing the people you serve and giving them the guidance, inspiration and navigational tools to make their lives better and enable more opportunities.

Leaders earn respect when they reward and recognize their employees and colleagues. They take the time to appreciate and understand the unique ways they each think, act and innovate – and are always on the lookout to enable their talent. They are trusted, admired and respected because they make it more about the advancement of others, rather than themselves. They share the harvest of the momentum they build with others.

Earning respect is a journey and requires leaders to focus on how they can “deliver beyond what is expected” of their role and responsibilities. It’s about always being on the look-out for ways to step up your game and being mindful of ways to make the workplace better and the organization and its people more competitive and relevant.

What will you do as a leader today that you haven’t done in the past to be more respected?

 

Respected Leaders

Consistently Strong Work Ethic; Set the Standard

Actions are stronger than words, and this is personified by the respected leader. Great leaders despise false promises and people who create lots of unnecessary noise to get attention. There are many leaders that play the part on the outside but have very little substance on the inside. Respected leaders are those who consistently prove through their work ethic that they are reliable and trustworthy on the inside and out.

These leaders set the tone and are great role models. The tangible and measurable results of their consistent work ethic influence new best practices and cultivate innovation. Ultimately, their leadership defines the performance culture for the organization. They set the standard and leave behind an indelible impact.

Not Afraid to Take Risks; Admit Wrong Doing

Respected leaders are those who are not afraid to take risks. They are bold enough to change the conversation and seamlessly challenge the status quo for the betterment of the organization and their competitive advantage. They can anticipate when a paradigm shift is in order and are courageous enough to act on it.

The other side of this admirable quality is the ability to admit wrong doing. Respected leaders do not hesitate to make the most difficult decisions and will put themselves out on the frontline to lead by example. They gravitate towards what many view as a “leap of faith” and willingly accept the challenge – knowing very well that the odds may not be in their favor given the personalities and inherent obstacles that surround them.

Sponsor High-Potential Employees; Serve Others Rightly

Respected leaders think about making others better. They don’t leach, they lead. They are mindful of those that give a 100% effort to their responsibilities. Respected leaders find ways to discover the best in people and enable their full potential. When they detect high-potential talent they impart upon them their wisdom and provide a path for long-term success.

Leaders that “sponsor” their employees put their own reputation at risk for the betterment of the individuals they are serving. This is an admirable quality and one that is highly respected amongst a leader’s peers. For example, my career was shaped and defined by one of my bosses in the early stages of my professional development. She witnessed my raw talent and saw that it needed refinement. Sh took an interest and exposed me to complex problems far beyond my skills at the time.

This challenged me to make decisions and tested my ability to think and use my instincts. She lifted me up and guided me rightly each time I failed along the way. My boss taught me all his tricks and trusted me to use them in ways that represented my personality, natural style and approach. Others noticed and didn’t always think that I was worthy of her sponsorship – but in the end I proved my abilities.

My boss earned a lot of respect from the organization and other leaders began to model her sponsorship approach.

Powerful Executive Presence; Long-Lasting Impact

The most respected leaders are the most authentic people. Their executive presence is genuine and true. They make those around them feel that they matter, and they welcome constructive dialogue regardless of hierarchy or rank. Respected leaders trust themselves enough to live their personal brand and serve as powerful role models to others. Their presence creates long-lasting impact that leaves a positive mark on the organization and the people they serve.

Respected leaders are passionate, impact-driven people. Their presence is felt when they walk into the room; their reputation and their track-record precede them.

Have Their Employees’ Backs; Deflect Their Own Recognition

Too many leaders are recognition addicts and want all of the credit. They spend too much time breaking-down rather than building-up their teams. They don’t take the time to genuinely learn about other’s needs. Leadership is ultimately about knowing the people you serve and giving them the guidance, inspiration and navigational tools to make their lives better and enable more opportunities.

Leaders earn respect when they reward and recognize their employees and colleagues. They take the time to appreciate and understand the unique ways they each think, act and innovate – and are always on the lookout to enable their talent. They are trusted, admired and respected because they make it more about the advancement of others, rather than themselves. They share the harvest of the momentum they build with others.

Earning respect is a journey and requires leaders to focus on how they can “deliver beyond what is expected” of their role and responsibilities. It’s about always being on the look-out for ways to step up your game and being mindful of ways to make the workplace better and the organization and its people more competitive and relevant.

What will you do as a leader today that you haven’t done in the past to be more respected?

 

Succession Planning

Succession planning shouldn’t be used just for executive positions.

Organizations should be developing replacements for anyone whose sudden departure could disrupt the business, a former executive turned consultant told HR professionals on Wednesday at a concurrent session at the SHRM 2018 Annual Conference & Exposition.

Those employees could include sales account managers for top clients or operations managers.

Unfilled and unplanned vacancies cost companies about 50 percent more in lost revenue than the salary for the vacated job itself, according to a 2013 Mercer study.

“Succession planning protects the business from unexpected changes that could potentially hurt the business,” she said. It can also increase retention of top performers and drive deeper engagement of managers by “owning” talent development, she said.

Renz offered the following tips:

Start small and build up. Create a proposal including supporting data to show executives how the succession plan will work and how it will benefit the organization. Establish a pilot program; that will allow you to refine the program before it is rolled out to the whole organization, she said.

Make it an organization program, not an HR program. Your action plan should be visible, measurable and shared. Define the goal and the data that will be used in your talent program. Refresh formal data at least once a year. Share progress and challenges with leadership quarterly, she advised.

Assess employees’ competencies. These are the abilities and characteristics that the company identifies as key success factors of roles across the organization. Assess employees also for core values. Assessment tools can help measure competencies and behaviors, not just personality.

Identify “high-potential” employees. Some employers prefer to call those employees being developed for leadership positions the “acceleration pool,” because the term “high potential” can make other employees feel inferior, she said. She recommends labeling them “early career,” “mid-career” and “senior career” so you can plan development that better fits their specific needs.

Develop an action plan using the data collected. The information can help identify gaps and growth needs in your workforce so training programs can better support the development of the acceleration pool.

Create an individual-development action plan for each person in the acceleration pool. You might use a rotational program to help employees meet others in different departments. Pair them with a mentor to encourage knowledge sharing.

The succession plan will not only help you create a plan for recruiting and development, but it should increase retention of top performers with action plans and individual learning opportunities, she said. The action plan should be the foundation to help you decide where and how to spend your time and money.

A simple thank you

Think of the last time someone really thanked you for doing something. Especially if that something was normal to you and you certainly didn’t go out of your way. You felt good and probably wanted to do it better next time. You cannot underestimate the power of a simple thank you. A long and sometimes grueling workday can melt away when staff members know their efforts were appreciated. It’s amazing how the last interaction of the day can become the last thought and make employees look forward to coming in the next day, knowing that their contributions were noticed.

The most effective leaders I know work diligently to thank their people. The validation can come from end of day departures and acknowledging extra effort on the fly, to even just thanking them for doing their normal work, giving input, or being positive throughout the day. These leaders know the value of their people and their basic need of feeling important, the feeling that their top three needs on Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs (belonging, esteem, and self-actualization) are being met.

Take every opportunity to find reason to thank as often as you can. That presentation didn’t go quite well? Thank them for the time and effort they put in to it anyway. The account dropped out to do business with a competitor? “You did a great job meeting their needs Marcie!” The 2nd shift comes in when your first shift leaves; thank them for working strong during the evening hours. Simple and genuine acknowledgement yields committed people and sustained performance.

Thanking your people for their everyday efforts is a simple and easy way to make a powerful lasting impression in your organization. Make every connection a reason to find and give thanks to your people.

 

Transforming fear in to Empowerment

Do you ever allow fearful thoughts to erode your confidence and diminish your sense of empowerment? It’s a common trend for many people, and when you’re stuck in the midst of fear and uncertainty it can seem like an impossible task to pull yourself out of it.

However, fear and empowerment are actually like two opposite sides of the same coin. On one side is the belief that you are not strong or capable enough to handle challenges or life in general; while on the other side is the certainty that you are fully in control of your own life and have the power to triumph over adversity.

Transforming fear in to empowerment is as simple as flipping the coin so it lands on the other side! The “coin” in this example is a little thing called “perspective.”

In order to release fearful thoughts and become empowered, you need to be willing to see yourself and your life circumstances in a different light.

Many people believe that in order to empower themselves they need to have massive amounts of courage and inner strength, but that usually comes later. Instead, be willing to start small and empower yourself more gradually. Start with one small action that makes you feel nervous and push yourself to move forward and do it. As you face your fear and master one small challenge, you’ll begin to feel stronger and be willing to take on more, which will continue to build your strength and empower you.

Fearful thoughts often cause you to doubt yourself, which creates more fearful thoughts! To reverse this, begin affirming that you’re strong and capable as often as possible – and most especially when you begin to feel disempowered. Affirm not only your strength and capability, but your flexibility, resiliency and resourcefulness to handle anything that comes your way. The more you affirm it, the more you’ll begin to believe it.

See the unknown as a good thing. I know, not always easy.  Fear of the unknown is one major factor in feeling disempowered. You’ve likely gotten used to seeing the “unknown” (anything you have not encountered before) as a bad thing, with dangers and pitfalls waiting around every corner. Most often you don’t even know why you feel fearful, you just believe there is reason to feel that way! However, if you instead shift that perception to one of optimism and enthusiasm for the unknown, you’ll feel less threatened and develop the willingness to do and dare more.

When it comes right down to it, empowerment is usually nothing more than a choice; being willing to believe that you are stronger than any challenge or difficulty that arises. The more you focus on releasing fearful thoughts and strengthening your belief in yourself, the less intimidated you’ll feel by outer influences.