How leaders create and destroy accountability?

Leaders want their followers to take accountability for their deliverables. Most leaders think about what they can do to get more accountability, yet rarely consider what they might be doing that is destroying the very accountability that they are looking for.

Paul, Ricky and Rob explore what accountability means, and how leaders can create a culture where people own things, or how they might be accidentally driving a culture where people avoid being accountable because it is seen as too risky.

This podcast is part of a series about the role of leaders, exploring the nuts and bolts of what leaders need to do. It is based on a model (we created) to help aspiring leaders work out what it means to be a leader.

You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership

Posted On November 21, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, The question is /

Why do leaders build psychological safety for their people to perform?

This is another podcast in our series about the actual things that leaders do.

This time Richard, Rob and Ricky talk feelings! In particular, they discuss the leader’s role in managing feelings; dealing with conflict, smoothing over loss when difficult decisions need to be made and most importantly creating a psychologically safe environment where people can flourish.

Leaders who ignore the people elements of the role risk damaging their own productivity and put their underlying purpose at risk.

You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership

Posted On October 25, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

How do we shape a culture with autonomy (following the pandemic)?

The last 18 months has radically changed the way that we work. The old culture no longer applies, but the temporary culture we have been working with cannot move us forward.

Now is a time for cultural re-set for many organisations, but how can leaders shape this cultural change, to encompass the best bits from lockdown working; driving automony, collaboration and accountability.

Ricky, Rich and Paul consider how leaders can become role models and create cultural standards by lifting the culture and empowering, and not dumbing it down for everyone when it gets challenging.

Posted On October 11, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership /

How do I re-engage my people?

This time on the podcast, we ask a very relevant question for the last quarter of 2021, as we work through this strange lull in the pandemic, trying to act like it is over yet without being really sure that it is.

This leads to a feeling that we should be getting back to normal, yet for many going back to what they were doing still feels a way off. As leaders, how do we engage people who have lost their sense of purpose, or are having to do something slightly different as their organisation adjusts and repositions?

However, this is not just an issue that is pandemic related. Any time an organisation experiences significant change, a high proportion of people will find their purpose, their reason for being there, impacted. It may be put on hold, or changed completely, and it is the leaders who need to engage them back into the business, helping them find new meaning and motivation so that they can continue to perform.

Posted On September 27, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Change, Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

Why should leaders build a tribe?

Part of a leader’s role is to share the purpose or vision with others – to turn them into followers who can help achieve the vision. This is much easier to do when your leadership goal is to try and change the world, but what if you just want to be the best at whatever it is you do – why, and how, do these leaders build their tribe?

Rob, Ricky and Paul explore the idea of building a tribe; a group of followers who range from active participants to supporters engaged in their own projects, supporting you from the sidelines.

You can find the model, and details of all the areas at www.thinkingfocus.com/what-is-leadership

Photo by Mohammad Metri on Unsplash.com

Posted On August 12, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, The question is /

How do I create a high performing hybrid workforce?

With many organisations considering hybrid working, what does that change about the ways that we manage people?

Ricky and Paul walk through some of the key areas that managers need to consider if they are leading a team that combines working styles – office, home and various hybrid options.

In some ways, managing a team is managing a team, and where the team works should not make much difference. Yet, in other ways, mixing home workers and office workers can create some unique challenges that will require teams, and managers, to change their approach to maintain peak performance.

Photo by Jaz King on Unsplash

Posted On July 22, 2021 By webadmin In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

Will a hybrid model for the workplace be as easy as it sounds?

As the pandemic lockdown hopefully draws to a close, many of us are starting to consider how will we work going forward. Will we return to the office as if nothing happened, or will many people carry on working from home?

Many organisations are considering hybrid working, splitting the working week between home and office, but is this a simple as it sounds?

In this podcast, Paul and Ricky explore some of the challenges and advantages, from power to personality, collaboration to management style; we think about what needs to happen to make this approach work for everyone.

Photo by Jonathan Farber on Unsplash

Posted On July 1, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Productivity, The question is /

Why is empathy a vital leadership skill?

Do you need to understand others to be able to lead them, or is a compelling idea or vision enough?

In this podcast, Richard and Paul explore the role of empathy in our lives, talking through what empathy is, and the advantages and disadvantages of empathy to leaders. Can people who master empathy can utilise this trait to become more effective leaders?

Posted On April 23, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, Resilience, The question is /

Is it possible to lead without trust?

How important is trust for leaders?

Is it possible to lead teams without building trust between leader and followers, or is trust an essential leadership skill?

Rob and Paul explore trust in leadership relationships by exploring what trust is and how that impacts leadership when it is done well, and what happens when trust is missing.

Posted On April 8, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Leadership, Podcasts, The question is /

Why am I suddenly so critical of myself?

All of us can be hard on ourselves sometimes, but when we are under pressure, or stressed, or like right now worn out after a difficult year, sometimes our inner critic can be very harsh.

In this podcast, Richard and Rob explore why this happens and some of the things that we might be doing that with a little awareness we can take control of and change our thinking to make it more helpful and hopeful.

Posted On March 19, 2021 By Paul Hutchinson In Culture, Podcasts, Resilience, The question is /