Ever felt like you were your own worst enemy?
We’re discussing a universal issue today: How to overcome Self-sabotage.
Dive deep into understanding why it happens and how to conquer it. From procrastination to perfectionism, we cover it all! If you’re ready to transform and stop holding yourself back, this video is a MUST-WATCH.
This second instalment of a three-part series focuses on the “People” category, highlighting three key leadership elements: engagement, feelings, and talent.
Engagement: Leaders must connect team members to the organisation’s purpose, fostering personal commitment and motivation. Consistently reinforcing the “why” helps maintain alignment and enthusiasm.
Feelings: Creating a psychologically safe environment is crucial for innovation and growth. Leaders should promote a culture where failure is seen as an opportunity to learn, encouraging resilience and risk-taking while maintaining accountability.
Talent: Attracting and developing the right talent is not just a goal; it’s a necessity. Leaders must ensure their teams are diverse in thought, aligned with the organisation’s purpose, and capable of driving success. Tough decisions may be necessary to maintain a high-performance culture, but the benefits of a diverse and capable team are worth it.
The article also provides critical questions for leaders to assess and enhance their approach to engaging, supporting, and developing their teams. The series will conclude with a focus on mastering productivity, emphasising effective plan execution.
In this second part of my three-part miniseries, we’ll explore the category of people, which follows hot on the heels of purpose, which we explored in part one.
The people category is comprised of three elements: engagement, feelings and talent. Your role as a leader is to create a psychologically safe space where people can thrive and deliver. People perform at their best when connected to their work and when they understand the impact it will have. They also need the space and opportunity to learn, grow and develop, knowing their boss has their back.
Let’s take a closer look at the three elements of the people category.
Skilled leaders bridge the gap between individuals and the higher purpose. They help team members understand the significance of the goal on a personal level, fostering a sense of purpose and passion within each person.
I work with many leaders on their purpose. They put time and effort into crafting an inspiring, compelling, and engaging message. Enthused by their work, they share it and get their troops fired up, only to let it die on the vine.
The purpose (the “why”) is a leader’s most potent engagement tool; it helps you find the right people for the journey. Purpose is a drum that you need to bang repeatedly, constantly reminding people why we all do what we do.
This is far from the soft side of leadership. Leaders are custodians of organisational culture, responsible for cultivating an environment where people can flourish, learn and push boundaries. To do this, you must provide a psychologically safe space where individuals can confidently pursue growth and innovation, knowing their boss has their back.
I have heard leaders openly say, “It’s okay to fail,” only to blow up when things go wrong. In her book Dare to Lead, Brené Brown likens this to sticking someone on a plane and expecting them to skydive without first teaching them how to land.
As a leader, you must build a win-or-learn culture, harnessing failure as an opportunity to grow. This does not mean ignoring conduct and capability issues; people still need managing. But encouraging them to take a chance means people will innovate and do the right thing when it matters most.
Leaders are blessed (or cursed) with the relentless pursuit of finding and retaining the right people aligned with the higher purpose. Make sure you surround yourself with talented individuals connected to the purpose, and nurture and develop your team members, ensuring that their skills match the organisation’s demands. You must also make tough decisions to dismiss those who are not fully committed to the journey.
Three common pieces of advice for leaders are to surround yourself with different thinkers, clearly define high performance and intervene when people aren’t cutting it.
I have coached several leaders who have built a team of people like themselves. We like people who see the world as we do. But how do you know what your people really think? Find people who see the world differently from you; encourage, if not demand, that they challenge your perspective. People whose careers are in their boss’s hands will often play it safe when authority bias is at play.
I’ve seen leaders so focused on a top performer that they overlook their poor behaviours while picking up on other team members’ behaviours. This inconsistency creates a two-tier system that leads to a downward trend in overall performance, and people leave.
In one example, I worked with a leader who held their top performer accountable, only for them to exit. They were terrified their numbers would decline. However, the team responded positively; the overall team performance went up over time as people recognised that how we do the work is as important as the results. The team is now aligned and committed to the cause; of course, they still have challenges to overcome, but they work together.
Sadly, I have had to dismiss team members several times, but only after allowing them time to improve with coaching and support. In one case, it became apparent that their heart wasn’t in it, so it needed addressing.
I had a challenging conversation with them, after which they thanked me. They were desperately unhappy at work. My primary learning was to intervene early; we both could have avoided the pain of a drawn-out process.
This next section lays out a set of questions to help you stress-test the people category. It will help you define, check and balance so you can get the right people on the team, develop capability and engage people to get the best out of them. It will also help you understand how teams interact and how to encourage and manage healthy conflict while creating an environment where people want and feel able to give their best.
If you want to create an environment for people to flourish and a team people want to join, ask these questions.
Look out for the final part of this three-part miniseries where I’ll unpack the third area leaders must master for success: productivity.
Great leaders recognise that creating the right environment for their people to flourish with a compelling purpose is all well and good, but they still need to execute the plan and get it done.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com on 1st September 2023
Ricky has been a regular contributor to the Forbes Councils since 2023, where he shares his perspectives on all things leadership, change, culture and productivity, all with Thinking Focus’ unique perspective on metacognition, or as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking.
In this video, we’ll discuss how involving your team in problem-solving can help you succeed.
We’ll explore the benefits of team problem-solving, how to approach it, and the best ways to implement it within your organisation.
By involving your team in problem-solving, you’ll be able to achieve success more efficiently and effectively. You’ll be able to identify and solve problems quickly, and you’ll be able to build trust and collaboration within your team. This is an important skill to have if you want to be successful in your career, and this video will help you learn how to do it!
In this video, we will discuss how you build personal resilience and unlock your inner strength. Resilience is key in everything we do, from dealing with stress to overcoming obstacles.
We will discuss the different elements of personal resilience and how to unlock your inner strength. By taking the time to learn about and understand your resilience, you’ll be able to face any challenge head-on with confidence!
In this video, how to build self-confidence, you will discover six ways to boost, manage and increase your self-confidence. Let’s face it: it’s a question that we all search for answers to at one time or another.
Discover the key components of self-confidence, including understanding the neuroscience behind it. Gain insights into how your brain processes information and learn to reframe negative thoughts and beliefs that hinder your confidence.
We’ll explore how you can harness its power to reshape your mindset and cultivate unshakable self-assurance. Ian Robertson‘s work emphasises the importance of self-compassion, self-acceptance, and resilience.
We’ll explore techniques to help you develop a positive self-image and embrace your unique strengths. Learn how to effectively set goals, overcome setbacks, and maintain motivation to increase self-confidence.
Whether you’re looking to excel in your career, improve your relationships, or simply embrace a more fulfilling life, this video provides the tools you need to build self-confidence that radiates from within.
Don’t let self-doubt hold you back any longer. Embark on this empowering exploration and unlock your true potential with Ian Robertson’s groundbreaking work.
So, you want to be a leader; you want to lead a team and deliver amazing results for your organisation. Of course, those rewards, perks, and other benefits are attractive, too. But have you thought about what leadership entails, what’s involved, and the consequences?
In this article, you will discover four pillars of leadership that need your due consideration if you are to navigate the highs and lows of being a leader in today’s challenging business environment.
Leadership, a coveted realm for the ambitious, beckons countless individuals with its promise of steering teams toward success. Yet, the true nature of leadership is a labyrinthine tapestry that demands much more than anticipated. It necessitates a profound shift in mindset and an unwavering embrace of novel challenges. Before embarking on this transformative odyssey, aspiring leaders must pause and reflect, mentally preparing themselves for the profound metamorphosis that awaits. Authentic leadership transcends the role of a mere conductor guiding an orchestra; it demands a transition from doing great work to thinking strategically.
But what foundational pillars should these aspiring leaders explore before immersing themselves in the depths of leadership?
Let us explore each pillar, accompanied by guiding questions that aid aspiring leaders in introspection, illuminating their preparedness.
Leadership roles, undeniably demanding, cast their immense influence upon every facet of your life. While these positions bestow countless benefits, they often exact sacrifices from aspiring leaders and their loved ones. Successful leaders comprehend the significance of involving their families in decision-making, establishing clear boundaries and fortifying a robust support system. Such support alleviates burdens, permitting leaders to wholeheartedly dedicate their time and energy to the demands of their roles.
Leadership necessitates a cerebral metamorphosis, a transition to an entirely new modality of thinking about the world of work. Strategic and conceptual thinking empowers leaders to grasp the grand tapestry, connecting disparate data points and deploying creative problem-solving skills.
These cognitive capabilities complement the skills for managing, prioritising, organising and setting standards. Effective leaders empower those around them to think, fostering an environment where collective intelligence transcends the sum of its parts.
Esteemed leaders possess a heightened awareness of the individuals they lead and the landscapes within which they operate. Understanding people demands self-awareness and strong interpersonal skills, enabling leaders to comprehend and motivate their collaborators. This combination begets the necessary gravitas and influence. Awareness of the environment encompasses understanding the organisational structure, its politics and the broader market landscape, including competitors and emerging trends.
Mastery of resilience distinguishes triumphant leaders. They cultivate mental fortitude to withstand the demands of their roles and navigate setbacks, becoming the emotional anchors upon which their teams rely.
Even the most adept leaders face moments when the role pushes them to their limits. Therefore, leaders must develop coping strategies, recognise their reactions under stress and establish routines and techniques to sustain themselves during challenging periods.
Aspiring leaders must embark on an odyssey of self-discovery, delving into the depths of these four pillars before destiny thrusts them into leadership roles. This journey of discovery allows future leaders to assess their readiness, cultivating a profound understanding of the path ahead.
Leadership is not a destination but an enduring pursuit of excellence. Aspiring leaders can forge a path toward influential and fulfilling leadership by building solid foundations upon these four pillars, enriching their personal and professional lives.
This article first appeared on Forbes.com on 18th July 2023
Ricky has been a regular contributor to the Forbes Councils since 2023, where he shares his perspectives on all things leadership, change, culture and productivity, all with Thinking Focus’ unique perspective on metacognition, or as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking.
Reflection: the secret to personal growth challenges the fact that too few of us take stock of what we’ve done or explore what happened. So, we get stuck and repeat mistakes. This video provides you with a simple yet powerful model from Terry Borton (1970), enabling you to learn and grow using three powerful questions.
Try it, you’ll be amazed by your results.
Those who do not learn history are doomed to repeat it!
George Santayana
Biases can be like Jedi mind tricks; they can work for and against us. These cognitive shortcuts can cause us to make flawed decisions, so how can you make better decisions by minimising bias?
Cognitive biases affect various aspects of our thinking, including perception, memory, attention, and decision-making. Our brains use them to process information quickly, but they can lead to errors and distortions in our understanding of the world.
At Thinking Focus, we believe that metacognition (or, as we prefer to say, thinking about thinking) influences everything we do. We aim to help you understand how you think so you can recognise thought patterns and develop strategies to change or mitigate unhelpful thought patterns. Biases are heuristics (cognitive shortcuts) that our brains create to lighten the cognitive load, enabling us to cope with the demands we face in today’s high-paced, complex world.
If you are not good at making choices – how do you overcome your biases and make better decisions? In the video, we explore five biases and how to mitigate their effects on us.
A cognitive bias refers to a systematic pattern of deviation from rationality or objective judgment in human thinking. It is a tendency for the human mind to make errors in processing information, often resulting in subjective judgments and decisions that deviate from logical or evidence-based reasoning.
It’s high time to Say Goodbye to Confusion: Clarify Roles and Responsibilities with the RACI Matrix.
Your free downloadable RACI Template
This video is your ultimate solution if you’ve ever experienced organizational chaos, overlapping responsibilities, or unclear accountabilities. We dive into the powerful RACI Matrix, a widely used framework designed to bring clarity and structure to any team or project.
Whether you’re a business professional, project manager, or part of a collaborative group, mastering the RACI Matrix will revolutionize how you define, communicate, and execute roles and responsibilities within your organisation.
Join us as we demystify the RACI Matrix key concepts and provide practical tips on implementing it effectively. We’ll guide you through each element of the framework:
You’ll learn how to assign clear ownership, establish decision-making authority, involve stakeholders at the right moments, and keep everyone in the loop without overwhelming them.
Through an interactive example, we’ll illustrate the immense benefits of adopting the RACI Model. Say goodbye to confusion, duplication of efforts, and conflicting expectations. Say hello to streamlined processes, improved teamwork, and enhanced productivity.
Don’t miss out on this transformative opportunity to optimise your team’s efficiency and effectiveness. Clarify roles, empower your team, and boost your organization’s success with the RACI Chart. Watch now and embrace a future of seamless collaboration and clear accountability.
