Debbie Laskey's Blog

Welcome to Debbie Laskey's insights and commentary about BRANDING, MARKETING, LEADERSHIP, SOCIAL MEDIA, EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT, and CUSTOMER EXPERIENCES. Debbie has worked in high-tech, the Consumer Marketing Department at Disneyland Paris in France, nonprofits, and insurance. Expertise includes strategic planning, brand development, marketing plans and audits, competitive positioning, websites, communications, public relations, employee engagement, customer experiences, and social media marketing.

Showing posts with label leadership development. Show all posts

Wednesday, May 13, 2026

10 Inspirational Leadership Terms to Build Effective Teams

A common question for leaders is, "How do you define a leader?" While there are many answers to that question, there is no doubt that leaders are only as strong as the people on their teams.

Therefore, I've assembled a list of ten characteristics - or inspirational leadership terms - that are essential for leaders to build effective teams comprised of dedicated, productive, and loyal team members.

ACCOUNTABILITY

Taking responsibility for one's actions and decisions.

ADAPTABILITY

Demonstrating the capacity to be flexible and receptive to change in new situations, with new technologies, and as markets change.

APPRECIATION

Recognizing the efforts and achievements of team members boosts morale and motivation.

COLLABORATION

Encouraging teamwork fosters innovation, creativity, and a sense of ownership among team members.

DELEGATION

Assigning responsibility or authority to another person to carry out specific activities.

EMPATHY

Understanding and empathizing with the needs and emotions of others helps leaders connect with their team and build strong relationships.

EMPOWERMENT

Empowering team members by delegating authority, providing autonomy, and supporting their growth and development leads to increased engagement and productivity.

RESPECT

Respecting the dignity, opinions, and diversity of team members is vital for creating a positive work environment.

TRUST

Building trust is crucial for effective leadership - trust leads to loyal employees, open communication, and the desire for collaboration.

VISION

Articulating a clear and compelling vision to inspire and motivate the team.

What would you add to this list? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: LeaderlyAI.

Friday, March 20, 2026

Happy World Storytelling Day!

World Storytelling Day is an annual celebration that encourages people to tell and listen to stories. It is a day that brings people together through the power of storytelling.

According to Wikipedia, "World Storytelling Day is a global celebration of the art of oral storytelling. It is celebrated every year on the March equinox, on or near March 20. On World Storytelling Day, as many people as possible tell and listen to stories in as many languages and at as many places as possible, during the same day and night.

World Storytelling Day has its roots in a national day for storytelling in Sweden, circa 1991. At that time, an event was organized for March 20 in Sweden called "All storytellers day." At the same time, in Mexico and other Latin American countries, March 20 was already celebrated as the National Day of Storytellers. In 2002, the event spread from Sweden to Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Estonia. In 2003, the idea spread to Canada and other countries, and the event became known internationally as World Storytelling Day. Starting around 2004, France participated. In 2008, the Netherlands took part in World Storytelling Day. And by 2009, there were World Storytelling Day events in Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, and Australia."

According to ThereIsADayforThat, "On this day, oral storytellers around the world are busy inspiring audiences, and creating community, by telling classical tales, local stories, glorious, horrendous, happy, challenging, spooky, romantic, and dramatic epic stories. Some wrapped in music, some staged, and others intimate - but every story is told in a unique and compelling way, by a storyteller whose heart is full of great tales to bridge our divides and remind us what it is to be human."

The theme for 2026 is "Light in the Dark." This phrase has three meanings:

(1) a situation when you're in trouble and danger, struggling to escape - this happens a lot in stories.

(2) it could mean profound or meaningful water, perhaps, the waters of life or healing that are also found in stories.

(3) it could mean water that goes down in some way, for instance, a well or river.

Do you know the "3 C's of Storytelling?" They generally refer to CHARACTER, CONFLICT, and CONCLUSION, highlighting the need for relatable people, a central struggle, and a satisfying resolution.

And do you know the golden rule of storytelling? The widely accepted "golden rule of storytelling" is to SHOW, DON'T TELL, meaning to immerse the audience by using sensory details, actions, and dialogue to let them EXPERIENCE the story, rather than explaining events or emotions. Instead of saying a character is sad, an author describes slumped shoulders, tear-filled eyes, and a quiet voice, allowing readers to interpret and feel the emotion themselves, making the narrative more engaging and powerful.

Some memorable stories to read out loud today would be "Horton Hears a Who!" by Dr. Seuss, "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein, and "Where the Sidewalk Ends" by Shel Silverstein.

Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Five Best Leadership Posts from 2025

Do you know the significance of today's date in American history? If you look back at the Inauguration dates of early American presidents, you'll notice that many took the oath of office on March 4th.

According to Wikipedia, "The first inauguration of George Washington took place on April 30, 1789. Subsequent public inaugurations from 1793 until 1933 were held on March 4th, the day on which the federal government began operations under the U.S. Constitution in 1789. There were some exceptions in 1821, 1849, 1877, and 1917, when March 4th fell on a Sunday, thus the public inauguration ceremony took place on Monday, March 5th. By 1932, the five-month lag between elections and the start of a Congressional session and presidential term was problematic, so the passage of the Twentieth Amendment moved the date to January 20th. Therefore, since 1937, it has taken place at noon Eastern time on January 20th — except in 1957, 1985, and 2013, when January 20th fell on a Sunday. In those years, the presidential oath of office was administered on that day privately and then again in a public ceremony the next day."

To celebrate today's tie-in to leadership, I'm sharing the five best leadership posts I read last year. Titles, authors, and highlights follow — and links are provided at the end. I hope you also find leadership inspiration from these five posts.

SHARE THIS: If you don't defend your team, you're not a leader. ~Anonymous via Gregg Vanourek #LeadershipInspiration #DebbieLaskeysBlog

14 WAYS TO HAVE YOUR TEAM'S BACK AS A LEADER by Gregg Vanourek

Gregg wrote, "Taking responsibility is key. As a leader, you must own not only your actions and results but also those of your team. When something goes wrong, you don't point fingers — even if someone clearly erred. You take responsibility while handling the issue privately to shield your people from embarrassment and blowback. Mistakes are painful enough without public shaming. By doing this, you show that you're addressing the problem and fully owning what happens on your watch."

Gregg then shared 14 ways to have your team's back as a leader. The full list is provided at the link at the end of this post, but here are my favorite five:

* Jump in when someone is overloaded and find ways to help them.

* Invest extra time to prepare a direct report for a big meeting, ensuring they can perform at their best.

* Avoid questioning your managers’ decisions in front of their teams to protect their authority.

* Defend an employee facing discrimination or favoritism.

* Defend a worker caught in a turf war between divisions.

SHARE THIS: When you have your team's back as a leader, you unlock powerful benefits: greater trust, loyalty, motivation, and retention. And a team more willing to take risks and innovate. ~Gregg Vanourek #TeamWork #Leadership #DebbieLaskeysBlog

THE BEST LEADERS ACKNOWLEDGE THEIR MISTAKES by Ahron Friedberg, M.D.

Aaron wrote, "When leaders assume responsibility, they take ownership of a situation, managing it in as many dimensions as necessary so that problems are resolved and all the moving parts operate in sync...Of course, everyone makes mistakes. Leaders sometimes make the mistake of thinking they're not supposed to make mistakes. So they fudge and backtrack. They deflect blame and offer excuses. But responsible leaders acknowledge mistakes and set about fixing them. In this sense, they take the long view. They understand that, down the road, people will respect their transparency and appreciate the proactive effort that, ideally, made things right (or, at least, better)...Everyday leaders who commit themselves to working with people — not just handing down orders — can recover from their mistakes, take on new responsibilities, stand up for ethical imperatives. They address problems in an organization as they would in their own lives: not passively, with a palpable indifference, but actively and with a commitment to do whatever it takes to succeed. They forget about their comfort zones."

How many leaders do you know who acknowledge their own mistakes and forget about their comfort zones?

WHAT DID YOU LEARN? by James Strock

After sharing a personal story, James wrote, "I regard the question, "What Did You Learn?" to be compelling, potentially transformational. I pose it to myself and others constantly. I ask it after successful or disappointing interactions with others. I ask it about relationships. I ask it after meetings or presentations. In fact, there's never a time I'm not asking it to myself and others...It’s a question that I use to challenge myself all the time...You might even want to write it down to provide greater detail, richness, and methodical creativity into the biography of the person you're becoming."

James shared examples as to how important the question (and answers) can be:

* What did you learn in your recent work experiences?

* What did you learn from your customers?

* What did you learn from your employees?

* What did you learn from your competitors?

* What did you learn from your last meeting?

* What did you learn from your most recent accomplishment?

* What did you learn from your most public failure?

THREE REASONS TO NOT FALL IN LOVE WITH YOUR OWN IDEAS by Joseph Lalonde

Joseph shared three reasons why leaders should not fall in love with their own ideas. He explained, "It's hard to put an idea that we love to pasture when we feel it could have such a big impact. However, if the idea doesn't pass the test of feasibility, someone has a better idea, or customers don't want it, then you may have to set your idea aside. [But] don't worry. There are plenty of other ideas for you to chase. They'll come to you when it is time for you to pursue them. Just remember, don't fall in love with your ideas."

This is a very important reminder for all leaders because their ideas are not always the best ideas, so they must welcome ideas from team members.

HOW TO UNCOVER YOUR BLINDSPOTS TO BECOME A MORE EFFECTIVE LEADER by Eric Jacobson

Eric wrote, "What you don't see about yourself can hold you back as a leader. That's typical for many leaders. What we don't see is what we can't see: we have blindspots. Your blindspots prevent you from achieving your greatest success." In this post, Eric shared his review of the book entitled, "Blindspotting: How To See What's Holding You Back as a Leader" by Martin Dubin (published in July 2025).

In the book, six types of blindspots were detailed plus guidance to identify and manage them. The six types were: identity blindspots, motive blindspots, trait blindspots, emotion blindspots, intellect blindspots, and behavior blindspots.

Eric shared Dubin's final comments, "We can't avoid blindspots; we can only become aware of them, and then adjust. And to be clear, there is not one type of leader, or one set of attributes. There are many combinations of identities, motivations, traits, intellectual abilities, emotional sensitivities, and behavioral characteristics that can result in success or failure. The lesson of the book isn't about becoming someone other than who you are; it's about becoming the best, most self-aware, most flexible and adaptable leader you can be, without hampering the magic that led you to be able to get where you've gotten in the first place. It's really all about being conscious and strategic with what is within your power to adjust. And you can adjust, make no mistake. People can change."

My gratitude to these amazing leadership experts for writing these posts, and I look forward to their insights during 2026. What leadership posts from 2025 stood out as memorable to you? Chime in and share.

Image Credit: Library of Congress.

Learn more about this post's image:

https://www.loc.gov/item/rbpe.2050400e/

Check out these Presidential Inauguration Addresses (on March 4th and other dates):

https://historyinpieces.com/research/presidential-inauguration-dates

Gregg's post:

https://triplecrownleadership.com/have-teams-back/

Ahron's post:

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/resilience/202511/the-best-leaders-acknowledge-their-mistakes

James' post:

https://servetolead.com/what-did-you-learn/

Joseph's post:

https://jmlalonde.com/3-reasons-to-not-fall-in-love-with-your-own-ideas/

Eric's post:

https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2025/12/how-to-uncover-your-blindspots-to.html

Friday, February 20, 2026

Be a Better Leader – Especially on National Leadership Day!

Since today is an important day on the business calendar, we’re going to take a short break from my Olympics Leadership Series to celebrate National Leadership Day. My Olympics series will resume tomorrow.

According to National Day website, "The aim of National Leadership Day is to instill the values of leadership in each one of us. A good leader not only leads but inspires those around him/her/they to be the best versions of themselves. Anyone can be a leader — you just have to show up and encourage others to do the same...We know that an organization is only as good as its leaders, which means that having empathetic and just leaders at the top, who lead by example, creates an environment in which everyone is inspired to be their best."

What better way to recognize this important day than by inviting a leadership expert back to my blog? Eric Jacobson and I met through our work with MicroMentor back in 2009, and since then, Eric has appeared on my blog nearly a dozen times in Q&A’s and with inspiring quotes. He also appeared in my first National Leadership Day post in February 2023. Eric has more than a quarter-century of experience successfully leading employees and teams through periods of revenue growth, new product development, and re-engineering. He is an experienced mentor and coach and holds an MBA Degree from Keller Graduate School. His passion is helping individuals to become effective leaders at work, within organizations, and wherever they are called upon to lead and inspire.

QUESTION: Deb Boelkes, author of "The WOW Factor Workplace, How to Create a Best Place to Work Culture," wrote, "It's amazing what can happen when you have the right boss." Today, on National Leadership Day, please share some traits from the best boss you had during your career.

ERIC JACOBSON: Fortunately, I worked for good bosses throughout my career.

The best boss I worked for did the following:

Listened to me.

Backed me up.

Trusted me and respected me.

Gave me feedback to help me improve and grow.

Didn’t micromanage me.

Was even-tempered.

Allowed me to be promoted and then become his peer without displaying jealousy.

Provided me with training and learning experiences.

Didn’t penalize me for making mistakes if I could explain my rationale for taking the action I took and then learning from the experience.

As you can see, I was indeed fortunate to have such a supportive boss.

QUESTION: I'd like to share an important post from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School proposing that all leaders need to be surrounded by a "challenge network." What are your thoughts?

[Link to article: https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/why-you-need-a-challenge-network/]

ERIC JACOBSON: This is a great article, and I agree with what Adam Grant writes in his book, Think Again.

I particularly value this:

Skeptics can point out blind spots, question assumptions, and help us to overcome our weaknesses.

And he writes, “We learn more from people who challenge our thought process than those who affirm our conclusions. Strong leaders engage in their critics and make themselves stronger. Weak leaders silence their critics and make themselves weaker.”

The Wharton School’s article and Grant’s book remind me of my blog post about the 2025 book, Blindspotting: How To See What’s Holding You Back As A Leader, where author Martin Dubin writes, “It turns out that we're often not great judges of ourselves, even when we think we are. Sometimes we're simply unaware of a behavior or trait that's causing problems. Bottom line: until we uncover these blindspots, we can't move forward.”

As you read the book, you’ll learn about six types of blindspots and you’ll learn the practical guidance you need to identify and manage those blindspots.

[Check out my blog post about this book:

https://ericjacobsononmanagement.blogspot.com/2025/07/how-to-see-whats-holding-you-back-as.html]

QUESTION: Many people become leaders by default, i.e., they don't actually climb the corporate ladder in positions of authority. As a result, they're often set up for failure. What action items would you recommend for new leaders to work on or accomplish in their first 100 days to lead to success?

ERIC JACOBSON: Foremost, I recommend new leaders listen to their employees and teams and keenly observe before making rash decisions or bold changes. Find out what employees and teams are doing right before assuming things are being done incorrectly.

In addition, I recommend new leaders read the book, The New Leader's 100-Day Action Plan by George Brant, Jayme A. Check, and Jorge Pedraza. They outline the seven major onboarding land mines that individuals are likely to come across as a new leader. Fortunately, they also discuss the specific points in the first 100 days where you are most likely to encounter the land mines. Also, their recommendations for new leaders are to do the following:

By Day 30, share with your team:

Mission: Why here, why exist, what business are we in?

Vision: Future picture - what we want to become, where we are going.

Values: Beliefs and moral principles that guide attitudes, decisions, and actions.

Objectives: Broadly defined, qualitative performance requirements.

Goals: The quantitative measures of the objectives that define success.

Strategies: Broad choices around how the team will achieve its objectives.

Plans: The most important projects and initiatives that will bring each strategy to fruition.

By Day 60:

Over-invest in early wins to build team confidence.

Tuesday, January 20, 2026

"Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders for 2026

Esteemed leadership expert (and my friend) Eric Jacobson wrote a post in December 2023 entitled, "70 New Year's Resolutions for Leaders." During January 2024, I chose ten from the list and featured them in a post, and then again, in January 2025, I chose another ten and featured them in a post.

Since Eric's list included 70 resolutions, and New Year's resolutions are on many people's minds this month, I thought I'd revisit Eric's post and choose my "Top 10" New Year's Resolutions for Leaders for 2026. With much applause to Eric, here we go:

[1] Reward how a performance is achieved and not only the performance.

[2] Say "thank you" and sincerely mean it.

[3] Follow through when you promise to do something.

[4] Hire to complement, not to duplicate.

[5] Share bad news, not only good news.

[6] Start meetings on time.

[7] Support mentoring - both informal and formal mentoring.

[8] Don't delay tough conversations.

[9] Have an open door policy.

[10] Do annual written performance appraisals.

And because I've been a passionate reader my entire life, I will repeat (and always include) this annual resolution: "Read leadership books to continue your leadership journey." Don't forget to read works of fiction because they ALSO contain important leadership lessons.

Lastly, here's one of Eric's favorite quotes from a previous appearance on my blog:

Thursday, February 20, 2025

Tips to Celebrate #NationalLeadershipDay!

Today, February 20, is National Leadership Day. According to National Day website, "The aim of National Leadership Day is to instill the values of leadership in each one of us. A good leader not only leads but inspires those around him/her/they to be the best versions of themselves. Anyone can be a leader — you just have to show up and encourage others to do the same...We know that an organization is only as good as its leaders, which means that having empathetic and just leaders at the top, who lead by example, creates an environment in which everyone is inspired to be their best."

Moreover, it's a day to acknowledge those who inspire, guide, and motivate others toward achieving collective goals. By celebrating this important day, we honor those who have made significant contributions and inspire others to step up and lead with purpose and dedication.

Therefore, since last summer, I shared a review of the book entitled Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture, today is a great day to again welcome leadership expert and author Eric Stone to my blog as we discuss and promote leadership. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Eric D. Stone is a dynamic leader whose passion for business fueled a remarkable 26-year career at Enterprise Holdings, where he rose to become one of the most celebrated Regional Vice Presidents in the company’s history. Leveraging his expertise in cultivating high-performance cultures, Eric authored the award-winning book Jumpstart Your Workplace Culture, which has inspired leaders around the world. As an international speaker, Eric captivates audiences with practical strategies and real-world insights, empowering organizations to drive engagement and achieve exceptional results. Through his company, Clear Path Ventures, he provides hands-on consulting to help leaders and teams develop tailored engagement strategies that foster transformation and measurable growth.

QUESTION: How do you think leaders should address last November's Presidential election results, since workplace culture and collaboration/teamwork could be and were impacted?

(Read the related post here:

https://katherinespinney.com/silence-is-not-the-answer/)

ERIC STONE: Presidential elections often bring heightened emotions, differing opinions, and anxieties that can impact workplace culture and collaboration. While there's no one-size-fits-all solution, leaders should anchor their response in the organization's core values, ensuring clarity and stability during uncertain times.

Regular touchpoints, such as one-on-ones, team meetings, pulse surveys, and town halls, create opportunities to engage with employees, address concerns, and foster dialogue, helping to mitigate polarization and promote mutual respect. Additionally, investing in training for managers on how to handle sensitive topics with empathy and professionalism is crucial. Equipped with the right tools, managers can navigate difficult conversations in a way that fosters respect, trust, and collaboration, preventing conflict and maintaining a positive, high-performing workplace culture.

QUESTION: In an article by Barbara McQuade in TIME Magazine, she wrote, "The real danger when a leader traffics in half-truths and conflicting claims is that people don't know what to believe." Instead of looking at leaders' actions, let's flip the script. How can employees keep their leaders honest?

(Read the referenced article here:

https://time.com/7173492/second-trump-term-misinformation-essay/)

ERIC STONE: To keep leaders honest, employees must be proactive and intentional in their approach. First, employees should be observant and identify inconsistencies in messages or plans, raising questions that prompt leaders to clarify their positions. This can be done respectfully and with a focus on company values, emphasizing the importance of honesty and integrity. Employees should use data, facts, and examples to support their points, creating a foundation for productive discussions. It’s also essential for employees to collaborate with peers, uniting in a shared commitment to transparency and ethical behavior. Lastly, employees should leverage formal channels, such as feedback mechanisms or employee forums, to escalate concerns when necessary, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining the organization's values and ensuring that trust remains intact.

QUESTION: Erika Andersen wrote in a Forbes article, “This is the first time in history that four distinct generations are together in the workplace: Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z." What are some insights or advice to help everyone work together successfully?

(Read the referenced article here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/05/06/what-planet-are-you-from-5-ways-to-get-along-with-people-who-arent-like-you/)

ERIC STONE: With up to five generations now in the workplace and ongoing debates about flexibility — whether in-person, remote, or hybrid — the topic of building successful teams has never been more relevant. To bridge generational divides and create a cohesive team, it's essential to focus on five key factors of employee engagement:

(1) A strong relationship with your manager. Understanding individual motivations and tailoring your approach ensures trust and mutual respect thrive in a diverse environment.

(2) Clear communication of expectations and goals. There should be no confusion among your people about their role or what's expected of them, regardless of their background.

(3) The right materials, equipment, and information to achieve desired outcomes. Teams should have the resources, data, technology, and training to get the job done at a high level.

(4) A manager who encourages personal and professional growth. Your goal is to coach and mentor individual contributors to reach their potential inside and outside the organization.

(5) A system in which top performance is recognized. You consistently call out and reward excellence, incentivizing people to give their very best.

(Note: For more details about the five factors, check out my videos on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ericdstone1)

QUESTION: Some people believe that leadership is only possible with a title, however, there are many ways to be a leader. Please share some.

ERIC STONE: Embrace the mentality of "act as if," where leadership comes from the impact you make - not the title you hold. One way to demonstrate this is through becoming a Culture Carrier — excelling at your job, taking initiative, and consistently raising the bar. When you embody the values and standards of your organization, you inspire others to do the same. You can also focus on Jumpstarting Others by taking time to help colleagues achieve their goals and advance their careers. Whether through mentoring, collaboration, or offering guidance, you build trust and nurture a team-oriented, growth-focused environment. Finally, Sharpen Your Brand by proactively developing the specific skills you want to strengthen. Seek out people with expertise you admire and align yourself with aspirational brands to stay ahead in your field and motivate others to pursue their own growth.

Tuesday, September 10, 2024

Information, Disinformation, and Leadership - Oh My!

Since today is an important date in American politics: the second Presidential Debate will take place later today, I thought it would be appropriate to feature Barbara McQuade, the author of the new book, ATTACK FROM WITHIN, HOW DISINFORMATION IS SABOTAGING AMERICA. Barbara and I had a discussion about leadership and her book, a must-read for our current political climate, and highlights follow a brief introduction.

Barbara McQuade is a professor at the University of Michigan Law School, where she teaches criminal law and national security law. She is also a legal analyst for NBC News and MSNBC. From 2010 to 2017, she served as the U.S Attorney for the Eastern District of Michigan. She was appointed by President Barack Obama, and was the first woman to serve in her position. She also served as vice chair of the Attorney General's Advisory Committee and co-chaired its Terrorism and National Security Subcommittee. Before her appointment as U.S. Attorney, McQuade served as an Assistant U.S. Attorney in Detroit for 12 years, including service as Deputy Chief of the National Security Unit. In that role, she prosecuted cases involving terrorism financing, foreign agents, threats, and export violations. She serves on a number of non-profit boards and served on the Biden-Harris Transition Team in 2020-2021. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan and its law school and calls Ann Arbor, Michigan home.

QUESTION: Since your background is in law, politics, and education, how have you seen the role of leadership change (evolve/devolve) in those fields over the last 20 years?

BARBARA McQUADE: We still have many wonderful leaders in all fields, but it is disappointing to see some people in politics use fear to stoke division in society. By promoting an us-versus-them mentality, we find ourselves unable to address real problems, such as, climate change and immigration. We need compromise to achieve policymaking, and it seems that some leaders would rather resort to simple soundbites than nuanced thinking.

QUESTION: In your new book, “Attack from Within, How Disinformation is Sabotaging America,” what are three important takeaways you hope readers will have?

BARBARA McQUADE: Here are my three:

First, I hope to raise awareness that certain tactics have been used throughout history to manipulate the public: blaming scapegoats, undermining critics, using fear, and more. Once we can recognize these tactics, we are less likely to be manipulated by them.

Second, I hope that readers will see the real harms caused to American society by disinformation. Lies and misleading claims are eroding democracy, public safety, and the rule of law. For example, false claims of a stolen election have led to laws in many states making it more difficult to vote. I expect we will see false content generated by AI in the upcoming election. I worry that claims that prosecutors are "weaponizing" the criminal justice system will lead to a loss of confidence in the legitimacy of law enforcement and the courts, leading to vigilante violence, just as we saw on January 6th.

Third, I hope that readers will choose to put truth over tribe. Today, it seems that some people don't care about the facts. They care only about winning. But blind allegiance to a political party is not democracy. We need to encourage independent thinking over the idea that our political system is us-versus-them. As Americans, parties are rivals, but not enemies. We are all in this together.

QUESTION: At the end of your book, Attack from Within, you wrote, "An informed electorate has always been necessary for democracy." However, with so much polarization, apathy, disrespect, ignorance, inequality, and disinformation, how can we as Americans transform into an informed electorate?

BARBARA McQUADE: It is somewhat ironic that we have never had as much access to information as we do today, and yet, it seems that we are more disinformed than ever. Part of that is due to feeling overwhelmed with information, and so we rely on proxies to tell us what to think. That is a very dangerous place to be, because we cede power to party leaders or media mouthpieces.

Instead, we need to embrace our duties as citizens to obtain accurate information about issues and candidates so that we can use the power of the people. Great sources for accurate information are your Secretary of State's website and the non-partisan League of Women Voters.

QUESTION: Which three leaders from business or history inspire you, and why?

BARBARA McQUADE: Here are my three:

[1] Frank Murphy, former justice of the Supreme Court, former governor of Michigan, and other public leadership positions - because he said that he wanted his legacy to be simply that he made government work for the people.

[2] Liz Cheney - because she put country over party by vice chairing the House Committee investigating the January 6th attacks and publicly stated that we cannot abandon truth and remain a free country. She lost her House race over her commitment to the truth. She is a profile in courage.

[3] Barack Obama - because he appealed to hope over fear, and unity over division.

QUESTION: One of my favorite leadership quotes is from author and consultant Mark Herbert (@NewParadigmer on Twitter/X): "Leadership doesn't require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to block and tackle for others." What does this quote mean to you?

BARBARA McQUADE: Too often, people think of leadership as rock star adulation. Instead, leadership means doing the quiet little things necessary to empower others. Obtaining resources, removing bureaucratic obstacles, seeking input in decisions, allowing autonomy and discretion, and creating an environment where it is safe to fail or admit mistakes are the things that effective leaders do to enable others to achieve more than they could on their own.

My gratitude and applause to Barbara for appearing on my blog and sharing her leadership insights.

Monday, September 2, 2024

Five #LeadershipTips for Labor Day

How are you celebrating Labor Day today? A parade, a barbecue, or possibly a day at the beach? In the spirit of America’s workers, I’d like to share five leadership tips, but first, a little history.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s website, “The first Labor Day holiday was celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City, in accordance with the plans of the Central Labor Union…By 1894, 23 more states had adopted the holiday, and on June 28, 1894, President Grover Cleveland signed a law making the first Monday in September of each year a national holiday…American labor has raised the nation’s standard of living and contributed to the greatest production the world has ever known and the labor movement has brought us closer to the realization of our traditional ideals of economic and political democracy. It is appropriate, therefore, that the nation pays tribute on Labor Day to the creator of so much of the nation's strength, freedom, and leadership – the American worker.”

With a shout-out and gratitude to Ben Meer (@SystemSunday), who I met on Twitter/X, here are my five favorite leadership tips (from Ben’s list of 20) that stand the test of time.

[1] LEADERSHIP POSITIONS ARE RENTED, NOT OWNED. LEAVE THE ROLE BETTER THAN YOU FOUND IT.

[2] TO SOLVE AN ISSUE QUICKLY, BE SOFT ON THE PERSON AND HARD ON THE PROBLEM.

[3] YOUR CUSTOMER STRATEGY WILL ONLY BE AS GOOD AS YOUR PEOPLE STRATEGY.

[4] TO DISCOVER BLINDSPOTS, BUILD AN INNER CIRCLE THAT WILL GIVE YOU HONEST FEEDBACK.

[5] FOCUS ON YOUR CIRCLE OF COMPETENCE AND SEEK HELP IN AREAS YOU’RE NOT AN EXPERT.

To quote John-Michael Melendez of Excel2Win, “As you celebrate Labor Day, let it be a reminder [that the] path to leadership is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires learning, growth, and teamwork.”

What are some of your fave leadership tips? Chime in and share – and have a relaxing Labor Day!

Tuesday, May 7, 2024

All Women Need a Leadership Compass!

While women have different experiences than men in the workplace, there is no dispute that women need a leadership compass. Gender equality expert Michelle Redfern has written the book that every woman must read! Her new book, available today, THE LEADERSHIP COMPASS, is truly what her subtitle calls, "The Ultimate Guide for Women Leaders to Reach Their Full Potential."

Michelle has appeared here on my blog three times, and I thank Susan Colantuono for making the introduction. Before I share highlights from the book, here's a brief introduction for this amazing woman and author!

Michelle Redfern is a globally recognized gender equality, diversity, and inclusion strategist based in Australia. She advises organizations in the business and sporting sectors on DEI strategy development and implementation and works directly with women leaders to advance their careers. She has been recognized as one of Australia’s Top 100 Women of Influence and has won awards for her contributions to women’s advancement. She is passionate about what sets her soul on fire, closing the global leadership gender gap, and enabling women to have a career that soars!

That bio may describe Michelle, but in her own words, here are the three things she does:

I fix workplace systems that prevent women and organizations from reaching their full potential.
I help women navigate the systems in their workplace to reach their full potential. I am like a human compass to guide women towards success."
I advocate for the rights of women and girls, particularly in the sporting sector."

Amazon describes Michelle's book as:

"An inspirational and evidence-based guide for women leaders. The Leadership Compass is not about fixing women. Rather, it is a compass to guide women to reach their leadership potential and navigate a system that is still fundamentally stacked against them. It is also a tool to help those already in leadership positions to close the leadership gender gap in their organizations. According to author and award-winning diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategist Michelle Redfern, women need to know, and be known for, critical business skills to reach their full leadership potential. Drawn from the experiences of a leader who has been there and done that, The Leadership Compass is essential reading for women at all stages of their careers."

And now, some highlights from the book:

Michelle provides an important reason for her book. She explained that in a 2020 report by Fortune magazine, of the top 200 best-selling business books, only 17 were written by women: "Why am I sharing this? Because old white guys do not have a monopoly on good ideas and the writing of good business books." More WOMEN LEADERS need to write business books!

A great leadership scenario was presented when Michelle asked readers to "Imagine you are the captain of a cruise liner. You have passengers (customers) who depend on you for a great time on their holiday. The cruise ship organization depends on you to ensure customers have a great experience so they become repeat customers. Your crew depend on you to ensure the working environment is safe and respectful, and that they have all the tools and resources to get their job done. As the captain, you're working from the bridge, and in front of you is the large dashboard that tells you where the ship is headed and how it is performing. You have executive team members who report to you to tell you how the customer experience is going and how the crew are performing. Now, imagine if you spent the entire cruise down in the engine room focusing on the mechanical aspects of the ship...[You'd be] missing out on the perspective you'd get on the bridge, watching out for the overall performance of the cruise liner and all the people on it." An effective leader cannot live (translation, work or hide) in their organization's version of the cruise ship's engine room!

A useful tool Michelle presented was understanding what great leaders and organizations cause. She asked if readers knew what happens when they walk into a room, walk out of a room, have a one-on-one conversation, chair a meeting, send an email, walk around the workplace, and more. Her list of possible outcomes included: support, trust, vision, wisdom, caring, clarity, guidance, innovation, inspiration, knowledge, motivation, movement, outcomes, progress, and results. If these positive outcomes are not your outcomes, then there's much work to be done!

Do you know the difference between the six different types of leadership styles? Michelle explains the differences, key phrases, and impacts on people and culture when discussing the styles:

coercive (directive)
visionary (authoritative)
harmonizing (affiliative)
participative (democratic)
exacting (pacesetting)
empowering (coaching)

And probably the most important lesson in the book is what I have always told my female (and male) colleagues throughout my career, create a personal brand that accurately reflects your expertise and purpose. As Michelle wrote, "You already have a brand, whether consciously crafted or passively shaped by external factors, so be intentional and proactive about the narrative you want to portray...Always remember that you are the best advocate for your brand, so brand intentionally, consistently, and brilliantly." And, a tip, make sure to create a detailed LinkedIn page that aligns with your personal brand.

As Michelle wrote, "Society tells women in many ways that speaking up is not OK. Many of us have been shushed, spoken over or interrupted, or simply cannot get a word in edgewise when some bloke is blathering on and taking up all the oxygen in the room...[So] as a leader, it is your responsibility to speak up on behalf of the following people and groups: yourself, your team members, those who cannot, and your organization." Tell your inner voice, speak up!

Michelle posed the scenario where the word "mentor" was struck from our vocabulary for two reasons:

(1) Because "Mentoring alone will not create forward movement in a woman's career."

and

(2) Because "women are over-mentored and under-promoted."

According to a Harvard Business Review article, "Women need what men get all the time, someone prepared to go out on a limb for them. A champion is someone who, behind closed doors, slams their fist on the boardroom table and says, 'If there's only room for one bonus in the budget, it's going to Jane, not John.'"

Wednesday, September 14, 2022

Do Your Leaders See Around Corners?

To quote Matthew Kobach (@mkobach), "Twitter is a key that unlocks thousands of doors, some of which you never even knew existed." As a member of the Twitterverse for 13 years, I always enjoy meeting new people and learning from them. I recently connected with Mitch Pisik from Tucson, Arizona, and invited him to appear here on my Blog in a Q&A discussion about leadership and the employee experience. Highlights of our conversation follow a brief introduction.

Mitch Pisik, CEO of Pisik Consulting Group, is an Award-Winning Business Consultant, Executive Coach, and Leadership Trainer who has worked with over 1,000 executives in hundreds of companies in dozens of industries ranging from sole Entrepreneurs to Fortune 100 global businesses. Previously, as CEO, he turned around and grew four diverse private equity owned portfolio businesses for 15 years; and before that, was a senior executive at some of the world’s largest global companies for 17 years. On the social media front, he has written and posted a daily LEADERSHIP message on Twitter and Linkedin since 2013, and to date, has posted 2,267 of them.

QUESTION: How can a CEO be an effective brand ambassador?
MITCH PISIK: A CEO’s primary responsibility is to be an enthusiastic and compelling ambassador for his/her/their company, brands, and people. He/she/they should use his/her/their gravitas and power to be highly and frequently visible; be seen pro-actively identifying and taking advantage of virtually every opportunity to speak, present, write, and perform in multiple venues to explain/illustrate/demonstrate the positively differentiated and innovative benefits of his/her/their brands. And always portray/comport one’s self with a degree of professionalism and authenticity such that the message is received with resonance, is memorable, and garners raving excitement from the targeted audience.

TWEET THIS: A CEO’s primary responsibility is to be an enthusiastic and compelling ambassador for his/her/their company, brands, and people. ~@mitchpisik #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: Have any Presidents/CEOs impressed you by their leadership during the COVID-19 pandemic? If yes, how?
MITCH PISIK: I worked with a multitude of CEOs and senior execs during the pandemic. Although most had not prepared for the dramatic changes and challenges that were thrust upon them, many quickly realized that the world has changed, and virtually every business process needed to change, and immediately. The best execs also realized that what did not change was their vision, mission, and long-term priorities.

Two especially impressive leadership teams were those at Wegman’s grocery chain and Kendra Scott’s retail chains. They pivoted early, and executed their new plans virtually and flawlessly.

QUESTION: What three traits define a good leader?
MITCH PISIK: Here are my three:
(1) They have an unwavering focus on building world-class teams:
--A players hire A players.
--B players hire C players.
--C players will put you out of business.

Do not settle for mediocrity when building your team. If management does, it will be a decision that they will regret; and inevitably, it will be deemed unacceptable by your accomplished employees who possess talent and ambition. The ramification will be the demise of the organization.

(2) They understand how to motivate and inspire their teams. They do NOT believe in the Golden Rule of doing onto others as you want them to do onto you. They do onto others as they want to be treated. I always taught my people to: Treat everyone fairly, but differently.

(3) They can see around corners. They have a capacity for innovation and creativity that fosters products and services that even their customers did not realize they wanted and had to buy until they saw it. As Henry Ford said 100 years ago: "If I asked people what they wanted, they would have said a faster horse."

TWEET THIS: A good leader can see around corners. ~@mitchpisik #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What are some of your favorite leadership quotes, and why?
MITCH PISIK: "They don’t care what you know until they know that you care."
(I do not possess pride of ownership, as I did not write this one. Author unknown.).

This fosters/supports/emphasizes a foundational cultural value of successful companies. If your people do not trust/believe/respect you, then they will not perform for you. This quote resides on the same plane as another of my favorite quotes: “Numbers tell but stories sell.” People are motivated by emotions substantially more than by logic. And lastly, a third favorite quote is one that I did write:
"'Who you know' let’s you know who to call. 'Who knows you' let’s you know who will take your call.'"

QUESTION: What three leaders from business or history inspire you, and why?
MITCH PISIK: Here are my three:
(1) Jack Welsh: He fostered unprecedented success through unwavering expectations for performance.
(2) Sun Tzu: Those who follow his advice from The Art of War will inevitably be successful in business and in virtually all aspects of their life.
(3) Niccolo Machiavelli: This 16th-century author of The Prince expels advice that is invaluable to all business people.

QUESTION: Lastly, one of my favorite quotes about leadership is from author and consultant Mark Herbert (@NewParadigmer on Twitter): "Leadership is a gift, not a position. It doesn’t require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to trust and be trusted – and block and tackle for others." What does this quote mean to you?
MITCH PISIK: There are multiple priorities for a successful Leader. These include (though are not limited to:
(1) Create new Leaders.
(2) Be a servant Leader when appropriate.
(3) Provide the training, resources, and support to foster an environment where success is most likely to flourish.
(4) Stay in business (which is the ultimate responsibility of a business).
(5) Ensure clarity of direction and the definition of success. Assist and encourage. And expect outstanding performance – and celebrate and reward accordingly.

My thanks to Mitch for sharing his leadership insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Jacqueline Brandwayn via Unsplash.

Follow Mitch on Twitter @mitchpisik.

Connect on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchpisik.

Friday, April 15, 2022

Inspirational Leadership Can – And Does – Happen Anywhere

Today is an important day in major league baseball. All players will be wearing the number 42 on their uniforms. The reason is because today is Jackie Robinson Day, and to honor him, all players wear his number. 75 years ago today, he made his debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers as the first black major league baseball player.

Throughout Jackie’s baseball career and post-baseball business and civil rights career, he was respected for his inspirational leadership and was someone we can all emulate.

So, as we honor Jackie Robinson today, I welcome Daniel Buhr from Minnesota to my Blog. He recently retired from a 34-year career as an EHS information specialist at a Fortune 500 company. For over 20 years, he was involved in leadership development, and in 2015, was a co-author of “Energize Your Leadership.” On social media, he’s known as @Cybuhr. His hope is to broaden our understanding of leadership to see that each of us has the freedom and responsibility to be a leader, and his vision is leadership by anyone, serving everyone. Daniel and I recently had a discussion about leadership, and highlights follow below.

TWEET THIS: Leadership by anyone, serving everyone. ~@Cybuhr #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: We've all heard a million answers, but how do YOU explain the differences between management and leadership?
DANIEL BUHR: Grace Hopper put it well when she said, “You manage things, you lead people.” I would add to that statement: Management is business and is the job of a few. Leadership is life and is the responsibility of all. The leadership of a third-grader in the classroom is just as important as the leadership of a CEO in the boardroom.

TWEET THIS: Management is business and is the job of a few. Leadership is life and is the responsibility of all. ~@Cybuhr #LeadershipTip #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: In a post on your blog, you wrote: "Anyone can be a leader. And everyone should be a leader, prepared to lead when the moment calls on them to do so. Therefore, the true image of a leader is as diverse as the entire world’s population. A leader can look like anyone anywhere. Don’t forget to look at yourself." Can you please elaborate?

(Blog post referenced: https://cybuhr.com/2017/06/13/start-seeing-leaders/)

DANIEL BUHR: The stereotypical image of a leader is a man in a business suit. But anyone can be a leader just as they are, so a leader can look like anyone. To help broaden your image of what a leader looks like, when you are in public, look at each person you encounter and think to yourself, “There’s a leader.” “There’s a leader.” When we see each other and ourselves as leaders, it opens our minds to new possibilities.

QUESTION: I was inspired by the post on your blog entitled, "Our Common Ground – Ten Principles for an Open Dialogue." Can you please explain why this should be in a frame on everyone's desk?

(Blog post referenced: https://cybuhr.com/2017/01/28/ourcommonground/)

DANIEL BUHR: There is a great need for respectful dialogue. This time of deep division and strong disagreement makes it hard, but it also makes it all the more important for us to find common ground where we can work together even if we don’t agree. It is respect, not agreement, that brings us to common ground. When we find common ground, then we can take the journey together to higher ground.

TWEET THIS: It is respect, not agreement, that brings us to common ground. ~@Cybuhr #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #EmployerBranding #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What book should every leader read, and why?
DANIEL BUHR: If I had to choose one, I would say “Leadership is an Art” by Max De Pree. A word of caution in selecting a book on leadership is that the majority of books in the “Leadership” section aren’t about leadership at all, they’re really about running a business, and that is something entirely different. The line gets fuzzy because there are books that discuss leadership in the context of business, but they present good leadership principles that are applicable outside of the corporate walls as well.

QUESTION: What three leaders from business or history inspire you, and why?
DANIEL BUHR: Abraham Lincoln for his political savvy. Malala Yousafzai for her courage. Robert Greenleaf for shaping our modern understanding of Servant Leadership. Note that, with each of these three, their leadership did not come from having a position of authority. Yes, Lincoln had a very high position of authority, but it wasn’t his position that made him a leader.

QUESTION: Lastly, one of my favorite quotes about leadership is from author and consultant Mark Herbert (@NewParadigmer on Twitter): “Leadership is a gift, not a position. It doesn’t require you to be the smartest person in the room. It requires you to trust and be trusted – and block and tackle for others.” What does this quote mean to you?
DANIEL BUHR: Being a leader begins with your choice, when you choose to make a difference in and through the lives of others. Leadership also begins with a choice, when others choose to follow. That choice by others to follow is a gift, and it is made in a relationship of trust. The way to build that relationship and that trust is to serve. Service builds trust. Trust builds leadership. As Greenleaf said, a leader is first a servant.

My gratitude to Daniel for sharing his insights and for appearing here on my Blog. And to fellow baseball fans, thank you for joining me in celebrating the legacy of Jackie Robinson today on Jackie Robinson Day!

Image Credit: Photo taken by Debbie Laskey at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California.

Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Comfort Zones and Leadership

Thanks to social media, over the last 13 years, I have had the privilege to meet a variety of amazing marketing, leadership, and customer experience experts. One of these experts is Melanie Benson from Los Angeles. We recently had a discussion about leadership, coaching, and comfort zones, and highlights follow below Melanie's bio.

Melanie Benson, Authority Amplifier for Expert-preneurs, shows her clients how to stand out in a crowded market and attract opportunities. She has a proven track record of accelerating results for her clients. She’s host of the Amplify Your Success Podcast, author of Rewired for Wealth, co-author of Voices of the 21st Century, and has been featured in Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Woman’s Day, and Parenting. Visit her online at MelanieBenson.com and connect on Twitter @melcoach.

QUESTION: You use the word AMPLIFY a great deal. What does that word mean to you and your business?
MELANIE BENSON: To spread your business message, make a greater impact, and exponentially increase your revenue is the goal -- but most people work ten times harder than necessary to accomplish this. When you amplify, you are able to grow exponentially with very little effort. When I work with entrepreneurs who are building a business around their expertise, they often have a million things to accomplish with very little time. Anything that helps them amplify their results without having to work twice as hard is a game changer. I also find that AMPLIFY is a powerful word that integrates the masculine ACTION and the feminine of CREATION, so that it feels exciting to both male and female entrepreneurs.

QUESTION: You wrote a blog post entitled, "Five Signs You Are Meant to Lead." Can you share some key highlights from that post?

(Post referenced: https://melaniebenson.com/5-signs-you-are-meant-to-lead/)

MELANIE BENSON: Often, someone with a powerful message and great work that can help others feels like a best kept secret in their market. If you are meant to lead, then there is something about you, your work and your leadership style that can positively impact others.

Sometimes an entrepreneur doesn’t really feel like they are “leadership material,” and they shy away from influencing others. But the truth is, we influence others all the time! We lead our children, we direct our team members, and if we work with clients, we often inspire their actions on a daily basis. When we “own” our leadership role, we can not only have a greater impact, but we also can learn how to be a better leader.

TWEET THIS: When we “own” our leadership role, we can not only have a greater impact, but we also can learn how to be a better leader. ~@coachmel #LeadershipTip #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: What three things should a person do to get out of their comfort zone?
MELANIE BENSON: A comfort zone is where most of us like to live: a mental space where we know what to do, how to do it, and have a sense of control over our lives. As an entrepreneur who wants to make a greater impact and grow his/her/their revenue potential, a comfort zone keeps you trapped right where you are.

Three things I often coach my clients to do to get beyond their comfort zones are:
[1] Set a goal you have no idea how to pull off (and the idea of accomplishing it inspires you, so you imagine it often).

[2] Focus on what you want, not how to get there. Stop trying to figure it all out. Instead, keep your thoughts and actions on taking the next steps. Ask yourself, “Who would I have to be for this to feel easy to accomplish?”

[3] Challenge yourself to shatter limits and fears and stretch your paradigm of what you believe is possible. Do something every week that is not comfortable so that you get used to feeling “outside” of your normal approach to things.

When you decide to push through your comfort zone, it's common to have all kinds of challenges, fears, and a very logical set of reasons why it can’t work. We call it Upper Limiting. I invite you to check out an episode of my Amplify Your Success podcast where I share how to recognize and move beyond this common trap: https://melaniebenson.com/upper-limits-podcast/.

QUESTION: You are a passionate advocate for women in leadership roles, so on a related topic, what is your favorite RBG (Ruth Bader Ginsburg) quote, and why?

MELANIE BENSON: RBG was a powerful force for good in our world. She shattered limits and accomplished what many women didn’t believe was possible. One of her quotes that inspires me is: “Fight for the things that you care about, but do it in a way that will lead others to join you.”

For those who are building a business with the intention of creating positive change in the world, we often have to battle many who don’t believe in our vision, and who won’t support our efforts. To take on this challenge, we have to inspire others to take action that they may not believe in at first. Being a leader who inspires is a million times more sustainable that being someone who forces, uses fear tactics, manipulates, or hurts others to make their point. When leaders inspire others to join their efforts, they create a movement, and THAT is what creates lasting change.

TWEET THIS: When leaders inspire others to join their efforts, they create a movement. ~@coachmel #LeadershipTip #EmployeeExperience #DebbieLaskeysBlog

QUESTION: You shared a tweet by Mark Twain on Twitter: "Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great." What does that quote mean to you, and why is it your inspiration?
MELANIE BENSON: Two out of five of my entrepreneurial clients feel a lack of support in achieving their goals in their home or environment. Three out of five of my clients have had a mentor who shamed them or used fear tactics to try to get them to take action.

The work I do with my clients is very different from most “coaches” out there. I find the superpower inside them and help them amplify it so that they transform their wisdom into wealth. I don’t need to use fear or shaming to get people into action. I uncover what lights their fire and show them how to accomplish their goals so that they get what they really want. Sometimes I have to do some mindset recoding to help them believe in themselves again.

In my experience, a great person has a unique talent to make someone feel they are capable of accomplishing anything they want in life. That is my personal aspiration – to be that kind of force for my clients and the world.

My gratitude to Melanie for sharing her leadership and coaching insights and for appearing here on my Blog.

Image Credit: Twitter.

Monday, May 24, 2021

3 Leadership Secrets: Build Consensus, Be Open to Challengers, and Delegate

If you’re not familiar with the name Erika Andersen, then get ready for some valuable leadership take-aways. She is someone who stands out wherever she appears in the digital landscape, whether as a guest writer on Forbes, her own website, or on Twitter.

Erika Andersen is the founding partner of Proteus, a coaching, consulting, and training firm that focuses on leader readiness; and over the past 30 years, she has developed a reputation for creating approaches to learning and business-building that are tailored to the challenges, goals, and cultures of her clients. Erika and her colleagues at Proteus focus on helping leaders at all levels GET ready and STAY ready to meet whatever the future might bring. In addition, Erika is the author of many books as well as the author and host of the Proteus Leader Show, a regular podcast that offers quick, practical support for leaders and managers. Follow on Twitter @erikaandersen and @ProteusLeader – and also on the web at www.proteus-international.com. Erika and I recently had a discussion about leadership, and highlights follow below.

QUESTION: When President Obama introduced Janet Yellen as the new Federal Reserve Chair in October 2013, he said, "Janet Yellen is a proven leader who knows how to build consensus, the kind of person who makes everybody around her better." Certainly, President Biden remembered this when nominating her as the first woman Secretary of the Treasury. What three characteristics do you think are necessary to create a consensus-builder?

Blog post referenced: What Kind of Leadership Legacy Are You Creating?
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2013/10/what-kind-of-leadership-legacy-are-you.html

ERIKA ANDERSEN: The first three things that come to mind when I hear “consensus builder” are listening, “fair witnessing,” and generosity.

Listening – true, deep listening, where your intention is to fully understand what the other person is saying – is foundational to all good leadership and management, in fact to all healthy relationships. It’s especially necessary to building consensus: understanding what all parties think and feel is the core pre-requisite for being able to find a solution that includes the most important elements of each person’s point of view. It also assures that each person will feel heard and respected – which goes a long way toward “unsticking” people from rigid positions.

Being a fair witness, which I talk about a lot, means being as objective and neutral as possible. That becomes more challenging the more emotionally attached we are to a topic. If, as the person responsible for finding consensus, you can maintain a neutral focus on finding the best outcome for the greatest number of people (vs. lobbying for your preferred solution), I’ve found that helps everyone become more objective and less likely to simply argue for their own outcome.

Finally, generosity. Such a critical leadership capability – especially when emotions are running high and people have different and strongly-held viewpoints. If you as the leader can assume positive intent about everyone involved – that they are advocating for what they truly believe is the best outcome – it provides a powerful hopeful example that makes it less likely that people will fall into negative and limiting beliefs about each other, and much more likely for consensus to be achieved.

QUESTION: Last year was the “year of women” in visible seats of influence - see my Blog post written in December. From your personal and consulting experiences, how can more women earn positions of influence in business, law, medicine, nonprofit, etc.?

Blog post referenced: 2020 Was the Year of Women
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2020/12/2020-was-year-of-women.html

ERIKA ANDERSEN: I have great faith in the younger generations – Millennials and Gen Z – who now make up a majority of the workforce, and who will continue to grow as a force over the next decade. They are more diverse than previous generations, and more progressive in their thinking and actions regarding inclusion and collaboration of all kinds. The people I know in their 20’s and 30s expect that women – and people of color – will have power and influence commensurate with their skills, capabilities and ambition. I think that means that the future is in good hands.

But what about now? First, I would hope that any woman who is now in a position of power and influence will do her best to be a model of representation, and to remove obstacles and provide opportunities for those who are coming up behind her. I would also encourage powerful women to turn to their male colleagues and help them understand how they can be practical allies by creating more opportunities for women to succeed.

And all of us can, with kindness and hope, recognize in ourselves and point out to each other where we might have limiting assumptions about women – and people of color, the disabled, LGBTQ+, and other marginalized people. And once we recognize those limiting assumptions, we can all work to question and work against them, so that we invite and welcome a more diverse group of people into positions of power and influence.

QUESTION: I read a recent post from Wharton that shared the concept that all leaders need to be surrounded by a “challenge network.” Can you elaborate on this?

Blog post referenced: Why You Need a “Challenge Network”
https://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/article/why-you-need-a-challenge-network/

ERIKA ANDERSEN: I love this idea – that leaders need people who will challenge their ideas and conclusions. I talk about something like this in my book “Leading So People Will Follow,” where I contend that leaders need “Wizards, Well-wishers, and Wildcards.”

Wizards are those people who know things you don’t know, and who can help you break through your image of yourself or of what’s possible and find new solutions and new ways of operating – part of what you can get from a “challenge network.”

Well-wishers are the opposite of a challenge network: they’re the people who genuinely think you’re marvelous, and truly want the best for you (which I think is also invaluable –being challenged all the time is demoralizing and unhelpful).

Wildcards are those people from whom you get unexpected value – they may seem negative, or grouchy, or just weird, but they have insights, skills or assets that can support you to achieve an outcome or solve a problem better than you could yourself. The essence of what a challenge network provides!

A lot of research over many years has shown that one of the biggest predictors of leadership failure is an environment where others can’t or won’t push back on the leader’s decisions. Having a challenge network filled with Wizards and Wildcards helps make sure that doesn’t happen.

TWEET THIS: One of the biggest predictors of leadership failure is an environment where others can’t or won’t push back on the leader’s decisions. ~@erikaandersen #LeadershipTip #ChallengeNetwork

QUESTION: Many people believe that leadership is only possible with a title. But there are many ways to lead and to be a leader. How do you counsel your clients to promote from within and build people up?

To read more on this topic, check out this Blog post: Spot these types of hidden talent in your organization:
https://www.smartbrief.com/original/2020/08/spot-these-types-hidden-talent-your-organization

ERIKA ANDERSEN: A lot of our coaching of leaders focuses on helping them become better developers of people. In addition to teaching them the core skills of feedback, delegation and coaching, we also encourage them to think about applying the “hedgehog” model Jim Collins popularized in Good to Great, where he noted companies that become great find the intersection among three things: what they’re best at, what they’re passionate about, and what “drives their economic engine” (i.e., makes them sustainably profitable).

Leaders can apply this to their folks by helping them think through what they’re best at and most passionate about, that will drive the organization’s economic engine. In other words, to focus their coaching and development on those areas where the employee would love to improve, where they can become really excellent, and where the company needs more capability.

Too often, leaders try to coach and develop just based on what the company needs, without thinking much about the employees’ interest or natural talent. And employees sometimes over-focus on what they’re passionate about, without thinking enough about whether they can get really good at that thing – or whether the company needs it.

And once you, as a leader, have helped an employee get clearer about what they could be best at and passionate about, that will drive the company’s economic engine, it’s important to determine two other things. First, you need to find out if the employee is really willing to make the effort needed to grow (and, unfortunately, you can only really know that by seeing how they respond to growth opportunities). Second you need to have a “coach mindset” about that employee, which we define as “believing in their potential and wanting to help them succeed.”

If all these things align, you get to have that wonderful experience of watching someone grow, knowing that you’ve helped.

TWEET THIS: Too often, leaders try to coach and develop just based on what the company needs, without thinking much about the employees’ interest or natural talent. ~@erikaandersen #LeadershipTip #LeadershipCoaching

QUESTION: You wrote a post published in Forbes comparing great leaders to movie heroes. Can you explain this comparison?

Blog post referenced: What Do Great Leaders And Movie Heroes Have In Common?
https://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2015/07/20/what-do-great-leaders-and-movie-heroes-have-in-common/

ERIKA ANDERSEN: I just used the movie hero comparison as an interesting way to tee up the importance of delegation!

It’s easy to think that being a hero means doing everything yourself. But in almost every good movie, one of the things the hero learns is how essential it is to have the support, collaboration, and skills of others – that achieving difficult outcomes is almost always a group effort.

And leaders who are good at delegation, who have and use the skills and the mindset needed to share power and responsibility, are much more likely to build teams of capable and motivated people who achieve great things. Then, they all get to be real heroes!

QUESTION: Lastly, you have another inspiring leadership book out later in the year (October). How does it differ from “Growing Great Employees,” “Being Strategic,” “Leading So People Will Follow” and “Be Bad First”?

ERIKA ANDERSEN: Thank you for asking! The new book is called Change from the Inside Out, and it first explains the simple, predictable process any individual has to go through in order to make any change – we call it the Change Arc. Then it offers a model for cascading any change throughout an organization, by focusing well and consistently on the nuts-and-bolts necessities of change while supporting everyone in the organization through their own mental and emotional Change Arc.

The book offers new insights and models, and leverages many of the core skills and models you’ve seen in my earlier books, all in the service of helping leaders, their teams, and their organizations become more change-capable – better able to thrive and grow in this era of continual, disruptive change. I hope that’s a good “trailer for the movie” – and I look forward to having a more in-depth conversation about it as the publication date draws nearer this fall!

My heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to Erika for appearing on my Blog again and for sharing her leadership insights!

For more inspiration, check out Erika’s previous appearances on my Blog:

Review of: Leading So People Will Follow by Erika Andersen (October 2019)
(Fall Back to Reading with 12 Thought-Provoking Business Books)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2019/10/fall-back-to-reading-with-12-thought.html

Leadership + Strategy = Amazing Employee Experience (November 2018)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2018/11/leadership-strategy-amazing-employee.html

Review of: Be Bad First by Erika Andersen (October 2018)
(Fall Reading Recap: Leadership, Branding, and Voice of the Customer Marketing)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2018/10/fall-reading-recap-leadership-branding.html

Are You the Type of Manager Or Leader YOU Would Follow? (January 2014)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2014/01/are-you-type-of-manager-or-leader-you.html

25 Employee Engagement Tips to Improve Your Workplace
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2013/08/25-employee-engagement-tips-to-improve.html

Want to be Nicknamed Strategy Guru? (July 2011)
https://debbielaskey.blogspot.com/2011/07/want-to-be-nicknamed-strategy-guru.html

Image Credit: Etsy.