Mistakes

How Messing Up Makes Us Real Leaders

“I never lose. I either win or learn.”
– Nelson Mandela

Time and time again, in the early stages of a coaching or a leadership development relationship, I hear my clients speak of their “failures” with a tone of self-recrimination and regret as though they are forever doomed to drag the weight of a decision that did not go the way they want into all parts of their lives. Worse, somewhere they seem to have gotten the crazy idea that because they made a mistake that this somehow means they themselves are a mistake.

What?!

There’s actually dignity in falling down often: not only is it part of our human story to make mistakes, but it is also an essential part of our growth and the key ingredient to ultimate success.

Consider my dear friend (and a leader in his own right) whom I’ll call José. Even with being a sensitive, bright light full of good intentions, he, like so many of us, seems to be caught in a spiral of limiting results. We do something we are not proud of and because of that, we might make choices that further push our view of ourselves down and we label ourselves as lost causes so we end up making more unhelpful decisions. And the cycle continues.

Until, that is, we can begin to trust that maybe, just maybe, this messiness can serve a purpose. In fact, that’s the whole point of the messiness to begin with: to allow our discomfort with ourselves and our outcomes to show us how to get more comfortable and longer-lasting solutions. Seeing our mistakes (ours and those of others) as opportunities for learning and growth can cultivate self-compassion and boost self-esteem. This has a ripple effect of positivity – consider how challenging it is to show compassion towards others when we have a tough time giving it to ourselves.

Now reverse it – when we deepen our awareness and our willingness to practice self-compassion, we radiate this out to others as well.

The fact of the matter is that we all make mistakes. That’s part of being human.

But it’s how we handle them that defines our character. Do we beat ourselves up – and therefore miss the lesson contained within? Or do we breathe through those uncomfortable feelings, holding off on the self-shaming long enough to weed out the real learning here? The seeming failure can be opportunity in disguise – we actually improve our odds of future success by fully acknowledging and embracing it to both ourselves and others.

“The greatest mistake we make is living in constant fear that we will make one.”
-John C. Maxwell

To Hide – or Acknowledge – Our Errors?

It can be hard for us as humans to own up to making a mess of things. In fact, 67% of people actually hate admitting we’re wrong. Which is to say, in my book, that they’re afraid to acknowledge they’re not perfect.

By the way, have you ever been around someone who is so uptight because they’re trying to appear flawless? Not only is this super BORING, but it also creates anxiety in those around them. Who wants to be around Super Girl or Wonder Boy? We all have enough going on in our lives that when we interact with others, most of us are more attracted to those with self-awareness and integrity with whom we can just be ourselves. And this is next to impossible to be when we are filled with the anxiety of measuring up to someone else’s standards.

Any leader I have ever come across who tries to be perfect fails at the very art of leadership. Why? Because they are missing the point entirely: leadership is about inspiring people to grow and be more of who they are. How can we do this when we show every sign that we don’t think we need to grow (and learn) any more?

Team members don’t want to have to feel they’re walking on eggshells, fearful of making the slightest error. They want to feel supported on their journey towards becoming the best, most purposeful version of themselves. Blunders and learning are an integral part of that.

Odgers Berndtson Partner Silvia Eggenweiller casts some light on another version of mistakes.

“Our whole wealth of experience consists of the mistakes we have made.

We only become really good at something if we keep trying things out along the way, and sometimes fail ourselves.

Covering up mistakes, on the other hand, is usually much more expensive on balance than cultivating a good culture of mistakes.”

Berndtson labels failure a priceless opportunity.

And authentic leaders should see them that way as well.

Mistakes are Also How Innovation is Born

“A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.”
– Albert Einstein

Tech companies, start-ups and smart consulting firms are leading the way in teaching all of us the value of failing…in fact, they very often have culture of “failing fast.” One innovative start-up I have recently worked with, for example, is creating something that has never been done before. At all. Given that no precedent has been set, how could they possibly have a successful end-product if they don’t allow mistakes to become a natural part of the creative process towards getting there?

The value in failing fast is that by making mistakes early on and learning from them off the bat, better, more impactful models can be built more quickly. In this way, errors have become a coveted part of their culture. Hearing more stories like this and broadcasting them can be impactful as well. Olga Rogacka writing in Success, lists common mistakes of leaders and cites individual case stories. Some of the common mistakes, among many others cited were:

  • Micromanaging
  • Correcting employee’s mistakes
  • Pushing too hard

In correcting employee’s mistakes, for example, one leader learned that instead of just fixing a mistake made by a team member, using it as a teaching moment gained far better results. Making it a coachable moment is not only far more effective than singling out or finger-pointing. It’s also way more compassionate for all.

Reading through other leaders’ experiences provides reassurance: they’ve made mistakes, too, and have used them to grow.

And that’s the attitude to take.

OK Leader – or Great Leader?

Writing in Inc., Lolly Daskal makes a defining statement:

“One of the ways you can tell a good leader from a great leader is how they handle their mistakes.”

Believing that a leader needs to set the right example, Daskal lists 4 basic ways we can define our leadership:

  1. Acknowledge where we ourselves went wrong, keeping the focus on our stuff.
  2. Learn the real lessons from mistakes and avoid repeating them.
  3. Share your learning with others so they can learn from your mistakes, too. That can cultivate an atmosphere of trust.
  4. Use your errors as a mechanism to move forward – not forgetting the error, but not allowing it to define who you are either. We are, after all, so much more than what we do.

Move beyond the stinking thinking that making a mistake is ‘bad,’ or ‘it’s my fault.’ Instead, embrace the lessons learned, move forward and, especially, give yourself grace.

“We all make them, the difference is what we do after we make the mistake, how we see the mistake – a learning experience or a failure.”
– Catherine Pulsifer

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role models

Women in Leadership: How to Transform the Long, Bumpy Side Road into a Smooth & Sleek Highway

“The most powerful leadership tool you have is your own personal example”
-John Wooden

Jacinda Ardern, Kamala Harris, MacKenzie Scott, Christine Lagarde, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Mary Barra and Angela Merkel are just a handful of spectacular souls changing the face of leadership. And, as much as their impact – and that of other dynamic women- has been proven and is desired, there is still a large gap in the number of women in leadership today.

Indeed, according to the OECD, less than a quarter of top leadership positions worldwide are occupied by women. This share ranges from about 16% in Africa to almost 30% in Europe, Latin America and the Caribbean.

While various reasons exist for this disparity, there is hope.  One way we can bridge the disconnect is through mentoring and positive role modeling.

 

For companies to get the talent they need in the fields where they need it, women (who make up half the population) will have to play a substantive role. And right now, they are not.
Sandra Sancier-Sultan and Sandra Scharf | McKinsey & Company

Learning From Life vs Learning from Mentors & Role Models

While we can learn a lot from books and the classroom, even more valuable knowledge is gleaned from experiencing life itself. And in business, what better way than to learn than alongside a mentor?

Mentors and role models can be a boost not only for business education, but they can also share the emotional and psychological burdens of boardroom atmospheres that often can often feel intimidating and overwhelming for emerging women leaders.

In fact, of the hundred or so top women leaders I have coached, their biggest obstacle has been taking up space in a male-dominated company or industry. In other words, feeling isolated and alone, they are challenged with stepping fully into their power and in so doing having a strong – and approachable – presence.

This male majority has been a phenomenon in nearly every organization I have worked with (and there have been quite a few!). Given this, the more we women can come together and lift each other up, the more we can see those numbers above rise.  Shared experience can be a strong bond.

“My role model didn’t tell me, he showed me.”
-Anonymous

The (Leadership) Elephant in the Boardroom

Lack of equality with men in top corporate positions has been a topic that has received a great deal of attention in recent decades, yet the issue still persists around the globe.

Perhaps it’s the elephant in the boardroom. Outside of their domain, companies profess to a commitment to hire more women, including women of Color. But when it comes to actual hiring, women still lag behind men.

While women’s presence at all levels of the corporate ladder showed improvement in 2020 says McKinsey, the “broken rung still exists: men are promoted at higher rates as managers over women, causing a lack of progress for women towards more senior positions. Women of Color lag even further behind.

Additionally, as aforementioned, women often experience being the ‘Onlys’ and ‘double Onlys’: in a room: they are the only of their gender or racial identity. That means working under a microscope, under continual scrutiny.

While the corporate workplace is not an even playing field for women, there are ways other women can help.

Social Support Networks Prove Valuable in Women’s Leadership

According to Insead, larger businesses are aware that social support is vital for women to work their best – and promote diversity and inclusion.

Examples of such support networks are:

  • Formal or informal mentoring and sponsorship: the ideas of being aware of our own impact and being there for each other are “advertised” and encouraged
  • Peer support: special interest groups (women in mining, women in tech, etc.)
  • Role models: more and more trailblazers becoming aware that their experiences, mindset and energy can most certainly benefit others

Mentoring programs…

Have been in existence for years, and research highlights evidence that informal mentorship and sponsorship to help women is especially effective.

Role Models…

Are just that- those in under-represented groups see others like themselves succeed. That leads to reassurance that they, too can achieve.  Role modeling becomes even more effective when these admired women leaders also become mentors.

Peer Support…

Provides an atmosphere of accomplishment: professionals who attended a for-women only networking conference were more likely to receive a promotion.

Whether it’s mentoring, peer support, or role modeling, they are all beneficial. Those that were free to choose their own mentor found greater value in it versus those who had no choice in their selection. From a coaching standpoint, this is obvious. Trust and fit are the top factors to any successful relationship – especially one where a person is asking another human for support.  It just wouldn’t work otherwise.  I have experienced coachees walking through some tremendous discomfort towards a way of being and doing that is infinitely more rewarding for them. And they never would have drummed up this courage had they not felt good in our relationship.

Sheryl Sandberg has often credited those who have mentored her along the way, describing one mentor as her ‘champion,’ and sharing that she received opportunities she wouldn’t otherwise have had.

Mentoring programs are a win-win situation for both mentors and mentees.

If there isn’t a formal mentorship program or competent female leader in your company who is a good match, look to the outside. Many trade associations offer mentorship programs. Check out WLMA, the Women’s Leadership and Mentor Alliance.

You may also find someone in a professional or community group.

Also, we at Authentic Leadership International are always delighted to hear from you and to be of service in any way we can.

Business Dictionary has some advice: “Observe your mentor’s behavior closely, especially how she reacts in stressful or difficult situations. It is important to develop your own leadership style but utilizing what you learn from a successful manager to mold your own behavior can be a good starting point.”

“When you see a role model, what you see is a person who has the courage to be who you wish you could be.
Stop wishing and just be.”
-Anonymous

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Kindness, role models

Why Genuine Kindness Separates the Grown-ups from the Children in Leadership

“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did,
but people will never forget how you made them feel.” – Maya Angelou

This quote, one of my all-time favorites, sums up the call we all have to be (genuinely) human with each other.  The genuine part means we’re not kind simply out of a sense of obligation – to check off a few metaphorical boxes of what we think is expected.  We’re not kind out of a sense of manipulation, just to get what we want. We’re kind because we genuinely want to be there for another person.  This means we have to let go of our protective armor separating us from others and just be good humans.

A recent Gallup survey revealed a startling statistic: only 45% of employees feel their employer cares about their well-being. That’s less than half.

Nearly two years into a global pandemic, there is no doubt that leaders and employees continue to face challenging times in their work relationships, heightened by the ever-present threats of COVID.

Kindness as a Leadership Strategy?

Back in late 2020, Boris Groysberg and Susan Seligson highlighted the unprecedented trials faced by leaders in a Harvard Business School article. And one influential leadership strategy had seemingly been neglected: kindness.

It is a time to think out of the box, for sure, to solve the complexities the pandemic has brought upon us.

But let’s not forget about each other in the process.
We cannot overlook a basic yet powerful principle that works wonders everywhere: kindness.

We’re all overwhelmed and stressed out – every single one of us, even when some might appear “fine.” Not one person walking this earth is unaffected.

Many of our employees are doubling up on work – not only working from home, but also homeschooling kids and playing caregiver roles to children and parents alike as well. Those with no support network may feel isolated.

Our cherished routines have been upended as the world tries to cope, yearning for some normalcy during a seemingly never-ending pandemic.

In the midst of such trying times, it has never been more important be genuinely kind to each other.

“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – Philo

Kindness: A Soothing Balm in Today’s World

In the hectic pace of life, we sometimes overlook the simple – and wonderful – power of kindness.

Why?

Because it is so simple. It’s not something that we can buy. It isn’t something necessarily hard to do. But we do need to be in the mindset to do it. And that often requires a specific intention when we are stressed-out and overwhelmed.

Instead of being caught up in negativity, overlooking the good that is taking place, remember that kindness is a powerful tool.

Harvard Business Review reminds us of the far-reaching benefits of kindness such as:

  • Presenting a win-win to everyone: the Giver and the Receiver. Being acknowledged at work lifts an employee up and helps to lessen burnout and absenteeism.
  • Boosting self-esteem and optimism about circumstances – which can result in a ripple effect of positivity.
  • Deepening the meaning of life. When we’re kind, we’re contributing to someone else, and as a result, how others perceive us is shaped. As such, we are creating meaning for ourselves and others.
  • Raising the vibration of any team or organization where it is present.

A Harvard Business School article aptly titled “Good Leadership is an Act of Kindness,” reminds us that the positive effects of kindness go even further. For example, bosses who are kind may even lengthen their employees lives by lessening their stress, which in turn leads to a healthier heart.

Not to mention that when leaders are genuinely kind, more people will want to do great work for them, creating a virtuous snowball effect.  We all know what it feels like to be part of the opposite phenomenon.

The bottom line: kindness (or lack thereof) can have a tremendous impact on our lives.

Holding Back on Compliments? Witness Its Power.

Kindness is catchy. Once we receive someone’s selfless words or actions, we often suddenly want to do our part to spread it. That’s the beauty of it. It’s the gift that keeps on giving.

Consider Stephen Cannon, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz USA, who realized success was much more than just vehicles.

Success was about caring – about everyone. “Every encounter with the brand must be as extraordinary as the machine itself,” said Cannon. With no rule book to follow, Cannon organized a grassroots effort centering on kindness.

It caught on. Random acts of kindness took place:

  • A dealer closed a sale and noticed that it was the customer’s birthday. When the customer came to pick up the car, there was a simultaneous birthday celebration.
  • Another customer had a flat tire on the way to her son’s graduation. She drove into a Mercedes dealership but discovered there were no replacement tires in stock. The service manager jacked up a new car in the showroom, removed the tire, and sent the mom on her way to the graduation.

Harry Hynekamp of Mercedes Benz – who became the first general manager for customer experience – took it further. Realizing that pride in the brand was not as strong as first thought, he knew he had to act when he discovered nearly 70% of front-line employees never even drove one of the cars off the lot.

He changed that by creating a program so that employees could experience the thrill of driving a Mercedes. He put 800 cars in the field, and employees chose their time with the car to correspond with important events in their lives, like weddings or picking up family members.

Reactions were out of this world, Hynekamp said. People had gained a sense of pride in their work.

Taking time to really show we care about others – how they’re feeling, what’s important to them, how their needs can best be met – can transform all of us.

Leaders, Show Your Kindness & Empathy

There’s no secret formula for kindness. There are myriad ways to show it and experience it. Everyone can be kind.

“Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care.”
– Teddy Roosevelt

As a leader, get back to the basics of kindness by taking just a few steps:

  • Sincerely ask “Are you okay?” Show a willingness to help, provide comfort, and look for signs of distress.
  • Answer “I hear you.” And when someone talks, really listen. Listen for what their needs might be rather than how you would solve their
  • Seek to understand, “What can we do to help?” Offering a helping hand can make a difference in anyone’s day.
  • Declare, “I’m here for you.” Be there for your employees – with true empathy.
  • Say “thank you”– and mean it.

By the way, it’s probably obvious but nonetheless so important that I’ll say it anyway:  when we’re engaging with anyone, being present is key. Our undivided attention (think: no side glances towards that phone, listening with half an ear, etc.) can, in itself, be an act of kindness. And, often, it’s the presence piece that can be the most challenging.

How About Starting Off the New Year With a Kindness Resolution?

And while it is indeed so important to be kind to others, we must always remember that being kind starts with ourselves.  We can’t give from an empty well.

Here’s an article on the importance of self-compassion and why it matters to every leader.

“A single act of kindness throws out roots in all directions, and the roots spring up and make new trees.” – Amelia Earhart

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Emotional Intelligence

The Hidden and Sometimes Scary Key to Impactful Leadership…Our Feelings

“To master your emotions is not to suppress them.
It is to process them with diligence and express them with intelligence.”- Kam Taj

In my 15 or so years working with leaders, there is one topic that has stood out as The One to go gently on: Feelings.

Expressing emotions in the business world is (still) oftentimes viewed as useless and inappropriate. After all, people are hired to get the job done, not to feel, right?

And in the case where some feelings, like enthusiasm, passion and inspiration might occasionally be acceptable, any feeling such as sadness, fear or anger indicating an unmet need erroneously seems to signify an irrational, unstable or weak person.

In reality, nothing could be further from the truth: our emotions can play a pivotal role in leadership, even guiding the decision-making process. Think of emotions as a compass that can guide our choices.

Do you believe that disagreeable emotions have no place in leadership? Think again. Consider fear – this instinctual response can alert us to danger…and even help to protect us. Emotions are information about what might be missing for us. That’s powerful, isn’t it?

Enter Emotional Intelligence

Emotional intelligence (EQ) – is the ability to perceive, manage, express, and understand one’s own emotions as well as others. The benefits of EQ can positively impact everything from everyday workplace productivity to the entire culture of an organization.

In fact, according to Oxford Leadership, developing our emotional intelligence not only makes us better leaders, it can be attributed to:

  • 58% of job performance
  • 90% of top performers
  • an additional $29,000 in compensation annually

Leading With Your Heart or Your Head?

Use Both. A clear example of using emotional intelligence as a strategic tool is revealed in a powerful book, “Leading with Feeling: Nine Strategies of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership,” by Dr. Cary Cherniss and Dr. Cornelia W. Roche.

They cite the story of Tom, a young, successful engineer in a large steel company who suddenly finds himself a manager. At a meeting with a major auto manufacturer firm his firm supplied, Tom was bluntly told he and his team were lousy at just about everything they did.

For Tom, it was like having the rug pulled out from underneath. Now what, he thought?

Instead of immediately reacting, he took the time to listen to their lengthy list of complaints. Then Tom spoke from a place of contained emotions, telling his critics: “I wouldn’t blame you if you fired us as a supplier. But if you give us a chance to fix the problems, I guarantee you that we will not have this kind of meeting next year.”

Tom met with his team, asking for their explanation for the poor performances. He refrained from lashing out, from berating anyone.

Take the Time to Listen

Instead, Tom took the time to understand his team, to ask questions and listen to their answers. He then asked: “What can we do to remedy the problem?”

What was a profound outcome of Tom’s response to the many criticisms thrown his way?

His team had a clear realization that Tom cared.

The next year, at a meeting with the formerly disgruntled company, he heard the best news of his career – they had never witnessed such a turnaround in business in just a year.

How did Tom do it?

He effectively used his emotional intelligence: he perceived and understood his own emotions, how to use them to his benefit and he was able to tap into the emotions of those around him.

To become the best version of ourselves and to achieve the best possible results, every leader can (and should) develop emotional intelligence. This is how we can build teams that believe – and trust – in us.

“It is very important to understand that emotional intelligence is not the opposite of intelligence, it is not the triumph of heart over head–it is the unique intersection of both.” – David Caruso

What are the Characteristics of Emotional Intelligence?

The School of Life lists 26 ways to determine how emotionally mature we are. Among them are:

  • Understanding the enormous influence of so-called ‘small’ things on mood: bed-times, blood sugar and alcohol levels, degrees of background stress etc.
  • Learning that what is in our head can’t automatically be understood by other people.
  • Realizing that most of the bad behavior of other people really comes down to fear and anxiety.

We know that the most impactful leaders are emotionally intelligent – and people are naturally drawn to them.

They are not impulsive or quick to act and think before they speak, much like the example of Tom, the successful engineer in the example above.

An impulsive, non-emotionally intelligent person finding themselves in a situation like Tom’s would most likely behave in a defensive, blaming manner. Such reactions most often result in undesirable outcomes like tense relationships, information hoarding, and victim stances toward growth.

Increasing Your Emotional Intelligence

Abhi Golhar writes in Inc., stating that statistical data has proven that employees with high levels of emotional intelligence see profound increases in productivity and sales.

Can we learn to be emotionally intelligent? Absolutely.

Some highlights from Golhar’s suggestions:

  • Develop an assertive – not aggressive – style of communication.
  • Mindfully respond instead of reacting to situations.
  • Listen more. (This is a key trait for every leader to develop, read more here…)
  • Cultivate a positive, can-do attitude.
  • Show empathy to those around you. (Here are simple strategies to try in this article.)

Practicing Self-Awareness or Self-Reflection is a Solid Foundation to Developing Emotional Intelligence.

Today, get on the metaphorical balcony to observe your emotions. And, rather than labelling them as “good” or “bad,” see them, as the Center for Nonviolent Communication does, simply as emotions when your needs are satisfied and emotions when your needs are not satisfied.

Understanding the source of your own emotions more deeply, cultivating a knack for appropriately expressing them – and being able to hold the space for others to do the same – is where your leadership genius can take root.

“Leaders must either invest a reasonable amount of time attending to fears and feelings or squander an unreasonable of time trying to manage ineffective and unproductive behavior.” – Brene Brown

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