Leadership Today - Practical Tips For Leaders

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**Leadership Today – Practical Tips For Leaders**

Practical tips for leaders. Hosted by psychologist and founder of Leadership Today – Andrew Beveridge.

Leadership Today is a weekly leadership podcast for managers, team leaders and executives who want practical, evidence-based leadership advice. Hosted by psychologist Andrew Beveridge, each episode translates the latest leadership and organisational psychology research into simple strategies you can use immediately. Discover practical tips on leadership, management, coaching, emotional intelligence, difficult conversations, delegation, employee motivation, psychological safety, team effectiveness, change leadership and workplace performance.

Go to www.leadership.today for episodes and more information.

Latest Episodes:

Episode 124 - Change the Plan, Not the Goal Feb 11, 2022

Show notes

Summary

When we're faced with an obstacle or opportunity, it's important to change the plan, and not the goal.

Transcript

Welcome to episode 124 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we're considering why, when we're faced with an obstacle or opportunity, it's important to change the plan, and not the goal.

We face change every day of our lives. In leadership roles it can be hard to know how to handle ongoing change and uncertainty. When change occurs one of the criticisms leaders might face is that they're constantly moving the goal posts. People might feel like things are shifting all the time and therefore become confused and demotivated. There are some simple ways to avoid this criticism and, more importantly, help people remain clear and motivated.

One of the issues is that leaders often confuse goals and plans, using the terms interchangeably. As a result, people can feel rightly confused about what they should be doing. A simple way of thinking about a goal is that it's like a flag on a hill. It's the end point that we are heading towards. Just like getting to a flag on a hill though, there are multiple pathways that we might take. A plan is like one of these pathways - it's the approach we have chosen to reach the goal. Our organisations and teams are constantly faced with opportunities and threats. These might block some pathways or make new pathways available. Great leaders are attuned to these changes. They are willing to change the plan to allow for these opportunities and threats. After all, there's little point trying to stay on a pathway that is blocked. But great leaders also try to keep the goal constant. They explain how any changes to the plan are to help the team reach the ultimate goal. They are also clear upfront - they don't confuse or combine the goal and the plan.

Less effective leaders keep shifting and changing goals when faced with opportunities and threats. If the plan doesn't work, they also throw out the goal. This confuses people, as it requires a new goal and plan. It also makes all the work performed to date feel like a waste of time.

So next time you are faced with an opportunity or obstacle, focus on any changes required to the plan while reinforcing that the goal has remained unchanged. Your people will thank you.

Episode 123 - Learning at Double Speed Feb 04, 2022

Show notes

SUMMARY

Our brain has an amazing ability to learn at double speed. Maybe we should use it more.

TRANSCRIPT

Hello and welcome to episode 123 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we're looking at our brain's amazing ability to learn at double speed.

No doubt you've listened to a podcast or audio book at double speed. Maybe you're even doing it now! Our ability to still absorb information when it is coming at us twice as fast is quite amazing. But surely there's a drop off in how much we're actually taking in. Well, according to a recent study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, apparently not.

The researchers split participants into different groups to watch videos at normal speed, 1.5 times, 2 times and 2.5 times. Participants were then tested on their knowledge immediately following the videos and one week later. Surprisingly, the 1.5 times and 2 times groups performed just as well as those participants that watched the video at normal speed. Only the 2.5 times group showed a drop in performance.

The researchers then examined what happened if you watched the same video at 2 times speed twice. I've run the maths here, and that's the same overall commitment of time as watching the video once at normal speed. When participants viewed the video twice at double speed, their performance on a comprehension test increased, particularly when the second viewing was immediately before the test. Their performance was about the same as participants who watched the video at normal speed first then double speed the second time. Even though participants believed watching the video at normal speed first would be better, it made no difference to watching it double speed.

Perhaps you're like these participants and think "surely I can't take information in that quickly". Why not experiment with it this week. You might start by listening or watching the same content at double speed twice.

Give it a try and let me know how it works out.

REFERENCE

https://digest.bps.org.uk/2021/12/21/watching-a-lecture-twice-at-double-speed-can-benefit-learning-better-than-watching-it-once-at-normal-speed/

Episode 122 - Feedback Isn't Coaching Jan 28, 2022

Show notes

Summary

It's easy for leaders to confuse feedback and coaching, but they are quite different.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 122 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we're looking at the objectives of feedback and coaching, and why it's important to understand how best to apply them.

Feedback and coaching are two core skills that all leaders need. However, we can often confuse the goals of feedback and coaching. As a result, we may be unclear about the type of conversation we're having, confusing those we are speaking with.

When we are providing feedback, the main goal is to increase awareness. This usually includes making someone aware of the impact they are having on others, either positive or negative.

When we are having a coaching conversation, the main goal is development. It isn't primarily about the impact a person is having, but rather about ways they can become even better.

We need awareness before development. It's almost impossible to develop if you don't believe there is an opportunity to improve. But raising awareness, in and of itself, is not development.

Here is where things can sometimes go wrong. A leader might frame a discussion as if it is coaching, when really they just want to provide feedback. Or the leader might offer someone feedback, when really they just want to tell the person what to do differently next time.

Feedback can be a powerful tool to demonstrate progress and to identify strengths the person doesn't see in themselves. Feedback might be something that encourages a person to continue developing and improving. Feedback can lead to an opportunity to coach someone, but feedback and coaching are different types of conversations.

If you're going to have a conversation with an individual, try to keep it either focused on feedback or on coaching depending upon the goal. Combining or confusing the two often reduces the effectiveness of the conversation.

So keep in mind - the goal of feedback is to increase awareness, while the goal of coaching is ongoing development. Be clear about what you are providing and why. Think about things from the perspective of the other person - what do they need from you? What is going to help them to progress?

And the most important take-away is that great leaders provide lots of feedback and undertake lots of coaching conversations. The really great leaders seek out feedback and coaching for themselves. Have a great week.

Go to leadership.today for further information.

Episode 121 - Want Versus Will Jan 21, 2022

Show notes

Summary

In this episode we explore how the language we use can either help or hinder our achievement of goals.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 121 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. Firstly, welcome to 2022! It's great to be back with you after a short break. I hope you and your loved ones are keeping well. I'm expectant about what 2022 holds for leaders. We're making lots of progress when it comes to flexible working. The global pandemic has really forced us all to stop and think about what we're trying to achieve and the best way to get there.

How are those New Years' resolutions going? If you're like most people the goals you set are probably starting to slip. Given we know so much about goal setting, why is it that we just can't seem to follow through with our goals? I believe one of the key issues we face is the language we use when setting goals. The way we express our goals has a flow on impact to our motivation and commitment.

Consider the following goal. This year I want to finish work by 5pm each day. That seems, on the surface, to be a pretty well constructed goal. It's clear, measurable and is probably achievable. The catch is the use of the word "want". When we say we want to do something, we're indicating a preference rather than a commitment. If I want to finish work by 5pm, but I have lots of work on, it's pretty easy to push this preference to one side. And when we've done that once, it's easy to keep letting the goal slip again and again until the goal is long forgotten.

Compare that with the same goal, but this time using the word "will". This year I will finish work by 5pm each day. Using the word "will" turns the goal into a commitment and not just a preference. The wording indicates that we have decided to make this change. Imagine sharing that goal with a friend or colleague. The commitment then is clear.

Think about the goals you have set in the past that you've struggled to keep. Was the commitment clear in the way you expressed the goal?

It might sound like we're just playing words here, but expressing your goals as a commitment rather than a preference makes a big difference.

This week, try to express a new goal as a "will" not a "want". See you next week.

Head to leadership.today for more information.

S2E3 Shane Hatton - Lead the Room Sep 17, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we speak with Shane Hatton, author of the book Lead the Room. Shane works with individuals and teams around leadership, communication and culture. During the interview we explore:

What it means to lead the various 'rooms' in our life and leadership
Making a difference in the moments that matter
Leading in a remote and virtual context
A leader's role in building and shaping culture
Managing the 'busy-ness' that so often overtakes our day

You can find out more about Shane via his website - https://shanemhatton.com/

You also will want to check out his podcast, Phone Calls with Clever People, wherever you get your podcasts.

S2E2 - Ellen Jackson - Positive Psychology and Leadership Sep 10, 2021

Show notes

I speak with Ellen Jackson who is a psychologist, writer, speaker, consultant and coach. Her business, Potential Psychology, helps leaders and teams to thrive and flourish. She is also the host of the Potential Psychology podcast which recently featured its 100th episode.

In this discussion we cover:

- How positive psychology is relevant for leaders

- What place negative experiences and hardships have in positive psychology

- Some of the tips she has applied after interviewing 100 experts

- The challenges and opportunities in community leadership

Go to www.potential.com.au to learn more about Ellen.

A quick note - there are a few audio issues and a barking dog, but welcome to the joys of podcasting!

S2E1 Dr Maria Church - Love-Based Leadership Sep 03, 2021

Show notes

In this episode we speak with author, speaker and facilitator Dr Maria Church about her concept of Love-Based Leadership. During the interview we explore:

Where the idea for Love-Based Leadership came from
What it means to lead with love
How we can demonstrate Love-Based Leadership from a distance
Implications for culture and innovation

You can find out more about Maria via her website - drmariachurch.com

Dr Maria Church is author of the book Love-Based Leadership: The model for leading with strength, grace, and authenticity. She works with a broad range of individuals and organisations around organisational culture, change agility and leadership development. Her latest book is A Course in Leadership: 21 Spiritual Lessons on Power, Love and Influence.

Episode 120 - What is Your Philosophy of Leadership? Jul 16, 2021

Show notes

Summary

In this episode we look at why a philosophy of leadership is important, and how you might develop your own philosophy.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 120 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In fact, this episode marks three years of the Leadership Today podcast. Thanks so much for being a part of that. The podcast has reached tens of thousands of people and I always appreciate your feedback and input. In this episode we look at why a philosophy of leadership is important, and how you might develop your own philosophy.

Whether we recognise it or not, we all have a philosophy of leadership. It's the lens through which we view leadership. There are aspects of that philosophy that you have no doubt consciously developed, but there will also be parts that are more accidental in their origins. Why does our philosophy of leadership matter? Because it shapes the way we think, feel and act about issues of leadership. For example, if you believe people are born leaders, then you probably also believe that others aren't born leaders - that will influence your decisions and actions. If you believe leadership is just about managing people downwards, that will also influence your decisions and actions.

I'm going to share my philosophy of leadership with you. I don't expect you to necessarily agree with all of these points. In fact, it's great if you don't! Particularly if that helps to shape your own philosophy of leadership that you apply to you and others.

I will start with the definition of leadership that we use at Leadership Today, which is "achieving results through people for good". That's what leaders do. I firmly believe that leaders leave the world a better place. Leadership is for good - the good of the people we serve, the organisation where we work, but also for the communities and families around our organisations. Inherent in that definition of leadership is a balancing act. Leadership is absolutely about achieving results - if you're not achieving results you're not leading. And leadership is absolutely about people - leaders deliver through people. If we become unbalanced, that's where the problems start. If you focus just on results and forget about the people, you're not going to achieve results for very long. Equally, focusing just on people and paying inadequate attention to results is ultimately not good for the people you serve. Creating a nice, soft environment with low expectations and standards is actually awful for people. We need to focus on both parts - "achieving results" and "through people", and always link that to the good.

I believe that we can all be leaders. That leadership is about the influence we have on others in the pursuit of results for good. Therefore if you have influence, then you are a leader. Sure, leadership can be downwards, but it can also be across, and up, and ever outside our organisation. Leadership isn't just what we do at work.

In balancing the 'achieving results' and 'through people' components, we are best placed if we dial up both challenge and support. People often misunderstand psychological safety - thinking that it's just about supporting people and making the workplace safe. It's also about providing a challenging and stimulating place to work. Just as being over-stressed is bad, so is being chronically under-stressed. It's far better to increase the challenge as you also increase the support. That's what leads to growth in others.

The way we balance results and people is through aligned motivation - that's the vehicle of leadership. In a perfect world we have a group of people who are motivated and heading in the same direction. There's no point having a motivated team if they are all heading in different directions. Equally there's no point having an aligned team that clearly understand the desired direction, but aren't motivated to get there.

The catch is that we can't motivate anyone directly. I can't force someone to be motivated. And I can't motivate someone just through personal enthusiasm in a hope that some of my motivation might rub off. Instead, as a leader I need to create an environment and conditions that align with and unlock the motivations of individuals. You can't do that without understanding your people.

The research I've undertaken suggests there are six practices that outstanding leaders undertake - reflecting, inspiring, developing, connecting, delegating and clearing. If you're interested in those, you can check out our online course at Leadership Today On-Demand that explores each of these in more detail. Chances are that there are two daily practices you are great at, two you are okay at, and two that you tend to neglect.

I believe that everyone is a born leader. That we all have a head start in some area of leadership, and that we will always need to work on other areas of leadership. As a leader you never stop learning.

And, finally, I believe that leadership needs to be sustainable. There's not much point being a great leader for a month or two and then collapsing in a heap. We all need routines that allow for challenge, ongoing development and times of recovery.

So that is my philosophy of leadership, gained through research and experience. Can I encourage you to bullet point out your own philosophy of leadership? You can use mine as a starting point if you would like - it's all in the show notes. But, better yet, why not just list yours out first. Knowing our philosophy of leadership shapes both the way we lead and how we interact with others.

If you have been following Leadership Today for a while, you will also know that my philosophy of leadership development is driven by your challenges and areas of interest. Our Leadership Today App is a great way to undertake your leadership development in your own time. Just go to your App Store and search for Leadership Today. There you can sign up for a monthly or annual subscription, or take our 30 day free trial. I encourage you to then take a look around and dip into the topics that are most interesting and relevant to you. Have a great week.

Replay - It Turns Out Development Isn't Quite 70/20/10 Jul 09, 2021

Show notes

In this replay of our 11th July 2020 episode, we find out that learning isn't quite 70/20/10.

Episode 119 - Rudeness at Work - Epidemic or a Few Bad Apples? Jul 02, 2021

Show notes

Summary

Many people claim there is an epidemic of rudeness in our organisations. Is that true, or is it a case of a few bad apples ruining the bunch?

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 119 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In this episode we find out whether there really is an epidemic of rudeness at work, or just a few bad apples ruining the bunch.

Some have described rudeness and incivility in our workplaces as an epidemic. I'm sure each of use can share anecdotal stories of angry and rude people. These examples do tend to stick in our minds. But is it really an epidemic?

In a study just published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers measured the level of rudeness between employees. The research included a diverse range of office, manufacturing and restaurant environments. On first look at the results, it's easy to see why people refer to an epidemic of rudeness. In fact, the researchers found 70% of people experienced rudeness at work. That's a pretty extraordinary figure. However, the same research demonstrated that rudeness was a characteristic in just 16% of relationships. So while many people observe and experience rudeness at work, it's a much smaller percentage of people contributing to this rudeness. Their research suggests that a relatively small number of people being rude has a disproportionately large impact on others.

This finding makes a lot of sense. Even if you're not on the receiving end of rudeness, it still impacts you. I vividly remember a senior leader who would routinely berate and belittle others both behind their back and to their face. He was extraordinarily rude. So even though I wasn't on the receiving end, the rude behaviour had a dramatic impact on my assessment of the individual and also the organisation. There seemed to be little interest by other senior leaders in the issue or any attempt to tackle the behaviour. Ultimately people left the organisation while the rude leader remained.

Given the toxic impact of rudeness, organisations need to have a zero tolerance for rude behaviours. And when I say 'organisations', I really mean leaders at all levels. Not only do leaders need to be role models of positive behaviours, they also need to confront negative and rude behaviours immediately. It could be that the person being rude doesn't have a sense of their impact, so swift feedback may well help them to avoid sabotaging their own career.

However a great work environment isn't just one that lacks rudeness. You don't create a great workplace by just removing negative behaviours. We need to also encourage positive behaviours and interactions. We need to foster kindness, respect and inclusion.

So, an epidemic of rudeness? Probably not. However, the latest research clearly demonstrates that a few bad apples can definitely spoil an organisation.

References

Shannon G. Taylor, Lauren R. Locklear, Donald H. Kluemper, Xinxin Lu. Beyond targets and instigators: Examining workplace incivility in dyads and the moderating role of perceived incivility norms.. Journal of Applied Psychology, 2021; DOI: 10.1037/apl0000910

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