We often think of leadership moments as charismatic performances that sway organizational direction toward success.
Actually, they’re…
Not always in the middle of a crisis,
Not always driving your vision forward,
Not always hammering through your competition.
Sometimes…the most impactful leadership moments are the littlest ones…
A smile,
A handshake,
A check-in,
A text,
A look,
A coffee,
A thank you.
What little moments do you embrace as a leader?
Thanks for being here.
Jay
There’s always one person on the team who gets so fired up they just can’t…well...they just can’t stop talking about how exciting things are.
You know them well. Seemingly amped up all the time…and that’s a good thing…most of the time. At other times you’d like them to take a breath!
C’mon man…let someone else in here. Am I right?
Fortunately I have such a profound level of self-awareness that I’m absolutely 100% totally confident that on our team I am certainly not…or…I am mostly 90% sure that…um…I’m reasonably sure that my colleagues understand why I…
…oh crap, it’s me.
I’m that guy.
Sorry everyone. Feel free to put me on mute whenever I get too fired up.
(In fairness to me, over the last few years we have been crushing it and that’s something to get excited about!)
Thanks for being here.
Jay
More employee influence.
Less leadership ego.
More social engagement.
Less politically correct paranoia.
More transparency with the workforce.
Less playing it safe in the executive suite.
More time to volunteer in the community.
Less “it’s just business” as a leadership excuse.
More savvy leaders.
Less employee entitlement.
Less fear.
What do you think about the future of work?
Thanks for being here.
Jay
We’ve all read the articles that tell us to not sit for hours on end, don’t stare at our screens without a break, and if possible get a few minutes of fresh air between meetings. I like all of these ideas, and depending on the physical environment (and latitude) where you work, perhaps you can take advantage of this advice.
There is another element that has become absolutely essential to help me regardless of whether or not fresh air or a 5 minute walk is an option.
Music.
Not just any music. In my case, a very specific type of music has transformed how I stay energized, focused, and inspired to keep crushing the day.
One of the greatest things about music is that there is a genre (or multiple genres) for everyone. What I get from listening to the style of music I’m most passionate about may not be what works for you. And that’s okay…it doesn’t have to.
Thanks for being here.
Jay
I spent many years as a human resources executive separating my faith from my work life.
That was wrong.
I fell into the politically correct trap that many HR leaders…and other executives…fall into. In an attempt to never offend anyone for any reason at any time under any circumstances, we’ve eliminated what could transform the cultures of our organizations.
Keep in mind that most world religions are grounded in kindness, humility, support for others, and defending those who need help. Those sound like pretty good leadership values to me.
When we sanitize the workplace in an attempt to ensure everyone feels welcome, we inadvertently alienate just about everyone.
And we wonder why the sense of belonging has shifted away from an organizational focus?
Perhaps it’s the perfect time of year to consider moving away from a sterile workplace, and moving toward one that actually backs up the phrase so many cling to…”our culture is what makes us different.”
Thanks for being here, and Happy New Year.
Jay
