If you ask ten people what makes a great leader, you’ll probably receive ten different answers.
Some will talk about confidence or decisiveness. Others will point to strategic thinking, communication or resilience. While all of those qualities have their place, I’ve found that the leaders who consistently make the greatest impact share something more important. They understand that leadership isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about creating an environment where people can do their best work.
Over the years, I’ve worked with executive teams across organisations of every size and industry. While every business faces different challenges, the leaders who build strong cultures, earn trust and deliver sustainable results tend to share the same core leadership qualities.
These qualities aren’t fixed. They’re developed over time through experience, self-awareness and a genuine commitment to becoming a better leader.
1. Consistency
Leadership starts with consistency.
People don’t judge leaders on a single conversation or decision. They form their opinions over time by watching how leaders behave day after day, particularly when things become difficult.
One of the quickest ways to lose credibility is for your behaviour to contradict your expectations of others. If you expect accountability, you need to demonstrate it yourself. If respect is one of your organisational values, people should experience that respect in every interaction, not only when things are going well.
Consistency creates confidence. Your team knows what to expect, trusts your judgement and feels more secure making decisions because your leadership is predictable rather than reactive.
This is one of the foundations of strong organisational culture. Culture doesn’t change because values are written on a wall. It changes because leaders consistently demonstrate those values through their behaviour.
2. Emotional Intelligence
Technical expertise might earn someone a leadership role, but emotional intelligence determines how effective they become once they’re there.
The best leaders understand both themselves and the people around them. They recognise how their behaviour influences others, remain composed under pressure and adapt their approach to suit different situations and personalities.
Emotional intelligence is also about curiosity. Instead of assuming they know why someone is struggling or disengaged, emotionally intelligent leaders ask questions, listen carefully and seek to understand before responding.
That doesn’t mean avoiding difficult conversations. Quite the opposite. It means having those conversations with empathy, respect and a genuine desire to help people succeed.
In our executive coaching work, emotional intelligence is often one of the biggest differentiators between leaders who simply manage people and those who genuinely inspire them.
3. Trust
Trust sits at the heart of every high-performing team.
Without it, communication becomes guarded, collaboration suffers and decision-making slows because people spend more time protecting themselves than solving problems.
Building trust isn’t complicated, but it does require discipline. It means following through on commitments, being honest when circumstances change and having conversations that others might prefer to avoid.
Transparency is an important part of this. People don’t expect leaders to have every answer, particularly during periods of change. They do, however, expect honesty. Leaders who communicate openly about challenges, explain decisions and acknowledge uncertainty where appropriate are far more likely to earn lasting trust than those who avoid difficult conversations.
Trust takes time to build, but only moments to lose. That’s why the strongest leaders treat it as one of their most valuable assets.
4. Purposeful Communication
When we interview employees as part of culture reviews, communication almost always appears somewhere in the findings.
Interestingly, the issue is rarely that leaders don’t communicate enough.
More often, people tell us they don’t understand why decisions have been made, what has changed or what they’re expected to do next.
Effective communication isn’t about sharing more information. It’s about creating shared understanding.
That requires leaders to communicate consistently, listen as carefully as they speak and check that their message has been understood rather than assuming it has.
One question I often encourage executive teams to ask before finishing a meeting is simple.
If everyone left the room right now, would they describe today’s decisions and priorities in exactly the same way?
If the answer is no, there’s still work to do.
5. A Commitment to Developing Others
One of the clearest signs of a great leader is the success of the people around them.
Strong leaders don’t measure their value by how indispensable they become. They measure it by how capable their teams become without them.
Developing people isn’t limited to formal leadership programs or annual performance reviews. It happens through everyday coaching conversations, constructive feedback, stretching assignments and creating opportunities for people to build confidence through experience.
This philosophy sits at the centre of our Culture by Design leadership programs. Great leaders understand that developing people isn’t an additional responsibility. It is one of their most important responsibilities.
When leaders invest consistently in their people, organisations benefit from stronger engagement, greater capability, improved retention and a healthier leadership pipeline for the future.
Great Leadership Is Never Finished
The best leaders I’ve worked with all have one thing in common.
They never believe they’ve finished learning.
They actively seek feedback, remain curious and continue refining the way they lead because they understand that leadership isn’t something you achieve once. It’s something you practise every day.
If you reflect on these five leadership qualities, which one would have the greatest impact on your team if you strengthened it over the next six months?
That’s often where meaningful leadership growth begins.
At Carole Cooper Consulting, we work with organisations to strengthen leadership capability through executive coaching, leadership development and our Culture by Design programs. Our approach is practical, tailored to each organisation and focused on helping leaders build the confidence, judgement and capability to lead people well.
Several studies have identified employee engagement as a critical success factor for organisations. And it makes perfect sense – when employees feel valued and enjoy their work and colleagues, they’ll go the extra mile. But, with increasingly diverse workforces, how can employers tap into what appeals to different individuals to create environments that work for everyone?
The Herrmann Whole Brain® Thinking model offers organisations a means to understand and leverage neurodiversity in the workplace. It promotes diversity, inclusion and belonging, facilitates effective communication and collaboration, and provides opportunities for professional development. By leveraging the benefits of Whole Brain® Thinking, organisations can create a work environment that stimulates engagement and drives success. As Michael Morgan, CEO of Herrmann Asia says, “It’s taking the Whole Brain® Model that sits behind the HBDI® and using that as a lens to look at the world.”
Why Employee Engagement Matters
A 2020 Gallup study is just one of the studies confirming that engaged employees drive organisational growth. Comparing top- and bottom-quartile business units and teams, they found those with engaged employees had the following differences in business outcomes:
81% less absenteeism
18% higher turnover for high-turnover organisations
43% higher turnover for low-turnover organisations
28% less shrinkage (theft)
64% fewer safety incidents (accidents)
41% fewer quality defects
10% higher customer loyalty/engagement
18% higher productivity (sales)
23% higher profitability
Additionally, Gallup’s research confirmed that engaged employees were less likely to look for work elsewhere, thereby improving retention rates. Interestingly, while a further study in 2022 found that global engagement had increased to a record 23%, they found that half of all employees were still either actively or passively looking for new work opportunities. This later study quantified engagement as having almost four times the influence on employee stress as work location. We at Carole Cooper Consultingbelieve leaders cannot afford to ignore that.
What is Whole Brain® Thinking?
The Herrmann Whole Brain® Thinking model was developed by William “Ned” Herrmann while he was responsible for management education at General Electric. According to the model, individuals have different thinking preferences, which dictate how they process information and their preference for tasks and work environments. Herrmann then developed the Herrmann Brain Dominance Instrument® (HBDI®) as a system to measure and describe people’s thinking preferences or cognitive styles.
The HBDI categorises individuals into four quadrants: A (blue quadrant), B (green quadrant), C (red quadrant), and D (yellow quadrant). Leveraging the full range of these thinking preferences is essential to optimise individual and team performance.
Quadrant A: Analytical thinking — Individuals who prefer this quadrant are logical, fact-focused, and tend to analyse information critically. They excel in problem-solving and structured tasks.
Quadrant B: Practical thinking — individuals who prefer this quadrant value application and practicality. They are action-oriented, prefer to focus on solutions and excel in hands-on tasks.
Quadrant C: Relational thinking — Individuals who prefer this quadrant value interpersonal relationships, emotional intelligence, and collaboration. They excel in team settings and thrive in social interactions.
Quadrant D: Experimental thinking—Individuals who prefer this quadrant are intuitive, creative, and innovative. They thrive in environments where they can explore possibilities and envision future outcomes.
Understanding team members’ different thinking preferences and creating opportunities for individuals to leverage their strengths can significantly enhance team effectiveness, engagement, and workplace productivity. At Carole Cooper Consulting, we apply Whole Brain® Thinking to improve employee engagement using a seven-pronged approach. These are just a few of the benefits of Whole Brain® Thinking.
1 | Aligning Work with Thinking Preferences
Individuals almost always have a dominant thinking preference, but they may still be capable of subjugating their natural preference to fit a prevailing culture. They might not even know they are doing it, and as a result, they experience extreme frustration and unhappiness. It’s therefore essential to perform Brain Dominance Assessments, i.e. HBDI assessments, under the guidance of a Herrmann-certified practitioner, such as Carole Cooper Consulting.
By understanding team members’ thinking preferences, we can help organisations align tasks and responsibilities based on individual strengths, fostering a sense of purpose and engagement. For example, individuals who prefer quadrant A thinking may excel in analytical tasks, such as data analysis or financial modelling. Individuals who prefer quadrant C thinking may thrive in team settings and collaborative projects because of their high emotional intelligence.
Providing individuals with opportunities to work on tasks in settings that suit their preferred thinking mode will enhance their engagement and job satisfaction. Over time, this approach can create a workplace culture that values and leverages its employees’ diverse strengths, enhancing both engagement and performance.
2 | Creating Diverse and Inclusive Teams
Research by the Boston Consulting Group has found that diverse teams are almost twice as innovative as non-diverse teams. By embracing diversity, Carole Cooper Consulting helps organisations tap into a broader range of ideas and viewpoints, leading to more creativity, innovation, and better decision-making. But experienced leaders will know that getting people with different perspectives, backgrounds, values, and skills to work together isn’t easy.
Whole Brain® Thinking can be instrumental in supporting Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and building diverse teams in several ways:
Understanding Cognitive Diversity: HBDI assessments provide insights into individuals’ thinking preferences and cognitive styles. By understanding the diversity of thought within a team or organisation, leaders can leverage the perspectives offered by neurodiversity in the workplace to solve complex problems and make more inclusive decisions. This understanding promotes the emotional intelligence necessary to value and integrate diverse ways of thinking, not just demographic diversity.
Breaking Down Communication Barriers:Whole Brain® Thinking encourages individuals to recognise and appreciate different communication styles and preferences. HBDI workshops can lead to more effective communication and collaboration across diverse teams as members become more adept at expressing themselves in ways that resonate with others who may think differently.
Enhancing Problem-Solving Abilities: Diversity in thought processes can lead to more innovative and creative solutions to challenges. When teams reflect neurodiversity in the workplace, bringing together individuals with diverse cognitive preferences, they can approach problems from multiple angles, leading to creativity and innovation that results in richer and more robust solutions.
Creating Inclusive Work Environments: DEI initiatives aim to create environments where all individuals feel valued and included. Whole Brain® Thinking can support these efforts by fostering an environment where individuals are encouraged to express their unique perspectives without fear of judgment. This can help mitigate biases and create a culture where everyone’s contributions are respected.
Improving Employee Engagement and Retention: When employees feel that their unique perspectives are valued and their voices are heard, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their work. By embracing cognitive diversity through Whole Brain® Thinking, organisations can create an inclusive culture where all employees feel respected and supported, increasing employee satisfaction and retention.
By embracing cognitive diversity, organisations can position themselves for long-term success in an increasingly complex and interconnected world through increased team effectiveness. Additionally, diverse teams can provide a richer learning experience, promoting personal and professional growth for employees.
3 | Effective Communication
Effective communication is vital for employee engagement, high-performing teams, and high-performing organisations. In fact, lack of communication is the #1 complaint we receive from team members. Clear and transparent communication ensures employees understand their roles, goals, and expectations. It also creates a sense of trust and openness, enabling employees to voice their opinions and concerns without fear of reprisal.
Carole Cooper Consulting leverages Whole Brain® Thinking to help organisations communicate more effectively and engage employees. By understanding team members’ cognitive preferences, leaders can tailor their communication strategies to resonate with diverse audiences. For example, individuals with a preference for analytical thinking may prefer data-driven communication, while those with a preference for relational thinking may respond better to stories and anecdotes.
By incorporating insights from Whole Brain® Thinking, leaders can encourage employees to adapt their communication styles to better connect with colleagues who may think differently. Effective communication is essential for problem-solving so that all employees can contribute their ideas and perspectives and problems can be approached from multiple angles. When diverse voices are heard and valued, a more inclusive and equitable work environment is created.
Whole Brain® Thinking also encourages leaders to solicit feedback and input from all team members, creating a sense of ownership and empowerment. This can increase employee satisfaction, motivation, and commitment to organisational goals.
4 | Professional Development and Growth Opportunities
This study published in Frontiers in Psychology exposed the positive relationship between providing growth opportunities and enhancing employee engagement. Employees are more likely to be engaged when they have professional development and growth opportunities. We can use Whole Brain® Thinking to enhance professional development and growth opportunities for individuals within organisations in the following ways:
Identifying Strengths and Development Areas: By understanding their strengths and areas for development, employees and their managers can make more informed decisions about their professional development goals and focus areas.
Tailoring Learning and Development Initiatives: Knowing employees’ cognitive preferences allows tailored learning and development initiatives that meet individual needs. For example, individuals with a preference for analytical thinking may benefit from data analysis training, while those with a preference for relational thinking may excel in interpersonal skills workshops.
Promoting Cross-Training and Skill Diversification: We can leverage Whole Brain® Thinking by promoting cross-training initiatives that allow employees to learn from colleagues with diverse cognitive preferences. This not only enhances individual skill diversification but also fosters collaboration, team effectiveness and knowledge-sharing across teams.
Facilitating Career Progression: Employees who actively engage in Whole Brain® Thinking and embrace diverse perspectives are better positioned for career advancement. By demonstrating their ability to adapt to different situations and collaborate effectively with colleagues, individuals can stand out as valuable contributors within their organisations.
Creating a Culture of Continuous Learning: Organisations that promote Whole Brain® Thinking foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement, where employees are encouraged to take ownership of their professional development journey. This not only benefits individual employees’ creativity and innovation but also contributes to the organisation’s overall success and resilience.
5 | Recognition and Rewards
Recognition and rewards are powerful motivators that can significantly enhance employee engagement. When employees feel appreciated and rewarded for their contributions, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to the organisation. Whole Brain® Thinking can help organisations set meaningful rewards and recognition systems that promote employee engagement by considering their workforce’s diverse preferences and motivations. Here’s how:
Understanding Individual Motivations: Organisations can tailor their rewards and recognition systems to align with employees’ preferences by understanding what drives each individual. For example, individuals who prefer analytical thinking may value rewards based on objective metrics and performance indicators, while those who prefer relational thinking may appreciate recognition for their contributions to team collaboration and cohesion.
Offering Varied Incentives:Whole Brain® Thinking encourages organisations to offer a variety of incentives that appeal to different cognitive preferences. This ensures that rewards and recognition programs are inclusive and resonate with all employees. For example, organisations may offer monetary bonuses for achieving specific targets, public recognition for outstanding teamwork, and professional development and growth opportunities.
Promoting Team-Based Recognition:Whole Brain® Thinking emphasises the importance of collaboration and teamwork. Organisations can leverage this by incorporating team-based recognition initiatives into their rewards programs. By recognising and rewarding teams for their collective achievements, organisations foster a culture of collaboration and mutual support, leading to higher levels of team effectiveness, employee engagement and satisfaction.
Encouraging Peer-to-Peer Recognition:Whole Brain® Thinking encourages employees to appreciate and value their colleagues’ contributions. Peer-to-peer recognition programs where employees can nominate and acknowledge their peers for their contributions can harness this. Peer-to-peer recognition not only fosters a sense of camaraderie and teamwork but also promotes a culture of appreciation and gratitude.
Providing Opportunities for Personal Growth: Whole Brain® Thinking emphasises the importance of personal growth and development. Organisations can enhance their rewards and recognition systems by offering opportunities for employees to pursue their interests, develop new skills, and advance their careers. This may include funding for further education and training, mentorship programs, or leadership development initiatives.
6 | Supportive Leadership Practices
Leaders play a pivotal role in fostering employee engagement. Supportive leadership practices, such as regular feedback, coaching, and mentoring, create a nurturing environment where employees feel supported and empowered. Whole Brain® Thinking allows leaders to adapt their support to individuals based on their cognitive preferences. This encourages autonomy and decision-making, allowing employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the organisation’s success. By delegating responsibilities and trusting employees to make decisions, managers can foster a sense of ownership and empowerment, enhancing engagement.
7 | Aligning Organisational Values and Culture
The alignment of organisational values and culture is crucial for employee engagement. When employees feel that their personal values and beliefs align with those of the organisation, they are more likely to be engaged and committed. Whole Brain® Thinking can be instrumental in aligning organisational values and culture by:
Identifying Core Values:Whole Brain® Thinking assessments can help organisations identify their core values by understanding their employees’ preferences and priorities. By considering diverse perspectives, organisations can develop values that resonate with all workforce members, promoting a sense of belonging and shared purpose.
Communicating Values Effectively:Whole Brain® Thinking encourages organisations to communicate their values in ways that resonate with diverse audiences. For example, organisations can use a combination of analytical data, emotional appeals, storytelling, and collaborative discussions to convey their values and foster buy-in from employees with different cognitive preferences.
Embedding Values in Organisational Practices:Whole Brain® Thinking can help organisations embed their values in various aspects of organisational practices, including decision-making processes, performance evaluations, and employee development initiatives. By aligning organisational practices with core values, organisations can reinforce desired behaviours and promote a culture of integrity, accountability, and respect.
Promoting Inclusive Leadership:Whole Brain® Thinking encourages inclusive leadership practices that value and leverage diverse perspectives. Leaders who embrace Whole Brain® Thinking are more likely to solicit input from all team members, consider multiple viewpoints when making decisions, and foster a culture of open communication and collaboration. This promotes trust, transparency, and empowerment within the organisation.
Facilitating Cultural Change:Whole Brain® Thinking can help organisations navigate cultural change by understanding how different cognitive preferences may influence resistance or acceptance of change initiatives. By addressing potential barriers and leveraging diverse perspectives, organisations can facilitate cultural change efforts more effectively and ensure alignment with core values and strategic objectives.
Building a Resilient Culture:Whole Brain® Thinking promotes adaptability, emotional intelligence, and flexibility, which are essential for building a resilient organisational culture. By embracing diverse perspectives and encouraging experimentation and innovation, organisations can navigate challenges and seize opportunities more effectively, reinforcing their core values and driving sustainable growth.
Conclusion
Employee engagement is a critical factor in the success of organisations. By leveraging the concept of Whole Brain® Thinking, organisations can create a work environment that stimulates engagement and drives success. Understanding the individual preferences of employees, promoting diversity and inclusion, facilitating effective communication and collaboration, providing professional development opportunities, recognising and rewarding achievements, fostering supportive leadership practices, and aligning organisational values and culture are key strategies to enhance employee engagement.
By implementing these strategies, organisations can create a culture of engagement where employees feel valued, empowered, and inspired to contribute their best to the organisation’s success.
To realise the benefits of Whole Brain® Thinking in your organisation, speak to us at Carole Cooper Consulting about the following:
A colleague forwarded me this SU webinar, and I finally watched it in the holidays. Women need men in their corner in the fight for gender equality, but allyship is a nuanced role.
Prof Ozbilgin’s thoughts on the subject really resonated with me, and I thought I’d share some of them here.
1. We must stop putting individuals (i.e. men) on the spot and prioritise the systems that perpetuate patriarchy. We need to consider the intersectionality of institutions because institutions provide different outcomes for individuals based on race, gender, etc. None of us wake up and think, “I’m a woman” – we are forced into that awareness when we come into contact with institutions that make it salient, that denigrate our gender.
2. We must beware of the saviour complex – women don’t need saving; systems need changing. Often, men think bringing women under their wing provides them equality and opportunity – but that’s not the aim of allyship. This kind of relationship is very patronising for the women, and it makes other men feel an unfair game is being played. Instead, show allyship to a cause and change the systems women return to in their organisations instead of saving individual women.
3. Men need to practice reverse allyship, i.e., where the ally applies critical listening to women’s concerns and reversely translates them to organisational design. So, allies became co-designers of organisational design instead of male allies who are showing a trust deficit to women by putting them through hoops such as education, mentoring and other “fixing practices”.
I’ve had mixed results from reverse mentoring in the past. Admittedly, that was pairing up mentors and mentees from different generations. I’d love to hear your thoughts over on my LinkedIn Page.
– To my male followers in leadership positions, how does the idea sit with you?
– To the ladies, does the term “fixing practices” ring true? Do you feel reverse mentoring stands a chance?
A few months back, a frustrated employee asked me, “Why do they feel it’s okay to give me a bad manager?”
Isn’t that a compelling question?
As leaders, we have high expectations of employees. But how consciously do we think about the culture we create for them by appointing people to management positions they’re not equipped for? And how willing are we to address the unhappiness they cause, especially when they’re otherwise getting results?
I’m introducing a #ceopledge to our executive coaching curriculum this year. The idea comes from a post by BrettFox, whose fabulous (abbreviated) example is as follows.
I, your CEO, pledge to:
1. Be fair.
I know it’s annoying when someone gets preferential treatment. Due to different perspectives or even different conditions, it might not always be possible (or desirable) to always treat everyone exactly the same way. But I will do everything I can to be fair.
2. Be transparent.
You have a right to know what’s happening in the company because you depend on us for your livelihood. I will tell you everything (except the stuff that, for lots of reasons, has to remain confidential).
3. Provide a healthy workplace.
A bad work environment steeped in fear doesn’t allow you or us to thrive. We want the workplace to be an enjoyable place to be. (This doesn’t mean we don’t have high expectations for you, too.)
4. Not allow mediocrity into the organization.
Our standards are really high, that’s why we enjoy working with you. It’s demoralizing working with people that aren’t carrying their weight. I will address non-performance when I see it.
5. Give you the freedom to be creative.
I know you have ideas for improving the company, new products, and new systems. I will ensure you are heard.
6. Continue teaching and training you.
We have an obligation to you and our company to give you the tools to succeed. We need you to have the skills necessary to help us grow.
7. Pay you a fair wage.
We understand we need to be competitive to retain you. We don’t want you looking for a new job. It’s costly to replace great people like you. We also pledge to rectify any salary inequities that occur.
8. Promote from within whenever possible.
You’re ambitious, and you want to continue growing. We know you and like working with you. There’s nothing more gratifying than being able to promote you.
9. Not to tolerate jerks.
Yes, we know about the really smart person you are working with. He’s brilliant, but he’s causing great harm to the company despite all his skills. We know that, and we’ll address it.
We don’t pull into traffic without checking our blind spot. And the same is true of good leaders regarding blind spots in their leadership practice. They hone their leadership skills by continuously seeking feedback.
In self-development terms, our blind spot is what others know about us that we don’t. (The upper right quadrant of the Johari Window.) So feedback from our team members is essential to develop our self-awareness as leaders.
Open-Ended Questions Provide Quality Feedback
I prefer to avoid formats that rate subjects or provide tick-box answers. Instead, open-ended questions encourage thoughtful and detailed responses. Which, in turn, encourages greater engagement by the recipient.
When designing your questions, consider what you want out of the process. Here are my 9 favourite questions I use to solicit feedback from team members:
What do you think my strengths are as a leader?
What ways do you think I could improve my leadership style?
How can I make myself more approachable/open to feedback?
How do you think I can better support the team?
Are there any actions or decisions I’ve made that you would have handled differently? If so, what could I have done differently?
Are there areas where I can provide more guidance and direction to the team?
How do you feel about the team’s morale and engagement? Are there any specific issues that need to be addressed?
What do you think is the most important thing for me to focus on as a leader moving forward?
Is there anything else you’d like to share with me about my leadership style?
Receiving Feedback
Receiving and acting on feedback can be challenging, especially it’s when negative. But a poor reaction could harm the psychological safety of your team. So preparing to receive feedback is as important as asking for it. Keep in mind the following:
Be gracious – the process is working if you learn things that make you uncomfortable. Be accepting and appreciative if you want people to continue being honest.
Acknowledge/Act – be seen to act on or acknowledge feedback. Your team will be waiting.
Reciprocate – if you’re asking your team for feedback, you should do the same for them.
Lead by example – feedback shouldn’t be an isolated process. Create a learning culture where mistakes are regarded as opportunities to grow. Set an example by sharing your challenges and owning your mistakes.
Consider coaching – coaching can provide a safe and supportive space to process feedback. It can also help identify the most critical areas for improvement, set realistic and achievable goals, and develop action plans to implement the feedback.
Do it right, and feedback will enhance your self-awareness, confidence, and leadership skills. And ultimately increase your value to your team and organization.
“Pink it and shrink it” – that’s been the mantra behind marketing products for women. It’s a predatory marketing practice whereby women pay a premium for everyday consumables.
A “Pink It and Grow It” Challenge
No one goes from intern to CEO without a little help. Networks are a crucial component of resilience and career progression. Yet, studies continuously find women have less powerful networks than men. This resonates with me, especially having moved countries twice.
So this is my challenge to everyone – let’s “pink it and grow it”! Let’s take conscious steps to make women a greater part of our networks.
What Do Women Need from a Network?
We all need connections that “will say our name in a room of opportunities”. But it’s actual interactions that help validate us, provide perspective and even help us laugh at ourselves. Genuine relationships don’t only further our careers; they are crucial for our well-being and resilience. And the earlier we reach out, the more chance they have to develop. So, I challenge you to;
Be a Connector – actively introduce women to others in your network. If you don’t know what connections are desirable, ask.
Be a Mentor – mentorships often happen informally over shared interests and experiences. But women may not have these in common with senior male colleagues. Advocate for formal mentorship programmes to ensure inclusivity and a framework for cross-gender engagement.
Be a Load Absorber – assist female colleagues with work surges. Women can be reluctant to ask for help, fearing being regarded as not coping. You can offer to take on work in exchange for the favour being returned when you’re in a similar position.
Be a Sense Maker – getting to grips with politics and personalities can significantly advance one’s career progression. Can you provide insight to a female colleague that will help smooth her way?
Be a Booster – women are often poor self-advocators, especially in the absence of female role models. So affirm the competence of female colleagues and how they might excel in positions they may be too intimidated to apply for.
Be an Empathiser – you don’t always have to solve the problem. Women also need a release for negative emotions. Help get us “back in the ring” by being a sympathetic but confidential ear.
Nothing excites me more than trying something new with a team of bright, creative minds. But that doesn’t happen by accident…
Just having creative people come up with ideas isn’t enough. Studies of Kodak’s demise have shown there was no shortage of either in that organisation. But Kodak’s leadership lacked the discipline and direction to steer innovation in the right direction. And in the end, they failed to embrace digital technology on time.
Creativity and innovation are often associated with spontaneity. So it’s counter-intuitive that promoting novel thought requires extensive discipline and planning. Google, for one, understands this. Its 20% Policy allows employees to spend 20% of their time on creative pursuits unrelated to their work. However, they must have a clear vision and objective, allowing for guidance and evaluation.
Here are three innovation initiatives to consider;
Form a Creativity Plan – This includes creating goals for the kind of innovation you want to foster, how to achieve it, and who will work on it. Need some workshopping prompts? I love how the UN links the campaign to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Foster supportive Organisational Culture – Are you fostering an environment where employees feel safe to express their creativity fully? Review your performance and incentive policies to ensure they encourage unconventional thinking and view errors as part of the creative process. Get employees engaged with town halls dedicated to innovation.
Invest in Training – Programs that teach creativity, problem-solving and decision-making skills are critical for innovation. They will equip employees with the skills and knowledge to generate fresh perspectives. And direct them to new, innovative ideas.
Remember, if you’re not structured for innovation, it won’t happen!
I recently read how Toy Story came about because early computer animation made everything look plastic-like. While others asked how to improve the technology, the Pixar team posed a different question. What subject matter lent itself to the medium as it was?
Asking the right questions is a critical skill for leaders to develop. Better questions lead to deeper insights and expose new possibilities. Here’s what I advise clients.
1. Develop a Curious Mindset
A curious mindset involves being open to new ideas, perspectives and experiences. Cultivate yours by seeking out new experiences, books, and people. Challenge your assumptions and expose yourself to different ideas. Experiment with new ways of doing things and learn from the results.
2. Overcome the Fear of Vulnerability
Don’t avoid asking questions that expose your lack of expertise. Acknowledging you don’t know everything can help build trust and credibility. View questions as a way to grow, not a weakness. And model vulnerability by sharing your own challenges. It will help to foster a culture of openness and honesty.
3. Trust the Process
Focus on the process rather than the outcome. Instead of worrying about whether your questions are perfect, focus on the act of questioning itself. Embrace the learning opportunity even if your questions don’t lead to the answers you were expecting.
4. Proactively Manage Time Constraints
Don’t be pressured to bypass meaningful dialogue to keep up with the pace of business. Instead, prioritize questioning daily by incorporating it into existing processes. Dedicate time for team meetings or one-on-one conversations. Over time, you’ll create a culture that values curiosity and learning.
5. Ensure Psychological Safety
People won’t share their thoughts if they don’t trust their leaders. Never force or intimidate people into participating in dialogue. Demonstrate empathy rather than judgement so people feel safe sharing diverse ideas and perspectives. And provide feedback and recognition for their contributions.
6. Practice Mindfulness and Reflection
Be mindful during conversations by focusing on active listening. This means fully engaging with the person you are speaking with. Pay attention to their body language and tone of voice, and ask follow-up questions. Finally, reflect on the conversation and your questions, identifying areas for improvement.
7. Seek Feedback and Continuous Improvement
Ask team members to evaluate your questioning skills. Encourage them to be honest and specific. Then, apply the insights to your future questioning strategies. And take advantage of any learning opportunities on effective communication. Maybe find a mentor who can provide guidance and support.
This is the primary concern clients share with me when we talk about DEI. And I like to address it by focusing on belonging.
Belonging is one’s perception of acceptance within the work environment. I like it because it prioritizes the comfort experienced in an inclusive workplace – for everyone.
Inclusion vs. Belonging
Inclusion is about ensuring equal access to opportunities and resources in an organization.
Belonging goes beyond this. It’s about being valued and involved – not just present or invited. About having influence – not just a seat at the table. And about being celebrated and supported rather than tolerated or accepted.
Inclusion is typically focused on external factors, such as policies and representation. In contrast, belonging encompasses internal aspects, such as psychological safety and shared values. It can help resolve the deeper systemic issues hindering an organization.
Belonging also shifts focus from a collective to an individualistic perspective. So individuals themselves decide the success of interventions. And have greater accountability for their design. Such activities enrich inclusion activities. So, for example, we don’t just hire diverse candidates. We ensure their smooth onboarding and provide mentors and buddies, regular feedback, and career development opportunities. Instead of just offering diversity training, we create spaces for employee dialogue.
Measuring Belonging
Belonging is a subjective and emotional experience. It is based on people’s feelings, not just what they do or have. It’s also dynamic and contextual, varying on the situation, group, and individual. So it requires regular, qualitative measurement.
I usually include belonging as part of a comprehensive culture survey. But for a standalone assessment, Harvard’s 2019 10-Question Belonging survey is an excellent place to start.
Is Belonging Just Pandering?
Recently, belonging has received some bad press. Particularly in response to Uber’s now infamous “Don’t call me Karin” sessions. Critics say the approach hasn’t helped shift power away from privileged policymakers. Instead, it has allowed non-marginalized individuals to co-opt the process. (In Uber’s case, for White women to “play the victim”.)
But DEI has always required practitioners to walk a fine line. Of course, we must work with existing power structures without allowing them to undermine our efforts. But the idea that only specific individuals can validly be part of the conversation is crazy. We can’t allow DEI to become a zero-sum game.
How much would you offer new hires to resign? And what do you think of the idea?
“The Offer” is the brainchild of Tony Hsieh, Zappo’s quirky co-founder. Hsieh was so passionate about retaining the Zappo culture he offered new recruits US$4000 to resign. A no-brainer for anyone who found they weren’t fitting in.
Amazon adopted the practice when it bought Zappo in 2009. And I met Hsieh the following year when we hired him to speak at our Las Vegas global conference. I found him incredibly inspiring, so was sad at the news of his tragic death late in 2020. (He’d headed the hugely successful American online fashion retailer for 21 years by then.)
Static Cultures Kill
It’s a truism that our greatest strength can also be our greatest weakness. Partying was a central feature of Hsieh’s work and personal life. But it didn’t equip him for the isolation of
the pandemic. A plethora of escapist tendencies, including substance abuse and physical deprivation experiments, ultimately took its toll.
And yes, the pandemic is an extreme example of change. But there are classic cases of strong cultures that failed to adapt to change, such as Kodak and Xerox. So how do we build back stronger and create a #changeculture?
Tip #1: Build Trust and Confidence in Leadership
Strong relationships between leaders and workers will always make change easier. Where workers perceive leaders to act with integrity, their resistance to change is lessened. They trust leaders to act in the organization’s interests.
Tip #2: Equip Leaders with Change-Enabling Skills and Tools
When leaders demonstrate a “change mindset”, they provide an example for workers to follow. Employing change-enabling practices, such as routine retrospectives, ensures all voices are heard.
Tip #3: Know Your Purpose
Culture without purpose is just a meaningless set of learned behaviours. A clearly defined purpose allows culture to respond to changing environments and stimuli.
