Sustainable Leadership

In 1996, 51% of US employees were reported to be members of team.  By 2006, it had increased to 84%. As our world becomes more complex, the need for teams will continue to grow. Understanding the characteristics of effective teams gives you a target to shoot for and better prepares you to support your team’s development.

These benchmarks are achievable when supported by effective leadership.

Excellent lesson, so true. -- from the article "True empathy is not putting yourself in others’ shoes as if it were you. It’s putting yourself in others’ shoes as if you were them. Try to feel how they feel, not how you would feel. The only way to do that is to truly get to know them and understand their authentic self."

Is a five year old child on day 1 of school met by a teacher who is thinking "here is a new bundle of potential to nurture" or one who thinks "here is another problem for me to solve"? The former I hope, as this article demonstrates.

Interesting read> (From the article): Leaders in business today mostly don’t have the same obstacles, but they can still learn the lessons from Arnold: adapting to the circumstances, and keeping the long-term goal (winning the war, maximizing employee performance) intact while making sure the little steps (identifying motivational needs, opposing navies) are the focus.  Just don’t later turn over secrets.

This is truly concerning.  From the article:

"In the current economic climate, both business and public-sector leaders feel they have to run just in order to stand still. They are under immense pressure to make their organisations leaner while also improving performance.

And pressure breeds threatening behaviour if it isn't channelled in the right way. If it is managed in the wrong way, stress can gradually erode the quality of their leadership until it deteriorates to a disastrously low level.

"It creates a vicious downward cycle where productivity begins to suffer as the work force begins to feel increasingly threatened by brain-fried leaders."

A useful view of embracing the deep sense of what is influence, relating it to motivation to change.  ~  Deb

We need courageous leadership, but lack it.

 A life of meaning and purpose is one focused less on satisfying oneself and more on others. It is a life rich in compassion, altruism, and greater meaning.

Scientists have suggested that, with a little willpower, it takes roughly 30 days for a person to form a new habit.  As with mastering anything new, the act of starting and getting beyond the preliminary stage where everything feels awkward is 80% of the battle.  This is precisely why it’s important to make small, positive changes every day over the course of at least a 30 day period.

I'm up for the challenge--how about you?

Sometimes we need little reminders about how to stay connected with our humanity and the humanity of others. I found this to be inspiring. 

Very true!

The power of relationships - ultimately, it's all we have...

Leadership Is A Relational Skill - Forbes

Relational - and situational!

Nice musings on the importnace of giving feedback appropriately from Blair Glaser.

Not only asking the right questions - but asking if the other person is open to feedback - critical to success.

from article : "When you are about to “be honest”, ask yourself, what is my intention in expressing my truth right now? What is the impact I want to have?"