Prepare Others for Leadership

Prepare Others for Leadership

Posted on by Byron Darden

You may have heard it said that one of the most important jobs of a leader is to create new leaders. This is often best done through coaching to prepare emerging leaders to transition from individual contributors to figures of authority. There is much that can be done to move these employees from focusing on their tasks to taking a step back and adopting a big picture view. They can be coached to switch with ease from a visionary role to leading from the front as captains, as well as guiding team members as a coach or leading from behind as their cheerleader.

The statistics speak for themselves:

71% of Fortune 500 companies have mentoring programs. The reason is simple. In 2016, The Centre for Workplace Leadership found that investing in leadership capability pays off in performance, productivity and innovation. Britain’s first online gateway for businesses looking for mentoring, mentorsme, reports that 67% of businesses reported an increase in productivity due to mentoring.

Here are seven secrets of being an effective mentor, as outlined by Tony Dungy, the highly respected retired coach of the Indianapolis Colts:

The Seven E’s of Effective Mentoring

woman showing something to younger woman

1. Engage – Mentoring will not work without engagement. An open-door policy signals to the mentee that you are there for them whenever necessary. Any opportunity to spend time in the world of your mentee also shows that you care.

2. Educate – Education is a critical component of effective mentorship. Helping, guiding and teaching comprise the foundation upon which people can shine.

3. Equip – Along with education, equipping mentees is essential to helping them excel and reach their highest potential.

4. Encourage – A little encouragement goes a long way to keep those being mentored motivated to overcome any obstacles that may arise on their leadership journey. 

5. Empower – There is power in learning by doing. Giving people the freedom to implement in their jobs what they are learning is an important step in the mentoring process.

6. Energize – The energy leaders bring to mentoring can inspire those they are mentoring, propelling them along the path to success.

7. Elevate – It’s all about the person who is being mentored. When a leader puts their ego aside to focus selflessly on a mentee’s goals, the results can be incredible. 

Build a Culture of Open Communication

Build a Culture of Open Communication

Posted on by Byron Darden

The effectiveness of communication within a team sets the tone for a positive organizational culture and can determine the success of a business. When there is a culture of free and clear communication, employees are more likely to be motivated to contribute to the organization’s goals at the highest level. One of the roles of a leader is to inspire a growth mindset in others and that can only happen when the lines of communication are open. 

Discover your team’s developmental requirements

When you are considering mentoring others, it is helpful to get an honest idea of what team members want to achieve in their careers. You’ll only get a clear picture of this when you are viewed as someone who is approachable and open to input. 

Smart leaders get involved at the ground level and take the time to figure out the informal role of each team member – who the players are and what their talents seem to be. Once this is done and a mentor-mentee relationship is about to be established, it helps when expectations are clearly communicated to help both individuals to be on the same page and committed to supporting the accomplishment of each other’s goals.

Perception Matters

Perception Matters

Posted on by Byron Darden

 “Who you are being when you are saying what you are saying, says more about what you are saying, than what you are saying.” 

Mike Lipkin

Consider your credibility

BS is unlikely to earn you the trust of your direct reports. They’ll see through you time and time again. You may get compliance, after all you’re the boss. Which do you prefer, compliance or engagement?

To have engaged team members who are motivated to achieve great things, it is important to know what you stand for and have an unmistakable sense of purpose. It is equally important to establish common ground and demonstrate that you are concerned about your team’s best interests. 

Analyze your relationships

Every leader has several layers of connection throughout the organization. How you are perceived by those senior to you, your lateral peers and junior colleagues may vary. When you are preparing to bring people along on your legacy-building journey, a great starting point is to get clarity on how people feel about you. You can’t develop talent in a vacuum. Here are some key relationships to consider:

  • Relationship Navigators – the people you want to get to know because of their role in the company’s operations
  • Relationship Warriors – the allies who think strategically and make you aware, or remind you, of the landmines and pitfalls along the way
  • Stakeholders – Those invested in your organization’s success and therefore are interested in supporting you in reaching the next chapter for what you bring to the table – mentors who are guiding you through your next chapter 
  • Leadership Pipeline – the people you coach and mentor who become part of your succession plan
Use the Organization’s Vision as a Framework

Use the Organization’s Vision as a Framework

Posted on by Byron Darden

When your legacy is in the forefront of your mind, your priorities tend to be clarified. Identifying these priorities helps to guide your day-to-day actions. Just remember that this is only one piece of the puzzle. More specifically, the actions you take to develop talent will be more effective for all parties when you align your top to-do’s with the organization’s vision.

Understand the company’s current trajectory

Before you set out to help others grow within the company, it is imperative to be clear on the organization’s vision and current direction. Is there an established plan to support and promote employee growth? Does your company consistently recognize that employees are its most important resource?

The research done by Amy Edmondson of Harvard Business School and Anita Woolley of Carnegie Mellon confirms that organizations require “fertile soil” to be present before the “seeds” of professional development can grow. 

It is a good idea to examine the existing organizational culture and managerial processes before embarking on talent development. Assess whether work is required in order to make conditions more favorable for people to aspire to leadership positions. You’ll want to ensure that their development and input moves in a positive direction.

Legacy of Bringing Others Along: Developing People

Legacy of Bringing Others Along: Developing People

Posted on by Byron Darden

When you move from one position to another in your organization, how will you be remembered by the team you may be leaving? What will your legacy be?

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines legacy as “something transmitted by or received from an ancestor or predecessor or from the past”. It is never too early to start considering the kind of legacy you want to leave. 

According to the Harvard Business Review, most research on power suggests that the sensation of power tends to make people more self-focused and self-interested. In contrast, building a people-centered legacy involves showing a genuine interest in helping those who have untapped potential.

Defining the Concept of Bringing Others Along 

The act/ART of developing talent is a legacy-building skill that is worth cultivating. This skill is instrumental in helping emerging executives to SHOW UP as the leaders they are on track to be.

How developing people relates to legacy building

Being remembered for mentoring talented colleagues is a positive legacy to leave.  When these new leaders use their unique gifts to drive the company’s success for years to come, your contribution lives on.

Beyond the legacy you leave, when you focus on raising people up, you’re likely to realize that it’s not about the accolades. There’s no substitute for the deep satisfaction of knowing that your journey was truly worth it. The value of your experience and skills is seen in the ways in which you develop people to help both the organization and employees maximize their potential. This becomes even more significant when there are talented individuals within the company who feel that they have no voice and lack empowerment. You can be their vehicle for real engagement and input as you bring them along on your journey to the top.

Your impact on others in your company is an important element in legacy-building. Have you designed a succession model? Are you constructing its foundation bit by bit? Your legacy won’t take shape overnight. It is crafted by the daily actions you take to help your team prosper without you in the future. 

Create a Strategic Plan

Create a Strategic Plan

Posted on by Byron Darden

According to a 2013 survey done by Harvard Business Review, female managers in Fortune 500 organizations wholeheartedly put office politics on their list of things they hated most about business meetings. These women felt uncomfortable and did not know how to handle the interpersonal conflicts that arose.  In fact, more than 50% of women give up on their dreams of getting where they want because they do not want to deal with a politically charged environment. Or they are led to believe the price to pay is too high and the rewards are not great enough to bother.

This does not have to be the case.  There are strategies that you can learn and implement that help you navigate the murky waters.  Among these are building relationships with those that can advocate on your behalf, study and understand personality behaviors that you may encounter, and understand that most politics arenot personal. They are reflection of a particular person and their experiences.

Get Feedback

Finding an unbiased sounding board and mentor can also give you a clearer picture of the actions you’ll profit from taking. An executive coach can provide you tools that will allow you to navigate work politics without sacrificing your true self.

In the wise words of thought leader Michael Bassey Johnson, “You do not attain success when you associate with those in high positions, it comes when you accept yourself and realize that only you can take yourself to where your heart truly lies.”

Take action to further your career.  Remaining stuck in a difficult situation in which office politics get the best of you serves no one.  Take a stand for your career goals by taking the Leadership Styles Quiz to help you transform your work environment and yourself.  Consider booking a Strategy Session to explore how we can together, help you navigate your specific situation. You’ll be invited to set up a Strategy Session to speak with me following the results of the quiz.

Founder’s Corner: Invest in Yourself

Founder’s Corner: Invest in Yourself

Posted on by Byron Darden

Some years ago I had the opportunity to work with a manager who was eager to land an executive role within her company. You can read more about her story in this month’s blog and learn how she moved ahead into a leadership role. She also taught me a lesson that still fills me with gratitude after all these years.

Writing about her story prompted me to share a story of my own regarding what I learned from her during our work together. Because as much as I recognize the blind spots we discover about our roles in business, I’m always delighted when I learn something new that I can add to my toolkit to help others navigate more effectively in their roles. I was particularly pleased and a bit surprised when she offered me a tip in return.

During one of our coaching sessions, my client noticed my shoes and commented, “By the way, nice shoes.” I too had been coached to buy better shoes since I was working in Fortune 500 companies. A dear friend pulled me aside and remined me that I could do a better job of looking the part of the successful consultant.

He led me to buy a pair of high quality dress shoes claiming that the hefty price I paid would save me money in the long run and profit me in how clients experienced my presence. I gulped from sticker shock when I saw the price tag. I had become use to paying $100/150 for a pair of dress shoes every year and a half or so. I decided to take the plunge and invest in myself. I was so pleased at how comfortable they were and how well they held up that I purchased a second pair in a different color a few years later. That was over fifteen years ago. I still wear those shoes today and can happily say, I made a great investment!

Lesson Learned: Stay open to learning and you’re sure to grow and humanize yourself with others. You’ll discover that you connect more effectively in your relationships with direct reports, colleagues and senior leadership.

Using Company Politics to Achieve Your Goals

Using Company Politics to Achieve Your Goals

Posted on by Byron Darden

Sometimes we must step back and get an objective opinion of our situation in order to move forward.

A client of mine was having a tough time climbing the corporate ladder to executive status. She wasn’t sure how to navigate the sometimes “murky waters” of the Fortune 100 financial services company in which she is now a vice-president. She was having trouble seeing how her behaviors were affecting her progress toward the role for which she was striving.

We worked to address skills we deemed necessary to build, behaviors to consider adopting and activities that allowed her to experience her natural leadership talents. As she implemented these skills, she gained confidence as she began to profit from her efforts. That put her on a trajectory path toward success. We communicated regularly and adjusted strategies based on feedback she received from her prior actions. Soon, she was promoted to a VP level in the organization.

While your efforts may take time to bear fruit, keep moving forward, building relationships, and making progress toward your goal. None of these actions are wasted. They instead become feathers in your cap to be admired.

Create Your Destiny

Create Your Destiny

Posted on by Byron Darden

I’m currently developing a tool called the LLC, Limited Liability Climber© in which you will create a type of business plan called the Leadership Advancement Plan©. The intention is to support leaders like yourself or emerging leaders interested in moving into executive positions, to approach their desired path as you would a Limited Liability Company. The idea is to help you look at the landscape of your organization as an opportunity to create something that is sustainable long after your involvement.

What you will generate is a development, much like one might develop land for housing or commercial use. An example might be that you are creating a tract of land for housing. That’s a community a bit larger than New York City’s Central Park.

Level the Playing Field

Consider to what extent there is reason to level the land or find ways to take advantage of the rolling hills that exist. Determine the best way to bring water to the area so that home dwellers are easily connected to the community water and sewer system. Figure out how close to an existing school system your land is and determine whether or not school planning will benefit your future community. Remember, the more thorough you are in your planning, the more effective your execution.

When I was training for a competitive season in figure skating, my father, a track and field athlete himself use to remind me, “plan your work and work your plan.” Should you deviate from your plan, be certain there is just cause. Otherwise you could be derailing your goal and setting yourself up for a domino effect that will render your plan less effective.

As you would any other plan, determine where you are and where you want to be. Then figure out the steps you’ll take to move from your present state to your future state.

Create a Sense of Authority

Create a Sense of Authority

Posted on by Byron Darden

Office politics is something a lot of people strive to avoid in order to maintain their comfort zone and have a sense of perceived control. Hiding under a rock may seem like the safe route to take, yet it will not serve you in the long run. It will send a message to your co-workers that you are hesitant to take a stand, or that you are aloof. That is, unless you find yourself in a situation where it feels best to do nothing because there is evidence suggesting the issue will resolve itself. Bottom line, you must show a strong presence, demonstrate decisive and sound action as well as show a great deal of understanding.

People often assume that office politics is something that cannot be changed and must be tolerated. More accurately, the conscious effort to create an environment in which politics can effectively be used to influence workable change and executed to encourage what Buddhist teachings address as “right action.”

Face Politics Head On

While there are pros and cons to office politics, including their effective and limiting aspects, they warrant closer attention and study on your part.

When you face issues head on, you are more likely to be taken seriously. Instead of avoiding situations and appearing resistant and slow to act, learn to respond in the moment and demonstrate flexibility. You will more easily step out of your comfort zone, blaze a new path for women (and other leaders) in your organization while discovering that taking action is one of the most effective ways to respond when you’re faced with overwhelm.

When you avoid politics, you may appear close minded or reluctant to learn and change. As you set a clear example and build confidence in your abilities, you inspire people, build beneficial relationships, and get things done.

Move forward, rather than standing still or moving backward and be the change you want to see. While a familiar lament, one worth consideration.