Effective Leadership: Leadership Intentionally | Dick Massimilian
 

Effective Leadership: Leading Intentionally

Effective Leadership: Lead Intentionally

Written By Dick Massimilian
Published Fall 2020


Effective leadership starts with intentional self-awareness. To thrive as a leader, slow down. Take time to:

Reflect

Self-reflection is a crucial building block of effective leadership. Consider what kind of leader you want to be. How do you want others to perceive you? What values drive your decisions? What are your professional aspirations? Then, think about how you must act to “walk your talk.” For example, if you want to be seen as transparent, explain the rationale for your policies and decisions consistently over time. Hold weekly meetings or convene an open forum in which employees have their questions answered. Set clear expectations. Give timely, constructive, candid feedback on performance. Celebrate success.

Observe

Note your surroundings. Whether your focus is qualitative attributes like employee behavior or quantitative data like sales numbers, observation is essential to developing an informed perspective. Observe how organizational culture shapes employee performance, how people respond to your communications and whether corporate objectives live in the heads or the hearts of your people.

Act

To quote Simon Sinek, start with why. Your people don’t have the benefit of your perspective, so don’t expect them to understand the “why” behind your decisions until you present it. Outline why you made a decision and your intentions behind it, as well as the desired outcome. If people understand why they’re working toward a specific goal, they’ll be more aligned, creative and far more likely to achieve it.

Know Your Leadership Style

My leadership development programs start with a Leadership Assessment that identifies leadership style, preferences and strengths, including the individual’s inclination to reflect, observe and act. The Assessment enhances self-awareness and is an initial, key milestone on the leadership journey. Plus it’s fun.

Jump start your effective leadership journey with a Leadership Assessment. You’ll enjoy it. Let’s talk.

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