31May

Leadership Is More Than Just Empowerment

Leadership is more than just empowerment. A recent post on LinkedIn from Leadership First posted this image about leadership, empowering people and wielding authority – and I had to disagree. The line between ‘wielding authority’ to ’empowering people’ isn’t a binary choice – it is a continuum, and all points on that continuum are useful to a leader.

You Need Skills and Experience to Empower Others

As a leader, empowering people is obviously important – but people need to have the right skills and experienced to be fully empowered. Fully empowering someone who has neither the experience or skills to complete the task? That is just downright lazy and setting someone up to fail.
In addition, there are times when wielding authority is needed! Forget the negative connotations you have associated to authority by the use of the word ‘wielding’; there are times when a leader must exercise authority, control and firm decision making. While many decisions benefit from consensus, collaboration and wide discussion, others benefit from firm and swift use of power and authority. That is part of the nuance – and difficulty – of being a leader. Knowing the difference is the difference between being a good or bad leader – which often takes experience (and quite often, some bad choices between authority and empowerment).

The Continuum Between Leadership, Authority and Empowerment

The line between ‘wielding authority’ to ’empowering people’ isn’t a binary choice – it is a continuum. In between there is directing, coaching, mentoring and delegating – all of which are useful depending on where you, the business and the individual is on their development path. Empowering a novice in a task they aren’t familiar with can be just as dangerous to the business as directing and micromanaging an expert to do a task they have completed countless times.
Focussing purely on empowerment shies away from discussions of dependability, responsibility and accountability – critical to business -and all of which need a little discussion around authority structures. Fully empowering everyone assumes two critical things – that everyone is skilled and experienced to complete a task, and that everyone is completely responsible and always delivers on their promises. While wanting both, leaders know it is foolhardy to assume either.
For leaders – the use of power and authority can be just as useful for developing others as empowerment – depending on how it is used, when it is used and with who. The key is to know when.

Where Does Your Leadership Sit On The Authority / Empowerment Continuum?

Do you actually know where your leadership sits on the authority / empowerment continuum? Are you more focussed on delegating, coaching or empowering? If you don’t know, perhaps the place to start is by completing the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint.

25 behavioural leadership traits, focussed in 5 distinct leadership capabilities – a ‘must know’ for any leader or team looking to drive high performance. If you haven’t completed the CheckPoint, get in touch with us today to arrange an appointment. Read through the comments and feedback from those that have – many say that it has had a profound effect on how they lead and perform within a team.

The Velocity Leadership CheckPoint and Debrief is the starting point for any of the IMLD Executive Coaching, Executive Leadership Coaching or Emerging Leaders Programs.


#leadershipdevelopment #leadershipskills #leadershiptraining
#executivecoachmelbourne #leadershipcoachmelbourne #IMLD #developingleaders

27May

Experiential Leadership Training Makes The Difference For Emerging Leaders

Experiential Leadership Training makes all the difference for emerging leaders. It is so exciting to work with teams in person again! Thank you to Alecia RathboneJoanne E Mear and Melody Carbarns for the opportunity to work with your amazing team from Summer Foundation Ltd Housing Hub, taking part in the Experiential Leadership Workshop last week!

Knowing Leadership Makes No Difference

It is said that ‘knowledge makes no difference’ – difference is made through the application of knowledge. The Experiential Leadership Workshop is all about application – focussing on team, task and leadership roles in a challenging yet safe environment. For emerging leaders (as well as established leaders) and teams to have the opportunity to see and ‘feel’ what works (and what doesn’t) in a simulated leadership environment, gaining practical knowledge and skills whilst learning with your team and peers, is worth its weight in gold.

Experiential Leadership Training Is About Practical Applications to Leadership

The Experiential Leadership Workshop

From towers, to mazes to creative storyboards, the Experiential Leadership Workshop activities can be adapted and modified for difficulty and experience, as well as focus on particular leadership skills or behaviours in need of growth and development. Experiential leadership activities are a cornerstone of IMLD leadership training and set us apart from many other leadership training and executive leadership coaching businesses in both Melbourne and Australia.

An important aspect of the experiential leadership training at IMLD is the opportunity to debrief and reflect on activities, and consider what aspects of leadership and team behaviour are useful to translate and take back to the workplace.

The workshop is equivalent to a pilot simulator – it gives leaders the opportunity to try different styles and techniques of leadership in a safe environment and trail / test / review how it works – without the heavy consequences of making mistakes ‘live’ in the real world.
It is quite a bit of fun as well!


Thank you Jessica Simms for the logistical arrangements and CreativeCubes.Co for the amazing venue in Hawthorn.
Thanks again Housing Hub team – you did amazing – a pleasure to work with such am engaging, empathetic and creative team!

Is The Emerging Leaders Program Right For Your Team?

Practical, focussed and confidence building – all words that have been used in testimonials to describe the Institute of Management & Leadership Development’s Emerging Leaders program. If this sounds like something that could be useful for you or for members of your team, get in touch with us today for a confidential chat about your needs.

#emergingleaders #leadershipdevelopment #leadershiptraining #IMLD #developingleaders #leadershiptrainingmelbourne #executivecoachingmelbourne #experientialleadership #experientialleadershiptraining

19May

Raising the Standard of Executive Leadership Coaching

It is said that ‘before you can lead others, you must lead yourself’. Raising the bar for executive leadership coaching takes not only skill and effort, but also a focus on personal development and training. I also believe that to be an effective leadership coach, you need to be willing to be coached yourself – after all, if you don’t believe in the process, why should potential clients?

A humble brag (and sense of relief) this morning – and the timing couldn’t be more perfect for Day 4 of International Coaching Week. Yesterday I received my Professional Certified Coach (PCC) designation from the International Coaching Federation, and honestly I couldn’t be happier as well as a little relieved.
At the start of the pandemic I set myself the goal of restarting the accreditation process after a heartbreaking early setback.
Early in my coaching practise I trusted too quickly and partnered with an organisation that said they were ICF aligned / accredited, and after more than 900 hours of client coaching, I discovered they weren’t. I had to the opportunity to work with some amazing businesses and clients, gained some valuable experience as an executive coach, but from an ICF perspective – 0 hours. The PCC recognises more than 250 hours of coach training (through ACC and PCC coach training and mentoring), as well as more than 500 hours of additional client coaching.

At the Institute of Management & Leadership Development, we strongly believe in the importance of accreditation in the coaching and facilitation space, seeking only to work / collaborate with coaches that are focussed on their personal and professional development, recognised through ICF benchmarks and standards. While this is no guarantee of excellence in coaching, it goes a long way to ensuring a standard benchmark and common language in the coaching process – providing more trust and surety for our amazing clients.
Thank you to the amazing group of coaches that guided me through this process, including Jo Lanigan (MCC)Evan Spargo (MCC) and Jayantha Fernando PCC and other amazing coaches through Coach Masters Academy Global.
Thank you also to the clients and pro-bono coachees that partnered with me to try new coaching techniques and provided valuable coaching feedback and insights.
It has been a pleasure to coach and learn with some amazingly skilled coaches and facilitators. I am looking forward to continue to grow and develop my executive coaching skills and applying that learning within IMLD’s executive leadership coaching programs. Thank you!
#coaching #executivecoaching #executivecoach #coachtraining #IMLD #developingleaders

EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COACHING

Focussed, personal, confidential, honest and practical – all words that have been used in testimonials to describe the Institute of Management & Leadership Development’s Executive Leadership Coaching. If this sounds like something that could be useful for you or a member of your team, get in touch with us today for a confidential chat about your needs.

17May

Leaders Developing Leaders – Interview with Zoe Daniel

In this episode of Leaders Developing Leaders, we have the pleasure of talking with Zoe Daniel, independent candidate for the Federal seat of Goldstein, prior to the upcoming Federal election on 21 May 2022, to talk all things leadership and team.

In addition to being an independent political candidate, Zoe is a mum, wife, journalist, and foreign correspondent. As a journalist in nearly 30 years of reporting, Zoe covered natural disasters, conflict, economics and politics, and all manner of news around the world. She has seen first-hand the impact of climate change in the Arctic, and has covered floods, typhoons, and bushfires across four continents, including Australia.

Zoe has been a rural and regional journalist, a business and finance reporter, and a foreign affairs specialist, interviewing and interacting with prime ministers, treasurers and some of Australia’s top CEOs and small businesspeople. (For more info on Zoe, visit zoedaniel.com.au)

In this episode we discuss leadership influences, values and ethics, and what leadership abilities and behaviours are missing from Federal Parliament that Zoe would like to influence if elected. A great chat with a leader seeking to make a difference to the Federal political landscape – enjoy!

#leadership #team #ethics #independentwomen #IMLD #goldsteinvotes #auspol2022 #developingleaders #leadersdevelopingleaders

Interview Summary

If you are looking for the quick notes from the Zoe Daniel interview, here are the key questions and time stamps.

1. (0min 50sec) What leadership behaviour would you most like to influence in Federal parliament?

2. (4min 00sec) What 3 personal values define who you are (or want to become) as a leader / member of Federal Parliament? 

3. (10min 30sec) Who are your leadership icons or role models? 

4. (13min 45sec) What would you say are your leadership strengths?

5. (15min 45sec) What do you do to manage stress?

6. (17min 15sec) What are your areas or development – or growth points – as a leader?

7. (18min 50sec) What are your communications preferences with your team? (What do you love them to do and what frustrates you)

8. (21min 0sec) What time management ‘hack’ would you pass on to busy leaders seeking to juggle work volume or work / family?

9. (22min 25sec) Current reading, watching or listening – who are you paying attention to right now to develop your leadership knowledge further?

Leaders Developing Leaders

Do you know a small business leader, business owner or executive that has a great insight into leadership? Tell us who they are – we would love to interview them! Leaders Developing Leaders is all about gaining insights into leading and managing others, from those that are doing it right now. From tips, trick and hacks to personal learning and reflection, Leaders Developing Leaders includes insights about leadership for current leaders and managers.

If you know a great leader that others could learn from, reach out and contact Michael at michael@developingleaders.com.au with the details.

Looking to Develop Your Leadership Further?

Do you know your leadership strengths and areas to develop? If not, perhaps the place to start is by completing the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint.

25 behavioural leadership traits, focussed in 5 distinct leadership capabilities – a ‘must know’ for any leader or team looking to drive high performance. The Velocity Leadership CheckPoint and Debrief is the starting point for any of the IMLD Executive Coaching, Executive Leadership Coaching or Emerging Leaders Programs.