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As the Christmas / New Year season approaches, what better way to unwind and prepare for the exciting prospects of 2024 than by sitting down with a great leadership and teamwork read? If you get a chance to spend some time on your own (or if you need an escape!), consider one of these seven essential leadership reads. These books aren’t just enjoyable (and some of my favourites); they are your ticket to emerge as a more insightful small business leader come the New Year and the start of 2024.

1. “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni

Patrick Lencioni’s “The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team” is a thought-provoking holiday read for leaders – and is probably my personal favourite leadership and team book. This book is at the top of the list, not only because it is the easiest read of the list due to its conversational style, the insights are easily adopted and practical in nature. Lencioni’s insight, “Not finance. Not strategy. Not technology. It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it is so powerful and so rare,” will inspire you to address any team challenges and set the stage for a cohesive and high-performing 2024.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “Leadership and Self-Deception” by The Arbinger Institute

• Why: Similar to Lencioni’s emphasis on team dynamics, this book explores how self-deception can hinder teamwork and provides insights into fostering a culture of accountability and collaboration.

2. “Leaders Eat Last” by Simon Sinek

Simon Sinek’s “Leaders Eat Last” sets the tone for selfless leadership. Take a moment during the holidays to reflect on the importance of taking care of those you lead. Sinek’s wisdom, “Leadership is not about being in charge. It’s about taking care of those in your charge,” will inspire you to foster a culture of trust and collaboration within your team.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “Team of Teams” by General Stanley McChrystal

• Why: Like Sinek’s work, McChrystal discusses the importance of collaboration and adaptability in leadership. He provides insights from his experiences in the military, illustrating how dynamic teamwork is crucial for success.

3. “Dare to Lead” by Brené Brown

Brené Brown’s “Dare to Lead” encourages leaders to embrace vulnerability – one step to developing your authentic leadership style. if you read closely, Brene forces you to really reflect and take a good look at yourself and your leadership, ponder ing the words, “Vulnerability is not winning or losing; it’s having the courage to show up and be seen when we have no control over the outcome.” Embracing vulnerability can set the stage for a more resilient and open workplace and leadership style in the year ahead.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance” by Angela Duckworth

• Why: Duckworth’s book complements Brown’s focus on resilience and courage. It delves into the concept of grit, emphasising the role of passion and perseverance in achieving long-term goals.

4. “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” by Stephen R. Covey

Stephen R. Covey’s timeless classic, “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People,” is the perfect companion for reflection during the holidays. Consider his enduring advice, “The key is not to prioritise what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities,” as you prepare to enter 2024 with a renewed focus on personal and professional effectiveness. What was useful and powerful in the 1980’s can have the same impact on your task, time management and strategic thinking in 2024.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “Mindset: The New Psychology of Success” by Carol S. Dweck

• Why: Dweck discussion on fixed vs. growth mindsets aligns with Covey’s emphasis on personal development. Both books inspire a mindset shift that helps build for lasting leadership success.

5. “Start with Why” by Simon Sinek

The second of my Simon Sinek recommendations, “Start with Why” invites you to explore the core of your purpose. As you enjoy some downtime during the holidays, ponder Sinek’s words, “People don’t buy what you do; they buy why you do it.” So what is your ‘why’? Sounds simple, and takes much more effort than you would expect to get to the core of your why. This book will help you set the stage for a purpose-driven and inspiring leadership approach in the coming year.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “The Infinite Game” by Simon Sinek

• Why: Because is there enough Simon Sinek? ???? Simon’s follow-up book expands on the concept of purpose in leadership, exploring how adopting an infinite mindset can drive organisations towards long-term success.

6. “Radical Candor” by Kim Scott

Kim Scott’s “Radical Candor” offers a refreshing perspective on communication. While sipping your favorite holiday beverage, consider Scott’s advice to “Care personally, challenge directly.” I would read the whole book before you decide to challenge your in-laws about what they do / don’t do on Christmas Day (and perhaps avoid until after News Years if you have consumed enough to make you brave but too much to make you articulate ????) The approach in the book can pave the way for clearer and more honest communication within your team, fostering a culture of continuous improvement.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High” by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, Ron McMillan, and Al Switzler

• Why: Both books focus on effective communication in high-stakes situations, offering practical tools to navigate challenging conversations with empathy and candor, and align very closely to the IDRIFT model we use in Developing Leaders as the basis of difficult conversations.

7. “Atomic Habits” by James Clear

James Clear’s “Atomic Habits” is the perfect book to set the tone for positive change in the New Year. As you contemplate your goals for 2024, remember Clear’s perspective, “You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” This book provides actionable insights to shape positive habits within your team and yourself.

If you liked this book, you could also consider:

Book: “The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business” by Charles Duhigg

• Why: Duhigg’s exploration of habits complements Clear’s work, providing a deeper understanding of how habits shape individual and organisational behaviours.

These seven books aren’t just holiday reads; they are your toolkit for leadership illumination in the coming year. So kick back, relax, and let the work of these great authors guide you towards a more inspired and effective leadership journey in 2024.

Happy reading and here’s to a fantastic New Year!

‘Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we must do’ For leaders, knowing is not enough – action is king.

Knowledge alone will not get you what you want. Thinking about what you want will not get you what you want. Telling someone you are going to do something will not get it done.

Buying a book about changing habits (I see you James Clear and your wonderful book, Atomic Habits!) will not change your habits – putting things into action will. Atomic Habits won’t change your life anymore than sitting on the couch will unless you put that knowledge into practice and change some of your routines – and then consistently apply them.

Without taking the risk of applying – and the risk that it might not work exactly as you wished – you won’t make any real progress.

‘Analysis paralysis’ and fear of failure (or fear of success) can hold us back from taking action on what is needed to drive us forward.

If you ‘know’ all of the above, and are still stuck (by fear, by paralysis, by lack of action), be bold and take one tiny action – pick up the phone or DM and we can get you moving. Executive leadership coaching is more than just applying leadership behaviours and skills, it is about moving yourself, your team and your business forward, when all it feels is stuck. They say that ‘a problem shared, is a problem halved’ – when you work in partnership with a coach, halve it again.
#executivecoaching #executiveleadershipcoaching #leadershipcoachingmelbourne #knowledgetoaction #developingleaders

Are You Looking To Apply Leadership Rather Than Just Talk About It?

Developing Leaders has a range of leadership and management learning programs that can help you go beyond knowledge and take action. From Executive Leadership Coaching, Leadership Assessments and Leadership programs and Workshops, we have a program to get your leadership and management moving in the right direction for you, your team and your business. Become a leader that others choose to follow today.

Does the perfect leader / team relationship exist? Of course it does – and it takes work and a sense of mutual trust and belonging. It takes leaders who actively encourage and support their team, with a team willing to listen and act on the encouragement and support given. Equally, it takes a team who actively encourages and supports their leader, with a leader willing to listen and act on the encouragement and support given. Do you have that relationship with your leader or your team?

For a team to perform at a high level, the team needs to trust the leader as much as the leader trusts the team. A break down on either side of this trust equation results in poorer performance. High Performing businesses have developed a strong sense of trust between leader and team – a truly symbiotic relationship – which drives performance.

The Role Of The Leader Supporting The Team

In relation to the team, the leaders role is to provide guidance, coaching, energy and clarity when the team needs it. The key phrase here is ‘when the team needs it’. As a leader, one of the hardest lessons to learn is when to apply your will / drive / energy / purpose to the team, and when to provide the team the opportunity to provide those things for themselves. If the leader is only focussed on themselves, they can ‘over apply’ each of these traits, to the annoyance of the team.

The leader places a level of trust in the team when providing each of the listed behaviours – guidance, coaching, energy and clarity. They all take time and effort, and the leader needs to know that those efforts won’t be wasted. One of the key roles of a leader is to provide the team these behaviours when they can’t provide it for themselves – there needs to be a willingness on behalf of the leader to provide it, and a willingness on behalf of the team to accept it. An unwillingness from wither party will result in a lack of trust and poorer performance.

When a leader can’t (or won’t) provide these behaviours for the team, the team loses trust in the leader – which also affects performance. In this way, a high performing team has a truly ‘symbiotic’ relationship with each other – they help improve and sustain each others roles.

Questions: As a leader, team leader, supervisor, manager or small business owner:

• Do you provide guidance on personal performance and role to your team members?
• Do you coach your team members on how they can improve, as well as how they can maintain their strengths?
• Is your energy and enthusiasm easily ‘caught’ by your team? Is your energy infectious? If so, is it raising your team up or pulling them down?
• Do you provide role clarity and provide your leader with an understanding of their role in the team and / or business?

If you had to think hard on any of these questions, you could be doing more to improve the trust and performance of your team relationship.

The Role Of The Team Supporting The Leader

Just as the leader has input into the teams performance, the team plays a crucial role in the leaders performance – a role that is often forgotten or overlooked.

The team provides the leader support, feedback, energy and clarity when the leader needs it. Leaders aren’t superheroes – they are not and endless supply of energy and positivity – there are times when circumstances can get the down (just like team members). When this happens, high performing teams can fill the void and provide energy, support and feedback to the leader.

Teams that don’t do this demonstrate a lack of trust in the leader, which impacts both the performance of the leader and team. Again, the role of the team and leader is symbiotic – they help improve and sustain each others role.

Questions: As a team member, colleague or peer:

• Do you provide support to your team leader in the form of encouragement or assistance?
• Do you provide feedback to your leader on what they did well and what they could improve on?
• Is your energy and enthusiasm easily ‘caught’ by your leader? Is your energy infectious? If so, is it raising your leader up or pulling them down?
• Do you provide role clarity and provide your team with an understanding of their role in the team and / or business?

If you had to think hard on any of these questions, you could be doing more to improve the trust and performance of your leadership relationship.

What impact are you having on the team trust and performance of your team?

Do you know the impact you have on your leader and / or team?

If you are unsure of your impact on your leader / team, you should complete 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.

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Leadership plays a pivotal role in determining success or failure in a business. A leader’s impact permeates through teams, shaping culture, productivity, and ultimately, the bottom line. Recognising the signs of incompetence in potential leaders before they assume critical roles is a skill every leader and business owner should possess.

As an experienced executive leadership coach, I’ve witnessed firsthand the fallout of poor leadership choices and can guide you through the red flags that should give you pause. It was one of the reasons that I developed our leadership assessment – the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint (VLC) – to assess 25 key behavioural leadership traits, which is used both as a recruitment indicator and a start point for our Executive Leadership Coaching programs.

I have highlighted 19 points (I know – I really wanted 20 or 21!) to consider when recruiting or interviewing for a new leader or manager in your business, and the relevant Velocity Leadership CheckPoint score that could reinforce or back up your questions and instincts.

1. Lack of Self-Awareness:

Incompetent leaders often lack self-awareness. During interviews or assessments, observe how candidates reflect on their past experiences, acknowledge their mistakes, and demonstrate a commitment to personal growth. Leaders who can’t recognise their own shortcomings may struggle to adapt and improve.

VLC Score: Self-Awareness

2. Limited Adaptability:

Leaders who resist change or exhibit a rigid mindset may find it challenging to navigate dynamic challenges. Assess a candidate’s adaptability by discussing instances where they faced unexpected hurdles and the strategies they employed to overcome them.

VLC Score: Adaptability

3. Poor Communication Skills:

Effective communication is the lifeblood of successful leadership. Pay attention to a candidate’s ability to articulate ideas, actively listen, and provide constructive feedback. Leaders who struggle to communicate clearly may sow confusion within their teams, and seek to blame others later.

VLC Score: Active Listening, Verbal Communication

4. Inability to Build Strong Relationships:

Leadership is a relationship-driven endeavour. Leaders who fail to build rapport, trust, and collaboration within their teams may struggle to inspire loyalty and motivation. Probe candidates on their past experiences in team settings and their approach to fostering positive relationships.

5. Resistance to Feedback:

A leader’s journey involves continuous growth, and feedback is an integral part of that process. Beware of candidates who bristle at the idea of receiving constructive criticism or who seem closed off to different perspectives. Effective leaders embrace feedback as a tool for improvement. Also ask for examples of how they given constructive feedback – is it to ‘build up’ or ‘pull down’ a team member?

VLC Score: Constructive Feedback

6. Micromanagement Tendencies:

Micromanagement stifles innovation and demoralises teams. During the recruitment process, assess a candidate’s approach to delegation and empowerment. Leaders who struggle to trust their teams will limit your businesses ability to grow.

VLC Score: Empowerment

7. Inability to Inspire and Motivate:

Great leaders inspire others to achieve their best. Look for candidates who can share stories of motivating their teams, fostering a positive work environment, and celebrating successes. Leaders who lack the ability to inspire may struggle to galvanise their teams toward common goals.

VLC Score: Influence

8. Ego-driven Decision Making:

Leaders who prioritise the greater good of the team and the organisation over their personal ambitions provide greater benefit to your organisation. Be wary of candidates who consistently showcase decisions driven by ego (listen for ‘I’ statements rather than ‘we’ statements) rather than a genuine commitment to the organisation’s success.

VLC Score: Planning, Problem Solving

9. Attitude to Learning:

What is their attitude to leadership coaching and training? In my experience, the worst / incompetent leaders have a narcissistic streak that results in a ‘I already know it all’ attitude, and they are unlikely to accept any form of training for themselves. The best leaders almost always seek further coaching / training to develop their skills.

10. Inconsistent Values Alignment:

A leader’s values should align with those of the organisation. Look for candidates who can articulate their core values and demonstrate how they align with your business mission and purpose. Misalignment in values can lead to cultural clashes and decreased team morale.

11. Overemphasis on Authority:

Leadership isn’t about wielding authority; it’s about influencing and inspiring. Leaders who place too much emphasis on their title or position may struggle to earn the genuine respect and loyalty of their teams.

VLC Score: Responsibility & Accountability (score differential)

12. Neglect of Employee Development:

Competent leaders prioritise the growth and development of their team members. Ask candidates about their experiences in developing and mentoring others. Leaders who neglect this aspect may hinder the overall progression of the organisation.

13. High Turnover in Past Teams:

A history of high turnover within a candidate’s past teams can be a glaring red flag. Investigate the reasons behind team members leaving and discern whether they point to leadership shortcomings.

14. Limited Resilience:

Leadership is often synonymous with resilience. Inquire about a candidate’s experiences in overcoming setbacks and challenges. Leaders who crumble under pressure may not be equipped to steer the ship through turbulent waters.

VLC Score: Resilience, Commitment

15. Inadequate Conflict Resolution Skills:

Conflict is inevitable in any workplace. Leaders who lack the ability to navigate and resolve conflicts may allow issues to fester, leading to a toxic work environment. Where has the leader sought to create an environment for robust conversations? Do they have the ability to diffuse tension or do they seem to create it?

VLC Score: Constructive Feedback

16. Failure to Set Clear Expectations:

Leaders should provide clear guidance and expectations for their teams. Candidates who struggle to articulate how they set expectations and communicate goals may face challenges in leading effectively.

17. Poor Time Management:

Time is a valuable resource, and leaders must manage it wisely. Assess a candidate’s time management skills by exploring how they prioritise tasks, delegate responsibilities, and handle competing demands.

VLC Score: Time Management

18. Lack of Empathy:

Empathy is a cornerstone of effective leadership. Leaders who cannot empathise with their team members may struggle to understand and address the diverse needs of their workforce.

VLC Score: Empathy

19. Inability to Learn from Failures:

Failure is an inevitable part of leadership. Leaders who cannot extract lessons from failures and adapt their approach may repeat the same mistakes, hindering the organisation’s progress.

Avoiding the pitfalls of hiring an incompetent leader requires a keen eye for behavioural cues and a thorough assessment of a candidate’s past experiences. As a leader, manager or small business owner, invest time in probing beyond resumes and skill sets, delving into the nuances of a candidate’s leadership style and mindset. This can be done with planning and consideration of factors such as the list above, delving into what drives you ‘gut feel’, and backing it up with data from a tool like the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint. The future success of your business depends on the quality of its leaders, and your discernment can be a crucial factor in steering it.

Looking to Recruit a New Leader To Your Business?

As highlighted in the article, the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint can provide some crucial indicators of a leaders performance and ability as part of a recruitment process. The Velocity Leadership Checkpoint considers 25 behavioural leadership traits (including the ones listed above in the article), focussed in 5 distinct leadership capabilities: Achievement, Alignment, Awareness, Altitude, and Adaptability. This allows you to gain a clear understanding of your current performance and provides a platform for growth and development.

If you think the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint could be useful for you or business, connect through the Contact Page, follow the link to chat via Calendly or reach me at michael@developingleaders.com.au

True teamwork is so powerful and it is rare – when team members trust each other enough to have robust debates on issues for the business and for their personal development, without letting ego or status get in the way of good debate. Patrick Lencioni discusses this behaviour in depth in his fantastic book, ‘The Five Dysfunctions of a Team’. Does your team have full and frank discussions that generate robust debate and challenge new ideas and thinking?

• The type of conversation that can get heated and stay controlled at the same time?
• Where everyone knows the conversation is to raise things up, not pull each other down?

It is a rare workplace that has it – and if you don’t it can be practised and learnt. Many businesses have teams that don’t have the basic tenets of trust between team members – or leadership team members – so there is very little of the proper, robust conversations that lead to great outcomes.
It is bogged down in ‘artificial harmony’ or petty personal exchanges that avoid the real issues around execution and accountability.

Will your team stay ‘good’, ‘average’, ‘6 out of 10’ for 2024? Or will you challenge them to be 8+? Will your teamwork be thought of as a competitive advantage?

Want to make a difference to your Executive Team for 2024?

Want to make a difference for Executive or Leadership Team performance for 2024? Then undertake Developing Leaders High-Performance Team workshops. The workshops are a challenging series of events to build your teamwork and are not for the faint hearted – and like most things the value is in the work that is completed and the discussions that take place. Avoiding the 5 Dysfunctions of a Team takes effort, particularly from the leader, which is why so many team shy away and continue to under-perform.

Can you change the mind of your leader? Have you ever watched or heard someone, and on the one hand completely, wholeheartedly agree with one point, then violently disagree with the very next point? That is how I felt when watching this Simon Sinek video. Simon has some wonderful insights and thoughts on leadership, and several more in this video, as well as one I disagree with.

When asked: ‘Can you change the mind of your leader?’ he provides two contrasting perspectives – starting with ‘you can’t change their minds’. Then follows with:

‘Be the leader you wish you had’ ✅ and

‘Don’t worry about convincing other people’, ‘You cannot change their point of view’❌

Some thoughts:

‘Be the leader you wish you had’ ✅

I love this point – in the face of poor leadership or leadership that disappoints you, there is no need for it to bring your leadership down to their level. You can maintain standards, support your team the way you would like to be supported, communicate the way you would like to be communicated to – and they will appreciate it all the more. We don’t always work for perfect leaders – often they are doing the best they can with what they have. You may have more experience, more drive, better team skills – you can still share those with your team.

‘Don’t worry about convincing other people’, ‘You cannot change their point of view’ ❌

With this point, I completely disagree. With solid arguments and points of view, with repeated behaviour over time, with explaining your reasoning, you can influence others.

This takes effort – as well as getting over the frustration of feeling like you are ‘teaching’ your boss, or that ‘they should know how to do this because they are my leader’.

Good leaders can convince and change the behaviours of others through their good example, through their excellent communication and through their devotion to their team.

That said – it doesn’t work every time. Some leaders are too focussed on their own path to be changed by others – so convinced they are right they cannot seek an alternative path.

While you can’t change the opinion / view / decision of your leader every time, it is still worth the effort to try for things you deem to be important. I have failed at this, and I have succeeded too – and the successes outweigh the failures and feel much more rewarding – not because it was a win but because of the change that it could make for the leader, the team and the business as a whole.

Our leaders – just like ourselves – are not infallible. They can make mistakes, not be presented with all of the facts, or have thoughts/opinions/details that they are blind to. As a good leader and team member ourselves, I see it as our responsibility to provide senior leaders with all perspectives, as accurately as we can provide, to make informed decisions.

In this sense, I believe:

We can change a leaders point of view by being the leader we wish we had.

Looking to change the point of view of your leader? Or are you looking to be more amenable to other people seeking to share their opinion to change yours? It’s time to consider one of Developing Leaders Leadership Workshops, as well as complete the Velocity Leadership CheckPoint – our signature leadership assessment tool.

‘Spend more time working on the business, and less time working in the business’ they say. If you have been a leader in business for any length of time, you will have been given this advice. The premise is that to be successful, you can’t spend all of your time doing the day to day tasks (that others can do), and spend more time focussing on the things that only you can do, as well as looking beyond day-to-day and into the future.

While this is generally good advice – it needs to be multi-directional. Most people, when told to ‘spend more time on the business’, look outward – to strategy, to team, to customer service, to innovation and new product.
If you truly want to work on the business, the first place – and direction – you need to look at is inwards at your own leadership and behaviours. If you truly want to work on the business and not in it, the first place – and direction – you need to look at is inwards at your own leadership and behaviours.

Why Focus On Your Leadership?

Because as the leader, you have an enormous amount of influence over what gets done, how it gets done and when it gets done. Looking outwards can deal with the symptoms of issues, looking inwards can address the cause.
Like it or not, as the leader, you can often be the cause of a problem, or the bottleneck of one.

What Does This Focus Look Like?

It starts with asking yourself a couple of questions – and it can be harder to answer than you might think.

• Have I fully assumed the responsibility of my role in the last 3 months?
• What have I put off that I could have done sooner?
• Who should I have listened to more in the last 3 months (which would have saved me time and effort)?
• Who should I have listened to less in the last 3 months (which would have saved me time and effort)?
• What task or action have I put off or avoided that has an impact on both me and the business?
• What actions and behaviours can I be responsible for?
• What promises will I make to myself and my team for the next 3 months for those actions and behaviours?
• Who will hold me to account for those actions?

If you want to spend more time working on the business and not in it, looking at how you lead and the impact that you have – on yourself and others – is the first (and most difficult) place to start.

Executive Leadership Coaching Can Help You Focus On Your Business

If you see the need for this kind of reflection but don’t know how to have it (or you know yourself well enough to know you SHOULD but you won’t – these are the types of conversations that an effective Executive Coach or Leadership Coach can have with you. Whether it is working side by side with you, in partnership, cheering you on or giving you a little push, a skilled coach can have you working more on the business, less in the business, and with the right leadership behaviours and skills to match.
#executivecoachmelbourne #leadershipcoachmelbourne #executiveleadershipcoach #developingleaders

Should leaders treat others how they would like to be treated themselves? In the realm of leadership, there are plenty of leadership quotes and adages designed to provide guidance on how you should – and shouldn’t lead others. One of those adages is the belief that you should “treat others how you would like to be treated.” This adage, often referred to as ‘the Golden Rule’, suggests that leaders should interact with their team members based on their own preferences and values.

Honestly, to assume that all people want to be treated like we are treated is both naive and lazy thinking, and naïve and lazy leadership. The only guarantee you get with this idea is that your leadership works for you. In other words, a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach fall short of effective leadership.

Great Leaders ‘Treat Others How THEY Want To be Treated’

Instead, leaders should prioritize listening, asking questions, and understanding the individual nature of their team members. To fulfil upon the needs of team members for modern times, perhaps the adage should become ‘treat your staff how THEY would like to be treated’.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that you should individualise every decision and every thought process in your business to cater to every possible need. But it does mean that you should look beyond your own preferences to create a positive company culture.

What are benefits to treating staff how they would like to be treated?

• Acknowledging Diversity: One of the fundamental reasons leaders should move beyond the Golden Rule is the recognition of diversity in the workplace. People come from different backgrounds, cultures, and experiences, and what may be considered respectful or motivating to one person might not resonate with another. We all come with a wealth of experience, beliefs, motives, desires and ambitions – each unique to the individual. By listening and asking questions, leaders can gain insights into the unique perspectives and needs of their team members, creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels valued.
• Tailored Communication: Effective communication is at the heart of leadership. While treating others as you want to be treated assumes that everyone prefers the same communication style, it often neglects the reality that individuals have different communication preferences. Some may prefer direct and concise interactions, while others might appreciate more detailed explanations or regular check-ins. Leaders who ask questions and learn about their team members can adapt their communication to match individual needs, ensuring that messages are well-received and understood. Yes, that does mean that you may have to brief your team in more than one way and more than one occasion! What is better? Communicating more than once (and more than one way) and having your words ‘stick’, or do it once and have it go over people’s heads?
• Motivation and Recognition: People are motivated by different factors and respond to recognition in different ways. While some people thrive on public praise and acknowledgment, others may prefer private recognition or even constructive criticism. By taking the time to understand each team member’s motivational triggers and preferred methods of recognition, leaders can create a more motivating and empowering work environment. ow do you do this How do you do this in the real world? By simply asking questions. Do you prefer praise in public or private? A celebration or a pat on the back? It doesn’t need to be complicated – the effort and the small tailoring you make because of it makes the difference.
• Building Trust and Rapport: Trust is the foundation of any strong team. Leaders who actively engage with their team members, ask questions, and demonstrate a genuine interest in their well-being can build stronger trust and rapport, and do it more quickly than a blanket approach to communication. When team members feel heard and understood, they are more likely to trust their leaders, collaborate effectively, and remain committed to your – and your businesses – goals.
• The Opportunity to Learn and Grow: While ‘the Golden Rule’ offers a simple approach to communication and leadership, ‘treat others how you want to be treated’ falls short in today’s diverse work environment. Effective leaders recognize the importance of listening, asking questions, and understanding the individual nature of their team members. They also benefit from having other views shared and crucially, have the opportunity to CHANGE their views based on new information.

So, leaders, remember: It’s not just about treating others as you would like to be treated; it’s about treating others as THEY want to be treated. One word – and thought – from you can make all of the difference.

Looking to Transform Your Leaders and Treat others How They Want To Be Treated?

Developing Leaders offers a range of Executive Leadership Coaching, Leadership programs and Leadership and Team workshops that can provide you with the practical communication skills to treat others how THEY want to be treated.

Executive Leadership Coaching review after working with our lead facilitator and Executive Leadership Coach, Michael Peiniger