Welcome to this blog about Positive Leadership, Culture, and Positive Change! I am excited to host this month’s Leadership Development Carnival, initiated by Lead Change Group. All these blogging professionals share great wisdom – so please take the time to read their posts below, reflect, and apply what works in your situation. This Leadership Development Carnival is a treasure chase filled with jewels, pearls, and gems that will brighten your work life.
On behalf of The Lead Change Group, thank you to Next Element for sponsoring the Lead Change Group (including this carnival) for October 2016. Learn more about Next Element here.
Reading list for Leaders and all other Learners:
Dana Theus shares How Does Executive Coaching Work?.
Executive coaching is the new state-of-the-art for career development. It’s like having a professional mentor–but much more. Traditionally executive coaching supports very senior leaders, so most of us don’t have much experience with the process. That model is changing.
Follow Dana on Twitter at @DanaTheus.
Mary Schaefer covers Do you know how to get real feedback?.
You have enough on your plate without asking for more. Yet, asking for feedback can reap magical results.
You can find her on Twitter at @MarySchaefer
Art Petty shares A Model for Effective Leadership.
We spend a lot of time and energy writing and reading about effective leadership, yet in many cases, we fail to practice it. In the absence of a unified theory of leadership and performance that we can easily understand and apply to our work, the model for effective leadership is on display and easy to decipher. It comes from those charged with leading in dangerous situations.
Art tweets from @artpetty.
Recommended reading for leaders and other learners Click To Tweet
Randy Conley wrote 5 Common Leadership Behaviors That Crush The Spirit of Employees.
Most leaders have positive intentions, but sometimes they get so focused on their own agendas they don’t realize they are behaving in ways that damage relationships with their team members. Randy Conley shares five common behaviors leaders use that crush the spirits of employees.
You can find him on Twitter @RandyConley.
Wally Bock shares How Flat Can You Go?.
Everyone seems to think that flattening hierarchy is a good idea. Maybe it is, but doing it won’t be easy or quick.
Follow Wally on Twitter: @wallybock.
David Dye covers When You Have to Go Back to Go Forward.
Though leaders can struggle to do it, sometimes the only way to make progress is to go back. Through a recent experience of being lost in the wilderness David shares practical ways to help you go back to go forward.
He tweets from: @davidmdye.
Jim Taggart wrote 21st Century Civilian Conservation Corps: A Leadership Call to Action.
Sometimes a great idea is staring you in the face. Such an idea may have been introduced many years ago to phenomenal acclaim. Then time went on, and people forgot about it. But it doesn’t have to be that way, nor should it. Great ideas can be rejuvenated, refurnished or overhauled. This is the job of leadership.
Beth Beutler shares Big, or Solid? What’s the Best Type of Platform?.
Beth Beutler considers whether it’s always best to build as big a platform as you can.
Follow her on Twitter: @bethbeutler.
Joel Garfinkel writes about How To Be A Great Mentor: 5 Traits to Cultivate Now.
Are you about to become a mentor? Or are you already a mentor and need some new ideas to motivate your mentees? Learn how to be a great mentor by following these 5 traits.
He’s on Twitter at: @JoelGarfinkle.
Anne Perschel covers: Be a Gracious Leader to be a More Effective Leader.
Gracious leader is not a term we use, or hear, often. Instead, we associate words such as strong, assertive, and determined with leadership. However, the gracious leader is among those we admire most, and for good reasons.
She tweets from: @bizshrink.
Mary Jo Asmus shares If you want to change the world, work on being happy.
Your impact as a leader is dependent on what’s inside of you. It makes sense that being happy could help you to become the great leader you are meant to be. This post makes some suggestions for leaders to increase their HQ (happiness quotient).
She’s on Twitter at: @mjasmus.
Susan Mazza writes 3 Keys to Ensuring You Make A Difference In Speaking Up.
Just because you speak up doesn’t mean you’ll be heard. But it is your responsibility to ensure that the message you intend to communicate is received. Here are 3 keys to ensure you’re not only heard, but also make the difference you intend to make.
Follow her on Twitter: @susanmazza.
Recommended reading for leaders and other learners Click To Tweet
Jesse Lyn Stoner shares Accuracy on the Internet: The Price of Freedom is Personal Responsibility.
In the past, our information was curated for us. Now with open access through the Internet, this has all changed. You can no longer depend on other sources to determine the quality or accuracy of what you find. It is human nature to fall prey to “confirmation bias” – the tendency to interpret new information to confirm what we already believe. This post contains tips and resources to help determine the validity of what you find. It takes more time to do this, but taking personal responsibility is the price we must pay for the freedom of direct access to information.
She tweets from: @JesseLynStoner.
Paula Kiger writes Heeding the Lessons of Hermine.
Natural disasters pose tremendous challenges for leaders. When Hurricane Hermine hit Tallahassee, social media factored strongly in helping leaders inform while simultaneously fielding complaints. A look at how that all played out, as well as the critical role a debrief will play in handling future disasters better.
Follow her on Twitter: @biggreenpen.
Julie Winkle Giuliani writes about Attenuating Attrition: How Leaders can Create a Sticky Situation.
Too many leaders focus exclusively on compensation, benefits and promotions — forgetting that there are many other ways to encourage (and keep) employees.
She tweets from: @julie_wg
John Hunter shares Lead by Building Organizational Capability.
Prove yourself to be valuable and you will gain influence. Help people solve their problems and they will be inclined to listen to your ideas.
Follow him on Twitter: @curiouscat_com.
Dan McCarthy publishes Leadership Growth Starts with Courageous Communication.
To tell or not to tell? That’s always been the million dollar question when it comes to how to communicate to “high potential” succession planning candidates. Matt Pease from DDI offers some good suggestions on how to handle these delicate conversations.
He tweets from: @greatleadership.
Karin Hurt writes about What’s Really Killing Morale and Employee Engagement.
Karin Hurt shares that what’s killing morale may be something different than you think.
Follow her on Twitter: @letsgrowleaders.
Eileen McDargh covers The Power of Positive Deviants – A Resiliency Resource.
“Deviants.” It’s a word that brings up images of wild-eyed folks who defy social norms; people who inhabit the lower reaches of the socio-economic scale; misfits and outcasts. Stop! What makes this word essential in a world of challenge and change is that single adjective: “positive”.
Follow her on Twitter: @macdarling.
Shelley Row shares Know Your Red Flag Feelings, and Don’t React!.
Shelley Row reminds us of those times when our “hot button” is pushed, and ways to handle those situations more calmly.
Follow her on Twitter: @shelleyrow.
Chris Edmonds writes about Culture Leadership Charge: Great Bosses Aren’t Bossy.
Chris Edmonds gives a charge to leaders to model authentic care—and two other things.
He tweets from: @scedmonds.
Neal Burgis shares Great Leaders Ask Great Questions.
Asking great empowering questions helps you with greater understanding. By asking the right questions, you are able to challenge beliefs and assumptions to yield greater results. Getting your employees to ask the right questions, moves them closer to accomplishing them goals.
Follow him on Twitter: @exec_solutions.
Recommended reading for leaders and other learners Click To Tweet
Mary Ila Ward offers How Millennials Like to Work and Run.
Mary Ila shares a real life experience of training for a marathon while explaining how millennials don’t want to sacrifice other parts of their lives or segregate them for work. Work isn’t and shouldn’t be stand-alone activity and running isn’t either. It’s a a way to incorporate and integrate. Mary Ila also provides some ideas for creating an integrated culture in the work place to help spark not only millennials’ engagement, but also the entire workforce.
Follow her on Twitter: @MaryIlaWard.
Robyn McLeod writes The Wells Fargo case shows why it’s imperative to ask the right questions.
Robyn McLeod of Thoughtful Leaders Blog presents The Wells Fargo case shows why it’s imperative to ask the right questions where she shares why taking time to ask the right questions can help you discover where you may be setting up your people to fail.
Here she is on Twitter: @ThoughtfulLdrs.
Miki Saxon shares Golden Oldies: Ducks In A Row: Do You Have People Or Persons?.
No matter employees are called, talent, resources, team or people, they are, in fact, individuals; each with different skills, goals and passions — and need to be managed as such.
Tweets from: @OptionSanity.
Jon Mertz writes Minimalists: Essential Shift for Next Generation Leaders.
Leadership minimalism eliminates the clutter and clarifies purpose. Are you ready to ignite a leadership shift?
He tweets from: @ThinDifference.
David Grossman covers The Top 6 Questions Leaders Have About Communication.
David states, “I talk to a lot of leaders who say they want to communicate effectively, but they’re not sure how to. They have questions about how to overcome communication challenges, how to share tough news with employees, and how to measure the effectiveness of their communication. I thought I’d answer the top six questions I get from leaders about communication.”
Follow him on Twitter: @ThoughtPartner.
Willy Steiner writes about The Benefits of Being a Gracious Leader.
We describe what graciousness really means and how it can often take experience to develop it in a leader. It creates real advantages to stay calm in the midst of the craziness that is modern corporate life. There are also some reasons your work environment can take you off a gracious course.
He’s on Twitter at: @coachesforexecs.
Recommended reading for leaders and other learners Click To Tweet
Tanveer Naseer publishes Do Your Organization’s Values Reflect What It Stands For?.
The recent scandal at Wells Fargo provides a unique backdrop to discuss the role organizational values should be playing in today’s leadership.
Follow him on Twitter: @TanveerNaseer.
Paul LaRue covers When Incentives Kill Culture.
Many companies bonus and performance structures create an adverse culture, such as in the case of the Wells Fargo scandal. Here are some ways to safeguard against a poor incentive culture.
He tweets from: @paul_larue.
Marcella Bremer shares South African Positive Power.
What Marcella Bremer took home from South-Africa, is the power of positive thinking. I’ve seen so much resilience, entrepreneurship, and faith. Many are taught “to look forward and look up” and that’s a feature of Positive Leadership. How do you help yourself to think positive?
Follow her on Twitter: @MarcellaBremer.