Focus on These Three Areas to Accelerate Your Leadership Impact

Do you leave people better off than you found them?

Are you aware of the experience of YOU and the impact your presence has on others?

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? If not, the time to begin is NOW. Visualize how different your interactions, connections, and outcomes would be if your goal for every interaction were to be simply, “I want to leave people better off than I found them.”

Challenge yourself and examine your behavior through three lenses: Lead, Love, and Listen. Incorporate some small, simple steps into your relationships and experience the impact it will have on your life and those around you.

Lead

“We don’t see things the way they are. We see things as we are.”

-Anais Nin

This word often conjures up outward focused images. Please reframe. Go inward first. Know that the first person you lead is YOU; leadership is an inside job. You have an impact on those around you for better or worse; you want it to be for better, right?

Be courageous, begin the journey, and commit to know yourself more deeply. The essence of real leadership always begins with self-awareness. Your inner game impacts your outer game.

When you display the courage needed to look in the mirror and “Know Thyself”, you understand and appreciate yourself, you begin to appreciate others’ and as a result, connect more deeply. This discovery begins the journey of better relationships, which builds trust and improves outcomes. A win/win for everyone! Not only do connections improve, but so does the rate of return for your company, as identified in this study by Korn Ferry.

What can you do to improve your self-awareness and impact?

A tool I recommend for you to gain insight on your self-discovery journey is the Johari Window. This exercise will help you uncover your perceptions of self and engage the perspectives of others. Becoming more aware of the impact you have on others, enables you to see situations more clearly and gain insight on ways to engage others more effectively. Download the Johari Window tool, put it to practice and experience new insights and outcomes.

Your legacy is created moment by moment, in the here and now; in how you are experienced and talked about. This is too important to leave to chance. Take conscious, purposeful action today. Legacy is not just for the rich and famous; you create yours every day.

“Today, I shall behave as if this is the day I will be remembered.”

- Dr. Seuss

Love

People want to feel seen, valued and heard!

What’s love got to do with it? A LOT! In a longitudinal study done by Sigal Barsade & Olivia A. O’Neill, they found that organizations whose environments contain warmth and caring perform better, BOTTOM LINE! When employees work in a caring culture, they experience higher satisfaction, increased collaboration and teamwork, less burnout, lower absenteeism, higher productivity, and more.

Human beings strive to find meaning in their day-to-day life. In fact, your brain is wired for connection; it is what keeps you alive and makes you human. Much of your life is spent at work so it seems like a no brainer that love, caring and warmth in your work environment matters a great deal. To human beings, love and a sense of belonging is as critical as the air you breathe.

What can you do to create a more nurturing, supportive, and caring environment in the workplace?

Value the human beings in your work environment. Get to know them for who they are; not just the roles they perform. Leaders who take time to know their employees are well-positioned to get their best effort. A person who feels appreciated will always do more than expected! Also, let your guard down and let them get to know you better, too.
Your mood creates the blueprint for your group. People decide what they think of you before they decide what to think about your message. A warm smile, a kind note, a sympathetic ear creates and maintains strong culture of companionate love. Little things make a big difference. Show warmth and empathy.
Perform random acts of kindness – be other-aware. If your teammate is working hard on a deadline, see if they need anything (water, soda, lunch, etc.). If you are not in the same environment, send them an e-gift card to buy coffee, lunch, treat, etc.
To guide your discussions and deepen your relationships, utilize this Connection Exercise.

Listen

“Seek First to Understand; then to be Understood”

- Stephen Covey

What is one thing that you have that is unique from all others? Your perceptions and perspectives; the lens through which you make meaning, process information, and interpret the world around you. Visualize this like a road map. Because you are different from me, your road map and my road map are unique, formed by our beliefs, values, and experiences, etc. Your view of the world is influenced based upon your personal road map.

To expand your knowledge, broaden your view and gain insight into how others see life, perspective-taking is critical. “You don’t know what you don’t know,” and that is limiting! When you make a conscious choice to put your map to the side, decide to see the world through someone else’s lens you will build rapport, get in sync with others, and your world will expand.

Be curious, open, and challenge your views on a regular basis. To communicate with others more effectively, you first need to understand what they might be going through, thinking, or feeling. How do you do this? Active perspective taking.

How do you engage in active perspective taking?

First, know, appreciate, and understand your own view on life and how it was formed (perception). For you to respect, appreciate and grasp others’ views, it is helpful that you understand the depth and height you’ve traveled to reach your current viewpoint. A deeper understanding of you helps you be less likely to judge another for how they see the world … no matter how different is from what you see.
Second, allow the other person to lead. Remember Stephen Covey’s quote, “Seek first to understand; then to be understood.” Before seeking to have your perspective understood, lean in, and seek to understand the perspective of the other person.
Third, be 100% Present. To TRULY grasp the perspective of another, requires you to be fully present when you are with someone, whether personally or professionally. Offer your undivided attention. Make the moment about them. Listen. Respect. Be curious about them and what they are saying.

Focusing on these three areas: Lead, Love and Listen, will help you gain the trust of those around you and create an environment in which all will thrive. This quote from Simon Sinek exemplifies this in a nutshell,