Atomic HabitsI'm reading Atomic Habits by James Clear, which focuses on how to change habits incrementally. Clear describes a habit as "a behavior that's been repeated enough times that it becomes automatic. It is a mental shortcut that you learn from experience." I also like Jason Hreha's definition. He says, "Habits are, simply, reliable solutions to recurring problems in our environment." When you think about habits this way, they can be beneficial, because they free up mental space and brainpower for more important tasks. But, here's the kicker. To change a habit that is not so beneficial, you have to first change who you are on the inside. For example, if your default leadership style is to fix every problem instead of teaching your team how to, you're going to find yourself saddled with non-essential work. To change this habit, you have to decide to be a "delegator" and then transfer some responsibilities to your team. Long-term, you get more free time to work on other tasks, and your team gains new skills and learns to be self-sufficient, which creates a win-win for everyone. Clear says, "Outcomes are about what you get. Processes are about what you do. Identity is about what you believe." To me, that says, to change the results you are "getting," you must change what you "believe" and improve what you "do." Click HERE to buy the book. Strategic Leadership ChallengesStrategic leaders make decisions that not only meet current demands but also position the organization for the future. They focus on many areas of the business instead of just one. This type of leadership means the challenges strategic leaders face are different from other leaders. In "How to Overcome Strategic Leadership Challenges," we learn the value of being a strategic leader and three things you can do to manage any challenge. They include:
https://www.ccl.org/blog/strategic-leadership-overcome-challenges/ Dealing With Performance Issues"At some point in your leadership journey, you'll most probably need to deal with performance issues in your team. Performance issues can be stressful for both leaders and team members, but they are a natural part of work life." And like most things, the question isn't if performance problems will happen, but what to do when they do. In an article by Ben Brearley, he talks about:
https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/performance-issues/ Leadership LessonsThese days I think a lot about people that I've met over the years and lessons that I've learned from them. In the early part of my career, I worked in logistics. I was straight out of college, bright-eyed, bushy-tailed, and ready for the world. That world turned out to be trial by fire. One of my managers told me, "We are bridge builders. You have to figure it out yourself." I remember thinking, "What the @#! I'm a new manager. I don't know what I'm doing. I need help!" I never got that help, and I failed miserably in the beginning. What I learned from that experience is how to be resourceful and make decisions. Even though they weren't always the best decisions back then. The other lesson I learned is what great leaders do differently. Great leaders:
I saw this Email Like a Boss infographic by Dani Donovan on LinkedIn and thought it was just incredible, so I wanted to share it. It includes a list of statements that we sometimes want to say in emails, but shouldn't, along with more diplomatic replies. Here is an example:
Until next time... Comments are closed.
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AuthorLatarsha Horne is an ICF Credentialed Coach who helps new and emerging leaders feel more confident, decisive and empowered to take charge and do their jobs. Her coaching style is energy-action based, open-minded, and straight-forward. If you want to be challenged and grow, she's the coach for you. Archives
January 2021
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