Really enjoyed my conversation with the brilliant Ira Wolfe in episode 24. Here are my Top Takeaways:
In the days when people turned up to work, put their bags at the door, did what they were told, collected their pay cheque and picked up their bag on the way out, self-awareness didn’t really matter. But those days have gone. We’re living in an age where if you don’t treat people well, it’s unlikely you’re going to be in business for very long.
We’re always going to have narcissistic, authoritarian leaders, some with extraordinary skills, but like the Elon Musks and Steve Jobs of the world, many are lacking self-awareness. With our modern-day employment shift and the great resignation, companies that don’t have people focused leadership to drive a people focused culture will find themselves with a recruitment and retention problem.
Power in organisations are rarely held at the top. The influence often sits within the levels well with receptionists, administrators and janitors. If you did a heat map of your organisation, where would the power really sit? Would it sit at the top? Just at the top? Maybe not at the top at all! Followership defines leadership and if individuals can’t relate to others, they can’t build relationships and they will never inspire others to follow them
Social media influencers are people without leader in their title, but in the modern world of digital-reach, people with no leadership training or formal leadership roles can influence thousands of people through their communication styles and ability to foster human connection. Warren Bennis described management as getting other people to do what you want them to do; leaders as getting people to want to do what you wanted them to do. That’s influence
You are a car with four wheels. Your strengths are the 3 tyres and your lesser strength is the fourth tyre with a puncture. If you want to be successful in your role, in what instances are you going to need to rely on and put weight on that lesser strength? Is your tyre inflated enough to get you through, most of the time? Or is is going to leave you stranded in a crisis? Know your strengths and lesser strengths well enough to know what skills you have in your tool box and when you can reply on on that tyre and when you can’t. And when you can’t, know what you’re going to do about it.
The ability to adapt helped many leaders get themselves and their companies through covid. Adapt-ability was underpinned by grit, resilience, mental flexibility, unlearning and growth mindset. All of the elements of adapt-ability need you to know yourself, thereby getting to know others better.