Welcome to my blog
…where the focus is to explore what I believe is the real game of leadership – relationship! Over the past 6 years of coaching association executives (and the 15 years of being one before) that I have come to see that the area that causes the greatest satisfaction and the greatest angst is the realm of relationships – summed up in my liberal adaptation of a quote I saw a few years ago: 90% of the success in the workplace is dependent on the ability to build and maintain relationships.
As a leadership and career strategy coach, I work with leaders to develop a deeper understanding about themselves so that they be more effective in working with others.
Maryann Williamson put it very well when she wrote:
“Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate, but that we are powerful beyond measure.” And then went on to say “And, as we let our own light shine, we consciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”
Shining the light on our strengths – acknowledging the fear and moving on! It is paying attention to our own human-ness that gives us a leaders our greatest power for the very reasons described in these lines.
My promise
is to introduce you to some ideas that will cause you to look at things from a different perspective and to explore practices that will radically impact your ability to build and maintain relationships, especially in these times of great opportunity and challenge! In The Three Laws of Performance, a book recently written by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan, the authors propose that “100% of leadership happens through conversations that pull people into the game, not through sitting back and creating visions that need to be sold.” And people have to be able to hear these conversations as opportunities to get into the game. And when they don’t, the challenge to transform performance in relation to the changing economic and social environment will fail!
I have witnessed people in leadership positions thwarted in their vision for a forward thinking organization by butting heads with the board chair when they were both passionate about doing the best job they could for the association. And I have seen the ways in which difficult conversations go unspoken for fear of not being liked. Or how a blind spot can sabotage the best of executives and take them down a path which doesn’t match their expectations. And I have seen senior staff members disempowered and unwilling to exercise leadership for fear of getting their wrists slapped one more time by someone who was stuck with a particular view of their role as CEO.
I always ask my coaching clients to stay curious, to be open to the spirit of adventure so that will be the request around my blog as well. We are entering into a unexplored territory where we need experienced leaders with the vision to see what is coming and at the same time the courage and invite the next generation of leaders into the game of creating extraordinary organizations through extraordinary leadership. I invite you into the conversation so together we can shed light on creating a game of leadership in which everyone wins! And since I am new to blogging, and will no doubt make mistakes along the way – I ask you to be understanding and contribute in way that will add value for yourself and others!
Let your game of leadership be the most satisfying and exciting game you play – in your association, in your business community and in your life!
Tags: conversations, effective leadership, game of leadership, relationships, self-awareness, transforming performance, workplace success
