Leadership Memo 2022-3
Last time, I used the newly developed (and still developing) event in Europe as a case study for 21st century leadership (vs. 20th century). We also discussed how we can find these 21st century leaders. If you miss it, you may want to read it here.
Today, let’s talk about great leaders. First and foremost, great leaders don’t forget that we are all human first. They hold respect for humanity, cherish humans as precious, and bring together the strengths of our diversity. Great leaders don’t require, instead they inspire. They inspire a dream of a better future and they bring others along to achieve that dream. Great leaders earn respect; they never command it. Great leaders don’t focus solely on their growth; they grow with and alongside their people. Great leaders aren’t self-serving; they are selfless. Great leaders don’t just tell; they ask and inquire. Great leaders don’t set limits on their team’s potential; they empower them to learn, grow, and achieve. Great leaders don’t pursue success alone; they find success together. Great leaders don’t focus merely on the actions that will serve them alone; they instill the power of change in the lives of all. Great leaders lead with intention, from the heart, and align their actions with their purpose. Last but not the least, great leaders don’t just dream big; they persevere to make it happen.
Let me summarize. Vision, integrity, articulation, courage, and a thick skin are the basic requirements for leadership. Whether in government, business, education, or the home, these five traits form the foundation of successful leadership. These qualities do not come through osmosis but through disciplined study and practice, often marked by failure. However, the greatest leaders are not deterred by hardship and failure. Theirs is a high calling with deep responsibility.
So, sharpen your vision for the future, strengthen your integrity and find new sources of courage. Be intentional in your actions and work towards achieving the dream of making today a great day for all.
Latest happenings:
1. I gave two talks at the Agile Nigeria Conference last week. Such a warm community. It was fun and I was on a billboard!
2. I’ll be giving two other talks in the upcoming Business Agility Conference (March 23-34). First one focuses on the need to bring humanity back to our workplace and management. The second talk discusses how to create more inclusive spaces at work. Join me and buy tickets here.
3. I have 2 upcoming workshops:
a) “Free your performance review process” (April) – This 4-week hands-on intensive workshop is a deep dive on the performance management system. This course is for you if you’re HR, People Operations, managers or any leaders who want to change from managing performance to enabling performance. This course is for you even if you’re not in the position to change your company’s performance management process. You will walk away with your own practical ways to help the organization transition to better performance conversations that matter. Register now and take advantage of the early bird price!
b) “Lead high performing teams boldly and courageously with psychological safety” (May-June) – As a leader, your role is to create the optimal team climate so your staff can optimize performance and innovation. Without psychological safety, you leave performance on the table and you run the risk of losing key employees. This is part of the Courageous Women Leadership Series. We help you develop and hone this critical skill. We also help you navigate the unique challenges that female leaders face in the traditional management hierarchy. You have a choice of watching the videos of key concepts only, or join the 6-week cohort where we apply the concepts to your environment. Tickets are now on sale. Register now and enjoy the early bird price!
4. “Our Agile Tales” podcast, episode 10 of Agile @ Tesla is out! We continue our discussion with Joe Justice, chatting about Elon Musk’s drive to innovate quickly, resulting in tangible organizational agility at Tesla. We’re covering everything about agility. So far, we’ve discussed HR (episodes 1-2), Finance (episodes 3-4), Management (episode 5), Planning & Measurement (episode 6) and product development: hardware, software, suppliers, government (episodes 7-9). This time, we focus on “Agile”. Take a listen and let me know what you think.
