If you’re like most people, you’ve probably heard the term “leadership development” thrown around quite a bit. But what does it really mean, and why should you even care about it? Well, let me break it down for you.
At its core, leadership development is all about helping individuals become better leaders. It’s a process that focuses on enhancing the skills, abilities, and mindset required to effectively lead and inspire others. And trust me, it matters a lot – whether you’re the CEO of a Fortune 500 company, a team lead at a startup, or even a parent trying to guide your kids.
You see, great leaders aren’t just born; they’re made. Through a combination of training, mentorship, and real-world experience, anyone can learn to become a more effective leader. And that’s where leadership development comes in.
There are various ways to go about leadership development, with countless courses, workshops, and coaching programs available to help you level up your leadership game. These programs often cover topics like communication, decision-making, emotional intelligence, and conflict resolution – all essential skills for successful leaders.
But don’t just take my word for it; there’s a ton of research showing that investing in leadership development can lead to increased productivity, higher employee engagement, and even better financial performance for organizations. So, it’s not just about personal growth – it’s also a smart business move.
In a nutshell, leadership development is all about becoming the best leader you can be. Whether you’re a seasoned executive looking to hone your skills or an aspiring leader eager to make a mark, there’s always room for growth and improvement. After all, the world needs more great leaders, and it’s never too late to start your journey.
So, what are you waiting for? Dive into the world of leadership development, and unlock your full potential as a leader. Your team, your organization, and even your personal life will thank you for it!
Horses for leaders or equine-assisted learning for leadership is a form of experiential learning that involves working with horses to develop a range of leadership skills. Equine-assisted learning can help leaders in so many ways.
Communication
When you are a leader you need to be able to influence others and how and what you communicate matters. When you are leader you need to be able to show up and show people you care. So your communication is essential. Horses can show you how to develop your non-verbal communication. Horses are highly attuned to non-verbal communication, which means that they can pick up on even subtle cues from you. This makes them excellent partners for developing skills in non-verbal communication, such as body language and emotional regulation. This is a skill you cannot learn without practice and practical experience.
Trust and Respect
Trust and respect are the key ingredients in any relationship. Even in a team. Because horses are social animals they rely on trust and respect to function effectively in a herd. They show you in real-time effective ways to develop trust and respect. If you are authentic in your dealings with them they will show you trust and respect. Developing a trusting and respectful relationship with a horse can help leaders understand the importance of building similar relationships with their team members.
Emotional Intelligence
Because horses are sensitive and highly attuned to emotions they can show us how to be emotionally intelligent. They can help leaders develop emotional intelligence by providing immediate feedback on how their emotions are affecting their interactions with the horse. Horses will react to your emotions and allow you the opportunity to practice your calm-assertive leadership skills that can influence others.
Problem-Solving
The core principals of equine-assisted learning are problem-solving. Working with horses can present a range of challenges that require creative problem-solving skills. Leaders who participate in equine-assisted learning can develop their ability to think outside the box and find innovative solutions to complex problems.
Overall, equine-assisted learning can be a powerful tool for leaders because it provides a unique and immersive learning experience that can help them develop a range of important skills in a relatively short amount of time.
As a CEO, managing people is undoubtedly one of the toughest parts of the job. You might have a brilliant business idea, excellent strategy, and a great team to work with, but managing diverse personalities, skill sets, and expectations can be a daunting task. Whether you’re leading a small startup or a large corporation, managing people effectively is key to achieving your goals and staying ahead of the competition.
People are messy and life is messy but as a CEO you are required to create order, structure, and process. Managing people is the hardest part of being a CEO so what you can do to overcome these challenges?
People are complex
Managing people is not like managing a machine or a process. People are complex beings with emotions, desires, and unique personalities. They have different motivators, communication styles, and work preferences. As a CEO, you need to understand your employees’ strengths, weaknesses, and personality traits to effectively manage and motivate them. This requires a lot of time, effort, and patience.
Managing expectations
When you’re in a leadership position, everyone looks up to you for guidance and direction. Your employees have high expectations of you, and it’s your responsibility to meet or exceed those expectations. This means setting clear goals, communicating effectively, and providing regular feedback. You need to ensure that everyone is aligned with the company’s vision, mission, and values. Managing expectations is challenging, especially when you have to balance conflicting demands from different stakeholders.
Dealing with conflicts
Conflicts are inevitable in any workplace, and as a CEO, you need to be prepared to handle them effectively. Conflict resolution requires emotional intelligence, empathy, and active listening skills. You need to be able to identify the root cause of the conflict and find a mutually beneficial solution. This can be particularly challenging when dealing with difficult personalities or high-stress situations.
Building a strong culture
Culture is the backbone of any successful organization. As a CEO, you need to create a positive work environment where people feel valued, respected, and motivated. This means fostering a sense of belonging, encouraging open communication, and recognizing and rewarding high performers. Building a strong culture takes time and effort, and it requires a continuous focus on employee engagement and satisfaction.
So, what can you do to overcome these challenges?
Firstly, invest in your employees’ personal and professional development. Provide them with the resources, training, and support they need to succeed. Secondly, communicate regularly and transparently. Keep your employees informed about the company’s performance, goals, and challenges. Thirdly, lead by example. Model the behavior and attitudes you want to see in your employees. Finally, create a culture of trust and psychological safety. Encourage your employees to share their ideas, concerns, and feedback without fear of retribution.
In conclusion, managing people is one of the hardest parts of being a CEO, but it’s also one of the most rewarding. By understanding the complexities of human behavior, managing expectations, dealing with conflicts, and building a strong culture, you can create a thriving workplace that drives business success. Remember, your employees are your most valuable asset, and investing in their growth and development will pay dividends in the long run.
The impacts of excessive stress affect your ability to lead and also your team’s performance. As a leader, it’s natural to experience a certain level of stress when managing a team. However, there’s a fine line between healthy stress and stressful leadership. When leaders become excessively stressed and create a culture of stress within their team, it can negatively impact the team’s performance and productivity.
Everyone at some point has worked under a manager who handles stress poorly. They respond by “kicking the cat”. The “kicking the cat” analogy refers to the effect of emotional contagion. Anger and anxiety pass from senior management to subordinates, from the powerful to the weak, and eventually to the bottom, the most vulnerable, who have no place to vent their anger and who then become the ultimate victims.
The impact of stressful leadership on team performance can be felt in so many different ways but none of them are helpful.
High-stress levels among leaders can lead to several negative consequences for their team members not just emotional contagion and mental health concerns but reduce the capacity and capability of the team. Below are a few ways in which stressful leadership might impact team performance:
Reduced Productivity
Leaders who constantly exhibit stressful behaviors may cause their team members to lose trust in their abilities. This lack of trust can then lead to reduced productivity and reduced morale. When you are in these team environments you see symptoms like the blame game, gossiping, and presenteeism. Without faith or confidence in leadership, staff will be unable to perform at their best. If the leadership is not demonstrating confidence in the vision and decisions staff themselves become unsure. Staff really struggle to be their best if they feel that leaders themselves are struggling to perform.
Decreased Creativity
Teams that operate under high-stress environments may not be as receptive to new ideas and may lack creativity. Stressful leaders may inadvertently stifle creativity by not allowing their team members to think outside the box.
Higher Turnover
Stressful work environments may eventually cause some team members to become burned out. This would ultimately lead to them leaving the team and even the company. High turnover can lead to lost revenue, decreased productivity, and increased employee recruitment costs. Even staff who stay in this environment generally won’t be the high performers. It is the staff who can fly under the radar and simply turn up.
Tips for Reducing Stressful Leadership
It’s important to recognize the signs of stressful leadership and work to reduce it. Here are a few tips for reducing stressful environments for your team:
Create transparency
Leaders should be transparent about the effects their actions might cause on their team. Open communication helps to create a positive work environment. Owning mistakes and using this space to create learning moments can not only create transparency but also provide ways to relieve some stressful moments.
Encourage team bonding
Encourage your team to bond and create connections through events and team-building activities. Fun can relieve stress and shared stories. Connection and trust are essential ingredients for high-performing teams. Team bonding is more than just one event it is essential that this is a learned skill and one that is continued to enhance culture.
Support autonomy and creativity
Giving team members the autonomy to make their decisions can increase creativity and lead to greater productivity. True leadership is about empowering staff to work independently and allowing them opportunities to make their own decisions and mistakes.
Celebrate the team’s work
Recognizing and celebrating the team’s accomplishments can create a positive work environment and increase team morale.
In conclusion, it’s necessary for leaders to be mindful of how their leadership styles can influence their entire team’s dynamics. Creating an environment that is less stressful and more open can help increase the team’s performance and productivity.
Sitting with colleagues I have heard it so many times. It’s a common saying among CEOs “it’s lonely at the top.” But why? This really got me thinking. From the outside looking in a CEO has it made, the great car, house, amazing job, meeting incredible people, great salary and everyone looks up to them, and they are celebrated.
As it turns out that the vast majority of CEOs feel isolated and alone in their role. According to the Harvard Business Review, over half of CEOs express feelings of loneliness, 61% of which believe loneliness hinders their job performance. There are a few reasons for this. Firstly, as the CEO you are ultimately responsible for everything that happens. This is a lot of pressure, and it’s easy to feel like you’re the only one who can solve the problem or the only one who cares about the organisation and the livelihoods of those who work for you. The position at the top is a 24/7 job, there is no off. The number of times I tried to take a holiday only for a media issue or a confidential legal matter to arise. I could almost guarantee on the first or second day of my leave would be the dreaded phone call.
There is pressure to be on and to perform all the time and now there is a blurring with social media channels and your personal life is also your professional life. So you feel like you are constantly under pressure to perform at the highest level and maintain your position. And heaven forbid if you make a mistake, it’s often magnified because you’re in the spotlight. There is no room for error or to be human at the top.
I know that while you have worked incredibly hard to get where you are, so why is it then, it’s also likely that you feel incredibly lonely at the top. No one truly understands this unique position unless you have been at the top.
Why CEO Loneliness Matters
Loneliness costs Australia an estimated $2.7bn each year due to adverse health outcomes and has worsened throughout the Covid pandemic, according to a new report measuring social connectedness. Loneliness can make you physically sick. I am sure if you think hard enough you will know of a CEO whose job made them unwell. For some of them, it was simply loneliness. How many of them had a position at the top and then you saw their health decline or saw how the position aged them? There is a lot of evidence that loneliness is a significant health concern but also it affects our ability to make good decisions. Social isolation and loneliness affect mental health, behaviours, sleep patterns, physical health and our ability to deal with stress. So why are our boards and CEOs not talking about this topic? Why is not just part of the CEO’s salary to have the support that they need to do their job well? There is a feeling of shame about feeling lonely.
If we want thriving organisations, looking after and supporting CEOs to perform at their peak, should be a priority. In reality, we expect CEOs to be strong and resilient and we want them to be able to cope with significant amounts of pressure. It’s not fair or reasonable to expect those around the CEOs like our boards and management to be that support as they don’t really want to have a conversation about their vulnerabilities and that they are feeling lonely.
Yes CEOs Are Resilient
They got to the top because they are emotionally resilient and often able to play their cards close to their chest. CEOs can often handle stress better and for longer, meaning we have a tendency to bend under pressure rather than break. And then we bounce back. This is why people in senior leadership roles managed to be a CEO in the first place. However, the research is clear that they are feeling lonely and this has a significant impact on their health and their ability to perform at their peak. CEOs need a constant deep well of resilience and ongoing ability to cope. Issues that come to the CEO are often too complex or difficult for anyone else in the organisation to solve. So these decisions have consequences. Yes, CEOs have resilience but they are also human too.
The Perks
There are many perks to being the CEO as some of them are just simply heady. The salary, the title, the ability to make decisions and to be recognised for them, to really make a difference and to build something. You have access to information and to people. The position allows those around you to look up to you because of the important role you hold. There are many reasons that CEOs work as hard as they do for the recognition and the power that comes with the position. It is important to understand that there is another side to this and it comes with a price.
CEOs Need a Support System
If I have learned anything from COVID it is that social connections matter. Our relationships matter whether it’s family or friends they are all critical to our ability to cope and succeed.
As a CEO, it can be easy to think we’re supposed to be able to do everything ourselves, but the truth is, no one can. And the sooner we can tap into a broad support system, the sooner we reduce the sense of isolation and loneliness. Not one person needs to be everything to you in your support network for example your romantic partner shouldn’t be your only support. But you need people around you that can be trusted.
Suggestions
Your board of directors and the chairperson should provide you with opportunities to debrief and to understand what is keeping you awake at night
Your management team should also be a team to support you
Your romantic partner probably knows you better than anyone else
A close friend and or family know you outside of work
A coach, mentor or paid professional to support you personally
A mental health professional to help you deal with the stress
CEO Network or group
This is not an exhaustive list but you need a team around you to support you when you need it. I personally found having a CEO network, (2020 exchange) of like minded people incredibly valuable. We were in different industries but often faced similar issues. There was no judgement and ability to share and learn from each other.
It is important that you use different people in your support network for different things. My close friends and family are for my silly moments and letting loose, lets be honest not everyone needs to see that. What ever you use your support network for it is essential for your wellbeing, happiness and success. Being at the top comes with a lot of advantages but it also comes with some unique challenges.
Get connected and dont be afraid to admit your lonely at the top because you are not alone.
