August 2021 Leadership Development Carnival

Welcome to the August 2021 Leadership Development Carnival! We’re excited to share posts from leadership experts from around the globe on the topics of communication, development, engagement, motivation, productivity, team building, and more.

Communication

Marcia Reynolds of Covisioning Transformational Leadership provided 3 Steps to Achieving Inner Stillness. Marcia shares: "Achieving inner stillness is getting comfortable with the beautiful emptiness of not knowing. Practice these steps to improve your coaching, leadership, and parenting." Connect with Marcia on Twitter at @marciareynolds.

Liz Weber of Weber Business Services provided Piloting Change Communication. Liz writes: "Are you anticipating organizational change? Are you planning how to effectively navigate it now? Here's how change communication can drive your success or failure." Connect with Liz on Twitter at @lizwebercmc.

Steve DiGioia contributed These 10 Phrases Will Make Someone’s Day Better. Steve writes: "Most everyone we come across has their own issues that lurk under their sometimes-false façade. They deal with anxiety and health issues that weigh heavily, financial and personal matters that keep them up at night, and a host of other problems that make their day more stressful than needed. I say we should do our part to lessen the burdens carried by our fellow man. It’s not that difficult to do. Here’s how to do it." Find Steve on Twitter at @stevedigioia.

Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group shared The Secret to Ending an Argument. Lisa shares: "We often think that others should make the first move towards not fighting, but it only takes one to stop a quarrel, and while it takes a great deal of fortitude to be that one, it is often our best choice." Connect with Lisa on Twitter at @ThoughtfulLdrs.

Brenda Yoho writes Words Are Real. Brenda explains: “How do words become real? Do we have words added to our language? Who is in charge of our language?” Find Brenda on Twitter at @BrendaYoho.

Diana Peterson-More shared Communication Tips from Dear Old Ma that are Relevant Today: Part One. Diana explains: "Parents are wont to have expressions that are oft-repeated to their offspring and sound quaint, thus unbelievable. In thinking of some of those expressions from my dear old ma, two directed at communication come to mind: First, “if you don’t have something nice to say, don’t say anything at all;” and, “don’t put anything in writing you wouldn’t want to appear on the front page of the LA Times.” One emphasizes verbal communication, while the other written communication. Both are relevant today. This post focuses on the first phrase, saving the second for the future. . . The conundrum for many is how does one square being “nice” with telling the truth?" Find Diana on Twitter at @DianaPMAuthor.

David Grossman of The Grossman Group shared Be Unafraid to Show Your Human Side: 7 Leaders Tell Their Story. David shares: "Leaders have been through an incredible year, marked by profound change and uncertainty with the pandemic and mounting social unrest. I met with many leaders who all share this same takeaway: There’s value in showing your human side. Here’s what they had to say." Follow David on Twitter at @ThoughtPartner.

Team Building

Sean Glaze of Great Results Team Building shared Two Question Activities to Create Connection and Empathy in Your Remote Team Meetings. Sean writes: “If you are sincerely committed to being a great leader today for your team, that is not about telling… and it doesn’t even really require being there in person. Leadership is about inspiring and developing others to accomplish a compelling common goal – and that is most effectively done with QUESTIONS!” Find Sean on Twitter at @leadyourteam.

Randy Conley of Leading with Trust shared I've Led Hybrid Teams for 15 Years - Here's The Truth About What Works. Randy shares: "Many organization's are embracing a hybrid work model as they adjust to the post-pandemic world of work. In I've Led Hybrid Teams for 15 Years - Here's The Truth About What Works, Randy Conley shares his key learnings from leading co-located, remote, and hybrid teams." Connect with Randy on Twitter at @RandyConley.

Eileen McDargh contributed Leading Through Loss. Eileen explains: "How do you lead when you and your team have experienced such profound losses? We took so much for granted and we are just realizing that life and business will never be the same." Connect with Eileen on Twitter at @macdarling.

Development

Marcella Bremer of Positive Culture contributed Leaders and Culture: What’s Your Power Base? Marcella considers: "Being aware of your power and how power alters your and others’ perceptions and responses helps to handle power better. Check out these great tips on formal and personal power at work." Follow Marcella on Twitter at @MarcellaBremer.

Bill Treasurer of Giant Leap Consulting contributed Perfectly Imperfect. Bill explains: "Being perfectly imperfect means being rigorously honest. It means to stop denying or repressing your less-than-perfect parts and to boldly face reality, in all its starkness." Follow Bill on Twitter at @btreasurer.

Joel Garfinkle of the Career Advancement Blog shared 6 of the Most In-Demand Skills for the Future Workplace. Joel summarizes: "The future workplace will require its leaders to have a particular skillset that allows them to be adaptable and effective within a climate of change. Several key competencies will aid in the development of all of those skills." Find Joel on Twitter at @JoelGarfinkle.

Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership provided Are You Improving The Way You Lead? How Do You Know? Wally explains: "To improve at anything, you must have a way to measure progress and improvee performance." Connect with Wally on Twitter at @WallyBock.

Marina Jankovic explains The Beginning Of Personal Transformation. Marina shares: “Every successful change starts in your mind. Without commitment and goals, you'll flop along and get nothing done, but without shifting your mindset you will hardly achieve any sustainable change. Read about 10 mindset principles that can help you gradually develop the part of you that prefers to hide, gently pulling you away from your dreams with elegant excuses and procrastination. ” Connect with Marina on LinkedIn. 

Jillian Miles provided 5 Minute Memo for MOPs. Jillian summarizes: “Are you a MOP? MOPs are Managers of People, and whether you are leaning into long-term remote work or reacclimating to an in-person work environment, here’s a 5-minute memo to help you stay on track.” Follow Jillian on Twitter at @jillian_miles.

Angela Hummel of Angela Hummel Consulting writes New Leaders and Bulls in China Shops. Angela shares: “Self-motivation, inherent organizational challenges, and senior leader expectations all set the stage for leaders who act like “bulls in China shops.” Too many changes made too fast can overwhelm the team and portray the leader as too strong or overbearing. Even worse, coming into a new role and changing everything, might leave the team thinking the new leader does not care, respect, or understand their work.” Follow Angela on Twitter at @AngelaJHummel.

Karin Hurt and David Dye of Let's Grow Leaders provided How Smart Leaders Help a Team Work Better Together: Plan Breakdowns. Karin and David share: "Does your team get derailed by miscommunication, hurt feelings, customer service challenges, or another department’s dropped balls? These common relationship breakdowns don’t surprise effective leaders. On the contrary–smart leaders know it’s not a matter of if they’ll happen, but when. You can prepare and make your team work better together by planning for these breakdowns and turning them into opportunities for growth and connection." Follow them on Twitter at @letsgrowleaders.

Ken Downer of Rapid Start Leadership provided Lost in the Jungle: 5 Questions to Ask Before Launching Your Team. Ken shares: “The call came that a pilot had crashed in the jungle; HQ might need our help getting him out. As this experience with the jungles of Panama soon taught me, we shouldn't launch our teams on any new mission until we have the answers to these five questions… ” Follow Ken on Twitter @RapidStartLdr.

Henry Mukuti of Insakanet contributed The Value of Self-Discipline in Our Lives. Henry writes: “Behind every great achievement life lies self-discipline. We see this in every human endeavour. Be it in the field of sports, business, academics, and any other human venture.” Connect with Henry on Twitter at @HenryMukuti.

S. Chris Edmonds of The Purposeful Culture Group provided Good Comes First: There's No Labor Shortage. There's a Respect Shortage. In this video post, Chris shares: "There is no labor shortage. There’s a respect shortage, and people don’t need to go back to work. Why go back to work if all you’re going to get is disrespect? If you’re going to have to work with a toxic colleague or worse, a toxic boss – the government has set it up now, and eventually those benefits will run out." Follow Chris on Twitter at @scedmonds.

Jon Verbeck provided Preparing to Finish Well Using a Mid-Year Review. Jon writes: “The year is half over, and it’s a great time to schedule a mid-year review to look at your business’s first-half performance, take what you’ve learned, and re-forecast for a strong second half of your year.” Follow Jon on Twitter at @jonverbeck1.

Ken Byler of Higher Ground Consulting Group contributed Making Yourself Promotable. Ken writes: "Many managers are promoted as rewards for sales, production, or technical prowess. Sadly, these criteria don’t indicate how someone will perform as a leader." 

Neal Burgis of Successful Solutions contributed Bringing Out the Innovator in Your Employees. Neal explains: "Bringing about change by using ideas requires leaders to hire people who are willing to use their creative thinking skills to make innovative technology happen. Hiring innovative people who are skilled and talented sometimes needs encouragement to go beyond the obvious to become an innovator." Follow Neal on Twitter at @exec_solutions.

Engagement

Dr. Bill Donahue writes The Hesitant Leader. Bill shares: “Hesitation in leadership is assumed to be a liability. The familiar phrase, "he who hesitates is lost," sums up this point of view. But waiting has its benefits. Hesitation may mean being careful, not fearful.” Find Bill on Twitter @drbilldonahue.

Jon Lokhorst of Lokhorst Consulting shared How to Prevent Turnover When Introducing Your New Normal. Jon explains: “If your future workplace includes a return to the office or a shift to a hybrid environment, the high risk of turnover makes it crucial to get your transition right. Using empathy, clear communication, and careful planning is key to retaining star employees when reopening the office.” Find Jon on Twitter at @jonlokhorst.

Michael Lee Stallard shared To Cope with Labor Shortage, Raise Emotional Compensation. Michael shares: “Is "emotional compensation" the key to attracting and retaining talent in today's tight labor market? Michael Lee Stallard explains why leaders need to be looking beyond traditional financial incentives when it comes to employee engagement.” Follow Michael on Twitter @michaelstallard.

Amy Giddon of Daily Haloha explains Creating a Bigger Social Wellness Movement. Amy shares: “Recognizing our interdependence, seeing ourselves in others, and interacting with compassion increases our own social wellness and ripples out to improve the wellness of others in our communities - where we live, work, study and grow.” Connect with Amy on Twitter @AmyGiddon.

Productivity

Sean Goheen of IA HR contributed Decision, Decisions, Decisions. Sean writes: “Do you struggle with making decisions? Join the club. Here are some suggestions on ways to make the process a little easier.” Find Sean on Twitter @voiceofhr.

Stephanie Skryzowski of 100 Degrees Consulting provided 3 Ways to Ensure a Smooth-as-Butter Audit. Stephanie shares: "If you don’t yet have an audit, STICK WITH ME! These are best practices you can use to free up time and brain space to focus on your mission and ensure you’re ready for any future audit."

Braden Kelley provided What is Change Management? Braden shares: “Organizational Change Management (OCM) is an incredibly important part of management science, but a very immature part. So immature in fact that as the profession began to coalesce the unfortunate decision was made to anchor on the term change management to describe the profession.”  Follow Braden on Twitter at @innovate.

And More...

Julie Winkle Giulioni shared What's Your Legacy? Julie explains: "A leader's legacy is not made up of the hard, business stuff like numbers and results. It’s who you are, how you show up, and how you make others feel that defines your true impact and how you'll be remembered." Follow Julie on Twitter at @julie_wg.

Priscilla Archangel of Archangel & Associates provided Sight or Vision: A Collective Effort. Priscilla writes: "We all may see the same things, but when our visual acuity or perception is different, we may process what we see differently, leading to different conclusions. The goal is for leaders to improve the collective vision of their teams, recognizing the value of diverse perspectives." Follow Priscilla on Twitter at @PrisArchangel.

Jim Taggart of Changing Winds shared The Leader Sets the Tone. Jim considers: "In your own leadership journey, be sure to take time to reflect upon your personal integrity. It’s about consistency – relentlessly practicing those desired leadership behaviours each and every day." Follow Jim on Twitter at @JlcTaggart.

Janine Comito of IA HR contributed How to Lose a Prospect in 10 Days. Janine explains: “Just as important as a great employee experience, we want our future clients to trust us, too. As an advisor and extended team member to my clients, I get the inside scoop. For those of you in sales, listen up!”. Follow Janine on Twitter @voiceofhr.

Thank you to everyone who submitted articles for this month's carnival! If you would like to be added to the distribution list for submission calls, please fill out this form and we'll be happy to add you to the list.