January 2021 Leadership Development Carnival

Welcome to the January 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

Julie Winkle Giulioni shared How to Navigate Year-End Reviews for Employees. Julie explains: "Getting a great start on the new year is easier and more effective after reflecting upon the previous one. Despite the challenges of 2020, it's essential for leaders to engage in year-end reviews as a way to celebrate accomplishments, extract learnings, and enhance trust and connection. This article helps leaders make the most of this important activity... so they can begin making the most of 2021." Follow Julie on Twitter at @julie_wg.

Ken Downer of Rapid Start Leadership provided Leading Through Transition: Tips for Leaders in Times of Change. Ken shares: “Leading during times of transition is hard, but a simple demonstration by mother nature carries powerful lessons for us about how to lead more effectively in chaotic, unsettled times.” Follow Ken on Twitter @RapidStartLdr.

Diana Peterson-More shared Communications in 2020: Three Tips for Year-End & Forward to 2021. Diana explains: "Is it almost over with? Is 2020 yet “in the books?” Such a crazy year: first the pandemic, and then the very contentious presidential campaign. Both were all-consuming and impacted the ways in which we communicated with one another. Time to rethink some of what we did, and didn’t do, and to offer up some important communication tips to carry us to the end of the year, and to apply in 2021. " Find Diana on Twitter at @DianaPMAuthor.

Creativity/Inspiration

Eileen McDargh contributed Don’t Just Be An Issue Spotter. Be A Problem Solver. Eileen explains: "We all must become problem solvers. Every one of us owns some small part in fixing our sphere of influence, our corner of the universe." Connect with Eileen on Twitter at @macdarling.

Angela Hummel of Angela Hummel Consulting writes For Such a Time as This. Angela shares: “Encouragement for leaders as we reflect upon the unprecedented and unrehearsed role that we are playing on a great stage in history, during what might be called The Great Experiment. Using the phrase "for such a time as this," leadership is explored using the meanings: special, chosen and royal. ” Follow Angela on Twitter at @AngelaJHummel.

Development

Marcella Bremer of Positive Culture contributed A positive shift at work. Marcella considers: "The covid-pandemic has opened people up. This time is an opportunity to spread positivity - says Mary Meston, VP of Talent Management in this interview. The Positive Culture Academy has inspired her. Read how and be inspired!" Follow Marcella on Twitter at @MarcellaBremer.

Joel Garfinkle of the Career Advancement Blog shared 6 Essential Skills for Future Leaders. Joel summarizes: "Facing change and uncertainty can feel scary, but your awareness of the oncoming changes will help you prepare to negotiate them with grace and skill. By developing the right mix of skills, you’ll have the confidence and assertiveness to thrive in a changing organizational environment." Find Joel on Twitter at @JoelGarfinkle.

Anne Perschel of Germane Coaching & Consulting shared Can Leaders Care Too Much? Annie writes: "Steve puts off making tough business decisions that might hurt people because "I care too much." Can he care a lot and decide faster?" Find Anne on Twitter at @bizshrink.

David Grossman of The Grossman Group provided 6 Tips to Help Employees Grow and Develop. David shares: "There are a number of things a leader can do to help boost employee productivity, morale, and engagement. A big one is supporting employees’ goals. Use these 6 tips to help your team members grow in a way that’s aligned with their strengths, interest, and experience, as well as with the overall business strategy." Follow David on Twitter at @ThoughtPartner.

Bill Treasurer of Giant Leap Consulting contributed The Courage to be Courageous. Bill explains: "Having the courage to be courageous means backing up courageous actions with a courageous attitude. It means holding a clear picture of yourself being courageous and continuously asking yourself, how would the courageous person I want to become an act in a fearful situation that I am faced with today? It means first believing in the virtue of courage and then acting in a courageous manner." Follow Bill on Twitter at @btreasurer.

Karin Hurt and David Dye of Let's Grow Leaders provided 2020 Best Leadership Articles (according to your votes). Karin and David share: "It's always fun to look back to see what resonated as the best leadership articles of the year at Let’s Grow Leaders. Most years, there’s quite a mix of topics and interests. It’s not a shocker that this year, the most helpful articles were about creating a deeper connection with your team, leading well during times of uncertainty and disruption, and of course, practical tools for leading remote teams." Follow them on Twitter at @letsgrowleaders.

S. Chris Edmonds of The Purposeful Culture Group provided Cultures Leadership Charge: Fix Your Loose Cannons. In this video post, Chris shares: "Have you ever had a loose cannon in your company – a player that performs well but follows rules only when it’s convenient and treats others in the organization disrespectfully in most interactions? In this video, you'll receive some helpful tips." Follow Chris on Twitter at @scedmonds.

Shelley Row of Insightful Leadership shared 2020 Lessons in Leadership. Shelley considers: "There’s nothing like a world-wide pandemic to put a spotlight on good (and bad) leadership. Here’s my list of 2020 leadership lessons and observations. How do yours stack up?" Connect with Shelley on Twitter at @shelleyrow.

Engagement

Marcia Reynolds of Covisioning Transformational Leadership provided Do You Want to Be Proficient or Profound? Marcia shares: "To give the most value to your clients and colleagues, seek to be profound with your presence, not just proficient with your knowledge and skills. This requires you to let go of how you define yourself. The practice is not easy. This post will help you launch your journey." Connect with Marcia on Twitter at @marciareynolds.

Robyn McLeod provided Red flags get your attention, but what about those pink flag moments? Robyn summarizes: “In the post, Red flags get your attention, but what about those pink flag moments? The next time you see a pink flag – those more subtle signs of trouble – take a moment to reflect on what you are feeling and seeing. You may just need to brush it off and keep going, or you may need to take the time to learn more.” Find Robyn on Twitter at @ThoughtfulLdrs.

Ken Byler of Higher Ground Consulting Group contributed Being Receptive. Ken writes: "Leaders seeking alignment to their vision, need some level of receptivity if those they lead are going to believe their perspectives matter." 

Laura Schroeder of Working Girl provided Leading Remote Teams. Laura shares: "Remote work is here to stay, and the organizations that do this well will have a competitive advantage. Here are some tips on how to lead remote teams #likeaboss." Connect with Laura on Twitter at @workgal.

Productivity

Stephanie Skryzowski of 100 Degrees Consulting provided How to Set Goals for Your Nonprofit Organization. Stephanie shares: "A strategic and simple way for nonprofit leaders to set attainable goals. This article will be a great step into the new year or a fresh start at any time. " Connect with Stephanie here.

Jon Lokhorst of Lokhorst Consulting shared Skate Shorter Shifts: A Strategy for Focus. Jon explains: “If you’re struggling to stay focused throughout this pandemic, you’re not alone—it’s a recurring theme for workers across organizations and industries. To improve your focus, consider insights from a surprising source: your favorite hockey team.” Find Jon on Twitter at @jonlokhorst.

Neal Burgis of Successful Solutions contributed What Matters in 2021? Neal explains: "Sometimes we put our attention on things that in the long run, really don’t matter. Ask yourself this simple question: Will This Matter in a Year? Currently, it matters for what you are doing right now. In a year, most likely new matters of importance will take precedence over what you have to work with. " Follow Neal on Twitter at @exec_solutions.

And More...

Jennifer Nash writes, What are your personal values? Jennifer explains: “When you gain clarity on who you are, where you want to go, and how you want to show up, you align your values with your environment, let your inner light shine, and reveal your authentic self to the world.” Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @NashCoaching.

Randy Conley of Leading with Trust shared The Answer to This One Question Reveals Your Success as a Leader. Randy shares: "It's hard to agree on a common definition of leadership, much less agree on what defines success as a leader. In this post by Randy Conley, he suggests that the answer to one insightful question can help you evaluate your effectiveness as a leader." Connect with Randy on Twitter at @RandyConley.

Jim Taggart of Changing Winds shared How Distorted is Your Leadership Lens? Jim considers: "The challenge is for each of us to be fully aware of our filters and how they influence our leadership lens. Otherwise, our filters become so saturated that our view of the world becomes distorted, weakening our effectiveness as leaders." Follow Jim on Twitter at @72keys.

Sean Glaze of Great Results Team Building shared Every cake (and great team culture) has the same five essential ingredients. Sean writes: “Every cake you have ever eaten (if it was good) included at least these five main ingredients – because you cannot have an impressively delicious cake without them. Similarly, in working with teams as a teamwork speaker and teambuilding event facilitator, I have found that all GREAT teams have the same five ingredients. The interesting thing about this discovery is that once you know what you’re missing you can fix the recipe you’ve been using to make it more successful.” Find Sean on Twitter at @leadyourteam.

Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership provided Remember 3rd Grade? Wally explains: "Too many workplaces are run like my 1950s 3rd-grade classroom." Connect with Wally on Twitter at @WallyBock.

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.