March 2021 Leadership Development Carnival

Welcome to the March 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

Lorrie Coffey of Horizonpointconsulting explains Four Simple Steps to Improve Your Business Writing. Lorrie writes: “We often work with clients who aim to improve communication within their organizations. Many of them naturally focus their concerns on the verbal communication issues within their company but fail to evaluate the impact that their written communication may have.” Follow Lorrie on Twitter at @ohmyHR.

Marcia Reynolds of Covisioning Transformational Leadership provided Stop Trying to Pay Attention. Marcia shares: "Listening is not the same as being emotionally present. You must consciously choose your emotions to hold meaningful conversations that move people forward. Read this post to learn how to fully be with people when interacting." Connect with Marcia on Twitter at @marciareynolds.

David Moser of Decisive Blog writes The Power of “And” in Leadership Communication. David shares: “Every time a leader has a conversation with a team member about improving their work there is an opportunity. There is an opportunity for discouragement or setting a growth mindset. A subtle shift in communication - just using the word "and" - is all it takes to move forward with positive energy.” Find David on Twitter at @Decisive_Blog.

Diana Peterson-More shared Words Matter: Make Communications Reflect Intentions. Diana explains: "Words matter,” have been on the lips and fingertips of many. My own response: “true that;” yet has the phrase been defined, let alone put into action? What does it mean anyway? For me, it means carefully selecting words and phrases that both reflect what is intended and will begin to heal the great divide in our country. Having spent the better part of this nascent year reflecting on words, intentions and healing the divide, two examples of what not to communicate spring to mind. . . ." Find Diana on Twitter at @DianaPMAuthor.

Angela Hummel of Angela Hummel Consulting writes Listening at the Highest Level. Angela shares: “Leaders need to listen at the highest level. What does highest level listening entail? Real-life examples and suggestions are provided.” Follow Angela on Twitter at @AngelaJHummel.

Team Building

Mary Ila Ward of Horizon Point Consulting shared 4 Exercises to Enhance Your Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Efforts. Mary writes: "We’ve always focused on intentional leadership and team development, but the last year has brought about a hyper-focus on making explicit how it ties to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the workplace. How do we overcome us versus them mentality in the workplace has been a question we are continually asking ourselves and seeking to help our clients tackle. " Find Mary on Twitter at @maryilaward.

Liz Weber of Weber Business Services provided Stay Relevant. Be Strategic. Do What Matters Most. Liz writes: "This past year has changed so much about how - and where - we work. It has changed our priorities. Everything looks different. It's time to ask yourself these questions so you can stay relevant!" Connect with Liz on Twitter at @lizwebercmc.

Paul LaRue of The Upwards Leader contributed Clearing The Obstacles For Your Team. Paul writes: “Contrary to popular belief, leadership never allow their team to struggle in their jobs. A leader's role is to provide the best avenue for the success of their people.” Connect with Paul on Twitter at @paul_larue.

Sean Glaze of Great Results Team Building shared 3 areas of competitive advantage for you and your team. Sean writes: “Ultimately, the greatest competitive advantage you can have is the QUALITY OF YOUR INTERNAL TEAM CULTURE. And CULTURE is a symptom of LEADERSHIP. So, if you truly want a competitive advantage for your team, focus more on these 3 things:” Find Sean on Twitter at @leadyourteam.

Development

Steve DiGioia contributed 32 Ways To See If You Can. Steve writes: "Today's post identifies 32 ways true service leaders give of themselves. If you align with these then I welcome you into the most important group of professionals to be found anywhere – those who serve the needs of others and strive to provide the best possible service and experience to our customers." Find Steve on Twitter at @stevedigioia.

Joel Garfinkle of the Career Advancement Blog shared How Can You Further Develop Your Talent? 7 Key Steps. Joel summarizes: "The ability to develop people’s talent is one of the most vital qualities for high-level leaders. At the executive level, cultivating effective teams is perhaps the most essential role of a leader—meaning the complexity of managing people and nurturing their growth increases. They need to further their people’s growth not just as employees but as leaders." Find Joel on Twitter at @JoelGarfinkle.

Linda Fisher Thornton of LeadinginContext contributed It's Tine For Ethically Adaptive Leadership. Linda shares: “Agility and adaptability are mantras for leaders during this time of global unrest and catastrophic change. Each day brings new challenges that consume our time and require us to grow into higher levels of ethical awareness to avoid missteps and miscalculations. As we try to find stable footing in unstable times, ethical agility will be a factor in our success.” Find Linda on Twitter at @leadingincontxt.

Marcella Bremer of Positive Culture contributed Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in organizations. Marcella considers: "More Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion boost people and results. But how? The Arbinger Institute shows that mindset matters most. Change the mindset - change the behaviors - change the outcomes. Beware of your mindset and benefit from the influence pyramid for improving DEI and any other change." Follow Marcella on Twitter at @MarcellaBremer.

Bill Treasurer of Giant Leap Consulting contributed Keep Your Leadership Ego in Perspective. Bill explains: "As you progress in your leadership career and grow in influence, rank, and stature, never lose sight of the fact that you’re just a speck in an infinite universe, like every other human being who ever lived. It doesn’t matter how much money you make, how many people you lead, or how many grand achievements you amass; you will meet the same fate as everyone else." Follow Bill on Twitter at @btreasurer.

Kelby Kupersmid shares Uncovering Deeper Self-Awareness. Kelby summarizes: “My thoughts on looking past pop-psychology and how to develop true self-awareness. If you want to be an effective leader, you have to develop your self-awareness in a way that includes your interpersonal impact. Some practical tips on how to do so.” Find Kelby on Twitter at @kelbykupersmid.

Neal Burgis of Successful Solutions contributed Your Reputation as a Leader Precedes You. Neal explains: "How does your reputation precede you? Your reputation can make or break your career. Being aware of what you say, how you act, and how you interact with others requires your attention constantly." Follow Neal on Twitter at @exec_solutions.

Karin Hurt and David Dye of Let's Grow Leaders provided Get Your Team Back on Track - Leading Through Distractions. Karin and David share: "Last-minute fire drills, interruptions, and real emergencies can become a permanent way of life. Get your team back on track by planning ahead with these five steps." Follow them on Twitter at @letsgrowleaders.

S. Chris Edmonds of The Purposeful Culture Group provided Culture Leadership Charge: Three Ways to Reduce Workplace Stress. In this video post, Chris shares: "Effective leaders know that one of the most important things they can do to support team members is to remove employee frustrations. In this video Culture Leadership Charge, Chris outlines the three things leaders can do to reduce employee stress." Follow Chris on Twitter at @scedmonds.

Ken Byler of Higher Ground Consulting Group contributed Overcoming Self-Doubt as a Leader. Ken writes: "Self-doubt and fear may be the only tools that will intimately strengthen your faith—faith in yourself and others. Rather than imagining you are weak and ineffective, use times of doubt to learn more about the story behind and beneath." 

Wally Bock of Three Star Leadership provided Mind Games that Can Make You a Better Boss. Wally explains: "Mind games don’t have to be malicious, difficult, or silly. Here are three that can make you a better boss." Connect with Wally on Twitter at @WallyBock.

Creativity/Inspiration

Jay Jamrog explains How 2020 Changes What it Means to Be a Leader. Jay writes: “i4cp recently conducted a comprehensive global study—Leadership Redefined—that asked respondents to compare the importance of a multitude of leadership behaviors at the beginning of 2020 to now. Five themes emerged.” Connect with Jay on Twitter at @i4cp.

Braden Kelley provided Picking a Problem Worth Solving From a Sea of Problems. Braden shares: “In the current environment, human-centric challenges abound, but you can’t focus on solving all of them. Many organizations complain not about having too few ideas, but about having TOO MANY IDEAS. Human-centered design principles can be incredibly helpful to assist with empathy, problem framing, problem re-framing, solutions, prototyping, hypothesis testing, experimentation, and iteration.”  Follow Braden on Twitter at @innovate.

And More...

Jennifer Miller writes Colleague in Pain? What Leaders Should – and Shouldn’t – Say. Jennifer summarizes: “Using the concept of the Ring Theory, here's what compassionate leaders should - and shouldn't - say to a colleague in pain.” Find Jennifer on Twitter at @JenniferVMiller.

Anne Perschel of Germane Coaching & Consulting shared How Love Makes You the Best Leader You Can Be. Annie writes: "The first time I mentioned love at work and of work to a client, he asked, "Who are you to talk about love"? It wasn't a question, but I'm me and I'm back with proof that love matters @ work." Find Anne on Twitter at @bizshrink.

Julie Winkle Giulioni shared One Pandemic Upside: Humanity on Display. Julie explains: "It’s undeniable that the pandemic has brought fear and loss that must be honored. But it also may have brought us closer to ourselves and to each other, offering permission to be human, and infusing some much-needed grace and humanity into the workplace. And this is vividly displayed in a recent CNN Business interview with Trivago CEO, Axel Hefer (and his young video-bombing son.)" Follow Julie on Twitter at @julie_wg.

Jennifer Nash writes I heard it through the grapevine. Jennifer explains: “Inclusion is more important than ever before. In this post, I discuss how to amplify the voices of others, the impact of the reciprocity principle, and how to conduct inclusive meetings. Amplifying others' voices creates understanding and human connection, sprinkles knowledge like confetti, and fosters positive relational energy. ” Follow Jennifer on Twitter at @NashCoaching.

Jim Taggart of Changing Winds shared From Shared Vision to Execution: The Real Leadership Challenge. Jim considers: "The overarching challenge for organizational leaders and for those leading teams throughout the organization is to align and enroll their people in a common purpose, and then lead them forward towards that guiding light." Follow Jim on Twitter at @JlcTaggart.

Priscilla Archangel of Archangel & Associates provided Leadership Like a Rock. Priscilla writes: "Learn how experienced leaders, weather storms as they support their teams and the organization. They are boulder rocks in their own right, with vast knowledge about how to withstand periods of "pressure cooking". " Follow Priscilla on Twitter at @PrisArchangel.

Lisa Kohn of Chatsworth Consulting Group shared How to keep leading, when it starts getting “old”. Lisa shares: "Vital steps for living and leading when it gets old and hard(er) to stay engaged, motivated, and powered to keep doing." Connect with Lisa on Twitter at @ThoughtfulLdrs.

Randy Conley of Leading with Trust shared Trust - You've Got To Give It Before You Get It. Randy shares: "The Law of Reciprocity is a dynamic in relationships that says when one person is kind or generous to another, the receiver wants to respond in kind to the giver. Rand Conley shares the critical importance of reciprocity in Trust - You've Got To Give It To Get It." Connect with Randy on Twitter at @RandyConley.

Jon Lokhorst of Lokhorst Consulting shared Flexibility and the workplace of the future: What does that mean? Jon explains: “The COVID-19 pandemic has indelibly changed the workplace of the future. It is increasingly shaped by flexibility about when and where work is performed. Creating flexibility by design gives your organization a better chance of success than allowing flexibility with ambiguity.” Find Jon on Twitter at @jonlokhorst.

Eileen McDargh contributed Resilience Goes Down - Not Out. Eileen explains: "Learn why Stephen Shapiro of Invisible Solutions says we must “divot” rather than “pivot” during the pandemic and going forward into our new reality." Connect with Eileen on Twitter at @macdarling.

David Grossman of The Grossman Group provided How to Create Line of Sight for Your Employees. David shares: "Can your team members articulate the contributions they make towards the company’s strategy, goals and success? When they can, it leads to higher engagement and productivity. If not, there’s an opportunity to help your team see the bigger picture. Start with this 6-step exercise." Follow David on Twitter at @ThoughtPartner.

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.