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The Power of Personalised Coaching

Like most things, a one-size-fits-all approach to coaching no longer suffices. You and your fellow leaders today face very diverse challenges, and the demand for personalised coaching has never been more critical.

Generic coaching may have once been the norm, but it limits your leadership potential and growth. In this article, we explore why generic coaching falls short, why coaching must be personalised, how to achieve such personalisation, and the practical steps to implement personalised coaching effectively.

Why generic coaching limits you as a leader

Generic coaching often treats leaders as if you are cut from the same cloth, sometimes ignoring your unique strengths, weaknesses, and developmental needs.

Every leader brings distinct experiences, skills, and goals to the table. Failing to acknowledge this individuality can hinder growth and limit the leader’s ability to reach their full potential.

Further, leadership is not a one-size-fits-all endeavor. The challenges you face as a leader can vary greatly depending on your industry, organisation size and set-up, and even your team dynamics.

Generic coaching fails to consider these contextual differences, leaving you ill-equipped to navigate your specific challenges effectively.

Leadership coaching is not just about imparting knowledge or skills; it’s about helping you and your leaders to apply those insights to solve real-world challenges.

Generic coaching lacks the specificity required to address the unique issues that you encounter in your roles, rendering you less effective in driving meaningful change.

Why your coaching must be personalised

Personalised coaching allows you to identify and leverage your unique strengths while addressing your key weaknesses. When coaching is tailored to your specific needs, you can unlock your full potential and excel in your role.

As a leader today, you must be adaptable. Personalised coaching equips you with the skills and mindset needed to adapt to changing circumstances, making you more effective in your decision-making and problem-solving.

When you receive personalised coaching, you are also more likely to take ownership of your own development. This sense of ownership encourages you to actively engage in the coaching process, leading to more meaningful and sustainable growth.

How can coaching be personalised?

To personalise coaching, start by conducting a self-assessment. These assessments can include 360-degree feedback, personality assessments, and skills assessments. The data collected helps you and your coach identify strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement.

Coaches will work with you to establish clear and specific goals that align with your personal and professional aspirations. These goals should be challenging yet achievable, providing direction and motivation for the coaching journey.

Based on the assessments and goals, your coach should create customised development plans for you. These plans could include a combination of skill-building exercises, leadership workshops, mentoring, and feedback sessions.

Personalised coaching is an ongoing process. Your coach should regularly provide feedback to you and adjust the coaching plan as needed. This ensures that coaching remains relevant and effective as you progress in your leadership development journey.

How to implement personalised coaching?

One of the key factors in implementing personalised coaching successfully is selecting competent coaches who have the skills and experience working effectively with leaders. Coaches should be able to adapt their approach to the unique needs of each leader.

Set clear objectives for the coaching program. Define what success looks like and how it will be measured. This clarity helps align coaching efforts with organisational goals and ensures that the coaching you receive is purposeful.

Frequent progress reviews are essential. Check in with your coach regularly: Are you making measurable progress toward your goals? Are the coaching sessions effective in addressing your specific needs?

Ensure open and honest communication between you and your coach. Be willing to provide feedback on your coach and your experiences to share insights and observations. This feedback loop is vital for continuous improvement – for both you and your coach.

Leadership development is an evolving process. As you grow and circumstances change, your coaching needs may shift. Be prepared to adapt the coaching program to meet these changing needs effectively.

Get personalised leadership coaching today

Generic coaching no longer serves the needs of leaders. To maximise leadership potential and drive meaningful growth, coaching must be personalised.

Investing in personalised coaching is an investment in the future success of you, your leaders, and your organisation as a whole.

If you’re looking to go beyond generic coaching and want to take a personalised approach to coaching, find out more now and reach out to us today.

Want to add coaching to your leadership journey? Call us at 6346 1455 or find out more about our Certified Career Coach workshop here.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

 

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Want to Make an Impact in Your Leadership? Add Coaching to Your Skillset.

The pursuit of extraordinary leadership is an ongoing journey that requires a diverse set of skills and attributes.

In this pursuit, one of the often-overlooked yet transformative aspects is adding coaching into your skillset.

The Evolution of Leadership

Leadership has come a long way from the traditional top-down approach, where one might have primarily directed and controlled teams. Leadership today is marked by collaboration, adaptability, and a focus on nurturing people’s potential as individuals and as a team. The transition from mere management to true leadership involves understanding the nuances of human behavior, communication, and motivation.

At Lifeskills Institute, our philosophy centers around three essential principles — Character, Competence, and Connectedness. We believe an extraordinary leader should embody these principles as well, and extend them to the realm of coaching. Let’s look at how adding coaching skills can enhance each of these aspects.

Character: Authentic leadership

Character is the foundation of effective leadership. Authentic leaders understand their strengths, weaknesses, values, and motivations. You lead with integrity and transparency.

Integrating coaching into leadership allows you to not only be self-aware but also empower others in their own journey of self-discovery. A coaching leader encourages open conversations that lead to a deeper understanding of their team members’ aspirations and challenges. This fosters an environment of trust and authenticity, where everyone feels valued and supported.

Competence: Developing potential

Competence in leadership involves a deep understanding of the skills required to drive success. As leaders embrace coaching, you tap into your ability to develop the potential of your team members.

Coaching helps you identify strengths and areas for growth in individuals and tailor development plans accordingly. This approach nurtures a growth mindset and a culture of continuous learning. By becoming adept at coaching, you enable your teams to reach new heights too.

“Coaching is unlocking a person’s potential to maximize their own performance.
It’s helping them to learn rather than teaching them.”
– Timothy Gallwey, author and coach

Connectedness: Connecting with your team

Connectedness forms the heart of meaningful leadership. Leaders who coach understand that strong relationships are built on effective communication, emotional intelligence, and active listening.

When leaders add coaching to their skillset, they create an avenue for genuine conversations that go beyond work-related tasks. These conversations touch on personal aspirations, challenges, and growth opportunities. Through coaching, leaders connect on a deeper level with their team members, fostering a sense of belonging and shared purpose.

The Power of Coaching in Leadership

Coaching is not a one-size-fits-all approach but rather a dynamic tool that adapts to various leadership scenarios. Here’s how you can harness the power of coaching in your journey toward becoming an extraordinary leader:

  • Empowering through questions: Coaching involves asking powerful questions that prompt reflection and insight. By mastering the art of questioning, you can inspire your team members to think critically, solve problems, and make informed decisions. This approach encourages greater autonomy and ownership.
  • Active listening: Effective coaching relies on active listening. By listening empathetically, you can create an environment where your team feels valued and heard, fostering a culture of openness and collaboration.
  • Goal setting and accountability: Coaching encourages setting clear goals and holding individuals accountable for their progress. As a coaching leader, you can help your team members define their objectives, create actionable plans, and provide guidance along the way. This leads to measurable growth and achievement.
  • Feedback and growth: Constructive feedback is a cornerstone of coaching. You need to provide feedback in a supportive and constructive manner to empower your team members to learn from their experiences and continuously improve their performance.

In your pursuit of becoming an extraordinary leader, integrating coaching skills sets the stage for unparalleled growth, collaboration, and impact.

Our emphasis on Character, Competence, and Connectedness perfectly aligns with the principles that underlie effective coaching.

By embracing coaching, you not only enhance your own leadership abilities, but also empower your team members to reach their full potential.

Want to create a coaching culture in your organisation’s leadership? Find here to find out more about our ‘The Extraordinary Coach’ programme.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

 

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5 Must-dos for Leaders to Foster a Culture of Feedback

Leaders play a critical role in fostering a culture of feedback that enables their teams to excel in today’s workplace. Constructive criticism not only improves individual and group performance, but it also generates a pleasant and collaborative environment conducive to growth and development.

Here are 5 must-dos for existing and aspiring leaders to transform feedback into a powerful tool for organisational success.

1. Lead by example

Setting a good example lays the groundwork for a culture of feedback. Leaders that openly welcome and actively seek feedback create a safe space for their people to do the same. Generating trust and open communication throughout the organisation can be achieved through genuinely valuing and considering the viewpoints of your team members.

As a leader, it is important to develop a collaborative style in which everyone’s viewpoint is heard and appreciated, rather than taking an authoritative style. This openness generates a sense of psychological safety, allowing team members to express themselves without fear of repercussions.

By actively collecting feedback yourself, you can foster a culture that values multiple perspectives, fostering a sense of ownership and accountability within your team.

2. Establish transparent communication

Developing clear and accessible communication channels is critical for fostering a feedback culture in your team. Creating opportunities for both formal and informal feedback allows your team members to express their thoughts, ideas, and concerns. Transparent and open communication helps leaders and their teams break down barriers, promoting greater trust and understanding.

You can use technology solutions that provide anonymous feedback or suggestion boxes, in addition to the more conventional face-to-face encounters. This serves to demonstrate your commitment to fostering such a culture of feedback, as such platforms cater to those who might prefer to share their opinions privately and even anonymously.

“Feedback is a gift. Ideas are the currency of our next success.
Let people see you value both feedback and ideas.”
– Jim Trinka and Les Wallace

3. Give constructive feedback

Constructive feedback promotes growth and development. Leaders must emphasise the value of delivering specific, practical, and actionable feedback in a supportive manner. We should offer feedback that identifies areas for improvement while also recognising achievements, instead of focusing on criticisms.

When providing feedback, leaders should have a coaching mindset. Rather than looking to correct wrongs, we are to prioritise empowering and encouraging our team. It is imperative to foster an environment where feedback is viewed as an opportunity for professional, and even personal, growth. We should accompany our constructive feedback with guidance and support, thus allowing our people to develop themselves and reach their fullest potential.

“(After attending The Extraordinary Leader with Lifeskills Institute) I have a better understanding of what kind of leader I am and where I should improve. The 360 feedback is the most valuable part which really helped me to better understand strengths and weaknesses. 

The FUEL module helped me to frame and give feedback (especially redirecting feedback) to others, and I have gained insights from this workshop. Zenger Folkman (offers) one of best organisations to build your further success.”
— Monica Ai, Operations VP, Antolin (China) Investment Co., Ltd

4. Foster a growth mindset

A culture of feedback thrives in an environment that promotes a growth mindset. By encouraging team members to view feedback as a way to grow themselves professionally, leaders can help their team to not take any feedback personally.

Promoting continuous learning and development initiatives, such as workshops, training sessions, or knowledge-sharing platforms, lets team members know that their professional development is a top priority. Lead by example by sharing your own experiences, whether failures or critical feedback, and the lessons you gained from such situations.

With a growth mindset, we can instil the belief that skills and expertise can be developed through hard work and a growth mindset. Such a mindset encourages resilience and a willingness to embrace feedback as a means of personal and professional growth.

5. Recognize and acknowledge feedback 

This is one of the most effective ways to promote the importance of feedback within our organisations. We should openly recognise and praise those who offer good ideas and suggestions. This allows us to foster a culture in which everyone is willing to actively participate in the feedback process.

How to recognise and celebrate feedback? This can be as simple as a saying thanks to more notable gestures like written commendations or even team celebrations. By emphasising the importance of their opinions, and that their contributions make a difference to the organisation, it will generate a sense of pride and ownership in your team . Such recognition can also serve as a powerful motivator, encouraging others to provide feedback as well, ultimately fostering a culture of feedback.

Leaders are key to fostering a feedback culture that promotes growth and success within their teams and wider organisation. As you gradually foster a culture of feedback, your team then becomes more engaged, empowered, and motivated to succeed.

“I attended a 2-day Elevating Feedback Workshop with Lifeskills Institute. The presenters Bryan & Ian made it interactive, practical & I came away with tools that I know I will be able to use with my organisation in an effective way. They provided a safe, trusting learning environment where we could ask questions, learn from each other & have fun at the same time.”
— Averyl Aeria, Life & Leadership Coach

Want to foster a culture of feedback? Join us at the Elevating Feedback Workshop. Contact us at 6346 1455 for more information today.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

 

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The role of emotional intelligence in extraordinary leadership

Extraordinary leaders inspire and motivate their people. Extraordinary leaders build trust, engage employees, create a positive culture and foster collaboration.

But what is it that makes some leaders extraordinary? Their authority? Or maybe their charisma?

What about both, as well as something arguably more important in today’s workplace: emotional intelligence (EI).

What is emotional intelligence (EI)?

Emotional intelligence is defined as “the ability to understand, assess and manage our own emotions, as well as the emotions of others.”

Not only is emotional intelligence about how you feel, but it’s about how you perceive emotions in yourself and others, and use this awareness to guide your thinking and actions.

Why does emotional intelligence matter for aspiring leaders?

An increasingly critical part of leadership, emotional intelligence is how you use your emotions to motivate yourself and your team, make crucial decisions based on the right level of emotions and understand how others feel.

As a future leader, you’ll be dealing with many different situations where you need to use your emotional intelligence to lead your team effectively.

How to develop my emotional intelligence as a leader?

Fortunately, you can develop your emotional intelligence. You can read books on the subject, take courses, and go to seminars. 

What’s even better is working with a leadership coach or mentor, and practicing what you’ve learned in your job, in real life.

Be aware of your feelings. Observe your own behavior. Work on building valuable relationships with others. 

For example, if you’ve just been through a stressful situation and feel like you’re losing control of your emotions, take a step back and analyze the situation. Try to understand why things went wrong and how you might be able to prevent the same thing from happening in the future.

How can a leadership coach help develop my emotional intelligence?

While there are many coaches who specialise in helping people develop their emotional intelligence, you should always start with some research, so as to find one that you feel comfortable with. 

A good coach will first ask you about your goals and then develop a working plan for you. A leadership coach will help you understand what emotional intelligence is, how it is relevant to you, and how it can be used in the workplace.

Then you will need to identify the areas where you feel like your emotional intelligence is lacking. The coach will guide you through exercises and coaching sessions that will allow you to understand how to use your emotional intelligence more effectively when leading others. They will also provide mentorship even after the end of your coaching sessions.

Is there a correlation between emotional intelligence and leadership effectiveness?

Emotional intelligence is a better predictor of leadership effectiveness than IQ, with a study conducted by the Center for Creative Leadership finding that emotional intelligence is the most important factor in determining leadership success.

Leaders who are highly emotionally intelligent have more success in developing their people, delivering results and driving change.

Emotional intelligence is key to becoming an extraordinary leader

To lead people, you need to be good at your job and core responsibilities. 

To lead people well, you need to treat your teams with respect, honesty and fairness.

Emotional intelligence helps you better understand what motivates people so that they will be more productive in their work environment or feel valued by you.

If you want to be an extraordinary leader who inspire others, developing your emotional intelligence should be your top priority this year.

Let us support you in your leadership journey. Reach out now for a quick discussion.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

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An E-Book: Stories of Lifeskills | Celebrating 26 Years Of Lifeskills Institute

DOWNLOAD THE E-BOOK “STORIES OF LIFESKILLS” HERE.

In celebrating the 26th Anniversary of Lifeskills Institute, we reflect on the importance of constantly growing and gaining essential life skills, even in the midst of unexpected events. In this e-book, ‘Stories of Lifeskills”, we share inspiring stories of people who have overcome challenges in life to encourage others on their own journeys.


A Message from Ian, Chief Enabling Officer

“Lifeskills are an essential part of life. In this tumultuous, ever-changing world, we can never fully know what happens tomorrow. Will life throw us a sudden curveball? Or will we be found in the mundaneness of life? Regardless of the season, there is always something new to discover about ourselves, others, and to gain critical life skills that help us grow to be better versions of ourselves.

As we celebrate the 26th Anniversary of Lifeskills Institute, much has changed for us all in the last 2 years as we grapple with many unexpected events that has stretched us in many ways, even for us here at Lifeskills Institute. Yet, I see the good that comes out from it as we stretch ourselves in areas of re-discovering our story, re-aligning as a team, and re-positioning ourselves in the digital world.

There is always much to grow. Just as WIlliam Burroughs said, “when you stop growing you start dying.” It was during this season that I felt within me to do a collection of stories of people who crossed paths with us at Lifeskills Institute. To name a few, these are their stories of resilience, self-awareness, and love. We celebrate them for having overcome the challenges in life! May these stories inspire you today, wherever you might be on life’s journey. I leave with us this quote “If the ax is dull and its edge unsharpened, more strength is needed, but skill will bring success” (Ecclesiastes 10:10).

May we all arise beyond our circumstances, to be sharpened with valuable life skills, to be conquerors from within, and a blessing to those around us.”

Make a greater impact!

Call us at 6346 1455 to find out more about our Programmes and Professional DISC Certification Courses.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

 

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Why a growth mindset is increasingly key for your team’s development

As new technologies emerge, such as the latest buzz around AI, organisations are having to transform the way they operate.

No longer are you competing with local competitors, now your competitions are across borders and in different corners of the world. Even if you aren’t facing these pressures now, chances are you’ll feel these impacts on your organisation sooner rather than later.

As a manager or aspiring team leader, how can you build a culture where your people can survive and thrive in this uncertain yet ever-advancing world?

What you need is to nurture a growth mindset.

A growth mindset is a belief that everyone must seek to improve their personal and professional skills on an ongoing basis, through dedication, hard work, and training

This means emphasising the talents of all and that everyone has the capacity and ability to improve themselves. This means celebrating mistakes as learning opportunities for both individuals and teams alike. This means encouraging your people to take risks in their role without fear of failure.

We share some nuggets of why nurturing a growth mindset in your organisation is key for your team’s development.

Both you and your people can better deal with setbacks and failures

A growth mindset is about learning from mistakes, being willing to change your approach, and not giving up when things get tough.

When you have a growth mindset, you’re more likely to see setbacks as opportunities for improvement and growth. That can make all the difference in how well you and your team deal with setbacks.

Your people can do better work and be more productive

A growth mindset keeps your team more open to new ideas and new ways of working, such as improved processes that make them more efficient.

It also makes it easier for your people to take and accept feedback, whether from their peers or their managers, and make changes and improvements where necessary.

Your people can reach their potential

A growth mindset is, after all, about prioritising learning, professional development and even personal growth. As a leader, your growth mindset should be about helping your people reach their potential.

Having a growth mindset as a leader means you’re more likely to treat every challenge as an opportunity for learning and development, rather than a problem. You’ll tend to encourage others to stretch themselves by taking on new challenges or responsibilities,rather than keeping them in their comfort zone,

Your focus will be on helping people develop skills that will help them achieve their goals – whether those are technical skills or softer ones like communication, leadership or management capabilities.

You can develop a positive corporate culture

A growth mindset can also be perceived as a positive outlook that leads to more effective communication, problem solving and time management. It’s also the foundation for building better relationships with your team members.

In a growth mindset culture, people feel comfortable asking questions and admitting when they don’t know something. They’re not afraid of failure but are eager to learn from their mistakes, as  they know that everyone makes mistakes sometimes. 

This nurtures an environment where people feel more comfortable sharing ideas and taking risks because they know that their colleagues will support them no matter what happens – even if those ideas may not work out.

Your organisation can better navigate an uncertain future

Uncertainty is a fact for businesses. It will only become more challenging as we enter an era where new technologies disrupt existing ones and traditional business models at an increasingly rapid pace. 

Without a growth mindset, you’ll be unprepared when uncertainty strikes in your organisation. That could mean missing out on valuable opportunities or worse, making wrong decisions more often than not.

A growth mindset helps you and your people deal with uncertainty by building resilience and adapting to change quickly. This allows your organisation to keep moving forward and hitting your goals, even amid today’s challenges, innovation and constant disruption.

It is therefore key to build a growth mindset within your organisation. Contact us today and discuss how our programs can help you achieve this.

 

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Why you need a learning ecosystem to accelerate your organisational growth

In today’s fast-paced and ever-changing world, organisations must be adaptable to remain relevant. This requires a constant stream of learning opportunities for employees so they can stay up-to-date with the latest trends and innovations in their industry or field of work.

However, there are many challenges that prevent companies from providing their employees with ample opportunities to grow their skills and develop their expertise.

A learning ecosystem could be what you need to accelerate your employees’ development as well as your organisation’s overall growth.

What is a learning ecosystem?

First off, an ecosystem is a system of interrelated parts that support each other. The term is often used to refer to natural environments, but it can also be applied to the business world.

A learning ecosystem is a combination of networks, processes, and tools that help people learn, share knowledge, collaborate, and stay connected with information they need to succeed in their roles.

Such an ecosystem can take many forms: an intranet site or forum, a live webinar series, training courses offered by third party platforms like Udemy or Coursera, informal sessions where employees have access to experts within your organisation who can answer questions about certain work-related topics.

A learning ecosystem should include senior leadership and management, employees, as well as your internal learning and development (L&D) teams and external L&D partners, Lifeskills Institute for example.

It’s important for everyone to work together towards common goals, so that all stakeholders know what is expected of them throughout the entire L&D process.

Why does your organisation need an ecosystem for learning?

For organisations operating in a fast-changing industry, like tech, or simply want to build long-term success, a learning ecosystem can be a powerful tool to help your teams develop and gain expertise as they move through their own careers, and in the long-run, help your organisation thrive and grow over a long period of time.

Learning is after all a continuous and ongoing process. Even the best performing employee or most experienced manager can’t possibly know everything about their current field. Now more than ever, your teams need to be prepared for any new trends that might pop up overnight.

Being able to always pick up new things is absolutely vital these days, or risk falling behind your peers or worse, your competition, and becoming obsolete.

A well-established learning ecosystem can ensure your teams are always provided with ample opportunities, tools, and resources to learn new skills and develop professionally. Whenever and however they like. Such flexibility, even in L&D, is important for today’s millennial managers and Gen Z workers.

How will your organisation benefit from having a learning ecosystem?

By setting up a well-established learning ecosystem, your organisation can enjoy indirect benefits as well, such as better employer branding and productivity.

More and more employees want to work for companies that are on the cutting edge of innovation, not just in terms of their technology, product, or service, but also in terms of their talent management and business processes.

Having a learning ecosystem in place can show them that you’re committed to their career growth and professional development. It can thus improve your talent attraction and retention rates in today’s competitive job market.

As your employees of all levels, from juniors to executives, collaborate on new ideas and challenges, they can also access previously-siloed information and knowledge through this learning ecosystem.

Not only helping them to complete their tasks or projects, but also equipping them with skills and expertise beyond their own domain. This ultimately serves to improve your organisation’s overall knowledge base and productivity levels.

How can you establish a successful learning ecosystem for your organisation?

Step 1: Define your employees’ L&D needs

If you’re unsure what your employees might need or want in terms of professional development, you can start with these two questions:

  • What are the skills my employees need to perform their jobs more effectively?
  • How can my employees and I work together to develop plans that help them to acquire these skills while aligning with our organisation’s goals?

Step 2: Define success for L&D in your organisation

How would successful training programs, workshops, coaching sessions or mentoring look like to your organisation? You might need to define the metrics that indicate whether such initiatives are meeting management goals. Success might also look more intangible, such as observing increased morale among employees who feel supported in their professional development.

Step 3: Audit your organisation’s current L&D efforts

Evaluating your organisation’s current training programs’ effectiveness starts with finding out whether your employees are actually benefiting from them, or whether your current programs are geared towards a specific area, like customer service and project management, instead of other areas that could be more relevant for your employees today.

Are your L&D programs mostly in-person, online, or a mix of both? The mode of delivery could also affect your employees’ interest in these programs, their attendance rate, and their general motivation during the course.

Whichever step you’re at, you can always reach out to a dedicated L&D partner for advice and guidance.

How can you successfully integrate your learning and development partners into your learning ecosystem?

Ensure that your partners are aligned with your organisation’s goals by making sure they have a shared vision and set of values.

Work together effectively by creating clear lines of communication and setting expectations for how each party (you as an employer, your employees, your L&D partner) will contribute to the learning ecosystem.

Evaluate your L&D partners’ content to ensure it is relevant, engaging, and actionable for your employees. Their courses shouldn’t be too technical after all. Check how they deliver their programs too, as mentioned, this can influence your employees’ motivation and development.

Also, remember to check if they can support the development needs of your senior leadership and managers too – as learning is an ongoing process, even for the most experienced.

An effective learning ecosystem helps both your employees and managers grow and learn, ultimately allowing your organisation to develop as a whole.

We believe that establishing and maintaining an effective learning ecosystem is essential for business growth. It can serve the L&D needs of your employees, managers, and leaders, helping everyone to level up together, and ultimately allowing your organisation to develop as a whole and accelerate its growth.

Reach out now and learn how Lifeskills Institute can partner you to establish an effective learning ecosystem today.

 

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

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Top 6 Leadership Trends in 2023 and beyond

The future of work is here. A world filled with increasing disruption, ever-evolving expectations from your customers and workforce alike, and new ways to work productively. A world where leaders are expected to take a stand on global societal issues.

With so much at stake, today’s leaders need to sit up and take notice. Your teams and employees are becoming more selective with their employers, demanding better work-life balance, and expecting more opportunities to develop themselves as both professionals and individuals.

You need to adjust your leadership approach to remain competitive in this changing landscape. Here are 6 trends that will shape the future of leadership and how you, as a current manager or aspiring leader, can adapt to them.

1. New Leadership models

What does the future hold for business leaders? Traditional structures are being replaced by a flatter, more collaborative and inclusive model. In this new model, authority rests with teams rather than individuals, which makes them more efficient and effective while also allowing you to focus on broader leadership responsibilities, such as long-term strategy, collaborating with your leadership counterparts in other teams and departments, or even managing up.

Two notable models to keep in mind include collaborative leadership, which is a team-based approach towards achieving shared goals, where every member of the team is responsible for contributing their own ideas and inputs. According to McKinsey, a whopping 97% of both employees and leaders attributed a project’s failure to a lack of alignment, the need for collaborative leadership is clearly more important than ever.

Another is empowerment, which means giving your team greater autonomy to take initiative and make
decisions on behalf of you and the company.

2. Managing your hybrid managers

While the pandemic might be in our rear-view mirror, what has remained is the desire for greater flexibility and hybrid work. Owl Labs found that 62% of employees around the world are choosing hybrid work.

This desire for hybrid work would naturally apply to your managers as well. It’s important for leaders to acknowledge the differences between their expectations for managers who choose to fully work from the office, and those who only see their teams in-person at certain times of the week, or month.

Hybrid managers need to be able to work independently and communicate effectively, as well as manage their own time. That’s a lot of ground to cover—and if your managers are not prepared for it, your hybrid teams may suffer.

3. Caring for mental well-being

Workplace discussions used to solely focus around work-life balance, which looks at how much time one has outside of work, for instance with their family and friends.

Nowadays, mental well-being is gaining greater importance as an issue that leaders need to take more seriously. After all, 81% of workers will prefer workplaces that support mental health, according to a survey by the American Psychological Association.

More people simply want to take better care of themselves and their well-being, as well as that of others, in their search for a happy and healthy equilibrium in their lives.

4. Diverse teams for increasingly diverse customers

No longer a buzzword, diversity is a strategy that can help your company grow. Diversity in the workforce allows your business to attract and retain top talent, especially important today in the face of skill shortages and greater competition for talent from other industries.

What’s often overlooked is how diversity can help teams better understand their customers. How? Well, diversity improves the ability of your employees to  empathize with customers who might be from anotherculture, another country, or simply have different perspectives. The numbers add up too: diverse companies were found to be 70% more likely to capture new markets, according to Harvard Business
Review.

Going forward, diversity will impact on the bottom-line and increasingly be part of the decision-making
process for you and your fellow leaders.

5. Aligning incentives

Incentives are a powerful tool for motivating people. But what if you’re the one who hands out the bonuses at the end of the financial year?

One of the biggest challenges leaders face is aligning incentives at every level of their organizations, from top to bottom, with a Deloitte study finding that 52% of employees feel their incentives aren’t aligned to organizational goals.

The upside of this challenge is that if you manage to do it well, you can create an environment where everyone feels genuinely motivated and committed to achieving your goals—and drive revenue along the way.

The first step is to understand how different levels of incentives work together in a way that’s fair, transparent and motivational. Then comes the hard part: putting it all into action while maintaining relationships with those who report directly to you as well as those who report indirectly through other
managers or peers.

6. Leading creatively

This new world of hybrid work and greater employee expectations means that you need to be more flexible than ever before. For example, allowing employees to run occasional errands during traditional office hours is less frowned upon these days.

Greater emphasis needs to be placed on providing ample and valuable learning opportunities to your employees, such as training and mentoring. Whatever new and complex organizational challenges that come your way, you must be able to adapt quickly and find creative solutions.

Being creative with your leadership approach may not come naturally to some. This is why even those leadership positions must take on their own growth opportunities too.

A Monte Wyatt study found that 77% of participants, mostly Fortune 1000 executives, reported improved working relationships among direct reports after undergoing coaching. That should come as no surprise, given that such leadership training can equip you with the skills and knowledge needed to lead in a more diverse, demanding and hybrid world of work, one where empowering your employees will be key to sustaining future success.

Leadership training must be an increasingly important part of your leadership toolset. 2023 is a good year to embark on your journey to becoming a modern leader.

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3 things you can do to become a great leader

3 things you can do to become a great leader

Astute leaders, researchers and authors have contributed substantially to what you can do to become a great leader. And in an earlier article, we established that great leaders are made not born, outlining as well what great leadership is made up of.

Zenger Folkman suggests 25 attributes and skills you can develop to become a great leader. In this article, we’ll focus on just three things you can do:

  1. Prepare for your next job. Think ahead regarding the skills you will need
  2. Seek ways to give and receive productive feedback and learn to absorb it in an emotionally health way.
  3. Develop and display high personal character

Photo by Lindsay Henwood on Unsplash

Prepare for your next job. Think ahead regarding the skills you will need

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered organisations and individuals to reinvent their business, redirect efforts, reskill or upskill their workers – and quickly at that.

Great leaders would not wait for a pandemic to prepare themselves for their next job. They would rethink their capabilities and capacity periodically, engaging their upline or a coach or mentor along the way.

Will your future role require more technical expertise, more strategic thinking skills, coaching skills ? Have you taken stock of the skills in demand for the future economy?

Whatever skills and knowledge they may be, it is never to early to identify them and take active steps to add them to your slate of skill sets.

Seek ways to give and receive productive feedback and learn to receive it in an emotionally health way

If you want to receive useful feedback it usually requires a sincere request on your part for it. The gap between how leaders view themselves and how their direct reports perceive them is often, but not always, huge. How do you close that gap? The best way is through feedback – when you ask your direct reports for feedback.

One of the ways to receive feedback is through a 360-feedback process, not just a tool. Accept the feedback you receive as a valid perception of yourself by others and first seek to understand the meaning of the feedback.

A client of ours was perceived in a negative light by his direct reports with regards to his leadership skills. His organisation believed he could improve and change with the help of an external coach. During our coaching conversation, he was challenged to take a 360-degree assessment. He was very reluctant at first but when he genuinely felt that his coach believed in him, he took the step forward.

On his own, he diligently marked the feedback report with notes as he dissected it. He found that he benefitted from the 360-feedback process which included an assessment and coaching sessions.

With feedback, leaders move from mediocre and good to great as they recognise their strengths, what needs to be done to strengthen them further and how to do it before proceeding to taking any appropriate steps.

Photo by lexie janney on Unsplash

Develop and display high personal character

Those at the lower levels of an organisation resent arrogance from those in authority. They dislike leaders who convey an attitude of superiority, condescension or disrespect.

So the advice to leaders is to maintain an attitude of humility to become a great leader.

C.S. Lewis says “Humility is not thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”

Humility will make you approachable. It opens the door to building relationships.

We make our attitudes and character conform to our behaviour. So participate in powerful skill building programmes designed to improve your interpersonal skills as this would have a clear impact on your attitudes. When you learn and practise new behaviour you’ll find that there is a remarkable transformation of your attitudes and ultimately your character.

What support do you need for this journey?

So you’ve made a decision to become a great leader. What kind of support do you need on this journey you’ve embarked on? You can look for a mentor in your organisation or through management books. Or you could engage a coach.

Find a coach not because top athletes have a coach or the top corporate leaders have one. Find a coach to provide you with a strong accountability partnership as you take steps to becoming a great leader. You’ll be amazed by your remarkable behavioural transformation.

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

Lifeskills Institute is the strategic partner of Zenger Folkman for Singapore and Malaysia. Our Chief Enabling Officer, Ian Tan is a Master Facilitator certified by Zenger Folkman.

Zenger Folkman is a strengths-based leadership development company helping leaders elevate their people and organisations. Co-founders Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman utilise empirical data and behavioural evidence to help leaders become extraordinary.

 

 

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5 Stages for Effective Performance Coaching

Wouldn’t it be great if you could recognise and meet where your staff is on the spectrum of change to help them improve their work performance?

Before delving into the five stages to consider for effective performance coaching, we need to determine the reasons for underperformance.

Is your staff underperforming because they feel as though they are being punished for performing? Do they feel that they are rewarded for good performance by having more work piled on them?

Perhaps your team members are unwilling to take on challenging and risky assignments as they feel that the punishment for failure overrules all reason to do it for the rewards of success. Or are they unsure on how to go about carrying out the task or lacks the ability to do it?

As you speak to your staff regarding the issue at hand, frame the conversation to focus on one area or issue.

This includes listing the issue to be discussed and the expected outcome which both the manager and staff are aiming for. Also determine the time frame for the discussion and agreements on confidentiality.

Consciously suspend your judgement and maintain a curious mindset as you begin the conversation.

Your goal in the coaching conversation is to help your employees gain a different awareness of and insight into the performance issue as awareness precedes change.

With the new awareness, your coachees would have an idea of the possible solutions that can be considered.

If your organisation has yet to embrace a coaching culture,  fret not, you can still engage in a conversation with these stages in mind.

Precontemplation Stage: “I’m not considering a change”

When your staff is at the precontemplation stage, they are not considering making a change in their behaviour or attitude because of denial, obliviousness or resignation. If your coachees are in this stage, invite them to begin thinking about change.

Ask them questions like:

  • “How do you see this situation? What is happening?”
  • “What is working well?”
  • “What makes it challenging?”
  • “How might you have contributed to this situation?”
  • “How might others see the situation?”

Here’s a tip: give them time after the session for the information to sink in.

Contemplation Stage: “I’m considering making a change but I’m not committed to it.”

At the contemplation stage, the staff weighs the benefits and costs of the behaviour as well as the value and costs of the change. If you’re meeting your staff at this stage, help them to examine the costs and benefits of the change.

Ask questions such as:

  • “What are the consequences if the situation doesn’t change?”
  • “Tell me more about the business costs of this issue.”
  • “Imagine that a year has passed and nothing has changed. What would that be like for you?”

At the end of this phase, the coachees can make a decision to either change or not.

Preparation Stage: “I’m committed to changing and I’m beginning the process of change)

This stage is where the employee actively investigates possible ways to change. When your team member is at this stage, address the barriers to them engaging in the forward movement towards the change.

For instance, ask them:

  • “What do we need to keep in mind as we move forward on this issue?”
  • “What challenges do you think you would need to overcome?”
  • Followed by “What support do you need?” and
  • “Who can you get the support from?”

The support might be in the form of undergoing training or mentoring sessions. If the former is engaged, be sure to follow-up on how they will use them to help them improve their performance.

Action Stage: “I’m full on board with a change agenda.”

The action stage is where the employee commits to an action plan and makes is decisive to make the change. If this is where you are meeting them, help them to plan the action path and be generous with your affirmations for the steps taken.

Behavioural change will take time, effort, practice and reinforcement so be sure to be available to affirm them and give them feedback.

Maintenance Stage: “I’m continuing with my well-established patterns after six months of action.”

At this stage, employees are maintaining a new behaviour over a course of time, maybe six months, and follows through with ongoing milestones and measurement. Be sure to continue to praise them.

What happens if there’s a relapse and the employee reverts to their previous non-performance behaviour or feels frustrated and demoralised? As their coach-manager, engage in a problem solving discussion and be encouraging while re-engaging in efforts to move your coachees toward realistic goals. Ask them what other support they would need to meet their goals.

Moving ahead in performance coaching

Knowing where each of your team member is on the five stages will help you to know what is possible when exploring the desired state of performance and the paths that can be explored to get to the desired state.

Remember, people will not change until they feel a need to change. Your role as a coach-leader is to help your coachees gain an insight into their performance issue and let them decide if there is a need for change. With this new insight they will be able to, on their own, propose possible solutions in order to move forward (or not).

Before your next coaching session with your staff, analyse the real reason for their shortcomings in their performance. If you’re unsure of the real reason, how could you become more sure as you meet with each of them?

Having these five stages of change in mind, which stage do you think they are at? Then, think about what your focus would be during the coaching session as you move ahead in the performance coaching journey together with your staff.

 

©Published by Lifeskills Institute Pte Ltd

Lifeskills Institute is the strategic partner of Zenger Folkman for Singapore and Malaysia. Our Chief Enabling Officer, Ian Tan is a Master Facilitator certified by Zenger Folkman.

Zenger Folkman is a strengths-based leadership development company helping leaders elevate their people and organisations. Co-founders Dr. Jack Zenger and Dr. Joe Folkman utilise empirical data and behavioural evidence to help leaders become extraordinary.

Lifeskills Institute conducts The Extraordinary CoachTM Workshop  where participants will master the F.U.E.L. coaching model that can lead to a profound impact on those whom you are coaching.

You will be equipped to empower your coachees make better decisions on their own. And you will get to see how this empowerment and process correlates to levels of commitment, satisfaction, retainment and profitability.

Participants will also receive a self-survey which measures their coaching behavioural preferences and equip themselves with the toolset for effective coaching.

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