Can Leadership be developed?
Having just completed another leadership workshop for a client in D.C. I was asked the question above yet again. Since we’re in the leadership development business, of course I answered yes. Having facilitated over 300 leadership workshops over the last 20 years, my colleagues and I have started to notice some recurring themes from both a content and process standpoint that make for an effective leadership development experience. In this two part series, we want to share some observations. First, the research is pretty clear that people learn the most through their direct experience leading a team. But if you want to provide a leadership training experience for your people, there are some process and content/themes you should consider. Today we will focus on content and in part 2, we will share some thoughts about the process around facilitating an effective leadership development workshop.
Content Considerations…
1) “Saying I don’t know feels risky!”
So many leaders we work with find that people expect them to have answers and know what the right strategy or next step should be and what they share with us is that they often don’t. We find encouraging them to show their vulnerability and admit when they don’t know actually increases their credibility. Related to this showing vulnerability is asking them to seek feedback whether their company has a process for it or not. Adding a 360 feedback component can also help especially if attendees follow up with their respondents to keep that conversation going.
2) What, Why, but not How
It seems like common sense but we often are reminding leaders that when they get in front of their team to engage them around a task or project, they need to first and foremost go over the “what” and “why” and as much as possible stay out of the “how.” Remembering to explain “why” helps drive commitment vs. settling for compliance, and staying out of the “how” does the same. It also gives people some freedom to express themselves…and one of the key ways they do that is in how they do their work.
3) “Does style matter?”
We typically use a style instrument of some sort (DISC, MBTI). First and foremost to alert leaders to potential blind spots. We almost always get a question like “Is there a ‘right’ leadership style?.” We say “no”, and that people should be who they are and that trying to adopt a certain or someone else’s style is counterproductive.
4) “No soup for you!”
Showing more empathy and knowing the subtle difference from sympathy is something we always explore. Empathy is probably the key emotional intelligence competency you can focus on with leaders and it does not mean we don’t hold people accountable. If you believe the people in your organization come to work every day trying to do their best, what response other than empathy is needed when mistakes are made or miscommunications occur. The unpredictability of the marketplace and the fact we need to be ready to constantly adjust and explore new ways of doing things makes for more anxiousness requiring more empathy not less.
5) Carrots? Sticks? Other?
It seems like there are still leaders who want to hold onto the notion that people are primarily motivated by money more than anything else. It’s worth exploring this notion with what the research shows and examining the limited shelf life of “carrots” on motivation. There are more sustainable motivators for leaders to leverage like connecting people more strongly to purpose or giving people more freedom (i.e. autonomy/empowerment) around how they do their work.
6) “I believe confrontation is good.”
The quote above is from Coach K Duke University basketball. Every workshop we run includes a section on hard conversations. How to confront what needs to be confronted but do it in a tactful way that makes sure the message is heard and we avoid falling into a parent/child, compliance pattern.
7) Leader as Convener
Similar to point #1 here – that no one leader can have all the answers, the challenge then becomes for leadership to shift their thinking from having the answers to framing the right question. After that, it becomes about getting the right people in the room and facilitating the best thinking of the group. Part of every workshop we spend time on framing worthy questions and tapping team genius.
This list of content areas is not meant to be exhaustive, but they seem to resonate with leaders at all levels that we engage in workshops. If there is one thought that captures the spirit of what we are trying to accomplish in our workshops, it is below…
“New leaders are authentic and courageous. Authentic leaders do not allow others to make them into saviors and are not seduced by the powerful lure of being regarded as a rescuer – a setup for failure. Authentic leaders show their humanity, admit their mistakes, ask for help, and don’t act like they know what they are doing when, in fact, they haven’t a clue. Trust comes from the vulnerability found in authentic relationships.”
~ Tom Heuerman
Tomorrow we will look at the process steps for an effective leadership workshop experience.
