How often do the conditions in your work seem absolutely perfect, only for things to slip out of control? Sometimes a strong tail wind can be perilous - how can you resist the urge to go head on into danger?
It has become accepted in today’s business world that ‘managers’, ‘heads of…’ and ‘directors’ by dint of being in such a titled role are also required to be ‘leaders’ and to create followers.
True following exists where it is about something much, much bigger than you, bigger than your balanced scorecard, bigger than this year’s targets, bigger even that the five year business plan.
Why do people follow leaders? Why do (or would) people follow you?
As a leader it is you that will set and change the pace. Whether you are leading from the front, from within the pack or from behind the front line, your role in influencing, encouraging and setting the speed and creating change will be a huge factor in success.
The more purposelessness there is to everything around us, the more this affects our own purposefulness. Time to simplify.
When you are holding onto an emotion, particularly one that is only partially thought through, it can sit clogging your free flowing attitude. Even though it may seem not to be near the surface of your thinking, it will be leaking into your mood and the rest of your thoughts.
When presenting your ideas do you erm often? Speaking up at meetings are your views punctuated with umms? Are you aware of the amount of umms and errs that pepper your dialogue? Pruning just a few of them out of your talks can significantly enhance your impact and the influence you exert with the actual content of your subject.
Have you ever noticed times when you feel at your physical and mental peak and times when you are not? Have you considered the times in the day or week when you are a more or less creative thinker or able to work at higher or lower intensity? When your concentration in meetings or your communication with colleagues is better or worse?
Until you do, you may be holding expectations and demands that are too high, setting yourself up for disappointment, fatigue and the ensuing attitude drop.
You’ve probably heard the phrase, “Resting Bitch Face”, mockingly ascribed to how someone holds a resting face that displays an unintendedly blunt message.
“RBF” has come up in several conversations recently and reminding me of the effect our facial expression can have on our impact. What is your face saying?