Articles

Leadership Done Right: Why Empathy and Transparency Matter

Leading with Empathy: A Better Way to Communicate Leadership Decisions

As leaders, we are often tasked with making difficult decisions that impact the lives of our team members. These decisions can affect not only the individual’s professional trajectory but also their personal well-being. Recently, I came across a scenario that highlights the importance of transparent communication and empathy when making such decisions.

A friend of mine, let’s call her Jane, received an email while on family holiday from her department manager, Michael X, informing her that someone else would be appointed to a role she had been acting in for the past 18 months. The email was brief, mentioning Maria, the new appointee, and that Maria’s resume was attached for context. Jane had never been given the opportunity to apply for the role.

While it may be legal for Michael to appoint Maria to the role, the way this decision was communicated—and the timing of it—leaves much to be desired from a leadership perspective. Let’s examine the situation, why it’s crucial to do better, and how leaders can handle such decisions with empathy and integrity.

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Recruiting, Recruitment

Recruit Together, Succeed Together

Best Practices For Making Recruitment a Team Effort

One of the most overlooked aspects of the recruitment process is involving the team who will directly work with the new hire. Far too often, leaders make recruitment decisions without consulting the individuals who will be collaborating with the new team member on a daily basis. This lack of input can result in mismatched hires that struggle to integrate into the existing culture and dynamics, leading to poor performance, lower morale, and even high turnover.

Including team members in recruitment doesn’t just benefit the team’s cohesion and morale; it also provides insights into the practical compatibility of the candidate with the team’s workflow, dynamics, and values. Here are some best practices for making sure that team members are an integral part of the hiring process.

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Articles, Leadership, Leadership Development, Mentoring Program

Master Mentoring: How to Shape Success Through Culture and Continuous Growth

Shaping Success Through Culture and Continuous Growth 

Creating a thriving workplace culture is often seen as a daunting challenge for leaders. The pressure to balance financial performance with maintaining a positive environment can be overwhelming. Yet, as Shelly McElroy, founder of Dream Culture, reminds us, businesses must put as much value on culture as they do on their profit and loss (P&L) statements. 

In a recent episode of the Moving Beyond Being Good Podcast, Shelly shares key insights on what it takes to become a master mentor and develop a high-performance culture. Drawing from her personal experiences and consulting work, she reveals how leaders can drive better outcomes by fostering environments where employees feel valued, heard, and safe. 

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Articles, diversity & inclusion

Unpacking the ROI on diversity and inclusion in organisations

Diversity and inclusion are more than just trendy buzzwords; they are key drivers of organisational effectiveness. How can we quantify their impact? Let’s dive into the facts:

• 🚀Increased Innovation: According to a Boston Consulting Group study, diverse companies produced 19% more revenue due to innovation. That’s a clear link between diversity and the bottom line!
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21st Century Leadership, Leaders, leaders. leadership, Leadership

It is possible to be…

Life and leadership are rarely black and white. We often operate in the subtle shades of gray, where seemingly contradictory emotions and states coexist. Have you ever felt truly capable but somewhat adrift? Or found yourself smiling on the outside while managing internal struggles?
 Continue reading It is possible to be… →

Employee Engagement

How to dis-engage an employee

In the ever-evolving landscape of organisational dynamics, maintaining high levels of employee engagement stands as a paramount challenge for leaders. However, as evidenced by the disheartening tale of “Samantha”, sometimes leaders unwittingly catalyse the very disengagement they seek to avoid. Let’s delve into Samantha’s narrative and extract invaluable lessons on how not to disengage an employee.

Samantha’s journey begins within a semi-government organisation, where she, a seasoned procurement professional, finds herself amidst a series of leadership tumults. Initially recruited by her manager’s manager, she steps into her role with optimism, only to find her manager conspicuously absent, leaving her to bridge the gaps.

Unexpectedly, both her immediate manager and manager’s manager exit the organisation, thrusting Samantha into an acting manager role. Despite her competence, Samantha harbors no aspirations of climbing the corporate ladder, content with contributing as a high-performing team member.

However, the plot thickens when Samantha is encouraged to apply for the permanent managerial position. After a seemingly promising interview process, she receives an offer that not only falls short of her expectations but also undermines her worth and experiences a slap in the face to her dedication and commitment.

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Enabling organisations to be worthy of the commitment of employees