Leader Worthy: Lessons To Lead By

Today’s lesson is on leading through crisis, which, given everything going on in the world today, seems pretty important. As always, we’ve got 5 key points as takeaways and actions you can take today to get you more ready to lead. 

At some point in your career, you might consider the move to a leadership position. In this show, we talk about the traits and behaviours of good followers and leaders, why you need both, and how you can transition from follower to leader. As always, we’ve got 5 key points as takeaways and actions you can take today to get you more ready to lead.Who Am I?Think about who you really are and what you believe in, and find your “true north” - your sense of what’s right, good and true. It’s time to blow the dust off your inner compass.Have AnswersYou need to have answers, and know which direction to head. Now is the time to be decisive and stop leaning on others when making decisions.Find Your VoiceYou are no longer a spectator. It’s time to speak your mind, and to do it with conviction and belief.Own MistakesRecognize when you (or your team) makes a mistake, and own it. Fail fast, and take ownership of the failure.Tune out the TrollsWhen you reach, people will try to cut you down. Tune out the critics. Believe in yourself, and develop a thick skin. Leadership Actions (Things you can do today!)If you haven’t, go back and listen to our Personal Brand podcast - define your core values!Come up with a solution for one problem in your current environment. Take the time to think through the impact of your solution on various stakeholders.Find something at work that you think is going unsaid - an elephant in the room. How might you address it in your next meeting?Think about a mistake you’ve made in the past - then think about whether or not you truly owned it. What would you change about how you handled it?Identify your closest friends and confidants - those you trust to give you constructive feedback. Write them down. Worry about what they say, not others.Thank You!Thanks for joining us Leader Worthy Episode 3 on Leaders & Followers. If you liked this podcast, please give us a review wherever it is you get your podcasts, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues. Finally, tune in next week for more lessons to lead by!

Building your purposeful and strategic personal brand has never been more important. Whether you’re just starting out in your career or you’re looking to redefine yourself as a leader, now is a great time to be thinking about how you are perceived, and we’ve got 5 key points that can help. What is my Personal Brand?Your personal brand is how you are perceived by others. It’s the image that people see of you. It’s what differentiates you from others and is a combination of your skills, experience, personality, conduct, behavior, language, and attitude. It is in part how you tell your story, but more importantly the perception that your story creates in those around you. It helps you stand out from the rest.Why is it important?  Generally, and especially now?With the current economic meltdown stemming from the Coronavirus pandemic, we are experiencing historic unemployment numbers. People are struggling personally and professionally, and as you face a changing and increasingly competitive job market, it’s now more important than ever to know who you are and how you are perceived. Your personal brand makes you memorable and helps you stand out from the thousands like you, so it’s time to take stock of your personal brand and make some decisions about the person people see as you.Your actions need to match your personal brand.The secret to a strong personal brand is consistency. You are trying to create a perception of “you” so it is key to be consistent in everything you do, professionally and personally.You want your personal brand to be authentic. It may ignore a few of your personal faults, and you may have to massage it a little to create the right perception, but it needs to ring true. It is not hard to spot a fake person. Your personal brand is what people say about you when you are not around. If people don’t believe your personal brand, then you lack credibility. Fortunately, with some attention to the following five points, you can do something about that.The 5 Key Points To Creating a Powerful Personal BrandKnow Who You AreWhat are your core values? Your Vision for yourself? Your Mission in your career? In life?Know Your Specific AudienceWho can influence your success? Who is getting in the way? Whose perceptions of you are most important?Assess Your SkillsWhat are your strengths? Weaknesses? Be honest with yourself about what you’re good at and where you struggle.Have a Point of DifferentiationWhat do you want to be known for? Differentiate, don’t just be different. Focus on 1 or 2 points of differentiation.Live Your TruthBe yourself. Be consistent. Leadership Actions (Things you can do today!)Create a list of your core values. Create your personal vision and mission.Define your personal stakeholder groups, who is in them, and notes no how they can help or inhibit youMake a T-Chart of your strengths and weaknesses. Be honest with yourself.Develop a plan to promote your POD (Point of Differentiation)Be Yourself. Every. Single. Day.Thank You!Thanks for joining us for Leader Worthy Episode 2 on Personal Brand. If you liked this podcast, please give us a review wherever it is you get your podcasts, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues. Finally, tune in next week for more lessons to lead by!

In the current environment, leading virtually is more important than ever. In our first-ever podcast, produced (virtually) in the middle of the Coronavirus pandemic, we’ve got 5 key points that can help you to build a strong virtual team and ensure that you're doing the right things to keep your teams inspired, motivated and recognized.Support your teamUse Emotional Intelligence to support your team during this transitional period (and always!). Understand that uncertainty rules the day and your team is counting on you to be tuned in to their needs.Technology is not the solutionTechnology provides the tools, but they aren’t a substitute for strategic thinking and execution.Simplify your toolbox. Don’t introduce too much at one time, and phase in new technology. If you can, stick to what people know and know how to use.You need to know how to use the technology before you introduce it to your team!Remain flexible and adaptable. Don’t invest too much in one tool before putting it to the test with your team.Set expectations, then live themWhat are the non-negotiables? Does everyone agree? Working at home is different than having a virtual team in separate offices. How will you remain professional? What does that mean? Dress? Behaviour? Etiquette? Productivity and accountability?Define your expectations, stick to them, and be prepared to live them yourself.CollaborateGet out of your silo, both internally and externally. This is a great time to reassess your team’s relationship with different stakeholders, and think about how you can add real value.Inspire othersInspiration is even more important in virtual environments. You need to motivate others and give them a reason to make the effort when they’re not sitting beside you, and have multiple distractions.Celebrate successes publicly and share praise with your team.Offer stories that others can use as inspirationReward team members. Do it early, and do it often (every day!)Leadership Actions  (Things you can do today!)If this is the first time you’ve heard about emotional intelligence, go read up on it.Write down the tools you’re using currently, review the purpose of using them, and give yourself a grade in each one. Consider cutting tech that isn’t working for you.Pick 2 or 3 measures of productivity or accountability that your team can buy into, measure those, and create a schedule of when you will measure them again.Think about others in your organization outside your team. Try to put yourself in their shoes in order to better understand their perspective and what they need from you. Write it down and start thinking about ways to action it.Think about someone who deserves recognition, and make a note of how and when you will recognize them.Thank You!Thanks for joining us for Leader Worthy Episode 1 on Virtual Leadership. If you liked this podcast, please give us a review wherever it is you get your podcasts, and share this episode with your friends and colleagues. Finally, tune in next week for more lessons to lead by!