3 Unexpectedly Powerful Leadership Best Practices

#1. Start every meeting with WINS!

What is working? What problem did someone fix? Did you catch someone doing something right? Is there a best practice to share with others? 

Our minds have a negative bias. We see easily what is missing, what could be improved upon. We have to be intentional to see, celebrate, learn, share and continue what is working! This practice connects your team to why we do what we do and helps them see beyond the tasks to the purpose. This creates more employee engagement- which in turn increases productivity and loyalty.

#2. Get a verbal commitment that any task will be completed.

Once an action has been decided upon, seek commitment from each team member that they will complete the task when it is due. Go around the room, getting a verbal answer from each team member. This is their chance to speak up if they think they can’t get it done in the requested time frame. Permit them to speak their truth. Then you can inquire when they CAN get it done. Get a verbal commitment it will be done in the time they chose, or explain why you can’t wait and help them re-prioritize their tasks so that they can get it done.

#3. Ask permission to give coaching.

When you ask permission to give coaching it does a couple of things. One it tells the person they are about to get coaching! How many employee surveys have you read where people say they don’t get any coaching? As a leader, I began to realize it wasn’t that I wasn’t giving coaching, it was that it didn’t register in their minds as coaching.

Whether my coaching happened in a formal meeting, or just as part of a casual conversation, I found it valuable to just ask first, “May I give you some coaching?”

Secondly, it sets them up to listen differently. Ninety percent of the time, we are listening to respond. By asking this simple question, and them saying yes, now they are listening for information. It’s a different kind of listening. And your coaching is more likely to be received as just that, coaching. So rather than listening to defend my position, or to provide a response back to you, the person is now listening to receive the information you have to share.  You have just empowered your team members to help themselves through your coaching!  

Simple. Powerful. Get S#%t done!

What would you add to my list?