How to cope with the pressures on leadership and talent

I don't know a single client right now who isn't looking to onboard new critical talent and, as we end this extraordinary?month, with both a new Monarch?and?Prime Minister in power, the nation waits to see what challenges and opportunities these?changes in leadership will bring.

Navigating and leading through high-profile change can feel unsettling - and tough - no matter what the political and economic climate.

To make?any senior leadership transition and succession planning easier and more effective, this month I am sharing with you my free carefully designed?practical leadership transition mentoring guide - The First Time CEO . This eight-part mini-mentoring series contains specialist mentoring tools, techniques and advice to support you and your key people at those critical moments of transition. I've taken the journey of being a First-time CEO to illustrate the tools - but the advice and steps are universal for all senior teams and leaders going through change.

Click here to access.

My 'Talk with Sally' guest this month is the Founder of?Let's Talk Talent,?Joanna Taylor. She?also happens to be a valued client of mine and, as we share a common belief in 'better together', I was particularly intrigued to hear her?brilliant insights into how leaders can best engage and retain talent during global uncertainty and flux,?transitioning into a senior leadership position - and?accessing the right support to excel in role.

First though, a taster of some of the ???actions?I give to my leadership mentoring clients,?to help them perform at a higher level as they navigate their own growth journey:

1. Surrounded by economic and political turbulence, it's easy to forget the core purpose of your role. Ask yourself what your business needs from you right now and re-evaluate it over the next quarter.

?? Start 2023 strong and confident: Get clear on the top 3 - 5 key duties you want to focus time and energy on and percentage weight these. Importantly get clear on what are the key drivers for your focus? It has to be what I call 'Towards Energy' and not 'Away From Energy', which is fear based and always harder and less rewarding.

2. Don't try to be someone else. When times are stressful and relentless, emulating others is a 'fools gold' short cut as it never fully works! Now's your chance to further develop your own, unique version of leadership. Be confident in your authenticity.

???Take a refresher on your own, unique leadership style and think of 3 key attributes you'd want to hear other people say about you in the room, especially when you aren't there.

3. Managing a team during change and crisis can release unwanted cortisol, leaving you exhausted. Be clear on your own needs as a Senior Leader - and as a human - and ask what fuels your resilience and don't neglect the power of?humour (it's a great recharger)?

?? Get curious about 3 - 5 things that you know will make your professional life more fun, engaging and energising. The happier the heart, the more compelling the leader.

4. Healthy performance conversations will make the difference between energising - or draining - you and your team.

?? Don't ignore the elephant(s) in the room that still linger, post-Covid disruption; instead, ask a trusted cohort to take a temperature check now (around hybrid working, giving effective feedback, leadership development asks etc) so you can start taking next steps for ways of working with renewed clarity, confidence and commitment.

?5. Invest in expert, dedicated support for your success (and feel good about it). Your people want to learn, work and be led by the best. This takes leadership budget and that's OK - it beats wasting a recruitment budget on knee-jerk hiring any day!?

?? Start by creating a gold/silver/bronze leadership development budget wish list to get active in the 'doing' not just the 'wanting' around investing in your best (which naturally includes you).

"Running a business is meant to be hard. But Sally showed us [...]?that you can run a successful business whilst having fun and continuing to grow and develop as an individual."

STUART WATSON, Co-Founder & Partner, Nomady         

I'm delighted to welcome?Joanna Taylor? as my guest this month on?Talk with Sally . Jo is Founder and Managing Director of?Let's Talk Talent , a strategic talent management consultancy based in London and is passionate about helping organisations "Unlock the potential in their people".?

Click to watch Sally & Jo's conversation packed with insights and advice (25 minutes).

1. As a leader,?it's OK to?slow down to speed up. To do less and instead do things that are bigger and better quality rather than quantity.
2. A great way to engage and retain talent during uncertainty is to allow them to grow their own career pathway. Forget thinking in terms of your team's progression and promotion and instead,?focus on possibilities.
3. Help new leaders achieve success by giving them time.?The first 60 days can be a golden opportunity to talk to people, attend meetings and absorb the culture.
4. Avoid burnout by?understanding the 5 different energy drivers for your team:?physical, mental, social, spiritual & emotional - and look for cues and clues to spot when they/you need support.
5. Invest at the top for success and work with?a business mentor!?Too often the needs and wants of senior leaders is put to the bottom of the pile.?Having Sally's support has?enabled me to develop in my own time and space?and given me permission to be vulnerable. She challenges me when others don't.?

In case you missed my?last Talk with Sally, ?I enjoyed a great conversation with?public speaking and presentation coach,?Alex Merry , on finding (and amplifying) your leadership voice.

?Walking the (mentoring) walk...

?I feel privileged to have had a real opportunity to down tools over Summer and I returned from my break feeling refreshed and recharged, ready to embrace Q4 with purpose and?resilience.

?Having found the right great team internally and externally for me and my business, I fully appreciate you really can't grow a business and succeed on your own!

?If I can help you in any way as part of my leadership community,?drop me a line? and we can arrange a confidential (no expectation) call.??We really are #bettertogether .

?When you are ready here are ways I can actively support:

• 1-1 bespoke leadership mentoring?
• Team workshops?
• Tailored Leadership Development Programmes from The Real Method
• Bespoke Retained Programmes for combined team and 1-1 mentoring?

Cheers

Sally

+44 7788 961 950

www.sallyhenderson.co.uk ?

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