How Do You Define Leadership?

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Hello 2024!

Another year begins.? An opportunity to renew, rejuvenate, and recalibrate what success looks like for you.

Today, I want to share with you my experience, ideas, and tips on building your foundation for an outstanding year.

Change

You may have come to the realization, as I have, that since the Pandemic, it feels like the pace of change has accelerated.? And you'd be right.? It has.

Technology, information, and once-thought-of standard practices about how work gets done have been turned on their heads.? Much of the talk these days is focused on AI and whether it's an existential crisis and what to do about it versus all the great things we can do with machine learning and artificial intelligence.

I don't know where this is all headed, but there are things that I am certain about.? You can ignore or embrace these changes.? That's your choice.

Your Secret Power

With the right mindset and values in place, we collectively will manage to overcome the challenges these changes may pose. I also know you cannot stop change from happening.? It doesn't work that way.? You have no control over change.?

Who's your favorite superhero? I'll bet your superhero (mine is Batman, by the way) has some special superpower that makes them who they are and defines them.

That said, you have great power should you choose to use it. This power is one you already have. You just need to be aware of it and tap into it. I'm talking about the power of choice.?

You can choose how you respond and react to the changes affecting you and your business.? For me, it all starts with mindset. With that in mind, let's talk about leadership for 2024.

How do you define leadership?

There are tons of definitions of leadership. Mine is forged mostly from experience and some from what I read.

I'm not going to give you a list of qualities or "shoulds". Authentic leadership is personal, and it looks different for every leader out there. There are, however, a few qualities that stand out to me as essential.

Know When to Hold Them and When to Fold Them

Okay. You may remember the Kenny Rogers song, The Gambler. I'm not much of a gambler, although I like to take calculated risks occasionally.

To be a highly effective leader, you need to know when to lead and when to follow. Anyone in your organization can come up with great ideas and take on leadership roles.

It's been said that true leadership is a combination of initiative and humility. As the leader, you do not need to have all the answers. You just need to know where to go or who to rely on to get there.

It takes finesse to lead others, carefully influencing them, and to do so, you need to build solid relationships. Leadership is not bestowed by title.

There will be moments of success and moments of frustration when things don't go as planned. That's to be expected. In these frustrating moments, your tenacity and perseverance will be required to either change course or stick to the plan.

Ready for 2024!

Ready to take on 2024 despite all the volatility, uncertainty, complexity, and ambiguity (VUCA) you will face?

I was honored to be the guest of Dave Miles, Ph.D. on his inaugural episode of "Conversations on Leadership with Dr. Dave."

I've spent decades immersed in leadership and what makes great leaders and great organizations. I've witnessed and experienced significant changes in my 40+ years in not only business but in our culture, as well.

In this podcast, I share some of my best advice on centering yourself in the midst of all the chaos and tapping into your authentic leadership voice to be the best version of yourself as the leader. You can watch and listen to the "Conversations on Leadership with Dr. Dave" here. For your convenience, I have summarized a few highlights.

Some highlights from the podcast:

6:00 Great Leadership Defined

9:35 What's it costing you...

11:25 Know your people

13:55 The Assumption Trap

14:55 Biggest leadership challenge I faced...

21:45 Some of my best advice...

30:15 Three of the biggest mistakes I see leaders make...

Until next time!

Leading in uncertain and complex times is challenging. What separates good leaders from great ones is the 'inner game' or mindset of leadership. CEO Sensei, former BDO managing partner, and martial arts blackbelt John Fenton is one of the few who address this critical aspect of leading well. John's unique methodology brings clarity, pragmatism, and encouragement to managing partners, board executives, and CEOs today. He is an award-winning speaker, a heart attack survivor, and the author of the bestselling book, "5 Minute Mastery?, The Surprising Secrets for Transforming Your Stress to Success and Mastering What’s Important."