It's much deeper than you think

Welcome to the Strategic Leader newsletter! In each edition, I give you a perspective, resource (e.g. a tool, framework), and a recommendation (for a book, article, talk, service, or person).

If we haven’t met yet, thank you for joining me! You can learn a little more about me here and by watching this short video .

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I’m offering my ‘Becoming a Strategic Leader’ course for free to 100 readers of this newsletter for the next month (up until Christmas Eve. Call this offer my contribution to the season of goodwill and thanksgiving! You can sign up here . I’d welcome lots of 5-star reviews in return!

Perspective

Coming to the end of the calendar year is a good time to reflect, a valuable activity that is often underused by executives.

I’ve learned the most in the liminal spaces I’ve occupied, both of my clients and myself as I moved house.        

What I learned from my clients this year

I’m super diligent in capturing themes, ideas, and lessons from my work with C-Suite executives. It improves our work (and enhances my own practices too). It’s become an enjoyable habit.

I’ve been bowled over by the transformational changes they’ve made, often in short spaces of time. This is what helped them do this (in case it’s of help to you):

• Think big and bold.
• Create (more) headspace to think.
• Figure out where you can stand out.
• Ask super simple questions.
• Identify the critical decisions.
• Shed unhelpful assumptions (about your organisation, team, or yourself).
• Choose your words carefully.
• Start with a positive presumption in everything you do.
• Explore what your people can give.
• Think of yourself as a portfolio of choices and bets.

What I learned from moving house

Last month, we moved house with a disabled child after 15 years in our old house. Ok, so it’s hardly a radical move but it still felt like – and still feels like – a big project and a big transition, which has felt both exhilarating and uncomfortable at times.

I’m not always as diligent at looking for learning in my personal life. This time I was, and realised I’ve learned this about myself and change:

• I’m a hoarder, having chastised my wife for that role for years. And there’s some comfort and joy in it.
• The liminal space of transition can be deeply uncomfortable – leaving the familiar (e.g., my old neighbourhood) for the unproven – but doesn’t last that long.
• People have very different ways of dealing with change – and speeds. Yet, why do leaders often assume we’re all the same when they look to effect organisational change?
• If you’re nice to people they’re more likely to do a good job. Duh.
• You have to give up some things – in this case a newsletter for a first months – if you’re taking on a new project.
• Most of the things you worry about don’t really matter. At all.

Resource

Holidays are a time to hang out with people you love (or tolerate), do some fun stuff, and try to recharge the batteries.

The change of focus can be good for our brains too, allowing in new ideas and surfacing learnings from the past.         

With that in mind, try capturing what you’ve learned from your interactions in this documen t; you can print it out and use it as a bookmark too.

If you’re really bored, have a read of two of my latest articles:

• Talking about a difficult decision – when you can’t share all the details (HBR).
• How to develop an intrapreneurial culture (S+B).

You could also catch up on my latest Lancefield on the Line podcasts too in which we talk about:

• Life: reframing work-life balance, leading a limitless life, creating more optionality, and learning from our childhood.
• Transformation: digital, culture, and AI.

Every conversation leaves me with new ways to think and act. I hope you feel the same way. I’m so grateful to my guests for sharing their wisdom and tips.

Recommendation

Focus on what you have right in front of you. Too often we lament our constraints and challenges, or feel overwhelmed with our responsibilities. I certainly do sometimes, even though I know it’s not good for me. This article has plenty of helpful tips to help you keep your head above water. I particularly like it’s mention of taking a break from input and release what’s outside yourself.

As William Blake said:

"In the universe, there are things that are known and things that are unknown, and in between there are doors."

Wishing you well,

David.

P.S.?Share your advice on how to make this newsletter better to [email protected] along with any resources you’d like me to share.

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Thank you for reading this edition of the Strategic Leader newsletter. I hope you found it insightful and useful. Here are some ways to access further perspectives, tips, and resources:

• Follow me on LinkedIn to join the conversation on my posts, and ring the bell????on the right hand side of my name to receive my new posts.
• Subscribe to my Strategic Leader newsletter.
• Take my Extraordinary Essentials test to assess how you stack up against six characteristics of strategic leaders.
• Check out my services for strategic leaders.