Last Week's Leadership Lessons - December 4, 2023
John M. Jaramillo, MBA, MSOP
Leadership Performance Coach & Consultant | Leadership Design & Branding | Podcast Host??| Executive Advisor | Freelance Writer ?? | Speaker
Lessons From The Week of November 27th
This Week: 1. Insecurity / 2. Uncertainty / 3. Authority
Reader Beware: If you've been here before, you know the drill. Please feel free to jump right on ahead to the list of stories. If not, read from here on to understand what I'm trying to capture in the Last Week's Leadership Lessons series.
Talking about leadership can be repetitive and boring as hell!
We're always seeing and hearing the same old definitions, constructs, and formal tips related to and regurgitated about the leadership field, every so often punctuated by a perpetually rotating door of the latest industry buzzwords.
Even with all its great energy and intention, the themes and hopes of the leadership discipline, admittedly, can become a little monotonous -- without great stories and living examples to wake them up.
(Granted, I post about them as well. Guilty. So I guess maybe I mean "overkill." The?overkill?of your run-of-the-mill leadership ideas is what I'm trying to supplement -- and maybe unlock -- here through more unique takes and lenses.)
Hence why I launched this series.
The way the world is going, I think it's essential to think about and take in more lessons on humanity in general than leadership specifically.
In this series, I want to capture themes and ideas for leadership -- while being particularly cautious that they not be necessarily conveyed as leadership lessons in the articles or sources I cite. I want to find examples that demonstrate more lessons about HUMANITY than the usual script of clichéd leadership building blocks.
The way the world is going, I think it's essential to think about and take in more lessons on humanity in general than leadership specifically. And it's not like I'm forsaking one for the other; the former should inform and be the foundation for the latter. (That's just me. That's just my take.)
And to be clear, these valuable lessons, as I express them, aren't carved in stone. My translations aren't absolute. They can't be. It's not that simple. I think that's what gets us in trouble when it comes to learning (or not) about society and each other: Most issues are typically seen as black and white, left and right, up and down, one side or the other. But again, it's not that simple. Not everything can be. We force it to be that way.
In most instances -- not all, but in most -- there is room for interpretation and different ideas and views to be exchanged somewhere on the middle ground. More nuance exists than we typically see -- or will admit.
And in that nuance there's beauty. Because in that nuance we can learn from each other. And because of that nuance, each of my interpretations is just one option for consideration in that middle ground of learning.
All that being said, below are three articles I came across last week that have valuable lessons for leadership, purpose, and expression. In reading these pieces, you may find the lessons for leadership do not immediately stand out or reveal themselves -- and that's because lessons can range from the loud, obvious, and obnoxious to the subtle, unassuming, and hidden. In my breakdowns below I'll first cover the idea In General and then it's applicability In Leadership.
...it never hurts to continue learning from your fellow human beings, whether you know them or not.
And although the source materials are not all leadership-related per se, they can all apply to leadership -- in terms of how you present yourself, navigate through life and work, and move, impact, inspire, and appreciate others.
Even if you feel you've already crafted your leadership to where you want it to be and the results clearly show it -- where others can get behind them and vouch for you -- it never hurts to continue learning from your fellow human beings, whether you know them or not.
Gestures, speeches, action, inaction, decisions, announcements, etc. They all tie in.
So bear with me. Some of them might seem like a stretch. But have some faith that I may be crazy -- but not?too?crazy.
This practice is merely effort to learn about ourselves, where we can improve, and how we can evolve.
Lessons are everywhere.
1. Taking Insecurity Measures
In General
It's amazing how much we do and/or tolerate out of insecurity. We want to protect ourselves, or overcompensate, or try to come across the right way. It's almost like a game of survival.
Every action and every moment seem to count. And we do it whether we know it or not. Some drivers of the behaviors include fear, lack of confidence, and self-preservation. And those actions stemming from insecurity can look so different.
...there should be moments where leaders seek to understand what drives others.
In Leadership
There's no way to know with 100% certainty the insecurity that exists in others. But this is a lesson in looking beyond the actions or the facade of others, to be curious and try to understand someone better.
It is giving others grace. And that isn't about giving anything away. Instead, it's thinking about the reasoning, purpose, and needs that exist in the actions of others. Leaders don't have all the time in the world to assess and interpret every little action. But there should be moments where leaders seek to understand what drives others.
How do you seek to understand the drivers in others, whether they're made up of insecurity or anything else? Do you take everything at face value, or do you seek to understand others more deeply?
Check Out The Article HERE!
2. Certain About Uncertainty
In General
VUCA. Get familiar with it. Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, Ambiguity. They make up the unknown, the things we can't anticipate or predict. They can become stressors when we try to break them -- to control them to act or give in to our own needs. But that's insanity. There's no way to predict or control that which is out of our hands.
The key to navigating uncertainty as best as possible is being realistic, accepting you can't control everything, remaining agile, and working as best as possible in the space that's allowable.
Yes, this article is about teams, but its lessons can transfer to an individual's own growth and development -- and progress --through uncertainty.
In Leadership
Yes, this article is about teams, but its lessons can transfer to an individual's own growth and development -- and progress --through uncertainty.
It's all about how you look at it and reset it for your individual needs -- (1) accepting the need for change; (2) involving colleagues in the process; (3) getting support and training where necessary; (4) paying attention to who the early adopters are (and learning from them); (5) keeping yourself accountable (and rewarding yourself); (6) being patient and celebrating successes; and (7) leading yourself proactively, not merely reacting.
Tom Hine covers VUCA in Episode 79 (below) of The Book Leads Podcast.
How are you preparing as best as possible in the face of uncertainty?
Check Out The Article HERE!
Related Books
Related The Book Leads Podcast Episodes
3. Your Higher Authority
In General
Everyone has something to share. And each of us has something we can share in a way that no one else can, no matter how big or small it is. Even if we aren't the foremost expert in an area, it's important to find a way to share what we know about.
Whether it's to share our knowledge alone or to contribute to the discourse and build upon those ideas, it's important to share. Too many people make their way through life and/or work tentative, silent, not sure what value they can provide. They hold themselves back.
Yes, esteemed background, expertise, and knowledge are important to hold authority, but so are belief, conviction, and confidence.
In Leadership
In the end, what is unique to a leader, whether they're rising or established, is what is going to set them apart. Yes, esteemed background, expertise, and knowledge are important to hold authority, but so are belief, conviction, and confidence.
So many leaders are capable of so much more but doubt, or don't look for that best in, themselves.
Where do you hold authority? Do you understand your unique take and voice in your specialized area?
Check Out The Article HERE!
Honorable Mention
Negative Thinking
In Leadership
Negative thinking can exist everywhere, whether in little moments here and there, or in a constant, persistent, and pervasive undercurrent. This article presents some ideas to think about and consider when tracing that cord back to the wall of origination. The origins of leadership impact might not begin in the work environment; for better or worse, a leader's attitude, including their negative thinking, can begin outside of what's being carried out. And it takes much more work than reviewing a list here. But have you considered where the roots begin in the past that feed your negative thinking today? The impact can be felt in more areas across your life and leadership than you might believe.
I found this article through Paul Sinclair 's LinkedIn post last week.
Check Out The Article HERE!
Related Network Conversations...Section Of This Edition
Related The Book Leads Podcast Episodes
Honorable Mention
Holding Advice
In Leadership
Miscommunication. Misunderstandings. Disconnections. They don't all stem from a bad place. Sometimes, we have the best of intentions but our message doesn't quite land right. That can be especially the case when we want to help others, or, more specifically, when we try to give advice when someone is trying to share a challenge they've come up against. Leadership is about understanding the environment before anything else -- before acting, sharing, or opining. Connor DeLaney and I cover this exact consideration in our discussion in Episode 56 below -- how we need to hold space for others, hearing them out thoroughly, before jumping in and trying to save or help them.
Check Out The Article HERE!
Related The Book Leads Podcast Episode & Book
That's it! Those are the main articles for this week.
What other examples of leadership lessons – maybe even those that aren’t so apparent and obvious – do you come across in your everyday life and work?
What have you read lately that offers some insight on being human and navigating life -- and yes, by default, leadership.
Reach out to me and let me know what you think of these. Please share your own if you've found articles or stories with great lessons or insights that can contribute to how we carry ourselves through our lives and work.
Okay...A Leadership Article
Okay, yes. I had to include an article that is focused on leadership. At least one.
The EVOLVING Contract Between Workers & Bosses
Times have changed. Technology and communication have evolved, allowing the world to connect like never before. Because of those shared experiences and amplified voices, each generation of workers has different expectations of the workplace and their own role in -- and takeaways from -- that environment. Those expectations were changing long before COVID-19; the pandemic merely accelerated the evolution of what the workplace and those expectations were to become. With greater reach in technology, each of us can see what people in comparable (or our desired fields) are doing (and getting). There's really no need to stay in one place if we can grow, develop, and benefit in a different environment. Again, expectations -- and, therefore, the contract -- have changed.
How is your contract with those you lead evolving? Are you paying attention to it?
Check Out The Article HERE!
Related The Book Leads Podcast Episodes
Network Conversations With...Suzanne McColl & Limiting Beliefs
I recently had a virtual chat with a new connection, EMDR Psychotherapist, Speaker, and Author Specialist Suzanne McColl , to whom I was introduced by Business Strategist and Consultant Maryann Cruz . Maryann had connected Suzanne and me, knowing Suzanne would make a great guest on The Book Leads Podcast's upcoming 3rd season, in which she could cover her recently published book, Reclaiming Self-Worth: The Five-Step Method to Releasing Limiting Beliefs and Feeling Worthy.
In these pre-episode talks, my prospective guests and I get to know each other's work and mission, to ensure an episode would make the most sense for both sides. As we talked about what her work and what led her to write her book, this idea -- one that's come up in past episodes -- came up again as a reminder:
We operate so much today while limiting ourselves by what we've experienced in the past.
It's amazing what you find when you begin thinking about your actions today and what it is from your past -- experiences, traumas, or disruptions -- that engrained those behaviors and responses in your body.
How can you trace back to where your behaviors today might have originated in the past?
I hope to learn more when Suzanne and I have our conversation in the early months of the new year.
Applicable The Book Leads Podcast Episodes
Last 10 LWLL Posts...
November 27, 2023 - 1. Overcoming / 2. Regression / 3. Over-Efficiency
November 20, 2023 - HAPPY THANKSGIVING - 1. Loneliness / 2. Asking For Support / 3. Gratitude
November 13, 2023 - 1. What Others Think / 2. Constructive Criticism / 3. Legacy
November 6, 2023 - 1. Moving Forward / 2. Pitching Yourself / 3. Hope
October 23, 2023 - 1. Urgency / 2. Workplace Toxicity / 3. Boundaries
October 16, 2023 - 1. Designing Life / 2. Communication / 3. Stepping Up
October 9, 2023 - 1. Reading People / 2. Stop Overthinking / 3. Healing
October 2, 2023 - 1. Presence / 2. Negative Feedback / 3. Innovation
July 31, 2023 - 1. Non-Verbal Illiteracy / 2. Discomfort / 3. Silence
July 24, 2023 - 1. Play / 2. A Better Person / 3. First Impressions
What Do YOU Think?
What are your thoughts on these topics? Again, like everything else in this newsletter, the ideas here may not come to mind immediately when you think of leadership, but there's a place for them. These stories and questions ask us to consider how we see, interact with, and influence people -- and leadership is all about people. Sometimes, all it takes is a great prompt or a simple question to have us think about (or rethink) areas of our lives.
I Just Wrote...To Say...
Leadership is about communication. It's taking what we value, what we intend, and what we believe and expressing it to others. How often do you take into consideration the words you use in your emails?
Check Out The Article HERE!
No (b)Rain
There come (several and regular) times to step away, shut off, and reset. What do you do to escape your brain and offset stress?
Check Out The Article HERE!
Follow-Up On Past Editions
Here are some follow-up articles that build on, supplement, or intersect with topics covered in previous editions.
There's always a different take or angle to help us refine and build upon a discussion we've had in the past. We can bring either some reinforcement, clarity, or questions to past understandings. Because I just give you the articles and how they connect to previous editions, I leave you to figure out, much how I break down the lessons above, how to extract the lessons for your own leadership.
Latest Episodes of The Book Leads - Tom Hine
Episode 80: Tom Hine, CFP?, CFS?, MBA & His Book, The Balanced Wealth Approach: Secrets To Living Long And Living Rich
In this episode, Tom, a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER?, author, and founder and CEO of Capital Wealth Management, shares with me how there should be comparable focus on both wealth and health when it comes to our futures -- even in his field of wealth management.
Through his own journey in finance (the numbers) and karate, meditation, yoga (the physical and the mind), he demonstrates that he's living what he's preaching.
The message he shares with his clients, into which he does a deep dive with me here, is a great reminder that we can't take anything for granted. The world is changing, and so how we respond to and live within it also needs to change and become both more intentional and mindful. "You need a 5G mindset to live within a 5G world."
Conversation Highlights
The MAIN QUESTION underlying my conversation with Tom is, How are you focusing on health in order to move forward with longevity, ensuring you're not taking what you have for granted?
Also included in the podcast article:
I'm always looking for a good read full of great and impactful lessons.
Here is the list of books I've gotten into in 2023. Reach out if you'd like to come on?The Book Leads?or if you know anyone you'd recommend for that conversation.
What are you reading these days?
Learn more about The Book Leads Podcast.
The Ultimate Guide To Becoming A Successful Soul Professional Book
This amazing collaborative anthology launched?in July! Order your copy here!
In my chapter, I break down what inspired my signature talk, Platinum Networking: Designing A Unique Experience For Others In A World Of Disconnection,?digging into my story -- and that of and with my parents -- to understand what's behind the way I interact with those in my network, serving them as if they were my clients.
Check out this podcast appearance I recently made leading up to the launch with book publisher Laura Di Franco and fellow co-author Heidi Metro!
The days of traditional networking, where we memorize our elevator pitch and repeat it to everyone we encounter, hoping to gain something only for ourselves, are over.
Our network should be at the top of our client list. We need to elevate their work and reputation as much as our own to build a solid and effective ecosystem of connections, relationships, and success.
About The Book Leads Podcast
On The Book Leads podcast, I speak to specialists and experts across various industries and from varied backgrounds to learn about the book that made an impact and left an impression on their work, life, and leadership. In the course of my conversation I also learn about my guest's background, experience, and work they're carrying out today.
Learn more about The Book Leads and listen to past episodes:
About Me
I'm a Leadership Performance Coach and Consultant at coachitout.com.?In addition to coaching, and as you can see above, I enjoy writing, podcasting, and speaking about leadership. Specifically, I work with clients to realize what they're all about when it comes to (1) new positions they've been hired or promoted into; and (2) rediscovering what they want out of their leadership, development, and career.
My signature talks include Design Your Leadership! Nine Ways to Sharpen Your Leadership Brand In The Everyday, and Platinum Networking: Designing A Unique Experience For Others In A World Of Disconnection.
Please subscribe to my newsletter Last Week's Leadership Lessons, if you haven't already!
Reach out to me at [email protected].
Owner and Chief Worthiness Officer @ Suzanne McColl LLC | Psychotherapy, Coaching, Speaking
11 个月John M. Jaramillo, MBA, MSOP great conversation with you this past week! I love the topic of leadership and limiting beliefs that hold people back from making true connections with their teams and with colleagues. Looking forward to reading these articles!
Leadership Performance Coach & Consultant | Leadership Design & Branding | Podcast Host??| Executive Advisor | Freelance Writer ?? | Speaker
11 个月Directory of Past Editions: https://www.dhirubhai.net/pulse/last-weeks-leadership-lessons-directory-articles-john-m-/?published=t ?? #leadership?#leadershipcoaching?#news?#coaching?#life?#work?#communication?#goals #writing #insecurity #uncertainty #VUCA #authority #negativethinking #advice #workers #bosses #limitingbeliefs #emails #brain #grief #bravery #disagreements LinkedIn for Creators