It's no secret that leadership is like walking a tightrope. It requires balance, focus, resilience — and let’s be real here — a whole lot of courage. You’re leaders are constantly caught between mapping out strategies and managing the emotions that come with them.
Allow me to introduce a coaching client whose name has been changed to protect the . . .ok maybe not innocent, exactly. Alex is a leader who could give a computer a run for its money with his analytical thinking. His decision-making process? Always rational, always precise. Emotional considerations? Not so much. Over time, his team started to feel as though they were just cogs in a machine, not valued contributors with ideas, feelings, and ambitions of their own. As a result, his "think-first, feel-later" approach led to mounting frustration and disengaged employees, so his director asked him to get some help from a coach.
His words: One day, a key team member hands in her resignation unexpectedly. When I asked the reason, she simply said, "I feel like I don't matter here". I never saw it coming and nothing I said would change her mind.
Alex had been so focused on the numbers, the analytics, the strategy - he forgot an indispensable part of leadership: the human element.
Unfortunately, our leadership development programs rarely take a truly integrated approach to building these skills. They cover a topic like "active listening", and how to do it, but miss the real reasons busy managers may not do it (even when they know they should).
Balancing the Brain and the Heart
In a world that's constantly changing, your role is more crucial than ever. You're not just tasked with developing skills but also with nurturing emotional intelligence. Think of it as being a gardener, where cognitive and emotional growth are the seeds you're planting.
For the seed of the mind, it's all about continuous learning, challenging assumptions, and encouraging innovation. It's providing those opportunities for your team to attend workshops, webinars, or take on new projects. A little bit of brain gymnastics, if you will.
Now, for the heart? That's where empathy, understanding, and connection come into play. It's creating an environment where your people feel seen, heard, and valued. It's the little things, like checking in on them, celebrating their wins (yes, even the small ones), and being there to support them through the rough patches.
The Path to Holistic Leadership Development
So, how do we merge these two paths into one holistic development journey?
- Mix Learning with Listening: Encourage your people to be perpetual learners but also active listeners. Create spaces for sharing knowledge and experiences. Teach people to be completely present when others are speaking.
- Foster a Culture of Compassion: Lead by example and show genuine interest in the well-being of your team. Remember, a simple “How are you really?” can go a long way.
- Set the Stage for Emotional Intelligence: Incorporate emotional intelligence into your training programs. Make it as essential as any technical skill. Check in with us for information on our Developing Your Emotional Intelligence.
- No "One and Done" Approach: Emotional development can happen more slowly for many leaders, so finding ways to incorporate it throughout the middle career years can pay big dividends on overall engagement and employee satisfaction. We offer an Leading with Emotional Intelligence and Agility for more seasoned leaders looking to build more flexibility into their approaches to people.
- Celebrate Every Milestone: Recognize both personal and professional growth. Every step forward is a victory.
- Encourage Reflection: Sometimes, we’re so caught up in moving forward that we forget to pause and reflect. Promote mindfulness and self-reflection within your organization.
I know, it sounds like a lot. But remember, you're not in this alone. You have a whole community backing you up, full of folks who are navigating the same stormy seas. You also have us, your partners at PMA, who have your back. We're focusing on the nuts and bolts of leadership development while you solve every other problem that comes at you today.
When you're ready, give us a shout and we'll have a virtual coffee and chat about how to build better leaders who are ready to build better teams. Book time with Deb
