Episode 231 - Preparing for an Underperformance Conversation: The CLEAR Framework

Summary

Underperformance conversations often go wrong before they even begin. In this episode, we explore the CLEAR framework to help leaders prepare with greater clarity, curiosity and confidence. You’ll learn how to clarify the purpose, listen well, explore causes, agree on next steps and reinforce progress after the conversation.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 231 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at how to prepare for an underperformance conversation.

Most leaders think the hardest part of a performance conversation is the conversation itself. In my experience the hardest part is often the period beforehand. It’s the days or weeks spent thinking about the conversation, worrying about how the other person might react and wondering whether you’re approaching the situation in the right way.

I’ve noticed that when leaders describe a performance conversation that went badly, the problem rarely started in the conversation itself. More often, the leader entered the discussion without enough clarity. They hadn’t fully thought through what they wanted to achieve. They weren’t clear on the evidence they wanted to discuss. They hadn’t considered the other person’s perspective. And because they weren’t prepared, they became reactive when the conversation didn’t unfold exactly as expected.

What’s interesting is that the conversations we avoid are often the conversations that would help the most. A performance issue continues. Team members become frustrated. Standards start slipping. The leader becomes increasingly concerned. Yet the conversation keeps getting postponed because it feels uncomfortable. Unfortunately, avoidance doesn’t make the issue smaller. It usually makes it larger.

By the time the conversation finally happens, something else has often occurred as well. The leader has spent weeks carrying the emotional weight of the issue. They’ve replayed examples in their mind. They’ve built up frustration. They’ve developed assumptions about why the problem exists. In some cases, they’ve already decided what the other person thinks before they’ve even had the discussion. That’s why preparation matters so much.

Douglas Stone in his work on difficult conversations, suggests that these conversations become challenging when the stakes matter, views differ and emotions are involved. That combination exists in almost every performance discussion. The goal of preparation isn’t to eliminate those factors. The goal is to help us navigate them more effectively.

One framework that is particularly useful is CLEAR. The framework provides a simple structure for thinking about a conversation before it happens. It doesn’t give you a script to follow. Instead, it helps you clarify your thinking so you can enter the conversation with confidence, curiosity and purpose.

The first step is Context. Before you think about what you want to say, it’s worth asking yourself why you’re having the conversation in the first place. What is the purpose? What outcome are you hoping to achieve? What would success look like? Many leaders focus immediately on the problem. They begin preparing examples, evidence and arguments. While those things matter, starting with the problem can create a mindset where the goal becomes proving a point. A more useful approach is to start with the outcome. If the conversation goes well, what will be different afterwards? For example, perhaps you want someone to understand the impact of their behaviour on others. Perhaps you want them to improve a particular aspect of performance. Perhaps you want to understand what obstacles are getting in the way of success. Clarifying the purpose helps shape everything that follows.

The second step is Listen. This is where many leaders struggle because we’ve often spent so much time thinking about our perspective that we forget to explore theirs. When leaders describe performance conversations that went unexpectedly well, one of the most common reasons is that they learned something they didn’t know beforehand. The person revealed challenges, concerns or circumstances that completely changed how the leader understood the situation. Listening doesn’t mean agreeing. It doesn’t mean lowering expectations. It simply means recognising that there may be information you don’t yet have. Questions such as, “How do you think things have been going?”, “What’s been most challenging recently?” or “How do you see the situation?” create opportunities for insight. Sometimes the other person is already aware of the issue and has been struggling with it for some time. Sometimes they have a completely different interpretation of events. Either way, listening helps ensure the conversation is based on understanding rather than assumption.

The third step is Explore. This is where we move from symptoms to causes. We have previously discussed clarity, capability, confidence, and motivation. The Explore stage is where those concepts become useful. Rather than assuming you already know why the issue exists, you start investigating possible explanations. Perhaps the person lacks a particular skill. Perhaps they’re uncertain about expectations. Perhaps they’re experiencing personal challenges. Perhaps they’ve lost confidence after a setback. Perhaps they’re doing acceptable work but have stopped growing. The key is curiosity. Many leaders approach performance conversations believing they need to diagnose the problem before entering the room. A better approach is to enter the room with hypotheses rather than conclusions. Be willing to test your assumptions and adjust your thinking based on what you learn.

The fourth step is Agree. Once both perspectives have been explored and the likely causes are becoming clearer, it’s time to discuss what happens next. This is where vague commitments can become a problem. Statements such as “I’ll try harder”, “I’ll do my best” or “We’ll keep an eye on it” sound positive, but they rarely create lasting change because nobody is clear about what success actually looks like. Effective agreements are specific. What will change? What actions will be taken? What support will be provided? How will progress be measured? When will you check in again? The more specific the agreement, the greater the likelihood of improvement. Clarity reduces confusion and creates accountability.

The final step is Reinforce. Many leaders treat the conversation as the finish line when it should really be viewed as the starting point. Most meaningful performance improvement occurs after the conversation. People need encouragement, support and accountability. They need opportunities to discuss progress and obstacles. They need recognition when they improve and guidance when they struggle. Without reinforcement, even a strong conversation can lose momentum. With reinforcement, a difficult conversation can become the catalyst for genuine growth.

Running through all five stages is one underlying principle: curiosity. The most productive conversations are often those where the leader creates the conditions for understanding to emerge. Rather than delivering a verdict, they facilitate a discussion. Rather than proving a point, they explore possibilities. Rather than solving the problem alone, they work with the other person to identify a path forward. That’s why preparation matters so much. Good preparation doesn’t help you control the conversation. It helps you enter the conversation with greater clarity, confidence and curiosity.

This week, think about a performance conversation you need to have. Spend ten minutes working through the CLEAR framework. Clarify the context, identify questions you want to ask, think about what you need to explore, consider what agreement might look like and decide how you’ll reinforce progress afterwards. You may find that the conversation feels significantly less daunting once you’ve taken the time to prepare properly.

Episode 230 - Diagnosing Underperformance: Why Good People Underperform

Summary

Underperformance is often treated as a motivation problem when the real issue may be a lack of clarity, capability or confidence. Effective leaders resist the temptation to jump to conclusions and instead focus on understanding what’s driving performance. By diagnosing before prescribing, asking better questions and creating clear expectations, leaders can prevent many performance issues before they occur.

Transqcript

Hello and welcome to episode 230 of the Leadership Today Podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore four areas that will help you to diagnose likely performance issues before they become a problem.

When someone in our team starts underperforming, it’s remarkable how quickly we jump to conclusions. We see missed deadlines, lower quality work, reduced initiative or declining engagement and often assume we already know what’s going on. They must have lost motivation. They’ve become complacent. They don’t care as much as they used to. Before long, we’ve developed a story about the cause of the problem, often with very little evidence.

One of the biggest mistakes leaders make when managing performance is assuming they know why someone is underperforming. We observe behaviour and immediately start interpreting it. The challenge is that while behaviour is visible, the causes behind that behaviour are often hidden. Two people can display exactly the same performance issue for completely different reasons.

I was recently facilitating a workshop on managing underperformance and asked participants to think about someone in their team whose performance wasn’t where they wanted it to be. The leaders could easily describe what they were seeing. They talked about missed deadlines, lower quality work, avoidance of difficult tasks, reduced initiative and a general drop in engagement. What was much harder was identifying why those behaviours were occurring. As the discussion unfolded, it became clear that most leaders were highly confident about the symptoms but far less certain about the causes.

A useful way to think about performance is through four questions. Does the person know what good performance looks like? Can they do it? Do they believe they can do it? And do they want to do it? These questions point us towards four common drivers of performance: clarity, capability, confidence and motivation. Understanding which of these is getting in the way is often the difference between solving a problem and making it worse.

For example, someone may avoid a task because they weren’t aware it was important. Another might avoid it because they genuinely don’t have the skills or experience to complete it effectively. Another person may avoid exactly the same task because they’re worried they’ll fail or look incompetent. Another person may avoid it because they simply don’t see personal value in the task and have disengaged from the outcome. From the outside, all three situations can look identical. We see avoidance, hesitation or procrastination. What we don’t immediately see is the reason behind it.

This is why curiosity is such an important leadership skill. Rather than asking, “What’s wrong with this person?”, effective leaders ask, “What’s getting in the way of this person’s success?” That subtle shift moves us away from judgement and towards understanding. It encourages us to gather information before reaching conclusions and significantly improves our chances of providing the support people actually need.

Research provides some useful insights here. Self-Determination Theory, developed by Edward Deci and Richard Ryan, suggests that people are more likely to be motivated when three psychological needs are met: competence, autonomy and relatedness. Competence is the feeling that we can do something well. Autonomy is having some choice and control over our work. Relatedness is feeling connected to others and to a broader purpose. What’s particularly interesting is that competence sits at the foundation. When people don’t feel capable, motivation often suffers as a result.

Think about a time when you were asked to do something that felt completely outside your comfort zone. Perhaps you were asked to present to a large audience, lead a major project or take responsibility for something you’d never done before. Chances are you didn’t immediately feel highly motivated. You may have procrastinated, delayed getting started or looked for reasons to avoid the task. Someone observing your behaviour might have concluded that you lacked motivation. In reality, the issue may have been capability, confidence or both.

The same thing happens in our teams. Leaders often assume a motivation problem when the real issue is capability or confidence. The reverse can happen as well. Sometimes leaders invest heavily in training and development when the real issue is that someone no longer feels connected to the purpose of their work. Without understanding the cause, we’re simply guessing.

Another contributor to underperformance that often gets overlooked is clarity. Many performance issues begin long before performance actually declines. They start when expectations are vague, inconsistent or poorly communicated. I’ve worked with leaders who were frustrated that team members weren’t demonstrating enough initiative, only to discover that nobody had clearly defined what initiative actually looked like. Different leaders had different expectations, making it almost impossible for people to consistently succeed.

It’s difficult to hit a target you can’t clearly see. People are far more likely to perform well when they understand what success looks like, how their work contributes to broader goals and what standards are expected of them. Sometimes what appears to be an accountability issue is really an expectations issue. The conversation that needs to happen isn’t about performance correction. It’s about performance clarity.

So what can we do as leaders? First, diagnose before you decide. When you notice a performance issue, resist the temptation to immediately label it as a motivation problem. Consider whether the issue might relate to clarity, capability, confidence or motivation. Gather information before reaching conclusions.

Second, ask better questions. Questions such as “What’s been most challenging about this?” or “What support would help you succeed?” often reveal far more than assumptions ever will. The quality of our diagnosis depends heavily on the quality of our questions.

Third, focus on prevention rather than correction. The best underperformance conversation is often the one you never need to have because expectations were clear from the beginning. Invest time upfront defining success, checking understanding and providing regular feedback before problems emerge.

Managing underperformance can be one of the most challenging aspects of leadership, but it becomes much easier when we replace assumptions with curiosity. Most people don’t come to work intending to underperform. More often, something is getting in the way of their success. Our role as leaders is to understand what that obstacle is and help remove it.

This week, think about someone whose performance isn’t where you’d like it to be and ask yourself four questions: Do they know what good looks like? Can they do it? Do they believe they can do it? Do they want to do it? Your answers may completely change the conversation you need to have.

Episode 229 - How To Re-engage A 'Quiet Quitter'

Summary 

Quiet quitting isn’t usually about laziness or a lack of motivation. Research suggests it’s often a sign that the relationship between an employee and their organisation has become unbalanced. Discover how leaders can spot the warning signs early and rebuild engagement through better conversations and clearer expectations.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 229 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to re-engage a “quiet quitter”. 

Over the past few years, you’ve probably heard the term “quiet quitting” - the idea that some people are stepping back from their roles to just do the bare minimum. It’s one of those phrases that quickly gained popularity and sparked plenty of debate. Some people viewed it as a sign that employees had become less committed. Others saw it as a healthy rejection of unrealistic work expectations.

But the important question is what causes someone who was once engaged, enthusiastic, and willing to go the extra mile to start doing only the minimum required in the first place? Recent research suggests the answer has less to do with motivation and more to do with relationships and fairness.

Researchers studying quiet quitting have found that one of the strongest predictors is employees’ perceptions of the exchange relationship they have with their organisation. In simple terms, people compare what they’re contributing with what they’re receiving in return. When they feel the relationship has become unbalanced and they don’t see a way to improve it, they often respond by reducing their discretionary effort. Importantly, this doesn’t necessarily mean they’re planning to leave. Instead, they adjust their level of investment. They continue to do their job, but they stop contributing the extra effort that often drives innovation, collaboration, and performance.

The research also points to an important leadership influence. Teams whose leaders maintain regular conversations about both work and wellbeing appear less likely to experience quiet quitting. In other words, leaders who stay connected with their people are often better able to identify and address issues before disengagement takes hold. So what can you do to reduce the risk of quiet quitting?

First, have open conversations about expectations. Work relationships involve an ongoing exchange. What is the employee contributing? What are they receiving in return? Have either of those things changed recently? These discussions can sometimes uncover relatively small issues that, if left unaddressed, gradually erode engagement.

Second, make sure your one-on-one meetings cover more than just tasks and deadlines. It’s important to understand how people are feeling about their role, what’s energising them, and what’s becoming frustrating or difficult. These conversations often provide early warning signs that someone may be disengaging.

Third, if you notice a drop in effort or enthusiasm, get curious rather than critical. It’s tempting to focus on the behaviour itself. However, quiet quitting is often a symptom rather than the problem. Understanding what has changed is usually more productive than immediately trying to correct the behaviour.

The key point is that quiet quitting is rarely about laziness. More often, it’s a signal that something in the relationship between the employee and the organisation has shifted. As leaders, we may not be able to solve every issue, but we can create the conversations that help us understand what’s really going on. And often, that’s the first step towards rebuilding engagement.

Have a great week.

Research references:

Galanis, P., et al. (2023). The quiet quitting scale: Development and initial validation. AIMS Public Health, 10(4), 828 to 848. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10764970/

Dilchert, S., et al. (2026). Expanding Our Understanding of Quiet Quitting: Antecedents, Correlates, and Consequences. Human Resource Management. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hrm.70038

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Episode 228 - How To Get The Best From AI Without Falling Off The Edge

Summary 

AI can be incredibly helpful, but it’s not always right. Learn about the “jagged frontier” of AI capability and why the most effective leaders know when to rely on AI and when human judgement remains essential. Discover practical ways to get the benefits of AI without falling into its traps.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 228 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. In this episode we explore the so-called “jagged frontier” of Artificial Intelligence - where we fail to apply human judgement and pay the price.

If you’ve been using AI for a while, you’ve probably had two very different experiences. Sometimes it feels almost magical. It helps you generate ideas, summarise information, improve your writing, and solve problems faster than you thought possible. Then there are those other moments. The answer sounds convincing, looks professional, and is completely wrong.

Understanding why that happens is becoming one of the most important leadership skills of our time.

A study involving more than 750 consultants at Boston Consulting Group explored the impact of using GPT-4 on a range of consulting tasks. The results were impressive. People completed more work, worked faster, and generally produced higher-quality outputs when using AI. But the researchers uncovered something equally important. When participants used AI on tasks that were beyond the technology’s capabilities, their performance actually became worse. The AI didn’t simply fail to help. It often led people towards the wrong answer.

The researchers described this as the “jagged frontier” of AI. Some tasks sit comfortably within AI’s capabilities and the benefits can be substantial. Other tasks sit just beyond that frontier. The challenge is that AI often sounds equally confident in both situations. That’s why the biggest risk with AI isn’t that it makes mistakes. Humans make mistakes too. The risk is that we stop applying our own judgement because the answer looks so polished and convincing. So what can leaders do?

First, identify where AI genuinely adds value in your work. Think about the tasks where it consistently helps you save time, generate ideas, improve communication, or increase quality. Just as importantly, identify the situations where you’ve seen it get things wrong. Understanding both sides of the equation helps you use AI more effectively.

Second, keep your judgement in the process. For important decisions, strategic thinking, or complex problem-solving, consider forming your own view before turning to AI. Even a few notes or bullet points can help you avoid being overly influenced by the first answer AI provides.

Third, have open conversations with your team about how they are using AI. Some tasks may be suitable for handing over largely to the technology. Others require people to stay actively involved, challenging assumptions and validating outputs along the way. The more explicit you are about these differences, the better the outcomes are likely to be.

The key point is that AI is neither a miracle solution nor something to be feared. It’s a powerful tool with strengths and limitations. The leaders who get the greatest benefit won’t be those who use it for everything - they’ll be the ones who learn where it performs best and where human judgement remains essential.

Have a great week.

Research reference: Dell'Acqua, F., et al. (2023). Navigating the Jagged Technological Frontier: Field Experimental Evidence of the Effects of AI on Knowledge Worker Productivity and Quality. Harvard Business School Working Paper 24-013. https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4573321

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Episode 227 - How to Use Microbreaks to Restore Focus

Summary 

Feeling exhausted despite being busy all day? Research suggests that short breaks throughout the day can boost energy, reduce fatigue, and help sustain performance. Discover how leaders can use microbreaks more effectively and encourage healthier work habits across their team.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 227 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we’re exploring how to use microbreaks to restore focus.

Have you ever reached the end of a day and wondered why you’re exhausted despite never really stopping? Many leaders spend their day moving from meeting to meeting, email to email, task to task, without taking a genuine break. We often assume that pushing through is a sign of commitment and productivity. But there comes a point where working longer doesn’t mean working better.

It turns out that even very short breaks can make a difference.

A 2022 review of more than 20 studies found that microbreaks, breaks of less than ten minutes, help boost energy levels and reduce fatigue. In other words, those small pauses throughout the day aren’t wasted time. They’re one of the ways we sustain performance over the longer term.

The researchers also found an important limitation. Microbreaks help maintain energy, but they aren’t a substitute for proper recovery. If you’ve spent two hours doing deep analysis, solving complex problems, writing a major report, or making difficult decisions, a five-minute break will help, but it won’t completely restore you. Some work requires a more substantial break. That’s why lunch breaks, time away from work, and good recovery outside of work still matter.

So what can leaders do?

First, build short breaks into your day before you feel exhausted. Most of us wait until our energy is gone before stepping away. A better approach is to take a brief break every 60 to 90 minutes. Stand up, walk around, grab a drink, stretch, or simply look away from your screen for a few minutes. The goal is to create a genuine mental shift, even if it’s only for a short period of time.

Second, match your work to your energy. Try to schedule your most demanding work when you’re feeling fresh. Save routine tasks, administration, and email for periods when your energy is naturally lower. Too often we do the opposite, spending our best hours reacting to other people’s priorities and leaving our most important work until we’re already mentally depleted.

Third, role model healthy habits. Teams often take their cues from their leader. If you’re working through lunch, responding to emails late at night, and sitting at your desk all day, others may feel pressure to do the same. When leaders take sensible breaks and openly manage their energy, they give others permission to do likewise.

The key point is that performance isn’t just about how hard we work. It’s also about how well we recover. Small breaks won’t solve everything, but they can help us maintain our energy, focus, and effectiveness throughout the day. Sometimes the most productive thing you can do next is step away for a few minutes.

Have a great week.

Research reference: Albulescu, P., et al. (2022). "Give me a break!" A systematic review and meta-analysis on the efficacy of micro-breaks for increasing well-being and performance. PLOS ONE, 17(8), e0272460. https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0272460

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Episode 226 - How to Reduce Loneliness at Work

Summary 

One in five people feel lonely at work. While loneliness is often seen as a personal issue, research suggests leaders play a bigger role than they might realise in helping people feel connected, included, and supported.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 226 of the Leadership Today podcast, where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership.

Most of us think of loneliness as something that happens outside of work. But Gallup’s latest global research found that around one in five workers feel lonely at work.

Workplace loneliness isn’t just about how people feel - research shows it’s linked to higher burnout, lower performance, more sick leave, and greater turnover. In fact, loneliness can be just as damaging to performance as job dissatisfaction.

A recent review published in Occupational Medicine found that one of the strongest workplace factors associated with lower loneliness is leadership. Leaders who are supportive, approachable, and empowering help create an environment where people feel connected and valued.

Now, leaders can’t solve every cause of loneliness. People bring their own circumstances, personalities, and experiences to work. But we can influence whether work becomes a place where people feel connected or isolated.

Here are three practical ways to help.

First, make genuine connection part of your regular conversations. Before jumping into tasks and deadlines, spend a minute asking how someone is going and really listen to the answer. People often don’t need a solution. They just need to know someone is interested.

Second, pay attention to inclusion. Most people don’t feel excluded during formal meetings. They feel excluded from the conversations before and after them. Notice who gets invited into informal discussions, brainstorming sessions, and problem-solving conversations. Small moments of inclusion often have a bigger impact than large team-building activities.

Third, be deliberate with hybrid work arrangements. People can easily become disconnected when their work patterns don’t overlap with the rest of the team. Sometimes a simple conversation about coordinating office days can dramatically improve connection and collaboration.

The key point is this. Loneliness at work isn’t simply a personal issue - it’s often a leadership issue. Every interaction either strengthens or weakens someone’s sense of belonging. As leaders, we have more influence over that than we might think.

Have a great week.

Research reference: Wright, J. K., et al. (2024). Loneliness in the workplace: a mixed-method systematic review and meta-analysis. Occupational Medicine, 73(9), 557 to 567. https://academic.oup.com/occmed/article/73/9/557/7591258

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Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

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Interview - Brad Englert - Spheres of Influence

In this conversation, Andrew Beveridge speaks with Brad Englert, founder of Brad Englert Advisory and author of 'Spheres of Influence'. They discuss the importance of mentorship, building genuine relationships in business, and the significance of understanding both internal and external spheres of influence. Brad shares insights from his extensive experience in IT and leadership, emphasising the need for proactive customer service, the power of apology, and the challenges of influencing without formal authority. The discussion also touches on the dynamics of hybrid work environments and the importance of maintaining connections in a remote setting. Learn more about Brad and access a free chapter of his book here - https://bradenglert.com/podcast/

Takeaways

Mentorship is a two-way street, involving both giving and receiving.

Understanding your boss's expectations is crucial for success.

Building genuine relationships can lead to long-term success.

Proactive customer service is more effective than reactive fire drills. Apologising can build trust and strengthen relationships.

Long-term relationships can lead to unexpected opportunities.

Creating a positive organisational culture requires clear communication and values.

Navigating crises requires preparation and strong relationships.

Influencing others without authority is a key leadership skill.

Hybrid work environments require intentional relationship-building.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Brad Englert

03:15 Understanding Spheres of Influence

10:02 Building Genuine Relationships 16:13 Cultural Transformation in IT

22:53 Navigating Crisis and Change

28:47 The Power of Apology

32:13 Communication and Clarity in Leadership

36:41 Understanding Expectations and Influencing Upwards

39:18 Building Customer Relationships

44:51 Influencing Without Authority

48:35 Navigating Hybrid Work Environments

51:48 Looking Ahead: The Future of Leadership

Episode 225 - The Leader’s Mindset - Part Five - Drive for Growth

Summary 

We each have mindsets that we bring to our leadership. In this final of a five part series, we explore Drive for Growth and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 225 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. In this final of a five part series, we explore Drive for Growth and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

We are continuing to explore The Leader’s Mindset which has four elements: Goal Orientation, Optimistic Outlook, Options Thinking and Drive for Growth. I encourage you to listen to the  previous episodes first and also take the time to complete our free Mindset to Action assessment. This provides detailed feedback on all four areas along with development suggestions. Just go to https://leadership.today/mta 

Continuing our journey metaphor, we can be clear about where we’re going, have a positive attitude towards that journey, and even be great at identifying various options to get there, but without Drive for Growth we won’t make progress.

Drive for Growth is like momentum and making forward progress on the journey. With a Drive for Growth mindset, a person will be motivated to keep going and persist even when things get hard. They push themselves to standards that are greater than the minimum that’s expected. Without a Drive for Growth, a person tends to give up when things become difficult to achieve. They also find it hard to get going on a task they know will be difficult.

Sometimes it can feel like some people are just born with higher levels of drive and motivation, but we can all develop and improve our Drive for Growth. Here are five practical ideas you can use:

1. Boost Your Mood: Procrastination is about putting short term mood repair over long term results. We procrastinate because it makes us feel better in the moment. Research demonstrates that boosting your mood by completing an activity you enjoy makes you less likely to procrastinate. Whether it's going for a quick walk or talking with a colleague, take a few moments to boost your mood before you begin. 

2. Start Small: Getting started can be the hardest part of pursuing any goal. Identify a small first step you can take to make progress. Dedicating a short amount of time such as 10 to 15 minutes to begin can also be a useful approach. You can then add another 10 to 15 minutes on at the end, as you're likely to be more motivated once you get started. 

3. Review Why It Matters: It's challenging to make progress when we lose sight of why our actions matter. Think about your broader goals and sense of purpose in life. Identify how activities align with this purpose to give you that extra motivation.

4. Reflect on Progress: Take stock of the progress you have already made. Think about where you were a month or a year ago and reflect on what you've learned and how you've grown. This will help to build your confidence and motivation to keep going. 

5. Recognise That Growth is Difficult: Learning anything new is uncomfortable. Feeling awkward and wanting to give up are natural responses to trying any new activity or pushing ourselves out of our comfort zone. It doesn't mean that you lack potential. Push through the awkwardness towards growth and improvement. Becoming comfortable with feeling uncomfortable is a key part of a Drive for Growth mindset.

Choose one of these to practice over the coming week. That’s our final episode in this series on The Leader’s Mindset. If you found the episodes and Mindset to Action assessment helpful, please share them with a friend or colleague. We are committed to sharing resources that help everyone with their leadership and you play a big part in spreading the news. Have a great week as you become an even better leader.

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Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

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Episode 224 - The Leader’s Mindset - Part Four - Options Thinking

Summary 

We each have mindsets that we bring to our leadership. In this fourth of a five part series, we explore Options Thinking and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 224 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. In this fourth of a five part series, we explore Options Thinking and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

We are continuing to explore The Leader’s Mindset which has four elements: Goal Orientation, Optimistic Outlook, Options Thinking and Drive for Growth. I encourage you to listen to the three previous episodes first and also take the time to complete our free Mindset to Action assessment. This provides detailed feedback on all four areas along with development suggestions. Just go to https://leadership.today/mta 

We often aren’t great at coming up with multiple options when we encounter challenges. Typically we will generate one option, and then become stuck if that option doesn’t work. 

Options Thinking is like identifying various pathways to the destination on your journey. With Options Thinking, a person identifies ways around emerging challenges and problems. They are confident in their ability to come up with another way around obstacles they might face. Without Options Thinking, a person gets stuck when things don’t go to plan. They find it hard to identify new ways to reach their destination when the first pathway is blocked.

So Options Thinking has two parts - the identification of options up front, and then immediately focusing on options when you become stuck. 

There are five ways you can build your Options Thinking:

1. Brainstorm Options: When you face an obstacle, immediately start to brainstorm options. Recognise that option generation and option evaluation are two distinct steps. If we are trying to evaluate our options while we generate them, we will often throw out too many options that could have merit. Instead, spend time generating multiple options before evaluating them. 

2. Ask Yourself Questions - Use these questions to help prompt further options: 

• What are your options moving forward?

• What else might you do? 

• What has worked so far? 

• How could you do more of that? 

• Who else could help? 

• What are the pros and cons of these options? 

• What are the easiest options that will have the biggest impact? 

3. Engage Others: Ask a trusted colleague or friend to help you generate new options. Having someone asking you for further options and guiding you towards new areas to consider is extremely helpful. It's often even better if the person isn't close to the problem so they can take a more objective view.

4. Change Your Setting: Consider where you come up with your best ideas. Most people develop their best ideas when they’re relaxed, maybe having a shower or going for a walk, and when they’re interacting with others. Make sure you give your brain time to relax and consider options, and bring others around you to bounce ideas off. 

5. Reflect on Past Successes: Take time to reflect on moments when you have overcome challenges or worked through adversity. Reflecting on our past successes can encourage us to keep going and generate new ideas to move forward.

As always I encourage you to select one of these to practice over the coming week. In our final episode of this series we are going to explore Drive for Growth. Have a great week as you become an even better leader.

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We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.leadershiptoday.com and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription. 

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

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Episode 223 - The Leader’s Mindset - Part Three - Optimistic Outlook

Summary 

We each have mindsets that we bring to our leadership. In this third of a five part series, we explore Optimistic Outlook and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 223 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. In this third of a five part series, we explore Optimistic Outlook and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

We are continuing to explore The Leader’s Mindset which has four elements: Goal Orientation, Optimistic Outlook, Options Thinking and Drive for Growth. I encourage you to listen to the two previous episodes first and also take the time to complete our free Mindset to Action assessment. This provides detailed feedback on all four areas along with development suggestions. Just go to https://leadership.today/mta 

When I talk about mindsets, the most common one that people think of is optimism and pessimism. Optimism has lots of positive benefits, particularly when you combine it with the three elements of hope theory covered in the Mindset to Action assessment. Combining the two overcomes the main shortcoming of optimism, which is its lack of direction and momentum. Just looking at the world in a positive way and expecting good things to happen doesn’t take you anywhere - you need clear goals, openness to options, and the drive to push you forward. 

Continuing our journey metaphor, Optimistic Outlook is like the perspective you bring to the journey. A person with an Optimistic Outlook thinks positively about the future, expecting things to go their way. They see the future as positive. A person without an Optimistic Outlook mindset focuses on the negatives and what can go wrong. They anticipate more bad things to happen than good things.

I’m often asked if it’s possible to have too much optimism. The research suggests this is the case, but that it’s pretty rare. For example, with extremely high levels of optimism I may be reluctant to take personal responsibility when things go wrong. What is more common is so-called toxic positivity, which describes a culture where people only focus on the positive and ignore challenges, criticisms and issues. The Leader’s Mindset is all about tackling challenges and making progress, therefore avoiding this potential trap. 

The Mindset to Action report provides five ways of building and maintaining an Optimistic Outlook.

1. Gratitude Journal: Write down three new things that you are grateful for each day. This will help you to focus on the positive things happening around you that are so easy to miss. Before long, you will have trained yourself to focus more on the positive than the negative in your work and life. 

2. Consider the Three P’s: Martin Seligman describes three ways in which optimists and pessimists think differently in both good and bad situations - personal, permanent and pervasive. 

• When things go wrong, an Optimistic Outlook involves: 

• Personal - not automatically blaming ourselves, but rather accepting the outside forces that have contributed to the situation 

• Permanent - not extending the bad situation out, but realistically appreciating that this will pass and that other good things are probably happening 

• Pervasive - not extending the challenging event to all aspects of our life, but rather compartmentalising it to one aspect of our life 

• When things go right, an Optimistic Outlook includes: 

• Personal - seeing the role that we played in achieving a good outcome 

• Permanent - extending out the good result over time, and making sure we reflect on the good things that are happening in our lives 

• Pervasive - using the good result to flow into other aspects of our life

3. Tame How You Speak To Yourself: Often the way we speak to ourselves is not very kind. When things go wrong we can quickly become our own worst critic. If a friend spoke to us the way we speak to ourselves in those moments, they probably wouldn’t be a friend for very long. Instead, be generous and kind to yourself. Speak to yourself as a supportive friend. 

4. Reframe Challenges as Opportunities for Growth: When we expand our horizons and try new things, we build optimism and resilience. Sure, we might make mistakes or find new things hard - that’s to be expected. See these minor setbacks as chances to become wiser, stronger and more capable.

Why not pick one of these to practice over the coming week? In the next episode we are going to explore Options Thinking. Have a great week as you become an even better leader.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.leadershiptoday.com and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription. 

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

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Episode 222 - The Leader’s Mindset - Part Two - Goal Orientation

Summary 

We each have mindsets that we bring to our leadership. In this second of a five part series, we explore Goal Orientation and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 222 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. In this second of a five part series, we explore Goal Orientation and the role it plays in The Leader’s Mindset.

In the last episode we introduced The Leader’s Mindset which has four elements: Goal Orientation, Optimistic Outlook, Options Thinking and Drive for Growth. I encourage you to listen to that episode first and also take the time to complete our free Mindset to Action assessment. This provides detailed feedback on all four areas along with development suggestions. Just go to https://leadership.today/mta 

Snyder’s hope theory, which the Leader’s Mindset is partly based on, indicates that setting and pursuing meaningful goals is a core element of satisfaction, well-being and general health. Yet we’re typically not great at setting and achieving goals. Research reveals that of the roughly 50% of people that set a New Year resolution, only 8% achieve the goal they set. Research from Strava, the fitness tracking company, reveals that of those who set a clear fitness goal for the new year, a full 80% have given up within two weeks. That’s people who are motivated to make a change and encouraged to set a structured goal. So what goes wrong?

Setting a goal is a rewarding activity, but working toward a goal requires effort. This shift from reward to effort is where many people give up. We also know that development and growth is uncomfortable. It’s typically more comfortable to just let the goal go and stay where we are. We also often express our goals as a general desire rather than a decision. Compare “I want to improve my public speaking” with “I will improve my public speaking”. The second statement demonstrates a decision to change.

If we use the metaphor of a journey, Goal Orientation is like identifying a destination point on a map. With a Goal Orientation mindset a person is clear about what success looks like in their own terms. They have a clear vision for the future and regularly set goals towards that vision. They know where they’re headed and why that’s important to them. Without a Goal Orientation mindset, a person isn’t clear about their future direction and where they want to head. They become directionless in their lives and therefore may struggle to make progress.

Goal Orientation is where a Leader’s Mindset begins. And like any mindset, you can develop Goal Orientation with intention, practice and time. Here are four practical strategies to develop your Goal Orientation. 

1. Define What Success Means To You: It's important to have your own vision of what success looks like for you. It can be easy to end up chasing others' ideas of success, or to become directionless without a clear vision of who we want to be. Consider the following questions to develop your own definition of success for your life. What are two or three key values for you? What three things would you want people to say about you at your retirement party? How would you spend your time if you no longer needed to work for money? What matters most to you? How do you define success for your life? 

2. Make Sure Your Goals Are SMART: SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This framework provides a set of criteria for goal setting that ensures clarity and accountability. Specific: Define goals clearly and precisely. The more specific the goal, the easier it is to understand and work towards. Measurable: Set concrete metrics to track progress. Measurement adds objectivity to the process and enables you to assess whether the goal has been achieved. Achievable: Goals should be challenging yet realistic. Ensure that the goal can be accomplished with the available resources and effort. Also make sure there is an achievement point - a moment when you can say that the goal has been completed. Relevant: Goals should be relevant to the individual, team, or organisation's current needs and priorities. Time-bound: Set a clear timeframe for achieving the goal. This adds urgency and prevents goals from dragging on indefinitely.

3. Set Goals Across Different Time Horizons: Goal Orientation involves regularly setting goals to work towards that align with your vision of success. Sometimes we can set goals that are either so far into the future that they seem impossible, or so close to where we already are that they're not worth pursuing. A helpful approach is to break long term goals into smaller goals across different time horizons. Experiment with setting goals on the following time horizons: 10 years plus, 5 years, 1 to 2 years, 3 to 4 months, 1 month, 1 week. You can keep these goals in a note that's easy to edit and update. Your shorter term goals should be contributing towards your longer term goals and objectives. 

4. Review Progress and Refine Goals: It's easy to set a goal and then fail to review your progress. Ensure you regularly review your goals. Set times up in your calendar to review your progress. Also be open to refining your goals. Just as your vision of success may change over time, so too might your goals. If a goal doesn't matter to you any more, it's okay to delete it and set a new goal.

Why not pick one of these to practice over the coming week? In the next episode we are going to explore Optimistic Outlook. Have a great week as you become an even better leader.

Leadership Today On-Demand Special Offer

We have a great deal for podcast listeners on our Leadership Today On-Demand subscription. Just go to www.leadershiptoday.com and checkout using the promo code PODCAST for 25% off an annual subscription. 

Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

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Episode 221 - The Leader's Mindset - Part One - Introduction

Summary 

We each have mindsets that we bring to our leadership. In this first of a five part series, we introduce The Leader’s Mindset and how it will help you to lead more effectively in all areas of your life. This is part one of a five part series.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 221 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we are commencing a five part series on The Leader’s Mindset.

As we start our series on The Leader’s Mindset, it’s important to step back and remind ourselves about what leadership is and isn’t. Importantly, leadership isn’t a role. Someone doesn’t demonstrate leadership just because they have the title of leader. And people who don’t have a team reporting into them can absolutely demonstrate leadership. I think it’s more helpful to think of leadership as how you approach your work and life. Great leadership is about achieving sustainable results through people and, with a little effort and practice, we can all do that.

There are four domains of leadership: 

1. Behaviour – what we say and do, the actions we take

2. Thoughts – conscious ideas, perspectives and opinions

3. Emotions – physical state reactions and responses

4. Context – the environment in which we are operating

Each of these influences the others. For example, our thoughts shape our behaviour and how we feel. Likewise, how we feel influences our thoughts and behaviour. And our behaviour shapes our thoughts and emotions. All of this happens in a context which can impact our behaviour, thoughts and emotions. 

The Leader’s Mindset focuses primarily on our thoughts - the mindset we bring to our leadership. Some important points about mindset:

• A mindset is how we think about the world in which we live

• Our mindsets influence our feelings and behaviour

• Mindsets change over time based on our experiences and context

• We can change our mindsets through conscious effort and attention

When we think about mindsets, the one that most frequently comes to mind is optimism. We all vary in the amount of optimism we bring to our lives. Optimism is a positive outlook about the future, and expectation that things will generally go our way. With optimism we expand positive events and minimise negative events.

An additional areas of mindset research over the past 30 years has focused on hope. In psychology as defined by Snyder, hope is “the process of thinking about one’s goals along with the motivation to move towards those goals (agency) and the ways to achieve those goals (pathways)”.

We have brought the theories of hope and optimism together to identify four elements of a leader’s mindset - Goal Orientation, Optimistic Outlook, Options Thinking and Drive for Growth.

Goal Orientation is like identifying a destination point on a map. With a Goal Orientation mindset a person is clear about what success looks like in their own terms. They have a clear vision for the future and regularly set goals towards that vision. They know where they’re headed and why that’s important to them. Without a Goal Orientation mindset, a person isn’t clear about their future direction and where they want to head. They become directionless in their lives and therefore may struggle to make progress.

Optimistic Outlook is like the perspective you bring to the journey. A person with an Optimistic Outlook thinks positively about the future, expecting things to go their way. They see the future as positive. A person without an Optimistic Outlook mindset focuses on the negatives and what can go wrong. They anticipate more bad things to happen than good things.

Options Thinking is like identifying various pathways to the destination on your journey. With Options Thinking, a person identifies ways around emerging challenges and problems. They are confident in their ability to come up with another way around obstacles they might face. Without Options Thinking, a person gets stuck when things don’t go to plan. They find it hard to identify new ways to reach their destination when the first pathway is blocked.

Drive for Growth is like momentum and making forward progress on the journey. With a Drive for Growth mindset, a person will be motivated to keep going and persist even when things get hard. They push themselves to standards that are greater than the minimum that’s expected. Without a Drive for Growth, a person tends to give up when things become difficult to achieve. They also find it hard to get going on a task they know will be difficult.

Over the next four episodes we are going to explore each of these mindsets in more detail, including practical tips to practice and improve in each area. We have developed a self-assessment of these four areas called Mindset to Action. Now is a great time to complete this free assessment. Just go to https://leadership.today/mta Once you complete the assessment you’ll receive an email with your personalised report. We won’t use your email address for any other purpose.

In our next episode we are going to explore Goal Orientation in more detail. Have a great week as you become an even better leader.

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Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

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Alexa Chilcutt - Executive Communication and Public Speaking

Summary

In this conversation, Dr. Alexa Chilcutt (www.linkedin.com/in/alexa-chilcutt-phd/) discusses the importance of executive communication and public speaking skills. She explains that anxiety around public speaking stems from the fear of being judged and evaluated. However, she emphasises that with practice and a clear process, individuals can become more confident and effective communicators. Dr. Chilcutt also provides tips for structuring a message, including identifying the purpose, understanding the audience, and breaking the information into three main points. Additionally, she highlights the significance of executive presence in career advancement and outlines the 10 characteristics of executive presence, which include confidence, communication ability, appearance, and values in action. In this conversation, Alexa Chilcutt and Andrew Beveridge discuss various aspects of leadership and communication. They explore topics such as executive presence, effective communication for technical professionals, and the challenges faced by women in leadership roles. Alexa emphasises the importance of intention and preparation in developing executive presence and highlights the need for technical professionals to simplify complex information for their audience. She also discusses the significance of leaders communicating directly with their teams and the broader organization. Finally, she addresses the challenges faced by women in leadership and the importance of empowering women to overcome imposter syndrome and advocate for themselves.

Takeaways

Anxiety around public speaking is common and stems from the fear of being judged and evaluated. However, with practice and a clear process, individuals can become more confident and effective communicators.

When structuring a message, it is important to identify the purpose, understand the audience, and break the information into three main points. This helps to captivate the audience and increase memory retention.

Executive presence is crucial for career advancement. It encompasses characteristics such as confidence, communication ability, appearance, and values in action. Building executive presence involves being self-aware, authentic, and aligning actions with values.

To improve executive presence, individuals can ask for feedback, record themselves presenting, and focus on creating meaningful connections with the audience. Developing executive presence requires intention and preparation.

Technical professionals should simplify complex information for their audience and use relatable language.

Leaders should communicate directly with their teams and the broader organization to ensure effective communication.

Women in leadership face challenges such as imposter syndrome and should be empowered to advocate for themselves.

Chapters

00:10 Introduction and Background

01:19 Interest in Executive Communication

05:09 Structuring a Message

09:01 Finding Your Authentic Style

11:38 Understanding the Audience

14:21 Avoiding Imitation and Finding Your Own Style

23:24 Characteristics of Executive Presence

25:11 Self-Reflection Exercise

27:10 Shifting Perceptions and Elevating Adjectives

29:12 Communicating Complex Technical Information

33:41 Effective Communication in Leadership

36:28 Building Connections and Getting Accurate Information

43:48 Challenges and Empowerment for Women in Leadership

49:21 Creating a Supportive and Diverse Organisational Culture

51:18 Connecting with Alexa Chilcutt

References and Resources

Dagley, G. R., & Gaskin, C. J. (2014). Understanding executive presence: Perspectives of business professionals. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 66(3), 197–211. https://doi.org/10.1037/cpb0000011

Body Language Expert Explains How to Show Confidence | WIRED - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRJzvJ5XPQI

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Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

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Episode 220 - How To Bend The Rules With Integrity

Summary 

Rules can be frustrating. It can be tempting to bend the rules or ignore them altogether, but this can lead to negative outcomes. This week we explore how to work around rules but maintain your integrity.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 220 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to work around rules but maintain your integrity.

Lapses in integrity have ended many leaders’ careers. Breaking the rules is never a good idea. But we often need to be creative and flexible to get things done. Blindly sticking to out of date rules can mean we miss opportunities. Organisations can become overrun with excessive bureaucracy if we don’t challenge the rules. Sometimes we need to bend the rules, change the rules, or work around them. But how do we do that with integrity?

Research demonstrates that while rule-breakers may be seen as more dominant, they generally have less respect from others and are seen as having reduced leadership potential. The research also shows that rule-benders can be seen as having more leadership potential, but only in competitive situations. Generally, rule-abiders were viewed most positively in cooperative settings.

So while bending the rules may work when we need to win against a competitor, we need to be careful bending the rules in most other settings. We also need to be careful about the example we set for others. If we bend the rules as a leader, we can expect those who follow us to do the same. This can lead to adverse outcomes if people bend rules without fully understanding the consequences.

Here are five tips to help you bend the rules while maintaining integrity:

1. Understand why the rules exist. Take the time to research why rules were put in place originally. Speak to those responsible for the rule and find out the history behind them. You might uncover specific reasons why the rule is in place, or you might find that the rule can be changed.

2. Confirm the constraints. Sometimes rules are shared from person to person with slight variations. What someone might share as a steadfast rule might actually be quite different to the actual rule. Explore the constraints and where there might be flexibility.

3. Get creative. Look for innovative ways to either work around the rule or reduce its impact on your work. Brainstorm with your team to come up with creative solutions.

4. Get a second opinion. Before you take action, check in with someone else you respect to confirm your approach. 

5. Inform others. You don’t want to be taking innovative action without letting others know. You don’t want to be seen as being deceptive or sneaky in your approach.

And if you do discover a rule that no longer makes sense for your organisation, mount the case to have it removed. That will help others to be more effective as well.

Research

Rule benders make more appealing leaders than rule abiders - https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/rule-benders-make-more-appealing-leaders-rule-abiders

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Leadership Today On-Demand is a video subscription service that allows you to work on your leadership in your own time and at your own pace. It is available online and through our Apple iOS and Android apps for phones and tablets. Our mission is to help you to become an even better leader.

Your subscription brings together all of our video content in one place including:

- Five online courses with workbooks 

- Five five day challenges with workbooks

- Nineteen recorded webinars 

- A searchable library of 170+ "how to" quick videos on a range of leadership challenges 

That's over $4,500 of content for less than the price of a single online course. And there are more videos added each week.

Get Connected

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Episode 219 - How To Appear Less Nervous In Meetings and Interviews

Summary 

Interviewers place a strong emphasis on perceptions of nervousness. But there are practical steps we can take to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews. 

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 219 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we work through ways to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews.

Research demonstrates that anxious candidates perform worse at job interviews, even when their skills and experience align well with the role. Interviewers place an oversized importance to the appearance of anxiety when making judgements. And this tendency can extend to other important meetings.

To avoid this, we might consider visible signs of nervousness such as shaky hands or nervous laughter. We might then focus on the use of our hands, slowing our speech or avoiding fidgeting. We can risk becoming overly sensitive to how our behaviours are coming across. 

However, In the research, the only consistent behavioural indicator of nervousness that the interviewers focused on was long pauses before responding to questions. This was potentially seen as the candidate being less prepared and less assertive than if they answered questions directly. Negative perceptions of anxiety in meetings and interviews was less about nervous signs, and more to do with perceptions of assertiveness and warmth as traits. Those who were perceived as less warm and less assertive were also rated as more anxious. Those who came across as friendly and assertive were seen as less anxious. It appears the overall impression we leave is far more important than any nervous tics that we might show.

So what can we do to appear less nervous in meetings and interviews? To increase others’ perceptions of our warmth and assertiveness, you can try these techniques:

1. Plan for first impressions. We want to demonstrate warmth from the very start of the meeting or interview. Research who will be there. Prepare and practice what you will do and say when you first arrive.

2. Listen to others. When we’re nervous we can focus too much on ourselves and not enough on others. Demonstrate you’re listening by taking notes, restating their perspectives, and clarifying their views.

3. Be prepared. There’s no substitute for preparation. It will help you to avoid lengthy pauses before responding.

4. Remember to smile. When we’re nervous we can forget about our facial expressions, but they’re an important indicator of our confidence and friendliness.

5. Video yourself. Have someone ask you some practice questions, and video your responses. This can help you to uncover unconscious signs of nervousness. 

6. Seek feedback. After the meeting or interview, explore how you came across. Ask about anything you could have done to appear more confident and engaged.

We often feel more nervous than we appear. Focus on the overall impression of warmth and assertiveness that you give to others. Apply these tips in your next meeting or interview.

Research

Feiler, A.R., Powell, D.M. Behavioral Expression of Job Interview Anxiety. J Bus Psychol 31, 155–171 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10869-015-9403-z 

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Episode 218 - How To Boost First Impressions on Zoom

Summary 

Research demonstrates the background we choose for video calls has a significant impact on how trustworthy and competent we appear. This week we explore how to boost your first impressions on a video call in three simple ways.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 218 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to boost your first impressions on a video call in three simple ways.

Your choice of background on a video call has a greater impact on how you’re perceived by others than you might expect. You might be tempted to choose a novelty background to communicate a sense of fun, or a home background to reflect that you’re not in the office. But there are risks with these choices.

Selecting a novelty background or a simulated home background saw ratings of trustworthiness drop. Blurring a home background resulted in better ratings of trustworthiness for the person, but the best ratings were for a background with plants or a bookcase. 

The research also found that facial expressions, not surprisingly, also mattered. Happy faces were rated as more trustworthy than neutral or sad faces. 

Ratings of competence also varied by background, with bookcases, plants and blank walls leading to the highest ratings. Novelty backgrounds, home backgrounds, and blurred backgrounds saw lower ratings. Again, happy facial expressions resulted in more positive ratings of competence.

Interestingly, women were seen as more trustworthy and more competent than men across all backgrounds in the experiment. Our gender impacts the first impressions we make on a video meeting. Men will likely benefit from additional efforts to demonstrate trustworthiness and competence during the meeting.

Here are three simple ways to boost your first impressions on a video call:

1. Keep backgrounds professional.  Avoid a home or novelty background when you can. Blurring a background is better, but choosing a virtual background with a bookcase or plants helps to boost first impressions.

2. Demonstrate warmth. Smiling helps perceptions of both trustworthiness and competence. Try to maintain your interest in others on the call and keep your facial expressions positive and engaged. 

3. Build confidence in your competence. Research suggests it’s always best to start with warmth and build perceptions of your competence over time. Being helpful, responsive, on-time, and interested can all boost how confident you appear. 

Give these practical ideas a try on your next video call.

Research - https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0291444

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Episode 217 - How To Be More Real on Video Calls

Summary 

Research demonstrates a risk of detachment and reduced connection on video calls. This week we explore ways to be more real when we’re not meeting in-person.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 217 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at how to be more real on video calls.

We make rapid judgements about people based on visual and other information we receive. While this can lead to us making incorrect judgements when we meet people in-person, the risk is increased through video calls. 

Research demonstrates an increased risk that we treat a visual representation of someone as less real than if we meet them in-person. On a video call we can treat other people as abstract rather than real. This effect is likely increased on a call that has audio and video challenges. 

In experiments, participants viewed others as having fewer conscious feelings and less ability to make free choices than when meeting in-person. 

As a leader, this could make us seem detached and lacking empathy during the conversation. It can, in turn, lead us to give less ethical consideration to the person on the other end of the video call. Our decision making may lack the warmth, concern and consideration that we would normally provide. So what can we do about this?

When making video calls, we need to be conscious of the risk of detachment and make conscious effort to see people as real human beings. Here are some tips to try:

1. Connect as human beings first. Rather than just getting straight down to business, spend a few minutes enquiring about the other person, how they are, and what they have been doing. You might share something personal about yourself to enhance this connection.

2. Ask open questions. When we treat people as an object rather than a person, we can tend to “talk at” people rather than “talk with” people. Asking open questions helps avoid this trap.

3. Increase your ethical consideration. Explore the impact of any decisions you are making upon people. Great decisions are a combination of logic and emotion. 

4. Acknowledge the challenge. You might share this research with your team members. This will help everyone to manage the risk of detachment.

5. Make the most of in-person opportunities. When you do meet together in-person, use this time to connect on a personal level. Save more administrative activities to video calls and don’t waste the time you have physically together.

Give these tips a try on your next video call, and we can all become more real.

Research summary - https://www.bps.org.uk/research-digest/medusa-effect 

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Episode 216 - How To Lead Through a Crisis

Summary 

When you’re in leadership for long enough you discover that crises are inevitable. This week we look at five ideas to help you lead through a crisis.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 216 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we look at five ideas to help you lead through a crisis.

When you’re in leadership for long enough you discover that crises are inevitable. Whether it's a financial downturn, a global pandemic, or internal organisational challenges, we all need to navigate through uncertainties to ensure the survival and success of our teams and organisations. Here are some practical strategies backed by research on how to effectively lead through a crisis.

1. Maintain Transparent Communication: Research suggests that leaders who communicate clearly and honestly during a crisis build trust and enhance team resilience. Sharing information about the situation, potential impacts, and the organisation's response plan helps employees feel informed and engaged. For example, during the COVID-19 pandemic, leaders like Microsoft's Satya Nadella held regular virtual town hall meetings to update employees on the company's response, addressing concerns and providing a sense of direction.

2. Foster a Culture of Adaptability: In times of crisis, adaptability becomes a crucial trait for both leaders and their teams. Research suggests that organisations promoting adaptability are more likely to thrive during crises. Leaders can encourage a culture that embraces change and innovation, empowering employees to contribute ideas and solutions.

3. Prioritise Employee Well-being: The well-being of employees is a cornerstone of effective crisis leadership. Research by Gallup indicates that companies focusing on employee well-being experience higher levels of employee engagement and productivity. Leaders must demonstrate empathy, provide emotional support, and implement practical measures to ensure the physical and mental well-being of their teams.

4. Help Others See the Potential for Development. The times when I have learned the most have also been times of crisis. Fortunately I had leaders and others who encouraged me to focus on what I could learn through these tough times. That brought a sense of purpose and opportunity to what otherwise might have appeared to be entirely negative situations.

5. Develop a Robust Crisis Response Plan: Having a well-defined crisis response plan is essential for leaders to navigate uncertainties efficiently. Leaders should proactively identify potential risks, develop response strategies, and regularly test and update their crisis plans to ensure relevance. You can build this into your regular business planning. Each year I look at risks across one year, five year, and ten year time horizons. This helps me to anticipate what might go wrong and have contingencies in place ready to go.

Leading through a crisis demands a combination of strategic thinking, effective communication, and a focus on well-being. Crises present opportunities for growth and transformation when met with thoughtful, prepared and decisive leadership.

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Episode 215 - How To Be More Courageous

Summary 

Whether it's speaking up in meetings, taking on challenging projects, or navigating uncertain situations, courage plays a pivotal role at work. This week we explore how to be more courageous at work.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 215 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore how to be more courageous at work.

Whether it's speaking up in meetings, taking on challenging projects, or navigating uncertain situations, courage plays a pivotal role at work. Courage is often associated with the ability to face fear and adversity head-on. From a psychological perspective, it involves factors such as self-efficacy (a belief in your own capabilities), resilience, and a willingness to embrace discomfort. To be courageous you need confidence to act and an ability to push through negative emotions. There are a number of steps you can take to increase your courage at work.

1. Set Realistic Goals and Incremental Challenges: Research suggests that setting realistic goals and gradually increasing the difficulty of challenges can enhance courage. Start by identifying a specific work-related goal that requires a step outside your comfort zone. Break it down into smaller, manageable tasks, and tackle them one at a time. As you achieve these incremental successes, your confidence and courage will grow.

2. Develop a Growth Mindset: Embrace a growth mindset, a concept developed by psychologist Carol Dweck. Individuals with a growth mindset see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. When faced with a daunting task at work, shift your mindset from a fixed view of your abilities to a belief in your capacity to develop and improve. This shift can empower you to approach challenges with a more courageous attitude.

3. Seek Social Support: Studies show that social support can be a significant factor in promoting courage. Cultivate relationships with colleagues who inspire and motivate you. Share your goals and fears with trusted coworkers or mentors, and seek their guidance. Having a support system not only provides valuable insights but also boosts your confidence to face challenges head-on.

4. Practice Emotional Regulation: Being aware of our emotions helps us to manage our emotions more effectively. By learning to manage your emotions, you can face difficult situations with greater composure and courage. Take a few minutes each day to practice mindfulness techniques, focusing on your breath, noticing your emotions and developing a sense of calm. This can enhance your ability to navigate challenging workplace situations.

5. Celebrate Failures and Learn from Them: Research indicates that viewing failures as opportunities for growth can foster courage. Instead of fearing failure, see it as a natural part of the learning process. When things don't go as planned, reflect on what went wrong, extract lessons from the experience, and use that knowledge to improve. Celebrating failures as stepping stones toward success can build resilience and a willingness to take calculated risks.

Remember, courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it, and with intentional effort, you can become a more courageous and impactful leader.

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Episode 214 - How To Negotiate Effectively

Summary 

Whether it’s working arrangements, a pay rise, contract terms with a client or project timelines with colleagues, we are all required to negotiate at some point. This week we explore ways to negotiate effectively.

Transcript

Hello and welcome to episode 214 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we share practical tips to improve your leadership. This week we explore ways to negotiate effectively.

Whether it’s working arrangements, a pay rise, contract terms with a client or project timelines with colleagues, we are all required to negotiate at some point. Understanding the fundamentals of negotiation can help to achieve a great outcome for you, while also seeking to build the relationship with the other person.

Before we work through some tips to help your negotiations, it’s important to understand position versus interest. People come to a negotiation with a particular position in mind. This is the stance they are taking and sharing openly with the other person. For example, a colleague might have a position that a particular project will take six weeks to deliver. Behind every position is a set of interests. Interests are the reasons behind the position. So your colleague’s position around the project taking six weeks to deliver could be based on interests such as not overworking their team, delivering other projects on time, or not wanting to over-promise a faster turnaround. As we negotiate it’s important to move past positions and towards interests. Being aware of interests provides much more flexibility for all parties in a negotiation.

Beyond that, there are several points to be aware of before and during a negotiation:

1. Be clear about your goals and priorities. Entering a negotiation without being clear about what’s important to you and what you want is very risky. It’s helpful to write down what you want to achieve and why. Think about where you are willing to compromise and what’s not negotiable. Writing these down can be helpful.

2. Research and gather information. Make sure you have facts, data and documentation ready to go. This will help you to make informed decisions, anticipate counter-arguments, and establish credibility in the negotiation.

3. Work on your communication skills. Be confident, clear and concise when expressing your views. Also recognise that communication is two-way. Listen to the other person, ask questions, stay curious, and work towards uncovering their underlying interests. A respectful, empathetic and collaborative approach will help you to build rapport and avoid the negotiation becoming overly adversarial.

4. Be open to compromise. Negotiation typically involves give and take. Sometimes we need to be flexible and creative in the pursuit of an outcome that will work for both parties.

5. Know when to walk away. There will be times when you can’t reach an agreement that is adequate for you. Go into a negotiation knowing what alternatives you have available if you can’t reach an outcome. This will help you to know when you need to strategically disengage and explore other options. 

Becoming more effective at negotiating takes time and preparation. Give these tips a try as you seek to increase your negotiation skills.

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