Episode 128 - The Power of Options
Generating more options increases the chances of better outcomes, particularly when faced with uncertainty. That’s the power of options.
Summary
Generating more options increases the chances of better outcomes, particularly when faced with uncertainty. That’s the power of options.
Transcript
Welcome to episode 128 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we are looking at the power of options.
Options are powerful. One characteristic of those with high levels of hope is a focus on multiple pathways. When they’re faced with a challenge or obstacle, those with hope quickly determine options to still reach their goals.
But what about you? When you’re faced with a challenge or problem, how many options do you typically come up with?
When we encounter a challenge, most of us tend to generate one option and then run with that. We generally go with the most obvious idea that first crosses our mind. What are the chances of that being the best option? Pretty slim.
I once heard someone say that the best idea is number 2.5. What did they mean by that? Well, idea one is rarely the best. Idea two is usually better than idea one. Idea three is often a little too far out to be practical. So the best idea is 2.5 - combining idea two and idea three as a new option. The principle here is that we are far better off generating multiple options, then choosing the most appropriate even if that means combining some ideas.
Yet in those moments our brains are desperate for certainty and conclusion. That’s why we so often stop at option one. Here are a few tips to help.
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.
Use a coach. I’m a big fan of peer coaching and include it in every leadership program I design. Having someone asking you for further options and guiding you towards new areas is extremely helpful.
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.
So options are powerful. Don’t get stuck on option one, but always take the time to explore other alternatives.
Episode 127 - Better Together - Challenge and Support
In teams we can take either a challenging or a supportive role, but they’re even better together.
Summary
In teams we can take either a challenging or a supportive role, but they’re even better together.
Transcript
Welcome to episode 127 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we are exploring how challenge and support are better together.
When working in teams, there are two main roles we can take to improve performance and build cohesion. The first is the challenging role. This is where we focus on new ideas and efficiency, while also challenging the way things are currently done. This helps the team to find new ways and implement improvements, but it can also be confronting for those who would rather leave things the way they are which, let’s face it, is most people. The second role is supportive. Here we focus on strengthening team bonds, building trust and increasing friendly interactions within the team. This helps the team to get along and work well together, but isn’t necessarily focused on performance and improvements.
People can take on either a challenging role or a supportive role. Some even manage to take on both. But who do we really want on our teams?
A recent study In the Journal of Management looked at both the challenging and supportive roles people took on, and their likelihood of being chosen for new teams. The study used MBA students who had worked on team projects together and asked them to then select who they would most like to work with in a future team. Who do you think were the most popular choices?
When people were choosing between those taking on what researchers described as a challenging voice or a supportive voice, it was the supportive people who were selected most often. As the researchers described “Having a positive reputation for good work goes a long way, but so does just being a good person. People want to work with those who they feel comfortable with.” In fact, people are willing to sacrifice performance to work with people who are trustworthy and friendly.
The most desired team members were those who combined challenging and supportive roles. They are able to focus on new ideas and improvements, while still bringing the team together towards these goals. This combination helps with unity and performance.
How do we apply this research?
If you’re new to an organisation or team, it is helpful to be open in your desire to support others and build cohesion. If you lead with the supportive role, it’s much easier to then take on a challenging role in the team.
Perhaps you’re already great at building the team and supporting others. You might want to explore how to increase the challenging role.
Or maybe you love being the devil’s advocate, constantly challenging old ways of doing things. This research suggests you will be even more effective if you also seek to support others and build team work. This will help others to listen to and accept your ideas.
So this week, try to support and challenge - they’re better together.
Reference
Daniel W. Newton, Melissa Chamberlin, Cynthia K. Maupin, Jennifer D. Nahrgang, Dorothy R. Carter. Voice as a Signal of Human and Social Capital in Team Assembly Decisions. Journal of Management, 2021; 014920632110313 DOI: 10.1177/01492063211031303
Episode 126 - Pay Attention
Attention is a limited resource, but clear goals and regular feedback can help us to stay focused.
Summary
Attention is a limited resource, but clear goals and regular feedback can help us to stay focused.
Transcript
Welcome to episode 126 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we are exploring how clear goals and regular feedback can help us to stay focused.
Attention is a limited resource. It can be hard to maintain your attention on one task over an extended period of time. You can think of attention like a tank that is gradually depleted over time. Even when people report that they are engaged with a task, the research demonstrates that their attention will wane. The person may not even notice this happening, but their thoughts and attention will start to drift to unrelated areas. This is particularly a problem in activities that require sustained attention where missing a rare event can lead to significant negative outcomes. This includes jobs like air traffic control and security screening. These jobs require individuals to always focus on the task at hand, but can also become repetitive and boring over time. But there are some ways leaders can help their people to maintain engagement and attention, as highlighted by recently published research from the University of Texas.
Researcher Matthew Robison and team put participants through their paces on tasks that required high levels of attention. They varied the clarity of goals and level of feedback received. The researchers found that while people maintain attention better with clear goals, it is regular feedback that really makes a difference. Combining clear goals and frequent feedback appear to help people to maintain their attention over a longer period of time. This worked even more effectively than offering cash payments. Feedback by itself was helpful in reducing task-unrelated thoughts, leading to less distraction.
As a leader, this yet another example of how clear goals and regular feedback help. But there are limits. The researchers caution against setting up jobs and tasks that require sustained human attention. We need to design work that allows for reduced attention over time with frequent breaks and task variety. Have a great week.
Reference
Episode 125 - The Three Stages in Any Meeting
Sat through a bad meeting recently? There are three stages we need to get right in any meeting to make it effective.
Summary
Sat through a bad meeting recently? There are three stages we need to get right in any meeting to make it effective.
Transcript
Welcome to episode 125 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we are exploring how to make meetings more effective by concentrating on three stages.
When people complain about meetings, it’s usually about how they are run rather than the meeting itself. Ineffective meetings often end up leading to even more meetings. Being able to plan and run an effective meeting is a core skill for any leader. Recognising the three key stages in any meeting can make a huge difference.
Every meeting should have three clear stages - opening, exploring, and closing. As I describe these stages, think about any that you are already great at, and any that you tend to overlook.
Let’s start with the opening stage. Here we are clarifying why we are here. What’s the purpose of this meeting? What’s the range across which we are working? What freedom and authority do we have? What are the expectations for those attending? This stage opens up the discussion by laying out the playing field. Wherever possible, the purpose and structure of the meeting should be shared with participants beforehand. Everyone should know why they are there and how they can contribute.
Next comes the exploring stage. Here we are staying within the range we have established, but being creative. We are exploring the issues from all angles and generating new ideas.
During the closing stage, we make and note decisions, work out next steps, and clearly note who is accountable for what.
Consider what happens when these stages are missing or not managed well. Without an effective opening, people may be unclear about their role and how they should contribute. Without an effective exploring stage, people may feel like their ideas and contributions aren’t valued. They might wonder why the meeting couldn’t have just been an email. Without an effective closing stage, the team may fail to capture decisions and next steps. They may be left with lots of ideas that are leading nowhere.
Okay - time for a quick self-assessment. Which of these three stages do you tend to do well, and which might you neglect? I always need to be conscious of the closing stage. I tend to cover the opening and exploring stages quite well, but sometimes rush over the decisions and next steps. So now I ensure I’ve dedicated enough time and attention to closing. Having a clear agenda helps remind me to cover these final details.
Try thinking about the three stages for your next meeting.
Episode 124 - Change the Plan, Not the Goal
When we’re faced with an obstacle or opportunity, it’s important to change the plan, and not the goal.
Summary
When we’re faced with an obstacle or opportunity, it’s important to change the plan, and not the goal.
Transcript
Welcome to episode 124 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we’re considering why, when we’re faced with an obstacle or opportunity, it’s important to change the plan, and not the goal.
We face change every day of our lives. In leadership roles it can be hard to know how to handle ongoing change and uncertainty. When change occurs one of the criticisms leaders might face is that they’re constantly moving the goal posts. People might feel like things are shifting all the time and therefore become confused and demotivated. There are some simple ways to avoid this criticism and, more importantly, help people remain clear and motivated.
One of the issues is that leaders often confuse goals and plans, using the terms interchangeably. As a result, people can feel rightly confused about what they should be doing. A simple way of thinking about a goal is that it’s like a flag on a hill. It’s the end point that we are heading towards. Just like getting to a flag on a hill though, there are multiple pathways that we might take. A plan is like one of these pathways - it’s the approach we have chosen to reach the goal. Our organisations and teams are constantly faced with opportunities and threats. These might block some pathways or make new pathways available. Great leaders are attuned to these changes. They are willing to change the plan to allow for these opportunities and threats. After all, there’s little point trying to stay on a pathway that is blocked. But great leaders also try to keep the goal constant. They explain how any changes to the plan are to help the team reach the ultimate goal. They are also clear upfront - they don’t confuse or combine the goal and the plan.
Less effective leaders keep shifting and changing goals when faced with opportunities and threats. If the plan doesn’t work, they also throw out the goal. This confuses people, as it requires a new goal and plan. It also makes all the work performed to date feel like a waste of time.
So next time you are faced with an opportunity or obstacle, focus on any changes required to the plan while reinforcing that the goal has remained unchanged. Your people will thank you.
Episode 123 - Learning at Double Speed
Our brain has an amazing ability to learn at double speed. Maybe we should use it more.
Summary
Our brain has an amazing ability to learn at double speed. Maybe we should use it more.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 123 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we’re looking at our brain’s amazing ability to learn at double speed.
No doubt you’ve listened to a podcast or audio book at double speed. Maybe you’re even doing it now! Our ability to still absorb information when it is coming at us twice as fast is quite amazing. But surely there’s a drop off in how much we’re actually taking in. Well, according to a recent study published in Applied Cognitive Psychology, apparently not.
The researchers split participants into different groups to watch videos at normal speed, 1.5 times, 2 times and 2.5 times. Participants were then tested on their knowledge immediately following the videos and one week later. Surprisingly, the 1.5 times and 2 times groups performed just as well as those participants that watched the video at normal speed. Only the 2.5 times group showed a drop in performance.
The researchers then examined what happened if you watched the same video at 2 times speed twice. I’ve run the maths here, and that’s the same overall commitment of time as watching the video once at normal speed. When participants viewed the video twice at double speed, their performance on a comprehension test increased, particularly when the second viewing was immediately before the test. Their performance was about the same as participants who watched the video at normal speed first then double speed the second time. Even though participants believed watching the video at normal speed first would be better, it made no difference to watching it double speed.
Perhaps you’re like these participants and think “surely I can’t take information in that quickly”. Why not experiment with it this week. You might start by listening or watching the same content at double speed twice.
Give it a try and let me know how it works out.
Reference
Episode 122 - Feedback Isn't Coaching
It’s easy for leaders to confuse feedback and coaching, but they are quite different.
Summary
It’s easy for leaders to confuse feedback and coaching, but they are quite different.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 122 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. This week we’re looking at the objectives of feedback and coaching, and why it’s important to understand how best to apply them.
Feedback and coaching are two core skills that all leaders need. However, we can often confuse the goals of feedback and coaching. As a result, we may be unclear about the type of conversation we’re having, confusing those we are speaking with.
When we are providing feedback, the main goal is to increase awareness. This usually includes making someone aware of the impact they are having on others, either positive or negative.
When we are having a coaching conversation, the main goal is development. It isn’t primarily about the impact a person is having, but rather about ways they can become even better.
We need awareness before development. It’s almost impossible to develop if you don’t believe there is an opportunity to improve. But raising awareness, in and of itself, is not development.
Here is where things can sometimes go wrong. A leader might frame a discussion as if it is coaching, when really they just want to provide feedback. Or the leader might offer someone feedback, when really they just want to tell the person what to do differently next time.
Feedback can be a powerful tool to demonstrate progress and to identify strengths the person doesn’t see in themselves. Feedback might be something that encourages a person to continue developing and improving. Feedback can lead to an opportunity to coach someone, but feedback and coaching are different types of conversations.
If you’re going to have a conversation with an individual, try to keep it either focused on feedback or on coaching depending upon the goal. Combining or confusing the two often reduces the effectiveness of the conversation.
So keep in mind - the goal of feedback is to increase awareness, while the goal of coaching is ongoing development. Be clear about what you are providing and why. Think about things from the perspective of the other person - what do they need from you? What is going to help them to progress?
And the most important take-away is that great leaders provide lots of feedback and undertake lots of coaching conversations. The really great leaders seek out feedback and coaching for themselves. Have a great week.
Go to leadership.today for further information.
Episode 121 - Want Versus Will
In this episode we explore how the language we use can either help or hinder our achievement of goals.
Summary
In this episode we explore how the language we use can either help or hinder our achievement of goals.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 121 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. Firstly, welcome to 2022! It’s great to be back with you after a short break. I hope you and your loved ones are keeping well. I’m expectant about what 2022 holds for leaders. We’re making lots of progress when it comes to flexible working. The global pandemic has really forced us all to stop and think about what we’re trying to achieve and the best way to get there.
How are those New Years’ resolutions going? If you’re like most people the goals you set are probably starting to slip. Given we know so much about goal setting, why is it that we just can’t seem to follow through with our goals? I believe one of the key issues we face is the language we use when setting goals. The way we express our goals has a flow on impact to our motivation and commitment.
Consider the following goal. This year I want to finish work by 5pm each day. That seems, on the surface, to be a pretty well constructed goal. It’s clear, measurable and is probably achievable. The catch is the use of the word “want”. When we say we want to do something, we’re indicating a preference rather than a commitment. If I want to finish work by 5pm, but I have lots of work on, it’s pretty easy to push this preference to one side. And when we’ve done that once, it’s easy to keep letting the goal slip again and again until the goal is long forgotten.
Compare that with the same goal, but this time using the word “will”. This year I will finish work by 5pm each day. Using the word “will” turns the goal into a commitment and not just a preference. The wording indicates that we have decided to make this change. Imagine sharing that goal with a friend or colleague. The commitment then is clear.
Think about the goals you have set in the past that you’ve struggled to keep. Was the commitment clear in the way you expressed the goal?
It might sound like we’re just playing words here, but expressing your goals as a commitment rather than a preference makes a big difference.
This week, try to express a new goal as a “will” not a “want”. See you next week.
S2E3 - Shane Hatton - Lead the Room
In this episode we speak with Shane Hatton, author of the book Lead the Room. Shane works with individuals and teams around leadership, communication and culture.
You can find out more about Shane via his website - https://shanemhatton.com/
You also will want to check out his podcast, Phone Calls with Clever People, wherever you get your podcasts.
In this episode we speak with Shane Hatton, author of the book Lead the Room. Shane works with individuals and teams around leadership, communication and culture. During the interview we explore:
What it means to lead the various ‘rooms’ in our life and leadership
Making a difference in the moments that matter
Leading in a remote and virtual context
A leader’s role in building and shaping culture
Managing the ‘busy-ness’ that so often overtakes our day
You can find out more about Shane via his website - https://shanemhatton.com/
You also will want to check out his podcast, Phone Calls with Clever People, wherever you get your podcasts.
S2E2 - Ellen Jackson - Positive Psychology and Leadership
I speak with Ellen Jackson who is a psychologist, writer, speaker, consultant and coach. Her business, Potential Psychology, helps leaders and teams to thrive and flourish. She is also the host of the Potential Psychology podcast which recently featured its 100th episode.
Go to www.potential.com.au to learn more about Ellen.
I speak with Ellen Jackson who is a psychologist, writer, speaker, consultant and coach. Her business, Potential Psychology, helps leaders and teams to thrive and flourish. She is also the host of the Potential Psychology podcast which recently featured its 100th episode.
In this discussion we cover:
- How positive psychology is relevant for leaders
- What place negative experiences and hardships have in positive psychology
- Some of the tips she has applied after interviewing 100 experts
- The challenges and opportunities in community leadership
Go to www.potential.com.au to learn more about Ellen.
A quick note - there are a few audio issues and a barking dog, but welcome to the joys of podcasting!
S2E1 - Dr Maria Church - Love-Based Leadership
In this episode we speak with author, speaker and facilitator Dr Maria Church about her concept of Love-Based Leadership. During the interview we explore:
Where the idea for Love-Based Leadership came from
What it means to lead with love
How we can demonstrate Love-Based Leadership from a distance
Implications for culture and innovation
You can find out more about Maria via her website - drmariachurch.com
In this episode we speak with author, speaker and facilitator Dr Maria Church about her concept of Love-Based Leadership. During the interview we explore:
Where the idea for Love-Based Leadership came from
What it means to lead with love
How we can demonstrate Love-Based Leadership from a distance
Implications for culture and innovation
You can find out more about Maria via her website - drmariachurch.com
Dr Maria Church is author of the book Love-Based Leadership: The model for leading with strength, grace, and authenticity. She works with a broad range of individuals and organisations around organisational culture, change agility and leadership development. Her latest book is A Course in Leadership: 21 Spiritual Lessons on Power, Love and Influence.
Episode 120 - What is Your Philosophy of Leadership?
In this episode we look at why a philosophy of leadership is important, and how you might develop your own philosophy.
Summary
In this episode we look at why a philosophy of leadership is important, and how you might develop your own philosophy.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 120 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In fact, this episode marks three years of the Leadership Today podcast. Thanks so much for being a part of that. The podcast has reached tens of thousands of people and I always appreciate your feedback and input. In this episode we look at why a philosophy of leadership is important, and how you might develop your own philosophy.
Whether we recognise it or not, we all have a philosophy of leadership. It’s the lens through which we view leadership. There are aspects of that philosophy that you have no doubt consciously developed, but there will also be parts that are more accidental in their origins. Why does our philosophy of leadership matter? Because it shapes the way we think, feel and act about issues of leadership. For example, if you believe people are born leaders, then you probably also believe that others aren’t born leaders - that will influence your decisions and actions. If you believe leadership is just about managing people downwards, that will also influence your decisions and actions.
I’m going to share my philosophy of leadership with you. I don’t expect you to necessarily agree with all of these points. In fact, it’s great if you don’t! Particularly if that helps to shape your own philosophy of leadership that you apply to you and others.
I will start with the definition of leadership that we use at Leadership Today, which is “achieving results through people for good”. That’s what leaders do. I firmly believe that leaders leave the world a better place. Leadership is for good - the good of the people we serve, the organisation where we work, but also for the communities and families around our organisations. Inherent in that definition of leadership is a balancing act. Leadership is absolutely about achieving results - if you’re not achieving results you’re not leading. And leadership is absolutely about people - leaders deliver through people. If we become unbalanced, that’s where the problems start. If you focus just on results and forget about the people, you’re not going to achieve results for very long. Equally, focusing just on people and paying inadequate attention to results is ultimately not good for the people you serve. Creating a nice, soft environment with low expectations and standards is actually awful for people. We need to focus on both parts - “achieving results” and “through people”, and always link that to the good.
I believe that we can all be leaders. That leadership is about the influence we have on others in the pursuit of results for good. Therefore if you have influence, then you are a leader. Sure, leadership can be downwards, but it can also be across, and up, and ever outside our organisation. Leadership isn’t just what we do at work.
In balancing the ‘achieving results’ and ‘through people’ components, we are best placed if we dial up both challenge and support. People often misunderstand psychological safety - thinking that it’s just about supporting people and making the workplace safe. It’s also about providing a challenging and stimulating place to work. Just as being over-stressed is bad, so is being chronically under-stressed. It’s far better to increase the challenge as you also increase the support. That’s what leads to growth in others.
The way we balance results and people is through aligned motivation - that’s the vehicle of leadership. In a perfect world we have a group of people who are motivated and heading in the same direction. There’s no point having a motivated team if they are all heading in different directions. Equally there’s no point having an aligned team that clearly understand the desired direction, but aren’t motivated to get there.
The catch is that we can’t motivate anyone directly. I can’t force someone to be motivated. And I can’t motivate someone just through personal enthusiasm in a hope that some of my motivation might rub off. Instead, as a leader I need to create an environment and conditions that align with and unlock the motivations of individuals. You can’t do that without understanding your people.
The research I’ve undertaken suggests there are six practices that outstanding leaders undertake - reflecting, inspiring, developing, connecting, delegating and clearing. If you’re interested in those, you can check out our online course at Leadership Today On-Demand that explores each of these in more detail. Chances are that there are two daily practices you are great at, two you are okay at, and two that you tend to neglect.
I believe that everyone is a born leader. That we all have a head start in some area of leadership, and that we will always need to work on other areas of leadership. As a leader you never stop learning.
And, finally, I believe that leadership needs to be sustainable. There’s not much point being a great leader for a month or two and then collapsing in a heap. We all need routines that allow for challenge, ongoing development and times of recovery.
So that is my philosophy of leadership, gained through research and experience. Can I encourage you to bullet point out your own philosophy of leadership? You can use mine as a starting point if you would like - it’s all in the show notes. But, better yet, why not just list yours out first. Knowing our philosophy of leadership shapes both the way we lead and how we interact with others.
If you have been following Leadership Today for a while, you will also know that my philosophy of leadership development is driven by your challenges and areas of interest. Our Leadership Today App is a great way to undertake your leadership development in your own time. Just go to your App Store and search for Leadership Today. There you can sign up for a monthly or annual subscription, or take our 30 day free trial. I encourage you to then take a look around and dip into the topics that are most interesting and relevant to you. Have a great week.
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Episode 119 - Rudeness at Work - Epidemic or a Few Bad Apples?
Many people claim there is an epidemic of rudeness in our organisations. Is that true, or is it a case of a few bad apples ruining the bunch?
Summary
Many people claim there is an epidemic of rudeness in our organisations. Is that true, or is it a case of a few bad apples ruining the bunch?
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 119 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In this episode we find out whether there really is an epidemic of rudeness at work, or just a few bad apples ruining the bunch.
Some have described rudeness and incivility in our workplaces as an epidemic. I’m sure each of use can share anecdotal stories of angry and rude people. These examples do tend to stick in our minds. But is it really an epidemic?
In a study just published in the Journal of Applied Psychology, researchers measured the level of rudeness between employees. The research included a diverse range of office, manufacturing and restaurant environments. On first look at the results, it’s easy to see why people refer to an epidemic of rudeness. In fact, the researchers found 70% of people experienced rudeness at work. That’s a pretty extraordinary figure. However, the same research demonstrated that rudeness was a characteristic in just 16% of relationships. So while many people observe and experience rudeness at work, it’s a much smaller percentage of people contributing to this rudeness. Their research suggests that a relatively small number of people being rude has a disproportionately large impact on others.
This finding makes a lot of sense. Even if you’re not on the receiving end of rudeness, it still impacts you. I vividly remember a senior leader who would routinely berate and belittle others both behind their back and to their face. He was extraordinarily rude. So even though I wasn’t on the receiving end, the rude behaviour had a dramatic impact on my assessment of the individual and also the organisation. There seemed to be little interest by other senior leaders in the issue or any attempt to tackle the behaviour. Ultimately people left the organisation while the rude leader remained.
Given the toxic impact of rudeness, organisations need to have a zero tolerance for rude behaviours. And when I say ‘organisations’, I really mean leaders at all levels. Not only do leaders need to be role models of positive behaviours, they also need to confront negative and rude behaviours immediately. It could be that the person being rude doesn’t have a sense of their impact, so swift feedback may well help them to avoid sabotaging their own career.
However a great work environment isn’t just one that lacks rudeness. You don’t create a great workplace by just removing negative behaviours. We need to also encourage positive behaviours and interactions. We need to foster kindness, respect and inclusion.
So, an epidemic of rudeness? Probably not. However, the latest research clearly demonstrates that a few bad apples can definitely spoil an organisation.
References
Shannon G. Taylor, Lauren R. Locklear, Donald H. Kluemper, Xinxin Lu. Beyond targets and instigators: Examining workplace incivility in dyads and the moderating role of perceived incivility norms.. Journal of Applied Psychology, 2021; DOI: 10.1037/apl0000910
Episode 118 - Resilience Starts with Leadership
Resilience programs are okay, but true resilience starts with leadership. We explore the research and what it means for leaders in this week’s episode.
Summary
Resilience programs are okay, but true resilience starts with leadership. We explore the research and what it means for leaders in this week’s episode.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 118 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In this episode we discuss why resilience starts with leadership.
I think there is a problem with a lot of resilience training that is undertaken in our organisations. It’s not the valuable skills and techniques that worry me - of course, we can all work on our resilience. However the undertone in most resilience training is that you are the problem - that it’s solely your responsibility to become more resilient. But sometimes it’s not the level of an individual’s resilience that’s the problem. Sometimes it’s the job, the work environment or the leadership that’s the problem. If we fix those external issues, that might reduce the amount of resilience people need to get through their day.
I appreciate this is a balance. However I think in far too many organisations, we effectively blame the individual for not being resilient enough without first examining the work environment around them. Instead this approach is all too common - “if you’re struggling with the demands of your job and work environment, here’s a resilience program”.
So what’s an alternative approach?
Researchers Kyle Brykman and Danielle King found that leaders play an important role when it comes to resilience, particularly within teams. They studied 48 tech startup teams to identify what made a difference when it came to resilience and learning.
They found a key element in team resilience is having a leader who is focused on learning and not solely on short-term performance outcomes. The most effective leaders rewarded a learning mindset, even when the person made a mistake. They recognised that learning requires mistakes. So if something goes wrong, the focus from the best leaders is immediately on learning from the experience.
Where leaders encouraged their people to take risks, contribute suggestions and learn from the experience, teams ended up being more resilient and effective. They created a culture with openness, learning and a focus on development.
If you’re considering a resilience program, here are four steps you might start with instead:
Start by creating a work environment that is equal parts supportive and challenging. Help people to feel comfortable to speak up, but also to stretch themselves and occasionally fall short.
Examine your attitude to mistakes. What is the language used around mistakes? What are the first things we say when things don’t work out?
Ask people how they’re feeling. Radical, right? But think back over your career. How many managers ever asked you how you were feeling? Our feelings towards our work provide an insight into our emotional state and the level of resilience we are needing to demonstrate each day.
Remove frustrations. Frustrations soak up will power. As my own research has found, the more frequently you face frustrations at work, the greater the likelihood that you also experience significant negative work-related stress. Wanting to do a good job and being blocked by frustrations is terrible for people. No amount of resilience training can overcome the negative outcomes of unaddressed frustrations.
So, this week, remember that resilience starts with leadership.
This month we have some very exciting news. Our Leadership Today video on-demand service is now available as an app on Android and Apple iOS devices. You can take all of our video content on the road using your phone or tablet. You can even switch between the web and any of your devices to pick up right where you left off and bring your watch lists with you. The app even lets you download content to watch offline. We have partnered with Vimeo to build this app over the past few months and couldn’t be happier with the end product. To find out more go to our website at leadership.today or search for the Leadership Today app in Google Play or the Apple App Store.
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References
Kyle M. Brykman, Danielle D. King. A Resource Model of Team Resilience Capacity and Learning. Group & Organization Management, 2021; 105960112110180 DOI: 10.1177/10596011211018008
Episode 117 - Why 10,000 Hours of Practice Isn’t Perfect
In this episode we explore why 10,000 hours of practice isn’t perfect, and how we can make practice better.
Summary
In this episode we explore why 10,000 hours of practice isn’t perfect, and how we can make practice better.
Transcript
Hello and welcome to episode 117 of the Leadership Today podcast where each week we bring research to life in your leadership. In this episode we explore why 10,000 hours of practice isn’t perfect, and how we can make practice better.
“Practice makes perfect” - at least that’s how the old saying goes. In fact, you’ve probably also heard that 10,000 hours of practice makes you an expert or master. The 10,000 hours figure was popularised by one of my favourite writers, Malcolm Gladwell, in his book Outliers: The Story of Success. While the general principle is right - that practice is an essential part of becoming an expert - the exact number of hours is at best arbitrary. The quoted figure is based on the work of Alders Ericsson who observed that the most accomplished violin students he studied had put in, on average, 10,000 hours of practice by the time they were 20 years old. Importantly, 10,000 hours was an average rather than a minimum standard. Ericsson found that some violin students had practiced significantly more, and some significantly less, than 10,000 hours to achieve that level of expertise. Even at that point they still all had room to go to truly become experts.
And, as Ericsson noted, not all practice is created equal. Undertaking mechanical repetition - just doing the same thing over and over - doesn’t improve performance much at all. Undertaking deliberate practice - where we focus on making changes and trying new things to move us towards a goal - is much better. Not every hour of practice is equal.
We also start from different points. If I put 10,000 hours into practicing a 100 metre sprint at this point in my life, I’m still highly unlikely to reach a truly competitive level. I will improve, for sure. But I won’t become what would be considered to be an expert or master.
To illustrate this point, cognitive psychologists Campitelli and Gobet, found that reaching a master level in chess took some people up to 16,120 hours of practice. For others the same level of accomplishment came after just 728 hours. There is a wide range and people clearly don’t start from the same point. When trying to come up with a figure, they estimated the amount of deliberate practice required to reach a master level is closer to an average of 3,000 hours.
Recent research also shows that it’s not just what we do when we’re practicing that helps us to improve. A study published in Cell Reports just this week demonstrates that short rests while practicing improves performance. For example, they had participants practice a short piano note sequence for 10 seconds. When they introduced a 10 second rest period between practice periods, performance improved markedly. Their study showed that the brain effectively kept replaying compressed versions of the task during the break. In fact, the ‘neural replay’ was 20 times faster than the physical activity itself. They found this effect most pronounced when the rest periods were between periods of practice, rather than just at the end of the practice. It’s as if the brain is virtually rehearsing the finger movements extremely quickly in our heads when we provide the chance for our hands to rest. The whole article is a great read if you have an interest in neuroscience. As always, the reference is in the show notes.
So, whether you’re learning something yourself or teaching others, here are some tips:
Start with the ‘why’ of practice - what is the broader goal we are working towards? This helps people to focus and sustain effort.
Make the practice deliberate. What is the goal of today’s practice? What are we going to vary or try out? Don’t become stuck in mechanical repetition.
Learn from a range of people. Sometimes the way one person explains something may not work for you. It’s always good to get tips from a few people.
Take breaks. Give your brain a chance to rehearse and consolidate what you are learning.
Keep reading Malcolm Gladwell. Sure, the whole 10,000 hours thing was a bit overstated, but he is brilliant at extending your thinking into new areas in an entertaining way. Never let facts get in the way of a good story.
Have a great week.
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References
Ethan R. Buch, Leonardo Claudino, Romain Quentin, Marlene Bönstrup, Leonardo G. Cohen. Consolidation of human skill linked to waking hippocampo-neocortical replay. Cell Reports, 2021; 35 (10): 109193 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.109193
Campitelli, G. J., & Gobet, F. (2011). Deliberate practice: Necessary but not sufficient. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(5), 280-285. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0963721411421922
Gladwell, Malcolm, (2008). Outliers : the story of success. New York :Little, Brown and Company.
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day Five - Ongoing Gratitude
We’ve made it to day five of the Growing Gratitude challenge. Over the week we’ve looked at the case for gratitude, then focused on people, nature and tailwinds. Today is about extending what we’ve learned beyond the week.
We’ve made it to day five of the Growing Gratitude challenge. Over the week we’ve looked at the case for gratitude, then focused on people, nature and tailwinds. Today is about extending what we’ve learned beyond the week.
Clearly it’s best if we can turn gratitude from a state, something we experience from time to time, into a trait, an ongoing set of habits and way of looking at the world.
Now, I can provide you with a list of options, but you really need to reflect on what works best for you.
First, spend some time looking back over what we have covered across this week. Are there any activities that worked particularly well for you? How might you build those in to your daily or weekly routine?
Here are a few additional ideas to try:
Three gratitudes - this one is simple and the research shows that even 21 days has a positive impact on our mood and outlook. All it involves is writing down three new things each day that you are grateful for. You can use a notes app on your phone or a notebook - whatever works best for you. The challenge is thinking of three new things each day - particularly over that first week. But, over time, you will find that you notice positive things to be grateful for - that you change your perspective about that ratio of positive to negative in your life to tilt it more towards the positive.
Daily exercise. Can I suggest that if you struggle with exercise, you mix things up a bit. Aim for something you enjoy and pair exercise up with that. Perhaps you love a particular podcast - why not listen to the podcast while going for a walk? Maybe there’s a friend you like spending time with - why not enlist them to go for a walk or a quick work out together? And aim for the morning if you can. I recently profiled some research that suggests we are even less likely to exercise after a challenging and stressful day. So, instead, aim for the morning, even if it means going to bed a little earlier to then wake up earlier.
Hang out with positive people. Draw around you people who tend to be grateful, kind and generous. It will inspire you to focus more on the positives.
Write a quick thank you note each day. By way of example, we purchase coffee machine pods from a small business that roast their own coffee and put them in biodegradable pods and packaging. I’ve been a customer for three years and we love their products. So I just wrote them a short email to let them know how much we appreciate their products and business, and to say thank you. It really made their day and only took me one minute. Imagine if we did something like that each day.
Thank you for joining me on this challenge - I hope you found it helpful. Can I encourage you to share it with others? Perhaps your kind act today will be to share the word and get others to join you in focusing more on gratitude. Have a great week.
Download the workbook at Leadership Today or via Leadership Today On-Demand
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day Four - Tailwinds
It’s day four of the growing gratitude challenge.
It’s day four of the growing gratitude challenge.
As human beings we have a natural tendency to become caught up with the negatives and challenges in life. Researchers Gilovich and Davidai describe this as the headwinds/tailwinds asymmetry - what they characterise as a tendency to focus far more on barriers than on blessings. This can lead to a sense of unfairness - a perception that we have it harder than most other people. It also leads us to underestimate the benefits we have received that have contributed to positive outcomes in our lives. This tendency runs counter to a sense of gratitude. It’s very difficult to feel grateful at the same time as feeling like you’ve had it tougher than most people. But that’s exactly why gratitude can be so helpful - we can use gratitude to rebalance the asymmetry.
So today we are focusing on the tailwinds in our life - those things that have helped to bring us forward. We’re also reflecting on the headwinds that others face that perhaps don’t impact on us.
It’s interesting how the working definition around privilege is changing. We used to think about privilege as having an advantage - and that’s something that most people find hard to accept. After all, I’ve worked hard to get to where I am today - it’s not fair to say I’m privileged is it? But another way of thinking about privilege is the absence of impediments. As a white male growing up in a middle class household, I wouldn’t necessarily think of my life as privileged. But as I become aware of the barriers and challenges others have faced by virtue of their ethnicity or gender or just the household they were born into, it’s easier for me to see the relative lack of headwinds I have experienced. My tailwinds have far exceed the headwinds I have experienced.
My mother provided me with great advice - if you’re ever feeling down, look for someone else to help.
I recall an interview with Michael J Fox, the actor who received a diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease as a young adult while at the peak of his acting career. During the interview he was asked if he ever felt sorry for himself. Michael replied that there was a long list of people to feel sorry for, and that his name wasn’t on it.
Again, this isn’t about being overly positive or ignoring the hard times, rather it’s about putting those hard times into perspective and also seeking to help others through their challenges.
I think it’s also helpful to understand others’ experiences. A great challenge is to think of who, in your community, is least like you in terms of their circumstances and background. For me, it might be the Iranian asylum seeker, or the homeless person I see in the city. For a period of time I set myself a challenge to stop whenever I saw someone homeless and ask if I could buy them something - a coffee or a snack or maybe some lunch. Yes - it was inconvenient. In fact, on some occasions, I was really tempted to cross to the other side of the street. But I connected with some amazing people whose life was really different to mine, but were generous with their time and allowed me to appreciate how I might be able to help them. I encourage you to do the same, and then find some way to connect with that person and just find out more about their story.
Today in your workbook, I’d like you to:
List the tailwinds in your life. What have been the circumstances that have helped you to progress and become the person you are today?
Acknowledge the headwinds. What are you finding more challenging and what is holding you back?
What might you do today to take control when it comes to headwinds? You might not be able to remove the headwind altogether, but how might you reduce the negative impact of headwinds?
Who is that person that is least like you in terms of their circumstances and background? How might you connect with them today to learn more about their story? Perhaps you can also offer to help them in some meaningful way.
Download the workbook at Leadership Today or via Leadership Today On-Demand
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day Three - Nature
Welcome to day three of the growing gratitude challenge.
Welcome to day three of the growing gratitude challenge.
We’ve long known about the benefits of exercise, but there’s also evidence of increased positive outcomes by just being in nature. Peer reviewed research studies have found that green areas, parks and forests are particularly beneficial. There’s something about greenery and foliage which helps. The studies have found that increased time in nature can elevate your mood, reduce stress, increase creativity, boost memory, build team cohesion, help physical health and even reduce mental illness. These studies are careful to control for things like over-crowding and socio-economic status. There’s something special about nature.
But there’s a difference to being in nature and actually taking time to be grateful for the experience of being in nature.
Today’s challenge is pretty simple. I’m just asking you to take some time in nature to reflect and appreciate what you have, even in your immediate area. That might involve going for a walk, sitting on a park bench, or dusting off that bicycle to go for a ride. Perhaps the weather is conspiring against you. If that’s the case, then even taking time to look out a window at nature can help. If you can’t do that from your workplace or home, perhaps go for a quick drive to somewhere you can observe nature.
In your workbooks you can write down what you are noticing and how it is making you feel. Also, reflect on your overall mood and positivity. It’s likely you will start to see some changes even after three days of focusing on gratitude.
Download the workbook at Leadership Today or via Leadership Today On-Demand
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day Two - People
Day two of the Growing Gratitude challenge is focusing on people.
Day two of the Growing Gratitude challenge is focusing on people.
It’s helpful to think about what the purpose of gratitude might be. Part of the function of gratitude is to form new social connections and build existing connections. Gratitude is like glue in relationships - helping to strengthen connections and support. Gratitude is often focused towards people - people we value and who have helped us in some tangible way. What we should aim for is to be someone that others can be grateful for - to pay it forward.
So there are three things that we can focus on when it comes to gratitude and people. We can be grateful for people - that gratitude will help us. We can express that gratitude to people - that will help us and them. And we can undertake acts of kindness for others. That will help others to be grateful for us, and will help us in the process.
Some research that I often quote involved a workplace where people were asked to perform kind acts for others. The kind acts were definitely appreciated by those on the receiving end. But what is most striking in this research is that those undertaking acts of kindness rated their life satisfaction and job satisfaction higher a full month after the intervention finished. Being kind to others had a lasting impact on those undertaking the kind act. In addition, those on the receiving end of kind acts also tended to pay that kindness forward to others. The research really confirms what we would hope to be true - that kindness multiplies and has lasting impacts.
Today I’m challenging you, not just to spend some time reflecting, but to take action.
First, think about people in your life for whom you are grateful. List as many names as you can.
Next, spend 15 minutes sending people quick notes of appreciation and gratitude. It could be an email or a text, or you might even call someone up. It might even mean reconnecting with someone from years ago that you have really appreciated but potentially never thanked.
This next one might be challenging, but today I’d like you to express appreciation to a stranger. It might be the person who made your coffee, or the person who packed your bag at the supermarket, or the delivery driver that dropped off a package. Look out for an opportunity to appreciate someone and let them know.
And, finally, undertake a kind act for someone. It might be to deliver a small gift or perhaps it’s helping someone out.
Across the day, monitor your mood and emotions. Think about the impact of these acts of appreciation on you and others.
Download the workbook at Leadership Today or via Leadership Today On-Demand
Growing Gratitude Challenge - Day One - The Case for Gratitude
Welcome to day one of the growing gratitude challenge.
So why, as leaders, would we spend a week focusing on gratitude? To answer that, we need to think about what gratitude is.
Welcome to day one of the growing gratitude challenge.
So why, as leaders, would we spend a week focusing on gratitude? To answer that, we need to think about what gratitude is.
From a psychological perspective, it’s best to think of gratitude as having two elements. The first element is recognising the good things in our life. Most people would agree with that definition. The second element though is often overlooked, and that is appreciating that many of these good things are due to other people and factors other than ourselves. Much of what we can be grateful for in life is a gift from others rather than a reward for our own actions. Gratitude only really makes sense in the context of community - whether that’s the community around you at work, where you study, where you live, or with your family and friends.
Gratitude is both an emotional state and an ongoing trait or disposition. We can feel gratitude in a moment. But we can also develop a grateful outlook to our life. We can actively seek out things to be grateful for through daily practices. Equally, we can seek out things to be disappointed or negative about. Much of gratitude is in the outlook we bring and where we choose to focus our attention and efforts.
So why does gratitude matter? The research into gratitude outlines a range of benefits. For the individual the benefits of gratitude range from improved physical and mental health, elevated mood and happiness, increased life satisfaction, and reduced burnout. By way of example, patients recovering from heart failure who completed a gratitude journal had reduced signs of inflammation after an 8 week period. Other research showed people reported better and longer sleep, and improved overall physical health by increasing their practice of gratitude.
For groups and organisations, research has demonstrated that gratitude can increase generosity and kindness, while helping to build stronger relationships and improving work climate. Gratitude is like the glue for society that binds people together. If someone is generous towards you, you’re likely to feel grateful and, in turn, do something nice back for them or for someone else. Gratitude multiplies.
So on day one of this challenge, I would like you to think about the current balance of negative and positive inputs into your life at the moment. What are you feeding yourself? Where are you focusing your attention?
By way of example, I recently found myself becoming absorbed in true crime documentaries on Netflix. Before long, the world around me seemed to be filled with art thieves and serial killers. I had let the ratio of negative to positive inputs become out of balance, and it changed my outlook on the world. So we start this challenge with two simple reflections:
What people, activities or habits feed your disappointment or discouragement? What is bringing you down at the moment?
What people, activities or habits feed your gratitude? What is elevating you up at the moment?
Note down your thoughts in your workbook.
Download the workbook at Leadership Today or via Leadership Today On-Demand