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    You are here Home » coaching

    Are You Feeling Disconnected As a Leader?

    Last updated on Oct 17, 2013 by Dan McCarthy · This post may contain affiliate links

    Guest post from Vince Molinaro, Ph.D.:

    It was a tough day. I had
    finished leading a one-day leader forum event with a new client.  The room had the organization’s top sixty
    leaders of a large technology services company.

    It was a company with
    many tough issues that they needed to confront. Their business environment was
    becoming more complex and uncertain. There were many multiple competing and
    shifting priorities. Many new international competitors were taking away market
    share. From an organizational standpoint, the leaders didn’t feel there was a
    compelling strategy they could commit to. They felt rudderless. They also felt
    they were operating at cross-purposes every single day. Many were feeling
    disconnected, discounted and undervalued. The talk of driving collaboration and
    innovation was just that – talk. No real action or tangible evidence of change.

    As the day progressed the
    conversations became heavier and heavier. These leaders had a lot of baggage
    that they needed to empty before they could move forward.

    At the core of their
    concerns was their frustration that every time they tried to step up as leader,
    they were beaten down. Ideas were dismissed from upper management. Any attempts
    to drive change were stopped. This was the core issue that this team of senior
    leaders had to confront – the poor leadership culture that they allowed to
    exist in their organization. Not only was it wearing them down. It was eroding
    the engagement of employees from across the organization.

    I’ve been a business
    leader and leadership consultant for most of my career. In that time, I’ve
    learned one thing – if you can create a strong leadership culture in your
    organization, it can become a real differentiator for your company.

    But like my new client
    above, many organizations don’t have strong leadership cultures.  They have deadly ones that erode confidence
    and commitment of leaders at all levels. Over time, many leaders give up. They
    end up showing up every day merely going through the motions. This makes the
    problems even worse.

    So how do you turn an
    organization like this around?

    First, you must set the
    bar high and aspire to build the best leadership in your industry. If you can,
    it will be a game changer for your company.

    Second, you must create what
    I call your company’s own leadership contract. One that clearly spells out the
    expectations you have for your leaders and the commitment they must all make to
    do their part. 

    Next, you must support
    the growth of your leaders, and weed out the ones who are not living up to your
    expectations.

    Finally, find ways to
    help your leaders build relationships with one another – it’s difficult to
    build a community of leaders among a group of strangers.

    Ultimately it’s about
    building a strong community of leaders - one where you will see a higher degree
    of alignment and engagement among your leaders. Where they show up each day committed
    to being great leaders and demonstrate a “one company” mindset, rather than
    engaging in turf wars. Where they will break down silos and drive greater
    innovation, collaboration, and performance.

    That’s what happened with
    my new client. Over a series of additional quarterly meetings they were able to
    confront the tough stuff. They began to build a vision for the kind of leadership
    they needed for the future. More importantly, leaders stopped disconnecting and
    began to feel empowered.

    About the Author:

    Vince Molinaro, PhD, is the author of The New York Times bestseller The Leadership Contract: The Fine Print to
    Becoming a Great Leader
    (Wiley;
    2013) and the Managing Director of the Leadership Practice within Knightsbridge
    Human Capital Solutions, a firm dedicated to helping organizations seamlessly
    execute their business strategies through their people. Vince advises senior
    executives and boards on how to make leadership culture their ultimate business
    differentiator. He has worked with organizations in the energy, financial
    services, technology, professional services, and public sectors. An engaging
    speaker, he conducts keynote presentations for corporations and conferences. He
    is also the author of Leadership Solutions and The Leadership Gap,
    both published by Wiley.
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