Take Charge Of Your Personal Growth to Thrive Amidst Change

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read293 views

It cannot be emphasized enough, continuously building on your skills and learn new ones is essential to survive in today’s job market. In her article Take Charge Of Your Personal Growth to Thrive Amidst Change , Emily Lewis-Pinnell gives great advice on how to not fall behind by investing in your own personal development. The article is posted on Forbes.

Are You A Leader Or A Follower?

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read326 views

In his article Are You A Leader Or A Follower?, Travis Bradberry asks some excellent questions which largely help you understand whether you have the profile of a real leader. Like Bradberry says “Leadership and followership are mindsets”, it is true, either you are born a leader or you are not.

So have a look at the article – it is the moment of truth.

The article is posted on Forbes.

Succession Planning and Leadership Development

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read283 views

In your organization, do you have a successor for people having a key role, such as the CEO?

In his article “Who are your street sweepers? Succession planning and leadership development”, published by the Australian Institute of Management, David Reynolds reminds of the importance of including these two perspectives into the overall business strategy of a company.

In addition to develop a leadership program for the company, of utmost importance are the “pivot points”, i.e., persons who play key roles in the success of the organization and whom should be enabled to develop skills that will help them to move forward and ensure – and be a part of – the company’s future.

How Leaders Can Best Manage Conflict Within Their Teams

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read329 views

Conflicts are inevitable in a work place where people spend a lot of time together. Inevitable yes, but as explained by Executive Coaches Joan Bunashe and Lindsay Broder in their article How Leaders Can Best Manage Conflict Within Their Teams, there are simple ways to reduce magnitude and possible damages. Here are some tips:

  • Don’t separate the “problem” people from the rest of the group.
  • Do this exercise: each team member share his or her view of the situation. They are then encouraged to describe what other persons’ views might be. This helps increasing empathy.
  • Make sure that everybody is aware of the value he or she brings to the company.
  • As the manager, show respect and appreciation and encourage the team to do the same.
  • Don’t allow team members to label each other.
  • Turn disagreement into brainstorming sessions to find solutions to the conflict together. Make people realize that another person’s personal view is not an attack and that you all are striving to accomplish the same mission.

What it takes to be a great leader

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read346 views

Even though leadership expert Roselinde Torres’s Ted Talk dates back to 2013, the question she deals with is hot topic:

What makes a great leader today?

Roselinde Torres has spent 25 years studying the question, observing more than 4’000 companies. She comes to the conclusion that there are three questions to be posed :

  • Where are you looking to anticipate the next change to your business model or your life?

By observing yourself – your whereabouts and your environment – and then analyze it can help you detect upcoming shifts and important changes.

  • What is the diversity measure of your personal and professional stakeholder network?

Your network is important. If you are capable of collaborating with people that think and act fundamentally differently than you, together you can more easily identify new patterns and disruptive trends.

 

  • Are you courageous enough to abandon a practice that has made you successful in the past?

Finally, do you dare get out of comfortable and familiar practice ? Chose new paths, even if it implies taking risks?

Anticipating new trends, socializing and working with people with other backgrounds and perceptions than you allow you to stay ahead and prepare for the future rather than undergo it.

Leaders of the 21st-century see around corners and are already prepared for whatever tomorrow will bring.

Disruptive Ideas

jessica.mattsson By jessica.mattsson1 min read248 views

In her article “Disruptive Ideas”, posted on Thinkers50, the author, Professor Vlatka Hlupic, writes about business models and the necessity of progress.

Indeed, disruptive innovation also applies to management, which must evolve to become less rigid, control-based and horizontal, to be more flexible and human. One of today’s major challenges for companies is to see its employees as being part of the team and not as an emotional-lacking asset. Through new ways of thinking – that is to cease focusing on pure financial profit – a company can be more innovative, create more value and improve business performance.

Professor Hlupic states that “the organization is understood as being more like a living organism than a machine”.