Great leadership is rarely taught, but it can be mastered. I break down complex topics and offer insights, resources, and challenges to help you strengthen your skills, build confidence, refine your mindset, and lead high-performing teams.
The Power of Curiosity: A Framework for Thoughtful Leadership
|
I have had the great fortune to be a fellow for Dave Stachowiak and recently assisted him with his Coaching for Leaders Academy. During this incredible experience, I met inspiring leaders and gained valuable new skills—one of which I’d like to share with you. A core focus of the Academy is fostering clarity and accountability to drive ideas and actions forward. As a cohort, we support one another by challenging each other’s thinking and broadening possibilities. Without this collective effort, our ideas run the risk of becoming narrowed and constrained. To counter this, we join forces to nurture our imagination and innovation. How often have you struggled to solve a problem, only to later discover that the best solution came as an offshoot of someone else’s comment or experience? Great thinking rarely happens in isolation. A Process for Thoughtful ExplorationHere’s an impactful exercise we used: Each cohort member had 30 minutes of "member focus" time. The structure was as follows: 1. Presenting the Challenge (5 minutes): The individual set the stage by outlining their challenge or problem. 2. Clarifying Questions (10 minutes): The cohort asked only clarifying questions—no solutions, no advice. (This part is harder than it seems! It’s tempting to jump into “solution mode.”) Thoughtful questioning surfaces assumptions, reveals blind spots, and fosters clarity. 3. Sharing Advice (10 minutes): After thoroughly exploring the issue, we shared advice—offering relevant experiences, lessons learned, or wisdom gained. This beautifully structured process promoted deeper discovery and led to solutions that might otherwise remain hidden. A Challenge for You:
Additional Resource For further refinement of this technique, I highly recommend The Coaching Habit by Michael Bungay Stanier. This resource offers practical strategies to embrace curiosity, leverage silence, and draw out valuable insights from others. |
Weekly Wisdom
Great leadership is rarely taught, but it can be mastered. I break down complex topics and offer insights, resources, and challenges to help you strengthen your skills, build confidence, refine your mindset, and lead high-performing teams.
I recently attended an Expert Chat with Dave Stahoviak and Tom Henschel. (If you want to interface with phenomenal experts in the leadership field, I urge you to join The Coaching for Leaders Academy.) During this discussion, Tom led a conversation about how to deal with a narcissist. Not only did I acquire some great insights, but I was also amazed at how many of us are familiar with and often struggle to navigate this type of personality. To begin with, I want to level set. An accurate...
Strategies to Lead Amidst Chaos I was recently introduced to Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922), an Antarctic explorer who, in 1914, led 27 men on a sailing expedition that culminated with crossing Antarctica. The exploration became a testament to great leadership, steadfast determination, and an unyielding vision of survival. After 10 months at sea, Shackleton's ship became trapped in the ice and was eventually crushed, leaving the crew stranded. Forced to camp on the ice through the harsh...
The Unexpected Power of Assessments Acknowledging Strengths in Leadership Everyone has unique strengths, and aligning these strengths with their work creates the "sweet spot.” This is where individuals thrive and organizations succeed. However, traditional job descriptions often dictate tasks without fully accounting for, or adapting to, individual talents. For leaders, striking the right balance is essential. It means assembling a team to meet specific organizational needs while...