Lately, I’ve been thinking about the leader inside all of us. Occasionally, people tell me that they “aren’t leader material.” Sometimes this idea comes from false humility. Sometimes it is an expression of the residual trauma of working for a poor leader. And sometimes it’s simply a failure to recognize the ways in which that person is already leading.
Lately, I’ve been contemplating a recent study about employee turnover. A report by the Corporate Executive Board found that companies with strong career development programs had a 20% lower turnover rate compared to companies with weak or no career development programs..
That got me thinking about the difference between leading like a chef and leading like a gardener.
If you took every business conversation about remote work and extracted the essence, you’d find something like this…
Company Leaders: We want people back in the office.
Team Members: Umm, not so fast…
Warren Buffett said, “The difference between successful people and very successful people is that very successful people say no to almost everything.”
Most of us would agree with Buffet’s line of thought, but that doesn’t make it easy.
When you are conditioned to live in the land of yes, no feels confrontational. It feels like a fight.
But no is the vanquisher of burnout.
Lately, I find myself talking to more and more people who find themselves in a nearly permanent state of exhaustion – maybe even close to burnout.
It’s a real challenge to try to keep themselves in a sustainable place where they can still work hard but enjoy their job. Even more importantly, it’s vital that they find a way to do that work for a long time instead of pushing themselves so hard that the edge of the cliff is in sight.
If you find yourself in this place, I would urge you to think about your life in three different buckets.
There is no “talent shortage.”
True, the data shows that there are nearly 9 million unfilled jobs in the US. But these positions aren’t vacant because there isn’t enough available talent.
The jobs are unfilled because workers are becoming more selective about their employment. People are realizing that they don’t have to tolerate what they perceive to be unrewarding work experiences.
This is bad news for companies that are stuck in an industrial-era mindset, but it’s great news for employers willing to create high value jobs that attract and keep the best people.
There are five key talent retention factors in 2021…
Leadership, high performance, and effective strategies are needed more than ever as we move into the new opportunities of 2021.
Last year was tough on us. It brought unprecedented business and personal challenges. Our mission now is to leave that behind us and focus on ways to create success this year.
To do that, I gathered thoughts from thought leaders in various aspects of business. Together, these tips will point any business in the right direction for the next 12 months.
No one said leadership would be easy.
“I know I’m supposed to be holding 1-1s with my team members, but I’m just too busy. I have meetings to attend, reports to file, and calls to make. I’ll talk to my team when things settle down…”
I get it. You’re busy. Everyone’s busy.
Are you present and visible as a leader?
Leadership Lessons of Ulysses S. Grant is one of my favorite books on this topic. Here’s a passage that has always stuck with me…
“Grant will ride along the long line of the army, apparently an indifferent observer, yet he sees and notices everything. He seems to know and remember every regiment, and in fact every cannon in his large army.”
Sanctuary is where you go to get away from everything. A place or activity where you can totally unplug from the demands of work and life.
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