Leadership Lessons Archives - Page 2 of 6 - All the Way Leadership Blog

Practical tactical tips leaders leverage to effectively engage their teams

Our Battalion Commander decided one morning that he wanted to spend time with his troops. We were many months into a peacekeeping mission and we were all bored. I volunteered to escort our commander for these visits. They were awkward. Almost no one knew our commander. He was horrible at talking with any of the troops. It was clear that this Lieutenant Colonel did not know the practical tactical tips leaders leverage to engage their team members effectively.

Many military leaders I worked with were excellent at engagement.

Practical tactical tips for effectively engaging your team members

All The Way Leadership! believes that strong leaders engage their team members in a meaningful manner. They effectively engage their team members using many methods It is important that leaders ask insightful questions to effectively engage their team members. In this post, I share some practical tactical tips (PTTs) for how to effectively engage your team. Simple advice for new leaders to follow.

Practical tactical tips can help you avoid making stupid mistakes.

Practical Tactical Tip (PTT) #1 – Your engagement must be authentic

Authenticity is a hot topic for leaders these days. There are many excellent books and articles describing how to be an authentic leader. I will keep it simple. Being yourself is the most basic definition of authenticity. I will add that it helps if you show up at work as the best version of yourself. The reason you need to be authentic is that no one likes fake engagement. Your team can tell if you are faking it, and will respond accordingly. When you engage your team – be authentic. They deserve it.

PTT#2 – Engage your team on a consistent basis

I have already written about the importance of consistency when it comes to engaging your team members. It is worth repeating here that the best way to build strong relationships with your team members is through consistent engagement. You build trust and increase mutual understanding each time you talk with your team members. Trust is critically important, especially when it comes time for a leader to have a crucial conversation. If a leader lacks rapport with their team members, it can be challenging when he tries to have a discussion about a difficult topic. Trust me – no one wants to experience an awkward interaction with their leader, especially on important issues.

Engage your team members on a consistent basis.

PTT#3 – You may need to share about yourself when you engage your team

People are usually not that comfortable talking with someone they hardly know. It is rare that you will open up to a complete stranger. This is true in life, and also at work. Therefore, it is important that your team know who you are. If you are going to engage your team in a meaningful way I recommend that you share a little about yourself when talking with them. No, you don’t need to go into excruciating details. And for heaven’s sake, do not overshare. Rather I am saying that part of being authentic is showing up as yourself at work. Share insights about who you are, what you like to do, and other tidbits that might be relevant. I have worked with some leaders who refuse to disclose any personnel information to anyone. They remained an absolute mystery to everyone which lead to strange interactions.

It is okay to share some personal details with your team members.

A final practical tip – when in doubt thank your team for the work they do

One final practical tip. If you are unsure what to talk about when engaging your team. A good place to start is by thanking them for the work they do for you. No one is going to get mad at you or think you are an ineffective leader if you give gratitude for their efforts. In fact, I believe it will have the opposite effect. Many people at work feel underappreciated for all they do. Be the kind of leader that goes out of her way to say thank you to your team members on a regular basis. It will pay dividends in the long run.

People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.
Maya Angelou

ATW! will make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

The legacy of MLK continues to grow 60 years after his most famous speech

Martin Luther King, Jr. remains a personal hero of mine. I believe MLK is one of the greatest leaders America ever produced. His name belongs among other American titans like Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, and Ike Eisenhower. Here are five reasons why his legacy continues to grow sixty years after his most famous speech.

1. MLK leveraged his strengths to the advantage of others

Martin Luther King, Jr. did not have much power at all as a leader. He was an African-American man living in the segregated South. Whites and blacks were not equal. He was not a wealthy man either. MLK did possess several strengths that he leveraged to the advantage of others. First and foremost, he was a man of deep faith. Trained as a Baptist minister after completing college, MLK based his worldview on his Christian faith. He often quoted scripture when speaking and writing to justify the righteousness of the civil rights cause. Brilliant – preach the truth to the racists who claimed to be Christians. Little did they know at the time how foolish they looked in retrospect.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
Proverbs 18:2

2. He fought the battle with ideas

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a smart man. He passed the entrance exam for Morehouse College at age 15. He graduated with a degree four years later. MLK completed seminary, earned a Master’s degree, and received his Ph.D. by age 26. Impressive academic credentials that would serve him well over the years. If you read his writings or listen to his speeches they are both inspirational and logical. It is hard to pull apart his positions or argue against them. Many tried – most failed. MLK decided to fight his battles with ideas and non-violence. Genius moves on his part. His enemies, critics, and antagonists were not sure how to respond. They did not realize that he fought from higher ground and held the advantage, rather than the other way around.

3. MLK learned big ideas from others

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian, and he was willing to learn from others. His non-violent approach to the civil rights struggle was rooted in his faith and modeled after Gandhi’s actions when battling the British Empire. According to a trusted internet source, from the early days of the Montgomery bus boycott Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to India’s Mahatma Gandhi as “the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change”. MLK realized the odds were stacked against him. He decided to learn from another leader who faced a similar situation and won. Ingenious idea – it worked. In the end, both were victorious.

4. He spoke with clarity and purpose

Martin Luther King, Jr., is arguably one of the greatest orators in American history. When MLK spoke, he inspired others to act. The words he said, and the ideas he offered still reverberate across the world today. He was clear and spoke with purpose. It is a divine talent that few possess. Imagine for a moment the pressure MLK must have felt as he stood before hundreds of thousands on the National Mall. The “I Have a Dream speech” he gave that day is considered to be one of the best speeches ever. Right up there with Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. MLK’s most famous speech inspires me to be a better person and dream of the world he described.

One of the best speeches in American history.

5. MLK chose the harder path

Martin Luther King, Jr. paid the ultimate price for the civil rights cause. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968. What a tragic loss for America, and the world. His early death is strikingly similar to President Lincoln’s. Both were gunned down by madmen. Both decided to take the harder path and paid the price. Lincoln and MLK both took America to a new mountaintop, a better place. I am grateful for both of them. I especially admire MLK’s decision to take the high road, the harder path. His life greatly impacted mine. I was born only a few short months before he died, and I cannot imagine what the world would be like without him. I am reminded of his impact whenever I hear the song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2. A song they wrote in tribute to him.

We still have a long way to climb

America and the rest of the world still have a long way to go when it comes to equality and civil rights. In fact, I think one could argue that we have taken a few steps backward this past decade. That needs to change. Let’s move forward to the next mountaintop. To go backward would sully the legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. A man whose legacy continues to grow with each passing year.

All The Way Leadership!

Insightful questions strong leaders ask themselves to effectively engage their team members

The Federal government shut down several years ago. Almost every government employee was sent home. My team remained to keep things going. No one knew how long the crisis would last. I briefed our leader about the situation. The biggest concern was how would we keep people motivated during the shutdown. “How often do you meet with your team?” she asked. We met weekly, I answered. She recommended we establish a daily stand-up session. We did and it worked. We were able to engage everyone daily. The shutdown eventually ended and we got back to business without any major missteps. This leader was well prepared to handle this situation because she always asked insightful questions.

Strong leaders ask insightful questions.

IQ#1- How often do you engage all of your team members?

This question is crucially important for any leader to consider, especially if you have a virtual team or remote team members. You only have so much time available in your schedule, so make the most of these engagements. This question begs another one which is how often should you meet with your team members. There is not one right answer for all situations. The general guidance I am providing is that you meet more often with junior team members vice your seasoned veterans. A recent college hire will likely need more guidance, coaching, and mentoring than team members who possess decades of experience. Consistency is the key.

Hybrid work environments are becoming more common.

Strong leaders engage all of their team members on a consistent basis

Strong leaders make a habit of engaging all of their team members on a regular basis. It is hard to build trust and rapport with your team if you are not talking with them consistently. This point is especially true for new leaders or experienced leaders who are in a new role. A typical pattern may look something like this:

A weekly team meeting for collaboration, and coordination.
A bi-weekly 1-on-1 meeting with each team member.
A monthly social event – team lunch, happy hour, etc.

I don’t have, nor am I suggesting a magic formula for how to consistently engage your team. Rather, simply make sure it happens. Send out the recurring meeting invites so that these sessions are on the calendar.

Don’t exhaust your team with endless meetings

IQ#2 – Does everyone understand the purpose of your meetings?

Speaking of meetings – many people feel like there are way too many of them. It seems like there are even more meetings now than there were before the pandemic. Nowadays more people work remotely. It is easier than ever to pack your calendar full of meetings. Don’t do it. I am not anti-meeting. They are useful for sharing information, collaborating, and connecting with your team. I do think it is important that everyone understands the purpose of your meetings. Otherwise, you risk wasting your team members’ time by having them sit in meeting after meeting. Your team needs time to get their work done. Don’t force them to work extra hours or multi-task all day long because you packed their schedules with endless meetings.

Memes about meetings are popular these days.

Strong leaders do not micromanage their team via status meetings

I am noticing that status meetings are all the rage these days. Leaders will gather a large group to get the current status of everything. Status reviews are a best management practice, but be careful. As a leader, you will drive your team nuts if you are constantly asking them for status updates. There is a word for this problem – micromanagement. I have written about this topic before. No one wants to be micromanaged. It goes against human nature and is a bad engagement technique.

High performing team members don't need to be micromanaged. — Most team members don’t need to be micromanaged.

IQ#3 – Do you have a formal and/or informal awards program?

The third insightful question to ask yourself as a leader focuses on recognition. Are there formal and/or informal awards that you can give to deserving team members? I have been a leader in the military, academia, and private industry. Every organization I worked in had an awards program. It is important that you understand how awards are managed so that your high-performing team members are properly recognized for the value they deliver. If you fail to take care of your people they will leave to find a place where they are appreciated.

Make sure your team members receive proper recognition.

Strong leaders make sure their team gets rewarded in informal ways

There are never endless resources for awards programs. It is common that there are simply not enough awards for your deserving team members. What can you do as a leader? Put in place an informal awards program. I have implemented this idea several times and it was always well received. Come up with a clever way to show your appreciation and gratitude for all the hard work and outcomes your team members produce. It might be something as simple as gift cards, or a silly trinket. For one team I led, we handed out footballs to recognize high performers. We modeled the idea after what football coaches do after a win. They hand out game balls. The team loved the idea, and it became a best practice for us to recognize excellence.

I have always believed that the way you treat your employees is the way will treat your customers and that people flourish when they are praised.
Richard Branson

Take the time to ponder insightful questions about how to engage your team

Strong leaders understand the importance of effective engagement with their team members. They ask insightful questions. Strong leaders engage all of their team members on a consistent basis. They do not micromanage their teams. Strong leaders make sure their team gets rewarded. Be that kind of leader – one who knows how to engage their team members in a meaningful manner.

ATW! will make you a better leader

All the Way Leadership!

Strong leaders effectively engage their team members using many methods

Last month I wrote about the fact that strong leaders engage their team members in a meaningful manner. The next series of blogs will describe in more detail how to engage your team. In the post-pandemic world, these leadership skills are more important than ever.

Employees who believe that management is concerned about them as a whole person – not just an employee – are more productive, more satisfied, more fulfilled. Satisfied employees mean satisfied customers, which leads to profitability.
Anne M. Mulcahy

Some leaders are simply not good when it comes to engaging their team members

Years ago, I worked for a leader who did not know how to engage his people. He made everyone nervous with his awkward interactions. It would not be an issue for many roles, but it is problematic if you are a leader. In this case, he was a Battalion Commander with over 500 people assigned to his unit. It was embarrassing how awful he was engaging others. Morale suffered greatly because no one knew what the commander wanted, or if he was ever pleased with our performance. Everyone sighed with great relief the day this commander left. He was that bad.

No one enjoys engaging with awkward leaders.

The leader who replaced him knew how to make good connections with others

A new leader arrived. This leader knew how to engage with her soldiers. Morale improved immensely and performance improved across the board. Simply because we were working for a leader that cared about her people and went out of her way to engage with them in a meaningful manner on a regular basis. She was the kind of leader I enjoyed working for and learning from. She was that good.

Positive engagement leads to better results.

A tool to help you engage your team members

As a leader, it is important that you know how to engage your team members in a meaningful manner. There are several different techniques available for leaders to leverage. The table found below describes many methods for engaging your team.

Use the most appropriate technique to engage your team

Status meetings – use this method to find out the status of current activities. You will learn about the work your team is doing. People typically enjoy sharing what they are doing with others, especially their leader.
One-on-one meetings – this method is for discussing individual performance and career goals. It is a good way to set expectations and provide or receive feedback.
Hallway conversations – this informal method allows leaders to touch base with team members to see how they are doing. You can quickly learn what is “top of mind” for your team which is vital for leaders to know.
LBWA = leadership by walking around. Leverage this method to get a sense, in general terms, of your team members’ attitudes and sentiments. It is an excellent way to identify challenges early on so that you can resolve them quickly.
Two-word check-in – I learned this method from a Brene Brown leadership course. It works well in a virtual or hybrid setting. Ask your team members at the beginning of a meeting to say or type in the chat two words that describe how they are feeling. It helps leaders show empathy at work, especially if someone is not feeling good.

Obviously, there are many more techniques than what is covered here.

Engaging your team on a regular basis will pay off.

What about you? Do you know how to engage?

Do you know how to engage your team members in a meaningful manner? If not, it is time to learn how. We will explore this topic in detail to include points to ponder, practical tactical tips, and lessons learned based on decades of experience.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Strong leaders always engage their team members in a meaningful manner

Think about a strong leader you know. Ask yourself a question. Did she engage your team members in a meaningful manner? The answer is yes. Strong leaders do. Now think about a weak leader. Someone you did not enjoy following. Ask yourself the same question. Did he know how to engage his team? Your answer probably changed to no. It is difficult to follow someone who does not know how to have meaningful engagement with their team members.

Team members expect to interact with their leader on a regular basis

Engagement with your team members is a constant leadership challenge

All leaders engage with their team members. It is part of any leadership role. The frequency varies and depends on several factors. For example, some leaders interact with their team on a daily basis in a physical work location. Other teams work completely from home and all engagement is virtual. Some teams are hybrid. The best leaders I worked for have energetic engagement with their teams on a regular basis. Sure – you can avoid many personal interactions by either hiding in your office or packing your calendar full of meaningless meetings. Weak leaders use this approach hoping that no one will notice. Don’t be that kind of leader.

Hiding from your team is never a good idea.

Research shows that engaged team members produce much better results

There are several research studies focused on how employee engagement affects performance. Each of them seems to come to the same conclusion – engaged employees produce better results. It makes good common sense – people who enjoy the people they work with get the job done, and then some. This video provides several examples of the positive impact engaged employees will create. The obvious implication for leaders is that it is a worthwhile investment of your time to focus on meaningful engagement with your teams. Ignore it and performance will suffer.

Disengaged employees cost U.S. companies up to $550 billion a year.
The Engagement Institute

Retaining high-performing people is a constant battle

If you want to succeed as a leader you need a great team comprised of high-performing people. Finding the best and the brightest talent is challenging. Keeping them satisfied and content at work is a constant battle. Another reason that meaningful engagement is vital to your success is that your high-performers will not stick around if they feel stuck in a rut. Like you, they want to learn, grow, and take on bigger challenges and greater responsibility. I have witnessed several leaders neglect to engage their top performers on a consistent basis only to watch them walk out the door later. Don’t make that mistake.

Don’t let your high-performers get bored and leave for the wrong reasons.

Team member engagement is even more important in the post-pandemic world

Many things changed in big ways during the pandemic including how leaders engage their team members. Nowadays some people work remotely full-time, some are hybrid (a few days in the office, the rest at home), while others still go into the workplace every day. Leaders need to factor all these variables into how they engage their team members, especially if they have remote or hybrid team members. Recently there have been several studies about the modern workforce that describe why so many people are quitting their jobs (the great resignation), working less than before (quiet quitting), and leading in a hybrid work environment. Strong leaders are paying attention to these post-pandemic changes. Weak leaders are saying everything is back to normal and that the pandemic will not have a lasting impact.

Virtual teams are more commonplace in the post-pandemic workplace.

What about you?

Are you engaging your team members in a meaningful manner? Do you know how to lead in the modern work environment? If not, don’t worry – All The Way Leadership! is here to help. The next series of blog posts will focus on this topic.

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

A final quote about making good decisions from a famous leadership guru

The main focus of this leadership blog during 2022 has been making good decisions. Let’s wrap up this topic with a quote from a famous leadership guru that hammers home why it is important. If you want to be a great leader you must be able to make good decisions. Bad decisions lead to bigger problems down the road.

“Most discussions of decision making assume that only senior executives make decisions or that only senior executives’ decisions matter. This is a mistake.”
Peter Drucker

All leaders make many decisions

Peter Drucker is saying that if you are in a leadership position you will make decisions. It is a fundamental part of any leadership role. You may ask yourself – am I a leader? The simple answer is if you are in charge of anything or anyone then you are in a leadership position. Make sure you know how to make decisions, good ones. Remember, if you choose not to make a decision, then you have made a decision—the decision to do nothing which is usually unacceptable.

Leaders get paid to make tough decisions.

What happens when lower-level leaders make bad decisions

When junior leaders make bad decisions it produces terrible results. If they go unchecked, by senior and executive leaders really bad things can happen. I will use a real-world example to drive home this point. In 2018 a consultant provided a warning to a property management company about the state of their buildings in a Miami complex. It cited “alarming evidence of major structural damage to the concrete slab below the pool deck and abundant cracking and crumbling of the columns, beams, and walls of the parking garage under the 13-story building. Reports were filed, and plans were made, but the work was not completed in time. The buildings collapsed in the middle of the night on June 24th, 2021, and killed almost 100 people. A series of bad decisions and delays by execution-level leaders was not caught in time to avoid this tragedy.

Good decisions are needed at all levels of an organization

Peter Drucker is reminding us that decisions matter at all levels of an organization, not just at the top. Yes – senior executive-level decisions are hugely important. Decisions made by lower-level leaders also create impacts – either positive or negative. In high-performing organizations, execution-level leaders are empowered, and they make good decisions. At the other end of the spectrum, lower-level leaders may be inhibited from making decisions, or they are not trained to make good ones. Instead, they make bad decisions that create negative impacts. If left unchecked bad decisions made by non-executive leaders can lead to catastrophic results.

Empower and train your leaders so that they know how to make good decisions

How do you avoid a scenario like the one in Miami? Empower your leaders and train them so that they know how to make good decisions. Your team will amaze you with results if you make this investment. The more good decisions your leaders make, the better off your team will be today and down the road.

Help your leaders make good decisions with relevant training.

ATW! will make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Four lessons learned for how to make good decisions

Captain Goofball asked for my advice before making a big decision. Did he need to fire someone on his leadership team? I asked what his gut was telling him. Captain Goofball said every part of him was saying to fire the guy. His subpar subordinate was a low performer with a bad attitude. Do it was my recommendation. He thanked me for my input. I was a Company Commander in the Army, wondering if I was experiencing a lessons-learned moment for making good decisions. My hunch was correct.

Sometimes you need to fire a poor performer.

Things went from bad to worse

Captain Goofball did not fire the person. Problems got worse. His unit’s performance declined quickly. It was a direct result of Captain Goofball’s reluctance to replace a low-performing leader. Everyone knew how to solve the problem – fire the guy. Captain Goofball eventually was moved into a new position because he had made a bad decision. He chose to do nothing about the problem and paid the price.

If you fail to make tough decisions – you might lose your leadership role.

Learn from others’ mistakes to avoid repeating them – pay attention to your gut response

Captain Goofball knew instinctively that he needed to fire his lackluster leader. Rather than trust his gut he chose to ignore it. The first lesson learned for making good decisions is to pay attention to your gut response. I am not saying that you should make all decisions based on how your gut reacts. Rather I am recommending that you not ignore it, especially when you are making a decision and your gut is screaming – NO! According to this article – your gut is smarter than you think.

Simon Sinek on whether you should trust your gut

Lesson Learned #2 – use data to avoid emotional decisions

While trusting your gut is important, you also need to make data-based decisions whenever possible. Lesson learned number two is to use data to avoid emotional decisions. I remain amazed at the number of emotional decisions that I witness leaders make on a regular basis. If there is data available to inform your decision – use it. If your emotions are getting the better of you, calm yourself before making the decision. You will thank me later. We all get worked up at times, and it is perfectly okay to show your emotions as a leader. Don’t let them rule your decisions.

Data helps leaders make better decisions.

Lesson Learned #3- watch out for decision fatigue as your day progresses

Decision fatigue is a real challenge for all leaders. We all know this – making a lot of decisions is exhausting. Lesson learned number three is to watch out for decision fatigue as the day progresses. This article describes the scientific research related to decision fatigue and recommends four ways to counter it. They are listed below.

Limit unnecessary or unimportant decision-making.
Make important decisions first thing in the morning
Indulge in sugary snacks
Be self-aware

I agree with these recommendations, especially the first two. If you are “hangry” – eat something, although a healthy snack is a better choice than a snickers bar.

This video describes a few clever ways to counter decision fatigue.

Lesson Learned #4 – Groupthink is more common if you speak first

You need to let others share their thoughts before you do when making a decision. Lessons learned number four is that groupthink is more common if you speak first as the leader. It is human nature that most subordinates want to make their boss happy. One way to do that is to agree with your boss, especially in a group setting. It takes bravery and courage for anyone to tell their boss he is wrong. If you speak first, don’t be surprised if the group falls in line and agrees with everything you say. As a leader, you want insights from others, so let them share their perspective before you say anything. This lesson learned is particularly challenging for high-energy and action-oriented leaders. If that is you – calm down and keep your mouth shut, or else you run the risk of shutting down great ideas from your team.

Bottom line – leverage these four lessons learned for making good decisions

Pay attention to your gut response
Use data to avoid emotional decisions.
Watch out for decision fatigue as your day progresses.
Groupthink is more common if you speak first.

Not every decision needs to be made now. In fact, some never need to be made again.
Erin Wildermuth

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All The Way Leadership!

Practical tactical tips leaders leverage for making good decisions

I listened intently as our leader spoke. He was letting us know about the big decision. He made it without consulting anyone. This leader claimed that everyone in the organization would agree. In fact, it was a bad move. Our leader was on the road to ruin. Fast forward a year and things were not good. His bad decision derailed the entire organization. Our leader made a classic mistake and paid the price. He did not know the practical tactical tips leaders leverage to make good decisions.

Practical tactical tips for making good decisions

All The Way Leadership! believes that strong leaders know how to make good decisions. They usually make good decisions for their teams. It is important that leaders ask insightful questions about the best way to make good decisions. In this post, I share some practical tactical tips (PTTs) for how to make good decisions based on experience. Simple advice for new leaders to follow.

Practical tactical tips can help you avoid making bad decisions.

Practical Tactical Tip (PTT) #1 – Choose the best method for making group decisions

Many times a group of leaders will make an important decision together. In this scenario, the group should choose the best method for making the decision as early as possible in the process. There is a big difference between a general consensus decision, a majority vote, and a unanimous decision. Making unanimous decisions is the most challenging. You want diverse opinions and views for big decisions which may lead to disagreement about the best path forward.

Voting is one method for making a decision.

PTT#2 – The bigger the decision the more voices needed

Big decisions are usually hard to make. The reason is that you do not want to blow it. Therefore, it is practical for a leader to confer with others when making a big decision. The bigger the decision the more voices you need at the table. You should avoid making mega-decisions on your own, or with just a few advisors. Indeed, sometimes you have to due to time pressures. But, you should aim to get as much input as possible whenever you are making a big decision as a leader.

Include many voices when making big decisions.

PTT#3 – Not making a decision is making a decision

No one likes indecisive leaders. They drive their teams crazy by taking forever to make decisions. Worse yet, they don’t ever make a decision. The reality is that if you avoid deciding you are actually making a decision. You are letting down your team, and putting your fate in the hands of others. Avoid this scenario at all costs. People don’t like working for leaders who cannot make timely decisions.

Working for an indecisive leader is frustrating.

Remember – Consensus is usually sufficient

One final reminder. Remember that consensus is usually sufficient for most decisions. It is rare that you will get everyone to agree on the best path forward, especially for big decisions. Consensus building requires time and energy, but it is well worth the investment, and much easier than making unanimous decisions.

Consensus doesn’t happen by magic… You have to drive to it.
Christine Quinn

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

I hope you join me on this journey to raise up the next generation of leaders. The world is in desperate need of more great leaders. Women and men who lead with confidence, clarity, and creativity. It’s time to become the leader that your world needs. Let’s go All The Way!

All The Way Leadership!

Insightful questions strong leaders ask to make good decisions

We were in crisis management mode. I briefed the leader and her team about the situation, the options available, and our recommendation. After the briefing, she asked her leadership team for their thoughts. Most of them concurred. “How long do I have to make this decision?” she asked. We need a decision now. She approved the recommendation and we moved into execution mode. The crisis was averted. This leader was well prepared to handle this situation because she always asked insightful questions when making decisions.

Strong leaders ask insightful questions when making decisions.

I believe that all leaders want to make good decisions

All The Way Leadership! believes that strong leaders know how to make good decisions. They usually make good decisions for their teams. Based on my experience it is because strong leaders ask good questions. Below you will find four insightful questions (IQs) that strong leaders ask before making a decision.

IQ#1- How long do you have to make the decision?

This question is crucially important for any leader to consider. You only get so much time to make decisions. There is a big difference between having a few minutes, several hours, a day, a week, a month, or even longer. Make sure you understand how long you have so that you spend the time wisely. If the deadline is tight move quickly. If you have plenty of time don’t squander it and have to make a last-minute decision because you procrastinated.

Use your time wisely when making decisions

Strong leaders make timely and informed decisions

Strong leaders make the most of the time they have when making decisions. They move quickly when necessary. They take more time when they have it, or if they have to make a decision with serious consequences. I cannot count on my hands how many times I watched a leader wait forever before considering their options and selecting one. For any leader, if you and your team are always making last-minute decisions then you have a process problem that needs attention, or you fail to ask this insightful question when given the opportunity.

Last-minute decisions can create big problems.

IQ#2 – How big is this decision?

The size of the decisions you make matters. The bigger the impact the more time you should use to make the decision. Jeff Bezos believes leaders should not use a one size fits all approach. Many small decisions you can make quickly while others may take more analysis. In some situations, you will not have much time available before moving forward. Do the best you can to get input from others for big decisions. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Decide and move ahead.

Making big decisions can be intimidating.

Strong leaders get more data, perspectives, and feedback for big decisions

Leaders need to get feedback from their stakeholders before they make a big decision. The general rule of thumb – the bigger the decision the more data, perspectives, and feedback you should gather before making it. It is critical that you get inputs from others in order to move your team forward after the decision is made.

It helps to have big brains for big decisions.

IQ#3 – Should team members and other stakeholders be involved in the decision?

The short answer is yes, as much as possible. My recommendation is that you walk them through the decision-making process, and answer any questions along the way. It will get real for your team the closer you get to making the decision. Some days, you will not have enough time to include your team members or other stakeholders. In this case, inform them about the decision as soon as possible after it is made and answer questions then.

Make sure your team is bought into the decision.

Strong leaders don’t make all decisions alone

Never make all your decisions alone, even if you make great decisions most of the time. This misstep sends a clear message to others that you do not value their perspectives, expertise, or insights. If you choose this path, you will be limited to your own thinking and experience. At a minimum be sure to bounce your thoughts off others to make sure you are not making a big mistake.

Making most decisions alone can be overwhelming.

IQ#4 – Should I ask for guidance from my boss before making the decision?

The right answer is hell yes if it is a big decision. It will keep you aligned with your boss and give you top cover. Besides your boss may provide helpful guidance that you will not get unless you ask for it. For smaller decisions, you may not need guidance from your boss. In fact, I believe that strong leaders make as many decisions as possible at their level to avoid bothering their boss with trivial details. Lastly, it is not uncommon for a leader to mistake who owns the decision. When you talk with your boss about the decision, get clarity so that you do not waste your energy on decisions that are not yours to make, or have already been made for you.

Keeping your boss informed is vital to success.

Take the time to ponder insightful questions

Strong leaders understand the importance of making good decisions. They ask insightful questions. They confirm how much time they have to make decisions. Strong leaders assess the size of the decision based on its impact. They include others when making big decisions, and get guidance from their boss to make sure they are aligned. Be that kind of leader.

Whenever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.
Peter Drucker

ATW! is designed to make you a better leader

All the Way Leadership!

The legacy of MLK continues to grow with each passing year

1. MLK leveraged his strengths to the advantage of others

Martin Luther King, Jr. did not have much power at all as a leader. He was an African-American man living in the segregated south. Whites and blacks were not equal. He was not a wealthy man either. MLK did possess several strengths that he leveraged to the advantage of others. First and foremost, he was a man of deep faith. Trained as a Baptist minister after completing college, he based his worldview on his Christian faith. He often quoted scripture when speaking and writing to justify the righteousness of the civil rights cause. Brilliant – preach the truth to the racists who claimed to be Christians. Little did they know at the time how foolish they look in retrospect.

Fools find no pleasure in understanding
but delight in airing their own opinions.
Proverbs 18:2

2. He fought the battle with ideas

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a smart man. He passed the entrance exam for Morehouse college at age 15. He graduated with a degree four years later. MLK completed seminary, earned a Master’s degree, and received his Ph.D. by age 26. Impressive academic credentials that would serve him well over the years. If you read his writings or listen to his speeches they are both inspirational and logical. It is hard to pull apart his positions or argue against them. Many tried – most failed. MLK decided to fight his battles with ideas and non-violence. Genius move on his part. His enemies, critics, and antagonists were not sure how to respond. They did not realize that he fought from higher ground and held the advantage. Rather than the other way around.

3. MLK learned big ideas from others

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a Christian, and he was willing to learn from others. His non-violent approach to the civil rights struggle was rooted in his faith and modeled after Gandhi’s actions when battling the British empire. According to a trusted internet source, from the early days of the Montgomery bus boycott Martin Luther King, Jr., referred to India’s Mahatma Gandhi as “the guiding light of our technique of nonviolent social change”. MLK realized the odds were stacked against him. He decided to learn from another leader who faced a similar situation and won. Ingenious idea – it worked. In the end, both were victorious.

4. He spoke with clarity and purpose

Martin Luther King, Jr., is arguably one of the greatest orators in American history. When MLK spoke, he inspired others to act. The words he said, the ideas he offered still reverberate across the world today. He was clear and spoke with purpose. It is a divine talent that few possess. Imagine for a moment the pressure MLK must have felt as he stood before hundreds of thousands on the National Mall. The “I have a dream speech” he gave that day is considered to be one of the best speeches ever. Right up there with Lincoln’s Gettysburg address. Every time I hear MLK’s speech I am inspired to be a better person and dream of the world he described.

One of the best speeches in American history.

5. MLK chose the harder path

Martin Luther King, Jr. paid the ultimate price for the civil rights cause. He was assassinated on April 4th, 1968. What a tragic loss for America, and the world. His early death is strikingly similar to President Lincoln’s. Both were gunned down by madmen. Both decided to take the harder path and paid the price. Lincoln and MLK both took America to a new mountaintop, a better place. I am grateful for both of them. I especially admire MLK’s decision to take the high road, the harder path. His life greatly impacted mine. I was born only a few short months before he died, and I cannot imagine what the world would be like without him. I am reminded of his impact every time I hear the song “Pride (In the Name of Love)” by U2. A song they wrote in tribute to him.

We still have a long way to climb

All The Way Leadership!