Did you receive management or leadership training while you were in graduate school?
I’m willing to bet that you didn’t. IF you had the privilege to attend an in-person, on-ground graduate program, you may have one step up but overall, I doubt you are prepared to be a leader.
It takes time, intentionality and a GOOD mentor.
I have been craving intellectual and personal growth over the past year. In doing so, I have stumbled across numerous different resources to increase my skills and self. One of these resources has been podcasts. I guess I am new to the podcast game. Embarrassingly so. Did you know you could learn anything via a podcast? Ok, back on track…
This morning I was listening to the RISE Podcast. This was a recording of a live conversation/talk that took place at The Hollis Company staff meeting with the author Scott Miller of the Franklin Covey company. I’m sure at some point we’ve all heard of Stephen Covey. My employer offered 1-hour workshops on the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People and in our family, we just worked through the 7 Habits of Highly Effective Families.
Scott Miller wrote the book Management Mess to Leadership Success and talked about some overarching principles that relate to management…and generally, being a good person. I have NOT read this book…yet. In hearing him speak this morning, I have already ordered it and can’t wait to dig in. I’m currently reading The Power of Small <— you should read it too!!
I really want you to listen to this podcast episode. It had so many different areas of high-quality information in it that I feel like we could easily and immediately implement in our daily practice.
Miller asks you to become a better listener. Are you a good listener? Like, really, a GOOD listener? He offers this advice: If you are struggling to be a better listener, hold your lips closed with your fingers and count. While you’re working to not speak, the other person will move to another level in what they are sharing with you.
The second concept that stood out to me was courageous conversations. He comically discusses being able to have a difficult conversation with an employee about how they have broken through their deodorant. He further discusses the need to be able to let someone know that they are no longer going to be a member of the team and that there is now a need for an exit strategy.
To engage in your own courageous conversation, a suggestion was given to ask those individuals you are close relationships (coworkers, partners, close friends) “What is it like to be in a relationship/work with me?”
Holy cow. I had snippets of this type of conversation with the dearest coworker I’ve ever had. Let me tell you…it was HARD but oh so worth it. I can say with certainty that it took our working relationship to a whole other level of productivity and support. This was before I had heard of this book, podcast, and speaker but the gist of the conversation was nearly the same. Turns out, I’m not the easiest person to work with but it has its rewards once you can understand me and accept where I am coming from.
Being a leader in our field is hard. Sometimes it is isolating and comes with so much responsibility. Being able to be a good leader and therefore model those skills and behaviors for others is the first step. To be willing and able to have those courageous conversations is needed as well. Together, we can all hold ourselves to a higher level of professionalism and development.
I can’t recommend this episode more and can’t wait to take a deep dive into this book this upcoming January. I would love to hear your thoughts after you listen to the episode!