Mark C. Crowley, author and podcast extraordinaire, continues to inspire me. I first read his book “Lead from the Heart” while in my doctoral program in 2015. Since, I have since seen Mr. Crowley present on this leadership concept on a few occasions and I continue to be inspired. I have also become obsessed with his podcast of the same name, Lead from the Heart. I highly encourage you to take a listen. He has interviewed some fabulous authors on…
This One Thing Can Make a Difference in Your Day Don’t underestimate the power of positive thinking. Your mindset can truly make a difference in your mood and the day’s outcome. We are now six months into the pandemic and many are struggling day in and day out with the situation at hand. It seems the longer the lock-down continues, the less in control we feel. Now is the time to control your mindset. As the saying goes, you may…
Love What You Do Ask yourself, do you love what you do? Can you ultimately say that you put your heart and soul into your work? Is your job fulfilling and satisfying? How about your team members? Do you help team members find meaning and purpose in their work? Throughout this pandemic, many people are asking themselves if they truly love their work. As a leader, it is your job to help them figure this out. The 3Es of Meaningful…
It is human nature to want to be loved. Even in the workplace people need to belong, to be cared for, and yes, LOVED. Love might seem like an awkward word when speaking about work, but it is a feeling people crave. Appreciation. Love. Respect. And you can understand why considering most employees spend more waking hours at work, or in work related activities, than they do with family and friends. It just makes sense that there is a desire…
Conversations are critical to the success of employee engagement. To truly engage your employees, it is not only important to convey messages out to the team, but also to hear and actively listen to what team members are hearing and seeing in the field. Our research has found that while leaders spend a considerable amount of time focusing on the outgoing messages, followers are just as concerned, if not more concerned, about how well their leaders listen. Communication must be…
Collectively there are approximately 7.8 billion people on this planet! Sadly, the Covid-19 pandemic is an experience that we are all sharing worldwide. It may seem surreal to some people because it is an event like no other that we have experienced in modern times. The Black Plague of the 1300s is said to be the most similar to what we are experiencing today with regards to the transformational changes that may take place to society. Like the plague, this…
“Demonstrating Care – giving heart to people in the broadest sense – is essential to maximizing human potential and achievement.” ~ Mark C. Crowley, Lead From the Heart Today I had the pleasure of seeing Mark C. Crowley present on his research and book, Lead From the Heart. This is actually the third time I have seen Mr. Crowley present and each time I hear new information and am reminded of this critical component of leadership. Furthermore, within his presentation,…
The number of males to females in top leadership positions is clearly not equitable, and in fact, nearly 70% of top leadership positions are held by men. Further, when looking at the percentage of female board members at top organizations, the disparity is even greater. Despite these figures, it has long been speculated that women actually make better leaders than men. In fact, in a 2011 study by Zenger and Folkman, women outperform men in 12 of the 16 competencies…
As we head into August and another school year, I watch my daughter, a third-grade teacher, engage with her students and I recognize how fabulous she is as a leader. Okay, I may be a touch biased, but it is evident in the results of her student success. More importantly, she fully connects with the parents of the children in her class. Teachers are leaders on so many levels – with students, with parents, with colleagues, and even with community…
Have you ever calculated the loss of productivity, and as a result, profitability, due to low engagement within your organization? In the new book from Gallup, It’s the Manager, by Jim Clifton and Jim Harter, it is estimated that the United States is losing at least $960 billion and perhaps as much as $1.2 trillion per year due to low levels of engagement (p. 77). If you’ve been monitoring the disengagement level over the past few decades, this certainly should…
Most people are familiar with the poem All I really need to know I learned in Kindergarten. The poem talks about sharing, being fair, playing nice with others, cleaning up after yourself, and kindness. As I reflect upon my dissertation, and the studies we have conducted in our work on Meaning-Centered Leadership, the same actually holds true in business. Everything you need to know in leading your team, you learned as a child. Engagement, Empowerment, and Expertise Meaning-Centered Leadership focuses…
