In this episode of The Strategic Leader, Gemma and Fiona dive into the third pillar of leadership: leading others. They reflect on how leaders can maximise collective impact, focusing on the skills and mindsets needed to work effectively alongside others. Building on insights from previous series, they discuss how strategic leaders need to think beyond task completion and examine relationships. Their conversation emphasises the importance of foundational steps like awareness, understanding, acceptance, and appreciation in creating more effective team dynamics. By acknowledging and valuing differences in working styles, leaders can unlock better outcomes and enhance collaboration. The hosts share practical examples, such as building awareness of differing working styles within teams and adjusting behaviour to improve communication. They also stress the role of feedback in driving personal and team effectiveness. Finally, Gemma and Fiona touch on psychological safety and the importance of seeking out differing perspectives to foster innovation. This episode sets the stage for deeper exploration in the series, which will address how to handle difficult relationships, manage teams, and deal with conflicting values.
Key Points Discussed:
- Recap of leadership pillars: leading outcomes, self, and others.
- Why awareness, understanding, and appreciation are critical for team effectiveness.
- Common assumptions about teamwork and why they can lead to challenges.
- How differing working styles can hinder or enhance collaboration.
- The importance of welcoming feedback and adapting leadership behaviours.
- Insights into psychological safety and how it fosters better team dynamics.
Timestamps:
- [03:55] – Introduction to the third pillar of leadership: working with others.
- [07:22] – Assumptions about teamwork and why we often overlook relationship dynamics.
- [12:15] – Step-by-step breakdown of the effectiveness model: awareness, understanding, acceptance, and appreciation.
- [19:52] – Example of team members with different styles learning to appreciate their differences.
- [23:37] – The role of feedback in shaping perceptions and leadership behaviour.
- [26:43] – The importance of psychological safety in inviting feedback and different perspectives.
- [27:20] – Topics to be covered in future episodes: managing relationships, team dynamics, and psychological safety.
Key Takeaway:
Effective leadership requires more than just task-oriented thinking—it involves fostering strong relationships with those around you. By building awareness, understanding, and appreciation of different working styles, leaders can harness collective strengths for greater impact. Strategic leaders must also actively seek feedback, create psychological safety, and work to appreciate the diverse perspectives of their teams.
