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⚠️ 4 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝 𝐚𝐬 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞𝐬I remember how excited and nervous I was in the first few months of my first leadership role. As you step into your next leadership role, it's important to avoid common pitfalls that can hinder your impact in the first 90 days. In a recent Harvard Business Review article, David Lancefield identifies four key traps leaders can fall into and offers practical strategies to successfully navigate around them.Here are some of the key points I took from the article:1️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩: Leaders sometimes find it difficult to fully detach from their previous role, slowing their start in the new one. 💡 Set clear boundaries with your manager regarding your involvement in successor onboarding and handover responsibilities. 💡 Decline additional requests from your previous role, helping you focus on your new role without being pulled back into former duties.2️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩: Holding on to the fast pace and intensity of your leadership journey can prevent you from taking the time to recharge before your next challenge. 💡 Conduct a mental and physical well-being check to assess resilience and identify any necessary lifestyle changes (how will you adapt physically and emotionally in the new role). 💡 Reflect on your emotions and connect with others who have experienced similar transitions to gain perspective and support.3️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐉𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩: Entering a new role with preconceived assumptions or biases can limit your ability to see important details and diverse perspectives. 💡 Prepare questions to ask key stakeholders to gain a comprehensive understanding of the organization's current state (listen more, talk less). 💡 Make decisions based on evidence and not assumptions. Use data to guide your strategy.4️⃣ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐨𝐠𝐦𝐚 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐩: Relying too heavily on a specific leadership style may not align with the unique needs of your new organization. 💡 Determine key challenges and opportunities and explore various paths to achieve your goals.&nbsp; 💡 Design a strategy that plays on your and your team's strengths while allowing for innovation and adaptation.hashtag#Transitions are a powerful opportunity to redefine your leadership journey. By approaching them with the right mindset and strategies, you can set yourself up for lasting success.&nbsp;Looking back on my leadership transitions, there were times when I fell into the “adrenaline trap”: full of energy and ideas, when I could have been less intense, listened more and prioritized key objectives in my first 30/60/90 days.What are your learnings from your leadership transitions?

Transitioning into Leadership

𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐇𝐑 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐄𝐧𝐯𝐢𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭In today's dynamic business world, effective teamwork is not just an advantage, it's essential. As HR professionals, we have a unique opportunity to support leaders and build collaborative, high impact teams. Following Tuckman's "Forming, Storming, Norming and Performing" model, here are my suggestions that HR can implement at each stage to strengthen team cohesion and impact.1️⃣𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: when everyone gets to know each other and their role is often reserved and polite. ✔️Facilitate clear onboarding processes that introduce new team members not only to their role, but also to the team’s goals, culture and expectations. This creates a level playing field for everyone. ✔️Organize team-building activities that encourage open communication and help team members make personal connections early on.2️⃣𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: where conflicts can arise between team members as they assert their ideas and vie for positions within the group. ✔️Provide conflict resolution training to equip leaders and teams with the skills to deal constructively with disagreements. ✔️Provide mediation support to address and resolve conflicts in a timely manner, prevent escalation and promote a collaborative environment.3️⃣𝐍𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: when the team begins to develop common norms and work more coherently. ✔️Develop clear team norms and values: Help leaders formalize team agreements about how they will work together, make decisions and handle conflict to ensure everyone is pulling in the same direction. ✔️Encourage shared goal setting: Facilitate sessions where the team sets goals and milestones together to increase ownership and commitment to the team's goals.4️⃣𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠: when the team is functioning at a high level and members are working effectively towards common goals. ✔️Recognize and reward team successes to reinforce effective teamwork and motivate continued high performance. ✔️Support continuous development that enables the team to innovate and excel.⏩To ensure effective and inclusive assessment and feedback in diverse teams, it is crucial to be culturally sensitive, use multiple perspectives, provide constructive feedback, promote a culture of belonging, and seek feedback from team members.By proactively supporting leaders at each stage of the Tuckman model, HR can play a pivotal role in transforming groups of individuals into cohesive, high-performing teams. HR Business Partners can leverage these strategies to improve collaboration, achieve results and drive your organization forward.💡What best practices do you have facilitating collaborative, high impact teams?

Accelerating Team Impact - The Role of HR

man in white dress shirt sitting beside woman in black long sleeve shirt

🚧 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 &amp; 𝐓𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧According to Forbes, 70% of all change initiatives fail! Some of these are due to resistance from employees and/or poor role modeling by managers.When managing cultural and transformational change in your organization, HR leaders should go beyond traditional project management. Effective change leadership requires a strong focus on the emotional and behavioral aspects that drive success. A deliberate approach is critical to success.Here is a straightforward process to guide you through your change management initiative:1️⃣ 𝑳𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑭𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Start by developing a clear understanding of why the change is necessary. Involve key stakeholders from the outset to create alignment and a shared sense of purpose.&nbsp;2️⃣ 𝑫𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑷𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅: Clarify the vision and the specific results you are aiming for. Break down the change into actionable, manageable steps and make sure everyone understands their role in the process.3️⃣ 𝑫𝒓𝒊𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑬𝒙𝒆𝒄𝒖𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏: Implement the plan with a dual focus on tasks and people. Prioritize consistent communication and support your teams in coping with the changes on an emotional and behavioral level.4️⃣ 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒈𝒆: Ensure that the change sticks by integrating it into the organizational culture. Reinforce the new behaviors, celebrate milestones and keep the lines of communication open to maintain momentum.🔑 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: Continuous communication and active engagement with all stakeholders is crucial. These elements ensure that everyone involved feels included, valued and committed to the journey. Remember, leading change is about more than just following a plan — it’s about leading with empathy, intention and a focus on the people who will bring the change to life: leaders and employees!💡What are your best practices for implementing sustainable change in your organization?

Leading Cultural and Transformational Change with Intention

🤔 𝑫𝒐 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑬𝒎𝒑𝒍𝒐𝒚𝒆𝒆𝒔 𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒐𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒔 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒆𝒅?In today’s fast-paced business world, where change is the only constant, the expectations of leaders are evolving. According to a recent analysis conducted by DDI | Development Dimensions International, 85% of HR professionals believe that coaching skills are critical for leaders in the coming years. However, there is a significant gap that requires our attention: Nearly 40% of leaders say they don't receive enough coaching from their own managers, and 31% of frontline leaders want more guidance than they currently receive.This data should give us pause for thought: ▶ Are we investing enough in our leaders to empower them to have a greater impact within their teams and in the business? ▶ Are Leaders creating a workplace environment where every employee feels they can bring their authentic selves and actively contribute? ▶ Are Leaders providing &nbsp;the support necessary to guide employees to be engaged?The numbers don’t lie, and they show that there is a crucial need for action. Leadership today is no longer just about directing tasks, but about fostering an environment where collaboration thrives, where employees feel valued and where everyone has the opportunity to develop.💡Imagine an organization where coaching is as essential as strategy. By doing so, we'll cultivate exceptional leaders who inspire high-performing teams and ultimately drive organizational excellence.What best practices do you have to inspire and develop leaders to coach more?

Do your Employees Have the Coaches They Need

𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬: 𝐌𝐲 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐒𝐭𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐭𝐡𝐬&nbsp; Regardless of your profession or role, it is critical for us to understand and leverage our strengths to be successful and create effective change.I am excited to share the results of my Gallup CliftonStrengths assessment highlighting my top 5 strengths and how they enable me to happily and effectively support my clients and colleagues.𝐌𝐚𝐱𝐢𝐦𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐫: I focus on strengths to promote personal and team excellence. By turning something strong into something excellent, I help clients and teams to unleash their full potential and ensure that we always strive for the best.𝐀𝐫𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫: My ability to flexibly organize and reorganize resources ensures maximum productivity. This strength enables me to navigate complex situations and create efficient workflows that ensure every piece is in its optimal place to succeed.𝐈𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐝𝐮𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: I recognize each person's unique qualities, allowing me to develop strategies that align with individual strengths. This personalized approach fosters strong, productive relationships and helps clients discover and leverage their unique talents.𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐫: I turn ideas into action and ensure that ideas do not just stay ideas. This strength drives me to initiate projects, motivate teams and turn plans into action quickly, creating the momentum needed to achieve goals.𝐄𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐲: Understanding the feelings and perspectives of others enables me to build deep connections and create trust. This emotional insight is invaluable in coaching as it helps clients overcome challenges and stay motivated on their journey.Why these strengths matter: 💡 As an entrepreneur, these strengths help me build resilient and innovative businesses that can adapt and thrive. 💡 As a coach, they allow me to connect deeply with clients, understanding their needs and helping them achieve personal and professional growth. 💡 As a business consultant, these strengths enable me to provide tailored, impactful solutions that drive efficiency and excellence.By leveraging these strengths, I guide my clients and colleagues through transformative processes, ensuring they not only achieve their goals but also exceed them. Whether it's maximizing team potential, creating efficient systems, or fostering strong relationships, my approach ensures sustainable, impactful growth.➡ What are your top 5 Clifton strengths and how does it help you to be more engaged and effective?

My Journey with CliftonStrengths

𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐯𝐬. 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: 𝐀𝐫𝐞 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐨𝐫 𝐉𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐓𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠?Recently, I have been involved in numerous conversations about the crucial differences between coaching and feedback. It’s amazing how many leaders believe they excel at coaching just because they give feedback. Let’s get this straight: coaching and feedback are NOT synonymous, and understanding the difference is critical to effective leadership.🧩 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤: Feedback is about evaluating 𝐩𝐚𝐬𝐭 performance. It is specific, direct and often immediate and aims to correct, reinforce or improve behaviors. Think of it like a rear-view mirror: it shows what has already happened. 🔹 Tips for effective feedback: Be specific: address specific behaviors and results, not generalizations. Timely delivery: Provide feedback as soon as possible to ensure relevance. Balanced approach: Combine positive feedback with constructive criticism. Actionable advice: Offer clear, practical steps for improvement.🚀𝐂𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠: Coaching, on the other hand, is 𝐟𝐮𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞 and development-oriented. It's about unlocking potential and helping people to achieve their goals. Think of it like a GPS system: It shows the path ahead and encourages growth and self-discovery. 🔹 Tips for effective coaching: Active listening: Really understand the coachee’s perspectives and desires. Ask meaningful questions: Encourage self-reflection and deeper thinking. Build trust: Create a safe space for open dialogue and vulnerability. Set goals: Set clear, achievable goals and action plans together.🤔 Why is this important? Confusing feedback and coaching limits potential. While feedback is essential for course corrections, coaching encourages change and accountability. Great leaders master both skills and know when to correct and when to inspire.👉 Your team deserves more than feedback; they deserve a leader who will coach them on their journey to their full potential.

Blog

Transitioning into Leadership

Accelerating Team Impact - The Role of HR

Leading Cultural and Transformational Change with Intention

Do your Employees Have the Coaches They Need

My Journey with CliftonStrengths

Coaching vs Feedback - are you leading or just talking?