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Innovative Approaches to Leadership for a New Era

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Innovative Approaches to Leadership for a New Era

Innovative approaches to leadership will be essential for organisations that want to stay ahead in the modern era. By leveraging new technologies, understanding the changing landscape, and putting people first, leaders can create an environment that is conducive to success.  Having a clear understanding of their own leadership style and how it needs to adapt for this new era is also essential in order for them to remain relevant and effective in their roles.

By staying informed and taking the time to invest in development initiatives, leaders will be able to successfully lead their organisations forward as they enter into this new era.

Understanding How Technology is Changing the Way We Lead

Technology is rapidly changing the way that leaders are able to lead in the modern era. The digitalisation of business processes, communication, and data collection has enabled leaders to be more effective and efficient in their roles than ever before.

Advances in artificial intelligence are making it possible for leaders to quickly process large amounts of data and identify patterns that can inform effective decisions. Automated processes can also be used to streamline routine tasks, freeing up leaders’ time to focus on strategic initiatives.

Learn more about our Leadership Assessment Tools

How do Leaders Stay Ahead of the Curve?

Leaders who want to stay ahead of the curve and use tech-driven solutions in their leadership style can do so by constantly researching and understanding the industry trends in technology. By keeping up with new developments and innovations, leaders can be better equipped to take advantage of the opportunities afforded by these advancements.

Senior leadership training is also important for ensuring that leaders are able to help their teams to effectively integrate the use of new technologies into their daily operations. Being early adopters of new technology can create a competitive advantage and help to put organisations ahead of the curve. Employees gain exposure to novel systems and tools, which can broaden their skill sets and make them more adaptable to future technological advancements. This establishes an organisational culture of continuous learning that can enhance team performance and resilience of the business overall.

“Not only is it important to be aware of the changing landscape in terms of innovation and technology, but leaders also need to stay informed about the ethical implications of their decisions.”

Gain Insights About their Teams and Themselves

Leaders need to be aware of their own personal leadership style in order to understand how they can best adapt to the changing landscape. By utilising assessment and profiling tools, leaders can develop an understanding of their strengths and weaknesses as well as the nature of their interactions with others. Tools such as the HBDI® also help leaders to understand the thinking preferences of their team members which can be useful in knowing how to best inspire and motivate them in adopting new technologies and approaches.

Leaders also need to be open to new ideas and willing to take risks. A culture of experimentation is important for encouraging employees to come up with creative solutions and innovate the way things are done. Leaders should provide guidance and support without stifling creativity, in order to cultivate an environment that encourages exploration and risk-taking within a safe space.

Not only is it important to be aware of the changing landscape in terms of innovation and technology, but leaders also need to stay informed about the ethical implications of their decisions.

Put People First

Putting people first and embracing ethical leadership is essential for creating a successful organisation in the modern era. Empowering employees to make decisions, listen to their ideas and take their feedback seriously are all essential components of ethical leadership. This encourages an environment of trust and respect which helps to foster collaboration and creativity.

Leaders should also be cognizant of the ethical implications of leveraging technology, and ensure that any solutions implemented are in line with the organisation’s core values. By taking the time to understand how technology can be used responsibly, leaders can create an ethical framework for their teams to abide by and use as a guide when making decisions. This ensures that everyone is working towards the same goal and directing their efforts towards achieving positive outcomes for all stakeholders involved.

The new era will require adaptive leadership and agility in order to stay ahead of the curve. Leaders must understand their own leadership style as well as technological trends that are impacting organisations today. Leaders should also invest in training initiatives for themselves and their teams so they can leverage tech-driven solutions effectively. It is important for them to embrace ethical practices and put people first in order to create an environment where collaboration, creativity and innovation thrive. With these approaches taken into consideration, leaders can successfully navigate this rapidly changing landscape while achieving positive outcomes for both employees and stakeholders alike.

Key Take-Aways

1. Understand your own leadership style and how it needs to adapt for this new era

2. Stay informed of technological trends that are impacting organisations today

3. Invest in training initiatives for yourself and your team on leveraging tech-driven solutions effectively

4. Embrace ethical practices and put people first in order to create an environment where collaboration, creativity and innovation thrive

5. Be open to new ideas and take risks in order to create a culture of experimentation and innovation.

Book a Consultation

If you want to learn more about future-focused leadership and how The Leadership Sphere can help you to develop your leadership skills, contact us today. We offer a range of services, including executive coaching, team development, and leadership development training. We can help you to create a more positive work environment and to develop the skills you need to be a successful leader.

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Innovative Approaches to Leadership for a New Era

developing leadership capabilities

4 Principles for Becoming a More Resilient Leader

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4 Principles for Becoming a More Resilient Leader

Resilience is the ability to cope with and successfully adapt in the face of adversity, uncertainty, or high levels of change. Think of it as a “bounce-back” factor that enables individuals and organizations to recover quickly from difficulties, setbacks, or challenging circumstances. Resilience is not necessarily an innate trait; instead, it is a skill that is developed and strengthened with practice.

Leaders have encountered struggles they never anticipated and had to take hard decisions while facing continuous transformation. To remain competitive, they must be able to adapt quickly, be proactive, and most of all possess resilience in abundance. Ultimately, you cannot develop a workforce that is resilient without resilient leadership.

Develop Psychological Safety

Resilience and psychological safety are essential components of successful leadership. Psychological safety is essential for employees to take risks and participate fully in a team. It creates an environment where individuals can tackle difficult tasks without worrying about experiencing criticism or punishment if the outcome isn’t perfect. Without it, collaboration is severely inhibited and efficiency stunted. Leaders who foster psychological safety create an environment where everyone feels comfortable speaking up, voicing their opinions and sharing their ideas.

Resilient leaders also understand that their own resilience is crucial for fostering a resilient team. When senior leaders model resilience, it sends a powerful message to team members that they are supported. It encourages them to take risks and innovate in the face of difficulty. Resilient leaders have a clear understanding of the purpose of their organisation and can remain focused and motivated despite setbacks or uncertainty. They take an active role in creating a culture that builds psychological safety, communicates effectively with team members, and gives feedback regularly.

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Seek Support

Resilient leaders realise that they cannot be strong all the time. They actively seek out and surround themselves with supportive people, such as mentors or coaches, who can provide advice and guidance during difficult times. Leaders should also create a network of trusted peers with whom they can share experiences and receive feedback. This will enable them to develop an objective mindset and gain insight into different perspectives.

Executive coaching is a powerful tool for developing leadership skills and resilience. Coaches provide an objective, non-judgmental space to help leaders recognize their strengths and weaknesses and work through any challenges they may be facing. Executive coaching can help leaders become better listeners, develop communication skills, gain clarity on their goals, and enhance their overall emotional intelligence. Coaches also help leaders identify their own resilience weaknesses, so they can create actionable plans to address them. Working with an executive coach offers leaders the guidance and support they need to build resilient leadership skills and lead organisations through difficult times.

“Resilient leaders take a purpose-driven approach to their work to maintain focus and stay motivated when things get tough.”

Focus on the Big Picture

Resilient leaders take a purpose-driven approach to their work to maintain focus and stay motivated when things get tough. They understand the “big picture” – where their organisation is going and how they are helping it get there. By having this clarity, resilient leaders can make informed decisions and prioritize tasks according to their organisation’s objectives. They are also better equipped to navigate difficult scenarios, as they have a clear understanding of the goal they are aiming for.

Senior leadership training can help leaders develop these purpose-driven strategies and maintain resilience during times of uncertainty. A senior leadership program can equip leaders with critical skills to manage teams effectively, respond to changing environments, and create a purpose-driven culture. Through senior leadership training, leaders can develop the knowledge and skills needed to become more resilient in their role as a senior leader.

Reflect and Assess

Resilient leadership development requires leaders to take time to reflect and assess their own performance. Resilient leaders are committed to learning from their mistakes and developing strategies for improvement. They regularly evaluate their own performance against the organisation’s objectives, identify areas of weakness, and create actionable plans for growth. This enables them to better prepare for any challenges that may arise.

An executive coaching program can play a significant role in an effective leader’s professional development. It provides structure and dedicated space for them to reflect, something that can be difficult to make time for. Including executive coaching as part of senior leadership training, can provide leaders with the skills and knowledge needed to become better prepared for any situation.

Resilient leadership requires personal and professional development, but with the right guidance and support, it is possible to become a more resilient leader. Executive coaching, senior leadership training programs, and personal relationships can all provide key resources for cultivating strong personal resilience. By taking the time to reflect on personal performance, seek out supportive people, focus on the big picture, and develop new strategies for communicating with team members, leaders can become more resilient and better equipped to lead organisations through difficult times.

Book a Consultation

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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4 Principles for Becoming a More Resilient Leader

high performance team

Why High Performers Need Coaching

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Why High Performers Need Coaching

It is no secret that high potential talent can be a huge asset to any team or organisation. These individuals often have the skills and drive to achieve great things, and can help take a company to new heights. However, unlocking this potential is not always easy. That’s where high performance coaching comes in. By affording top talent the opportunity to further enhance their capabilities, you take organisational performance from great to exceptional.

Maximise their Potential

When it comes to high performers, they are usually successful because of their individual drive and motivation. However, there are still some things that a coach can do to help them improve. By understanding what motivates employees, coaches can provide the structure and support needed when developing high performers.

High potential talent is often driven by a desire to achieve goals and be recognized for their accomplishments. They want to feel like they are making a difference and contributing to the success of the organisation. A coach can help high performers set realistic goals and create a plan to achieve them. They can also provide feedback and encouragement along the way.

High performance coaching is not about fixing problems or providing answers. It’s about helping employees find their own solutions and supporting them as they strive to reach their full potential. With the right coach, high performers can take their career to the next level.

“High performance coaching is not about fixing problems or providing answers. It’s about helping employees find their own solutions and supporting them as they strive to reach their full potential.”

Prevent Burnout and Increase Retention

Not only can executive coaching programs help prevent burnout and increase employee retention, but they can also improve communication and collaboration within high performance teams. Coaches can provide a sounding board for team members, help them develop action plans to reach their goals, and hold them accountable to meeting deadlines. In addition, coaching can help teams identify and overcome obstacles that are preventing them from achieving their desired results.

It is important to establish an environment of psychological safety where employees feel comfortable taking risks and speaking up without fear of reprisal. Leadership development programs that include executive coaching for teams gives them the opportunity to receive feedback and learn new skills in a safe and supportive environment. By investing in their employees and providing them with the tools they need to grow and succeed, companies are able to increase employee retention and create a high performance culture. 

Executive coaching can help high performing individuals achieve even more. If you’re looking to maximise your potential and take your business or career to the next level, consider working with a coach. A good coach will help you set goals, stay on track, and push through barriers.

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About the Author: The Leadership Sphere

The Leadership Sphere helps small and medium businesses and larger organisations in Australia, in creating value through leadership. The Leadership Sphere provides a humanistic approach to the way it delivers leadership, performance and coaching services. We work with leaders and senior teams who need to gain increased clarity, build capability and ensure contribution at every level in the organisation, and enable a safe, inclusive and  high trust organisation.

Let us help you find what you’re looking for!

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Why High Performers Need Coaching

Personal Values

The Importance of Understanding your Personal Values

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The Importance of Understanding your Personal Values

For many individuals today, fulfillment in their work is a driving factor in their decision to take on a leadership role. The same is true of those in existing leadership positions. We often hear directors and hiring managers discuss a person being the ‘right fit’ for a role. What we hear discussed less often, is whether or not a role is the right fit for the individual. You may have the talent and capability to perform well in a leadership role however, when the company’s values do not align with your own, it can be difficult to engage with not only the work, but also your team.


Understanding your Personal Values

Getting clear about what your personal values are can help to provide guidance in what it is that you are looking for in a company that you want to work with. Our values indicate what is most important to us and what motivates us to achieve greatness. A personal values assessment helps to identify our most strongly held beliefs. This understanding will give you a greater insight into whether or not you would feel satisfied working for a particular company. When their values do not align with yours, you may face resistance in attempting to implement strategies. While the company you work for defines policies and certain rules, it is your own values and priorities that determine your personal leadership strategy and how it will be achieved. 

Better Working Relationships

People who share the same values as those they work with are much more successful in achieving results compared to those with conflicting values. Having shared values doesn’t necessarily mean that you will share the same opinions as others, but it does mean that you share similar goals and intentions. Discovering your team and personal leadership values helps to build more effective working relationships. Sharing connected values enables individuals to more easily relate to one another, communicate ideas more effectively, and overcome difficulties much faster.

More Committed Employees

When an individual’s personal values are aligned with those of the company, their motivation and engagement with the work increases. They know that their contributions are important to the overall success of the organisation, and so are more dedicated to performing at their highest potential. Senior leadership assessment can be a useful part of the hiring process to determine how an individual will support the company’s vision and values. The alignment of individual and company values leads to greater success for both parties because their priorities are each focused on achieving the same end result. 

Better Decision Making

Our values are what contribute most to the decisions we make. Developing leadership excellence teaches us that it is important to draw on our personal experiences and beliefs in order to lead more effectively. A clear understanding of our values allows us to make better decisions in the face of uncertainty. When faced with difficult choices, asking ourselves which option most aligns with our values and what we are striving to achieve can be a guide towards the choice with the greatest chance at success.

Leadership assessment tools are integral when training for leadership excellence. They afford us the opportunity to reflect on the things that matter most to us and how they affect the way we lead. For individuals, understanding your personal values lets you know that the decisions you make are in service of your goals. Organisations also need to have an understanding of the personal values of their employees to ensure that overall growth and success can occur. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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The Importance of Understanding your Personal Values

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How Coaching Leads to Excellence

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Executives have understood the benefits of coaching in achieving personal goals for decades, and we are now seeing these benefits extend towards teams as well. Coaching as a leadership style can be much more effective with today’s workforce than traditionally authoritarian leadership. The value of coaching has become increasingly important to individuals and organisations as a whole for enhancing team performance and achieving success. 

Develop a Strategic Plan

To successfully reach the goals you set out to achieve, you need to develop a strategic plan. This is true both of personal, team, and organisational goals. The strategic plan is your road-map that guides you towards specific targets and milestones. Senior leadership training and coaching can be useful tools for identifying those targets, as well as the skills you and your team will need to achieve them.

The path to achieving success may rely on the integration of a leadership development program to mitigate challenges caused by potential skills gaps. Team coaching for leadership excellence can help to embed new skills to drive change as well as provide a safe space to discuss real-time results and conflict. This ensures that difficult conversations are constructive, allowing for problems to be resolved sooner, and performance to increase.

Coaching Leadership

In high performance teams, the role of the leader is more often one that supports rather than manages. The leader as coach is responsible for maintaining team focus on goals and outcomes, while individuals ensure day-to-day tasks are completed. A leadership excellence program enables executives to better coach, grow and develop people within their team while simultaneously improving performance. This allows for more manageable accountability for both leaders and direct reports.

Executive leadership training improves organisational performance when delivered across all levels of a company. The skills you embed in current teams and existing leaders does not only result in increased short-term performance. High potential talent and individuals who will become future leaders gain integral skills needed for elevated positions, contributing to their personal, as well as company growth.

Book a Consultation

About the Author: The Leadership Sphere

The Leadership Sphere helps small and medium businesses and larger organisations in Australia, in creating value through leadership. The Leadership Sphere provides a humanistic approach to the way it delivers leadership, performance and coaching services. We work with leaders and senior teams who need to gain increased clarity, build capability and ensure contribution at every level in the organisation, and enable a safe, inclusive and high trust organisation.

Let us help you find what you’re looking for!

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How Coaching Leads to Excellence

team development

5 Reasons to Consider Executive Coaching

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5 Reasons to Consider Executive Coaching

The business landscape of today has seen a significant shift in focus towards company values and workplace culture. In order to be seen as an employer of choice for current and potential employees, leaders must take up the challenge to create such environments. High potential talent are striving to build their careers with organisations and leaders who center people development in their business growth. Senior leadership training can play an integral role in developing the traits that skilled employees are looking for.

Improve Interpersonal Relationships

Workplace culture is defined by the people within them. The culture is only as strong or impactful as the personal connections between individuals. It is particularly affected by the relationship between leaders and their direct reports. Leaders who engage in executive leadership coaching often discover that their self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and emotional literacy improve alongside the tactical skills they set out to achieve. These ‘soft-skills’ are some of the most important for building strong interpersonal relationships. 

Leading Change

These connections become increasingly important during times of change or transition. The benefits of executive coaching allow leaders to develop more effective change-management capabilities. When faced with uncertainty, employees require support, communication, and consistency. Meeting those needs through implementing coaching skills has many trickle-down benefits as executives, leadership teams, and their direct reports build stronger roadmaps through change that not only preserve, but enhance performance.

Gain a Competitive Advantage

Establishing a coaching culture within your organisation creates space for growth and innovation that attracts clients and employees alike. Supported development of high potential employees is desirable for individuals building their careers, while reducing turnover and retaining top talent. 

Improve Goal Orientation

Individuals often seek an executive coaching program to help them better define and achieve their career goals. The coach’s role is to assist the individual in identifying what is preventing them from reaching those goals. Strategies are then created to work towards overcoming obstacles and filling any skills gaps that may be contributing to their stagnation. In building these skills, participants can considerably reduce the time taken to achieve success.

Become a more Effective Leader

Effective leadership is the result of strong working relationships and the ability to inspire and influence behaviour. Developing leadership excellence helps leaders to connect teams to their vision, that then translates into successful action and performance. For this to occur, long-term goals must be clearly defined and regularly communicated. Consistent focus on the larger objectives mitigates delineation, allowing for continual progress to be made.

The most successful organisations utilise coaching for leadership excellence to motivate high performance at every level. Personal connections, as well as a connectedness to business strategy, creates an environment that allows innovation and people to flourish. Top performers are retained who will go on to lead future high potential talent, and propel the business forward.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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5 Reasons to Consider Executive Coaching

High Performance

3 Steps to Building High Performance

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3 Steps to Building High Performance

A strong relationship between leaders and their team can make a significant impact on productivity and performance. There can be little doubt that great leaders produce better business outcomes. When it comes to leading high performance teams, actively seeking opportunities for improvement is what ensures and maintains their success. 

Understand your Leadership Style

Effective leadership stems from a great self-awareness that means leaders are able to continuously improve business relationships and push for exceptional results. Whether we are conscious of it or not, we all have preferences in the ways in which we lead others. Becoming cognisant of what our preferences are, and how this forms our personal leadership style, allows us to implement business strategies that are more effective. When we know ourselves better, we are able to leverage leadership excellence to drive performance.


Advocate for Innovation

Developing high performance in teams can be as simple as challenging them to think more innovatively. The success of many high performance teams is often due to their ability to come up with new ideas and creatively solve problems. Leaders of such teams are willing to experiment and take risks in order to reach higher levels of achievement.  Building effective teams along with real leadership is one of the most important drivers of organisational success. A strong capability to innovate in service of their goals enables teams to outperform expectations by delivering exceptional results.

Engage Learning with Experience

Performance training programs are continually proven to be more effective when the lessons are then applied on the job. Too often, we will engage in shorter workshops or seminars but fail to incorporate the lessons in practice. Effective leaders develop their leadership in action; discovering strategies that drive performance, and learning from mistakes. In order to inspire lasting changes in the performance of others, leaders need to make a deliberate effort to display changes in their own behaviour.

The success and growth of any business is largely dependent on the implementation of strategy by leaders and the performance of their teams. Great executive leaders understand the necessity of leadership development training for building high performance at all levels of their organisation. Developing our leadership style and implementing our learning to push for innovation leads to stronger, more outstanding performance. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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3 Steps to Building High Performance

build leadership excellence

5 Reasons for Building Leadership Excellence

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5 Reasons for Building Leadership Excellence

Great leaders empower and inspire us to perform at our best. Effective leadership allows space for direct reports to flourish and make valuable contributions towards both their personal and organisational goals. Senior leadership training provides the opportunity for leaders to develop and leverage their ability to influence the behaviour of others that improves performance. 

Increase Productivity

Leaders who regularly practise leadership excellence understand the value of encouraging self-sufficiency in their teams. Their primary  role is one of motivation rather than instruction. Teams are able to drive their own success with the support of their leader. Effective leaders inspire passion and pride within their team to increase productivity and achieve results. A leadership excellence program helps participants to create a framework that allows teams to be independently motivated and high performing.


Better Decision Making

Training for leadership excellence builds higher levels of emotional intelligence. This gives leaders a greater perspective when it comes to decision making. Developing our emotional intelligence is advantageous to mitigating risks or potential negative consequences of our decisions. Understanding how our emotions affect our choices allows us to gain insight into the driving forces behind the behaviour and decisions of others. As leaders, we must support others in recognising their own unconscious emotional biases to allow space for more informed decision making.

Retain High Performers

An investment in leadership development training significantly reduces the likelihood of losing your top performers to other opportunities. Identifying high potential talent and nurturing their development can ensure future, long-term success. Programs that focus on refining and implementing business strategies help participants connect and commit to the goals of the company. Providing leadership training to high potential employees supports career pathways,  succession planning, and increases retention.

Builds Confidence

Confidence is an important pillar of effective leadership. Leaders must have the confidence in their own knowledge and capabilities, as well as that of their team members, in order to drive success.  Both established and aspiring leaders experience self-doubt from time to time. Unfamiliar challenges and changing business landscapes can create uncertainty. The benefits of leadership excellence provide us with the groundwork for figuring out how to overcome these challenges. We may not have the exact answer to a problem, but we are able to rely on our ability to source the solution and lead teams effectively. 

Implement Effective Leadership

One of the benefits of leadership excellence is developing the capability to uncover your personal leadership style. There are a number of different leadership styles, each with unique benefits and disadvantages. Understanding your personal ‘life-story’ and how to use it as a tool for leadership, builds a connection between you and your team. Leveraging this connection can help you to hone a leadership style that your team will best respond to.

Building leadership excellence creates more effective leaders and higher performing teams. Strong leaders are able to connect their personal experiences to their leadership style and inspire confidence and motivation in others. Their role is to support and develop the skills of their team members to foster an environment that values growth that leads to increased performance.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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5 Reasons for Building Leadership Excellence

Dare to lead

Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of Teams

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Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of Teams

No matter how cohesive and successful a team may be, it is inevitable that they will face challenges that could potentially derail their productivity. When this happens in high performance teams (or indeed, any team), we need to look beyond the symptoms of low performance to find the true cause of this behavior. Based on the work of Patrick Lencioni, the 5 Dysfunctions of Teams explores the idea that to resolve surface level issues, you must first attend to lower level needs. Each dysfunction impacts on overall performance and must be overcome in order for teams to perform at their best. 

Dysfunction 1: Lack of Trust

The first dysfunction Lencioni identifies is a lack of trust amongst team members. When trust is minimal or absent, it is often because individually, we are afraid to appear vulnerable in front of others, and want to maintain an image of infallibility. This stops us both individually, and as a team, from asking for advice and developing collectively. We may even hesitate to provide positive feedback to others, or assist in areas outside of our own responsibilities.

Overcoming this fear of vulnerability, opens up opportunities to understand each other on a more personal level. Nobody is perfect. Being able to own up to that and admit to our weaknesses makes others around us more comfortable, and more likely to start doing the same. Learning about Rumbling with Vulnerability is a pillar of the Dare to Lead™ program, based on the work of Brene Brown. This section of the program aims to dispel many misconceptions people have about vulnerability. Typically thought of as a display of weakness, in Dare to Lead™, vulnerability becomes known as one of the fundamental tools for leaders to establish trusting relationships in their teams.


Dysfunction 2: Fear of Conflict

Team performance is enhanced when there are diverse voices contributing to the conversation. While this provides an incredible opportunity to achieve better results, it can also cause hesitancy to share an opposing idea for fear of creating conflict. Controversial topics are ignored even if they have the potential to create success for the team.

A great first step to take in creating constructive conflict is to be intentional about how these conversations take place. Designating even one-hour a month is an opportunity for your team to be able to voice their opinions, safe in the knowledge that they will not be negatively received. A leadership excellence program can be useful in building group dialogue skills that help teams to have conversations that matter. These are conversations that allow teams to delve deeper into topics or issues that are important to them, and they are then able to come up with resolutions as a unified group. It is important too, that these conversations be held regularly for sustaining high performance.

Dysfunction 3: Lack of Commitment

Perceived inaction, avoiding difficult conversations, and ambiguous goal setting are just a few reasons why there may be a lack of commitment from team members. Without clearly defined goals, teams do not know what it is they are working towards and therefore, have no real investment in the work they are doing. The same is true when there is limited communication surrounding decision making and problem-solving. 

When decisions are made that impact your team, explaining the rationale that led to that decision will help them understand and accept new changes. Inviting your team to be part of the decision making process also gives them a personal incentive to successfully implement those changes. Understanding the ‘why’ is important for building commitment to the actions being taken. Giving your team a strong reason for, and belief in, the work being done leads to increased dedication and better performance.

Dysfunction 4: Avoidance of Accountability

The ability to hold oneself accountable is a skill that is closely tied to our willingness (or lack thereof) to be vulnerable and admit to our mistakes. We fear failure. Sustaining high performance in teams also requires that team members hold each other accountable as well. Often we avoid doing this for fear of causing conflict even when an error would be costly. This results in team leaders becoming the sole source of accountability for the whole team. This can quickly become an overwhelming task for one person, especially in large teams.

Owning up to mistakes shows that you are responsible for your own actions. True self-accountability goes beyond this when you make conscious and demonstrable changes in your behaviour, or work to correct specific errors. Holding others accountable does not have to be a combative exercise. Intent is important here. Criticism for its own sake is counterproductive to team effectiveness. Blame is not the same as accountability. Feedback should aim to support the recipient and help them to constructively improve future performance.

Dysfunction 5: Inattention to Results

When the vision of team success is overlooked in favour of individual achievement, collective progress stagnates. You may even lose valuable market competition, or results-oriented team members. While leading high performance teams usually means there are high levels of self-motivation to completing tasks, it is the leader’s role to ensure a clear team focus. As with the avoidance of accountability, leaders must ensure that each member of the team has a concrete understanding of how their individual role contributes to the team purpose and achievement of results. 

Measurable metrics will be a considerable aid in maintaining team focus. A useful practice in developing leadership excellence within teams creating habits for success. By setting simple goals, and rewarding the team as a whole for their success, fosters a greater connection amongst team members and continued desire to achieve results. 

Understanding the 5 Dysfunctions of Teams is important for leading high performance teams. The capability to diagnose workplace challenges and overcome them is an integral part of developing leadership excellence. Dysfunction prevents effectiveness in the pursuit of team success and cohesion. Delving into how each dysfunction contributes to challenges, helps teams to form better and long lasting solutions. 

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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Overcoming the 5 Dysfunctions of Teams

leadership assessment tools

7 Reasons to Consider a Leadership Assessment

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7 Reasons to Consider a Leadership Assessment

Leadership strategies and methodologies get much attention particularly during times of uncertainty and change. It can be difficult to determine where individual and organisational leadership capabilities rank amongst industry peers, or what is the best method to understand this. That is why a leadership assessment tool can be a useful way to evaluate your current performance and help understand what leadership development activities will be most suitable for your organisation. The benefits of using leadership assessment tools extend far beyond the individual level. The feedback you gain from such assessments can impact on the development of high performing teams and with the culture of your organisation.

Establish Leadership Profiles

One of the benefits of leadership profiling is that it allows you to form a complete picture of an individual’s capabilities as well as their potential for development. Effective leaders are aware of both their strengths and actively seek to improve in areas they may not be as successful. Establishing leadership profiles allows executives access to a resource that informs them about those high potential employees who are just beginning their development.

Develop High Potential Employees

When we are looking to fill leadership positions internally, the most obvious choice may not be the right one. Using a data based approach, we are able to assess potential leaders in order to determine the best fit. Completing leadership assessment tools for individuals gives current leaders an unbiased look into the capabilities of high potential employees. Even those who may not be right for leadership roles just yet, may have development plans created in order to support their advancement and career goals.

Filling Skills Gaps

Before embarking on a development program, participants and executives should be aware of what gaps exist within their skillset or organisation. Leadership assessment tools provide insight into exactly this. An executive coaching survey will outline an individual’s particular strengths as well as areas for improvement. Completing a leadership assessment prior to any training programs allows both the individual and the organisation to reap the highest benefits.

Remain Competitive with Industry Standards

For those who have been in positions of executive leadership for several years, it can be easy to believe that you don’t need as much feedback as you did earlier in your career. This is simply not true in industries that are constantly innovating and expanding. The best leadership assessment tools will help you to understand how your skills match up against the current industry standards. You may be surprised to discover that there are some competencies you need to build upon so that you and your organisation can stay ahead of the competition. 

Track Development Progress

Many leadership assessment and development tools are used simply to track an individual’s development processes. The Hogan 360º Report can be re-done at regular intervals to get an external perspective. Actionable Habit Builder is a fantastic tool for self-reflective assessment of progress towards specific goals. No matter how it is done, individuals looking to develop their leadership skills should utilise assessment tools to track their progress in a tangible way. This demonstrates a commitment to the role and the organisation that executives will look at when considering prospective leaders.

Motivate Performance

Continually assessing a team or individual’s skills development allows them to not only track their progress, but the improvements in their overall performance as well. Being able to look back on past performance instils a sense of accomplishment that motivates further improvement. By assessing performance as goals are achieved, you can look for methods that worked well and identify ones that hindered success. In doing so, you have a ready made benchmark from which to set new goals and further optimise performance.

Improve Company Culture

Leaders who participate in assessments set an example of commitment to growth within an organisation. A willingness to have your own leadership assessed demonstrates what is expected and supported across all levels. It promotes a culture of growth, education, and development. Organisations with a culture that places value in these areas foster a positive workplace environment where morale and performance flourish. Leadership assessments encourage frequent communication that establishes deeper levels of trust between leaders and their teams. 

The development of those who participate in a leadership training program is predominantly determined by their own willingness to grow. Undertaking a leadership assessment prior to a training course helps to set the basis of their learning. The best tools for leadership development will reveal both the strengths and shortcomings of potential leaders, giving them a measurable starting point from which they can begin their leadership journey. Building an organisational culture of growth and development can have a significant and positive impact on performance both now and in the future.

For more information about The Leadership Sphere and how we can help you unlock performance through leadership, by supporting your leaders at every level of the organisation with leadership development, executive coaching and high performance team programs please visit our website or call us on 1300 100 857.

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The Five Benefits to Leadership Development You Need to Know About

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The Five Benefits to Leadership Development You Need to Know About

There is no denying that leadership development programs make an enormous impact on an organisation’s overall performance as well as to the performance of employees at every level.  The key is for people to be able to recognise their strengths as well as their limitations. It is only after identifying these areas that we may begin to address them. While organisations deserve and should expect a unique program to meet their needs, it is clear that no matter the starting point, the results of excellent leadership programs are the same.

One important goal of any leadership development training program is to provide the skills and know-how to be able to build trust and foster a healthy, safe culture. It could be said that a lack of trust is perhaps the biggest missing link in a company’s potential for success. In a recent survey by Edelman Trust Barometer, they found that only 37% of people thought their company CEOs were suitably credible or trustworthy (1.2). This is an astounding statistic and has a direct impact on performance.

Better communication

When leadership development opportunities are offered to all employees, we begin to see a shift towards an improved communication within teams, between management levels, and across departments. Leadership development programs open up people’s hearts and minds to new possibilities. Lower-level employees are encouraged to share more of their ideas and those in higher positions become more receptive. When employees trust those in management, communication improves, information is shared more freely and individuals are more likely to contribute in forums such as team meetings.

Recognising Talent

This is perhaps the most undervalued benefit to leadership development. Often times, the people who are best suited for leadership already exist within the company. Leadership development programs offer these people the chance to be recognised – particularly those not currently in a leadership role. These opportunities also help to foster a sense of company loyalty and employee engagement, while at the same time improving the efficiency of the business.

Creates Capable Leaders

By providing leaders with the skills they need to successfully navigate the ever-changing and often unpredictable business environment, organisations are able to overcome obstacles much more quickly (2). Capability in leaders also allows organisations to better shape their business strategy from the top-down by ensuring leaders are equipped to implement it.

Improves Company Success

Strong leaders are a fundamental element of successful organisations. When companies invest in placing the right people in leadership positions, other employees are then more motivated to perform better and achieve goals (3). Leaders who are ‘role-fit’ encourage creativity and innovation while simultaneously ensuring their team is focused on their common objectives. Companies who place greater value in leadership development are also shown to have stock market returns that are five times higher than those who don’t (2).

Employee Retention

As previously mentioned, leadership development is an important factor in enhancing company loyalty. Employees are much more likely to remain with the same company for longer when they feel they are being valued and supported by their leaders. In fact, a joint study conducted in 2018 by recruitment firms Accounting Principals and Ajilon found that 53.6% of individuals say “their top reason that keeps them from quitting their job is the loyalty they feel to their team, boss, coworkers or their company” (4). Essentially, what these people are referring to is trust.

What impact does trust have in these areas?

Everything we have talked about above coexists because of trust. Trust is the foundation for so much, including communication, the identification and development of competent leaders, and the fostering of a culture that values and encourages ideas to power up company success.

By taking the time to implement new leadership strategies it is possible not only to improve areas in which a company may be deficient but also to build upon existing strengths. When we look at the benefits of leadership development we can begin to see why such programs are important too, and impact on, all areas of business. Not only this, but we can see how each of these particular benefits stem from having a strong foundation of trust.

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The Five Benefits to Leadership Development You Need to Know About