Business Motivation

Five Key Leadership Lessons from 2020

January 5, 2021 by Michelle Ray

If there is one gift 2020 offered to the world, then perspective would be a suitable choice. As we reflect on the year that just passed, hindsight can truly be viewed as 20/20. That is, the year provided great insight for the world. Humanity as a collective discovered how to be better: More empathy, open-mindedness and appreciation for the many things that we used to take for granted. For example, the simple act of a hug, enjoying the company of family members at the dinner table and perhaps more significantly than any other state of being, the freedom to go about our daily lives without restrictions.

Organizations have also gained benefits from the unexpected, adverse circumstances. Although many leaders may not have initially viewed 2020 from a positive lens, the imperative of adapting to these challenging times provided numerous opportunities for introspection and improvement. Leaders can glean the following five key lessons that will continue to have relevance for years to come: [Read more…] about Five Key Leadership Lessons from 2020

Transformational Leadership: Idealized Influence

April 29, 2020 by Michelle Ray

What does “idealized influence” mean? And why is this important for leaders? Leaders play a significant role in the lives of their workforce. Transformational leaders can affect the trajectory of an individual’s professional and personal life. There are many people who have profoundly influenced my thinking and decision-making throughout my career and personal history. The majority occupied a leadership position with a past employer or a client that I have been fortunate to get to know well. Others have been role models, or individuals that I greatly admired outside of work. They all had one trait in common: The capacity to inspire me to take a positive step to improve myself or take a particular course of action. The degree to which a leader is able to affect people and create a desire in others to willingly change is directly related to their character.

Essential Leadership: Take Risk. Make Decisions. Keep Ego in Check

April 22, 2020 by Michelle Ray

Are you are leader who is comfortable taking risks, making decisions and keeping your ego in check? Great leaders possess the ability to harness these attributes at the appropriate time. Of course, not all decisions have equal weight or quality. The same is true in an array of circumstances that require leaders to evaluate the degree of risk in order to decide the best course of action. Effective leaders are aware of their options and circumstances in order to make the optimum decision while being mindful of when and how to seek input. [Read more…] about Essential Leadership: Take Risk. Make Decisions. Keep Ego in Check

How to Entertain New Ideas, Be Adaptable and Proactive

March 25, 2020 by Michelle Ray

Transformational leaders possess the gift of finding solutions to complex problems by entertaining new ideas…and acting upon them. These leaders welcome innovative thinking and recognize the benefits of tapping into the brilliance of employees at any level of an organization, encouraging individuals to hone an entrepreneurial mindset. Above all else, transformational leaders clearly understand the intricacies of a rapidly changing world of business, driven by technology and innovation. [Read more…] about How to Entertain New Ideas, Be Adaptable and Proactive

How to Develop Trust Between Leaders and Teams

March 4, 2020 by Michelle Ray

Visualize a workplace where high trust is evident. What does a high trust environment look like? First, you are likely to witness happy, engaged and productive teams. They many not necessarily be in the same physical location to be collaborating on a project. Or you may find that very few supervisors are present or required to provide inspiration and feedback. Trust is intangible. It is a bond created by individuals from the moment information is shared, a task is assigned or a job description is provided. It is an integral element of successful professional relationships at all levels. [Read more…] about How to Develop Trust Between Leaders and Teams

An example of Transformational Leadership: Uber

February 12, 2020 by Michelle Ray

An example of Transformational Leadership that continues to make headlines is known to millions of travelers. Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp are renowned as the founders of Uber. Their respective journeys as technology mavericks have been both lauded and criticized, depending on one’s vantage point. Uber has revolutionized the manner in which we “tap the app” in order to get from Point A to Point B. According to “folklore”, both were attending a technology conference in Paris in 2008 and on a particular snowy night, conceptualized Uber when they couldn’t catch a taxi. The company’s primary competitors in the taxi and chauffeured transportation sectors have been in “reactive” mode ever since Uber burst on the scene a decade ago.

What makes Uber’s founders such a fascinating study? Kalanick and Camp not only identified a consumer need…They successfully anticipated the future by responding to this need in an unprecedented manner. In a nutshell: Uber has transformed an entire market segment: Ground transportation. Kalanick and Camp are transformational leaders who predicted the future by parlaying their vision into a global phenomenon.

Today’s consumers are attracted to companies that offer immediacy, ease of use and tangible cost benefits when it comes to solving their problems. Transformational leaders are always ahead of the curve. They possess a unique understanding of real-world challenges and an extraordinary capacity to create new realities. Travis Kalanick and Garrett Camp exemplify transformational leadership. They’ve changed the way that we go about getting transportation all over the world by making it easier and instantly accessible. What did we do in a world without Uber?

Anticipating the future as a transformational leader is not only about seeing the future and not only responding to change. Leaders who are transformational also possess the ability to predict the future before it even happens. It requires a relentless focus on creating and managing outstanding customer experiences. Uber has successfully gone above and beyond traditional marketing avenues to have brand ambassadors sharing these experiences in their communities, both on and off-line, locally and globally.

If you wish to see yourself as an example of transformational leadership, hone your ability to anticipate, act and trust in your vision. These are some of the most important characteristics of leaders who are cognizant of the need to think forward in times of constant change.

This article is a partial transcript of a video on YouTube.

Michelle Ray (Twitter) is one of the best international leadership keynote speakers in Vancouver. She helps you discover your potential through presentations, coaching and consulting. With over 20 years of experience Michelle has worked with hundreds of companies around the world. She is taking bookings for speaking engagements and can be contacted at MichelleRay.com

What is Transformational Leadership?

February 5, 2020 by Michelle Ray

Imagine the possibilities for yourself and your business if every leader within your organization embodied the characteristics of a transformational leader. In order to achieve, or get close to realizing his or her leadership potential, it is important to understand the meaning of transformational leadership, why it matters and where the gaps exist.

How to be a better manager

January 22, 2020 by Michelle Ray

Do you possess the essential skills to lead and manage your organization into the future? In order to be a better manager, it is important to prioritize your day-to-day, transactional responsibilities while recognizing that the transformational, visionary aspects of leadership are also key competencies. By taking a strategic approach, you can organize your management tasks and leadership goals simultaneously. Effective managers are also efficient. They are able to delegate, empower others and free themselves up to focus on the “big picture” responsibilities. You can positively impact your team, as well as your organization as a whole, by honing your leadership and management skills. At the same time, your success will depend on your capacity to remain open to learning, improving and growing in your role.

How can we be better managers and practice transformational leadership simultaneously? First, it is important to recognize that while there is the difference between managing and leading, today’s leaders need to be skilled at both. As a manager, your team has certain expectations regarding their relationship with you. The single, most important aspect of effective management is making yourself available for your team, regardless of whether they work remotely or in the same physical location. This necessitates time management on your part. Are you accessible in person, by phone…or whatever means necessary to connect in a meaningful manner. Planning and organizing your schedule to regularly make time for a conversation is not a simply a task to check off on your to do list. It is a leadership priority for every manager at all levels.

Successful leaders are cognizant of their responsibilities and are mindful of organizing their priorities. While it remains true that accomplishing the routine aspects of work is important, managers cannot lose sight of the need to get the right things done. And the right things pertain to prioritizing people as well as projects. When you find yourself getting caught up in the minutiae, realize that you are putting your ability to perform at the optimal level at risk. Having numerous balls in the air may come with the territory. However, the constant “juggling” will impact your effectiveness each time you choose to comprise key people priorities for less important tasks.

This article is a partial transcript of a video on YouTube.

Leadership in 2020 and Beyond: What will be different? What will be the same?

January 15, 2020 by Michelle Ray

What are the core issues facing leadership in 2020 and beyond? Walk into any meeting comprising of senior leaders and the hottest topic of conversation will likely revolve around change, technology, clients and talent. While it is no surprise that these top-of-mind challenges are keeping many leaders up at night, the unrelenting need to constantly recalibrate is the most interesting aspect of doing business today and into the future. What will be different? And what, if anything, will be the same? [Read more…] about Leadership in 2020 and Beyond: What will be different? What will be the same?

It really does start with you!

December 11, 2019 by Michelle Ray

When you think of the word leadership, what comes to mind? It isn’t surprising that the majority of people associate specific meanings to leadership that include authority, position, seniority, being at the helm of an enterprise, or having ultimate responsibility for bottom line results. However, in order to achieve success as a leader, one needs to have the capacity to take charge of oneself first. To be a quintessential leader requires a specific mindset, along with certain professional traits and attributes that inspire individuals to perform at his or her best. Sadly, many leaders fail to understand the need to practice personal leadership in all interactions.

Therefore, the essence of leadership is about strength of character, regardless of one’s position in an organization, association, political party etc. In addition, we may falsely assume that a person’s “title” denotes credibility. As many of us have experienced, credibility must be earned rather than given. And this has nothing to do with a plaque on a door or a desk, or a title on a business card. It’s about who you are at the core that truly matters, rather than what your title indicates.

So no matter what your role is in an organization, no matter what industry you work in, it’s not about your job or “pecking order” in your organization. What is most important is to understand that leadership is a choice. It is a reflection of how you see yourself. Are you an initiator? A change agent? A provocateur? Do you have the capacity to inspire yourself and take responsibility for your actions? Leadership really does start with you.

Whether you are on the front line, or a senior leader, or perhaps running the company…running your business, you are ultimately accountable for your own behaviours, choices and how you decide to interpret your circumstances.

In the workplace, we are all one hundred percent responsible for creating the atmosphere. We all make a contribution everyday that leads to a particular culture. It’s about you being conscious of who you are and it’s about your character that truly matters above all else.

What are you doing on a daily basis to take the lead in your professional and personal relationships? Ultimately, relationships with your colleagues and on a grander scale, with all everyone that you interact with? You have an opportunity on a daily basis to be the best version of you, to mentor others, contribute to your workplace and lead by example. In short: We can all choose to become the leaders of our own lives.

This article is a transcript of a video on YouTube.

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