This year has been full of change. Business models have shifted, many employees work from home and day to day practices in many industries are still being adjusted to better suit the current economic climate. The only thing that seems to be certain is uncertainty which can slow collaboration, innovation and productivity.
As we approach the new year and the dust begins to settle many companies are looking for ways they can strengthen and improve the effectiveness of their current workforce. Infopro Learning has more than 25 years of experience working with industry leaders to create L&D solutions that solve business challenges. This year we have observed a growing need for courageous leadership.
We believe that organizations that invest in leader development will gain a competitive advantage. Having a strong bench of leaders will help your organization increase its agility and ability to adapt to future changes. At Infopro Learning we use our evolutionary development process to help organizations transform their high potential leaders. We also believe that leadership development programs that focus on building courageous leaderships skills will be critical to future success.
Solution Highlights
Courageous leadership by definition is the intentional character driven practice of serving others with positive intent for the legitimate needs of others. Practicing courageous leadership promotes a sense of community and creates a shared willingness to work towards common goals.
At Infopro Learning we believe that there are 3 critical steps that need to be taken to become a courageous leader today. First you must start with building a foundation of positive intent. You must develop the 7 traits of courageous leaders. You must also put courageous coaching skills into practice.
Stage 1: Building a Foundation of Positive Intent
Building a foundation of positive intent begins with honesty. Avoid deceptive behaviors. Foster trust by practicing patience and by sowing self-control. Showing positive intent requires that you set aside your own wants and needs. You must let go of and resentments you are harboring and have a high level of emotional intelligence.
The most important part of building positive intent is in the way you treat and interact with others. Show your team that they are important by giving them your time, attention, and respect. Each of these elements will help your senior management contribute to and promote a more positive workplace culture.
Stage 2: Developing the Right Leadership Traits
Courageous leaders have the following 7 traits that set them apart from the rest. These are the traits that exemplify strong leadership, promote innovation and encourage team work.
- Face challenges head on
- Do not avoid bad new or conflict
- Have honest authentic conversations
- Encourage debates and the sharing of different ideas to stimulate growth
- Quickly make bold decisions
- Ask for regular feedback
- Address unproductive or disruptive workplace behaviors head on
Stage 3: Courageous Coaching
The leadership traits and foundation of positive intent can be applied to create more effective coaching experiences. These skills can be used to identify the developmental needs of team members that need coaching. You will need to adapt your coaching style to suit the needs of those you are coaching. These steps will help you improve employee performance and encourage further development.
Solution Results
Moving forward this year leadership development should not only be thought of as succession planning but should be a key part of your business strategy. Organizations that implement training programs to develop great leaders with the real world skills that are needed to navigate uncertainty and change will be a step ahead of the rest of the pack.
Courageous leaders will have the skills needed to drive your company and workforce towards success. They will have what it takes to build trust which is crucial when it comes to creating collaborative and more innovative teams.
To learn more about leadership development and the future of work watch the webinar replay of The Demand for Courageous Leadership in Uncertain Times.
