It's Time for a Summer Leadership Health Check
Though we haven’t officially started summer yet, many of us are already in that mode. Memorial Day has passed, college students are home for the summer, and school is out for the younger crew. And we’re almost halfway through the year.
It sounds like a good time to assess the health of your behaviors as a leader and your organization. When you are responsible for leading teams and organizations, it's critical to do regular check-ups to identify red flags before they become acute issues. If you're leading a small organization, it may feel like there's never enough time, but it's critical that you make the time.
Let’s start with you as a leader.
Personal Well-Being
We know how critical maintaining our physical, mental, and emotional health is for optimizing our ability to lead ourselves and others well.
What practices do you have in place that are helping you be the healthiest version of yourself?
Do they need a refresh or reboot?
Remember: the oxygen mask adage fits well with leadership. You need to put yours on first before you help others.
Success Measures for 2024
What does success in 2024 look like for you? Getting clear on your top five success measures for the year (this is personal and professional) will help guide how you spend the second half of the year.
Spending time on what measures you’ll use to evaluate success for the year on December 31st is powerful but requires time and space to think. I recommend doing it in a favorite location (coffee shop, at a park, etc. and with your favorite drink (tea, coffee, wine, etc.). If you want a template for working through this, you can download a copy of my Reflections for Success tool with this link.
Priorities and Boundaries
In the fast-paced world of leadership, the art of setting clear priorities and firm boundaries has never been more crucial. Mastering these skills is not just about managing time; it's about asserting value, enhancing focus, and empowering teams to achieve collective goals.
The challenge, however, lies in identifying what matters most and having the courage and strategy to say no to distractions and yes to opportunities that align with your vision. It's about leading intentionally and creating a space where you and your team can thrive, unencumbered by the unnecessary.
Why Priorities and Boundaries Matter:
Focus: They help you channel your energy and resources into what truly moves the needle.
Resilience: They protect your time and well-being, making you a more effective and sustainable leader.
Empowerment: They set a powerful example for your team, encouraging them to also work within a framework that respects their time and contributions.
But how do you effectively set these priorities and boundaries and, more importantly, stick to them?
So many leaders I speak with face this challenge, and I have to focus on it daily. There isn’t a magic wand that will allow us to stay on track. It’s an intentional practice every quarter, month, and day.
Some tips:
Write down your top 3 priorities for this week and month and schedule time to reflect on the progress.
Define your boundaries – work hours, what you want to say yes/no to, events you want to prioritize, etc.. Check in regularly on how you’re doing in protecting them.
If this is a challenging area for you, Day 3 of my upcoming July workshop series, Maximize Your Competitive Advantage—People and Leadership, will cover it. Make sure to register so you don’t miss out.
How Healthy is Your Organization?
How Healthy is Your Organization?
Here are five areas around the employee experience I would look at first:
Are you attracting the best people?
Are the messages you share on your website about careers in your organization?
What message does your recruitment process send to candidates?
Is your offer acceptance rate high enough?
Are your people practices driving performance?
Are your programs aligned with your stated values, culture, and business strategy?
Do your programs drive high performance?
Are employees motivated to do more than required?
Have you created an inclusive environment?
What actions have you taken to create a place where all feel welcome?
How have you focused on creating an environment of belonging?
How have you embraced the diversity of people and perspectives in your work processes?
Have you created an environment where people love what they do?
Do they understand the impact of what they do for your customers and clients?
Do they have the autonomy to make decisions?
Do they see the opportunity for growth?
Do they have fun?
You can also review additional factors, but these five will give you a good start. I encourage you to sign up for the 3-day workshop series in July, where each day focuses on a different area of leading your organization.
Let's Get and Stay Healthy!
We’re almost halfway through the year. Let’s set ourselves and our organizations up for success! If I can support you, DM me or schedule a call.