Category: Uncategorized

Recognizing Your Anchor Values

Step 1 of 4 Personal Mastery · Module 1.3 When a change feels misaligned with your preferences, most leaders default to one of two places: going along with it fully, or quietly resisting it. Neither serves the change well. A clear values anchor gives you a third option. 1 Why an anchor matters Without something you are actively leading from, the two defaults take over on their own. The two defaults Compliance means going through the motions without any real conviction behind it, which your team can feel even when you never say a word. Resistance means slow-walking or quietly undermining a change you were asked to lead, whether or not you intend to. An anchor value is not about pretending to agree with something you do not. It is about finding something true to you that you can genuinely lead from, even inside a change you would not have chosen. 2 Browse the full set Scan through these slowly. Do not overthink it, just click on the ones that pull at you when you think about the specific change you are currently leading. Aim for around five to start. AuthenticityAchievementAdventureAuthorityAutonomyBalanceBeautyBoldnessCompassionChallengeCitizenshipCommunityCompetencyCourageCreativityCuriosityDeterminationFairnessFaithFameFriendshipFunGrowthHappinessHarmonyHonestyHumourInfluenceIntegrityJusticeKindnessKnowledgeLeadershipLearningLoveLoyaltyMeaningful WorkOpennessOptimismPeacePleasurePopularityRecognitionReputationRespectResponsibilitySecurityServiceStabilitySuccessStatusTrustWealthWisdom Values list adapted from Values Cards by Ben […]

Earning the Right to Push Back

Step 1 of 4 Personal Mastery · Module 1.4 Disagreement is legitimate. Whether it lands depends on when and how you raise it, not on how right you are. 1 Same disagreement, different reception Picture a dean who disagrees with a new initiative to evaluate every program, prompted by enrollment declines. He thinks the criteria being used are flawed. Two ways this can go If he raises his concern in the first meeting after the initiative is announced, before doing anything to implement it, the provost hears an obstacle. If he spends the next several weeks assembling committees, gathering data, and inviting external reviewers, and only then brings forward a request to revisit the criteria, the provost is far more likely to see a partner. Same disagreement. Entirely different reception. The difference is not the concern itself, it is the sequence in which it showed up. 2 Stand up for your leader, so you can stand up to them A track record of visibly moving the work forward is what earns you the standing to disagree later. Without it, your leader has no way to tell the difference between a legitimate concern and simple resistance. What happens without it If […]

Separating the Change From Your Reaction to It

Step 1 of 5 Personal Mastery · Module 1.2 You can lead a change you have real reservations about, without those reservations leaking into how you lead. That takes knowing the difference between two selves you are holding at once. 1 Know the difference The difference this module is about is the one between you as a person, who has a real reaction to a change, and you in your role, who has obligations that do not disappear just because of that reaction. Most leaders run these two together without noticing, and that is where the trouble starts. Alex Johnson is a Dean. The provost’s office has decided this year’s budget cuts will come from Alex’s college, and specifically from one program within it, a program Alex had no say in choosing. Alex disagrees, both with which college was picked and which program inside it, but has been asked to implement the cut starting this semester. Alex the person has a real reaction to this. It feels unfair, and it does not sit right. That reaction is legitimate. Pretending it is not there tends to produce the exact signaling behaviors that undermine a change from the inside. Alex the Dean […]

Your Default Under Pressure

Step 1 of 5 Personal Mastery · Module 1.1 The version of you that shows up in a stressful team meeting may not be the version you intend to be. This module starts with your Five Paths profile and applies it to one specific moment: leading a change you did not choose. 1 Start with your profile This module assumes you have already taken Five Paths. If you have not, take it first, the reflection below will mean a lot more once you have your own profile in front of you. Take Five Paths A quick refresher on the four paths, and the fifth that is not a style at all: Critical Thinker Analytical, systematic, data-driven. Relator Relationship-focused, empathetic, collaborative. Visionary Big-picture, innovative, future-oriented. Warrior Decisive, action-oriented, results-driven. The Sage is not scored. It is the ongoing awareness of your own tendencies that lets you lead with intention instead of by default. It is a practice, not a style, built through habits like daily reflection and seeking feedback. This module focuses on one piece of that practice, catching your shift under stress. 2 Find your shift Your results show two profiles: how you lead under normal conditions, and how that […]

Three Self-Defeating Habits of Leaders

by Amit Mrig (opens in new tab)

One of the great gifts of working in higher education is that you get to work with leaders who are mission driven. Almost no leader I work with was motivated by climbing the ladder. They were motivated by their research, by working with students, by contributing to a purpose bigger than themselves. Over time, their desire to contribute and their skill have led them to opportunities to lead at higher levels. And in each of these roles, they bring with them their positive intentions, ready to make a difference.   Unfortunately, positive intent doesn’t by itself equate to positive impact. In fact, there are times when leaders’ best intentions — paradoxically — lead to worse results. How can this be? Very simply their desire to make a positive impact and contribution leads them to spend their time in ways that on the surface make sense, but that in the end actually work against them.   Here are the three most common behaviors I see that start from good intentions, but that end with a negative impact on the leader, their team and the task at hand:    1. Disproportionate Focus on Dissenters  Perhaps the most common pitfall I see is the one […]

Disrupting the Status Quo: 5 Counterintuitive Notions for Inspiring Creativity

by Stephen Whitehead (opens in new tab)

Creativity is an essential aspect of human nature, yet many people struggle to embrace it, either from insecurity or fearing its potential unpredictability. While it is tempting to stick to familiar routines that afford the comfort of not dealing with potential failure or uncertainty, there is no room for personal or organizational growth with this mindset. Today, the need to foster creativity that drives innovation and growth in organizations is a highly regarded requirement for leaders. However, simply telling your team to “think outside the box” isn’t exactly inspiring. To quote Ted Lasso, “Takin’ on a challenge is a lot like riding a horse. If you’re comfortable while you’re doing it, you’re probably doing it wrong.” While we all agree that change is scary, what makes creativity so satisfying is the opportunity to see situations from new perspectives. In this article, we will explore five counterintuitive notions that can help to cultivate a creative culture. Embracing creativity is both a challenging and rewarding process. While these examples may appear to be counterintuitive, give them a try and see how they are able to unlock the full potential of your meetings, employees, and organization to help drive innovation. Lean into embracing […]

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