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Leadership Style | What makes a good leader?

Leadership Function and Style

Every leader’s #1 function is (or should be) to communicate, engage and motivate others towards a vision. Leadership style, on the other hand, is unique to an individual and can significantly vary. There are leadership style elements that effective leaders possess, including:

  • authenticity, 
  • decisiveness, 
  • focus, 
  • strong verbal and written communication skills, 
  • excellent hard and soft people skills, and 
  • the ability to always be looking forward with energy and positivity.

One of the biggest challenges that many face within an organization is the frustration around a leader’s inconsistencies. I mean what individuals are told versus how the leader acts. If a leader is inconsistent and does not ‘walk the talk,’ the business suffers, the people are not actively engaged nor working to their best, and lack of business growth and profit loss are a direct result.

Effective leaders:

    • Live by their values as simply as they breathe. 
    • Authentically lead, transparently communicate, execute on the action, and are consistently focused on moving the vision of the business forward.
    • Walk the talk and are exceptional role models.
    • Act decisively, however, are not inflexible. They are willing to pivot or adjust upon new information or circumstances. Shoulder poor decisions, and always share the credit when good decisions are made. 
    • Focus on one priority at a time with full attention. 
    • Manage their time, and recognize time is finite.  
    • Treat each day as a new day. Have a focus on continuous professional improvement, are curious, and love to learn.
    • Provide their personal touch with every interaction. They talk to people, ask for their feedback, and are visible (even if only on zoom due to the pandemic). 
    • Demonstrate self-discipline and the will to do what it takes, no matter how hard, until they achieve their desired outcome.

‘Life is too short to focus on things and people that you are not enjoying.’

~ Jenny Reilly

3 Leadership Questions to Answer:

  1. Do you have the right people in your team/business? If you have less than 90% of the right people on your team, that becomes your #1 priority. 
  2. Are your people on their A-game? If not, the decision is either to develop, replace, or move the person to an alternate position better suited to their strengths and capabilities. 
  3. What is the number one metric you look at weekly? This should be the #1 weekly agenda item to discuss first and focus on. It could be your cash flow, sales, service levels, product development…the objective is to have your #1 priority the first thing you always focus on and discuss.

Leadership tips:

  • Trust your team. A value cannot be ‘respect’ when you do not trust your colleagues.
  • Make decisions. Indecisiveness is paralyzing.
  • Know your top three priorities and consistently communicate on them.
  • Be precise, not irresolute. Imprecision is confusing.
  • Be consistent in what you say and how you say it.
  • Show humility, not indignancy. 

Proven Leadership Tactics:

  • When not attaining your expected results, make a conscious effort to change how you are doing things. Focus on improving, being more effective, and attaining increased results.
  • Be focused and systematic in your approach to learning efficiently. Improve your knowledge of services and products, the current market, technologies, processes and systems, organizational culture and internal politics that require attention.
  • Always match your strategy to the situation and do not take any shortcuts. What worked in the past does not mean it will be effective in the current situation. 
  • Identify strategic opportunities to add value and improve bottom-line results. 
  • Improve working relationships by setting and managing expectations.
  • Be the architect of alignment. Ensure structure fits strategy and that you are focusing on the right things.
  • Evaluate and mobilize team members. Build your team and be strategic in developing strengths and capabilities.
  • Identify individuals (inside and outside the business) who will support and mentor you, call you on areas of challenge and motivate you to take action on opportunities. 
  • Maintain your equilibrium and balance in both your professional and personal life. A more balanced approach enables you to focus better, not lose perspective and make better decisions.

You are only as strong as your weakest link. When you start feeling like you are in a rut or losing momentum or motivation, it is time to try one or more of the above actions to help you kickstart getting back onto the right track. 

Leadership To Do’s

  • Assess each business situation independently
  • Define and communicate your business intent
  • Establish your priorities
  • Act deliberately on strategic priorities
  • Secure early wins
  • Build your team
  • Develop alliances

If you are interested in learning about professional leadership development or executive coaching can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

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Leadership Situation Analysis | Change is Constant

Situation Analysis

Competent leaders understand that they need to stay on top of dealing with change. A situation analysis enables leaders to clarify how they lead, identify issues, challenges, and opportunities, and validate the resources required to match the situation. An adaption to leadership style may be required and is dependent on the situation.

Whether in start-up mode, encountering a business crisis and making a pivot in product or service delivery, going through a period of accelerated growth, realigning business priorities to match the market, or focused on sustaining success and longevity in the business, there is a framework that you can use to ensure success. 

Situation Analysis - Jenny Reilly Consulting - Executive Coaching and Business Consulting

 

Start-up or Expansion

In start-up mode, rapid execution is required in addition to a close focus on budget and finances, people, and technology. A great deal must be worked on with minimum resources and tight timeline constraints. Attracting, recruiting, and onboarding a high-performing team while at the same time building the right strategy is essential. During this phase, successful leaders are organized, make well-informed decisions, and are energized by the business possibilities.

When experiencing periods of accelerated growth, a leader must focus on implementing systems and processes to support scalability. With rapid growth comes the addition of more employees. The challenge is to attract, onboard and integrate them while ensuring transparent communication on the vision, individual expectations, KPI’s and essential engagement to do better and be better in the business. 

Crisis Management

In times of operational crisis, a pivot may be required in product or service delivery to save the business. Leaders need to be transparent every step of the way. When we know what may be coming our way, it is easier to prepare and lean into a situation to enable the strength to change it.

Long Term Success

When focusing on maintaining the longevity of success, the continual focus needs to be maintained on the team and innovatively looking at new ways to improve the business and take it to the next level of success. 

No matter where your business is on the scale, from start-up to maintaining longevity in the market, there are strategies and a framework that you can put in place to ensure success.

 

If you want to learn more about how implementing these frameworks and executive coaching can bring you, your team, and your business success, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com or schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session via Jenny Reilly Consulting Calendly.

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Resilience, Grit and Optimism! | Learn from the Experts

 

Life throws you curve balls continuously. I believe that three key attributes will serve you well, resilience, grit, and optimism.

How you respond to a situation through action, language, and body language is critical. Your determination to move forward out of a situation requires grit, and to positively envisage a path ahead involves optimism. Your level of self-confidence, mood, emotions, and attitude will help you guide your journey, so you want them to be positive.

  • Look for the good in a situation — the glass half full is always better than the alternative.
  • Look for the lesson in a negative or challenging situation, name it, learn from it and move on.
  • Look for the solutions to a problem. Be curious, process issues into smaller compartments, and work through each part until you resolve the issue.
  • Relentlessly focus on your goals, and they will come to fruition.

LEARN FROM PEOPLE WHO YOU DEEM SUCCESSFUL… ASK THE EXPERTS!

 

This week ask two people who you identify as successful (professionally, personally, financially) and ask them,

 

‘Can you share three strategies you use around productivity, balancing life’s demands, or finances that you feel I could use in my life?‘.

 

By asking two people per week for the next month (yes, you can do this in person, over the phone, via email or text), you will have 24 options to experiment with to help you improve your performance.

I encourage you to listen, be curious, and then personally try the strategies that resonate with you.

Why reinvent the wheel? If something is proven to have worked for someone around productivity, life hacks, or finances, try it and find out for yourself if it can help you in your situation.

 

‘For 20 minutes in the morning, as a part of my daily routine, I read for professional development. Learning new skills, and developing capabilities and competencies enables me to get better at my consultancy’s critical tasks. Continuous professional development is the key to success.’

~ Jenny Reilly ~

I asked two successful business owners to share three strategies that they have used to help balance life’s demands.

Heather Piowar

Co-Founder — Our Research: Tools to make scholarly research more open, connected, and reusable

Sarah Hay

Founder — Sarah Hay Design: Interior Design and Home Staging Specialist

  • Productivity — On my to do list put my most difficult tasks #1. Getting it done first makes the rest of the day easier.
  • End of work day routine — Organize and prep for next day.
  • Balancing life’s demands — Take time each day to exercise, meditate and laugh. It’s a good day if I get all three in!

 

‘Throughout my many years of experience I have encountered leaders who have lost the drive that propels them forward personally and professionally.

Without it both companies and individuals become stagnant. My objective is to help individuals and companies develop strategies to sustain focus and high-performance over the long term and continue to grow.’

~ Jenny Reilly ~

 

If you are interested in learning about professional development or executive coaching can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

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Take A Break | Forest Bathing Vs. Beach Bathing

As an Australian living in Canada, at this time of year, when I am seeing my family and friends post pictures of being at the beach, I am very envious. Going to the beach was one of my favourite pastimes that I had to swap for going into the forest.

Forest Bathing Vs. Beach Bathing

Having a 90-pound bernadoodle that requires a great deal of exercise, my go-to, favourite thing to do is to go for long walks in the forest or along the waterfront.

As I put on multiple layers to go outside in Vancouver, Canada, these breaks in my routine help refresh and rejuvenate me.

Now you may have heard of the term ‘Forest Bathing,’ and if not, excuse me while I briefly explain.

This term was initially coined in Japan and called Shinrin-Yoku, a.k.a forest bathing. In stressful positions, we can forget how many hours daily we spend behind our screen, lose track of time and work through even when our energy, focus and productivity are waning.

A short walk outside, around the block, or if you are fortunate enough to live near a forest, a walk in the woods can be a great way to help you reenergize and motivate yourself.

When walking in the forest, especially when I am with my daughter and bernedoodle, we practice being mindful, meditative walking, or simply being aware of what we SEE, HEAR, SMELL or TOUCH. Turn off your cell phone, walk slowly, often stop and look around and engage your senses.

If you are not already, schedule time in your day to get outside and take a break.

The return on investment for your focus and productivity will be threefold.

 

Do you feel like there isn’t enough time in the day to take a break. Are you overwhelmed by all your priorities? Get in touch today to see how we can help.

If you are interested in learning about how professional development or executive coaching can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

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Stop the continuous ‘grind’!

Are you in continuous ‘grind’ mode –working long hours, not eating nor sleeping well, not taking breaks to refresh and relax, and feeling as though you are under continuous pressure?  Working like this does not increase your productivity or results; it often has the opposite effect. If you are on a continuous ‘grind’ on  the treadmill going uphill, you will inevitably burn out. 

 

We are now more than ever always connected and easily accessible. Instilling some boundaries to our personal and home time is essential as otherwise, the overlap becomes seamless, and little time is spent on self-care, relationships, and personal growth.

Are you in continuous grind mode? - Jenny Reilly Consulting - Executive Coaching

 

REFUEL

When you are more rested, you simply get more done. You have more energy, are more efficient, and can think and act clearly through a problem to resolution. Refuel with healthy food and try to have three meals per day, at least five hours apart. Reduce your sugar intake and try to eat clean. Combined with a healthy diet, exercise can help restore your body. 

PLAN

Enabling periods in your schedule to plan and think daily is worth your investment of time. At the end of the day, reflect on what was accomplished, record it, and prioritize your top three focus areas for the day ahead.

QUALITY

Through COVID, we relied more on social media than we have in the past to stay in contact. Unfortunately, it is also a great time suck, so challenge yourself daily to reduce your time on social media continually.  It is now time to spend quality time reconnecting in-person to develop your professional and personal relationships. These in-person relationships will inspire, reinvigorate, and motivate us to think bigger, be better, and be happier. 

 

We have all been victims of our own continuous ‘grind’ mode. We hear these great ideas that we know will benefit us; however, putting them into action can be the hardest part to implement. So, let’s consider the consequences of taking this advice, that extra hour you take to recharge you could pay it back to your business, client, or personal endeavour threefold because you’re more invigorated, less stressed, and more focused on the outcome. It’s a Win-Win!

 

Stop the continuous grind and ensure you get more rest. Reflect on your daily accomplishments and target priorities for the day ahead. Decrease your social media time and reconnect in person. Eat well and be active; this will help restore your mind and body.

 

We can help you with your professional development or provide tailored executive coaching that can help support your leadership or your leadership team, please reach out to askme@jennyreilly.com to schedule a convenient time for a complimentary strategy session.

Get your leadership strategies and tactics in my monthly newsletter, sign up here to subscribe.

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