With Steve Woodruff at This Year's SOBCon Pre-Party

One of the things I’ve been acutely attuned to recently is my inner “knowing,” particularly in regard to important changes in my life. Answers to life-altering questions appear that were there all along, but which I simply needed to be open to receiving.

I experienced the joy of this “knowing” a few weeks ago when I had dinner with a group of dear friends whom I had met through the SOBCon Conference. One of these friends was Steve Woodruff, the very first person I ever met at SOBCon and my Leadership Chat Co-Founder and Partner these past 20 months.

Steve and I sat next to each other, providing an opportunity for us to have a side conversation while the others were talking. We commented on how significantly our lives and careers had evolved since meeting each other only two years before, and the path down which our collaboration on Leadership Chat had taken us.

And then Steve said something along the lines of, “We both know that at some point between 8 minutes from now and 80 years from now Leadership Chat will come to an end.” Hearing those words made me genuinely sad because of all the wonderful moments Leadership Chat has brought us, but then I smiled knowingly at him and he said, “It’s time, isn’t it?”

And with that, we both knew what we already knew. It didn’t even take us 8 minutes.

Thus, this month is the last month Steve and I will host Leadership Chat. It was bittersweet to tell our dinner mates, but we all toasted to its success.

And then we turned our attention to something much more exciting and, quite frankly, inspiring – the anticipation found in open spaces. Because letting go of Leadership Chat means room for new opportunities to come into our lives. Steve and I have each found roles we’re truly passionate about in these last few years and we each wanted more room in our lives for these roles to expand and breathe.

It was critical for us to recognize this, acknowledge it, and then honor it. Being able to do so in person made it even more impactful.

The same is true for every leader who becomes overwhelmed with tasks and initiatives. Making space by purposefully letting go of initiatives or even businesses empowers:

1. Clarity. Of focus and direction.
2. An opportunity to renew and reenergize.
3. Space needed to be truly ready for new, business-enhancing opportunities to emerge.

What will you choose to purposefully let go of?

Please join Steve and me tomorrow night, May 15^th, when we’ll talk about Leadership Transitions during Leadership Chat at 8:00 pm Eastern Time. It promises to be a lively and thoughtful global conversation! Then mark your calendars and join us for the very last editions of Leadership Chat on May 22^nd and May 29^th. This month just won’t be the same without you! Please help us send Leadership Chat off with a bang!

~

The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership

Are you an introvert looking to use your introversion to your advantage in business & leadership or an extrovert interested in leading introverts more effectively? I wrote this eBook for you…

“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release, Featured on Huffington Post, and the inspiration behind my Harvard Business Review article!

BUY Now on Amazon for Kindle or Buy it at B&N for Nook! 

Click here to DOWNLOAD in PDF format. Thank you!

Being an introvert is truly an advantage in business and leadership if you know how to leverage it, and if you remain true to yourself.

When he plays his stunning cello, passion exudes from his entire energy field. You can’t help but be riveted while watching him.

And while the applause at the end of his performance of Dvorak’s Cello Concerto in B Minor was loud, the most thunderous applause came when he did something else: he ran around the stage giving bear hugs to the conductor and his fellow cellists, fervent hand shakes to the violinists and raising his fists in an ebullient manner, as in victory, to the woodwinds, horn section and percussionists.

Yes, the biggest applause of the evening came when he movingly thanked his entire team.

As a member of the audience I just couldn’t help but feel the emotion in his actions. It was almost indescribable, this sense of shared happiness for everyone’s success. This man who was clearly the star of the show knew with absolute clarity that his success was fully dependent on the masterful performance of everyone around him. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra played perfectly, empowering Yo-Yo Ma to shine. And he showed them his most genuine appreciation.

Which led me to wonder…

As leaders, do we thank our teams enough? It’s often the case that as the leader we become the one who receives the visibility and “spotlight.” But we don’t earn that spotlight without a strong team behind us. When we receive it, we owe it to our teams to:

1. Thank them, purposefully

2. Show some emotion: our sincere gratitude that reflects our own genuine sense of emotion

3. Share the spotlight and thank them publicly whenever possible

4. Remember to thank them when no one is watching

5. Do our own jobs to the best of our ability, seeking every opportunity for growth

Because our success as leaders is wholly related to the success of our teams. The more we provide them resources, empowerment, encouragement, and gratitude to fuel their success, the stronger we perform. It’s a win-win.

How are you thanking your team?

~

The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership

Are you an introvert looking to use your introversion to your advantage in business & leadership or an extrovert interested in leading introverts more effectively? I wrote this eBook for you…

“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release, Featured on Huffington Post, and the inspiration behind my Harvard Business Review article!

BUY Now on Amazon for Kindle or Buy it at B&N for Nook! 

Click here to DOWNLOAD in PDF format. Thank you!

Being an introvert is truly an advantage in business and leadership if you know how to leverage it, and if you remain true to yourself.

Photo of Yo-Yo Ma is by the World Economic Forum.

Enter the Tango. And the Rumba, Salsa, Hustle, Waltz and Fox Trot. Up until a few weeks ago my only exposure to them had been the Mario Lopez season of Dancing With the Stars. But, having spent the better part of my childhood and High School years dancing and performing on football fields and basketball courts, I decided it was time to bring dance back into my life.

I feel like my soul has begun to fly. Truly.

But you want to know the first thing I told my amazing instructor, Joel (who is half Puerto Rican and looks a bit like Mario Lopez)? “You have to teach me to be a great follower, because my inner self always wants to lead.” His response? “You asked for it.”

Hence, the 7 things the Tango, and Joel, have taught me about being a great follower:

1. You have to trust

Sometimes as leaders we take this for granted. We assume because of our titles or our experience or even our vision people will naturally follow us. But that’s not the case. They have to trust that we have their best interest at heart as we lead them down the path we’ve laid out. Just as I have to completely trust Joel not to dance me into a pole, a wall, or another dancer, our followers need to trust that we genuinely want them to be successful.

This goes back to my message on the power of authenticity. Trust comes when we honor who we are in every moment and allow our followers to see this.

2. You have to keep the leader in front of you at all times

This might seem obvious, but how often do we get so engrossed in what we’re doing and our own personal goals that we completely lose sight of the leader and where they’re headed? This is dangerous for followers and I guarantee you it happens relentlessly in corporate America.

The more I keep Joel squarely in front of me and look directly at him instead of at my feet, his feet, or in the mirror, the better I dance.

3. You need the right distance between you and the leader

This has probably been the most important lesson for me so far: the more I push away from Joel and keep the right distance, the easier it is for me to move and to follow him. Yes, ladies, it’s a bit counter-intuitive to push the man away from us, but as followers it speaks to our desire to have the space we need to do our jobs. Most successful executives I work with appreciate direction, but they want room to move in their own way. The right amount of distance ensures more empowerment by the leader to the follower, and a more successful outcome as a team. 

4. Energy is everything

If you want to be a great follower you have to have to match the energy and passion exuded by the leader in your own role. Have you ever tried to Salsa with someone who is half Puerto Rican? Enough said.

5. Listening is critical

Some leaders are great at telling you exactly what they need from you. Some are a bit more subtle. Sometimes that’s because they want to give you space and sometimes it’s simply because they don’t realize you need more direction. As the follower it’s your responsibility to make sure the leader understands when you need more direction and to listen closely to every cue they give.

Of course, I have the luxury of asking Joel to show me a dance step ten times if need be.  But once the music starts I’m learning to pay close attention, and I’m starting to understand how – and when - he is giving me cues as to where he is headed so I can follow.

6. Attitude sets you apart

Look at every successful leader in your organization and I can almost guarantee it is their attitude that sets them apart from their peers. The right attitude is the icing on the cake that entices the leader to want to work with you. When you “bring it” you set yourself up for success, even when you make missteps along the way.

In the Tango that attitude is, “I love to hate you!” with an air of disdain. I haven’t quite mastered this yet because I’m suppressing perpetual inner giggling.

7. Be open to the adventure

To be a brilliant follower you have to be open to the adventure upon which the leader is taking you, and you sometimes need to be willing to try new things. You may even need to get out of your comfort zone (yes, I’m talking to you, fellow introverts!). But if you’re not fully open, you won’t experience all the joys of the journey.

So, after just two lessons I’m hooked on following and exuberant about having dance back in my life. You won’t find me on Dancing With the Stars anytime soon, but if you’re watching any of my lessons you’ll find me smiling like crazy and as happy as can be about this exciting new adventure.

What do you think makes a great follower?

~

The Introvert's Guide to Success in Business and Leadership

Are you an introvert looking to use your introversion to your advantage in business & leadership or an extrovert interested in leading introverts more effectively? I wrote this eBook for you…

“The Introvert’s Guide to Success in Business and Leadership” eBook is NOW Available! Now an Amazon Best Seller & Hot New Release, Featured on Huffington Post, and the inspiration behind my Harvard Business Review article!

BUY Now on Amazon for Kindle or Buy it at B&N for Nook! 

Click here to DOWNLOAD in PDF format. Thank you!

Being an introvert is truly an advantage in business and leadership if you know how to leverage it, and if you remain true to yourself.

Photo of Tango! at Cafe Tortoni in Argentina by Armando Maynez.