Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
Checking: Observation
Too may leaders lack self-awareness, he explains. They dont know whats in their blind spot. Its easy for everyone around them to see it, but its not so easy for them to see it themselves. The only way to do that is to ask the people around you. If youre a CEO, that may mean seeking out a member of your board of directors. Other executives may want to talk to a colleague, a mentor, or a spouse. Ask them, What am I not seeing about myself that would help me become a better leader? Peck says. It takes courage to ask that question, but it needs to be asked. Another option: Talk to your staff. I often tell clients to get out and talk to their employees, Peck adds. When was the last time most of us sat down and talked with everyone in our organization? Its so beneficial: You get input, gain insight, and youre not just sitting in your office reacting 24/7. That doesnt mean you have to sit down with each staffer individually, Peck explains; focus: ">Lessons in Vulnerability Engle has done all of the above and then some. A strong believer in peer reviews, 360s, 20/20swhatever you want to call them, the industry veteran says he has long set aside time to talk to the folks who work with me and for me to find out how Im doing. However, thats not always an easy thing to do, Engle admits. Its hard to ask those questions and then listen to what people have to say, he says, especially if youre like most leaders and, when asked to rate yourself on a scale between 1 and 10, you give yourself the highest possible score. Most of us have a rather inflated view of our abilities as leaders, Engle says. But you have to be ready for your peers and your employees to not rate you that highly. You have to be tough enough to put yourself out there, hear what people have to say about you, and then follow up with themto let them know you heard what they saidand plan on doing something with the information you got. Tiffany Tomasso is also a fan of leadership reviews. Tomasso joined McLean, Virginia-based Sunrise Senior Living 15 years ago and has served as COO since 2003. Sunrise works with Gallup to conduct annual employee and customer satisfaction surveys. As part of the employee survey, staff members are asked to evaluate their supervisors, who are then tasked with producing an impact plan. The end result is that we all learn how to become more effective leaders, Tomasso says. To
escape the process unscathed, she adds, leaders have to be open to not only soliciting the questions, but listening to the answers. That takes a leader with a certain level of confidence. You have to be confident enough in who you are and your leadership skills to solicit that kind of feedback and then make appropriate changes. Engle, who says he has learned a lot about himself through such reviews as well as conversations with coaches, colleagues, and even consultants, agrees: You have to be humble enough to put yourself through these kinds of exercisesto ask the tough questions and then listen to what people have to saybecause they can teach you a lot about yourself.
Solitary Solutions
Not all leadership lessons are learned through the assistance of others. Some lessons leaders must cull on their own from their experiences as the low person on the totem pole. Thats often been the case for Tiffany Tomasso, COO of Sunrise Senior Living, who has worked in long-term care for 23 years. I put myself through college by working at McDonalds, says Tomasso. I was a shift manager at 17, so Ive been managing people for a long time. She also learned a lot as an administratorin-training at the nursing home she joined just out of school. I came up through community operations and Im well aware of how we run a senior living community, Tomasso says. I spent a large part of my career working as a department head, an administrator-in-training, an assistant administrator, an administrator, and so onso when I moved into more senior roles, I understood everything that went on below me. I brought that first-hand, front-line knowledge with me as I moved up within the organization. Effective leaders stay close to the front lines, she adds. You cant be isolated. You have to be where the business is, so to speak.