Harvard Business Review publishes a “Management Tip of the Day” every weekday. At the end of the year they list their favourites. I am unsure of how they measure these “favourites” but the list for 2024 is as below – with our spin on them in italics:
- 8 Leadership Skills to Develop. Authenticity, Curiosity, Analytical thinking, Adaptability, Creativity, Comfort with ambiguity, Resilience, Empathy. No surprises here – all good stuff but these skills are regurgitated every year as work-ons for us all. Our view is let’s be clear on Mindset. For all of us as individuals, how do we get ourselves into the right “place” so our focus and attention allows us to get closer to our potential.
- The Traits you need to Build Executive Presence. Gravitas, strong Communication skills and the “right’ appearance (whatever that may mean!). Let’s be clear here, I have seen the most unlikely new Leaders develop into industry heroes. Why? Because they do the work, they turn up even in the most difficult situations, they listen more than they talk, they have an abiding curiosity and they constantly question their own ability. In other words, Humble achievers. That is what gives them Mana, along with the grey hairs (just a few) that have grown during the development stage.
- Create an Effective Slide Deck. This is about presentations – if you can’t present your ideas and views in a coherent, clear manner, slide deck or no slide deck, it will be a long road (but not impossible) to effective leadership.
- Sharpen your Writing Skills. An interesting one – primarily linked to the problem of not effectively communicating via email or a social post that is work-related. The consequences of confused, unintelligible and “offensive” emails are alarming – just read the legal settlements resulting from “bullying” and discrimination (of all types – race, religion, gender, etc etc) in the workplace and you will take significantly more care over your next email!
- Are you a Workaholic? Workaholism isn’t about the number of hours you work – it’s about your ability to disconnect from your job. How have you done over the break? Did you manage to disconnect? It can be difficult, but we have to practice it!
- Ask Smarter Strategic Questions. This has become an important leadership skill. Five types of questions – What’s Known? What If? Now What? So, What? What’s Unsaid? No argument from me here – the power of the Right Questions has always been important.
- 3 Common Leadership Styles and When to Use Them. Coercive, Authoritative and Pacesetting Leadership. I get a bit tired of the long list of Leadership Styles that are listed and discussed, often by academics that wouldn’t know anything about the practical aspects of the situations in which to use the list. I believe in Situational Leadership, and I also believe that if you have the right Leadership Mindset, for you specifically, Situational Leadership becomes automatic.
- 3 More Leadership Styles and When to use them. Ho hum!
- Overcoming Overthinking. Overthinking can take 3 forms – Rumination (chewing your cud!) overanalysing and future tripping (spending excessive energy planning for every possible scenario). Ok, fair enough. But one of the most important management tips? Don’t think so.
- Develop Your Active Listening Skills. This is old hat. We have gone way beyond the idea that if we nod a lot and make affirmative noises then we will listen better! Its way more complicated than that – those of you that have read Oscar Tromboli’s “Deep Listening” will have a much better understanding of what we need to do to listen better. And if you haven’t read it, do so! It’s a great, very brief, read.
I trust you are all readying yourself for 2025. Remember, reading about the odd Tip here and there won’t make any difference at all. But focusing on one or two that really strike a note with you, taking the small steps that are needed to make progress, being disciplined in ensuring you keep telling yourself that you will give up tomorrow, will make a difference.
Happy New Year
Cheers
Phil Pickford
