The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley

Have you ever felt like you wanted your team, colleagues or your own boss to like you so much, that it has impacted your leadership? If so, you're not alone. Some leaders would rather please the people around them than make the right decisions or take the right actions. In this episode, I'll take a look at some signs that you might be a bit of a people-pleaser and then look at some ways you can shift your mindset to take the right actions instead. Show Links: Leadership Confidence Online Course: Enrol here! More Confidence Resources: Leadership Confidence Resources. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/93/

Saying "No" is a critical leadership skill, and one that many leaders still struggle with. We all want to be seen as "team players" and good leaders, so it can be tempting to just say "Yes" to everything. In this episode, I talk about how to push back and say "No" to unreasonable requests and extra workload that would push you and your team over the edge! Show Links: Article: 5 Ways to Say No Without Getting Fired. Podcast Episode: Is All Your Hard Work Helping or Hurting? Online Course: Leadership Confidence Online Course. Online Course: Team Accountability Builder. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/92/.

Have you ever fallen into the trap where you think you know what your team members want? And perhaps you've made assumptions based on your own experience and preferences. In other words, you've assumed you know what your team members like, dislike or want to achieve in their careers, because you think they are just like you! This is a cognitive bias known as the "False Consensus" effect. Basically, this means in our head, we tell ourselves that other people are just like us. Unfortunately, this can have a negative impact on the way we lead our teams. In this episode, I cover some of the bad things that can happen when we fall prey to this effect - and of course some of the ways we can try to avoid it in our teams! -- Don't forget to try my new YouTube Channel for more great leadership resources - it's different than the podcast, so be sure to try it out! Show Links: Enrol in the Team Accountability Builder Online Course. Article: False Consensus: Is it Hurting Your Leadership? Article: Cognitive Biases explained. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast #72: How You Can Be a More Thoughtful Leader Today. Article: Risk & Reward: How to Provide Development Opportunities For Your Team. Thoughtful Leader YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCB_x0blCwpjKcPNc9CcjFRg/.

Ever felt like you're just not good enough for your leadership role? Do you feel like other leaders seem more calm and confident than you do? Well, you're not alone. In fact, I've felt all of these feelings and more during my leadership career. The problem with imposter syndrome in leadership roles is that it can make you step back and stop leading the way you should be. So in this episode, I'm going to cover some of the best ways that I've dealt with it over the years, so you can deal with it too. -- Wish your team took more ownership and accountability? Take My New Online Course! I've just opened the brand new Team Accountability Builder Online Course for pre-sale! That means you can enrol now for a heavily discounted price until the course opens in November 2020. The course will take you through the process of building (and then applying) your own Accountability Plan which is tailored for your team, so you can help your team members feel more invested in the success of the team! Click here to learn more and enrol now. -- Show Links: Article: Got a Case of Leadership Imposter Syndrome? Try This. Online Course: Leadership Confidence Online Course. Podcast #78: Want to Feel More In Control of Your Team? Try Letting Go.

Building team accountability is a great way to improve performance in a team. Team members that take accountability are more likely to put in extra effort, care and attention to making sure the work is done right. Without accountability, leaders often feel like they are going it alone. If you are the only one who really cares about the quality of the work in your team, it can feel like you're running around trying to fix everything by yourself. That's why we want to be doing things that increase accountability, instead of damage it. Sometimes as leaders, we do things that damage accountability in our teams, even without meaning to. In this episode, I go through some of the simple actions that leaders sometimes take that can ruin accountability in a team, so you can avoid them! Want to Build More Accountability In Your Team? Enrol for the Team Accountability Builder Online Course, where you'll create your own accountability plan to build ownership and commitment in your team! The online course is available for Pre-sale right now, so click the link below to claim your spot before the pre-sale closes! Click here to learn more and enrol today. -- Show Links: 4 Ways Leaders Damage Accountability in the Workplace. 5 Simple Ways to Improve Accountability in Your Team. Thoughtful Leader Podcast Episode 32: Why You Can't Hold Your Team Accountable. Show Notes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/89/

The way that leaders behave can have a dramatic impact on the way our team operates. Leadership behaviour can be contagious, so we need to make sure we're sending the right signals to our team members. Like it or not, we are role models for our team members, and they'll often behave the way they think we want them to, even if they don't really believe in it. In this episode, I look at the impact of negative leadership behaviour and how it can shape the attitudes and actions of our team members. Then we cover some more positive behaviours that are more likely to bring out positive aspects of team culture. -- If you like this episode, be sure to go to Apple Podcasts and leave a review - I really appreciate it and it helps other people find the podcast! You can leave a review at the link here: Apple Podcasts. -- Need Coaching to Help to Create a Positive Culture in Your Team or Organisation? Leadership coaching can be a great way to improve team performance, improve your leadership confidence and also achieve your leadership goals. If you want to find out more about my Leadership Coaching Services, you can find more information here: Leadership Coaching. -- Show Resources: Article: How Negative Leadership Behaviour Shapes Team Culture. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast: How Toxic Workplaces Happen (and what you can do about it). Article: The Unintended Consequences of Leading By Fear. Article: Following Orders When You Don't Believe In the Direction. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/88/.

If you've ever had trouble with behaviour issues in your team, you're not alone! In this episode, I take a look at some simple steps to take to diagnose and start to fix behaviour problems from team members. This can be quite tricky so there might be some trial and error, but if you follow the steps you should be able to make some progress! Don't forget to subscribe in your podcast app of choice and leave a review on Apple Podcasts if you like this episode! Team Accountability Pack: If you would like to improve accountability in your team, try the Team Accountability eBook Pack, with tools and techniques to help hold your team accountable and tackle the difficult conversations in your team. Click here to get it now. Show Resources: Article: 6 Steps to Deal With Behaviour Issues In Your Team. Podcast Episode: Thoughtful Leader's 5 Cs of Performance Management. Team Accountability Pack: Team Accountability eBook Pack. Situation-Behaviour-Impact Tool (SBI-BI)

With the rise of more inclusive and collaborative leadership, setting deadlines can be uncomfortable for many leaders. However, there are good reasons for deadlines and they really can help to improve performance. The trick is to make your deadlines meaningful, useful and real. This will help your people strive to achieve the target and feel motivated at the same time. In this episode, I look at some of the common problems we see with deadlines in the workplace (or lack of them), the benefits of setting good deadlines and milestones and of course, how you can do it for your team. The Eustress and Performance Curve Resource: Deadlines are just one part of motivating people. If you are struggling to motivate your team I know how you feel - I've been there! That's why I created the Motivating Your Team Audiobook, with tools and techniques to get the best out of your team members and create the right environment for motivation. Don't settle for a lazy, disinterested team… click here to listen to the audiobook today. Show Links: Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/86/. Article: How Setting Deadlines Will Improve Your Team. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast #30: Using Work Pressure to Improve Team Performance. Article: 3 Simple Reasons Your Team is Missing Deadlines and How to Fix It. Article: Eustress - https://www.healthline.com/health/eustress.

Ever felt like you're constantly dealing with people problems and team issues, rather than doing actual work? You're not alone. Dealing with people problems is a natural part of leadership. However, if it is consuming your working day so much that you can't actually focus on doing real work that moves your team or business forwards, then you have a problem. You're not alone. Dealing with people problems is a natural part of leadership. However, if it is consuming your working day so much that you can't actually focus on doing real work that moves your team or business forwards, then you have a problem. Frustrated By a Lack of Accountability In the Workplace or Your Team? Try my Team Accountability Pack. [sc name="resource-icon" ] I know what it's like to feel frustrated because your team won't take ownership. That's why I created the Team Accountability Pack, with two popular eBooks to help you improve accountability in your team and tackle the difficult discussions you might need to get there! Buy the Team Accountability Pack today and see the difference. -- Like this episode? Please leave a review! Simply go to Apple Podcasts to leave your review - it really helps to get the word out to other leaders so we can improve the quality of our workplaces. Click here to leave a review, I really appreciate it! -- Show Links: 5 Signs That You Aren't Really Solving Your Team Issues Seeing Performance Issues In Your Team? Try These Things. 6 Steps to Deal With Behaviour Issues In Your Team. Episode 58 - Why Leaders Should Do More Planning (and Why They Don't) Effective Ways Leaders Can Deal With Frustration in the Workplace.

Doing meaningful work is one of the greatest motivational factors that drives team member performance. When people feel as if they are taking on worthwhile tasks that matter, they're more likely to feel engaged and put in the effort. Unfortunately, there are many people who aren't doing meaningful work. There is a lot of wasted time and effort in our workplaces which can destroy motivation. In this episode, Ben looks at some ways that you can provide more meaningful work to your team, so they feel a sense of purpose and meaning when they come to work. Like this episode? Please leave a review! Simply go to Apple Podcasts to leave your review - it really helps to get the word out to other leaders so we can improve the quality of our workplaces. Click here to leave a review, I really appreciate it! Links: Article: Meaningful Work, the #1 Motivator (and How to Provide it in Your Team). Book: "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek. (Affiliate link) Article: Do You Have An Effective Team, or Are You Focused on Busywork? Article: Why the Best Leaders Are Wary of Stretch Goals.

As humans, we are constantly experiencing emotions and the workplace is no exception. Leaders often need to deal with deadlines, team problems and other situations, so it's inevitable to feel stressed, upset or anxious from time to time. Even positive emotions can get us in trouble in the wrong context. The most important part of dealing with emotions is making sure that we can respond to them in a productive way. In this episode, I cover some of the ways we experience emotions, some of the trouble they can cause and of course how you can work on ways to handle them more effectively. After all, leaders are role models so we need to be setting an example for the people around us! Do you like this episode? Please leave a review on Apple Podcasts - it helps other leaders find the podcast and create better workplaces. And of course, I really appreciate it! Click here to visit Apple Podcasts and leave a review! Show Links: Article: The Impact and Importance of Emotions in Leadership. Article: Theories of Emotions from Very Well Mind. Podcast Episode #73: Why We Need More Mindfulness In Leadership. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/83/

When I hear the words "Performance Management" these days I tend to cringe a little. Why? Because over the years, Performance Management seems to have become more about following arduous Human Resources (HR) processes and pushing people out of the organisation than actually improving performance. In this episode, I run through the 5Cs of Performance Management, to actually help you get better results in your team. Let's forget about the formal HR process for a moment and actually focus on good leadership and management to improve your team. The better you lead your team, the less likely it is that you'll run into the tricky and complicated people problems that many leaders need to deal with! Frustrated By Performance Issues In Your Team? Try my Team Accountability Pack. I know what it's like to feel frustrated by performance issues and team members that don't take ownership of their work. That's why I created the Team Accountability Pack, with two popular eBooks to help you improve accountability in your team and tackle the difficult discussions you might need to get there! Buy the Team Accountability Pack today and see the difference. -- Show Links: Article: The 5 Cs of Performance Management. Article: How a Self Fulfilling Prophecy Will Make or Break Your Team. Resource: Team Accountability Pack. Shownotes page:

Setting a direction is an extremely powerful action that leaders can take to reduce conflict, improve productivity and make sure everyone is on the same page. Setting a clear direction seems obvious, but I've seen many cases where conflicting priorities still unravel teams and cause dysfunction. In this episode, I look at some of the reasons why setting a direction is so important, how it will help your team and of course, how you can set a direction yourself. Get the Team Accountability Pack: I know what it's like to lead a disinterested team who aren't invested in the work... it's not pleasant! I created the Team Accountability Pack to address this common issue. It will help you to build accountability in your team and also tackle the difficult and uncomfortable conversations that you sometimes need to make it happen! Click here to get the Team Accountability Pack today! -- Like this episode? Head over to Apple Podcasts and leave a review! I'd really appreciate it and it helps get the word out to other Thoughtful Leaders out there! Click here to leave a review on Apple Podcasts. Links: Resource: The Team Accountability eBook Pack. Article: The Power of Setting a Direction For Your Team. Article: How to Use Work Pressure to Help Your Team Thrive. Podcast Episode: Thoughtful Leader Podcast Episode 48: The Perils of Passive Leadership.

Many organisations seem to be trying to do too much, with too little. The list of "critical" initiatives and projects seems to keep getting bigger. Committing to lots of priorities seems like a good idea. It looks good to say you'll complete 100 initiatives this year. The problem is that in reality, it looks more like you'll complete 20 of those initiatives. Often the pressure flows down hill. The senior leaders at the top set too many priorities, and then everyone else needs to deal with it. So in this episode, I look at some of your options when you and your team are faced with too many priorities that you won't be able to achieve. Do you feel overwhelmed and disorganised? Try my Online Course. I know what it's like to struggle with your workload and feel overwhelmed. That's why I created the Time Management for Leaders Online Course, to help you focus on what matters, feel more organised and get your important work done. The course is self-paced and contains tools and techniques to help you manage your workload, improve productivity and achieve the right outcomes for your team. Click here to learn more and enrol. Links: Online Course: Time Management For Leaders Online Course. Good Book: The 5 Dysfunctions of a Team. Podcast: Episode 57 - Employee Wellbeing: Is it Important Or Are We Just Ticking a Box? Article: Too Many Priorities: What to Do When You're Asked to Do It All. Article: Too Busy at Work? Try These 5 Things. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/80/

Self-serving leaders put themselves ahead of other people in their organisation, including their teams. Most of us have a tendency to believe that some leaders are selfish and out for themselves, while others aren't. I believe that our self-serving tendencies lie on a spectrum, it's not black or white. Yes, there will always be the political animals and the power players, but everyone else sits on this spectrum too. Sometimes, the environment we work in can bring out these harmful characteristics that make you put yourself first. In this episode, I look at some of the common signs of self-serving leadership and how you can avoid them when you lead your team. Thoughtful Leader Forum: Leadership can feel lonely, which is why I created the Thoughtful Leader forum for you to share your experiences and solve your challenges with other Thoughtful Leaders. Click here to sign up and start a conversation today. Links: Article: 3 Symptoms of the Self-Serving Leader. Do You Have Them? Article: Why Your Fear of Leaving Your Job Is Making You a Worse Leader.

Leadership can be stressful. Sometimes we feel like we want to have all the answers, when the reality is that our workplaces can be full of ambiguity and uncertainty. In an effort to gain control of their team and guide them in the right direction, some leaders will try to grip on tighter. They feel like if they don't, they'll lose control and everything will go wrong. Well... what if I told you that the opposite is true? That you should in fact force yourself to let go, stand back and let your team take on more of the accountability? In this episode I cover the importance of understanding what you can control and what you can't, as well as the key reasons why letting go will help you actually feel more in control of what is happening in your team. The Sphere of Control You can see the Sphere of Control shown below - use it to understand what to focus on... and what you're wasting time worrying about! Do you feel like you're overwhelmed and lacking the confidence to lead your team? Take the Leadership Confidence Online Course and lead your team the way you know you can! This self-paced course will help you build a more confident mindset to tackle your leadership challenges! Enrol now. Links: Article: How Letting Go Will Help You Take Control. Article: How to Get Comfortable Without Controlling Leadership. Podcast: Episode 21: Micromanagement and How to Stop It. Podcast: Episode 22: Self-Fulfilling Prophecy & Leadership. Online Course: The Leadership Confidence Online Course.

Most of us have been conditioned to believe that hard work is a good thing. Working long hours, being exhausted every day - it's all part of the general grind of work. While hard work was certainly needed in the "olden days", our working lives have changed. Instead of going down a mine or lifting heavy things, many of us spend a lot of time doing "knowledge work" which involves writing documents or analysing information. With this type of work, many of the benefits aren't so obvious. Many workers spend time in countless meetings and writing documents that nobody really needs. This means there is a tremendous opportunity to be working more effectively, instead of just putting in more and more hours. In this episode, I discuss how your intense work ethic could actually be hurting you, rather than helping you... and talk about some steps you can take to improve the situation. Online Course: Would you like to build a mindset that focused on doing good work, rather than just more work? Learn to focus on what matters and start to get rid of the rest with the Time Management for Leaders Online Course. It will have you leading more effectively, instead of just wasting your time. Click here to learn more and enrol today. Got something to say? Click here to head over to the Thoughtful Leader forum and share your experience with all the other Thoughtful Leaders out there! Links: Article: Is Being a Hard Worker Helping or Hurting You? Podcast: Why You Need to Work at 80%. Online Course: The Time Management for Leaders Online Course. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/77/

I've worked in many organisations where leaders are still running on the hamster wheel of work. These leaders treat themselves poorly, without taking breaks or doing anything else to support their wellbeing at work. There are a few problems here - perception is one of them. Some leaders think that if they are perceived as hard-working or never taking a break, people will think they are better leaders... wrong! When I see someone who can't take a break and keeps putting themselves second all the time, I see someone who has their priorities wrong and needs a wake-up call. Your health and wellbeing is important if you're going to lead other people, because you can't help anyone when you're stressed, run-down and not thinking straight. In this episode, I cover some of my top, very simple strategies to improve your workplace wellbeing so you can be there to support your team. Online Course: If you need to reduce stress and improve your effectiveness, enrol in the Time Management for Leaders Online Course, containing short video lessons with actionable strategies to improve your productivity. Don't just be busy... be effective! Links: Article: Essential Daily Habits to Maintain Your Workplace Wellbeing. Article: Why Good Mental Health is a Leader's Best Friend. Article: Psychology Today - How Work Breaks Help Your Brain. Article: How Work Breaks Improve Productivity. Online Course: Time Management for Leaders.

Many organisations spend an enormous amount of time focusing on small, trivial issues and working around problems instead of tackling them head on. Focusing on the small issues is a great way to procrastinate and make yourself feel like you're doing something. In this episode I talk about why this happens, how you can tell if it's happening to you and then, of course, some ways to help you change your mindset and give you the courage to address that elephant in the room. If you like this episode, make sure you take a few minutes to leave a review on Apple Podcasts here. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! And don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I could answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: Consumed by Trivial Issues? Let's Focus on the Real Problem. Article: Parkinson's Law of Triviality. Podcast: Thoughtful Leader Podcast Episode 31: Short Term Thinking = Bad Leadership.

Are you a leader who would love your team to be more proactive? I'm sure you're not alone! Having proactive team members is great because it reduces the "fire-fighting" reactive mentality that often builds up in our teams and workplaces. In this episode, I share some of my tips for cultivating a more proactive team, that you can try for yourself. They aren't rocket science, but you do need to be consistent to get results. Try them out and let me know what happens! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts here. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I might answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: 5 Ways to Encourage Team Members to Be More Proactive. Article: Everyone is stupid, except for my team! Audiobook: Check out the Motivating Your Team Audiobook. Show Notes Page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/74/

Stress is a common part of every workplace, and leaders experience it more than most. In one particularly stressful part of my leadership career, I started to notice myself getting more frustrated and upset at situations in my workplace. I decided that I wanted to make sure I was calm and composed and able to take on stressful work environments without flying off the handle. After receiving some advice from a senior colleague, I decided to give mindfulness exercises a try. Mindfulness takes a little practice, but it isn't difficult. It really helps you to become more aware of your thoughts and feelings and how you are responding to situations in your life. In this episode I share some tips on mindfulness that can help you remain calm and composed in your leadership role. After all, people are looking at us to provide a good example... we are role models, even if we don't really feel like it! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts here. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I could answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: Why We Need More Mindfulness in Leadership Today. Resource: Zen Habits.

Thoughtful leaders show empathy, are introspective, perceptive but they also push back when they need to. Contrary to popular belief, being a thoughtful leader is not all about being soft and fluffy when leading your team. Being a thoughtful leader doesn't mean you're a pushover or you don't stand up for yourself. Thoughtful leadership is all about intention. Thoughtful leaders (like you) think about how you are leading and the impact your leadership is having on the people around you. Listen to this episode for more ideas on how you can be a more thoughtful leader today - your team will thank you for it! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts here. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I could answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: 5 Ways to Be a More Thoughtful Leader Today. Show notes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/72/‎

Team Motivation is an ongoing challenge for many leaders, because work isn't the only thing many team members want to be doing. Some team members are very motivated and career-focused, but I've found this isn't necessarily the norm. That doesn't mean we give up on the other team members. Leaders have a responsibility to try to bring out the best in their teams, and we can do this by working with our people and understanding their goals and aspirations. You can see the simple Team Motivation Model below, with the five components Aspirations, Purpose, the Pathway, Hygiene Factors (or Environmental Conditions) and Team Harmony. See if you can use the model to prompt you with ways to improve the motivation in your team. Your team members will thank you for it! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts here. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I could answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: A Simple Model for Team Motivation. Audio Book: Motivating Your Team for Improved Performance. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/71/

If you feel like your team isn't operating as well as it could be, it might be that you aren't all pulling in the same direction. Confusion, frustration and conflict are often symptoms that people aren't on the same page. In other words, you need to get your team aligned so you're all speaking the same language. In this episode, I talk about some simple ways to make sure you and your team members are "singing from the same hymn sheet". In simple terms, we can do this by choosing a direction, setting clear expectations and then monitoring and correcting as we go. Listen to the episode to find out more! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to have your say on this episode, share your experience or post a question which I could answer on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: Meaningful Work, the #1 Motivator. Podcast Episode: Why Leaders Should Be Doing More Planning. Article: Conflict? Confusion? How Team Alignment Will Help You. eBooks: The Hold Your Team Accountable eBook.

When you're trying to implement a change in your team, it can be tempting to just push it through. After all, you're the boss, right? Unfortunately this is the attitude taken by many organisations who fail to plan changes adequately and consider the different aspects of change. However, taking a "It's my way or the highway" approach can lead to long-term damage to your team and organisation as resentment grows for the leadership team. In this episode I cover some of the questions to consider when trying to implement a change in your team, as well as introduce a simple framework that can help you structure your change efforts. Yes, change is constant and you will never please everyone, but leaders can and should be doing a lot better when it comes to leading change initiatives. If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to comment on this episode or share your experience or post a question which could be answered on an upcoming episode! Links: Article: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/change-leadership-my-way-or-the-highway/ ADKAR Framework: https://www.prosci.com/adkar/adkar-model Book: "Start With Why" by Simon Sinek - (Note: This is an affiliate link and I receive a small commission for any purchases through it).

In this episode, I answer some reader and listener questions that recently came through regarding how to manage a micromanaging boss and what happens when you fail to delegate. I'm sure these are applicable to many of you leaders out there so I thought this would be a good opportunity to give my guidance on these often trick situations! If you'd like to have the chance to have a question addressed in a future episode, simply sign up (for free) and post your query in the Thoughtful Leader forum! If you like this episode, I'd be ever so grateful if you could please leave a review on Apple Podcasts. It really helps other leaders find the podcast so we can help create better workplaces around the world. Thank you in advance! Links: Post your question on the Thoughtful Leader Forum: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ Related Episode: #46 - Bad Bosses and the Scientist Mindset. Shownotes: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/68/‎

Effective leadership is all about getting your important work done while being able to support and improve your team at the same time. I have seen so many examples of wasted effort in my career and I feel that a focus on greater effectiveness is the solution. It's not all about money - when people are working on things that don't matter or doing boring manual work that could be done more easily, it is demotivating and soul-destroying. We don't want that in our teams, so in this episode we focus on 3 pillars of effective leadership. See if you can apply them in your team! Online Course: If you want to be more effective, take the Thoughtful Leader Time Management for Leaders Online Course. It's open now so enrol today! And if you like this episode, please leave a review on Apple Podcasts - it really helps others find the podcast so we can help more leaders around the world! Thank you in advance! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ to comment on this episode or share your experiences, challenges and successes! Links: Article: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leadership-principles-effective-leaders/ Online Course: The Time Management for Leaders Online Course. Show notes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/67/

Leadership can be uncomfortable, especially when you're worried that your team might not be able to deliver what you need. Unfortunately, some leaders start to resort to controlling leadership, where they get deep into the detail of every aspect and start to want to know everything that's happening, all of the time. Leaders in this situation might not delegate, instead trying to keep hold of the key aspects of the work for themselves. This controlling approach doesn't lead to a very good outcome for our teams. So in this episode, I provide some steps to try help you feel more comfortable that you're in control, while also allowing your teams the space and autonomy to get their work done and stay motivated. If you're struggling with feelings of a lack of control, listen to this episode and hopefully it can help you! Don't forget to join the Thoughtful Leader Community forum at www.thoughtfulleader.com/community/ and share your experiences, troubles and successes! Links: Article: How to Get Comfortable Without Controlling Leadership. Podcast Episode: Thoughtful Leader Podcast Episode 53: Why Trusting Your People Is Your Best Strategy Podcast Episode: Episode 58: Why Leaders Should Do More Planning (and Why They Don't) Resource: The Motivating Your Team Audiobook. Resource: Hold Your Team Accountable eBook. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/66/

Working "In the Grey" is a term used to describe a situation where we don't have all the answers. We might be embarking on a project that we've never tried before or trying to solve a problem we're just not that familiar with. This is a fairly common situation as the business landscape is changing rapidly, with technology advances giving rise to new forms of competition and disruption. The recent pandemic is another good example of working in the grey as many organisations suddenly needed to find out how they were going to remain productive while working with a completely remote team. In my consulting career I had to do this often. When I started a new consulting project, if I'd never worked for the client before, I was unfamiliar with the organisation and their problem. But I couldn't take a long time to figure it out... I had to get cracking straight away! In this episode I cover lots of useful tips for working in the grey and succeeding. And once you've succeeded working with uncertainty a few times, you'll feel much more confident to lead your team through it again! Join the new Thoughtful Leader Community: I've recently created a new leadership forum for you (and other leaders like you) to engaged in discussions that will improve the way we lead our teams. Simply visit thoughtfulleader.com/community and sign up for your free account to start a conversation! Links: Article: How Leaders Can Survive and Thrive Working In the Grey. Community: Access the Thoughtful Leader Forum and start some discussion! Podcast Episode: Why Leaders Should Do More Planning. Article: The Adaptability Quotient. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/65/

It's easy for leaders and their teams to become consumed with the day to day work, never finding the time to take a breath. There also seems to be a desire to fill up our entire schedule with work, leaving no room for downtime or working on other activities that will help our teams improve. However, when our teams are working flat out for 100% of the day, they are more likely to experience burnout, have less variety in their work and find no time to spend developing their own skills and careers. That's why we need to work at 80% capacity. The rest of the time can be spent doing value adding work that will help our people and our teams improve! Online Course: For great ways to improve your effectiveness and productivity at work, take the Time Management for Leaders Online Course today! Invest the time now and you'll see big rewards later as you start to work more effectively. Enrol now! Links: Article: Is Your Team Overwhelmed at Work? Here's Why You Need to Work at 80%. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/64/

We are all busy and have constraints on our time, but that doesn't mean that we need to be a victim of our circumstances. I hear it often - "I don't have time". What we're really saying is "That's not important right now". I'm asking all the leaders out there to change the narrative. We need to start taking back control and being intentional about where our focus lies, instead of hiding behind the "lack of time". We will always make time for the important things, so let's find out what they are, and do them. No more excuses - let's just be open and honest about where our priorities are! Once we start to do this, we'll realise that some of the choices we make aren't great. After all, when we say "No", what are we saying "Yes" to instead? Links: Show Notes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/63/ Article: "I Don't Have Time" - Taking Back Control of Your Leadership. Article: Multi-tasking: Switching Costs - American Psychological Association (APA) - https://www.apa.org/research/action/multitask Article: Women and Men Are Equally Bad at Multitasking - Harvard Business Review - https://hbr.org/2018/09/research-women-and-men-are-equally-bad-at-multitasking Article: How Multitasking Affects Productivity & Brain Health - VeryWellMind - https://www.verywellmind.com/multitasking-2795003.

Often we dream of being "the boss" and having the authority to make any changes we like. The reality of our workplaces is much different. So much of leadership is about influencing and building rapport with your team and other managers, and formal authority really only gets you part of the way. Being the boss gets your team to listen to you, but they won't willingly follow your lead unless you build rapport, respect and credibility as well. In this episode I talk about formal authority and some of the problems it doesn't solve, and then give some ideas on how you can improve your leadership without relying on formal authority so much. Links: Article: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/formal-authority-leadership/. Article: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/how-to-influence-people/. Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/62/

The working world has been changing over recent years, with more flexible working arrangements and the ability to work remotely. Some online software businesses already operate with an entirely remote workforce and without a head office! With the rise of the Coronavirus pandemic this year, we're now seeing a shift to remote working at a rapid rate. So in this episode, I talk about some of my tips and factors to consider when leading remote teams, so that you can stay productive and keep people involved. Links: Article: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/leading-remote-staff/ Show notes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/61/.

As leaders we need to be reinforcing the right behaviours in our teams. We do this by praising or rewarding people for good behaviour and making sure there are consequences for bad behaviours. Likewise, we need to be doing this for performance, too. This means it is really important for us to be aware of what good performance is, and what it isn't. Too often people are rewarded for showing superficial high performance. So in this episode, I cover some of the signs that might show that your people are just trying to appear like they are strong performers... rather than actually demonstrating it through their work. Show Links: Shownotes page: https://www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/60/ Article: Are Your Team Members Faking High Performance? Watch for These 10 Signs.

Middle Managers sometimes have a pretty tough role. They need to ensure their teams are performing well, while also pleasing their senior management and carrying out their direction. This can be really hard if you disagree with the direction coming from the top, because you need to balance "following orders" with maintaining respect and credibility in front of your team. In this episode, I discuss this tricky situation and talk about some potential options for how to move forward and get a positive outcome... or make a change for the better! Go to the show notes page to sign up for regular updates here: www.thoughtfulleader.com/podcast/59/ Show Links: Article: Following Orders When You Don't Believe In the Direction. Article: What Is Cognitive Dissonance?

Planning is an often underrated skill. The reason many people don't care about planning is because when you spend time planning, you don't feel like you're doing anything. When you've got a big project to do, it feels like you should be getting on and delivering things, rather than wasting time planning. However, there is a reason why people say "Measure twice, cut once" and "Failing to plan is planning to fail". In this episode, we cover the key benefits of planning, and why leaders should be doing more of it! Show Links: Article: The Importance of Planning and Why Leaders Can't Ignore It. Article: 3 Simple Reasons Your Team is Missing Deadlines and How to Fix It. eBook: The Hold Your Team Accountable eBook.

It's clear that there has been an increase in employee wellbeing programs in our workplaces in recent years. This is a positive step, because a focus on mental health is definitely required, especially where we spend much of our time - at work! However, I've also noticed that these programs will be introduced without the necessarily changes in behaviour that need to go with them. Everything else stays the same - the stress, deadlines and micromanagement. In this episode I discuss what is required to actually make a difference in employee wellbeing, so that we make this more than just a "tick the box" exercise. Show Links: Article: Employee Wellbeing: A Hollow Promise or Do We Really Mean It? Research: Study from the Black Dog Institute. Research: Statistics from Mental Health First Aid.

I believe that Thoughtful Leaders (the ones who lead intentionally and think about the impact of their behaviour on their people) actually need to focus more on building confidence than other leaders. Why? Because Thoughtful Leaders like you have greater empathy for and awareness of the people around them, so they tend to notice the signs if things aren't quite right. And when your team is going through a tough time, highly empathic leaders can feel like turning back, when really they need to keep going. In this episode, I unpack this concept a bit more and give you some tips on how to build your confidence so you can be thoughtful and effective at the same time. Coaching Program: Improve your leadership confidence with my 6-week Leadership Confidence Coaching Program. The program is a combination of online material and individual coaching sessions which will help you tackle your individual challenges and be a better leader for your team. Learn more and enrol here! Show Links: Article: Why Building Confidence is Critical for Thoughtful Leaders. Coaching Program: Leadership Confidence Coaching Program.

In this episode, I talk about the importance of consequences in the workplace. Sounds scary? It isn't really. Consequences don't have to be all bad, and it's not always about firing people or yelling at them. Sometimes all you need is to show the people in your team that you care, and you're watching. Listen to find out more about how positive and negative consequences can push and pull your people to higher levels of performance. Audiobook: If you would like some help improving the performance of your team, be sure to check out my Motivating Your Team for Improved Performance Audiobook. It has plenty of tools, techniques and ideas to help you get the best out of your team. Try it today! Show Links: Resource: The Motivating Your Team Audiobook. Article: Why Leaders Must Drive Consequences in the Workplace.

In this episode, I look at some situations where leaders are actually hurting their teams... when they might actually think they are helping. Sometimes it can be a fine line between being a valuable leader who helps your team achieve better levels of performance, and just being overhead, actually causing greater problems for your team than you solve. Don't let this happen to you! Come and listen to some of the situations where I've seen leadership go bad, even with the best of intentions. Show Links: Article: Valuable Leadership: Are You Hurting or Helping Your Team? Article: Is Your Team Overwhelmed at Work? Here's Why You Need to Work at 80%.

Trust is a huge factor in improving engagement and motivation in your teams. Imagine, your team members feeling like you believe in them ... wouldn't that be nice? In this episode, I talk about why trusting your people is not only a nice thing to do, it also gets better results and builds better relationships with your team members. In other words, you can't afford not to be doing it! And below is the 2 x 2 trust matrix which shows the possible outcomes of choosing to trust and believe in your team... or not: Links: Article: Why Showing Trust In Your People Is the Best Strategy (and Why It Works). Simon Sinek Video: https://simonsinek.com/discover/how-do-you-build-trust/

I'm a big believer that effective time management and productivity is one of the foundations of good leadership. Leaders who manage their time poorly have less time for their teams and are not able to focus effectively, resorting to constant fire-fighting. A lot of good productivity comes down to mindset and what you will accept. In this episode, I look at 4 common symptoms which may indicate you have a productivity problem which is hurting your team. Online Course: If you feel as if you could benefit from managing your time more effectively, enrol in the Time Management for Leaders Online Course today. I've also added a coaching option which will help tackle your individual challenges too. Enrol here! Links: Online Course: Time Management For Leaders Online Course. eBook: Managing Upwards eBook. Atlassian Article: https://www.atlassian.com/time-wasting-at-work-infographic Article: 4 Signs That a Productivity Problem Might Be Hurting Your Leadership.

In this episode, I share 5 leadership lessons from my career, with the hope that you can use some of them to help you in 2020 (or any year really...). But the new year is always a good time to take stock, give ourselves a kick and do things differently! Leave a comment below about the lessons, or simply comment on my new podcast graphic or the new intro music! Links: eBook: Difficult Conversations eBook. Online Course: Time Management For Leaders Online Course. Article: 5 Leadership Lessons You Can Apply In Your Team.

Difficult conversations are unavoidable in leadership if you want to be effective. These conversations could be about performance, behaviour or many other subjects. Without being able to have these conversations, you'll be stuck with conflicts and unmanaged expectations. In this episode, I introduce 3 questions that can help you to spur yourself into action to tackle that hard conversation. Let's face it, you probably already know you should be having the conversation... you just need some help to get started with it! Links: Resource: Difficult Conversations eBook. Article: Avoiding a Difficult Conversation? Ask Yourself These 3 Questions.

When it comes to retaining people, all you need to do is to stop them from leaving, right? No, not really. If all you do is try to keep people from leaving, it's not that hard. But then you run the risk of leading a team of people who are unhappy and unmotivated... but not unhappy enough to leave. I call this the motivation dead zone - you can see the zones pictured below. In this episode, we look at how to get people out of the Quitting Zone, through the Motivation Dead Zone and into the Satisfaction Zone, through the use of Hygiene Factors and Positive Motivators. It's the last episode for the year too - I hope you have some time off to spend with loved ones and take a break! Resource: If you need some more ideas to motivate your team, Thoughtful Leader can help. Check out the Motivating Your Team Audiobook, for tools and techniques to get the best out of your team members. Links: Article: Employee Retention: More Than Just Stopping People Quitting. Resource: Motivating Your Team Audiobook.

Passive leadership happens when leaders fail to take action, and it can be a huge problem for teams and workplaces. In this episode, I look at some key examples of passive leadership as well as ways that you can start taking action to avoid them. Passive leaders will make their teams feel like their situation is hopeless, so don't let this happen in your team! Resource: If you feel like you could benefit from greater leadership confidence to start taking the action you know you should be, sign up for the Leadership Confidence Coaching Program from Thoughtful Leader. Links: Article: Is Passive Leadership Destroying Your Team's Motivation? Resource: Leadership Confidence Coaching Program.

Leading a confident team has several important benefits. In this episode, I talk about these benefits and some of the simple things you can do to help grow the confidence of your team members and put your team in a better place. If you feel like you could benefit from greater leadership confidence or you are leading other managers who could use a boost, be sure to sign up for the Leadership Confidence Coaching Program from Thoughtful Leader. Links: Article: Why Building Team Confidence Should Be a Leadership Priority. Resource: Leadership Confidence Coaching Program.

In this episode I talk about a question I received from someone asking advice about having an insecure boss. Many of us have bad bosses at one time or another, so it's an important question for both leaders and team members alike! I give my thoughts on what to do in this situation and how you can try to make a shift in your manager's behaviour by putting on your "scientist hat" and experimenting with different approaches. The original question was: "My manager is extremely insecure, and he has good reason to be. He is supervising people who are smarter than him and better than him at everything that falls within the scope of work we are performing. He compensates for his lack of legitimate leadership capabilities by exercising arbitrary authority over us regularly to remind us that he is in charge. What can unlucky subordinates do to improve their situation when they find themselves under the thumb of a hopelessly incompetent leader?" Links: Article: Are You an Insecure Leader? Watch for These 10 Signs. Resource: Leadership Confidence Coaching Program.

When I have been the most stressed in my career, it was because I felt like I wasn't supported by my manager. We want to avoid this happening in your team, so in this episode, I cover 6 good ways that you can support your team to stop them from feeling exposed. Listen now and see whether you can do more to support your team, or whether you're on the right track. And leave a comment below with the things you do to support your team! Links: Article: 6 Great Ways to Support Your Team. Resource: Leadership eBook Series.

Directive leadership is not as common as it used to be. In many work environments, you don't get very far if you run your team as a dictatorship. However, this leadership style still has a purpose and can be very effective when used in the right situation. In this episode, Ben talks about what Directive Leadership is and when you might need to use it to get the best results. Links: Article: Directive Leadership: 4 Situations When You Should Be Using It. Resource: Adaptive Leadership eBook.