A colleague of mine, I’ll call him Aaron, is a professional dancer who has worked in a international professional dance company for five years. He and I got to talking about his work and the leadership tangles that have presented themselves. As we spoke, I realized that therewere some lessons to be learned for all leaders. Here is the first excerpt of an interview I conducted over a period of several weeks.
Leadership Skills:One on one coaching tips from a professional dancer
Topics:
leadership
communication
decision making
listening
assessment
performance feedback
team effectiveness
language
collaboration
empathy
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When Leaders have Each Other’s Backs, Teams Have Less Tangles
Jake Pavelka,
the Bachelor (yes, I secretly watch the show—I am a romantic at heart) said that he wanted to find a mate who “had his back.” I have facilitated dozens of team effectiveness offsites and invariably participants will claim that they either want to know their teammates have their backs, or recall that their highest performing teams were those with members who “had their backs.” I am not sure when or how the term entered the lexicon. I know that it is permeating the language now and particularly in team settings.
Topics:
Trust
collaboration
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You Can’t Hurry Trust . . . You Just Have to Wait
There is an old song first sung by the
Supremes, and later by
Phil Collins and others, called “You Can’t Hurry Love.” The lyrics often run through my mind when I am working with leadership teams. Only the problem isn’t love. It is trust. You really can't hurry trust. As an organizational consultant and executive coach, I have often been hired to help teams who are struggling to perform optimally. More often than not, I find that there is a fundamental trust issue within the team.
Leaders: Avatar, Differences, and Organizational TanglesTM
There’s a buzz in the air about the movie
Avatar. My husband and I trekked over to our local IMAX theater (
www.imax.com) this past weekend and were not disappointed. The movie truly sets a new standard for moviemakers and moviegoers alike. I was transported to Pandora, a totally different world, light years away. My senses were delighted with lush landscapes, new animal species, and an indigenous population of 9 to 12 foot tall blue inhabitants, called the
Na’Vi. With the 3-D glasses, I truly felt like I could touch and feel the distant future, 2154.
Invest in Developing Leaders Who Must Lead in Turbulent Times
This morning, I was browsing the Wall Street Journal online, looking for some good news. I came upon two articles byDana Mattioli. Her first article, "Despite Cutbacks, Firms Invest in Developing Leaders," brought a smile to my face. Apparently, many firms realize that they need to continue developing their leaders if they are to thrive during these turbulent times.
What Leaders Can Learn from Twitter, Facebook, and #Iran Election?
For the past ten days, I have been glued to the media and social networking sites, especially
Twitter. I am not alone. I have been awed by the level of interest, caring, and actions taken by so many after the June 12 election. As I sat in my office, watching my computer screen, I felt empowered to take a small step, to lend my voice of support to a situation unfolding half-way around the globe. I followed
#Iran election, with thousands joining the conversation every millisecond. I
retweeted (RT) messages that provided helpful information, and posted my own thoughts. I watched as
Facebook friends joined in the discussion and became a fan of sites allegedly providing credible information. I didn’t know if I was making any difference at all, but felt I was a part of something historical, important, and much bigger than me.
What Yoga Teachers Can Teach Leaders About Untangling
I just returned from what is now an annual week long sojourn to the
Ixtapan de la Sal Spa in
Ixtapan de la Sal, Mexico. Located two hours south of Mexico City, in an idyllic village, it is easy to unwind, reflect, and relax. The spa itself is reasonably priced and clean, with friendly staff. Visitors enjoy pampering and veritable feast of classes. Every day, I attended a yoga class with Maria. Maria has a soothing voice, with a German accent, and guides students through a series of stretches and exercises that calm the mind and body.
