March 2017 – Melissa Williams-Gurian

29Mar 2017 by melissa No Comments

Should Leaders Serve Others?

Article

Many people imagine a leader as a kind of commander going into battle: he or she is facing forward in front, while others surge along behind. Yet I have watched many leaders use this forward march style, only to have their “soldiers” trail behind reluctantly, or not at all. Often, the issue seems to be that the leader in front has never taken the time to earn that leadership. There are many ways a leader can attract a loyal, enthusiastic crew, and one way that offers great impact is to work on becoming a leader who serves others. Leaders with a service mentality must be willing to sometimes lead from the back while encouraging others forward. It’s a tough shift for some, but the payoff can be extraordinary. It is…

The Emotionally Intelligent Team

Article

One team seems to be struggling, even though the group holds some of the company’s top employees. Another team is highly productive, driving innovation, and doing it in relative harmony. Why is one team effective while another falters? The answer seems to center on the level of a group’s emotional intelligence. That intelligence is made up of the ability of each individual in the group to understand and manage their own emotions, as well as the emotions of the group. Individuals with high emotional intelligence will have self-awareness, that is, an ability to identify their own thoughts, feelings, wants and observations. They will also have an awareness of others, which is usually expressed as an ability to listen, show empathy, and feel and express curiosity about others. The team becomes…

How are you ‘being’ as a leader?

Article

I recently brought two peers together for a coaching wrap-up session. They shared highlights of their coaching, including learnings and insights, and talked about what they have lately been choosing to do differently in their organizations and with their teams. I noticed that when we got to the question, “Who are you being now, and what is different about it?” we seemed to arrive at the heart of the leadership success these two have reached over the last four months. “I’m being present with my people—I’m more open, and a better listener,” one leader shared. “I’m being more transparent, and sharing my inner thoughts more openly,” said the other. Ultimately, it turned out, shifting their “being” was not only central to each leader’s personal development, but also critical to their…