Here are some of our favorite articles related to leadership or executive presence from October 2014:
Building competent organizations requires new thinking: This insightful blog from Harvard Business Review starts with a review of the current state of the corporate world–stagnant and locked in a cycle of inertia with a staggeringly low rate of employee engagement. It goes on to argue that creating a culture of corporate competence for the modern world requires that leaders question the foundational beliefs of their organizations and rebuild those foundations for the 21st century. Whether you agree or not with the author’s assessment, it’s worth a read.
Beware the myth of corporate spirituality: Mindfulness meditation and ‘getting present’ is becoming more and more accepted in the workplace as a focusing and engagement strategy. The dark side of this is the co-option of spiritual practice and the language of spirituality to justify unequal systems of power. There is no arguing with the effectiveness of meditation and other centering techniques, but this article urges us to remain aware of the potential risks in applying spiritual vocabulary to capitalist models.
Using this one word can motivate your team: Although we pay much lip service to the idea of teamwork, the reality is that most of our ‘team’ oriented work is done individually. This can lead to a sense of isolation. Simply using the word ‘together’ to create a sense of shared purpose and meaning can increase motivation. Click here for a longer version of this article.
Simple steps to improve your team’s soft skills: No one disputes the need for soft skills like communication, emotional intelligence and adaptability in the workplace. But what can you do as a manager to help team members who may be challenged with soft skills? Reading articles alone won’t help, but these six quick tips might.
Learning strategy from great military leaders: Running a business is very different from fighting a war. But some of the best business strategies can take a cue from war-time tactics. Check out this article for tips from every from Sun Tzu to Malcolm Gladwell.