Episode 21 - If Anybody is Self Aware, it's Me
Leadership Insight with Rising Sun
Release Date: 03/12/2021
Leadership Insight with Rising Sun
info_outline Episode 35 – Allow MeLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
When it comes to building a healthy culture, there is no greater or more impactful example of culture than that of leadership. Research continues to show that many of the world’s most profitable companies attribute a great deal of their success to their organizational culture. At the forefront of these organizations are leaders who actively, regularly, and genuinely display the type of behavior desired for all of its members. Some leaders equate their high visibility to constantly being put under the microscope. They describe the...
info_outline Episode 34 - I'm Sorry I AskedLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
Employee surveys can be a great source of information. They can provide an intimate perspective of certain facets of the organization which may go unseen or unexperienced by leadership. However, sometimes organizations are not prepared for the insight they receive. They may feel that certain initiatives or decisions should be met with affirmation and positive accolades, only to find out that part of the employee population feels differently. What do we do now? Some organizations view the insight as a humbling experience and use it...
info_outline Episode 33 - Crawl Before You WalkLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
John Maxwell said “A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others.” All too often, organizations are held hostage by their own people. What does that mean? We’re so glad you asked. Being held hostage by your people is a dynamic that explains leaders who do more to withhold knowledge and experience than to share it with others. When these leaders leave for new opportunities, the organization is left scrambling to recreate that knowledge or...
info_outline Episode 32 - The Bold and The AtypicalLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
We often hear that effective leadership requires bold decisions and behavior. However, servant leadership principles tend to illustrate a very different type of leader from what most people are accustomed to. While we don’t disagree with the premise that leaders need to be bold, we want to look at the term through a different lens in this episode. One definition illustrates the word “bold” as showing the ability to take risks; to be confident and courageous. Here, again, we wouldn’t disagree with that interpretation. However, it’s...
info_outline Episode 31 - Getting Around to Dealing with ConflictLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
Why are we still so afraid of conflict? Why do we assume the mere presence of conflict is always negative? When it comes to addressing conflict, there is an immediate assumption that the conversation/interaction will go poorly and possibly lead to something much worse. Years ago, we used to rate a successful marriage by how little a couple fought. It wasn’t uncommon to hear a story about a husband and wife who had been married for forty years and how they “never had a fight.” ...
info_outline Episode 30 - The Air You Can WearLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
Nothing describes a late summer day in Central Pennsylvania better than the three H’s…hazy, hot and humid. But what do the three H’s have to do with leadership? While you can’t necessarily see the humidity outside simply by looking through your office window, you most certainly feel its presence the second you venture outdoors. When we think of those of who have influenced us over time, most likely it’s not their physical appearance or blatant actions we recall. As Maya Angelou once opined “I've learned that people will forget what you said,...
info_outline Episode 29 - Talkin' 'Bout Your GenerationLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
Today’s workforce is one of the most diverse in history. Workers fall into one of five (yes five) different generations. While diversity and inclusion continue to garner a great deal of attention, organizations and leaders are struggling to address tension and conflict when it comes to many different people working together and interacting with one another. Perception is not always reality. We like to say that our perceptions may be our reality, but are they truly reality? One of the greatest...
info_outline Episode 28 - Finding the Big Impact in the Little ThingsLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
When is the last time you paused and gave thanks for the things in your life that you know to be true and good? There is growing research on the multitude of benefits associated with gratitude. From physical benefits such as the ability to lower stress and create better sleep habits, to psychological benefits like increased satisfaction and resilience; implementing a regular practice of gratitude can have a significant impact on our lives. Taking time each day to be grateful can actually play a role in how our brains are wired. A concept...
info_outline Episode 27 - High Expectations or High AdherenceLeadership Insight with Rising Sun
“We have found that by reaching for what appears to be the impossible, we often actually do the impossible; and even when we don’t quite make it, we inevitably wind up doing much better than we would have done.” -Jack Welch Oftentimes, leaders set high expectations for their organizations and their employees in order to maintain relevance and maximize potential. However, many leaders wind up expressing disappointment and frustration when those expectations aren’t met. Why do so many well-intentioned leaders have employees who consistently fall short of or fail to...
info_outlineHow well do leaders really know themselves? Many like to think they are excellent communicators or attentive listeners. Yet, the true numbers are usually much lower when leaders are pressed for additional insights and examples. So why the disconnect between those who think they are and those who actually are?
The answer lies in a leader’s ability to be accurately self-aware. Don’t gloss too quickly over the key word from that last sentence; accurately. Oftentimes, leaders mistakenly equate things like success and experience with proficiency in other areas such as listening. However, the people they lead can sometimes tell a much different story.
Successful leaders can struggle to identify with anything that may affect their performance, stifle their confidence, or pose a threat to future accolades. For these reasons, such leaders tend to in-accurately self-identify. Instead of displaying the humility to question their current level of effectiveness or to allow themselves to receive constructive criticism, they go through each day with a misguided air of sureness.
Effective leaders, though, are comfortable being vulnerable. Despite a possible wealth of knowledge and experience, they maintain a desire for continuous improvement. They seek out the opinions and feedback of others. More importantly, they accept that feedback graciously and use it as a foundation for growth and development. Additionally, effective leaders work to create new habits, set goals, and hold themselves accountable.
So, when effective leaders are asked about their ability to communicate well or to listen attentively, they are keenly aware that there is always room for improvement.