Traps for Supportive Leaders
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Release Date: 10/13/2019
#339: Ideas for leading more experienced people.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
At some point in your leadership career, you may find yourself leading someone who has significantly more experience than you. They may be older than you, have spent decades in your industry or possess technical knowledge that you don't have. This can feel intimidating, especially when you believe that being the leader means you should have all the answers. However, leadership isn't necessarily about being the most experienced person in the room. In this episode, I share practical ideas for leading experienced people, benefiting from their expertise and maintaining your own leadership...
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#338: How cultural backgrounds could be impacting your team.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Leading people from different cultural backgrounds can be incredibly rewarding, but it also brings unique challenges. People's expectations about leadership, communication, teamwork and decision making are often influenced by the cultures they've grown up in. In this episode, I explore Geert Hofstede's well-known cultural dimensions framework and discuss how leaders can use it as a guide to better understand their teams, while avoiding the trap of stereotyping individuals. In this episode, you'll learn: Why culture can influence how people behave at work The six cultural dimensions...
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#337: The potential pitfalls of having formal authority.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Leadership roles come with formal authority. You can make decisions, approve work, manage performance and influence the direction of your team. But formal authority has a hidden downside. The more authority you have, the less likely people may be to challenge your ideas, raise concerns or give you honest feedback. Even approachable leaders can unknowingly create barriers that stop valuable conversations from happening. In this episode, I explore some of the unintended consequences of formal authority and share practical ways to encourage greater participation and more open discussion. In...
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#336: Is a work team really similar to a professional sporting team?
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Professional sport is one of leadership's favourite sources of inspiration. Books about championship teams, legendary coaches and elite athletes are everywhere. But how much of that advice actually applies to your workplace? In this episode, I explore why professional sporting teams and work teams are fundamentally different. While there are useful lessons about culture and teamwork, many leadership approaches taken from elite sport overlook the realities of leading people in organisations. Understanding these differences can help you become a more effective and realistic leader. In this...
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#335: Don't bring an "Engineering mindset" to your team.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Many leaders approach people problems as if there must be a perfect technical solution. In this episode, Ben explains why leadership is rarely that simple and why a scientist's mindset of testing, learning and adapting is often more effective than trying to engineer the perfect answer. Key Takeaways People problems don't have perfect equations or technical solutions. Leadership requires experimentation, observation and learning. Creating better conditions for people is more useful than trying to fix them. Quote "We don't need to fix people, we need to create conditions where they're...
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#334: "Don't bring me problems, bring me solutions."
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
The phrase "don't bring me problems, bring me solutions" is common leadership advice. In this episode, Ben explains why this slogan can create barriers between leaders and their teams, reduce coaching opportunities and discourage people from raising important issues. Key Takeaways People may stop raising issues if they don't already have a solution. Leaders miss opportunities to coach and develop capability. Team members often lack the broader context needed to create the best solution. Quote "Working with your people to develop the solutions is actually a way better way to improve...
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#333: That wouldn't work in my team - or would it?
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Many leaders quickly dismiss leadership ideas by saying they won't work in their team or industry. In this episode, Ben explores why this reaction happens, what may be sitting underneath it, and how leaders can become more intentional about evaluating new approaches. Key Takeaways Dismissing ideas quickly may be a way of avoiding discomfort. Deeply held beliefs can prevent leaders from adopting useful approaches. Leadership models often need adaptation rather than outright rejection. Quote "Maybe the real answer is I'm not comfortable or confident in trying to do that in my team." ...
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#332: 5 things you'll need to deal with that difficult person.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Difficult people are a reality of leadership. Whether it's a resistant team member, a challenging stakeholder or someone with a strong personality, there is rarely a simple solution. In this episode, Ben shares five essential ingredients leaders need to navigate these situations more effectively. Key Takeaways Patience is required because difficult behaviours often develop over time. Commitment helps you stay consistent when progress feels like it isn't happening. Empathy allows you to understand concerns, stay composed and respond more effectively. Quote "Empathy just means making...
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#331: Are you walking on eggshells in your team?
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Do you feel like you’re walking on eggshells with members of your team? In this episode, Ben explores why thoughtful leaders can become overly cautious in their leadership: avoiding difficult conversations, hesitating to hold people accountable and worrying about upsetting team members. Ben explains how this behaviour can slowly damage team culture, create inconsistency and place additional pressure on high-performing employees. This episode also looks at why leaders become vulnerable to this pattern, including fear of losing key employees, difficult workplace processes and...
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#330: Maintaining personality and values balance in a team.
The Thoughtful Leader Podcast with Ben Brearley
Is there a “perfect” balance of personalities and values in a team? In this episode, Ben explores the idea of diversity through the lens of personality and personal values. Inspired by a question raised during an authentic leadership workshop in Perth, he discusses why teams benefit from differing perspectives, but also why too much misalignment can create friction and dysfunction. Ben also explains the role organisational values can play in shaping culture and helping leaders create stronger alignment within their teams. Key Takeaways Diverse perspectives can improve problem solving...
info_outlineSupportive leaders are great - but problems can occur when leaders step over the line from being supportive leaders to protective leaders.
In this episode, Ben talks about some of the traps that supportive leaders can fall into and some ways to avoid them in your team.
Links:
- Online Course: Time Management For Leaders Online Course.
- Article: 3 Traps Supportive Leaders Must Avoid.
- Article: 10 Simple & Effective Tips For Giving Feedback.