Unnatural leadership skills

All leadership skills do not come naturally to all leaders. Some leaders struggle with executive presence, while some struggle with being decisive, and many struggle with being empathetic towards their team. There are always areas that need improvement. Real growth happens when leaders acknowledge and are willing to learn, even if it seems to go against one’s own grain. If the end of it seems ‘it is truly worth it’, then it is better to do it now than never do it.

Lesson on evaluation

Mahatma Gandhi was an ardent truth seeker in all daily aspects of life. One takeaway for me from his autobiography was how he evaluated his daily actions. His evaluation focused on integrity and not on infallibility. The discipline of evaluation develops the skill of better judgments and decision-making on bigger issues. Perhaps, Mahatma Gandhi intuitively knew what thought leaders like Thomas H. Davenport claimed that micro #decisions can create macro impact

Pygmalion effect on team members

Harvard professor Dr. Robert Rosenthal proposed the Pygmalion effect where he said teachers’ expectations can predict changes in students’ achievement and their behavior. Students come to understand the unsaid expectations from teachers through the level of engagement shown by teachers. High expectations students receive more warmth (climate), more knowledge (input), More opportunities to interact and seek clarification (response opportunities), and more praise along with detailed inputs on what needs to be corrected (quality feedback). The Pygmalion Effect has broader implications in any nurturing relationship. As a leader/ mentor, how are our expectations shaping our team’s/ mentee’s #development?