
CPR: taking the stress out of practicing public speaking
Practicing a speech is intimidating. Not only do you have to know your stuff, but you also have to think about your structure, your gestures, and your audience. Here’s how to use...
by Michael D. Watkins Published January 12, 2022 in Brain Circuits • 2 min read
As the pandemic wears on, people’s nerves are becoming more frayed, with stress levels rising. It falls upon leaders to manage their teams’ energy and smooth the tensions of hybrid working even if things will return to a semblance of normality.
If you feel like your teams aren’t operating well, the first thing you need to do is examine your own leadership style. This is an uncomfortable exercise, but critical to changing an office dynamic that is unsatisfactory. I’ve sought the advice of some of the great coaches I know and received some excellent and actionable advice to help leaders connect with their people.
The exercise.
Take a moment and carefully consider the office dynamics (hybrid or otherwise) which you find concerning. Write down what you believe the problem to be.
Now ask yourself: are these issues coming from team leaders beneath you who want to change or are you the one setting the tone?
Do you feel like you are connecting with people on an authentic level?
Do you feel like you are able to mobilize people?
Do you feel like you are able to sustain the energy of your people?
If the answer to any of these questions is no, do not worry there are effective techniques you can use to change things. Sit down and think about the impact you would like to have on your people. Often, the most difficult part about improving work dynamics is for leaders to admit that they may need to change to help the situation. If you have crossed this bridge, then it is easy to find the right path to follow.
If you have leaders serving underneath you that are struggling to connect with their teams, have them try this exercise as well. Once they realize they may be having a negative impact on the organization, it is much easier to motivate them to change.
Further reading:
Five ways to help leaders who struggle to connect with their teams by Michael Watkins
Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change at IMD
Michael D Watkins is Professor of Leadership and Organizational Change at IMD, and author of The First 90 Days, Master Your Next Move, Predictable Surprises, and 12 other books on leadership and negotiation. His book, The Six Disciplines of Strategic Thinking, explores how executives can learn to think strategically and lead their organizations into the future. A Thinkers 50-ranked management influencer and recognized expert in his field, his work features in HBR Guides and HBR’s 10 Must Reads on leadership, teams, strategic initiatives, and new managers. Over the past 20 years, he has used his First 90 Days® methodology to help leaders make successful transitions, both in his teaching at IMD, INSEAD, and Harvard Business School, where he gained his PhD in decision sciences, as well as through his private consultancy practice Genesis Advisers. At IMD, he directs the First 90 Days open program for leaders taking on challenging new roles and co-directs the Transition to Business Leadership (TBL) executive program for future enterprise leaders, as well as the Program for Executive Development.
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