Conscious Leadership Scenario:
Are we only concerned about a leader’s character when it affects us financially? The current parade of scandals and setbacks that we are currently facing might suggest that we are. We might like to think that personality will carry the leader even when their character is questionable. In the end, it catches up with us and ultimately degrades our standing amongst our direct reports, board, and rolls like a tsunami into our personal lives.
Leadership Fail:
You have come to the end of the 3rd Quarter and your “Big Room Planning” for Q4 suggest your team is tired but has hit all the goals and markers set in front of them this year. Your team has sacrificed vacation time with their family. They are working long hours to ensure the companies success. Your board and shareholders are suggesting/pushing you into ethical conflicts to ensure an increased market share by the end of Q4. Your ego starts to take over. These ethical conflicts are only temporary. If you hit these new goals your stock goes way up, and you reap huge financial rewards. The sacrifice is small and I only have to bend my ethics just this one time. Right?
Negative Affect on Culture and Organizational Performance:
When we veer away from our ethics and character as leaders, we start to blur the lines that make us exceptional leaders. We start to push beyond our integrity which ultimately diminishes our value with our team, board, and shareholders. The following ensues…
1) Morale is low across the company.
2) Retention of high performers is impossible.
3) Revenue and growth are stagnant and start to sink.
4) Stakeholders and shareholders lose confidence.
5) Your team gives up on goals and milestone markers and are only working FOR you not WITH you.
Conscious Leadership Solution:
“When I dare to be powerful-to use my strength in the service of my vision and serve others, then it becomes less and less important whether I am afraid”
There is nothing wrong with being afraid to make the heartfelt and vulnerable decisions that got you where you are today. Maintaining your character and integrity is mission-critical.
Refocus and get back to your center. Your character and integrity is the center of this focus. This is what made you a transformational thought leader.
So, at Thomas & Taylor Partners, we are here to help. For us, our purpose is leadership for a better world, and we are here to help you in showing up as the leader you need to be. We are here to support you globally. We are on this journey together. This is an invitation, an invitation to join us in creating a collaborative movement: the movement that is leadership for a better world.
Live2Lead
Travis