The Silent Voice: When the Team Goes Quiet

@smartworkscoworking

Have you ever experienced the feeling of your voice being marginalized and your ideas and expertise being persistently overlooked?

In my recent work coaching, I've witnessed this painful dynamic firsthand as I observed an exceptional employee, whom we'll call Emily, a Communication Director, ironically given her role, losing her voice amidst the power dynamics of a team led by a newly hired executive, Sarah.

Despite Emily's competence and dedication, Sarah's unconscious need to assert her value in the executive role inadvertently overshadowed Emily's contributions. Sarah's approach unwittingly silenced the diverse perspectives and innovative thinking that Emily brought. Instead of having her expertise elevated and her insights heard, Emily was sidelined and marginalized.

Emily's silencing had a devastating impact on the rest of the team. Their synergy and productivity plummeted as crucial ideas went unheard. Morale dwindled as frustration and disillusionment set in. Worst of all, the once-vibrant Emily began to withdraw, her confidence eroded by the persistent disregard for her talents. The air went out of the room.

When conversation slows, so begins the erosion of trust.

Have you ever found yourself in a similar situation, feeling powerless to find your voice and make it heard? What steps did you take to advocate for yourself and reclaim your rightful place at the table? Perhaps a mentor or ally stepped in to champion your cause and amplify your perspective.

As a leader, have you ever caught yourself monopolizing discussions or promoting your agenda at the expense of your team's voices? It's a common pitfall driven by a genuine but misguided desire to prove one's worth. However, the cost of this behavior can be severe - lost innovation, decreased morale, and the alienation of top talent.

Who in your life and work seems to have lost their voice when you're in the room?

This scenario underscores the critical importance of effective leadership in fostering a culture of collaboration, respect, and recognition. Leaders must recognize each team member's value and actively cultivate an environment where diverse perspectives are welcomed and honored. Failure to do so stifles progress and risks eroding team cohesion and losing irreplaceable talent.

Through targeted coaching and courageous feedback from her direct reports, Sarah raised her self-awareness and started recognizing Emily's silent voice. By fostering empathy and understanding, Sarah began actively engaging Emily's expertise - catalyzing a revitalization of team dynamics and renewed productivity.

Sarah's experience strongly reminds us that authentic leadership does not involve dominating the spotlight but elevating the brilliance of those around you. A leader must create an environment where every voice is heard, respected, and empowered to contribute. This is the only way to ensure teams thrive and achieve extraordinary results.

Take a moment to look at your experiences. When have you ever felt marginalized? Who's the person or people who advocated for you? Understanding how they made a difference and learning from their actions is crucial.

As a leader, it's your responsibility to amplify the voices of everyone on your team. Each team member has a unique perspective that can contribute to the team's success. Therefore, you must provide a platform to harness the collective genius of all. By doing so, you can ensure that your team achieves its goals and exceeds expectations.

Self-Leadership - You Can't Impart What You Don't Possess

You can impart what you don't possess. Many leaders are giving from an empty cup.

1. What is self-leadership?

2. What's your baseline for leading well?

3. How do you measure your leader development? 

If you want to increase productivity, engagement, performance, innovation, succession pipeline, and positive workplace culture, please keep reading... 

In 2012, I moved from running a business to coaching leaders. I was eager to serve leaders through coaching and consulting during my transition. Yet, I needed help! My father-in-law, a role model and mentor leader for me, spent countless hours over many meals and cups of coffee, downloading his wisdom, experience, and support. Today, I can stand on the shoulders of mentors and coaches like my father-in-law, who helped me so I could help others grow and develop to their potential. During one of those discussions, he gave me a copy of FYI published by Korn Ferry. It was my first formal introduction to leadership competencies. 

Today, I'm certified as a Korn Ferry consultant and utilize the 360 tools based on the leadership competencies in my coaching and cohorts. As a compliment to KF, in 2017, I began coaching leaders with the Center for Creative Leadership using Benchmark 360, which highlights competencies from the Compass guide. In 2023, I privately coached 50+ leaders using the Benchmark 360 through CCL programs. FMI's Peak Leader Model identifies eight leadership competencies in the construction industry: setting direction, aligning Resources, and motivating and inspiring. KF, CCL, and FMI utilize a framework to measure leadership growth. These are the tools for self-leadership. 

What is self-leadership? 

Self-leadership is the conscious, intentional process of guiding oneself toward achieving personal and professional goals through reflection, efficacy, self-awareness, competencies, disciplines, and the ability to act on priorities. It involves taking ownership of one's thoughts, emotions, and actions, fostering a deep understanding of oneself and one's capabilities, and cultivating the skills and mindset needed to navigate challenges and opportunities effectively. Self-leadership empowers individuals to set meaningful goals, make informed decisions, and take decisive actions aligned with their values and aspirations, ultimately leading to greater fulfillment and success in both personal and professional domains.

Why focus on self-leadership?

Leaders consistently encounter challenges; a prevalent one among them is experiencing a crisis of confidence. As leaders navigate various situations, they often find themselves stretched thin, prompting them to question their abilities with doubts like, "Can I truly do this?" At some point in the leadership journey, a leader will raise a hand to acknowledge, "I want to be a better leader." These awakening moments can be triggered by new promotions, increased responsibilities, several direct reports, or a crisis stretching your capacity. You know the feeling of being extended beyond your capacity. Like my story, your leadership will only improve if you get help, support, and training. 

Since the onset of COVID, I've had the opportunity to lead a variety of cohort models aimed at developing emerging managers, first-year directors, mentor leaders, and coaches. Each cohort consisted of 25 to 45 leaders for a 6-month engagement. The main goal of these cohorts is to foster connections to build a robust stakeholder network while also focusing on leader development through competency building and practical application.

In surveying each unique cohort, we discovered that the primary challenge for every leader, manager, mentor, and coach revolved around confidence in their new roles. Developing a cohort model to boost leaders' confidence in leading effectively requires a blend of art and science, drawing on experience and education while meeting busy leaders' needs and expectations. Self-leadership emerges as a crucial element for effective leadership, yet it is often neglected due to the demands of the day-to-day.

What's at stake if self-leadership is neglected?

Leaders may struggle with confidence in leadership due to a variety of psychological, experiential, and practical reasons:

1. Psychological Factors:

• Imposter Syndrome: Many leaders experience feelings of inadequacy or self-doubt despite evidence of their competence. Imposter syndrome can undermine confidence and lead to fear of being "found out" as a fraud.

• Perfectionism: Leaders may set unrealistically high standards for themselves, leading to anxiety and self-criticism when they inevitably fall short. Fear of making mistakes or being judged can erode confidence.

• Negative Self-Talk: Internalized negative beliefs and self-criticism can undermine a leader's confidence. Persistent thoughts of unworthiness or incompetence can create a self-fulfilling prophecy.

1. Experiential Factors:

• Past Failures: Previous setbacks or failures can linger in a leader's mind, casting doubt on their ability to succeed in future endeavors. Without proper reflection and resilience-building, these experiences can undermine confidence.

• Lack of Role Models: Leaders who lack strong role models or mentors may need help to develop a clear sense of leadership identity and competence. With guidance and support, they may feel confident in their abilities.

• Limited Feedback: Leaders who receive insufficient or unclear feedback may need help to gauge their performance accurately. Without validation or constructive criticism, they may doubt their effectiveness as leaders.

1. Practical Factors:

• Unclear Expectations: Ambiguity surrounding roles, responsibilities, or goals can leave leaders needing guidance on navigating their leadership roles effectively. Without clear direction, they may lack confidence in their decisions.

• Resource Constraints: Leaders operating in resource-constrained environments may feel overwhelmed or unsupported in leading effectively. Limited time, budget, or personnel can exacerbate feelings of inadequacy.

• Complexity and Uncertainty: Rapidly changing environments or complex challenges can create uncertainty and ambiguity for leaders. The pressure to navigate uncertainty while maintaining stability can undermine confidence in decision-making.

Addressing these factors requires a combination of self-awareness, support, and skill-building. Leaders can work on challenging negative beliefs, seek out mentors or coaches for guidance, and cultivate resilience through reflection and learning from setbacks. Clear communication, feedback mechanisms, and alignment of expectations can also mitigate practical challenges to confidence in leadership.

When a leader focuses on developing their self-leadership, their confidence can grow in several ways:

1. Clarity of Purpose: Developing self-leadership often involves reflecting on one's values, goals, and strengths. This clarity of purpose provides a solid foundation for decision-making and action, bolstering the leader's confidence in their direction.

2. Resilience: Self-leadership involves cultivating resilience in the face of challenges and setbacks. As leaders learn to navigate obstacles with determination and adaptability, they build confidence in overcoming adversity.

3. Self-Awareness: Leaders who invest in self-leadership develop a deeper understanding of their strengths, weaknesses, and areas for growth. This self-awareness enables them to leverage their strengths effectively and address any limitations with confidence and humility.

4. Authenticity: Embracing authenticity is a crucial aspect of self-leadership. When leaders align their actions with their values and principles, they exude authenticity, which fosters trust and confidence among their team members.

5. Empowerment: Self-leadership involves taking ownership of one's actions and decisions. As leaders empower themselves to take initiative and accountability, they build confidence in their ability to lead effectively and inspire others to do the same.

6. Continuous Learning: Leaders prioritizing self-leadership are committed to ongoing growth and development. By embracing a growth mindset and seeking opportunities for learning and improvement, they bolster their confidence in their capacity to adapt and evolve as leaders.

Focusing on developing self-leadership fosters a sense of inner strength, clarity, and authenticity, cultivating confidence in one's leadership abilities.

What happens when self-leadership scales from the leader to the organization? 

When leaders and teams are committed to professional development and demonstrate self-leadership, the impact on the organization can be profound:

1. Increased Productivity: Leaders and teams prioritizing professional development tend to be more skilled and knowledgeable. They are better equipped to handle challenges, innovate, and adapt to changing circumstances, leading to increased organizational productivity and efficiency.

2. Enhanced Employee Engagement: Investing in professional development shows employees that their organization values their growth and success. This fosters a sense of loyalty and commitment among team members, leading to higher engagement and morale. Employees are more likely to be motivated and enthusiastic about their work when they see opportunities for growth and advancement.

3. Improved Performance and Innovation: When leaders and teams demonstrate self-leadership, they take ownership of their work and are more likely to push themselves to excel. This results in higher-quality outputs, greater creativity, and a continuous improvement and innovation culture. Organizations encouraging self-leadership are better positioned to stay competitive and thrive in their respective industries.

4. Stronger Leadership Pipeline: By investing in professional development at all levels of the organization, leaders can identify and nurture talent from within. This helps build a strong leadership pipeline for the future, ensuring that the organization has the right people to drive success and growth over the long term.

5. Positive Organizational Culture: Focusing on professional development and self-leadership fosters a positive organizational culture characterized by trust, collaboration, and mutual respect. Employees feel supported in their growth journey, leading to stronger relationships, effective teamwork, and a sense of belonging within the organization.

When leaders and teams are committed to professional development and demonstrate self-leadership, the organization benefits from improved performance, increased innovation, and a culture of engagement and excellence; this ultimately contributes to long-term success and sustainability.

What's the next step? 

“Self-leadership begins with self-reflection. ”

During our session, one senior director declared, " I need some soul-searching before strategically casting a vision for my teams. If I don't, I create confusion from my lack of clarity, leading to further chaos. I'll pay for it later if I don't take the time for myself now." 

Take the next step: schedule time to respond to these self-leadership questions. Then, after you write down your thoughts, consider who can support you in acting on your insights.  

Where am I currently in my leadership journey?

• Reflect on your current skills, strengths, and areas for improvement to understand your starting point.

What specific leadership competencies do I need to develop?

• Identify key areas that require enhancement, such as communication, decision-making, or emotional intelligence.

How can I acquire the necessary knowledge and skills?

• Explore resources like books, courses, workshops, or mentorship programs tailored to your development needs.

What actionable steps can I take to implement what I learn?

• Create a plan with specific, measurable goals and timelines to apply new insights and techniques in your daily leadership practice.

How will I hold myself accountable for my growth?

• Establish accountability measures such as regular self-assessment, seeking feedback, or partnering with a mentor/coach to track progress and stay motivated.

Finally, if you're standing on someone's shoulders who helped you get where you are today, take a moment and give a note of thanks as a reminder we don't get where we are alone. Then, consider who you can help encourage in their leadership; you never know the impact you can make by investing a few minutes into helping someone today. 

I welcome your feedback on how these articles have been helpful for your leadership. Also, if you need support for your leadership growth, team development, or a cohort program for your organization, feel free to reach out at russell@leadersadvance.net