Leadership and Organizations
As a leader, achieve your best results by being aware in both the business dimension and the inter-personal dimension, and by helping team members feel valued and work optimally together.
Leadership
Leadership success requires not only understanding of the typical analytical methods that help make organizations successful, but also requires the individual in a leadership role to be self-aware, to understand communication with a wide variety of personality styles, and to have resources of inner well-being that allow both patience and assertiveness — and the wisdom to determine which one of those is needed in the moment!
For a leader to be capable of guiding a team toward optimal morale and performance while simultaneously feeling personal satisfaction, it is essential to understand oneself as well as to see the dynamics that are affecting team and organizational performance.
Here are examples of how I have worked with leaders (and future leaders) to experience a better life in both the personal and business sense:
- Helped an executive see their manager in a positive way rather than as an obstacle so as to be released for a desired new position. After they sat together and had a meeting of minds, the new position was made available to the client, who then made the transfer to the new position.
- A business owner reported some hostility from their direct reports, both explicit and subtle. After discussing better communication, and how to conduct meetings that welcome each person to contribute about their life, and hear and respond to others, the atmosphere improved dramatically.
- Helped two different entry-level young employees understand how to negotiate for better pay. This required seeing their own value, as well as realizing that asking for a pay increase, and knowing the competitive job landscape in order to support the request, was not a personal insult to management.
Organizations
I have described my work with organizations as organizational therapy. Leadership and well-functioning organizations are two sides of the same coin.
“Organizational therapy” conveys the addressing and healing of areas in an organization that are not working as well as they could or should. This can include helping individual executives and managers be more authentic and effective in their roles, and can also involve improving communication within and across departments and whole organizations.
Because of my background with psychotherapy, I know that the most enduring positive changes are based on enhancing the communication and trust between individuals and the people around them. The goal is not only to come up with improved procedures within the organization, although that can also be helpful and often results in better collaboration.
People in a work environment are relating to coworkers with whom they might not naturally choose to interact, due to their different ways of thinking and acting. Training in awareness and communication uncovers shared goals and most important, a human connection. As a result the gaps between colleagues, managers, and staff narrow and disappear. This leads to better morale, increased staff engagement, better use of organizational assets, and better outcomes for the organization.
The workplace can be an enjoyable and productive place when there is insight into and implementation of what inspires all people in the organization.
I have worked in the business world for large companies as a manager, and then ran my own successful consulting company providing service to organizations of all sizes for over 25 years. This included experience in contract negotiation, project planning, and collaborative implementation with each of the organizations’ staffs.
Here is an article, one of so many, that reflect simultaneous and authentic attention to both employee well-being and organizational success.
Talks and Workshops for staff, management teams, and executives:
- Speaking and Listening: Building a Better Workplace for Well-Being and Success: Find out how you and your team can experience the greater clarity, enthusiasm, and just plain enjoyment that results from excellent communication. Based on principles of Nonviolent Communication (NVC)
- Management for the Mindful: Understand and practice the mindful awareness for managers that allows just the right amount of intervention, or at times non-intervention, in the varied situations that arise in the workplace
- Mission Possible: Clarify the mission of your organization for managers and team members. A clarified and authentic mission means a more harmonized and motivated workplace, leading to greater retention, engagement, and effectiveness
- Power Wash Your Vision: As a leader, find out how to go deep into your awareness and let go of distracting thoughts, so your words and actions are clear and align with your vision. Simplifying perceptions and actions gives them more power, and increases the likelihood of accomplishing your goals
Contact David B. Alexander
Develop your insight and energy as a leader, and enhance communication and collaboration skills for your organization’s management and team members.