The Leadership Fix
My Theoretical Foundation
My work with leaders and organizations is based on the following principles that are well understood by psychologists and social scientists, through decades of experimental and applied research.
Businesses are organized groups of people creating value to serve other people.
All people need to feel connected and valued in order to feel psychologically safe. We evolved as social animals and care very much about our social standing in groups.
When people feel connected and valued (and safe) they are more engaged, committed, and creative.
Leaders are in a position - through their words, actions, and rules - to foster connection, value, safety, and stretch. Some do a better job than others.
Leaders can change their behavior to do this better because real change is possible, at any age, through habit building.
Mindfulness is crucial to building new habits because when we pay attention we can choose to move toward the changes that serve us.
New habits are built more easily if done in pursuit of a reward, rather than in avoidance of punishment. Making new behaviors enjoyable and fun makes change easier for us and for our people.
Coaching helps people make permanent behavior change by providing knowledge, structure, accountability, and inspiration.
The Program
First, leaders gain self-knowledge, deepen their ability to connect to others, and develop emotional intelligence and new habits of mind which increases their ability to be emotionally and behaviorally agile: the foundation of leadership excellence (and a thriving life).
The second half applies the newly-gained knowledge, skills, and abilities to their workplace. Leaders learn their role in creating and supporting culture and how to shape it to strengthen engagement, commitment, and creativity of employees and co-workers. Leaders develop new leadership habits that better serve them and pass-on the wisdom to their teams by developing a coaching habit of their own.