Just Seven Things

Improving Capacity to see New Possibilities

I delivered the first part of the Madgex ideas and learnings session on the Behaviours of Leaders and Managers today.

I think it went well. I’d concentrated on researching and distilling down from a top down view the ‘best’ behaviours of managers and leaders. The bit that really ended up interesting me as I researched in more depth was quite a lot of the writing within the topic of ‘insight’ as a key leadership trait.

The obvious elements of insight obviously weren’t surprising: self awareness and an understanding of others are hugely important.

However, Andrew Leigh and Michael Maynard’s thinking and observations around ‘seeing or perceptions of situations’ in particular really struck a cord.

The importance of the leader being so capable of modelling the values, beliefs and views of others I had previously taken at face value. But the importance of that for communication and inspiration hadn’t really hit home.

Equally, a leader’s ability to shift their own values, beliefs and views (‘filters?’) to enable the modelling of alternate future realities was a connection I hadn’t really made previously.

Then to consider that they need to have the ability and skill to continually shift these filters to constantly ‘re-frame the situation until it makes sense to them and ultimately to others’ was one of those ‘of course’ moments where another piece of the jigsaw fit into place.

The use of the core pillars of NLP is clear in this. One of the next things I want to look at is how to use this ability to creatively plan for the future.