The Mindset of Effective Leaders

Working Resources is an Executive Coaching San Francisco Bay Area Firm Helping  Companies Assess, Select, Coach and Retain Emotionally Intelligent Leaders; Talent Management; Leadership Development; Competency Modeling; Succession Management; and Leadership & Team Building Retreats

 

Leadership consultants Liz Wiseman and Greg McKeown explore how leaders make their people better in Multipliers: How the Best Leaders Make Everyone Smarter (HarperBusiness, 2010). Wiseman and McKeown divide leaders into two camps, based on the results they achieve: multipliers or diminishers.

Leadership effectiveness can be judged on a continuum. Some leaders, for example, are unintentionally diminishing, but they can switch directions when armed with the right mindset and communication tools.

Leaders are likely to act on one of two extreme beliefs:

1. Diminishing leaders believe their people will never be able to figure things out without explanation from a leader who provides all the answers.
2. Multiplying leaders believe their people are smart and can come up with solutions on their own.

The following table outlines the differences in these leaders’ approaches:

Challenge	Diminisher’s Mindset	Multiplier’s Mindset
How would you manage talent?	I must closely supervise people if I want them to complete assigned tasks.	If I can identify people’s genius, I can watch them succeed on their own.
How would you motivate for outcomes?	Pressure increases performance.	People’s best ideas must be given, not taken.
How would you solve problems?	I need to have all the answers.	People get smarter by being challenged.
How would you run debates?	There are only a few people worth listening to.	With enough minds, we can figure it out.
How would you develop your people?	People will never be able to figure things out without me.	People are smart and will figure things out independently.

Leading like a multiplier requires more than mimicking the approaches described above. You must believe in your people’s capabilities and trust them to use their intelligence and creativity to develop their own solutions. Act as a guide instead of an expert to achieve buy-in and self-sufficiency.

Are you working in a company where executive coaches provide leadership development to grow emotionally intelligent leaders? Does your organization provide executive coaching for leaders who have a multiplier mindset? Enlightened leaders tap into their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills to create a more fulfilling future.

One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is “Am I multiplying or diminishing leader?” Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching as part of their transformational peak performance leadership development program.

Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you bring out the best in people. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company or law firm.

About Dr. Maynard Brusman

Dr. Maynard Brusman is a consulting psychologist, executive coach and trusted advisor to senior leadership teams. He is the president of Working Resources, a leadership consulting and executive coaching firm. We specialize in helping San Francisco Bay Area companies and law firms assess, select, coach, and retain emotionally intelligent leaders.  Maynard is a highly sought-after speaker and workshop leader. He facilitates leadership retreats in Northern California and Costa Rica. The Society for Advancement of Consulting (SAC) awarded Dr. Maynard Brusman "Board Approved" designations in the specialties of Executive Coaching and Leadership Development.

For more information, please go to http://www.workingresources.com, write to [email protected], or call 415-546-1252.

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Comments

[Junior@personalcapital]

The thing is, the people who are diminishing leaders have that mindset naturally. They are not interested in looking at life any other way.

They are usually the same ones who work with the whip because they feel that is the way to get the best out of people. Multiplying leaders are usually reward driven themselves, so they assume everyone else is reward driven too. They live by the 'catch more flies with honey than vinegar".

Both sets have their worldview affirmed by their life experiences. Sometimes they have their mindset questioned as well. Frankly, I think that we meet a mix of people in life. You cannot get everyone to grow. If you are that type of leader you have to pick the right team to invest in.

[Liissa]

What a pleasure to find someone who thinks trohguh the issues