Leadership Between the Lines

My team and I have been both deep in the trenches with and also witness to many organizations going through big changes right now. There are several things, many very nuanced however VERY LOUD, to pay attention to in order to truly create organizational and cultural health NOW. In this video, I walk you through 5 of the ones that have us most excited to lean into right now.

If you are working with customers, hiring (and retaining) people, leading people, selling products or services, applying for a new job or promotion, enrolling people in an idea, or essentially wanting to influence anyone about anything — you are in "sales." (I don't think of it as "sales" — see video below — AND this is the quickest way to speak to this.)  

The thing about "sales" and "sales processes"— even the most excellent ones behind the most phenomenal services and products — is that our Intentions, Energy, and Presence (our "IEP") and how we show up in that conversation or process, will make or break our success in the "sale." 

Consider the last time you went to buy something, hire someone, or be led by someone— maybe the product you were considering was awesome, the potential hire looked great on paper, or the leader was masterful in their craft and even held a high-level role — but for some reason, it just didn't feel right. You didn't feel good with them. Something was off. 

It was likely their IEP — their Intentional Energetic Presence® and their Intentions, Energy, and Presence. Our IEP is like food coloring in water, it influences and "colors" everything we do, and it is present in every moment. It is the intangible quality that makes us want to follow people or run from them, trust them or feel super careful with them, buy from them or choose their competitor (who may not even have a better product). 

Why you maybe missing your mark in sales and leadership. (And why they won't tell you.)

Fresh off a keynote* last week where I talked about the IEP Method®, self-care as a leadership skill, and how our impact is dependent on our ability to lead our Intentions, Energy, and Presence, I received multiple questions from members of the audience. I love it when this happens. And I love it, even more, when I can answer the questions and share them here for more of our community to benefit from. 

Why is positive energy important? How do we create it? How does it impact our culture? For years we've worked with leaders and organizations on building healthier more positively contagious cultures and authentic positive energy leadership. Often when I speak about how to do this, people will ask for the "checklist" -- the checklist for building a healthy culture or leading better. ("Yes, yes, yes... I know positive energy is important, yes yes yes... give me the checklist.") We can give you a checklist, trust me, we have many -- however, it will ultimately only be as good as the honest inner work you do to truly create positive energy within yourself first. Creating healthy leadership and a healthy culture is an inside-job... 

Last month, Harvard Business Review published an article, "The Best Leaders Have a Contagious Positive Energy".  (Four of my favorite words in one title: leaders, contagious, positive, and energy!) The article speaks to some of the what and why of positive energy leadership. In the video below, I offer you a bit more about the (sustainable) authentic how as well as some things to watch out for as you build your leadership and culture. Enjoy!

My team and I get asked questions all the time about the quickest three things to do for this or that or all of the above. Building a healthy culture and an authentic Positive Energy Workplace™ takes awareness, honesty, intention, energy, presence, and action. It doesn't have to take a ton of time, however, you want to watch out for "doing" those quick three things just to the "check cultural health" box off your list.

If you are truly tending to your IEP (Intentions/ Energy/ Presence) and taking action from a place of awareness and service... you won't need a quick checklist, your culture will take care of itself. That said, if you do want some quick things to start paying extra attention to, I've shared some in the below video (timestamp below post).