Do you have what it takes to be an enterprise leader?

Last week I had a meeting with a Group HR director, of a multinational organisation.

I ask the director what was top of mind in his work.

He said that what he talks about most during the present time, was ‘helping his people – who were competent ‘leaders of a function’ (ie. a function within the organisation) – move to being able to be a competent ‘leader of an enterprise’.

The director said, a leader of an enterprise – in effect a C level function –

needed to bring people together and communicate ideas seamlessly,

to different audiences.

One word he used, which he said ‘leaders of functions’ needed to develop – and which comes up a lot and can be hard to define – was gravitas.  I’ve written about gravitas in prior posts.

Continue reading

My simple process to AVOID being INTERRUPTED

A number of my mid-level, executive clients are frustrated when delivering important presentations to their Leadership Team or Board.

They’re frustrated because soon after they start speaking, a member of the Leadership team or Board often interrupts them.

This interruption interferes with their speaking flow, and then a free flowing discussion between the leaders in the room occurs, leaving the presenter stranded and often resulting in deferring a decision on the matter at hand to a later time.

Innumerable hours of time are lost, due to these interruptions.

and it can take months before a final decision is made.

Continue reading

REQUIRED reading for LEADERS – E. Shackleton’s LESSONS

Excuse my temerity with title of ‘required reading’.

However, I feel strongly that if you are a leader, you should read following passage about how Ernest Shackleton ‘showed up’ leading one of the most courageous survival missions of all time, and how his leadership lessons apply to leaders during the COVID-19 crisis. (bolding of text is mine).

+++++++

‘From his Antarctic experience, Shackleton knew that one of most important tools he had in accomplishing his mission was his presence. How he showed up each day in front of his men – what kind of energy he gave off, how determined he looked, even how he carried his body – had a huge impact on the team. He used what we would today call his emotional intelligence to maintain his determination and bravery; when these flagged, he never let his men know.

Continue reading

How NOT to be INTERRUPTED at LT & Board presentations

A number of my clients are frustrated when delivering important presentations to their Leadership Team or Board.

There frustrated because soon after they start presenting, a member of the Leadership team or Board interrupts them.

This interruption interferes with the speaking flow, and turns into a free flowing discussion between the leaders in the room, leaving the presenter stranded and often resulting in deferring the decision on the matter to a later time.

Innumerable hours of time are lost due to these interruptions.

and it can take months before a final decision is made.

Continue reading

How to sit, stand, gesture & move your body in the right way

Recently a participant in one of my Delivering memorable messages programmes – a woman of relatively small, physical stature – made the above comment when I was coaching her on how to gesture, to inhabit the physical space in front and at the side of her body.

However, when I asked other participants who were observing her, whether they thought the woman was occupying too much space, they said that she wasn’t – and that she had projected more certainty than she normally did.

Continue reading