Leadersharp

Christopher Jones, CEO: LeaderSharp Group Developing New Managers Into Effective People Leaders

LeaderSharp Group is a full-service leadership development company based in Calgary, Alberta, with a team of Associates across Canada. Our team is comprised of highly skilled and experienced leadership coaches, trainers, course designers, facilitators, and consultants. We are strongly guided by our Vision, Mission, Purpose and Values. Our Mission is: Raising the collective consciousness, capability, and impact of today’s leaders for the possibilities of tomorrow. Our Values are: Every conversation is an opportunity; Distinctly unique; Better together; A love of learning; The art of possibility; Being of service.

Tell us about yourself?

I emigrated to Canada from England in 1981 and started working on oil rigs as a geologist. I quickly moved into leadership roles and spent over 30 years as an executive in the information service industry for oil and gas companies (software and data). My last executive role was leading the Canadian division of a global information company. We had 300 employees and $70 million in annual revenue. When that role ran its course, I decided to become an Executive Coach and start my own business. In 2014, a good colleague, Lisa Scott and I put our businesses together to co-found LeaderSharp Group. We are now very happily married as well as being business partners.

If you could go back in time a year or two, what piece of advice would you give yourself?

Plan carefully for the ebbs and flows of the business. Be agile enough to adjust financially. Invest more money into marketing.

What problem does your business solve?

We develop new managers into effective people leaders. We transform leaders’ effectiveness by helping them evolve their mindset to thrive in our complex and ever-changing world. We change dysfunctional groups into high-performing teams, and we create transformational blended learning leadership programs with our Docebo LMS.

What is the inspiration behind your business?

Our Purpose is: The World Needs Better Leaders. This inspires us all, and we are committed to making a positive difference in the world, one leader, one team at a time.

What is your magic sauce?

Most of us have business leadership experience as well as being certified, accredited, very experienced coaches and trainers. Our brand and reputation are of high-quality services, world-class products, and a partnering approach to clients committed to their success.

Add Your Heading Text Here

To help teams work more effectively with others, we’ve released a three-part experience this month, ‘The Five Behaviours® for Virtual Teams Experience”. Join Lisa Scott, President and COO of LeaderSharp Group on December 3rd at 1:00 pm MT, for a 90 minute training session.

The need for strong teamwork skills has never been greater. Watch this message from Patrick Lencioni, author of Five Dysfunctions of a Team™.

We’d like to offer you $70 off the retail price for your interest in LeaderSharp Group for visiting our page. Please ensure you enter your PROMO CODE LSCTrust on the checkout page! If you have any questions regarding this event, please email Kara Rowan at [email protected].

For more information and details:

Add Your Heading Text Here

Trust: The New Super-Power of Leading Virtual Teams

Trust is an essential ingredient for teams to work effectively together. Many of the great thought leaders of our time have pointed to trust when describing effective team performance.

Now more than ever, in our virtual work reality, trust can be your team’s superpower. Discovering what wins trust and what breaks it can strengthen your leadership and enable you to bring out the best in your team.

Join us in exploring how trust has changed in the context of our work today, and how we can more easily build it in our virtual work environment.

Success in any field requires a clear understanding of the most effective ways to communicate with others. Poor communication skills can not only damage your reputation, but also cause your company to lose business.

Forbes asked their Forbes Coaches Council to share some less-than-ideal communication habits that could hinder your chances of finding the success you seek in your career. Here are 14 common practices they believe every professional should avoid, and what to do instead.

As Featured in Forbes

Add Your Heading Text Here

We’ll be discussing the need for great leadership and why Leadership Development was broken. We’ll explore the top 6 trends and how these current trends (including “The COVID Effect”) are changing the world of leadership in a significant and positive way.

LEADERSHIP RESOURCE

Add Your Heading Text Here

Leadership is evolving, and leaders have greater responsibilities than ever for workplace wellness. Never has this been more critical -and simultaneously more difficult! -than in recent months. Join us, and leaders just like you, on June 24th to remove the weight of responsibility in ensuring workplace wellness.

Follow Up from Event

On June 24th, participants who attended “A Leader’s Responsibility in Workplace Wellness” observed a live demo presented by LeaderSharp Collective coaches Tara Larkin and Clint White, role-playing ‘5 Steps for Wellness Conversations’ :

1. Creating Awareness

2. Gathering Information – Active Listening

3. Acknowledgement

4. Action Planning

5. Follow-Up

Download Wellness Resources

Professional development, that supports your growth as a leader, should not be a side gig paid out of pocket. Not even now during a downturn.

Strong leadership is needed now more than ever. Uncertain environments demand strong leaders who can unite teams, hold vision for the future and communicate authentically and powerfully in the moment. The survival of business depends on it, the resiliency of teams relies on it, and your own sense of trust will be born from these leadership characteristics.

Leadership qualities are not always innate; thankfully they can be developed and expressed over time with intentional mentorship, training and coaching. While this may seem obvious, many current and emerging leaders hesitate to ask for the support they need to grow their abilities.

Depending on the culture of your organization, asking for support professionally can be uncomfortable and challenging. It is often easier to avoid asking than facing the possibility of being turned down or risk the perception of being seen as incapable or lacking skill. It is natural to avoid situations where we could be misunderstood or disappointed.

How is this avoidance really serving you or the people you lead?

Therein lies the shift we need to take when it comes to asking for help in our professional lives.

Great leaders recognize what is needed to serve the people around them, and seek out opportunities to grow their abilities in these areas.

Great leaders lean into the areas of discomfort (asking for help, receiving feedback, seeking mentorship and coaching) and use this information to become better.

What we know for sure is accepting the status quo and avoiding uncomfortable situations is not leadership behavior. In fact, the only place it leads to is mediocrity.

Mediocrity is not an option in a downturn.

Reaching out to those around you, your HR department, or your department lead and asking for help is necessary in leadership, especially when we are in unprecedented times.

If you want the best from your team, and for your team, recognize where your skills and expertise need to grow. Recognize where you may benefit from the objective and supportive presence of a coach or mentor. Be the example of authentic leadership for your team.

Whether you are connecting to HR, your Department Lead or directly with the Executive Team, often what we need is the language to bring to ask for an investment into our development.

Here’s how to ask for leadership development support:

1ST: DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Before you set up the meeting, do your research and be prepared. Estimate the costs of the programming and the timeline involved.

2ND: IDENTIFY THE GAPS AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR PART

What skill gap are you trying to close (or what skill do you want to build)?

Sounds like:

a) I am noticing the need to be better at XYZ. The team/organization is needing this from me right now and I want to be able to provide this to them.

b) The team is overwhelmed right now. In order to support them fully, I know I need support on my side as well.

Key Points

Be to the point about the problem you notice and the solution you see for it
Don’t ramble on
Take responsibility for your part in the solution
You don’t need to explain it or justify it, just state the facts.

3RD: COMMUNICATE THE VALUE

The most important part of your plan is to demonstrate the business benefits to your team, department and organization. Speak to the greater good for the department/team/company. Remember, your leadership development supports everyone.

Sounds like:

“I really feel like an outside perspective and some one-on-one leadership development would be useful right now to:

Gain clarity
Communicate more effectively
Connect more authentically
Increase my productivity
Show up with a better attitude
Make decisions with more confidence

4TH: MAKE THE ASK!

Sounds like:

a) I’ve researched a few resources/ programs that I believe will be a good fit, and have a strong reputation of building leadership skills. I am happy to provide these to you.

b)What additional information will you need from me to move this forward?

5TH: REINFORCE THE BENEFIT

Restate the desired skill, behaviour, outlook you are seeking.

Sounds like:

I’m confident this programming will increase by ability to XYZ.

6TH: CONFIRM NEXT STEPS

Agree on a time and date to follow up. Everyone needs to be held accountable (including you, to move this request forward). Timelines and clear agreements are critical. Give them time to consider and/or get back to them with additional information they may request at this stage.

REMEMBER

You are opening a dialogue. If you do not receive a clear yes in the first conversation, this does not mean it’s a No. Stay committed to your development – your team, and organization will respect you for this.

The first time you ask for support is the hardest. This process becomes easier as you recognize the benefit of having someone in your corner as you grow into the leader you were meant to be.

The LeaderSharp Collective is a full spectrum leadership development group of coaches, business consultants and advisors.

To learn more about the services we offer and how we can support your Leadership needs, call us at 1.403.719.0800.

Add Your Heading Text Here

Change can be disorienting.

By becoming aware of your place in the transition process, you ease the resistance and tension of fighting against this natural process. Ground yourself and find calm and comfort in knowing you can navigate change during change.

Signs you are in Phase 1: Denial

Denial, stress, uncertainty, overwhelm, isolation, feeling lack of control, grieving, endings and resistance to letting go.

Denial is a key indicator you are in Phase 1. How do you know you’re in denial? The fact is, you might not know. Denial often happens subconsciously. Fight, flight or freeze may kick in for you to survive. Stress takes hold. Cortisol skyrockets. Regardless, most people don’t really recognize themselves in this stage until they’ve moved through it. This stage can feel disorienting as a loss of control, uncertainty and fear of the unknown kick in. Anxiety feeds on the “what if’s” of a future not yet known.

*Adapted from Bridges Transition Model

How to Move from Denial to Acceptance

Best Practices
Release overwhelming thoughts and feelings by:

Talking to someone you trust and can be honest with.
Free-writing your thoughts.
Rest, slow down. Nourish yourself.

Focus on the things you can control with these Reflective Questions:

Control:

What do I know for sure?
What resources do I have in place? What additional resources do I need right now? Where can I find these resources?

Resiliency:

What challenges have I overcome in the past? How did I navigate this?
What evidence does this provide about what I am capable of now?

Letting Go:

What old ways of being, thinking and doing do I need to let go of?
By letting go of the old, what do I make space for?

Signs you are in Phase 2: Resistance

Resistance, caution, confusion, apprehension about what the future holds.

*May experience swing from having energy and hope to feeling tired and apathetic.

When you are in resistance you can feel the tension. It is a push-pull between knowing you have to respond, but you’re not quite sure how.

Here is where all of the emotions rise to the surface; frustration, anger, overwhelm, confusion and more.

As humans we naturally try to push through these feelings and focus on what we can “do” without spending enough time feeling what we need to feel. This forced movement only slows the progression forward, keeping us stuck in Phase 2. By allowing ourselves the time to fully experience all of our emotions, we release the tension built by resisting.

Remember, you are grieving the old way of living and being in the world. Acceptance of what is, and letting go of what was, are essential to transitioning smoothly.

How to Move from Resistance to Allowing

Best Practices
Honour where you are in the moment. Rest when you need it.
Accept that creativity, motivation and productivity may not be consistent or even predictable at this stage.

Reflect on:
How am I feeling today? (Reference the Emotions Wheel below to support you). What do I need in THIS moment?

Signs you are in Phase 3: Exploration

Exploration, Openness, Creativity, Hope, Possibilities, Apprehension. *May experience swing back to earlier phases.

Exploration opens this new phase as you begin to accept the ending of the old, allowing the creation of a new normal. It’s important to note that the process is not linear and does not move in only one direction, rather, you will feel the push and pull between resistance (holding onto the old way), and exploration (the potential new beginning).

This push-pull is called the neutral zone. It’s human to desire both- to stay safe in what we know (the old) and experience something different (the new). It requires great courage to step into a growth and commitment phase where everything feels new, exciting and risky. It is this zone that can provide new learning that will help us evolve and adapt to the times.

Reflect on:
What opportunity is available now that was not previously available? What are the risks I am willing to take?

Signs you are in Phase 4: Commitment

Excitement, clarity, integration, purposeful, hopeful, committed, aligned, motivated.

As we move through resistance, process emotions and explore possibilities of a new future, we find clarity for a new purpose and readiness to commit to creating a new future. We begin to take action, plan in hand and purposefully drive toward a new beginning.

Best Practices

Clarify your Purpose
Share your vision
Create a clear plan of action
Make Commitments
Take consistent action

At LeaderSharp Collective, we have some simple strategies for leaders like you to bring calm and clarity no matter what phase you are in. We are here to walk alongside you so you can confidently navigate the path ahead.

This article is written by The LeaderSharp Collective.

Most companies acknowledge that change is now a strategic imperative. Why we need to change is well understood, and what to change into is solved by redefining vision and strategy. However, it’s how to change that remains a challenge for most organizations and their employees. For every individual, our inner game drives our outer game, so our choice to become a victim or an advocate comes from within. It’s guided by our inner beliefs, assumptions and biases about how the world operates. It’s about our mindset. Our mindset can define our character and decide the course of our life. So, the better question is: What are the mindsets that we need to develop in order to embrace and implement organizational change?

Growth Vs. Fixed

The first mindset that will help create an advocate view rather than a victim view is a growth mindset (as opposed to a fixed mindset). This concept comes from the brilliance of Carol Dweck and her book, Mindset: The New Psychology of Success.

Abundance Vs. Scarcity

This mindset is similar to optimism vs. pessimism or positive vs. negative. A mindset of abundance comes from a place of love, whereas a mindset of scarcity comes from a place of fear.

Learning Vs. Judging

A mindset of asking and listening (compared to knowing and telling) is a mindset of learning. It’s a mind that is open to others’ perspectives. In her book, Change Your Questions Change Your Life, Marilee Adams describes how “Question Thinking” can transform your life and leadership. By choosing to ask and learn rather than immediately judge a situation or person, we can achieve amazing results.

As you can see, these mindset comparisons converge and overlap, and the important thing is to consider exactly how to shift your mindset from one to the other. Here are two techniques to help you do just that.

Notice Your Thoughts

The first step is to pay attention to your thinking. We tend to live through each day on autopilot, reacting to people and situations automatically. Noticing exactly what we are thinking about in any given moment is a huge step toward choosing a different mindset. By noticing your own thoughts, you have taken a huge step into greater self-awareness that than gives you the ability to choose your response. It allows you to interject and prevent your automatic response from running the show. It gives you a second or two to realize that you might have a different option.

Change Your Beliefs

To some extent we are hard-wired by our long-standing belief systems; however, we can rewire ourselves. Neuroscience has proven this. Our thought patterns are driven by our underlying beliefs, biases and assumptions that we have held onto tightly since childhood, as they kept us safe. There are several methods that guide you through a process of revealing these underlying (and often limiting) beliefs and replacing them with more effective thoughts.

Establishing the right mindset is not necessarily quick and easy, but the important thing to know is that you can change your beliefs. Either on your own or with the help of a coach (or counselor), you can be guided through a process that shines a light on the beliefs that create your mindset, allowing you to see them — often for the first time — and let them go or replace them with more productive patterns of thought.

As Featured in Forbes.