Category: Leadership

The kind of leadership that is needed at a time like this is knowing what will work in the moment. Leaders need to forego with the long-term ambition and focus on staying in the fight.  As the great heavyweight fighter Mike Tyson famously said:

“Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth.”

To survive and possibly even thrive in this crisis, leaders must prioritise these 3 things: 

Stability 

Be the kind of leader who drives business reliability and stability through tough times. This means getting the team to execute the same outstanding work that you’ve learned to do together despite the impact of a crisis.

Consider the crisis response of a customer service manager providing tech support for a massive global network of data servers. 

Her team of call agents was already running low on capacity at the start of the pandemic. The manager’s immediate response was to pull the remaining team together and ensure zero service interruptions. 

By increasing check-ins, they were able to keep customers informed and at ease with the service during this critical time. They have managed to keep operations seamless enough that outsiders would never have guessed how badly they’ve been affected by the pandemic.

Strategies and modes of work shift in a time of crisis, but the team’s ability to deliver consistently and competently shouldn’t. And that is a true test of leadership strength. 

Resilience 

Resilience is often associated with mental toughness – the ability to take the worst blows and come out swinging. For leaders, this means demonstrating grit and mastering self-discipline despite adversity. It is a self-leadership quality that inspires high-performance in others. 

Take Nelson Mandela’s leadership story for example. He endured 27 years of wrongful imprisonment and then proceeded to lead a nation under the banner of peace and reconciliation. 

To be a resilient leader then is to possess an indomitable spirit to withstand pressure and trauma and emerge as a force for good. 

Compassion and Caring 

Compassion and caring are not often regarded as must-have leadership qualities. A recent Gallup poll reported that most managers are not cultivating trusting relationships with their cohorts. And that’s unfortunate because demonstrating compassion and caring is proven to inspire optimism, confidence and courage in others.  

Now is the time to reach out and offer support because our survival depends on it. We need to find ways of connecting and forming trusting relationships so that we can build a network of support to carry each other through this crisis.  

Be stable, resilient and caring enough to succeed during this difficult time. Learn all about it at the CORONAVIRUS LEADERSHIP SURVIVAL LIVE WEBINAR SERIES, featuring AIDAN PARSONS, CEO, Keystone Executive Coaching. 

Engage in learning virtually and develop the skills for effective and inspired leadership wherever you may be. Get tickets to LIVE video streaming of The Leadership Institute’s Training and Events today. 

Anyone can learn to demonstrate effective crisis leadership with these key abilities, take decisive action and make a difference. 

Are you watching the news on the coverage on COVID19 pandemic and seeing the good, the bad and the ugly in leaders from all levels of governing? As we hope for better leadership to move us out of a desperate situation and into an uncertain future, we wonder – are some people just born to lead? 

While leadership is extremely difficult, complex and demanding, it is not a matter of possessing natural, superhero abilities. It is a matter of acquiring a specific set of skills. The fact is, anyone can learn to demonstrate effective crisis leadership with these key abilities – 

1. Keeping calm and carrying on 

The ability to take control of a “fire” with timely and purposeful action is the kind of leader that you want to be in a time of crisis. By rising above the noise and the chaos to rationally assess the situation, an effective leader can get everything and everyone to work together on a swift solution. 

2. Actively communicating 

We look up to leaders to model our behaviour in a time of crisis. And a leader who communicates clearly and authentically, can influence the right behaviour and response – keeping fear and anxiety at bay and bringing out the best in others. 

3. Practicing a strategic mindset 

In trying to weather the storm, leaders often get hit by a massive onslaught of data. The challenge is to process and qualify the information by learning how to ask the right questions to arrive at a solution and take decisive action. 

The bottom-line 

These are the times when leadership is put to the test and we despair at some of the reckless response that we are getting. The truth is nothing could have prepared us for a catastrophe as far reaching as this pandemic. We can, however, learn these practical smarts to demonstrate the kind of leadership that we wish to see in our current and future leaders and make a difference.

Dive deeper into crisis leadership training by reserving your spot for the CORONA VIRUS LEADERSHIP SURVIVAL LIVE WEBINAR SERIES, featuring AIDAN PARSONS, CEO, Keystone Executive Coaching. 

Engage in learning virtually and develop the skills for effective and inspired leadership wherever you may be. Get tickets to LIVE video streaming of The Leadership Institute’s Training and Events today. 

To close the gender gap at the highest levels of leadership in the public sector, The Leadership Institute invites aspiring leaders to engage with role models and ignite their ambition at the Women in Public Sector Leadership Summit 2020 on 19 – 22 May. 

Whether new to the workforce, at a turning point, or looking to step up, women working in the public sector will learn the skills to fulfill their leadership goals. And who’s going to teach them? Women who underwent the same difficult ascent to successfully claim their spot in the executive suite.  

Presenting the keynote speakers and coaches who are leading the conversation at this year’s Women in Public Sector Summit to share the best strategies for increasing the participation of women in leadership opportunities. 

Pip has had numerous senior leadership roles throughout her career, including the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Cities and Regional Development and the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. She was awarded a Public Service Medal for contributing to the telecommunications regulations reform associated with the implementation of the NBN. Pip will explore the importance of authenticity, integrity and community in leadership. 

One of Australia’s most versatile entertainers, Natalie Bassingthwaighte has achieved enormous success in her well-established career. Actress, rock star and businesswoman, Natalie will discuss how to develop the resilience to stay on top of your game. 

Mary’s impressive career spans from enforcing criminal justice reforms, fighting crime and violence to leading a complex gambling licensing transition in Victoria. Mary will be speaking about leading from a place of compassion, empathy and vulnerability, and how this is an important requirement of modern leaders who seek to navigate people to a successful future. 

Padma Raman has a long-established career committed to protecting and advancing human rights. In 2018, she was awarded a Public Service Medal for her outstanding achievements. The current Chief Executive of Australia’s national human rights institution and the Australian Human Rights Commission, Padma will deliver an important keynote on fostering workplace inclusivity and diversity. 

A proud Gamilaroi Gomeroi woman and the Today Show’s Entertainment Reporter, Brooke has had to overcome much adversity to get where she is now. AtIn the summit, she will be sharing her awe-inspiring success story as the latest break out star of Australian television.  

Ginna has wide public service experience that includes Secretary of the Department of Justice, the inaugural secretary of the Department of Communities and Inspector of the NSW Dog Unit. Ginna is passionate about leadership as the Chair of Tasmania Leader Inc and at the Women in Public Sector Leadership Summit. sShe will talk about how to become a strong role model and encourage women in your organisation to embrace challenges and new opportunities. 

Joann Wilkie joined NSW Treasury in February 2019 as Deputy Secretary for the Economic and Financial Management Group. Before she joined Treasury, Joann worked in the Australian Public Service in Canberra for 20 years and during this time, she worked gender policy in the Office for Women. She will deliver a talk on how successful leaders deploy self-awareness by acknowledging their weaknesses and playing to their strengths. 

Register your spot for The Women in Public Sector Summit 2020! Let our resource speakers help you develop the executive management toolkit to gain a significant career advantage, live up to your full leadership potential and advocate for more women to advance in senior management opportunities. 

Get the full summit experience virtually! Engage with speakers and delegates with the option to enjoy the summit online via LIVE streaming. 

We are prioritising the health and safety of our growing learning community as the situation on COVID-19 continues to change rapidly. And in our mission to ensure the continuity of your professional development, The Leadership Institute is pushing through with the scheduled training and events starting April onwards and delivering them to you via a video live streaming platform. 

Attendees now have the option to engage virtually in all the workshops and keynote sessions LIVE and in the safe, distant comfort of their home or office. The virtual experience will not keep them from learning and having conversations with speakers and fellow delegates. In fact, the live video streaming platform will allow attendees to immerse more deeply into the content, share ideas and ask their burning questions. 

To purchase a livestream ticket for an event, simply head over to the booking page and choose the ‘Livestream’ option rather than the location. You will be emailed details on how to access the stream closer to the event. 

Livestream tickets will be available on all events in the future, helping us achieve our goal of building great leaders, regardless of their location and ability to travel. These sessions will also be made available after the event, for a nominal fee.

An Update on March Events and Courses

At this stage, following guidance and advice from the government and medical authorities, we have made the difficult decision to postpone all March events until further in the year. Registered attendees should check their emails regarding updated information on each event.

Most of our events host between 30-150 people, so we are largely unaffected by the restrictions put in place on large scale events, but we are still taking this situation seriously and prioritising the health of our attendees, speakers and staff.

It’s an uncertain, unprecedented time for Australia, and the world. Like many of our customers, this situation puts a great strain on our business, our families and friends, and ourselves. We appreciate your understanding and patience, and we wish everyone well during this difficult time.

Engage in learning virtually and develop the skills for effective and inspired leadership wherever you may be. Get tickets to LIVE video streaming of The Leadership Institute’s Training and Events today. 

Just because you can learn leadership, doesn’t mean you will. Understand the 3 myths that get in the way of effective leadership training.

Can you learn leadership skills? 

It is a question that lingers in every aspiring professional as they browse through courses that offer the promise of transforming them into leaders. 

The quick answer is yes, of course, anyone can learn the skills to confront the complex challenges of leadership. But just because you can learn it, doesn’t mean you will and do it successfully.  

And so, the more important follow-up question is – “what is the best way to learn leadership?” Many aspiring leaders have false assumptions that get in the way of effective learning. Let’s dispel these myths once and for all and reveal the fundamental truths to get you started on a clear path to learning leadership. 

Myth # 1 Leadership is best learned by occupying a senior management role

If leadership is learned by virtue of being a senior manager, does this mean then that all senior managers are leaders? Look at your own boss and other executives in your organisation. Are they all leaders you can trust and learn from? Are there people in your company who are not senior managers but act like leaders? It’s logical to assume then that becoming a senior manager is not a pre-requisite to learning leadership. 

Myth # 2 Leadership is best learned by having a mentor 

Certainly, there is value to be gained from the educated advice, case studies and personal stories of those who have led and studied leadership. The experience and expertise of mentors and role models are helpful but mostly in theory and seldom in practice. Mentorship alone, however great, a leader does not make. 

Myth # 3 Leadership is best learned by getting an MBA 

An MBA is valuable for acquiring the tools to make sense of the complexities and challenges of modern business. But will it teach you how to be a leader? Not necessarily. There are many successful business leaders from senior managers to CEOs who do not have an MBA, so it’s not critical to learning effective leadership. 

So, what is the best way to learn leadership? 

As with any discipline, the best way to learn is by doing. Learn leadership by doing the hard work in the trenches – by following and leading at the same time. You may not be aware of this, but if you are like most busy professionals who belong to a team of at least 2 people, you are already spending more time leading than learning.

When your job is so fast-paced and high-pressure, you don’t have the time to process the leadership lessons from your daily experience. And this is where leadership training can help you.

According to research, stepping out of your normal work routine to join other professionals in training – people with different perspectives and values to offer – helps you think critically and learn more deeply about your own leadership experience.

Taking ownership of your leadership-development through training helps you build the competence to lead authentically and effectively. Whatever qualifications or credentials a teacher or an MBA program may have, no one has more insight into your leadership ambition than you.

Unlocking your capacity for leadership and high-performance is critical to your success. 

Sign up for The Leadership Institute Training and Events to learn from the country’s most successful leaders who will empower you with the knowledge and confidence to take on future business challenges.

There are problems that women face in their career simply for being women. Barriers such as work-life balance, equality of opportunity, lack of participation and the gender pay gap, make it difficult for women, from any industry, to advance. The same is true for women in education. But when it comes to their own professional development, it gets more complicated.            

For one, the education sector has its own set of challenges – declining growth and the threat of disruption, just to name a few. Now more than ever, the education industry needs a new breed of leaders, women and men, to bring about transformative change. 

Here are 5 challenges facing leaders in education and the opportunities that could enable them to turn things around for their proud institutions. 

Challenge #1 Transitioning from Faculty to Management 

Leaders in education face a dilemma as they advance in their careers – to lead in the classroom as educators or to lead in the institution as administrators. Do they have to choose one over the other? Is it possible to do both and do them well? Most definitely. 

There is a tremendous opportunity for teachers to leverage classroom techniques such as effective study skills, course design, planning and rubrics, to lead successfully in the business side of education.  

Challenge #2 Investing in Leadership Education 

It is ironic that educators are missing out on their own leadership education. When learning opportunities are abundant and accessible, it is easy to put them aside. Teachers urgently need to commit to their own education success to stay relevant and ahead of competition. 

Challenge #3 Responding to the Threat of Disruption 

As self-paced, individual learning rises, educational institutions are under threat of being disrupted. All members of the education sector, whether teacher, administrator, researcher or policymaker, are challenged to innovate the old business model and find new ways to deliver value. 

Challenge #4 Shifting focus on the Customer-Experience 

Education can take a page from the playbook of commercial enterprises in creating lasting customer relationships. Future leaders in education must be customer-focused in order to succeed – dedicated to serving life-long learners and catering to their evolving wants, needs and preferences.  

Challenge #5 Collaborating with Businesses 

Education is not currently fulfilling the qualified, skilled labor that today’s businesses demand. According to a 2018 EY study, more than half of Australia’s employers say that degrees in management are not worthwhile. 

By partnering with businesses, leaders in education will be able to effectively design content and produce exceptional, job-ready candidates. 

Women leaders need to start investing in their own executive training to lead the education industry into the future. Sign up for the Women in Education Leadership Summit 2020 and grow in your ability to drive successful innovation in the business of education.