Hello KSKOers
I really enjoyed my conversation with Sarah Langslow, and I hope you do too. Sarah recently wrote a book about micro-interactions to transform your leadership. Micro-interactions are all those little things that we say and do that create the vibe around us, determine how effective our relationships are and all those other things that you know but you just can’t quite put your finger on. Join me in conversation with Sarah
Listen here or watch the video above!
Looking forward to joining you on your learning journey!
Impact of Micro-interactions: Sarah talks about how everyday micro-interactions can really shape how you're perceived as a leader. These moments, whether it's a quick chat or a hello as you walk past someone in the corridor, are vital. Being mindful of these interactions ensures your actions and words are aligned, preventing misunderstandings across your team. With a bit of flexibility and curiosity, you can improve your communication and help foster positive relationships across your team.
Getting to Know Your Leadership Style: Sarah highlights the importance of understanding your own leadership identity. She suggests imagining yourself part of a documentary. What if a film crew followed you around for a week? What would you want them to see? How would you want to land with watchers? This can help you uncover the gap between where you are now and where you want to be, aligning your actions with your core values and goals.
Focus on Growing Your Team: Sarah encourages you to use meetings not just to check tasks off a list but as moments to help your team grow. By creating spaces where team members feel free to share ideas and learn, leaders can foster a more engaging and supportive work culture. Making sure decisions line up with personal and professional values helps build trust and collaboration among the team.
Stay Curious, Not Judgemental: Start your process of self-reflection from a place of curiosity not a place of judgement. Sarage suggests asking open-ended questions like, ‘what happened there?’, to promote growth and learning, steering clear of negative self-talk. By avoiding confirmation bias and embracing a growth mindset, you can better understand yourself and your impact, leading to more adaptable and effective leadership.
Rethinking Inbox Zero: Sarah brings a fresh take on ‘Inbox Zero’ - the idea that your inbox has to be cleared out and everything actioned at the end of every day, suggesting it might not be all it's cracked up to be. Instead of constantly wiping your inbox clean, maybe you should focus on tasks that align with your goals and values. Allowing a bit of inbox untidiness can actually free you up to prioritise more meaningful work and reflective practices rather than just reacting to what's priority for everyone else.
Here are the top five actions you can take away from this episode to develop your self-aware leadership skills:
Be Reflective: Picture yourself with a documentary crew following you around for a week. What would they see? What would they hear? This kind of self-reflection can give you some eye-opening insights. Remember to stay curious, not judgmental, about what you uncover.
Walk Your Talk: Check if what you're doing day-to-day actually lines up with your values and goals. This means looking at the gap between where you are now and where you want to be as a leader, and making adjustments accordingly. Think about layer 3 of my definition of self-aware leadership: regulation of behaviour.
Keep It Open: Ask open-ended questions to your team. What other questions should we be asking? What else haven’t we explored yet? Make sure people feel safe to speak up. This creates a more connected and communicative environment.
Stay Curious: There’s no one-size-fits-all in leadership, so keep things flexible. Embrace a growth mindset and stay curious. Be open to learning from all interactions—big or small. Be less judgemental: ask more questions.
Make Time for You: Carve out some time for reflection, even if it means not hitting that coveted 'inbox zero.' Use tools like the Eisenhower Matrix to figure out what’s important but not urgent, and focus on that for long-term benefits.
Implement these tips, and come back to tell me what you discovered and what’s changed. Get on your self-awareness superhighway and enjoy the journey!
This episode is sponsored by….
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Nia is an expert leader who talks the talk and walks the walk. She is an academically awarded thought leader in self-aware leadership and practices self-aware leadership every single day in her role as a Director in a Children’s Charity.
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Harvard Reference: Thomas, N.D., 2024. The Self-Awareness Superhighway: Charting Your Leadership Journey. Knowing Self Knowing Others.
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