Like it or not, your leadership is contagious.
It should come as no surprise that leadership directly impacts organizational outcomes. Beyond that, however, leadership also sets the tone for everyone in an organization, which is why engaged leaders inspire engaged workers.
Simply put, how you lead matters — a lot. You must be prepared to respond to every situation with confidence. This is where leadership learning labs make the difference.
What is a leadership learning lab?
Learning labs are brief troubleshooting simulations that help leaders identify the best approach to any situation. These simulations allow you to review the negative triggers, motivators, and obstacles associated with each area of concern, then rehearse the solution that will lead you and your organization to the desired outcome.
Ultimately, a learning lab is your chance to roleplay your own success as a leader. If you can get familiar with the specifics of each situation ahead of time and reflect on your initial response, your chances of hitting the target when it really counts are much better.
There are dozens of leadership simulations that might be useful to the modern executive. However, to get things started, I’ve narrowed it down to the three I think every leader needs most: active listening, unprofessional behavior, and negativity. Roleplay your way through these situations and see what you learn in the process.
1. Active listening
The desired outcome: Active listening requires a specific environment that is sometimes difficult to achieve in the workplace. Whether you’re describing your organization’s physical space or the expectations of your work culture, you need to clearly define the listening environment your company requires.
The negative triggers: The enemies of this listening environment are called “communication destroyers,” and you need to be able to spot them right away. These may include overly harsh feedback, aggressive or defensive body language, or a bad attitude. These disruptions take different forms across organizations, but the damage remains the same.
The motivators: Combating these triggers takes effort, which is why establishing the right motivation is critical. Active listening can be connected to sharing and collaboration, and even a reduction in overall stress. If needed, you can even establish formal consequences for a lack of compliance.
The solutions: This is how you plan to put those motivators in place. You could demonstrate ideal behaviors as a role model to others. You could start asking open-ended questions to encourage more engaging dialogue. Or you could even design personal action plans for those struggling with active listening.
The obstacles: Every approach to active listening must address the stress and emotions present in the workplace, which can be fraught with danger. On top of that, denial and personal ego are eternally opposed to us becoming better listeners. How will these obstacles manifest at your organization?
2. Unprofessional behavior
The desired outcome: Everyone wants to feel safe at work, and unprofessional behavior is one of the most consistent threats to that safety. So what does workplace safety look like? Your organization needs to be a place where people remain calm during disagreements — where different opinions are accepted and dishonesty is never tolerated.
The negative triggers: What behavior patterns at your organization stand to threaten workplace safety? Prime examples include inappropriate outbursts, sexual harassment, personal drama and avoidance of responsibility. These are the most common examples of destructive behaviors, but every industry has its own unique struggles.
The motivators: The reasons for eliminating unprofessional behavior might seem apparent, but a leader needs to be ready to clearly define the benefits. What will a more pleasant workplace look like at your company? How would it feel to be proud of one’s own organization?
The solutions: For many organizations, role modeling is one of the most successful means of replacing bad behaviors and replicating good ones. This can be done through coaching and mentoring programs, company-wide best practices, and strict adherence to company policies. You need to decide how these solutions work for you and your working culture.
The obstacles: Unprofessional behavior is a sensitive and complex topic, and some of its issues even bleed into matters of legal concern. Once you add consideration for significant life events and mental illness, identifying and discouraging unprofessional behavior can become a veritable minefield for the engaged executive.
3. Negativity
The desired outcome: A certain level of negativity is inevitable in any workplace. That said, the exact amount that floats around the office and how it is handled matters a great deal when it comes to keeping people motivated. A focus on self-improvement, an eye for what’s working, and an ability to redirect negativity in the moment are prime leadership qualities you need to respond effectively.
The negative triggers: Negativity can be triggered by almost anything, but there are certain usual suspects. Unrealistic workloads, poor management, a lack of recognition, and anxiety about the future are some of the most common root causes of predominant negativity in an organization.
The motivators: A high-morale working environment is filled with its own inherent rewards, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have to sell that story to your team members. How could more positivity uplift everyone at the office? What goals could you achieve with all that redirected energy?
The solutions: As a leader, there’s a lot you can do to reduce the level of negativity in your organization. From listening in on group discussions to understanding the real impacts of workplace policies, you can be a major force for positivity. Still, the most helpful thing most leaders can do here is provide honest feedback in any negative situations.
The obstacles: You can’t control the entire ebb and flow of negativity in the workplace. A negative leader or employee, or an unconscious behavior that rubs people the wrong way, are some potential obstacles to you promoting more positivity at work. You need to be aware of all of these and more, and ready to respond positively.
