Small Shifts In Behaviour Have Powerful Impacts

As leaders take on more complex and significant assignments, they frequently notice they behave in ways that are no longer effective.

While the leader has many capacities and helpful behaviours, they also have responses that are no longer fit for purpose. I call these default behaviours – reactive ways of behaving from earlier in their lives. This becomes problematic when leaders’ default behaviours remain dominant and unchecked, even though they may be inappropriate to the leader’s current situation.

When a leader is stressed and overloaded, they must not visibly loose confidence or become aggressive. This makes those around them pull back.

If you want to be easily understood, have better relationships, inspire others and have a reputation for achieving outcomes, the good news is small shifts in behaviour have powerful impacts.

Corresponding psychological and emotional shifts accompany each of these. If they don’t, you are merely working with techniques rather than enduring behaviour.

Here are twelve behavioural indicators which have big impacts on your presence and influence:

• Looking at your staff, boss, and peers when you speak to them
• Pausing between sentences
• Saying “hello” and introducing yourself to new people
• Being deliberate with when to contribute in groups and when not to
• Saying “I want” when you want something: e.g. “I want this by the end of today.”
• Saying no without an explanation
• Saying “That’s not possible” to impossible requests
• Saying what you want to say simply and succinctly
• Inviting involvement: “What are your thoughts?”
• Letting people know you appreciate them
• Letting people know how you think and feel on important matters
• Being clear on the outcomes you want from meetings

Rate yourself “yes” or “no” on each of these. Avoid rating “sometimes”. Choose three to practice daily for the next 21 days, and notice the impact this has on your relationships.

© Diana Jones