Lydia Greenway (ex England Cricketer) and I delivered our talk to Positive Networking in Peterborough last week. This was titled “What Psychology and Sport Can Teach Business”.
We looked at 3 key areas for us all as leaders:
1. Our individual performance
2. How we lead our people
3. Building a winning culture
I am going to pick some highlights from my part of the speech, which I hope you find interesting and useful.
In terms of insights from my world or psychology, a sample of the 9 specific areas I covered were:
Self Leadership
We all face an ongoing battle between our Potential Self and our Destructive Self. Our potential is huge, but is thwarted by the destructive side of our personality and thinking that has built up over time. Developing a higher level of awareness and control over our Destructive Self is critical to our success and happiness. One key area to look at in relation to this is the language you use. How often do you use negative or doubtful language? Keeping an eye on this and using more positive and certain language will influence your psychology and mindset.
For more details on this subject: Be Careful Of The Words You Use
Leadership Identity
It is important to know who you are – your strengths and limitations, your behavioural triggers and your personal constraints. But it is also important to develop a view of the leader you want to become and move towards that. This is part of your Leadership Philosophy. I have developed a Leadership Diagnostic to help on this journey. If you would like to use this to help you on your leadership path. Just drop me an email.
Growth and Fixed Mindset
Mindset as a concept was first discovered at Stanford University by Psychologist Carol Dweck.
Some of you will believe your success is based on innate ability (fixed mindset). Others of you will believe your success is based on hard work, feedback, learning, training and persistence (growth mindset).
Moving more and more towards a “growth mindset” mentality, where you always see yourself as a work of continuous improvement will be both helpful for you and any people you lead.
For more details on this subject: Do you have a fixed or a growth mindset?
Purpose, Values and Behaviour
Clarifying “why” your organisation exists and what meaning it has is becoming more pertinent in the new millennium – for your people and your customers. Winning cultures also have a clear idea of their values and then, most importantly, how everyone will behave consistently to demonstrate these values both internally and externally.
For more details on this subject: Creating purposeful and authentic places to work
Inspiration and Motivation
Psychological research has focused on the importance of not just focusing on extrinsic rewards like salary increases and bonuses to motivate people.
To lead people well and build winning cultures it is worth focusing on 3 aspects:
Inspiration – This means co-creating the Vision and Identity for your organisation with your people and letting them see how their role fits in with the growth of the organisation.
Intrinsic Motivation – This is about people’s own developmental and career growth. Working with them on their skills, aspirations and progression upwards.
Personalised Extrinsic Motivation – Finally we come to extrinsic rewards. Yes people want more money, but research has shown that more personalised rewards, that show leaders truly know their people will have greater impact.
For more details on this subject: The difference between ‘Inspiration’ and ‘Motivation’
I hope you found these nuggets from the psychological world useful and interesting.
If you would like to book Lydia and I for one of your events, you can contact me on 07912 143040 or email me at tony@theleadershiptrainingworkshop.com.
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