Leaders Are Readers

 

As I think of 2021, I think of growth and a new era of leadership. The world has grown, shifted and adapted to what is. 

Leaders had to decide how to make themselves different from their competitors. They had to be innovative and quick in order to set themselves apart from others. Today’s leader has had to learn a new skill this year - virtual management. Running a team virtually requires increased communication, trust and the art of delegation and inspecting what was expected.

In 2022, I foresee an increase in the ability to show empathy, compassion and foresee a new trend in mastering video communication and a new genre of leaders that are excellent at disruptive change management. 

As we wrap up one year and head into another, you might have some time to read over the next few weeks. 

Here are 10 leadership books that can help you expand your thinking of what will be expected of great leadership in the new year.

1. Ruthless Consistency: How Committed Leaders Execute Strategy, Implement Change, and Build Organizations That Win 

2. Post Corona: From Crisis to Opportunity

3. The EQ Deficiency: How Emotional Intelligence and Compassion Can Cure an Emotional Pandemic, Solve Our "People Problems" and Be a Catalyst for Positive Change

4. The Gumbo Coalition: 10 Leadership Lessons That Help You Inspire, Unite, and Achieve

5. Humanocracy: Creating Organizations as Amazing as the People Inside Them

6. Around the Corner to Around the World: A Dozen Lessons I Learned Running Dunkin Donuts

7. The Ends Game: How Smart Companies Stop Selling Products and Start Delivering Value 

8. How to Lead: Wisdom from the World's Greatest CEOs, Founders, and Game Changers

9. Your Hidden Superpower: The Kindness That Makes You Unbeatable at Work and Connects You with Anyone

10.  Work Disrupted: Opportunity, Resilience, and Growth in the Accelerated Future of Work

Best, 

Manal

Professional Presence in 2021

What does having a professional presence look like in a world full of zoom calls, masks and working at home? 

Let’s start with presence. Presence is letting the most powerful version of yourself shine through. I like to cite the renowned leadership expert Sylvia Ann Hewlett, who defines “presence” as a combination of gravitas, communication, and appearance. Together, these elements form an impression of trustworthiness, competence, and authenticity.

Now let’s look at professionalism. Many people tie this to how one dresses. But it is more than that. It is confidence, communication and how you dress. 

Confidence. If you want to learn how to be more confident, you must be willing to change your state. Your state is essentially your mood at any given time of day. Your mood is influenced by how you feel about yourself at that point in time. The great news is you are in full control of your choice. Confidence is a matter of choice. You can let go of the stories you hold at any moment and create a new experience within yourself that will directly affect your state of mind and thus, your confidence.

Communicate. To communicate effectively, it’s important to regulate your reactions, recognize emotions in others, and manage your responses. Let other people speak first. Ask questions and make them feel understood. Remember to smile, make eye contact, and lean forward. By staying in the moment and maintaining focus on the conversation, you can ask the right questions and lay the foundation for trust and openness to your influence. 

Dress your part. There should be a strong connection between who you are, who you want to be, and how you look. If you want to be successful in the financial sector, for instance, you need to look like someone who understands and can be trusted with money. Identify the people who are successful where you work, and study how they put themselves together. Focusing on your appearance can also go a long way toward boosting your internal confidence. 

Best,

Manal