This week is National Everyone Deserves a Massage Week in the U.S. I fully support everyone getting a massage. It can be a great way to practice self-care by relieving muscle tension, disconnecting from stressors, and recharging. But that’s just one way to define massage.
Massage is also defined as manipulating to achieve a better result.
You don’t have to wait; in fact, you shouldn’t wait until there is an issue before you start massaging your leadership skills. It’s always easier to develop skills and abilities in a time of peace than in a time of chaos. Yes, you develop skills when faced with a crisis or upheaval, but developing your leadership skills and knowledge regularly can help you prevent many difficult situations from arising in the first place.
Luckily, you can start to adapt how you lead at any time, and right now is a great time to start. Over the past two years, employees have been leaving their jobs in larger numbers than at any other time in the U.S., and one of the reasons is they want more modern ways of leading.
Traditional ways of leading rely on hierarchy or a top-down approach. Authority and approval are centered at the top of the organization because there is an assumption that the leader at the top is the most knowledgeable and knows best for all. There are rigid rules about who gets information, and collaborations are minimal at best. Often this leader works in isolation or with only a select few to set direction and issue commands, delivering plans and goals to the team as fait accompli.
The traditional way of leading is DEAD (or at least gasping its last breath).
Modern leadership recognizes that better results are achieved by involving multiple, diverse perspectives and creating a collaborative environment where innovation and creativity are encouraged. Leaders recognize that they do not have all the answers and seek to surround themselves with employees who shore up their areas of weakness.
Modern leaders recognize that their skill development is ongoing, and by developing themselves, they can better develop others. The best modern leaders learn to live in a place of confident humility.
Here is a quick overview of traditional vs. modern leadership.
If you are ready to move from a more traditional approach to being a modern leader, pick one of the areas to work on at a time. Change is always possible, and it takes time and intentional effort. A coach’s support can accelerate your journey and help you achieve your best possible results.
