Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say and What You Don't

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In a fast-paced age of innovation, we need new leadership strategies, starting with language. “After all, what is leadership but language?”

Leadership Is Language: The Hidden Power of What You Say-and

The language of the old approach to leadership is deterministic and binary – all about doing, not about thinking. At Toyota they use the Andon cord. Andon is the Japanese word for a traditional paper lantern. At Toyota, manufacturing workers pull an Andon cord when they encounter a problem in the production system. The cord turns on an indicator light. Before Toyota made cars, they made sewing machines. Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota, designed one of the first automated loom designs, which immediately stopped the machine when the nee-de broke. This prevented wasted material and defective product. When Toyota started building cars on the assembly line, the managers wanted a similar system, whereby workers could signal that they needed to stop production, thus avoiding unnecessary waste. So the plant designers installed pull cords that illuminated lanterns (andons). A worker simply pulled the cord to light up the andon, letting a supervisor know there was a problem at the production station. Hence the term Andon cord. Performance management is going through a renaissance,” Sandhir told Business News Daily. “The importance of that conversation and how it’s done [is changing]. It was typically one-sided, judging individuals based on numbers. But neuroscience research on how the brain reacts to conversations shows that [this communication style] can trigger a threat response.” Another standout aspect of the book is its exploration of the role of questions in leadership communication. Marquet argues that asking the right questions can lead to better problem-solving, increased employee engagement, and a stronger sense of ownership. He introduces the concept of "intent-based leadership" and provides practical techniques for engaging employees in meaningful dialogue and decision-making. Ways to prevent workplace alienation include transparent communication, an open-door policy and employee recognition programs. Learning the language of leadershipLeaders need to be looing at the room: Who is being quiet? It's likely they think something but do not feel welcome to express it. Here is the key difference: Thinking benefits from embracing variability. Doing benefits from reducing variability.

Leadership Is Language – Admired Leadership Leadership Is Language – Admired Leadership

In this conversation with LBC Presenter Matthew Stadlen, Marquet shows managers and leaders how to enable their team through communication. To that end, it helps to include employees in the ongoing conversation about the company’s mission and how their work aligns with it, said Shaun Ritchie, CEO of EventBoard, a provider of meeting tools and workforce analytics. Improve, don’t prove–Ask your people to improve on plans and processes, rather than prove that they can meet fixed goals or deadlines. Losing El Faro. Communication records from a sunken container ship, El Faro, show that collaboration and communication were not fostered onboard. The crew’s concerns – which could have saved the vessel had they been heeded – were never given serious consideration. The tragedy is Exhibit A of the strictly top-down leadership style that needs to be retired in many arenas today.It can be like tossing a balloon into the air – with time, it is bound to descend,” Philpot said. “Sincerity, repetition and consistency of communication over time is what really makes the difference.”

Leadership Is Language Summary of Key Ideas and Review Leadership Is Language Summary of Key Ideas and Review

Nature is nothing if not efficient, so the fact that the human brain uses an astonishing 20 to 25 percent of our daily calories speaks to the survival value of this decision-making power. While most animals possess approximately proportional brains for their size, the human brain is an outlier, three times larger than it should be. While some readers may find the book's examples and strategies more applicable to hierarchical organizations or larger teams, the underlying principles and concepts are adaptable and relevant to leaders in various contexts.Leaving Bluework Behind: Commit. Commitment is fostered when collaboration has occurred. Commitment is implemented best when both learning and action are valued and tasks are performed in manageable “chunks.” Trust first – because people will work better, harder, and longer when they feel trusted. Create a culture where dissent is acceptable (pp. 234-235).