Best of #LinkageGILD | Day 1

Linkage’s Global Institute for Leadership Development^® has officially kicked off in beautiful Palm Desert, California!

Over 500 leaders have joined us on-site for four days of discovery and inspiration, and we are thrilled to bring you daily highlights, including our favorite sound bites—and some of the most memorable leadership ideas, concepts, and quotes shared by our expert faculty. Whether you are here with us or not, we hope that these insights will help you think about why you lead—you might even learn something new about yourself in the process—or find something useful to share with your team.

No matter where you are in the world, you can catch all of the action taking place on center stage by following us on Twitter or Instagram, and by using #LinkageGILD. Without further ado, here is a summary of today’s keynote faculty:

Richard Leider on Purpose

Linkage GILD co-chair Richard Leider took center stage and challenged us to think about our purpose; our aim in life.

What we learned: 

• A quick and practical approach to exploring why we are here. Gifts + Passions + Values = Calling
• If you have a pulse, you have a purpose. Purpose is something we do. It’s not just something we have.
• Your default purpose is to grow and to give. That is the key to becoming a leader.
• Purpose joins self and service in action.
• Ask yourself: What is life asking of me now?
• Purpose is a mindset. Purpose is not a goal. It is a direction.

Looking for more wisdom from Richard? Read his take on the seven questions you should ask yourself right now, and be sure to follow him on Twitter @RichardLeider for more insights.

Dave Logan on Engage

Every group, family, division, organization, business unit, industry, profession, and person has a “default future,” a future state that will inevitably occur if something unexpected doesn’t come along. The very best leaders anticipate this default future and, if they don’t like what they see, confront it head on. Ultimately, they replace it with an “inventive future”.

What we learned:

• Engagement is the result of a fire that is lit within someone.
• Leadership is indirect; you don’t get there by telling people what to do. Motivational speeches never work!
• You can take a Minimum Viable Step (MVS) right now and make a positive step toward your “inventive future”. One real-world example: If your company struggles with silos, make a point of having lunch with someone from outside your group.

To find out more about Tribal Leadership, follow Dave and CultureSync on Twitter @davelogan1 and @CultureSync.

Susan MacKenty Brady on Engage

Organizations perform better when women are included in the leadership ranks. Yet, while women are entering the workforce and stepping into management positions at the same rate as men, they’re not advancing into positions of leadership.

What we learned:  

• The two fundamental human needs are: feeling unique and belonging.
• There are important, yet debatable, gender distinctions: Men tend to work in step-like fashion and value supporting arguments with data, while women think holistically and support arguments with stories of experiences–their own and others.
• Women are the fastest growing economy on the planet. The more women you engage, the greater economic impact of your business.
• The seven hurdles facing women as they seek to advance are: Bias, Clarity, Making the Ask, Branding and Presence, Proving Value, Networking, and Recognized Confidence.
• Your next step? Become a champion. Ask how your organization is doing and review key organizational data and conduct assessments. Then, design specific programs and initiatives to address priorities and positively impact metrics.

Download a free excerpt from Mastering Your Inner Critic and 7 Other High Hurdles to Advancement, due out November 23, 2018, and be sure to follow Susan on Twitter @SusanMBrady1 for more.

Roger Nierenberg on Inspire

Leading by listening.

Paul Simon has said, “Of all the 5 senses, sound is the most powerful.” Orchestras achieve synchronicity through various mechanisms, all of which are similar to how teams interact and deliver results and are a perfect example of systems thinking. An organization is only as successful as the sum of its parts.

What we learned: 

• KPIs are a good way to understand if your leadership style needs modulating.
• Understanding and recognizing what captures your team’s attention and imagination allows you to be a more influential leader.
• Remember what your role is as a leader. Being more directive doesn’t necessarily guarantee better results.

Download a chapter from Maestro. And to keep up with the exciting news from The Music Paradigm, follow Roger on Twitter @RogerNierenberg.