How to Stay Ahead of the Game

Welcome to the Leader’s Lens: The Perspective Shift issue!

This issue offers a fresh perspective and actionable tips to enhance your leadership this week.

Send me an email and let me know how you plan on implementing this perspective shift in your leadership!

Was this email forwarded to you?

Above the Lens: Leading with Purpose Workshop

In Salem, OR, I was invited to lead a workshop at the BE-BLAC Foundation Business Expo. I engaged local business owners and leaders on the importance of scaling their organizations with strategic leadership.

The session was focused on navigating growth while staying aligned with core values.

The feedback from participants was incredibly positive! They walked away with practical frameworks to improve decision-making, delegate effectively, and align growth strategies with their mission.

I’m considering turning it into a virtual course to make it accessible to a wider audience. Before I do that, I’d love to hear if this is something you’d be interested in and what option sounds best for you.

Would a course on leading with purpose and scaling your leadership effectively be helpful to you and your organization?

Simply respond below what option would be best for you!

Alright, let’s get into this issue!

Through the Lens: “If you stay ready, you dont have to get ready”

I realized early on in my leadership that it is my job to get my team in a position to be successful.

Not my one-up. Not the staff themselves. Not my momma.

It's on me!

To do that, I had to put in the work to anticipate the organization’s and the industry’s needs and be ready for almost anything that comes our way.

(I often equate leadership and life lessons from my time playing sports, so let me briefly relive the “glory days…”)

Film study, practice planning and scouting were a crucial weekly activities for game preparation as I played and coached football. We needed to walk in to the next competition studying ourselves and opponent’s tendencies strategically to be in the best position to win.

I noticed how much confident I felt stepping into game day because of the time I took preparing myself the other 6 days of the week. And while physical skills and talent are beneficial, the mental preparation was as critical (I would argue more critical) for us to win the game.

That perspective can translate in the corporate space in a number of ways.

Here are the 5 habits I started to do when I first became a middle manager 12 years ago to stay ahead of the game:

Understand the value-driven activities and trends

Every organization has a strategy. Every industry has trends.

Once I studied the efforts associated with our organization’s key goals and metrics, I then took the time to analyze how our team worked to influence those goals effectively.

I also took note in finding trusted news outlets and articles that were striving towards the same goals to connect the dots to what we may be doing in our organization.

Google can be your friend if you can critically use it.

Regularly engaged superiors, the team, and the customers

Rounding and 1:1’s were strategic tactics for me to build relationships across the organization.

It helped improve my communication at all levels because I could connect the strategies through multiple perspectives, which again increased effectiveness.

If you are not meeting with your team's on a consistent bases, start with scheduling monthly 30 minute conversations to check in with them.

And if you are looking for more structure to have those conversations, check out my friend and leadership consultant Jacob Espinoza's resource The Managers Guide to 1:1! (Not an affiliate link, just a major supporter of his work!)

Provide resources for effective skills-building

It is difficult to ask someone to complete the tasks if they do not have the training to do so.

In collaborating with senior staff and understanding the industry, we crafted opportunities to increase their skill sets within teams to gain the experience necessary to handle barriers, strategic projects, and maintenance work.

Plus, providing these resources allowed staff members to chart their path for growth within the industry.

Your team wants to do great work! Give them the tools necessary to do that well!

Seek and implement feedback for improvement

Constructive feedback is good for continuous growth.

Knowing that we are not all perfect, but we want to progress, I started to ask anyone I came in contact with how we could improve.

The goal was to create a space to encourage opportunities for innovation without seeing it as a personal attack on an identity.

Focus on the process, not the person.

Then the next step was to implement that feedback using change management, crucial conversations, and lean management system tactics.

Build a Community!

Leadership can be a lonely role.

There were times when I needed to connect and collaborate with a peer to navigate the complexities of middle management.

Without having a space for knowledge sharing, support, or continual encouragement, I will probably be in a totally different space in my career.

Find your people, in or out of work, who can help sustain you on your journey! If you don't have one around you, hit me up and let's grow together!

These are just some of the tactics I used and continue to use to keep myself anticipating the needs of those around me.

What are some tactics you use to stay ahead of the game in your leadership? Send me a reply back with your answers!

Rooting for your success!

Ray

Whenever you are ready, here are ways you can work with me:

• 🎤Speaking - As a Speaker and Facilitator, I will engage your team on how belonging and inclusivity can increase your team dynamics! ​Book Ray Now

• 🤝Coaching - As a Coach, I will help you enhance the power of inclusivity and empathy to be an effective leader through an equity lens! Book a Call Now

• 📘Consulting - As a Consultant, I will help strengthen your organizational culture to increase the employee experience and retention! Book a Consultation Now

P.S. - Thank you to those who have filled out the survey letting me know more about your leadership journey! I am excited to dive into the results over the next couple of weeks to provide you with resources and content that will support your leadership! If you haven’t filled it out yet, do so by clicking the link here!