by Mike Faber
Dede Osborn is a Senior Fellow at the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland. She’s also a student of Hawaiian leadership and values, and is the author of the paper Leadership Styles in Modern Hawaiian Organizations: Island Culture at Work. Looking at a variety of leadership measures, her studies determine that the three most frequent Hawaiian leadership behaviors are:
- Treats people with dignity and respect
- Follows through on promises and commitments
- Gives team members appreciation and support
Not rocket science, right? So why are these behaviors not practiced more widely and more consistently?
Part of the answer lies in what we tell ourselves. A study of leadership communication once showed that three-quarters of a group of business executives thought of themselves as “great” communicators. The same study polled employees, and their assessment of their leaders’ communication skills produced inverse results. Three-quarters of employees thought those same leaders exhibited “poor” communication skills! Those leaders were convinced of their mastery, without understanding that they had a huge blind spot.
Here’s a great exercise to learn more about your communication skills. Copy/paste/print the three leadership behaviors cited above. Post them in a prominent place at your workspace. When others come to visit, ask them whether they see these behaviors in you, and ask for specific examples. While they’re being candid with you, be a listener and do not react. Thank them for their honesty, and use what you hear to build action steps to improve your skills.
Better yet, bring an Aloha Leadership keynote or workshop to your audience and let them experience the change together!
Mike Faber is a speaker, trainer and certified professional coach who has taught thousands of business leaders to communicate passionately and effectively. His work with Hawaiian business and community leaders forms the foundation of Aloha Leadership™, a new keynote that teaches leadership with an “Island” twist! Mike brings the lessons of a 30-year career in sales, management and broadcasting to audiences in a unique style that combines humor, candor, and lessons that can be applied to all walks of life. He is the author of three books, including 89 Seconds to Sales Success and 89 Seconds to Leadership Success, and recently released The 52 Greatest Business Development Questions Ever! card deck.
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