The Warriors At Work Voice

What I learned from CEOs this month!

I did a month-long focus on Followership and interviewed 4 CEOs to understand their view on leading and following.

Here’s what I heard…

Executives are listening for the SO WHAT. Too often we spend a lot of time setting up a conversation with a lot of extra language instead of talking about what matters most, how it has impact and most importantly, why would they care.
Step back and think about the environment you are creating. Your people and your culture drive everything. Not only does it impact performance, but it also directs the production of your product/service. Is your company built upon listening? Collaboration? Shared mission and purpose? If these questions make you uncomfortable, it probably means that it’s not happening. It’s time for inquiry.
Honor your role as a leader. Feel the weight of the responsibility and let your team guide you. It’s not about a title, a destination or having power. Leading others is not about you as an individual, it’s about the organization.
There are key attributes that I noticed among all the Executive Leaders that I interviewed this month. Self-awareness, integrity, experience, optimism, and emotional intelligence. I was also struck by how open they were to learning and hearing other perspectives, especially in crisis.

Questions change as you cross the threshold into an executive position. As an ascending leader, you think in terms of how. As an executive leader, you think in terms of why and what. What questions are you asking of yourself and your team?

Jeanie Coomber

Whether it’s working with Jeanie as your coach, inviting her to speak at your event or leveraging her talent as an interviewer, she can help you and/or your group learn how to expand your footprint and capabilities as a leader and an influencer.

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