Back in the olden days, being an agile leader was easy if you were open minded to change. Given the current market climate, the qualities of an agile leader are now much more comprehensive and far-reaching. To be truly worthy of the title of “agile leader,” you must be innovative, proactive, and adaptable. Many leaders fail to pass on valuable modern skills, simply because those practices weren’t necessary a few years ago.
Our recent podcast guest Chuck Mollor is the founder, CEO, advisor, and executive coach at MCG Partners. His best-selling book, The Rise of the Agile Leader: Can You Make the Shift? is a compendious guide for executives of all levels. Mollor introduces an entirely new leadership paradigm by providing a roadmap of what makes a great leader and how organizations can mold the premiere talent of tomorrow.
Mollor argues that emotional intelligence is a huge factor in being a successful, agile leader. As Mollor puts it, “The more self-aware we are, the more we’re understanding the impact we have on others - especially, under pressure and stress.” It’s important for leaders to manage their own stress and triggers, as their mood and behaviors can strongly affect the people around them.
Even with this philosophy in mind, stress can be hard to manage when you’re in a leadership role. As a leader and a motivator, you’re constantly being bombarded by emails, meetings, requests, and decisions to make. The key to handling stress is to stay present. Being emotionally intelligent means being able to embody your best self in any given situation for the benefit of the people around you. Agile leaders need to adjust themselves and their styles effectively to be able to build relationships and establish trust in others.
Another key ingredient to being an agile leader is promoting psychological safety by creating a safe work environment. Mollor underlines the importance of supporting off the wall thinking in your team. According to Mollor, “We have to be willing, as a leader, to create an environment where people feel comfortable expressing their views and opinions, even if they are not popular.” You don’t want to create an environment where people are walking on eggshells if a mistake is made, or team members are afraid to explore new ideas for growth.
An agile leader positively impacts the people around them with their emotional intelligence and willingness to hear alternative takes and fresh voices. Anybody can transform into an agile leader by being receptive to change and having a strong sense of self-awareness.
Listen to more from Chuck HERE
Find out more HERE