Adventures in Leadership Land

Adventures in Leadership Land explores the nuances of effective leadership by examining common misconceptions, strategies for success, and the psychological aspects influencing decision-making and team dynamics. It emphasizes contrarian views, emotional intelligence, trust-building, risk management, and the ethics of leadership practices.

Leadership Strategies Team Dynamics and Collaboration Psychological Aspects of Leadership Trust and Ethics in Leadership Risk Management Emotional Intelligence in Leadership Decision Making Conflict and Crisis Management

The hottest Substack posts of Adventures in Leadership Land

And their main takeaways

The Dangers of Excessive Cooperation, Part 1

78 implied HN points • 16 Oct 22
  1. Excessive cooperation in teams can lead to unintended consequences.
  2. Overprotective leadership can hinder employee growth and autonomy.
  3. Finding the right balance in teamwork and collaboration is crucial for long-term success.
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7 Characteristics To Always Show, Never Tell

58 implied HN points • 22 Nov 22
  1. Showing is better than telling when it comes to personal characteristics like power and self-assurance.
  2. Avoid making self-defeating claims like claiming to be powerful, self-assured, or intelligent.
  3. Let your actions speak for you and demonstrate your qualities instead of just talking about them.

How to Prevent Problems with a Pre-Mortem Analysis

39 implied HN points • 17 Mar 23
🏥 Health & Wellness Preventative measures Self-awareness Personal Growth
  1. Conduct Pre-mortem Analysis: Visualize preventable crisis to identify weak points and take preventative action.
  2. Use Mistrust Jar: Start with self-mistrust before others, preventing future problems by addressing personal weaknesses.
  3. Be Prepared: Formulate contingency plans, seek advice, maximize options, and build redundancies to handle uncertainty and avoid unwanted outcomes.

You've Been Promoted. What Now?

58 implied HN points • 05 Sep 22
  1. Many first-time managers come from different backgrounds to Leadership Land.
  2. First-time managers should focus on what NOT to do to become better leaders.
  3. Be skeptical, learn from others' mistakes, and avoid conventional wisdom in zero-sum games.

Misplaced Trust: The Thanksgiving Turkey's Tale

39 implied HN points • 24 Nov 22
  1. Trust can be deceiving as past experiences don't predict future outcomes.
  2. The problem of induction warns that generalized rules based on experience can be proven wrong at any time.
  3. Misplaced trust can be found in various aspects of life, leading to unexpected betrayals.

The Halo Effect Bias: How it Distorts Your Hiring Decisions

39 implied HN points • 15 Sep 22
  1. Many people tend to judge others based on appearance, falling for the Halo Effect bias.
  2. The Halo and Horn Effect can lead to assumptions about individuals that are not grounded in reality.
  3. It is important to be aware of biases like the Halo Effect when making hiring decisions and not let appearance cloud judgment.

Hawk vs. Dove: Which Type of Leader Are You?

39 implied HN points • 07 Sep 22
  1. Being a leader can require a mix of competitive and cooperative traits.
  2. Adapting leadership style based on the environment and industry is essential.
  3. Dynamic thinking is necessary in leadership, as situations change.

The Deadly Mistake of Confusing "Trust" and "Trustworthiness"

19 implied HN points • 29 Jan 23
  1. Trust and trustworthiness are different - it's not just about quantity of trust
  2. Building trust is like filling a marble jar with deposits from positive interactions, consistency, and selfless acts
  3. Losing trust is like withdrawing marbles from the jar - negative interactions, unreliability, and selfish behavior lead to trust depletion

Beginnings are Important. Don't Squander Them!

19 implied HN points • 11 Nov 22
  1. Start strong to avoid problems later on.
  2. Small errors at the beginning can lead to big problems down the road.
  3. Invest heavily in beginnings for any new endeavor.

Social Loafing and Pseudo-Productivitis: An Infectious Disease

19 implied HN points • 25 Oct 22
  1. Beware of social loafing in organizations, where employees exert less effort when part of a group
  2. Pseudo-productivitis can infect organizations, with employees giving the appearance of productivity without actual output
  3. Aligning employee interests with company goals can help combat pseudo-productivitis and improve overall performance

A Tiebreaker for Interview Candidate Hiring

19 implied HN points • 28 Sep 22
  1. When faced with two evenly matched candidates with excellent track records, consider selecting the one who doesn't 'look the part.'
  2. Candidates who may not fit the traditional 'look,' like surgeons who don't look like traditional surgeons, might have unique qualities that have enabled them to succeed.
  3. Be cautious of candidates who excel at interviews, as they may be better at creating an illusion rather than delivering substance.

Is it Ethical to Consider Job Immobility in Hiring Decisions?

19 implied HN points • 24 Sep 22
  1. Legal does not always equal ethical when it comes to hiring decisions based on job immobility.
  2. Considering job mobility is a mixed bag of incentives for employers, employees, and organizations.
  3. Investing in employee training and development can lead to loyalty, positive references, and better alignment of interests.

Committees, Councils, and Corporate Cancer

19 implied HN points • 09 Sep 22
  1. Committees can start small, grow, and eventually become unwieldy, hindering quick decision-making.
  2. Having too many members on a board can lead to inefficiencies and disagreements that can derail the organization.
  3. Large boards can develop internal factions, becoming ineffective and possibly leading to organizational collapse.

Your Employees Are Mercenaries, But They Should Be Cultists

0 implied HN points • 25 Jun 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Consulting Workplace culture
  1. Assess if employees are loyal or opportunistic by questioning their commitment to work, potential job offers, and sacrificing personal time.
  2. Be cautious when using consultants or contractors as they may not have your best interests in mind, leading to ongoing dependence and potential conflicts of interest.
  3. Create a loyal workforce by fostering loyalty to the organizational mission, building trust among employees, and cultivating a culture that values both the purpose and the people.

The Streisand Effect: A Cautionary Tale on the Perils of Suppressing Information

0 implied HN points • 05 Nov 22
  1. Attempts to suppress information can often backfire and draw more attention to it, known as the Streisand Effect.
  2. Suppressing information can unintentionally imply the value and presence of a secret, sparking curiosity.
  3. Creating artificial scarcity can manipulate desires and prompt actions, emphasizing the importance of managing information discreetly.

Surface Geography of Leadership Land (1/2)

0 implied HN points • 18 Aug 23
💼 Business Leadership Management Decision-making Organizational Culture
  1. Leadership Land has diverse terrains like Boss Forest, Career Swamp, Desert of Good Intentions.
  2. Institute of Conventional Wisdom is a prestigious place for leadership best practices but may hinder innovation by turning secrets into common knowledge.
  3. Leaders in Leadership Land face challenges due to the Fog of Uncertainty and must navigate through conflicting interests and build trust.

How Do You Build Trust If You Don't Know What "Trust" Means?

0 implied HN points • 30 Nov 22
  1. Leaders often talk about trust, but not many define what trust really is.
  2. Trust is related to our expectations and can exist on a spectrum rather than a binary state.
  3. Trusting involves vulnerability - it's giving someone the power to harm you, while hoping they won't.

Our Social Media Sites Are Up!

0 implied HN points • 20 Nov 22
  1. Social media was addictive, distracting, and privacy-invading.
  2. Focus on using social media for connection and promotion, prioritizing users over platforms.
  3. Considering Mastodon due to concerns over Twitter's future changes.
  4. Keep updating multiple social media platforms while maintaining a posting schedule.

How to Pollute Your Résumé with Adjectives

0 implied HN points • 15 Nov 22
  1. Using too many adjectives in a pitch can come off as empty and lacking substance.
  2. Actions speak louder than words; demonstrating accomplishments is more valuable than just describing with adjectives.
  3. Be cautious of using too many adjectives in sales pitches as it may signal an undifferentiated commodity or hide a lack of true value.

Lies We Tell in Leadership, Part 3: Polite Fictions

0 implied HN points • 23 Jun 23
🎭️ Culture Leadership Workplace dynamics Social Interactions Human behavior Relationships
  1. Polite fictions are lies we tell each other to maintain gaps between ideals and behaviors.
  2. Organizations often create polite fictions to mask dysfunctional behaviors and maintain social cohesion.
  3. Maintaining polite fictions in leadership can involve pretending to follow all rules, treating everyone fairly, and suppressing personal influences in the workplace.