Leaving a Responsive Legacy

Think back to what I shared as we started this look at the art of responsiveness, specifically from Dan Pink’s book, When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, where he shared:

“Email response time is the single best predictor of whether employees are satisfied with their boss, according to ...

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Sustaining Responsive Habits

In chapter three of The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership, John Maxwell defines “The Law of Process” by saying “Leadership develops daily, not in a day.” The art of responsiveness follows the same process. Listening when we have time won’t cut it. Providing a timely reply on occasion isn’t enough. T...

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Handling Pressure & Responding Calmly

The art of responsiveness requires listening (to build a foundation so we can adapt our response to our team’s needs) and investing in each responsive relationship (to give or receive mentorship), but quick decisions under pressure can sacrifice the influence we’ve worked so hard to earn - if we’re ...

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Mentoring Through Responsiveness

Earlier, we looked at the importance of mentoring through influence rather than attempting to mentor through control. We may be able to use control for a while, at least as long as the chain-of-command reporting relationship exists, and pretend we’re providing mentorship. But that ship will sail soo...

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Investing in Responsive Relationships

Practicing the art of responsiveness can earn the kind of influence that enables swift, effective decisions - even under pressure. But the higher the stakes, the more important it will be to have made ongoing investments into each of those relationships. Like any sound investment strategy, the time ...

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Quick Decision-Making with Influence

The art of responsiveness isn’t based on how quickly we can reply. There are plenty of people I respect deeply who don’t provide an immediate answer when I reach out. However, those folks have intentionally invested into our relationship - just like I have - in a way that’s built grace. When our sch...

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Adapting to Team Needs

The art of responsiveness will never be based on a cookie-cutter approach. If we start with listening, especially when we’re able to apply the DISC Model of Human Behavior to what we hear, we’ll be able to recognize what each individual needs and tailor a response that best serves that need. The art...

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Responding to Feedback

Practicing the art of responsiveness requires discipline, especially for a leader working to juggle all that demands their time and attention. Messages can and do come at us from every direction and some of the most critical, the ones that determine how the individual who sent it will feel valued at...

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It Starts with Listening

How often have you experienced someone listening to respond (read: recognize when they get to respond) rather than listening to genuinely understand what’s being shared with them? While they do indeed respond immediately, that has nothing to do with The Art of Responsiveness that we’re working throu...

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The Art of Responsiveness

Near the beginning of chapter six of When: The Scientific Secrets of Perfect Timing, titled “Time Hacker’s Handbook,” Daniel Pink challenges readers to “Reply quickly email” and shares this:

“Email response time is the single best predictor of whether employees are satisfied with their boss, acco...

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The Most Important Conversation You’ll Have Today

The most important person you will ever talk to is staring back at you in the mirror. Every single day, you are in nonstop conversation with yourself. Psychologists estimate we have 50,000–70,000 thoughts per day. Most of those thoughts come with words attached—words we say to ourselves. That intern...

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Sharing Acquired Wisdom

As we closed our look at “The Strength of Humility,” earning “Influence Over Authority,” and the importance of “Knowing Our Worth,” I stressed the idea of creating a legacy that lives well beyond what we do individually. More than any other thing I’ve experienced, that’s how we can best leverage lea...

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