Further Enlightenment
The following are articles and other sources to spur continued growth around 5 leadership topics.
Leadership Growth
Strategy
Design Thinking
Customer Service
Social Media
Design thinking for non-profits
"Nonprofits are beginning to use design thinking to develop better solutions to social problems. Design thinking crosses the traditional boundaries between public, for-profit, and nonprofit sectors. By working closely with the clients and consumers, design thinking allows high-impact solutions to bubble up from below rather than being imposed from the top."
Read the article: Design Thinking for Social Innovation
Design thinking toolkit
The Gates Foundation Human Centered Design toolkit, is a methodology organizations can use to undertake the design thinking process themselves. The toolkit is available as a free download.
social media strategy for non-profits
"Social media is an opportunity to tell your story, engage with supporters and get results—which means there’s no time like the present to create or refresh your social media strategy."
Read the article: Strategic Guide to Social Media for Nonprofits
focused leadership
"A primary task of leadership is to direct attention.To do so, leaders must learn to focus their own attention." Leaders must learn to focus in three areas: Self, Others & the World.
Read the article: The Focused Leader
your centered leadership journey
Centered leaders "were people who saw opportunity everywhere. They exuded positive energy. They understood themselves—their thoughts, feelings, and actions—and they were open to others, welcoming opposition. They were eager to connect; they touched others deeply. They faced big challenges and took personal risks with the confidence that if things didn’t work out, they would move on. They bounced back from failures with unstoppable energy. They were driven by purpose; they were a force. "
Read the article: Your Centered Leadership Journey
your customer service is your branding
"To get at what makes up a brand like The Ritz-Carlton, which is perhaps the most frequently-cited exemplar of customer service in today's business world, we need to look at how its style of customer service has evolved over the years, and, speaking more generally, how any company, by updating its customer service style, can keep its brand in touch with what customers–customers of all ages, including the important and very informal Millennial generation of customers–are looking for today."
Read the article: Ritz Carlton Case Study
shared purpose is better
"Companies are turning to “purpose” and “authenticity” as a way to engage consumers and employees. But it’s hard enough to find a purpose in life if you’re an individual, let alone an entire company."
Read the article: Purpose is Good. Shared Purpose is Better.
change your mental model to really transform
"It seems that everyone these days is looking for a disruptive business model. But a business model is only one part of the equation. Equally important is the mental model behind the business model, as well as a measurement model for both. It’s the combination of mental, business, and measurement models that allows real transformation to occur."
Read the article: To Change Your Strategy First Change How You Think
Building Better Teams
"Managing different personality types in a team setting can be difficult to say the least. With the cost associated with disengaged employees going up every year, it is important for companies to build healthy working teams."
Read the article: The 5 Personality Types You Don't Want On Your Team
practicing the art of courage
"Courage. It is something that great leaders have, and the biggest piece missing from those aspiring to be great. Although courage is associated with heroic actions and feats, it is courage in the day-to-day interactions with colleagues, friends and family that is often overlooked and the most important to our success and happiness."
Read the article: Practicing the Art of Courage
Letting creativity flow
"He’s led the innovative animation giant to create 14 No. 1 movies. Here, Pixar’s Ed Catmull shares why your first ideas should suck, how anyone at the company should be able to speak up, and why you want to make sure there’s laughter in brainstorming sessions."
Read the article: How to Run a Creative Business
secret to success if giving not taking
"We all know what successful people look like. They are are the ones who do whatever it takes, the ones with the sharp elbows, the ones who know how to take what is theirs. But there is a different, better path to success, argues Adam Grant, in Give and Take."
Read the article: The Secret to Success Is Giving Not Taking
valuable lessons on failure & being remarkable
"As part of the 30 Days of Genius series, CreativeLive sat down with Godin to discuss everything from failure to permission marketing to what it takes to be truly remarkable."
Read the article: 3 Valuable Lessons From Seth Godin
vulnerability can make you better
"In this interview, Brene Brown talks about how she's been able to embrace her own vulnerability, shares a story of an entrepreneur who dared greatly to achieve success, and explains how vulnerability really works in our society and more."
Read the article: How Vulnerability Can Make Our Lives Better
