Angela Crawford’s Post

As mentor-in-my-head Marc Randolph always says: "Collide it with reality." (Hi, Marc!) Whether you're trying to develop a new tool, come up with a solution at work, or simply be competitive, put your ideas into practice first. Success doesn't happen when ideas and theories live in your head. It happens when they live in the real world. This has always been my advice to new and emerging leaders. I've seen first-time managers lead with such stage fright, because up until then, they had little-to-no experience. "The proof is in the pudding." But here's the thing: You gotta actually make the pudding. If you want leadership/management experience, you don't have to wait until that job becomes available. Do yourself a favor and get some practice in now: 📗 Initiate and lead a book club: Take charge of facilitating meetings, creating engaging activities, and formulating thought-provoking questions related to the material. 🤾♀️ Volunteer as a babysitter: Kids are awesome but they can be unpredictable. This provides a valuable opportunity to hone quick decision-making skills and captivate an audience while upholding the values set by parents or, in a corporate context, the organization. 🗣 Engage in mentor-led role-play scenarios: Collaborate with a trusted mentor to simulate managerial situations, where you assume the role of the manager and they the direct report. It's not about winning an Oscar, but the refinement of your communication and leadership style, with your mentor providing constructive feedback. 🤝 Participate in a fraternity or sorority: Such organizations offer ample chances for leadership roles and responsibilities, contributing to the cultivation of essential leadership skills. 📚 Lead the next group project at school: Seize opportunities in academic settings to refine your organizational and team leadership capabilities. 🏖 Organize the next friend or family trip: Assume the role of trip planner, crafting comprehensive itineraries and demonstrating your ability to manage logistics. In the pursuit of leadership excellence, theory alone will not suffice. Practice makes perfect. #OnwardUpward #leadership #management

Mentors are like lighthouses, guiding us through storms, illuminating unseen paths, and most importantly, helping us discover our unique potential. I recently asked a mentor, who has a network of world-class experts, how to solve a problem I was stuck on. Her response was insightful: "I can, but they would just tell you that the way you are doing it is wrong, because it is not the way they know. You need to see this through." I hope we all can cultivate meaningful relationships with mentors, making life more enriching. The same principle applies in organizations: teams want to contribute far beyond their title, role, and scope. Yet, I've often found leaders reluctant to empower their employees with the necessary resources. There is immense value in culture, relationships, and innovation, locked within people's creative potential. Leaders too often opt for quick and easy off-the-shelf solutions, missing the valuable knowledge and expertise internal teams possess. Cheers, Ron =D

🌟 Reflecting on an inspiring session in our monthly mentor program last week, where I had the privilege of meeting Vilve Vene, the mentor of my esteemed boss. 🚀 Vilve, a trailblazer in the IT sector, particularly in financial technology, has proven that success knows no gender. Her journey in building businesses as a woman has been nothing short of phenomenal. 🌐💼 What resonated most with me was her leadership style, which aligns with my own philosophy. She places people at the core, recognizing that they are the true heartbeat of any organization. 🤝❤️ In our two-hour mentor session, I was fortunate to gain profound insights and experience some mental breakthroughs. Here are a few key takeaways that I believe will reshape the way I approach leadership: 1) Set the Destination, not the Path: A good leader outlines the destination but refrains from prescribing every step of the journey. It fosters creativity and empowers team members to find innovative solutions. 2) Focus on How, Not Why: When faced with challenges, shift the conversation from 'why' to 'how.' This approach sparks problem-solving discussions and encourages a proactive mindset within the team. 3) Amplify Communication in Times of Change: Change is inevitable, and when it occurs, a leader's role is to communicate extensively. Transparency and open dialogue create a shared understanding, fostering a smoother transition. 4) Understanding Burnout: Recognizing burnout goes beyond workload assessment. A leader must delve into the underlying reasons, understanding the unique triggers affecting each team member to provide meaningful support. 5) Team Leadership is about Communication: A team leader's primary focus should revolve around effective communication within the team. By fostering open dialogue, trust is built, and the team becomes a cohesive unit. Vilve emphasized the power of vulnerability in building trust. As leaders, we need to open ourselves up, showing our human side. Only then can we foster genuine connections and lead with authenticity. 🌟💬 Grateful for the opportunity to learn from such an incredible mentor and looking forward to implementing these valuable lessons in my journey. 💪🚀 #LeadershipJourney #Mentorship #LeadershipLessons #AuthenticLeadership

💪🏻 What are your strengths? 💪🏻 It was great to spend time this afternoon with Rosalie Audoin and Paul M., reflecting on the value of strengths-based teams and organisations, and learning more about the work they are doing to enable businesses to take a more strengths-based approach.  As a part of teams and organisations that identify - and build on - strengths for over a decade, I have experienced the positive impact on culture and performance. I’ve learnt that knowing your own strengths is vital in terms of unlocking opportunities to succeed and grow in a way that makes you feel fuelled, motivated and excited by your work. As a leader, understanding the strengths across your team is a powerful enabler of individual and team performance. For individuals to feel that their strengths are really ‘seen’ creates psychological safety, deepens commitment to the work, and achieves better outcomes. Across the team, it enables you to allocate work differently to leverage people’s strengths. However, strengths in overdrive can begin to have a negative impact - there’s a fine line between giving direction and being directive. Building an awareness of your strengths and what they look like in action (and in overdrive) helps you to counter this. Does this mean we can pick and choose what we work on, and only take on projects that play to our strengths? No! Having a conscious awareness of our strengths helps us to find assignments that play to them, and manage our energy for those that don’t. We will still always find growth in the ‘hard things’ and perhaps uncover new strengths along the way. My strengths include: setting a vision, influencing, planning, executing, coaching and communicating. My superpowers are where my strengths and values come together - more on that in a future post! What are your strengths? #strengths #leadership #coaching

If you feel lost without a mentor to help your career keep reading below. Finding a mentor can be a real struggle for many leaders. It often feels like there are countless obstacles in the way of connecting with the right person who can guide you on your career path. Those frustrations range from: ❌Limited access to experienced mentors. ❌Difficulty aligning career goals. ❌Lack of time are just a few of the hurdles. Add to that the uncertainty of where to look, establishing trust, and fear of rejection, and it’s no wonder you feel stuck. Not knowing how to communicate your needs, balancing finding mentorship with leadership duties, and getting conflicting advice can make the journey even more challenging. But don’t lose hope! Overcoming these challenges is possible with the right approach: ✅Expand your network: Attend industry events, join professional groups, and leverage LinkedIn to find experienced mentors. ✅Clarify your goals: Be clear about what you want to achieve through mentorship. ✅Communicate effectively: Be upfront about your needs and expectations with potential mentors. ✅Be proactive: Take the initiative to reach out and build relationships. ✅Stay open-minded: Different mentors bring different strengths. Embrace diverse perspectives. ✅Prioritize mentorship: Make time for building and maintaining these valuable relationships. By addressing these challenges head-on, you can find a mentor who not only understands your career path but also helps you grow and excel as a leader. Don't let the challenges of finding a mentor hold you back. Take proactive steps to connect with the right guide and watch your career soar! Follow me for more leadership tips and insights to help you navigate your career journey and achieve your goals. #Leadership #CareerGrowth #Mentorship #ProfessionalDevelopment

Let’s talk about personal growth. Of everything I tried in getting my skills from zero to one, mentorship was the unexpected one thing that helped me tremendously. Young leaders! Let's talk about the transformative power of mentorship and how it can supercharge your professional journey. The Òkè Leadership Program organized by Òkè was created from a place of experience. I want to see young professionals experience the life-changing benefits of receiving mentorship. However, many people don’t take a chance on things they know nothing about so here some of the benefits I received, and you can receive too from having great mentors. 1. Guided Growth: A mentor serves as your personal compass, helping you navigate the twists and turns of your career path with wisdom and insight. With their guidance, you'll unlock new levels of self-awareness, identify your strengths and areas for growth, and chart a course toward success with clarity and confidence. 2. Insider Knowledge: Ever wish you had a backstage pass to the world of work? With a mentor by your side, you'll gain access to invaluable insider knowledge, industry insights, and best practices that can't be found in textbooks or online courses. From unwritten office etiquette to insider tips for climbing the corporate ladder, your mentor's expertise will give you a competitive edge in today's fast-paced world. 3. Network Expansion: They say your network is your net worth, and there's no better way to expand your professional circle than through mentorship. Your mentor's connections become your connections, opening doors to new opportunities, introductions to industry leaders, and insider access to exclusive events and career-enhancing opportunities. With their support, you'll build a powerful network that propels your career to new heights. Tag a friend who could benefit from a mentorship journey and let's empower each other to reach our full potential! #Mentorship #YoungLeaders #Leadership #PersonalDevelopment #ProfessionalDevelopment

Ever found yourself stalled by criticism, skepticism, or outright objection? Wondered how to harness these seemingly negative energies into a catalyst for innovation and positive change? 🤔💡 As someone who's always on a learning journey, I recently delved into "𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝘄𝗼 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗥𝘂𝗹𝗲: 𝗧𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗼 𝗣𝗼𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀" by John Wolpert. This read was an eye-opener, aligning perfectly with the complex challenges many leaders face today. Here are a few gems from the book that I believe can significantly impact how we navigate negativity: 💎𝗘𝗺𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗰𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀: Seeing value in negative feedback can be the first step towards groundbreaking solutions. It's about shifting the narrative from roadblocks to stepping stones for innovation. 💎𝗠𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗺 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: The Two But Rule isn’t just a catchy phrase; it’s a strategy to keep moving forward. "But that won't work" becomes an opportunity when followed by "BUT it would if…". It's about transforming challenges into actionable solutions. 💎𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Fostering an environment that doesn't shy away from challenges but instead embraces them as growth opportunities is crucial. It's about creating a space where every 'but' is a launchpad for 'what if'. 💎𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: The book doesn’t just theorize; it provides tangible strategies for real-world implementation. This approach is invaluable, especially in high-pressure environments where theoretical knowledge needs practical execution. 💎𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗲𝗴𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆: Transforming negative thinking into a constructive force can propel us past stagnation and towards resilience and optimism. Community and Support: Just as the author extends an invitation to join a community of problem solvers, I believe in the power of collective wisdom and support to overcome challenges. This book has equipped me with insights that I can’t wait to integrate into my executive coaching practice. It underlines the power of perspective—turning 'but' into 'but it would if' can change everything. Curious how these insights could transform your leadership approach or organization? Let's chat. My mission is to guide leaders through the maze of negativity to discover innovative solutions and achieve their goals. ✨ Interested in transforming obstacles into opportunities for growth and innovation? Comment below or reach out directly. Let's turn the tide together. #LeadershipDevelopment #Innovation #ExecutiveCoaching #PositiveThinking #TheTwoButRule #JohnWolpert #ProblemSolving #AliceGeoffroy

🌐 Reciprocity in Leadership: The Mentor's Journey 🌐 Unveiling a hidden truth: To become a better leader, become a mentor. In the mentoring dialogue, we often spotlight the mentee's growth, but let's shine a light on the mentor's journey. By sharing experiences and insights, mentors not only guide mentees but also experience personal growth. The positive impact is a two-way street, creating a feedback loop of fulfillment. Beyond the mentee's progress, mentoring offers the mentor a sense of purpose and reduced stress through positive feelings. Challenge the conventional flow of information. While mentors share wisdom, the dynamic interaction inevitably influences both parties. Mentoring a younger individual injects energy and fresh perspectives, turning the mentor into a perpetual learner. Embrace mentorship across cultures and genders for firsthand insights into diverse values and contributions. Venturing beyond comfort zones, the mentor-mentee relationship cultivates openness, helpfulness, and a genuine interest in others' growth. As a leader, this transformative journey not only impacts your mentee but positions you as a better, more empathetic leader. 🤔 #PonderableQuestions: - How has mentoring positively influenced your personal growth and leadership journey? - In what ways do you believe being a mentor contributes to reduced stress and positive feelings? Share an instance where mentoring someone from a different background broadened your perspectives. #MentorshipJourney #LeadershipGrowth #ReciprocalMentoring Help yourself by helping others — a mantra for leadership evolution. Embrace the reciprocal nature of mentoring, where both mentor and mentee flourish. Let the mentoring journey be a continuous exchange, propelling you toward becoming a more impactful and enlightened leader. 🚀 Contact us today to learn more.