Speaking with Dov Baron is always a pleasure. Recently, I had an opportunity to share some thoughts on his Leadership and Loyalty podcast. Watch the Leadership and Loyalty Podcast episodes on my Youtube Channel: Leadership and Loyalty Podcast Part 1, Leadership and Loyalty Podcast Part 2.

Here are 3 insights on Leadership & Loyalty.

1. The one thing we neglect to teach our people.

We should proactively teach managers how to delegate. People who get promoted are outstanding individual contributors. They’ve achieved success with one set of skills, and are suddenly put in a position where those same skills will not set them up for success. Now finding themselves in a people management role, they need to figure out how to delegate. They need to find the right person to do the right work, and encourage them in the right way. So, how do we help them proactively pivot? (To listen to this section of the podcast, skip to 6:04-7:40)

2. How to create a sense of belonging AND set expectations for high performance.

Dov asked whether we can create a sense of belonging and still deliver on shareholder expectations; I believe many might wonder the same. Well, I don’t think an enriching workplace culture and high performance culture are mutually exclusive. In fact, I believe the two must go hand-in-hand for sustained business success. For instance, I’ve defined my own desired workplace culture as “Comfort for the spirit.” I want to create a place where people feel comfortable to be themselves. That said, let’s not confuse “comfort” with “lackadaisical”.

Let’s be clear – I’m going to push us to do great work, and I hold my leaders accountable to stretching goals. At the same time, my teams know I have their backs. I will lead from the front when they need it, work alongside them to when they’re struggling, and stand behind them to ensure they get the spotlight as often as possible. It’s only when we feel we truly belong in the workplace, that we feel unleashed to bring our best. (To listen to this section of the podcast, skip to 10:10 – 11:22)

3. Empower yourself by identifying your Offer and Offense.

By identifying your offer, you’re empowering yourself to say, “I do have something unique to offer the world. This is the combination of who I am and what I bring to the table.” There’s power to writing down a declaration, so take some time and define your own Offer. This exercise starts on page 33 of the book. (To listen to this section of the podcast, skip to 21:45 – 22:05)

On the other side of the model, lies the Offense. As I wrote on page 83, “It’s the thing that tugs uncomfortably at our gut and pesters our conscience until we take action.” More recently, I’ve been expanding my definition of the right side of our model. It appears we have just as much to gain by defining our Opportunity, as we do our Offense. So, whether you identify an Offense or prefer to focus on an Opportunity, I encourage you to write down how you choose to direct and leverage your Offer. Truly, you’ll find it empowering at home and at work, once you’ve put pen to paper!

Those are my 3 insights on Leadership & Loyalty. Do you have any others you’d add?

Check out some related articles:

• On leadership – Three Ways to Increase Your Impact, What Kind of Leader Are You?, 3 Success Models of Unconventional Leadership
• On a sense of belonging – The Importance of Psychological Safety, A Culture of Belonging,
• On Offer and Offense – Click here for a synopsis of The Spare Room book and other book-related stuff

Click here for all my podcasts, and here for my other engagement with Dov on his Curiosity Bites podcast.