Caped Coaching & Training, LLC

A wonderful #DeepDive into systems thinking with this article from Sheril Mathews: 1. As a leader, observe the system’s rhythm, norms, and tacit rules before making changes. 2. Effective leaders are not only clear about their assumptions but also transparent about their uncertainties. By exposing your mental models, you encourage others to do the same, leading to a more intellectually honest organization. 3. By democratizing information, you distribute agency. 4. Leadership is communication — the words you use can limit or expand possibilities. Language acts as both a lens and a filter. It doesn’t just describe reality; it shapes it. 5. Metrics are proxies, not the reality itself. Qualitative shifts precede quantitative outcomes. The temptation is to optimize what we can measure while sidelining what truly matters. 6. Remember that hierarchies exist to serve the bottom layers, not the top. Don’t maximize parts of systems or subsystems while ignoring the whole. 7. This principle emphasizes humility — not imposing solutions but noticing what the system is trying to achieve on its own. 8. Systems thinking urges leaders to align authority with responsibility, ensuring decision-makers have both the power to act and the responsibility to manage the outcomes. 9. Leaders must view themselves as learners-in-chief, setting the tone for the team’s approach to complexity… Intellectual humility means acknowledging you don’t have all the answers. It doesn’t mean indecisiveness; it means being open to change when evidence warrants it. 10. Complexity thrives on self-organization, where parts of the system spontaneously align or adapt to changing conditions. Leaders can support self-organization by enabling autonomy and distributed decision-making. 11. Systems thinking teaches that short-term fixes often lead to long-term problems. Effective leaders hold a dual focus—managing short-term pressures while communicating a compelling long-term vision. 12. Great leaders are boundary crossers. They are willing to explore new fields of knowledge to understand how different systems intersect. They actively seek ideas from unexpected places. It requires borrowing tools from other fields and reinterpreting them to fit a new context. 13. Challenge the cultural drift toward cynicism by highlighting and rewarding positive examples. Change the narrative from ‘we’re only human’ to ‘we’re capable of better.’ Demonstrate the behaviors you wish to see. Leadership is not about enforcing rules but about embodying principles. https://lnkd.in/gkNV6Uv4 #leadership #management #SystemsThinking

"Empowering better tomorrows starts within. By recognizing and addressing our inner obstacles—whether it’s blame, helplessness, self-righteousness, or cynicism—we can unlock our potential to be part of the change. Embracing imperfection, letting go of ego, and taking small but meaningful actions are practices that empower not only ourselves but also those around us." MORE on this from Keith Edwards here: https://lnkd.in/g9Sz8usr #change #leadership

"No two people have the same history. No two organizations started from the same place. Everyone and everything travels a different road to get to where they are. Teams are no different. Teams go through the stages Tuckman identifies in his model at different rates. When they get stuck in one stage, it’s because they aren’t taking the time or creating the space to move into a new stage. And that could be for a lot of different reasons." How do you get unstuck? READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/gpAzeP5m #leadership #TeamDevelopment #Teamwork

“In any organization, the gap between talent and outcomes is the quality of your teams. “The team level is where people: 1) activate their strengths in collaboration with others 2) experience organizational culture 3) feel inclusion and belonging 4) form meaningful relationships 5) receive frequent feedback and recognition “But what are the universal rules of great teams? And how can leaders apply them to replicate high-performance teams in their own organization?” https://lnkd.in/etdBdcF9 #gallup #manager #teamwork

"There are tools you can use to this end, tools that will help you connect with your audience and achieve understanding. The way to remember these tools is simple. No, really, it’s S-I-M-P-L-E, which stands for Slogans, Images, Metaphors, Parables, Lists, and Examples. When used well, these simplifying tools can help you hone your communication skill to explain things more clearly." https://lnkd.in/g3kdD8aD #communication #leader #leadership

"In the last few years work has become increasingly digital where things like online meetings, asynchronous comms and virtual meetings are more the norm than in-person. That digital first style also has an impact on growth and learning at work. It means learning opportunities will look different and our future workforce might require more training around specific skills like communication, virtual collaboration, or virtual facilitation... "Before we get to what that could look like, I tapped some experts to talk about what good learning looks like and what to be mindful of!" 🤸Humans learn by doing, through experience. 🚧We learn best just outside of our comfort zone. 💡Motivation drives mastery. 📖Learning how to learn is the most durable skill. 👩🏾🍳An ingredient you can’t learn without: reflection. 🏈Learning is a team sport. READ MORE: https://lnkd.in/g7n5Fghg #leadership #learning

"Perhaps one of the most damaging aspects of the toxic work environment was the smear campaigns launched against me. The toxic leader, driven by their own insecurities and desire for control, aimed to tarnish my reputation and credibility. False accusations and rumors were spread, further isolating me and creating a hostile work environment. It felt as though my name and professional integrity were under constant attack." https://lnkd.in/e_9Ti-3m

"Leaders must navigate constant change and ambiguity, make decisions with limited information, balance short-term pressures with long-term goals, all while inspiring their people to work together towards a corporate mission. It can feel like a bit of a whirlwind at times... "Learning these central pillars of the psychology behind leadership can help you slow down and gain greater clarity and control over your leadership roles inside and outside of work." https://lnkd.in/gJS79Y6k #integrity #leadership #trust

Insightful exploration and strategies for navigating 5 types of #resistance from Keith Edwards: "Many leaders treat resistance as a monolith, assuming there’s one right way to handle it. In reality, resistance is more complex. It shows up differently across teams and even within individuals, and it requires nuanced responses. Recognizing different types of resistance and responding accordingly can turn obstacles into opportunities for deeper engagement and progress." https://lnkd.in/gGkdupYH #fear #leadership

Dismantle Organizational Fear in 3 Practical Steps 1. Monitor your emotional response to dissent and bad news. The early truth is kind. How you respond to negative information will dictate how frequently you'll receive it. Keep your emotions in check when mistakes are shared, dissent is offered, and failure surfaces. 2. Give updates when there are no updates. Fear thrives in a vacuum. Leaders should provide regular updates, even when there’s no major news to share. This helps reduce uncertainty and keeps employees in the loop, preventing fear from filling the gaps. 3. Provide air cover in exchange for candor. Your people won’t give you their honest opinions until they know it’s safe to do so. When your people speak up, offer them your protection and support (air cover) both in-team and cross functionally. https://lnkd.in/gzq9JXJr #fear #PsychologicalSafety #leadership