Professional Development Consortium (PDC)’s Post

Looking forward to talking about leading change with PDC next week. We'll talk about different preferences around managing change, and how to adapt our approach based on those we lead, and the situation. #leadership

𝐌𝐨𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐞𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐚𝐦𝐫𝐨𝐝 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩: 𝐄𝐦𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐀𝐝𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐥𝐬 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐄𝐟𝐟𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐀𝐁𝐀 𝐏𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 A ramrod was a tool used in early firearms to tightly pack gunpowder and projectiles into the barrel of a musket. This process was rigid and mechanical—everything had to be done with force and no flexibility. Similarly, in leadership, such rigidity can be debilitating, especially in fields like applied behavior analysis (ABA), where collaboration and relationships are critical. Ramrod leadership, marked by a tendency toward punitive consequences to enforce compliance and uncompromising decision-making, leaves no room for professional judgment or compassion in addressing the diverse needs of teams. It fosters a culture of fear and control rather than one of persuasion and innovation. How many of us have observed soul-crushing examples of ramrod leadership at all levels—executives, middle management, and even entry-level leaders? The damage caused by such detrimental leadership is incalculable. These rigid approaches undermine the well-being and efficacy of the practitioners delivering care and contribute significantly to compassion fatigue, leading to burnout and ultimately high turnover in ABA organizations. In contrast, leadership models like Hersey and Blanchard's Situational Leadership and House’s Path-Goal Leadership offer more effective approaches for ABA organizations. These models emphasize adaptability, aligning leadership behavior with the needs of the team and the specific situation. By adjusting leadership styles based on the maturity and skill of the team or clarifying and facilitating pathways to achieve goals, these models promote flexibility, empowerment, and collaboration—qualities essential to ethical and successful ABA practice. Credentials alone do not substitute for effective leadership and management training, nor do they replace a high level of social and emotional intelligence. Effective leadership demands an understanding of how to empower teams, foster collaboration, and drive ethical practice. It’s time to move away from the rigidity and autocratic nature of ramrod leadership and embrace styles that support the unique strengths of ABA professionals and their clients. #Leadership #ABA #BCBA #Management

💎 Our CPD accredited Stepping into Management course recognises that managing teams for the first time can be fun, challenging, invigorating, frustrating, intimidating or a mix of all of these things! Our two-day course is for people who have moved into their first management role or are about to embark on that journey; laying the foundational skills needed to take on management responsibilities. We can deliver this tailored to your business and the needs of your people. Take a look at what we’ll cover over the two days 👇 🌿Mindset of a manager: explore leadership and management and where you’re headed. 🌿Stepping up: navigate the challenges of moving from “mate to manager”. 🌿Circle of control: explore the hats you’ll wear and understand how to identify what’s important. 🌿Values, ethics and inclusion: create a safe and inclusive space for your team. 🌿Colourful communication: learn how to engage and influence others. 🌿The subtle art of influence and impact: examine your personal impact what fuels the fire in you. 🌿Finding my voice: develop the confidence to manage challenging conversations. 🌿Making it happen: bring your learning together and reflect on how you’ll take action. #leadershipdevelopment #cpdstandards #greeneconomy

In L&D leaders we trust… or do we? I'd love to know how much the below article resonates with what you are seeing in your organisation? https://lnkd.in/ephC_CbM

You know how it is as a leader - you're somehow heads down AND juggling a million things at once, making it tough to really understand how others in your organization perceive all of the work you're doing. As a leadership coach, I love working with leaders who've undergone 360 assessments. While these assessments are great for identifying skill gaps and boosting self-awareness, I've noticed an interesting trend: often, the feedback reveals perception gaps rather than actual performance issues. Many leaders are surprised to discover that their assessors (managers, peers, direct reports, or external stakeholders) believe they're not doing something that they are, in fact, doing quite well. This misalignment usually stems from an assumption that everyone is aware of their hard work and results. Through coaching, we can develop effective communication strategies to bridge these gaps and elevate the leader's reputation without having to "fix" something that isn't broken. . . Recently, I was kicking off a coaching engagement with a senior leader who headed an internal audit team at a major global bank. They were shocked to learn that their legal team counterparts felt they weren't doing a specific kind of risk assessment. In reality, the audit team had a robust system in place and was achieving excellent results. During the debriefing of the 360 assessment with the leader we identified this as a blindspot in their communication. It was low-hanging fruit for improvement. The leader initiated a conversation with the head of legal and proposed an enhanced ongoing communication and reporting system. They also added it as a topic to their regular reporting in a cross functional status meeting for further visibility. This ensured all key stakeholders stayed informed and aligned going forward. This additional 15 minutes of communication effort every month paid him back in dividends in the trust it created and the elevation to his reputation, especially with the legal team. This case highlights the power of 360 assessments combined with targeted coaching. It's not always about fixing deficiencies - sometimes, it's about shining a light on your strengths and ensuring they're visible to all. Have you experienced similar perception gaps in your leadership journey? How did you address them? #LeadershipDevelopment #Communication #Strengths #PersonalDevelopment #LeadershipCoaching #Management #CustomLearning #WorkforceDevelopment #Fluence

Why "whistleblowing' does not happen in organizations? It is primary responsibility of senior management to be mindful of how they react to the comments of their subordinates about any organizational dysfunctionality. Do they welcome inputs from subordinates, do they encourage them, reward them, and acknowledge their importance, or do they feel that “it is the subordinate’s ‘professional responsibility’ to speak up whenever they see something amiss” and otherwise assume that no news is good news. When I speak to middle managers of different organizations, I find all too often that their view is quite different. They do not feel obligated to tell the boss when they observe some "organizational dysfunctionality" for any of the following reasons: 1. “The last time I tried to tell the boss something, he was too busy.” 2. “He listened and said he would take care of it but never did anything.” 3. “He said ‘don’t bring me problems unless you have a solution.” 4. “He said not to worry about it, it is not a serious issue.” 5. "I lost my previous job due to whistleblowing, therefore, now I prefer to remain silent." (If leaders and managers want their organizations to grow, then I invite them to read: https://lnkd.in/dQSsZc_J written by my late mentor, Emeritus Prof. Edgar H. Schein at MIT Sloan School of Management.) #whistleblowing #unlearn #speakup #ask #listen #leaders #managers #executives #government #organizationaldevelopment Usman Asif #workplace

The importance of lifelong learning for board leaders can't be overstated. Directors face rapidly changing governance, technology, and risk management dynamics, making continuous education essential. Top leaders need to ask incisive questions, requiring deep knowledge of various fields. This also helps them adapt and innovate, ensuring long-term success. Educated directors bring strategic acumen and ethical integrity to their roles, benefiting the organisation. Ultimately, investing in director education is crucial for sustainable growth and resilience. #Leadership #Innovation #Growth #Coach #Learn #Development #LifelongLearning

“No one writes poems about middle managers...” Let us start again... What if we wrote a poem about middle managers..? And so opens the ode in the The New York Times by David Brooks. David shines a welcome light on the ever more vital and valuable role of good managers through the context and challenges of our times: “spread across the institutions of society, (they) are serving as the invisible glue that gives us a shot at sticking together." Picking up on three things that stood out for me David's article: 💡 Hyperattention. It is one of the reasons that I talk a lot about the generosity of attention. This is the everyday glue, from the act of listening to how the small things add up in acts of gratitude and acts of kindness. 💡 The absence of heroism. For more on this, seek out Margaret Heffernan who articulates it brilliantly. 💡 Collaborative mindsets. "The most generative leaders don’t see themselves as doing things 'for' people. They know that 'with' is more powerful than 'for'. " There is a clue, perhaps, in the subtitle of one of David's books, in what we might take on as our call to action - The Art of Seeing Others Deeply and Being Deeply Seen. So, here's to the celebration of good management. Here's to seeing each other a little more deeply. https://lnkd.in/eSAPpVhz #brands #culture #collaboration #generations #managers #leaders #intergenerational #nextgen Chartered Management Institute The Oxford Character Project

How can leaders within the legal sector help create a better culture through education and training? ➡️Elevating the role of team leaders Ensuring that employees feel supported and empowered is a critical role for team leaders. Don't miss the opportunity to invest in employees' development! ➡️Training middle managers Middle managers are the linchpin of successful law firms. They have a significant influence on the mental health and well-being of their teams. Training for middle managers is therefore essential, as it equips them to have difficult conversations, create safe spaces, and engage in one-on-one interactions effectively. ➡️Training needs of business owners Business owners and sole practitioners often wear many hats, fee-earning, managing personnel, operations, compliance, and business development. This diverse set of responsibilities can be overwhelming, so training is extremely important, but often inadequate for these roles. Want to know more about our training? Visit https://bit.ly/3R0FaBF #lawfirmculture #complianceculture #culturetraining

I’ve been blessed with a handful of managers who embodied the best examples of ethical leadership in this article. Men and women who centered their management style and #Leadership around building authentic, respectful, humane relationships. - These managers took the time to get to know me, valued my contribution, and treated me with respect and compassion. - They understood the power of recognition and gratitude. - They embodied humility and were able to hold themselves accountable and apologize for their own mistakes. - They delivered honest feedback, even when it was difficult, because they wanted me to grow - and their feedback was ongoing, not shared once or twice a year. - #IntelligentFailure was not punished, but investigated for opportunities to improve. This is the crux of #PsychologicalSafety. It’s not surprising that under these people I was my most productive, took the most risk, stretched outside my comfort zone and developed my own leadership skills. I am grateful to call many of them friends, even years later. By the same token there are managers who, intentionally or unconsciously, made me feel invisible, unvalued and expendable. They too gave me a gift - a clear vision of the manager and leader I actively choose not to be. I believe organizations do themselves a disservice when they only recognize and value their rainmakers, and undervalue the people that hold the organization together. These people may not be the most visible in your organization. They may be known as the quiet problem-solver, the team player, etc. They are particularly easy to see when they leave, because a stream of people usually follows them out the door. When organizations invest in ethical and humane management, the dividends are priceless. https://lnkd.in/egTJwPx2