How is good work measured in most organizations today?
It’s no longer about longevity and loyalty. It’s no longer about being first one in the office and last one out (to show how hard you work). It’s not enough to say ‘yes’ to each and every project, no matter how overwhelmed you become.
What should be front and foremost in leadership development programs to stay up to date?
Let’s drill down to what makes the biggest difference.
A look back first: we have moved from the industrial age, through the information age into the knowledge age and are on the brink of entering the wisdom age.
Big leaps in short amounts of time.
What, in heaven’s name, is the wisdom age?
Wisdom is not simply sitting on the top of a mountain and meditating. Nor is wisdom simply spouting out lots of facts and statistics.
It’s the ability to prepare. In today’s world, it’s easy to get the facts and stats to make good decisions. We have more quick routes to information than ever before on our planet.
Along with the rational reasons for making decisions, it’s also vital to understand the motivations and emotional reactions people have to the facts and stats.
Blending emotional intelligence with rational perspectives is the heart and soul of the wisdom age.
Here are the key elements for leaders and emerging leaders who are ready and willing to take on the challenge of bringing wisdom thinking to work:
- Purpose: Everyone in the organization has a strong vision of what they are doing for company success. There is a clear path that includes contributing to the community in which they live.
- Openness: Employees feel free enough to speak up and be heard rather than just sit on the sidelines. There is a sense of confidence that they are being treated like adults who can help solve problems and contribute in a creative manner.
- Compensation: There are no hidden agendas that keep employees feeling they are being exploited or ignored. They feel empowered to ask for a just and fair wage. There are sites like salary.com to keep this emotionally laden subject open for healthy communication.
- Excellence: Everyone is given opportunities to take on-line courses, such as GUTSY WOMEN LEAD to enhance leadership development. And senior leaders are committed to their own continued growth.
This push into the future, to becoming wise, is not without its challenges.
This requires a new way of thinking about organizational culture and individual accomplishments.
It’s not enough to have a “tune up” at work and offer a course on conflict resolution or gender equity and call it a day.
It’s about visioning a place where everyone is valued and respected. Where people learn the best communication skills and ways to handle the discomfort of conflict without creating a huge ‘us vs. them’ divide.
The world is poised for positive change right now, if we take steps in the right direction. Communication skills can be enhanced and that is a good place to focus.
Let’s grow wise together.
Let’s make it happen.
Get a copy of 79 Power Sentences that offers some good tips for how to talk with each other effectively.
