Blog Posts by Courtney McBath

Leadership will often require us to be courageous. It will occasionally challenge our biases and views about several circumstances. But, on the other hand, sometimes, leadership requires that you do the challenging.

Making changes to the process looks very different depending on the context of your role or what you have to rethink. Several times, challenging the process begins with you. It starts with searching for the ways you have gotten comfortable. Choosing to push yourself toward innovation and growth by honestly assessing your performance is the most radical form of challenging the process. Because your team never really does what you say they should do; instead, they do what they have seen you do.

Next, we must seek challenging tasks that test our skills and abilities. Growth comes not from doing what you are best at but from doing the hard things. What do you struggle with that is essential to you and your team’s growth? What classes are you taking to...

Leading successfully depends on our ability to cast, nurture and develop our organizational vision. When people know what they are working toward and speak the language of shared vision, progress happens, and our teams experience fulfillment. The team will experience the power of seeing tangible results when the vision is clear, and that vision informs their daily activities. One of my greatest joys as a leader is crafting a shared vision!

Crafting a vision begins with understanding what we want to accomplish and why! If it is a new organization or you’re in a new position, you have to take time to ask yourself these two pertinent questions. What you are building and why. Even if the organization has been around a while, it is a great time to reevaluate the vision….the what and the why. Here are some important questions that every leader must ask.

1. How well have I articulated the vision to my team?
2. Do the members of the team understand what our goals are?
...

As my mentor, John C. Maxwell, says, “A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way.” That is, it is not enough to know what the right thing is, the real test of leadership is whether you are living what you are preaching.

If you have a child or have ever been around children, you will see that they learn by seeing what the people around them are doing. Hence, you have to be careful not to do the wrong things in front of them, or else they will start doing what they are not supposed to. This is how we have to think of our roles are leaders.

The people on our teams will probably not do everything you say, but they will see what you do and try to walk in the same path. If we do not take great care to nurture an exemplary attitude, we will establish a team that might not be committed to the organization’s vision. With every decision we take, we have to ask ourselves and our coaches if it is in line with the principles that we want...

This month, we have spoken extensively about coachability and its influence on your leadership and growth. It is an important skill that we must continue to work on every day because there is always room to be better. Still, how do you know you are getting better? Here are some tips for tracking your coachability growth:

1. Are you listening more? Your reactions to conversations with people, regardless of their status, can be an indicator of how you are doing in your desire to be coachable. Do you listen to learn and be informed, or do you listen to respond and be right?
   
   
2. Do you seek out feedback? It is one thing to get feedback without asking. However, actively seeking out feedback about your actions and leadership styles from people whose opinion you value is an important indicator of growth. This shows a personal dedication to growth.
   
   
3. Are you consuming the right materials? Seeking out opportunities for learning is an example that you are taking the right steps. There are several...

True leadership requires humility. You have to serve others, support their vision, and even admit to being a little self-centered at times! Leaders who lead well often lift their eyes beyond their own goals and commit themselves. It also requires a willingness to learn from others, no matter their position.

Being coachable is one of the foundations of effective leadership. This willingness to accept feedback fuels the ability to improve. I want to encourage you to keep listening and doing the work of learning through the people who have coached and mentored you. What you glean from others filters down to the people you lead.

How can we deepen our skill of learning and growing?

Remember that learning is constant. No matter how much you know, there is always much more to know, and you can learn from anyone. Choosing to approach every day with this mindset ensures you remain coachable.

Keep listening and learning,

Courtney

The key to reaching new levels in leadership is maintaining what I call a "teachable spirit"! This process helps us recognize that we still have so much to learn. In our past conversations, we have shared how to nurture leadership growth; the willingness to learn is the core of that growth.

How do you make the most of every learning opportunity?

1. Listen:
   Listening goes beyond hearing something with your ears; it requires us to listen for the purpose of learning. It takes a genuine person to really listen and, hopefully, implement what you have learned. In some cases, you will have to listen to information over and over before it hits home and starts to click. So focus, settle in, and pay attention!
2. Document:
   Have you ever not written something down because you believed you would remember and then you didn’t? Exactly. Documenting is at the core of nurturing learning. Take notes from what you listen to; coaches/mentors, podcasts, books, and other learning mediums. Take time to...

This month, we have shared insights on developing the next generation of leaders. It is a necessary project that we ought to undertake individually and as a community. However, in my experience, I have found that a lot of leaders often feel like they have nothing to contribute toward helping young leaders. If you are one of those people who feel that way, I have to tell you that it is not true.

While there are several similarities in the journey of leadership, it can be a unique experience. Just as we have unique experiences in life, it extends to our leadership journey also. Leaders at every level of their journey learn a lot from each other’s experiences. I have learned a lot from listening and sharing with leaders who have similar, more, and even less experience. It is an important reminder that we all have something to bring to the table.

The things you consider ordinary or unnecessary can give someone the insight they need to change their situation and life....

Communicating and delegating correctly is key to developing leaders. However, communication is a two-way street. It's not just about the person who is speaking but also about the person who is listening.

Proper communication allows you to set clear expectations, listen to and recognize individual strengths, provide feedback, and let leaders fully own their projects. Great leaders know how to communicate effectively with their team so that their leaders feel empowered, motivated, and engaged.

Setting clear expectations through proper communication allows you to delegate tasks properly so that, in time, your team members can become better leaders allowing them to grow within their roles while working on things they're passionate about.

In this video, learn how to build the communication skills that allow you to use the power of your voice to delegate tasks, build trust and create a positive influence in your organization.

Now more than ever, there is a need for committed leaders to pour into and nurture the next generation of leaders. Statistics show that 77% of organizations report they are experiencing a leadership gap.

How do we bridge the growing leadership gap?

1. Start early: Be a safe space for leaders; have conversations with them. With time, they will share their challenges, and you can offer advice that can help them grow.
2. Share resources: You don’t have to do the work of developing leaders alone because you will not have all the answers. Sharing resources such as books, podcasts, and videos contributes to their development. Having conversations with them after they consume the resources can offer an opportunity for growth. You can also refer them to experienced leaders for structured help. At CLN, developing leaders is our core mission, and we are committed to helping young leaders.
3. Give feedback: Contrary to popular belief, positive feedback is the feedback leaders need most....

Identifying leaders, as we discussed in last week’s letter, is an ongoing process for anyone who wants continued success. All of us will find ourselves fulfilling the roles of mentor and coach, so I want to help you get ready to flourish.

The need for mentoring new leaders cannot be overemphasized in today’s world. Leaders at every phase of their journey need nurturing. Whether you’re a seasoned leader taking on new responsibilities or a young leader venturing into new opportunities, finding people who will share their knowledge is crucial. Sharing the knowledge and lessons from our experience as leaders to guide other leaders is a gift that cannot be minimized.

Mentoring and coaching, like all important aspects of leadership, begin with relationships. Just as we cannot discover leaders on our team if we do not take the time to get to know them, we can not offer the right guidance if we don’t have genuine relationships. One of the huge benefits...