If there’s one thing every team wants to hear from a leader in every communication, it’s gratitude.

In addition to boosting your team’s morale and motivation, public recognition reinforces that you’re paying attention to—and in full support of—their endeavors. Even minor expressions of gratitude can have a meaningful impact on those who receive them.

In a study published in the June 2010 issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, researchers Francesca Gino and Adam M. Grant revealed that simple expressions of gratitude “increase prosocial behavior by enabling individuals to feel socially valued.”

Now, for those of you who don’t read the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology religiously as I do, prosocial behavior is behavior connected to positivity, helpfulness, and an intention to advance social acceptance and collegiality—the kind of behavior leaders want to foster.

But while you have more than 170,000 English words to choose from to create a nifty complement, not all word combinations and phrases have the same impact. In fact, just the words “thank you” convey little meaningful impact. It registers as polite but not substantially praising. So here’s what you should do instead.

1. Supply the “Why”

To give your appreciation rich meaning and value, it must answer the question, “Why is this person deserving of thanks?” Answering this question credits the achievement and the level of commitment, ingenuity, and hard work.

Also, make sure your appreciation is specific, timely, and unique to the person you’re acknowledging. You’ll get extra appreciation points for including a true story or example that illustrates the effort’s value. The more details you provide, the more meaningful your appreciation will be.

Here’s an example. Note the progression of impact as a leader recognizes “Sam” and includes more telling details:

► “My thanks to Sam, who delivered a presentation last week.”

Translation: “I understand Sam completed a task.”

► “My thanks to Sam, who delivered a great presentation last week.”

Translation: “I noticed Sam did a good job.”

► “My thanks to Sam, whose presentation on inventory innovations last week was powerful and had good ideas.”

Translation: “I paid attention to Sam’s presentation. He did a good job, and his effort can have value for the team.”

► “My thanks to Sam, whose presentation on inventory innovations last week demonstrated how much time and energy we can save if we think as creatively as he did.”

Translation: “Sam got my attention with his presentation. He impressed me with his points about innovation, and I think we can all learn from them.”

Another element that makes the last version especially compelling: the elimination of adjectives. When you banish adjectives, you force yourself to use more meaningful and specific words.

Yes, giving meaningful, contextual thanks takes considerably more time and energy than simply saying or emailing the word “thanks,” but when you see it as a valuable opportunity to reward and inspire, the return on your investment is clear.

2. Don’t Sit on Your Support

Leadership Coach Darcy Eikenberg, whose clients include The Coca-Cola Company, Microsoft, and Deloitte, discourages leaders from saving their appreciation until a project’s completion, and I agree. Appreciation is valuable at any stage and can inspire further commitment.

“Sometimes, we struggle to acknowledge and appreciate others on our team because the goal isn’t complete or isn’t yet successful,” Darcy told me. “But it’s the right effort that gets the right results. Recognizing the steps your team takes toward those results can be very powerful and affirming—even if they haven’t met their ultimate goal yet.”

3. Try “The Wedding Test”

The best evidence of the value of meaningful thanks happens at weddings, not workplaces. Visualize two wedding toasts—one merely saying, “Phil and Alice make a great couple,” the other telling a story about Phil and Alice’s courtship that reveals their quirky personalities and illustrates their compatibility.

Which toast will be remembered and admired? The one that used details to convey a specific point of appreciation. Your “toast” should resonate with your team the same way.

4. Thank Everyone without Excluding Others

If you’re conveying general appreciation to many people at once—during a holiday event or organizational milestone, for example—don’t call out specific teams or people at the risk of neglecting others. The sting of being left out can cause more damage than what the glow of recognition can deliver.

At the same time, avoid very long, all-inclusive lists of appreciated people and departments that will cause many in your audience to tune out. If you can’t call out specific people or teams without omitting others equally deserving of recognition, speak of the qualities and values they share:

“Though many people and teams around the company contributed significantly to our success—too many to mention here—what unites all of you is a love for what we do and a relentless commitment to our goals. I appreciate and thank you all.”

The intense storm came and went quickly. Then, as the sun reappeared, it left behind the rainbow you see in the photo above. 

As my wife and I drove by the church at the time, she photographed the image and sent it to Rev. Dr. James Smith, pastor of the church under the rainbow. Later, we learned it had much grander significance than the serendipity of a country church under a beautiful rainbow.  

The rainbow’s end pointed directly at the cemetery behind the church where Smith had just conducted a funeral. Rev. Dr. Smith sent the photo to the family who had lost their son. 

They had been distraught over their loss. Yet, they interpreted this fantastic photo and its timing as a spiritual sign that all was well. 

Its influence on their lives afterward was substantial.

A rainbow is an amazing phenomenon in nature. A rainbow connection can also be a powerful metaphor and guide for executing outstanding leadership. It carries many meanings, each a lesson in how to influence others to achieve important goals. Here are a few to consider.

Rainbows are expressions in light.

Rainbows appear in the section of the sky directly opposite the sun. That means they reflect the sun’s light and spirit. 

Great leaders are light and spirit-infusers; their associates typically reflect that impact. People do not inherit spirit, acquire spirit, or borrow spirit. We all choose spirit, much like we choose to introduce ourselves to a stranger. Those who opt for an upbeat, positive spirit are happier, healthier, and more productive.  

Spirited people choose the light over the fog. Most people don’t opt for the dark but tolerate a fog—those dull, eventless moments. Spirited people demonstrate the courage to show no tolerance or compliance with party poopers, wet blankets, and spoilsports. Helen Keller advised, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Great leaders encourage those they influence to challenge the status quo in ways that provide enrichment, growth, and progress.  

Rainbows are displays of diversity.  

Rainbows show a spectrum of seven colors. When there appears a rare double rainbow, the colors on display are opposite—red is on the inside instead of the outside of the spectrum. It is a powerful symbol for valuing differences and embracing variety. Great leaders appreciate a bouquet of talents, views, and perspectives. They know it is not differences that divide us. What divides us is our refusal to accept and applaud those differences. Great leaders help others see their beauty and embrace their worth.

Best Buy CEO Corie Barry wrote, “It’s been proven time, and again that diverse teams produce better outcomes. It is not just about this year or this moment in time. It is about how each of us continuously thinks about how we drive change for the long term.” Businesses must have the capacity to adapt quickly. Having associates in the huddle focused on the future and not on their opinions of each other helps ensure enduring success.

Rainbows are transparent.  

Ever notice when you approach a rainbow, it seems to melt into thin air. 

It carries no baggage; it makes no judgment. Great leaders use only as much leadership as is needed to achieve the goal. They do not seek to leave behind their signature, only their stimulus. In the song “Rainbow Connection” from The Muppet Movie, one powerful lyric goes, “Rainbows have nothing to hide.”

Leadership is a genuine expression honed from a strong sense of self. It is unabashedly who we really are in front of others. Unshackled by a fear of rejection, such leaders are released to go further and soar higher. Realness is boldness, unclothed, and without remorse. Like a rainbow, great leaders lead with openness and authenticity.   

In so doing, they help others find and express in their work precisely who they are supposed to be.  

Rainbows lead to valued outcomes.

The most popular myth about rainbows is what lies at their end: a pot of gold. The truth is the pursuit of that pot is impossible since rainbows are constantly changing and therefore have no end. Great leaders know that perpetual change is the secret sauce of success. Folk singer Bob Dylan captured that sentiment in the lyrics of his 1964 song, “It’s Alright, Ma.” The words communicate that if you are not actively being born, then you are actively dying. Today, customers notice innovation and read it as an indication of whether an organization will survive.  

Innovation is no longer a nice-to-have strategy. Obvious evidence of experiments, trials, pilots and beta tests implies a company is thinking about the future (“being born”) and not just resting on the present. Moreover, today’s customers are more interested in long-term relationships than drive-by transactions. And they are more apt to invest their time, funds, and affinities in those enterprises they believe will still be around in the future.  

Everyone loves rainbows. It is no accident rainbows decorate children’s faces at fairs, adorn birthday cakes, and are the subject of countless poems and songs. Yet, somewhere over the rainbow, there are poignant lessons for leaders on how to provide inspirational influence that encourages dreams that do come true.

Businesses today are rightfully concerned over the crisis surrounding employee engagement. The situation has become pervasive: Employees are not engaged! They don’t care about their work! They’d rather be at the beach! Wouldn’t we all? But engagement goes beyond companies’ PTO issues.

We toss around the word “engagement,” but what is it? High employee engagement has a few standout elements: genuine connection and commitment to one’s role and workplace and a willingness to go the extra mile to achieve the mission.

High employee engagement is a great aspiration, but the first step to fixing the engagement problem is realizing it can’t be solved by changing the workplace into something more similar to leisure time. Ping pong tables and free lattes aren’t the solution to a disengaged workplace culture. In fact, disengagement isn’t even the core issue. Disengagement is the consequence, not the problem.

You can’t fix the consequence of a problem without fixing the problem.

You don’t increase engagement by setting out to increase more engagement. You can only increase engagement by increasing trust.

When a workplace dynamic involves unclear strategy or communication, policies that lack compassion, inconsistent follow-through, or unethical behavior, of course, disengagement will result! These issues are all part of a low-trust culture.

Without trust, employees won’t feel safe enough to share new ideas. Without trust, employees aren’t motivated to be loyal or to bring their best to work. Without trust, employers take advantage of remote work. Increase trust and innovation will thrive. Increase trust and output, retention and productivity will go up. Increase trust, and you will gain a culture where employee flexibility can be mutually beneficial.

Higher engagement is the natural outcome of a high-trust culture.

The most common reason people give for wanting to work for an organization is trusted leadership. Unlike the nebulous “engagement,” trust is simply the result of consistent, intentional behaviors repeated reliably over time. Trust is a learnable and immediately actionable skillset. While certain aspects of trust build over time, you can start the process at any time and feel the impact immediately. Every time you make and keep a commitment, you increase trust. Every time you make an authentic connection, you increase trust. As trust levels grow, engagement will automatically follow.

Three Strategies to Kickstart Trust:

Start by implementing these three practical strategies to begin to build a foundation of trust in your organization:

1. Confront reality. The most significant barrier to solving the engagement problem is that most leaders don’t realize that a problem exists. The first thing leaders need to do is confront reality and then help their team do so. The reality is that everything is a trust problem. Your accountability problem? It’s a trust problem. Your lagging sales numbers? Also a trust problem. And engagement? Definitely a trust problem. Consider starting by measuring trust as the leading indicator with a tool like the Enterprise Trust Index™. Recognize for yourself and your people where the real problems lie.
2. Identify the root cause. Learning the root cause of an employee engagement breakdown can be painful. If you think you have a leadership problem, think about where, at the core, a lack of trust might have caused the leadership problem. Dig down to see how trust directly relates to your key issues by diagnosing where it started and which aspect of trust (from the eight pillars below) was lacking.
3. Build upon the 8 Pillars of Trust. Since the root cause of a problem is always a trust issue, you need research-based, actionable tools and frameworks applicable right now. Focus on building these eight pillars in your work and life to see a measurable change in engagement: Clarity, compassion, character, competency, commitment, connection, contribution, and consistency.

Imagine your people performing at their best, getting measurable results, and taking pride in their work. A high-trust culture gains genuine, lasting employee engagement and establishes a business that makes a measurable impact.

“Why are you doing this, Mommy?”

I have spent most of my working life devoted to the development of a sustainable planet, so perhaps I should have expected this teary-eyed question from my eleven-year-old.

After all, I had just told him that I was considering joining the board of an oil and gas company. In his eyes, it seemed to be a betrayal of the work I had so proudly accomplished since before he was born.

And therein lies the rub: As a world that still depends on fossil fuels for 80%[1] of its energy needs, what I have come to understand is that if we could simply hit a switch to transition to “clean” energy (we can’t), even attempting to would cause widespread harm and injustice. 

Therefore, industry must start being a bigger part of the solution and those of us who believe in achieving the fastest transition possible to a cleaner, healthier planet must start pushing for that goal not just from the outside, but from the inside, as well. 

So, earlier this year, when I started seriously considering joining the Board of Directors of California Resources Corporation (“CRC”), a well-known oil and gas producer here in the Golden State, my eleven-year-old son’s opinion was one of the first that I sought out. Like so many young people these days, my son is concerned about climate change, and the impact science shows we are all having on this planet — and on his future.

 “Why are you doing this, Mommy?” is a fair, and important, question. I’ve spent most of my career working for sustainability in the sectors of renewable energy, water, and food production. I am personally and professionally focused on helping our society meet the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, which are crucial to leaving our children the kind of world they deserve. I’m currently running a company that’s built around those goals — Sustainable Development Acquisition Corp. — and that is the only pending B Corp and public benefit corporation of its kind. I believe that business can and should be a force for good, and that profit can and should be balanced with purpose.  Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it’s the underpinning of financial sustainability for a business — and an extraordinary strategic opportunity.  

At home, my family composts, tries to keep our showers short, and does our best to avoid single-use plastics.  Nonetheless, I can’t pretend that fossil fuels aren’t a large part of my life and the global economy. My family and I take trips on airplanes. Our minivan runs on gasoline. And I’m keenly aware that the shipped boxes arriving at my house each week represent a sizeable carbon footprint. Despite the best intentions of so many working to shift to renewable energy, our global energy still predominantly comes from fossil-based fuels – and I know first-hand that California’s economy depends on natural gas-fired electric generation. So, how do we responsibly transition away from fossil fuels – and fast?

All we have is an off-ramp, and that ramp is still being built.  I want to, and can, help make it as steep and short as society can bear. We need to reduce our emissions by, at minimum, 50% over the next decade, but we can’t leave anyone, or any company, behind. Fundamentally, we won’t get to significant reductions and net zero without changing the way all businesses operate, particularly those in the most emissions-intensive industries. Enter CRC, which has reached out asking for my help. I welcome the opportunity to help change CRC’s emissions profile and operating model from within and hope that our work together can become a model for the industry in a push to accelerate the energy transition this world so desperately needs. 

And I believe that my son’s questions to me offer an important guide to approaching this challenge.

“Do they still produce oil & gas?”

Yes, CRC does produce oil and gas – and it will for some time. In fact, if you believe in resource efficiency and comparative advantage, these are probably the last oilfields that should be retired. They have low carbon intensity and are cheap, plentiful, accessible, local and heavily regulated by the State of California. California imports about 70%[2] of its oil and gas from foreign and out-of-state sources, which are often more emissions-intensive than these high-quality resources located in-state. CRC’s presence contributes significantly to California’s tax revenue and offers thousands of direct and indirect local jobs. Fortunately, the new leadership team and Board of Directors recognize its impact on society must be reduced, and that new sources of revenue must be established as we globally transition away from hydrocarbons. One of those streams could likely be carbon capture and sequestration, as CRC knows that it has some of the best carbon storage geology in California and can help lead the state towards its net-zero goals.  

“Do they emit methane?” Isn’t that the worst?”

Methane emissions are terrible. One of the ways I can be helpful here is by working with CRC to move it towards near zero methane emissions by 2030. Fortunately, CRC is coming from a position of strength and will have achieved the World Bank’s Zero Routine Flaring by 2030 goal by the end of this year. It has already exceeded its original 2030 Methane reduction goal (from CRC, 2016) and has the lowest GHG emissions and GHG intensity from the production of the Top 100 US Oil and Gas producers. 

Another topic that is near and dear to my heart, and expertise, is water. CRC is already a net water supplier to California and provided over 16,000-acre feet of water[3] to farmers for agriculture purposes in 2019 – a critical supply in drought years like we are now having. I think CRC can nearly double that amount by increasing its reuse and recycling activities by 2030. 

“What are you going to do?”

I’m going to work with the current CRC Board to set new, specific, measurable targets and pursue The Climate Pledge to reach net-zero carbon by 2040 – with my hope, it hits net-zero on scope 1 &2 emissions by 2030 and scope 3 emissions by 2045.  I intend to assist the board in establishing bold commitments from CRC, but also for upholding and increasing transparency and reporting around its progress.

CRC will need thought partners to help shape bold new plans and targets that match the challenges of California’s Net Zero decarbonization goals. With a new CEO this year and a newly created role of Chief Sustainability Officer reporting to the CEO, there is now a dedicated team with a budget that is focused on sustainability. I will be providing expertise on how to achieve those goals and I will work to further tie C-suite compensation to emissions intensity reduction and ESG targets.

The remainder of this year will be used to complete the following three critical tasks: 1) determine the decarbonization vision and pathway to net-zero, 2) define a carbon storage strategy and 3) kick-off the development of key solar projects. 

“You promise?”

All I can do is my best, and hold CRC — and myself — accountable. My commitment to you is to report back in one year on the progress of the action plan. If CRC does not live up to making real and meaningful progress, I would consider donating my compensation to carbon offsets and would leave the board, but this opportunity to prove what is possible is too important to pass up.

[1] BP, 2020, Statistical Review of World Energy – 69th edition

[2] CARB, 2019

[3] An acre foot of water is enough to flood a football field 1-foot deep

As a leader, one of your most important tasks is to create the conditions for employees to do their best work – to think bigger, to make better decisions and to take the braver actions required to adapt and thrive in an ever changing world

In the midst of disruption and crisis, when fear can highjack bold thinking and undermine decision-making, this grows both more challenging and critical.

As the light at the end of the Covid-19 pandemic tunnel grows brighter, leaders need to ask themselves what else they can be doing to bring out the best in those they’re charged to lead?

A good place to start is by looking backward; examining past crises for the traits people sought out, and valued most, in their leaders. Fortunately, Gallup Organization has done that. They studied the fears, concerns, and confidence of citizens from across the world through many of the biggest crises of the past 80 years — including the Great Depression, Pearl Harbor, and World War II, Kennedy’s assassination, civil unrest in the 1960s, 9/11, the 2008 financial crash, and now, the COVID-19 pandemic.

As they did, one thing became clear. In the midst of a crisis, people look to leaders to allay their fears and bolster their confidence; to reassure them that they’ll be okay, even if things will be rough in the short term.  Gallup’s study distilled the leadership attributes people are seeking into four core universal needs

Trust: Be predictable in an unpredictable time

When so many factors lay outside a leader’s control, people want to trust that leaders are at least in control of themselves. Sure much is uncertain, but at least they can be certain that their leader will do the best thing for the long-term interest of the enterprise itself (and not just their self-interest).

Being able to count on behavioral predictability is a lynchpin to sustaining this trust. Leaders who are inconsistent in their decision-making or are prone to being reactive under pressure only stoke anxiety in their ranks. No one does their best work when they’re anxious about what might happen next.

 Where can you be more consistent and predictable between your values and actions?  

Compassion: Show you care about what they care about

The adage that people don’t care what you know until they know how much you care is never truer than in crisis.  When people feel apprehensive about the future, demonstrating that you genuinely care about what they care about will help them care more about what you care about also.

On the flip side, if people perceive their leader doesn’t really care much about them personally, there’s little chance they’ll be fully engaged in their work, much less be willing to go the extra mile when it might matter most. It’s why research has found that people don’t leave bad jobs, they leave bad bosses.  

When leading change, you must be deeply connected to the emotional landscape of those in your ranks. This is rarely comfortable work. At times, it can require immense vulnerability. Yet connecting with both head and heart lays at the heart of real leadership.  

Are you regularly conveying to team members – through your words and small daily actions – that you truly care about what they care about?

Stability: Ensure people know where to focus and why 

We are wired for certainty. So when people feel their future is under threat, they crave regular assurances and clear directions to avoid overwhelm and reset shifting priorities. For remote teams who aren’t benefiting from the regular touchpoints in a physical office, it’s even more vital to ensure they’re clear about what ‘success’ should look like. 

Gallup research found that only 39% of U.S. employees ‘strongly agree’ their employer communicated a clear plan of action at the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic. So it is better to risk over-communicating – using multiple mediums and touchpoints – than to risk under-communicating. Unless people are clear about what leadership is thinking, doing, and why, the communication vacuum will be filled with catastrophizing worst-case scenarios and rumors running wild. 

As you communicate your vision and strategy, expand the context for those on the front line so they can see a higher purpose for their ‘daily toil’.  People want to find meaning in hardships, to know that their sacrifices and ‘hard yards’ are contributing to a noble cause.  

Link what you’re asking of them to what lays at stake, using accessible language they can adopt in their own conversations. Make it easy for them to answer for themselves ‘For the sake of what am I doing this?’ Doing activates the ‘rally effect’, getting everyone pulling together, and guarding against myopic thinking and tunnel vision.

Is every single person in your team is clear about your plans, priorities, and the larger vision you want them pulling toward? If not, how else can you communicate with them?

Hope: Fuel optimism for a future worth working toward  

Emotions drive behavior, not logic. In difficult times, hope is precious capital. Employees who feel hopeful ad optimistic are more creative, courageous, agile, and resilient. So as you share plans and progress, express your firm belief that the goals you’ve set are doable and that the vision you’re rallying people behind is achievable.

Hope doesn’t deny hard realities. It is not Pollyanna optimism. Rather it’s being able to confront the brutal reality of a situation while also keeping faith that you will ultimately prevail, and better days lay ahead.  To paraphrase Nelson Mandela, may how you lead ‘reflect your hopes, not your fears.’

Does your demeanor speak optimism? Do your conversations fuel a sense of hope for the future?  

By spreading ‘positive emotional contagion’ – fueling trust, compassion, stability and hope – real leaders can unlock the potential that fear so often holds dormant. Only then can you fully seize the diverse opportunities of this turbulent time, leading all around you to higher ground.

Recent research shows thousands of women want more impact and success in their careers, but shunpower. Yet ironically, power is what will help them attain the career goals they truly value. If they don’t take the reins now, they’ll miss out on achieving what they want most in their careers.

Here seven are the 7 most damaging power gaps that prevent women from thriving in their careers, and seven bravery boosting paths to break free of them. 

Why do some women shun power? 

Confident, assertive women are often still perceived as too “forceful” in the workplace. Sadly, we cannot achieve the highest vision of our work without access to greater internal and external power. From an early age (12 or 13), girls who were once just as confident and self-assured as boys start going “underground.” They become more concerned with their body image and social media pressure than boys. As they mature and grow, the idea of becoming powerful is not encouraged for girls and women. 

I see bravery and power as two distinct and essential elements needed for self-actualization and authentic success. Bravery is the courage to face head-on what isn’t working in our lives and careers and taking proactive steps to change. Power is the ability to act on your behalf and effectively advocate for yourself and others. This approach is essential to helping us stay competitive in a challenging labor market.

Why is accessing inner power harder for women?

My research has revealed that there are seven damaging “power gaps” that working women face, which prevent them from success:

(1) Not recognizing your unique talents, abilities, and accomplishments
(2) Communicating from fear, not strength
(3) Reluctance to ask for what you deserve
(4) Isolating from influential support
(5) Acquiescing, instead of saying “Stop!” to mistreatment
(6) Losing sight of that thrilling dream for your life
(7) Allowing past trauma and challenges to define you.

So, how do we close these power gaps? 

By building a happy life and career through consistent, committed, and intentional bravery, we become the true authors of our existence. We are an amalgam of everything we’ve ever experienced — our childhoods and early family life, cultural and spiritual influences, defeats and victories, even lessons and experiences from our ancestors. This rich material shapes who you are and how you see the world. To leverage your uniqueness, recognize everything your life has given you to this point: your unique perspective, strengths, and abilities. We cannot lead anything well (including our teams, organizations, staff, and projects) if we’re not able to effectively lead our own lives first.

The 7 Bravery Boosting Paths to follow are:

• See yourself more powerfully (Brave Sight)
• Speak more confidently (Brave Speak)
• Ask for and receive what you deserve (Brave Ask)
• Connect to your advantage with influential support (Brave Connection)
• Challenge and change negative behavior toward you (Brave Challenge)
• Be of service in more meaningful ways (Brave Service)
• Heal from past trauma and challenge (Brave Healing)

Choosing these paths increases self-confidence, improving communication, relationships, recognition, leadership impact, and support, which in turn, transforms our careers and futures.   

Real leaders are not immune to fear. Instead, they have the courage to act in its presence. As we move into a post-pandemic world, there is still much to overcome, not least the ability to lean toward the risks that you’re usually hardwired to avoid. Here’s how to turn tough times into a learning experience.

When you think of a great leader, who comes to mind? Lincoln, Merkel, Benioff, Malala, or Bezos? Mary Barra or a lesser-known? Chances are, the leader you thought of has these qualities:

They speak candidly. 

They have a bold vision.

They never shy away from hard conversations. 

They seek out diverse perspectives that challenge their own.  

They are decisive amid the uncertainties. 

They play to win. 

They take risks.  

And when their efforts fall short, they mine their failures for the nuggets and then press on, wiser than before. They are not immune to fear. Instead, they have the courage to act in its presence.  

That same courage resides in you. And as you look toward the future, you are being called to lead with more of it — to seize the opportunities adversity always holds. Given the disruption of recent times, opportunities abound, although many are still obscured from view. Of course, if it were easy to lead bravely, more people would, and there would be fewer organizations struggling to stay competitive. 

Leading with courage requires mastering fear, overriding your loss-aversion bias, and leaning toward the high risks you’re hardwired to avoid. Leading with courage requires emboldening others to rise above their fear — challenging old paradigms, experimenting with new ideas, and risking failure faster. Here are three ways you can dial up your courage to lead through change and look back on this time as a profoundly transformative one.

“Set a bold vision that exceeds your current capacity to achieve it.” 

Elon Musk has no shortage of critics. Perhaps this is partly because he has no lack of vision. Asked about SpaceX and rocket technology in 2018, Musk shared that his vision for the future is one in which “Anyone can move to Mars and gas cars will seem like steam engines.” Will Musk’s prediction of humans landing on Mars by 2025 come true? Time will tell. What is certain is that his visionary leadership has unlocked ingenuity, pushed the envelope of possibility, and expanded the horizons of humankind.

“In the long run, all businesses and business leaders will be judged not by their profits or products, but by their impact on humanity,” says D.J. De Pree, founder of Herman Miller. As the world emerges from the cascading crisis of the COVID-19 pandemic, you are uniquely positioned to lead others toward a vision that does. Do you have one?

Neuroscientists have found that when people work toward a meaningful “invented future” – one inspired by possibilities over probabilities — it enlarges their perspective to see opportunities others miss, ignites creativity, and fuels determination to prevail against the odds, individually and collectively. As you look forward to five or ten years from now, create a vision that expands the context of what others see as possible and taps into the deep human hunger for purpose. A leader who cannot rally others behind an inspiring vision is like a river without water — dry and depressing.   

“Be decisive amid the unknowns.”

Our brains crave predictability and perceive ambiguity as a threat. When plans derail and our sense of certainties are shaken, our instincts steer us toward whatever shores up our sense of security. Yet this often results in short-sighted decision making (usually in the form of indecision), which, in turn, generally lands people and organizations in a more precarious, less secure position.  

 When the terrain ahead is awash with unknowns, it’s easy to get pulled into “paralysis by analysis” and stick with the status quo. But indecision is a decision, one which deprives you of knowledge and an improved ability to assess the risk that you could gain from advancing amid the fog.  

Great leaders don’t wait for certainty before making their next move. Take Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who makes decisions with 70% of the information he wishes he had. “If you wait for 90%, in most cases, you’re probably slow,” Bezos says. By setting a course amid the ambiguity and constantly iterating, Bezos has proven that bold action can reap extraordinary rewards. The key: Be brave enough to make a decision and courageous enough to change it as new information comes to light. Right now, this will be often. 

Is your fear of making a poor decision stopping you from making a good one? If your left analytical brain is in overdrive, close down your spreadsheets and tune into another valuable source of intelligence: your intuition. Keep in mind that gut instinct can’t be forced. It needs space. Albert Einstein’s best ideas often came to him while sailing. Steve Jobs would take a walk when he’d been going in circles with a problem. Head outdoors or do something that shifts your brain into a different gear. Then stay open to the subtle clues and have the courage to trust them.

“Nurture loyal dissent, trading cleverness for curiosity.”

Abraham Lincoln always invited his political opponents into his cabinet. He figured this would ensure that his decision-making logic would always be adequately challenged. Likewise, only when you actively seek diverse perspectives, inviting people to question your best thinking, can you identify your blind spots and arrive at smarter solutions.  

You may have accrued a wealth of knowledge throughout your career, but real leaders are life-long learners who value curiosity over cleverness and never assume a monopoly on wisdom. Only leaders who are open to unlearning what they think they know can relearn what they need to know. So have the guts to say, “I don’t know,” and to encourage loyal dissent in your ranks. Doing so will foster a culture of courage that unlocks ingenuity, fuels initiative, and harnesses diversity’s full value.

Will the path ahead be smooth? Never was. Never will be. There will always be a tension between the desire to lead and serve and the desire to protect and play it safe. This is what it is to be human. Yet when you zoom up high enough, you can see how avoiding risk is a precarious strategy. Peripheral risk-taking protects the core. So, embrace the discomfort that real leadership requires. Practice the courage you admire in the leader who came to mind at the start of this article. In today’s culture of fear, leading with courage has never been more important.

I’ve always been fascinated by the distinction between CEO leaders and entrepreneur leaders. Although similar skills and traits can be shared by both, as defined by my friend Daniel Pink in his explanation of the “Symphonic Mind,” the entrepreneur is more typically defined by a higher level of risk tolerance and is driven by it.

Nevertheless, there is no question that a thriving economy depends on both solid and dependable daily operational competence and disruptive, unconventional thinking that leads to new ways of creating solutions and products. The field of sustainability, for example, is enormously dependent on both categories of thinkers and managers to create a transformative approach to the global market-based economy.

Recently I have seen an example of this in the financial services industry through my acquaintance with an investment manager who stands out among successful investors precisely because he does not follow conventional industry thinking and practices about modern portfolio theory. In addition, he sees as a failure the inattentiveness to adequately protect potential downsides that inevitably appear daily, even during sustained bull markets like we have been experiencing on a historical level.

Eric Dugan, founder and Chief Investment Officer at 3D Capital Management, has assumed the mantle of an evangelist for his logical and unique approach to protecting portfolios by exploiting opportunities that most investment managers do not see. He is relentless about it. I wanted to know more about his leadership style, so I asked him four questions:

I understand your assertive leadership and entrepreneurial style results from growing up as the son of a Marine Captain. How do you think those life lessons as a kid have made you more driven to manage risk today? 

Growing up, my dad put me through trials and tests that incentivized me to devise solutions to all kinds of problems and persevere and never give up. He made me a problem solver by showing me how to define the challenge and then seeing the success of acting on it. 

My parents were leaders, and still are, and using their example of seeking unconventional solutions, I was lead to an uncommon approach to succeeding in the investment business. I understand that leadership is not necessarily an inherited trait, but in my case, my parents really didn’t give me an option. Leadership was what life is all about. There are too many problems and opportunities not to become a leader—in whatever field you choose. Plus, there is nothing more personally rewarding and fulfilling than helping others by solving problems.

But how did you find yourself exercising this drive for unconventional leadership in the investment business?

My footing in the investment business results from early opportunities to be mentored by extraordinarily successful traders in the field. A lot of leadership has to do with observing how other successful people field challenges and opportunities. My big break came with an offer to work with the legendary investment manager Monroe Trout. Now here was a quiet, seven-foot-tall, highly successful quantitative hedge fund manager who introduced me to a whole new world and a way of seeing statistically and managing risk with total discipline. This affected my entire approach to success in managing stock market risk by utilizing a strategy I am still wedded to.

Modern Portfolio Theory teaches us to manage stock market risk by diversifying among different asset classes. I find it is more logical and effective to use the stock market to manage stock market risk one trade, one day at a time, watching and acting on a unified approach to the global investment pattern, which I like to call the Global Relay Race that starts with the Nikkei and Asian Markets, continues to Europe, and eventually to the US stock market.

Monroe Trout taught me to look at and participate in the investment markets as being globally connected. Sure, it required me to work much of every night, but while it wasn’t for everyone, it was for me. I highly valued the insights it gave me once the markets in the US opened and the opportunities and risks I began to see. Then I acted on it and have never stopped.

Okay, how did you migrate to and establish the firm you have today with this training and grounding? How did you turn a strategy and practice into a firm to invest on behalf of others?

I believe the stock market is the greatest long-term investment of all time. I knew I had to make this unique strategy available to the marketplace with what I had learned from Monroe Trout and others. At 3D Capital, we recognize that the stock market will move up and down forever, and it is prudent to be prepared for both outcomes. We offer investors a way to stay invested in the stock market for the long term while dynamically managing intraday stock market declines. Our results have proven the importance of this approach and discipline even during the longest bull market run with the S&P reaching historic highs, time and time again. We have stayed the course and have been the leader investors have sought for very specific purposes.

When you think about leadership styles and standing for an alternative strategy, as you have, Eric, I am thinking about those leaders today who are genuinely committed to finding unique solutions to pressing sustainability challenges faced by our planet. As a business leader yourself, do you have any advice for them?

Sure, let your convictions drive you, and your creative talents bring about new solutions and applications to what the world and the marketplace are calling for. But, there is opportunity everywhere and the resources, according to big thinkers like, Peter Diamandis who created the XPRIZE, are at our fingertips.

A skeptic is someone reluctant to believe. A cynic is someone who refuses to believe.

A skeptic is someone who once believed and was disappointed. A cynic is someone who once believed and was deceived.

Inside all skeptics and even most cynics is a deep ache to believe again, but to do it without the fear of being disappointed or deceived again.

Inside the majority of people in the world, beneath their skepticism and cynicism regarding current leaders, is an ache to have leaders they can once again look up to, whom they can both believe and believe in.

Michelangelo said he “saw the angel in the marble and carved until he set it free.”

If you are a leader wanting, as Michelangelo did, to free the feeling in your people that they can believe and believe in you, it is only a matter of carving away everything that gets in the way of their feeling that they can: 

1. Trust you 
2. Be confident in you 
3. Feel safe with you 
4. Respect you 
5. Admire you 
6. Like you
7. Be inspired by you

If you disagree with the above, imagine what your people would feel if, instead of being able to trust you, they distrust you; instead of having confidence in you, they doubt you; instead of feeling safe with you and in your company, they feel unsafe; instead of respecting you, they feel embarrassed by you; instead of admiring you, they feel ashamed of you; instead of liking you, they cringe when you act up; and instead of feeling inspired by you, they are left feeling pessimistic about the future.

If the above has won you over, you might be asking, “Okay, sold. But can you offer tips on how I should ‘show up’ that will result in people feeling that way towards me?”

Read on for some tips to allow people to believe and believe in you.

To trust you: You engender and build this by doing what you say you’ll do, by being honest when you don’t know something, and by being committed to finding the answer by a stated date.

To be confident in you: You create this based on what you have already done in a wide range of relevant experiences, beyond your particular area of expertise, with a track record of making a positive difference and making good judgment calls, especially in critical situations.

To feel safe: People will feel safe with you when you take all necessary steps to create a psychologically safe environment and when you take charge of situations when necessary, but when you aren’t controlling and dictatorial at those times when consensus is called for.

To respect you: You gain this by having clearly stated values that serve your people and all your stakeholders that you stand for and stand up for, and you will stand up against anyone who transgresses them.

To admire you: You cause others to feel this by having achieved what you have through merit, education, dedication, perseverance, tenacity, and developing the necessary skills for your job rather than through intimidation, politics, and manipulation.

To like you: People like you when you take your job seriously but don’t take yourself too seriously so that they feel you are approachable and are not arrogant and condescending.

To be inspired by you: When you achieve the above, your people feel hopeful about their future.

Our executive coaching at Michelangelo Mindset only works with leaders who want to grow into the above-described leader. In addition to these lofty aspirational goals, we have provided more granular, observable behaviors that intentionally demonstrate themselves in significant interactions and presentations. After which, leaders grade themselves on a scale of 1 (= poor) to 10 (= excellent) and have selected stakeholders offer feedback on how they can become even better in the future.

1. Be unflappable under pressure.
2. Be present as opposed to robotic.
3. Take charge without being controlling when faced with a crisis.
4. Be knowledgeable as opposed to shooting from the hip.
5. Be wise in knowing what is important and worth fighting for and what isn’t.
6. Be open to hearing people out when they have an alternate or opposing point of view and considering what they say.
7. Be declarative first and then explanatory about the current situation, your position on it, what you will do and what you need from others, and why.
8. Have a spontaneous sense of humor that doesn’t offend anyone and demonstrates humility.
9. Be gracious in victory and defeat.
10. Be humble, giving credit to others rather than taking it for yourself.

We believe that just as some skeptics and cynics have a deep abiding desire to believe again, that there is inside you a deep wish, potential, and commitment to become the best version of yourself and to then lead from there. 

Just carve until you set it free.

Eighteen months after the battle began, businesses continue to fight the impact of a vicious virus.

As they do—now more than ever—employers struggle to retain and hire key staff members. And yet, in too many cases, furthest from a business leader’s mind today is perhaps exactly what can stop the employee mass exodus and boost potential hires’ interest.

The health of their work culture.

Specifically, ensuring their company culture doesn’t suck by making certain that everyone treats others, in every interaction, with respect.

Why is a respectful work culture so important?

Employees—of all generations—desire and deserve workplaces where they are respected and validated for their ideas, efforts, and contributions, every day.

The reality is that far too few leaders ensure their work cultures meet this standard. And when employees don’t experience this post-pandemic standard, in large part fueled by the freedom and autonomy experienced while working from home, is being met—they leave. For many companies with less-than-healthy, disrespectful work cultures, “The Great Resignation” is real.

Company Culture: Current Reality

Chances are—even though your organization may excel in many other areas—your work culture doesn’t always make people feel valued or respected. That work environment may not be inspiring or driven by purpose, or compassionate, or fun, or productive. Daily, it may—and often does—contradict the company’s stated core values (inclusion, trust, etc.). You see these cultural shortcomings firsthand—and you know your company can do, and be, better. 

As a leader, you want your company to become a better place to work—one where top talent feels they truly belong. But if you’re like the vast majority of business leaders, you don’t know where to start. 

For many in the C-suite, not knowing how to change culture—and stop top talent from going elsewhere—is a challenge.

The fact is that no one taught us how to proactively manage a work culture that values respect and results equally—in other words, a work culture where good comes first. Until recently, chances are no one ever asked you to manage company culture actively—and perhaps you never thought it was necessary. But today, that detached, reactive rather than proactive approach to company culture is decidedly outdated. 

Since Social Age thinking replaced Industrial Age “best” practices, how we think about company culture has changed significantly. Most notably, we realized the importance of intentional, focused culture leadership. In the middle of an ultra-competitive post-pandemic period—where employees are leaving unfulfilling positions in record numbers—intentionally creating a respectful culture is a high priority for every self-aware leader.

Company Culture: What’s Next?

When working from home became a norm for many and being laid off reality for too many others, the pandemic gave many employees a chance to consider what is most important to them. It offered a moment to reprioritize life—and to reconsider what they wanted from their employers.

The result: Business leaders should be worried. 

Bankrate’s August 2021 Job Seeker Survey found that 55% of Americans say they are likely to look for a new job in the next 12 months. The survey also found that nearly twice as many Gen-Z (77%) and Millennial (63%) workers as baby boomers (44%) plan to hunt for new employment. In addition, 45% of Gen-X workers will join that hunt.

Now, as many of those worried leaders realize, culture change is crucial to effectively stop top talent from turning in their badges as we inch toward a post-Covid world where the “old normal” isn’t good enough. To current employees with rearranged priorities and potential new hires, culture change is undoubtedly needed. Or your company won’t be able to attract, retain, and celebrate talented and engaged players of all generations—the top-tier players necessary to help your company excel.

As a leader in your team, department, or organization, you can completely change this all-too-real, post-pandemic reality.

First, though, you must develop a new leadership mindset. That mindset requires accepting that managing results is half the leader’s job. The other half: Managing respect across your work culture.

Creating a Purposeful, Positive, Productive Work Culture

There is a proven process, including the practical tools required, that the world’s best leaders leverage to co-create a workplace where people expect respect while driving results. Through a carefully crafted culture refinement process, they’ve nurtured work cultures that don’t suck. They’ve developed workplaces people find not just civil but innovative, gratifying, productive, and even fun.

These leaders:

• Define a work culture that puts good first, valuing respect as much as results.
• Create a workplace where trust is contagious, validation is pervasive, and growth—both personal and professional—is constant.
• Craft a servant purpose that ensures fair treatment of all stakeholders (not just shareholders).
• Monitor, measure, and reward alignment to agreed-upon standards for behavior.
• Show current and potential employees the leadership team cares about the world outside work and is proactively helping to resolve local and global issues such as inequality, poverty, health crises, and climate change.

Yes, these are lofty goals. They are also the heart and soul of a purposeful, positive, productive work culture.

More than that, these are proven, tangible steps business leaders can take to attract and retain top talent. This mindset, in turn, dramatically improves customer service levels, increases employee engagement, and generates higher levels of productivity and profits.

Stop watching key employees leave. Stop leaving company culture to chance. Instead, ensure Good Comes First in your workplace by making respect just as important as results.