Too many employees know what it’s like to work for a boss who’s more focused on the bottom line than on the people who actually get the work done. Servant leadership turns that all-too-common scenario on its head. It focuses on the needs of employees, customers, and other stakeholders instead of focusing on their own needs. Here’s a secret: Research shows that this leadership style can enhance team performance and satisfaction.

The days of being able to lead without awareness are over. If you’re a leader and take that responsibility for granted, you’re already behind your competition.
While 83% of employers state it’s crucial to develop leaders at all levels, only 14% of high-level executives have the leadership talent they need to grow their businesses, according to LinkedIn. As a leader, you need to give people a reason to follow you.

Charles O’Reilly started his career in the military and probably would have stayed there but for one major problem: “I wanted more control over my life.” Although he was ambitious, O’Reilly prioritized the freedom to pursue his interests over any status or impact he might achieve as an officer. He left the Army to pursue an academic career, trading external markers of success for the possibility of meeting his own intrinsic goals.

In 1928, the Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming returned from a two-week vacation and realized he had made a significant oversight. In his haste to leave for his holiday, he had left a messy pile of petri dishes on his workstation. As he began to dispose of the dishes, something unusual caught his eye: a mold had formed around the bacteria in one of the petri dishes. Upon closer examination, Fleming made a startling discovery. The mold wasn’t just growing—it was actively inhibiting the spread of the bacteria.

Let’s face it—nobody sets out to create a toxic workplace. However, sometimes, that’s just what you end up with. I should know since a few years ago I wrote a book on the topic called Wait, I’m Working With Who?!?

As a leader, you likely started with the best intentions, creating a team that produces great results. Yet, despite your best efforts, workplace cultures can sour. The hardest part? You might be the last to know.

At least half of the people I coach identify delegation as an area that they’d like to improve. Delegating can be a real challenge because—let’s face it—it’s tough to let go of control. Many of us believe that if we want something done right, we have to do it ourselves. Plus, it takes effort to explain the task, trust someone else to do it, and then follow up. Sometimes, it feels like it’s just easier to do it ourselves rather than invest the time in teaching someone else.

Effective team communication does more than pass information along. It strengthens relationships, builds trust, and aligns people toward a shared purpose. A leader’s ability to communicate well can shape the culture of an entire organization. Some leaders make the mistake of thinking communication is about speaking well. Great communication, however, is about connection. Every leader has a message to share, but not every leader knows how to ensure that message is heard, understood, and acted upon.

Feedback has the power to motivate and improve performance, but it often backfires. Instead of sparking growth, it can trigger defensiveness or lead to silence. Some people soften their words so much that the message gets lost. Others stay quiet entirely, fearing conflict. Introverts often tell me they leave meetings thinking, “I wish I had said something,” because they prefer to process before speaking. Extraverts tend to speak while thinking and later say, “I wish I hadn’t said that.” In both cases, feedback is challenging.

Change isn’t the problem. How we approach it is.

When was the last time your organization went six months without a major shift? For many leaders, that’s a laughable question. Over the past five years, businesses have navigated an unrelenting series of disruptions: a global pandemic, recovery strategies, the Great Resignation, inflation, economic uncertainty, and groundbreaking developments in AI. Toss in a slow-growth economy and increasingly empowered employees, and it’s clear we’re juggling transformation after transformation without a break.

Being indecisive is one of the most frustrating, unproductive behaviors you can engage in. It breeds doubt, uncertainty, and even resentment from people counting on you to make a call so they can move forward. When you let multiple options linger, it can sap everyone’s energy and make them question your ability to get things done. I’ve studied mental strength for decades and, as I lay out in my book, “The Mentally Strong Leader,” decision-making is an essential component, along with fortitude, confidence, boldness, and more.

In today’s multifaceted business world, being expert at something, by itself, is not enough to ensure your success as a leader. The ability to understand and manage both your emotions and those of others defines emotional intelligence. It is the key factor for distinguishing successful managers. Research shows that leaders who demonstrate high emotional intelligence are better able to build effective teams and increase the loyalty of their people. Simultaneously, they ensure higher levels of business performance.

While we’d like to think the secret to a fast promotion is all about doing a good job, your relationship with your boss can make or break your career. Understanding how to handle a narcissistic boss or one who plays favorites can save your job. And perfecting the art of managing up can be the key to thriving and growing your career.

Often this boils down to knowing how to communicate effectively with your boss. Here are three tips to keep in mind:

Almost a decade ago, I had an experience that really stuck with me. I was advising a newly hired chief financial officer with oversight over a $3.1 billion budget and over 300 people reporting into her division. I had asked her to prepare a nine-minute speech that would really rally people behind her. And there they were, all 300 souls gathered wide-eyed in the ballroom at their all-hands meeting.

Having worked with hundreds of entrepreneurs, I’ve seen how deeply the leader’s personal habits shape a company’s day-to-day environment. While some owners unintentionally undermine morale by being erratic or micromanaging, others foster a sense of trust, empowerment, and collaboration. The difference often comes down to purposeful culture-building. For example, one client of mine ran a family-owned manufacturing firm. She was highly respected for her technical know-how, but her erratic communication style created anxiety among her employees.

Everyone discusses the positive traits of leadership, such as strong communication, empathy, adaptability and vision. But leadership isn’t just about what you do well—it’s also about recognizing what’s holding you back. Negative behaviors, even subtle ones, create friction. These behaviors may not seem harmful at first glance, but over time, they suffocate morale and create a toxic work environment.

I have had countless counseling clients over the years present to me emotionally laden reactions to feeling triggered by the comments of others. You’re in a conversation, and suddenly, something the other person says makes your heart race and your muscles tense. Maybe it’s a comment from a family member, a passive-aggressive remark from a coworker, or an old friend bringing up a painful past. Instead of reacting in anger or shutting down, there’s one phrase that can help you stay in control: “That’s interesting. Tell me more.”

As we head into the first quarter of this new year, it’s important to kick off with a strong foundation. For me, that means taking stock of my leadership influence—specifically, how am I developing myself to this high calling of leadership? While most people evaluate their leadership based on their management skills, leadership requires more than just being a proficient manager.

I read an article recently about how more than sixty percent of people that are promoted into a position of leadership—leading people, teams, groups—have never had any type of leadership training.

A glance at the day’s headlines reveals a universal truth: Leadership matters. Whether uplifting and ethical or toxic and abusive, leaders profoundly shape our lives. And this is especially true on the job. Research consistently shows that leadership influences employees’ attitudes, behaviors and emotions, driving key organizational outcomes such as creativity, employee engagement, well-being and financial performance.

A friend reached out to me last week with a problem. He took on a new job a few months ago, but he’s also building his own business on the side and will likely leave in time—something he was clear about with his employer from the beginning. Here’s where things get tricky: He wants to start posting more content about his business on LinkedIn, but he doesn’t want to upset his employer, who may see his posts.

Empathy has become a cornerstone of effective leadership. Leaders are expected to be emotionally intelligent, actively listen to their teams and create inclusive work environments. However, this increased emotional labor comes at a cost: empathy burnout. Unlike traditional burnout, which stems from excessive workload, empathy burnout is an emotional exhaustion that results from prolonged exposure to the struggles, emotions and challenges of others.