How To Make a Plan and Deal With Changes Along The Way Most entrepreneurial organizations I work with resist having a plan. Whereas, the...
GPS Style Leadership; Setting a Direction Then ReRouting
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Category / It’s Kind of Like …
Rob Luke often uses metaphors in leading programs and coaching executives. Over the years, he has compiled a list of metaphors and has shared these ideas in educational blog posts.
It’s Kind of like… GPS Style Leadership and It’s Kind of like… Show them the Mountain, Not the Horizon use metaphors to teach how to inspire your team and work towards goals. Adjusting your leadership approach based on your team type involved identifying whether you’re leading a hockey or football team.
Metaphors are a great way to learn, and we hope you find value in them here!
1, 2, 3—Not It! The Games that are Impacting Your Team’s Performance
As a Leader-Manager, you may occasionally need help with a side project or task that is slightly out of scope. You ask for volunteers, look around, and it’s kind of like a silent game of Not It! Is taking place. With the rules reversed in the workplace, it is the first to speak who will be tagged “It,” so the object of the game is to avoid communication and eye contact.
The Situation Room; Leveraging all Three Styles of Action to be a Better Leader-Manager
How to Leverage Three Styles of Action to be a Better Leader-Manager Getting things done and motivating others to do the same is the most...
AM, FM, Sirius Satellite Tuning into the Right Frequency for Clarity & Focus
Leadership Frequencies and Regaining Time and Energy Each of us is pre-wired to start every conversation or discussion in one of the three...
Time & Energy; Shaken Snow Globe Syndrome and Regaining Focus & Energy
How to Regain Focus & Energy Have you ever gone from one meeting to the next and felt like your head is a snow globe? When you shift...
Time & Energy Management; Avoiding Altitude Sickness While Mountain Climbing
Mountain Climbing Time Management Avoiding Altitude Sickness Entrepreneurial and mid-level leaders derive great satisfaction and energy...
Time & Energy; Google Earth and Leading at the Right Level
Some leaders are high-level thinkers. They speak in terms of vision and strategy, and love to use big picture ideas to inspire their team....
- It’s Kind of Like Beachball Coaching; Bouncing Back Ideas & Resisting Advice Giving
I once coached a CEO when one of their VPs interrupted to ask what colour the boss wanted the office painted. The CEO offered their opinion and then refocused on our conversation. I responded, “Do you really feel that picking out paint colours is a wise use of your mental energy as CEO?” Their counter was, “I don’t stop to think about it much. If someone asks me for my opinion, then I give it to them.” Oh, the double-edged sword of leadership. Senior leaders must become exceptionally good at making decisions with limited data and be comfortable just making the call. Overusing this style can create a check-in culture where the team becomes overly reliant on the boss’s opinion and hesitates to move without consultation.
- It’s Kind of Like Beachball Coaching; Bouncing Back Ideas & Resisting Advice Giving
- It’s Kind of Like Coaching Poolside or Chairside; Coaching In The Moment or Another Time
- It’s Kind of Like Elastic Band Coaching; Stretch, Aim, Release
- It’s Kind of Like Using a Flashlight in the Dark; Coaching for Clarity and Ownership
- Coach or Consultant: Who is doing most of the talking?
- It’s Kind of Like Giving the Quarterback a Pillow; Unfair Leadership is Fair Leadership
