The Dangers of Disconnected Leadership: Why And How To Lead With More Connection

Season 2 of Extra-Ordinary Leaders has officially launched!

In this new series, we’ll be exploring the very essence of extra-ordinary leadership: leading with connection. 

Let’s begin with the basics.

What is extra-ordinary leadership?

In the pursuit of the extra-ordinary, it is crucial to differentiate it from the more common yet burdensome variant – “being extraordinary."

The latter often imposes relentless pressure on leaders to constantly perform and surpass expectations. I propose a different approach – to embrace your ordinary, and amplify it. 

In many cases, instead of leaning into our ordinariness – and pinpointing areas where we can add to it – we feel pressured to dial up paradigms of leadership that may not work for us that we’ve either heard or read about.

However, what if we were to learn and embrace our natural leadership state (not passively, but actively and intentionally) and leverage the areas of our leadership, which may feel rather ordinary to us, into spaces of extra-ordinariness? 

The everyday moments of our leadership may go unnoticed by the world, but in reality, they make up a significant portion of our time. 

By embracing the ordinary aspects of our leadership and seeing them as opportunities for growth and impact, we cultivate a leadership style that is authentic, grounded, transformative and, dare I say, easier. 

I created the Extra-Ordinary Leaders podcast and blog series to share insights from leaders who aren't afraid to innovate, question the status quo and play with current leadership narratives, exposing us to alternative elements that we can harness to become a little bit extra-ordinary. 

So what is the secret sauce that fosters extra-ordinary leadership?

I like to distil it into one word: connection.

Why leaders need to foster connection with themselves and among their teams

Connection is the bedrock of successful organisations and teams. More precisely, connection with ourselves and our teams.

Almost 60 per cent of leaders report feeling worn out at the end of each day. It’s no surprise then that there’s a constant trend of detachment and a lack of connection to ourselves, to the people around us and to the projects we manage.

While this detachment often goes unnoticed, there are a few signs that may suggest a leader is disconnected with their team and business’s needs, such as: 

• Leaders who don't respond or listen to feedback and change their behaviour accordingly.

• An employee culture that discourages team members from speaking out or suggesting changes and ideas.

• A workplace culture driven by rules and procedures, with little to no room for individuality.

• A lack of transparency and vulnerability among leaders.

A disconnected leader cannot foster engagement and motivation within their teams and the people around them. Instead, they further contribute to a toxic cycle of burnout and disengagement.

To combat this, it's crucial for leaders to constantly assess their connection with their team. Are you truly listening? Is there space for open and honest dialogue? Are you leading with empathy and vulnerability? 

These questions are starting points to bridge the gap between current practices and a more connected, engaged leadership approach.

To be truly connected is to be present, empathetic and self-aware. 

In the upcoming blogs, we'll explore some pivotal questions. How can we enhance our connection with ourselves, our teams and our businesses? How can we navigate the often challenging journey of change to bridge our current reality with future aspirations?

I will seek to set the stage for a transformative journey towards connected leadership, where vulnerability is strength and empathy is power all the while seeking to get business done, with the bottom line clearly in view. 

By the end of this series, the goal is for you to be equipped to build and tap into this connection, steering your leadership into the realm of the extra-ordinary.

Stay tuned on LinkedIn for updates on the series, and be sure to catch each new episode of Extra-Ordinary Leaders as it goes live. In the meantime, you can tune in to the pilot episode here.

For more insights on how to dial up the extra-ordinary in your leadership, you can also subscribe to my YouTube channel or explore the free resources I have on my website. 

Together, let's unlock the power of being a connected leader and redefine what it truly means to be extra-ordinary in our professional and personal lives.