Miami Living Magazine

Originally derived from the Calusa word, "mayami," meaning "big water" the city of Miami has a longstanding history of surviving all that comes with being a coastal city, including: hurricanes, tropical storms, rising tides and floods. As Miami has flourished into the thriving metropolitan city that is home to over one million businesses within Miami-Dade County, it is only natural to talk about leadership within the context of navigating uncertain organizational circumstances and unsteady business waters. The leadership tips below show the wealth of knowledge we can build into our career in 2015 from the experience of those on the high seas. Lead from what's below your own waterline Leadership begins "below the waterline," at the being level. When we understand ourselves, we open up the door to increased self-awareness and we generate the possibility of making better choices. Once we heighten our self-understanding, we can face the challenge of leading others with a consciousness that helps us determine and communicate our expectations as leaders --in turn, leading us to a mature and balanced leadership style. Prepare for the heavy winds With their personal understanding, great leaders know that they are far from perfect. By being aware of our personal weaknesses and knowing how to address them we are far more prepared. Paying particular attention to our own faults and knowing exactly how we can play up our strengths to adapt accordingly is key to battling all of the storms on the horizon. Make waves, rock the boat, but don't get thrown overboard By understanding our thoughts, habits and tendencies, leaders can understand why they do what they do and make continual adjustments to their behavior based in that reflection and knowledge. The self confidence that comes from this insightful knowledge allows leaders to challenge the status quo when needed, without alienating themselves. There's a skill to finding the right balance of creating boat-rocking activities and bringing in new perspectives and diversity of thought that true leaders have and use to develop business breakthroughs. Keep the wind in your team's sails by trying a new tack Leaders make things happen, find ways to accomplish all of their objectives and do all of this while bringing people with them. It's unusual for a leader to want to stop a team's forward momentum, but when the wind dies down or changes directions, leaders have to get involved and steward the tacking of the sails to realign their course. The very best leaders find new ways to motivate, inspire and build strong connections with the team around them. Batten down the hatches and ride out the storm It is inevitable that storms will arise within teams and organizations that will challenge leaders to make tough calls, keep everybody safe and get through treacherous conditions or uncharted territories. By taking advantage of the "calm before the storm" to prepare both interpersonal and functional aspects of a team, leaders create an environment for teams that will be protected from being completely capsized by big waves, but able to recover and navigate back to safety. As Aristotle Onassis said, "We must free ourselves of the hope that the sea will ever rest. We must learn to sail in the high winds." Don Johnson is the U.S. Director of Sales at Insights Learning and Development. www.insights.com ML Navigate the Treacherous Waters in your Business Utilize these leadership tips to excel in 2015 Words by Don Johnson 120 MIAMI LIVING

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