Five X Factors of Leadership

Here’s a fascinating article from the world of business that outlines five key factors that distinguish effective leaders. As the author points out, “Charisma and credentials aren’t enough. In the pressure cooker of leadership, it’s the subtle, often invisible factors that determine who lasts—and who doesn’t.”

To paraphrase his closing thoughts, you likely won’t see these Five Factors in a workshop or PD training. But they often define the difference between short-term control and long-term trust. And over time, they can help change you from simply being the “school boss” to becoming the kind of powerful leader that others choose to follow.

What NOT to Say!

If you want your team to hear and understand what you’re trying to communicate (and not roll their eyes), then avoid trite, dismissive, or insincere phrases such as “We’re a family.”

Corporate communication coach, Joel Schwartzberg, offers nine “say this, not that” tips that can help you flip the script for better team interactions. While this article was written for the business world, the basic principles apply to schools, too. As Schwartzberg points out, “Being direct makes a significant difference in your impact, especially when you’re communicating solutions and their intended effects.” And that’s a common goal of all highly-effective principals!

Great Leaders Truly Listen!

Great leaders have the ability (and humility) to listen carefully to those around them … even when they have to weed out the noise to find the important feedback. Leadership coach, Ross Judd, offers three specific tips for learning to listen effectively.

In addition, great leaders develop the listening skills necessary to recognize when team members drop hints about deeper conversations they want to have. They then follow up by giving them their full attention and summarizing their words for clarity.

As Judd points out, “The more you listen and seek their input, the more your people will gather information for you.”

Say This, Not That!

Effective feedback is vital if you want to strengthen relationships with your team, enhance their performance, and increase their engagement. Executive coach, Joel Garfinkle, shares five key ways that great leaders can give effective feedback.

As Garfinkle reminds us, “Like any leadership skill, the ability to give feedback can, and should, be developed. Practice it. Reflect on it. Get coaching on it.” Why? “Because when you learn to deliver feedback that lands — clearly, compassionately and consistently — you don’t just develop others. You become the kind of leader people never forget.”