Welcome To The Unlocked Leader: A New Way to Lead

Jan 29 / Russ Watsky

If you’ve spent any time in the corporate world, surviving on lukewarm coffee and promises that 'things will get easier', you’ve likely hit the Management Paradox. It’s that moment where your boss tells you to drive results but also be a coach.
And... 'what do the even mean when they say coaching'?

While you’re trying to innovate AND motivate your people, you’re usually busy putting out fires, or trapped in meetings that should have been an email. By the time you finally crawl back to your desk, 'developing your team' has slid so far down your to-do list it’s practically in the basement.

It’s okay. Deep breath. We’ve all been there, and unfortunately, this unending loop has become the norm. But I’m here to tell you there’s a better way.

For over two decades, I’ve worked at the intersection of instructional design, human performance, quality, and customer experience. What I’ve learned is that most teams aren’t actually broken, they’re just 'locked'... stuck behind outdated management styles that create serious trust issues, along with processes that have more friction than a cheap synthetic carpet. Shocking... right? Ouch!

Why 'Unlocked'? I believe that when we stop micromanaging (because, let’s be honest, nobody has the energy for that anyway) and start coaching with real intention, you don’t just get better employees, you finally get your time back.

With that as the backdrop, this blog is dedicated to the foundational concepts that underpin the Unlock Potential Methodology and 360° Service Blueprint program. 

What You Can Expect Here

We’re going to dig deep into the IQ in LearningIQ... meaning the Innovation & Quality of actions you can take to get you there. To keep things simple, I'd like to focus on four core concepts (keys) that when put into practice, will start to unlock your leadership potential and by extension... employee performance and customer experiences.
 Coaching Mindset:
How to use the Socratic Method, neuroscience of accountability, and other techniques to help your team think for themselves.

Shameless plug - When you're ready for all your people leaders to take a crash course in employee development, I got you covered with the 100% online Unlock Potential: The Art of Coaching & Self Development Workshop.
 Operational Excellence:
We'll break down the critically important processes and programs that should be in place in most organizations to support the customer experience, but are most often lacking.

Shameless plug - When you're ready to move beyond the blog, I'd be happy to discuss the 360° Service Blueprint, a multi-prong customer service strategy. Guaranteed to improve employee performance and customer experiences. For more information click here.
  Science of Learning:
Insights into how adults actually learn and how to build training that sticks.
  Exceptional CX:
Connecting the dots between your internal culture and your external customer experience
Join the Conversation  
Every 2 weeks I'll post a new article focused on one core concept and action(s) you can apply to unlock your leadership potential. I'd love to get your eyeballs on them and any feedback and/or suggestions you may have. 

If you're interested, please subscribe below. If you'd like chat, please give me a shout.