SEVEN WORDS OF WORKPLACE WISDOM
Psychologist and author Dr Harold Hillman, believes authenticity is the new leadership goal.
Executive consultant Dr Harold Hillman, believes Kiwis should adopt seven attributes to make themselves ‘‘authentic’’ leaders.
Hillman, a former human resources executive with Fonterra and Vice President of Prudential Financial in New York, says things such as positivity, edge and energy can be used to improve effectiveness in the workplace, and help boost the growth of businesses.
‘‘When people talk about authentic people, they are usually describing someone who has left them feeling better about themselves,’’ he says.
‘‘But this sort of connectivity with other people is relatively unexplored academically in business schools. It does not fit in with the standard MBA training for example. It’s about being real and candid.’’
Hillman, an American with New Zealand citizenship, set up his Sigmoid Curve Consulting Group in 2006. It specialises in helping executive teams through periods of major change, and Hillman has helped businesses in the US, Australia, Singapore and New Zealand, where he has worked with the likes of Southern Cross Healthcare, TVNZ, Refining NZ and Bank of New Zealand.
His new book Fitting In, Standing Out, published last year, follows the best-selling business book The Imposter Syndrome which was named the Whitcoulls Business Book of the Year in 2013.
Both books address the importance of authentic leadership and how behaviour in some organisations often drowns out new perspectives and different ways of working.
Hillman says limitations in the workplace often begin soon after joining an organisation, and shares some staggering stories about how some executives operate.
‘‘I once had a client who was told by her bosses not to laugh, because they said she sounded ignorant.
‘‘So in a meeting, a lot of her energy was directed at not laughing.
‘‘When this kind of thing happens, before you know it you are containing an inherent part of who you are, and this is unhealthy, psychologically and physically.’’
So what does Hillman decide being authentic in leadership actually means?
First, there is positivity he says. ‘‘We take our lead from optimism, because that comes from confidence. If you are a leader or on a team and people react defensively to you, you have to ask whether they think you are coming to get them.’’
The second attribute is what Hillman describes as ‘‘being real’’. This means being genuine, Hillman says ’’Do you approach people without your armour on?.’’ The third is having ‘‘edge’’. ‘‘Edge is an important component. It means being able to assert what you believe, so you have to ask yourself, when people think about your leadership, do they see edge?’’
Vulnerability is next. ‘‘Do you put yourself as a leader on your own learning curve, so that you can relate to others outside their comfort zone? Sharing stories of your own mistakes with your direct reports can be a powerful way to connect,’’ says Hillman.
Energy is the fifth valuable element. ‘‘This is what people feel when they are with an authentic person. Integrity means being the same person throughout the day, and connection with others is the final goal.
Hillman is sharing his views at a series of talks hosted by consultancy firm Randstad this month.
Country manager of Randstad New Zealand, Brien Keegan said: ‘‘When leaders commit to their own development, they’re demonstrating they are actively trying to create more inspiring work environments.’’
On October 19, Randstad will be livestreaming a Harold Hillman talk in Christchurch on Facebook.https://www.facebook.com/ranstad.nz.