Davina Jones

People don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care. Intentional listening shows care for people in ways far greater than intelligent speaking or a powerful speech can express in words alone. Words may move people to action. Listening moves people to connection. 

Instead of focusing on learning styles exclusively, I think leaders should choose the modality based on the primary learning goal or task, and not solely on a person's personal style. For example, a person may declare to be a visual learner, but they may learn and grow best and more effectively by engaging in deep and meaningful conversations with their peers or teammates where they question assumptions and embrace new perspectives, versus simply processing info through graphs, charts, or illustrations or written notes. 

I will be more successful at completing my goals if I write them down. Get them out of my head and into the world. I'll do a better job of being accountable when I can see it and be reminded of it. 

My leadership legacy begins now, right where I am. Even small contributions compound over time to create a large impact. 

I think it’s so important for leaders to check their own impact regularly. Sometimes, when you’re looking at things from 40,000 feet up, everything looks smooth, but on the ground, the team might be struggling with decisions made in a vacuum. Leaders have to ensure that the people responsible for implementing changes are actually part of the conversation.

A great leader has to be flexible and adaptable while keeping their vision in sight. The lesson mentioned being empathetic. I read that the difference between sympathy and empathy is the extent to which you experience the emotions and feelings of a person and their situation.  With sympathy, you feel the impact for someone - you feel compassion and concern, but you may not necessarily share the same feeling in the moment. With empathy, you feel the impact with that person - you share the experience with them as if you are going through it yourself. I think a leader… >>>

Comment on Danielle Trueba's post: You're right, Danielle. When I was younger, I used to hear some adults say, "Do as I say, not as I do." That is such a misconception, because kids almost never only do what they hear; they do what they see. Actions usually stick in the mind more deeply than words. This is true for adults as well. We can be influenced in positive or negative ways by those who we call our leaders. 

I appreciate a leader who is honest and can admit mistakes, being transparent with the team. It doesn't diminish the strength of their role. It makes them stronger because the team will come to respect their courage and openness which creates a safe space to share successes and failures so that the team can grow and learn together. 

I learned that I usually lead with a coaching style of leadership. This is very accurate as I tend to gravitate toward encouraging and developing those around me because I have a genuine interest to see them do well and succeed. I enjoy building close, long-lasting connections that foster trust and confidence. A few things I have to watch out for though is to make sure I resist pushing people toward learning for learning’s sake. Just because it's important to me doesn't mean others will be motivated in the same way. I also sometimes focus more on processes and systems… >>>

Leadership is like a farmer who buys a huge plot of land and envisions crops growing and cattle grazing. Management is her building the fences in the right places so the crops don't grow wild and the cows don’t wander off. :D