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At first, her role as a leader felt overwhelming, and she was tempted to "pull up" from her failing team. However, she continued to address their challenges, needs, and issues head on even though it drained her and took a lot of time. Soon, however, she was able to make decisions that were for the best of her people and the organization alike. She was able to build trust with her team, who soon saw her competence (an underrated aspect of high trust workplaces) and felt her authentic care. The pile of challenges started getting smaller and smaller. She was able to start moving her team with a speed they hadn't experienced before. This leader now has one of the highest trust teams in the organization and is seen by many as their "best leader ever."

What stuck with me most was his take on leadership-he rejected typical competency models, preferred Robert Greenleaf's "servant leader" concept, and defined the role of a leader in such a simple way that I have not only never forgotten it, but also adopted as my de facto definition. "The role of a leader," he maintained, is to create meaningful change." To create is to bring into existence something that was not there before. Meaningful relates to action that is purposeful, that connects us to something larger, outside of ourselves, in service of others. And in that context, change is something new, different and better.

Chris's experience proves that not only can traditional leaders adjust their style, they absolutely should. It could very well be one of the best professional decisions of your career. Readers, I challenge you to ask yourself: what kind of leader am I? Am I a directive leader, am I compassionate - where do I fall on the spectrum? And most importantly, are you willing to do what it takes to adjust?

A servant-leader focuses primarily on the growth and well-being of people and the communities to which they belong. While traditional leadership generally involves the accumulation and exercise of power by one at the "top of the pyramid," servant leadership is different. The servant-leader shares power, puts the needs of others first, and helps people develop and perform as highly as possible.

In the survey, employees called out the kind of management offenses that point to a striking lack of emotional intelligence among business leaders, including micromanaging, bullying, narcissism, indecisiveness, and more. In rank order, the following were the top communication issues people said were preventing business leaders from being effective:

"Before you are a leader, success is all about growing yourself. When you become a leader, success is all about growing others." - Jack Welch

If you want to become a leader, don't wait for the fancy title or the corner office. You can begin to act, think, and communicate like a leader long before that promotion. Even if you're still several levels down and someone else is calling all the shots, there are numerous ways to demonstrate your potential and carve your path to the role you want.

Excellent advice!

Present over Perfect is full of thoughtful insights and beautiful writing. I want to highlight three practices from the book that can help leaders like us avoid the trap of perfectionism and stay engaged in the present.

"Listening" to our own well-being, and paying close attention to our important relationships and reset buttons - very critical to our quality of life! We only get 1 chance, after all.

Five Things Most Leaders Are In Denial About:

* What their employees know

* What their employees want

* Their control over their department

* The degree to which their employees trust and respect them

* Their own feelings of fear and powerlessness

Instead, leaders need to start by really caring about what other people have to say about an issue.  Research also shows that active listening, combined with empathy or trying to understand others' perspectives and points of view is the most effective form of listening.  Henry Ford once said that if there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put oneself in another person's place and to see things from his or her point of view -as well as from one's own.

What does work is a) helping people find a deep and very personal vision of their own future and b) then helping them see how their current ways of operating might need a bit of work if that future is to be realized. These are the first two steps in Richard Boyatzis' Intentional Change theory - which we've been testing with leaders for years. According to Boyatzis - and backed up by our work with leaders - here's how people really can begin and sustain change on complex abilities linked to emotional intelligence:

As a leader, everything you do is contagious. If you are discouraged, pessimistic, or lacking in energy, people will feel it. The organization will reflect it. It will spread faster than an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Becoming a more likeable leader is completely under your control, and it's a matter of emotional intelligence (EQ). Unlike innate, fixed characteristics, such as your intelligence (IQ), EQ is a flexible skill that you can improve with effort.

The collaborative and engaging style of a "Coach" enables leaders to be a "manager-coach". This approach focuses on developing employees in order to achieve business results rather than managing their every move. The mindset of the manager-coach is to create an environment that fosters learning, independent thinking and opportunities to contribute. The manager-coach doesn't want to be seen as a solution provider. Rather, they want to be seen as a facilitator, paving the way for the employee to achieve their results. Manager-Coaches are a role model for others. They are excellent listeners and communicators, providing perspective and encouragement while also setting high standards and expectations.

If you're going to be a successful leader, you are going to have to learn how to ask good questions. Here are seven tips for taking this skill to the next level.

What many industry leaders have caught on to is that our demanding business world still needs managers, but in a role being reshaped by new workplace trends. To stay on top, companies must reassess the responsibilities of their managers and train them to effectively manage the modern workforce.