Leadership Done Right

Brandon W. Jones

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Podcast Episode #69 – 5 Reasons Why You Should Keep a Leadership Journal

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Hello, and welcome to the Leadership Done Right Podcast, Episode 69: 5 Reasons Why You Should Keep a Leadership Journal.

Leadership Done Right Podcast

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Hi friends! Several years ago I started writing in a journal. I wrote about what happened each day and what my thoughts were on that event. I tried to keep each day to about one page, but if something exciting happened sometimes it went longer. Also, if I was really busy, sometimes it was less. Since that time I have continued keeping a journal through the years.

In the leadership realm, there’s a lot of great people that talk about the importance of writing in a journal. From my experience, I agree wholeheartedly that there are benefits to writing in a journal!

What is a Leadership Journal?

I am going to share five reasons why you should keep a leadership journal. But before I get to that, it is important to understand what a leadership journal is and how it differs from other journals. 

In a regular journal, you write your thoughts about whatever is going on in life, lessons you learn, people you interact with, and a wide range of other things. You can really just write about whatever you want. [Read more…] about Podcast Episode #69 – 5 Reasons Why You Should Keep a Leadership Journal

How Sleep Deprivation Nearly Cost Me My Life – 5 Reasons Sleep Improves Leadership

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If your anything like me, you are always doing everything you can to get the most out of every second. You’re always thinking of ways to get more out of your time. Sometimes that means you even cut into your sleep. In the moment, cutting sleep seems like the best use of your time. Getting a few more minutes of work done is much better and productive than the few minutes you would have slept, right? Wrong! Sleep improves leadership!

How much sleep do you need?

Let’s dig a little deeper. According to the Mayo Clinic, the average adult needs between 7-9 hours of sleep. Eric J. Olson, M.D. explained, “Some people claim to feel rested on just a few hours of sleep a night, but their performance is likely affected. Research shows that people who sleep so little over many nights don’t perform as well on complex mental tasks as do people who get closer to seven hours of sleep a night.”

How Sleep Deprivation Nearly Cost Me My Life - 5 Reasons Sleep Improves Leadership
Photo: Pixabay/RobinHiggins

Negative effects of sleep deprivation

People often think that reduced sleep for a little while won’t have any impact on them because they are resilient. In reality, insufficient sleep has negative effects even if it is just a few nights in a row. Healthline.com explains that:

“Your body needs sleep, just as it needs air and food to function at its best. During sleep, your body heals itself and restores its chemical balance. Your brain forges new connections and helps memory retention. Without enough sleep, your brain and body systems won’t function normally. It can also dramatically lower your quality of life. A review of 16 studies found that sleeping for less than 6 to 8 hours a night increases the risk of early death by about 12 percent.”

When we don’t get enough sleep, there are many negative side effects. According to Healthline.com, some of those are:

  • Trouble with thinking and concentration
  • More accidents
  • Mood swings
  • Weakened immunity
  • High blood pressure
  • Increased risk of heart disease and diabetes
  • Weight gain
  • Poor balance

What a bad set of side effects from just insufficient sleep! [Read more…] about How Sleep Deprivation Nearly Cost Me My Life – 5 Reasons Sleep Improves Leadership

Misunderstandings About Change

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Change is very applicable to leadership. Leaders regularly drive change. As they drive change, they will face resistance. There will be people that will think the leader doesn’t understand them or how they have done things. They will fight change at all cost. In most cases, it will be because they have a misunderstanding about change.

Many people have misunderstandings about change. Some people think that if they don’t want change it will just go away. Others think that change will slow down if they don’t change quickly. They think that when they stop changing their surroundings will also stop changing. There is also a wide range of other misunderstandings about change. However, they are just that, they are misunderstandings about change.

Misunderstandings About ChangeChange happens all the time. The only thing constant about change is that it is always happens. For some people, change happens so often that they call it the “flavor of the week.” With change happening so frequently, it is important to understand it and know the common misunderstandings about change so you don’t fall trap to them. [Read more…] about Misunderstandings About Change

The Value Of Effective Communication

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Effective communication is more of an art than a science.  Leaders that master the art of effective communication connect with people on a personal and professional level.  They break down barriers and strengthen relationships that can be beneficial far into the future.

In writing this post, I did a Google search on the most common reasons for divorce.  The factors that lead to divorce were summed up on lawyers.com as:

  1. Infidelity
  2. Financial Difficulty
  3. Depression
  4. Addictions
  5. Stress

The Value Of Effective Communication

What I found extremely interesting was that a breakdown of communication contributed to each of the above listed factors.  Infidelity often results when one partner does not adequately communicate their needs to their partner, but instead confides in someone else.  Financial difficulty that leads to divorce usually occurs when one partner spends money without communicating it to the other partner.  Depression and addictions are caused by many factors, but communication (which includes speaking AND listening) helps couples to work through their challenges.  Stress can be alleviated through effective communication.  Business relationship can break down just as easily with the lack of effective communication.

So what are the benefits of effective communication?  Effective communication creates connections, overcomes barriers, and builds strong teams.

Effective Communication Creates Connections

As a leader, effective communication creates connections with all those with which you come in contact.  These connections are made as you take time to learn about others.  Have you ever had a leader that asked you about your life, family, career goals, and other aspirations?  That leader probably communicated with you in such a way that you felt valued.  It probably helped you recognize your worth and value as a team player.  Their communications with you probably gave you a special connection with them that will go on into the future. [Read more…] about The Value Of Effective Communication

What Were They Thinking?

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Several years ago, I learned a very valuable leadership lesson from my mom.  We were having a discussion about different people.  At the time, I was very frustrated because some one I knew had done something that didn’t make sense to me.  I had thought through the whole situation before I came to that conclusion and their actions just didn’t make sense.

What Were They Thinking?

My mom heard my frustrations and said, “Brandon, some people just don’t think the same way you think. You may find yourself asking the question, ‘What were they thinking?'” She then went on to explain that each person has a completely different upbringing and background so they think differently.  That, in some ways, was a turning point in my life.  She helped me to understand the importance of trying to see things through other people’s eyes.

Know Your Target Audience

In leadership it is very important to see things from the other person’s point of view. Whether you are talking to your employees, people in other departments, or your management team, you must know how to understand the other point of view.  I have some suggestions on how to try and think how others think. [Read more…] about What Were They Thinking?