One of the key themes that emerged from my conversations with leaders across all different domains for The Making Magnificence Project® (which continues, by the way, new CEO conversation coming soon!), was the theme of questing for self-mastery.  It was such a strong theme that it made it into my book.

At first glance, though, the two leaders profiled in chapter 7 could almost be a study in contrasts.  Logan Bennett leads a team that works in avalanche rescue and mitigation in the Canadian Rockies.  Brad Wilson, now CEO Emeritus of BCBS of North Carolina, began his career working as an attorney and then went on to be a CEO in the world of healthcare.

But both were deeply committed to their own learning and had the desire to get all of the information into a room, particularly when difficult and complex decisions were being made.

When my clients seek improvements for their teams and organizations (greater client satisfaction, better execution and on-time delivery for deadlines, more market share, superior team productivity, more superstar retention and less churn in key roles, to name a few) one of the things I look for is information flow.  And one of the key questions I ask: Is the right information getting surfaced, seen, and heard to make informed decisions, and are there channels and vehicles to carry that information?  There are many different ways to enhance that transit that are highly effective: team off-sites, client surveys and interviews, informal lunches or dinners with senior leaders and/or the CEO, internal key stakeholder interviews, stay interviews, monthly all-hands calls, for example.

But more important than any vehicle is a leader who exhibits a quest for self-mastery in their everyday behavior, who asks questions, who brings curiosity, particularly in the face of the most difficult challenges, who elicits and solicits opinion different from their own and gives it real consideration, and in doing so, implicitly gives permission for those around them to do the same.

Which in turn creates a both a model and springboard for continued organizational learning and improvement and stretching.

Which sounds a lot like innovation.

And a path to becoming best in class.

For more on working with me directly to elevate leadership performance and drive business outcomes: sarah@sarah-levitt.com

I work with smart, talented, ambitious senior leaders who run companies and aspire to magnificent performance and results.  My next openings are in late August.

To inquire about taking your team beyond the baseline of high performance to becoming a Self-Correcting Team™, you can reach me at sarah@sarah-levitt.com for a mutually exploratory conversation.  I lead Magnificent Leadership® Strategic Team Sessions that create action plans and accountability, build cohesion and performance, and address the most critical issues facing your team or organization.  My next openings are in Q4.

For more on booking me for your national conference, leadership summit, or corporate event, you can reach me at sarah@sarah-levitt.com.  My most popular keynote is “Magnificent Leadership® – Keys to Success” and I’ve just rolled out a new one: “Magnificent Leadership® — Building Self-Correcting Teams™.”