In this episode of the Transform Your Workplace podcast, we dive into a discussion about leading well in an ever-changing workplace. Brandon Laws interviews Michelle Ray — author, speaker, and entrepreneur — about her new book, Leading in Real Time. Listeners learn tips about how to embrace change when leading a team. After all, leaders must evolve with the world around them or risk being left behind.
GUEST AT A GLANCE
Michelle Ray is a renowned speaker, entrepreneur, leadership expert, and the author of Leading in Real Time: How to Drive Success in a Radically Changing World. Michelle is passionate about helping professionals lead well for the betterment of their careers, their people, and their businesses.
A QUICK GLIMPSE INTO OUR PODCAST
🔊 Podcast: Transform Your Workplace, sponsored by Xenium HR
🎙️ Host: Brandon Laws
📋 In his own words: “The Transform Your Workplace podcast is your go-to source for the latest workplace trends, big ideas, and time-tested methods straight from the mouths of industry experts and respected thought-leaders.”
EMBRACING CHANGE
“Leading in real time is not a mystery. It’s about leading in this present moment. It’s about being a present-moment-based leader who understands the right course of action to take.”
And that means being willing to change. Michelle Ray opens up one of the chapters of her new book, Leading in Real Time, with a quote from Ben Franklin: “When you’re finished changing, you’re finished.” And according to Michelle, we’re constantly evolving and moving forward, especially in the business world.
Michelle goes on to say that instead of fighting change, leaders must welcome it. After all, change is expected in the workplace. If we want to see success in our businesses, in our teams, and in our own professional lives, we “can’t lead in the same way we did even two or three years ago.”
Leaders must evolve along with the world around them, or they risk being left behind.
PODCAST EPISODE HIGHLIGHTS
Unavoidable Change
“The way that we work and the world of business — even the world as a whole — has changed drastically. People are working differently. They’re using technology, they’re working remotely. And when you just look at technology in and of itself, the companies that were ideally positioned at the beginning of the pandemic were already very active online and had all of their digital platforms set up, so they were just ahead of the game. These transitions were less daunting to them.”
Gaining a Voice
“The proliferation of social media — we’ve been watching that for some time. Now more than ever, there’s no delineation between what people care about inside and outside of the workplace. So if people have a desire to express themselves about any issue or cause, they don’t have to wait until they’re outside of the workplace to say what they think. I think that’s been one piece that leaders have had difficulty coming to terms with. And so they need to be more transparent and acknowledge these feelings, these passions, this idealism, and desire to make a difference like never before. I think for a lot of leaders, that’s been hard.”
Being Heard
“You need to acknowledge even if you don’t agree — because people want to know that they’re being heard. There is a real art in being able to do that. Our reputations and the reputations of our organizations are in the spotlight. So it’s time to be much more introspective and recognize some of our biases.”
Making a Connection
“I think that the most important skill is the ability to connect with people. And, you know, it’s funny how it’s referred to as a soft skill, but no matter how high-tech our world continues to become, it’ll always be about people. When you ask me about the kind of change that’s happening, it’s people that are driving it. It doesn’t happen by itself. So leaders need to work on being able to hone those skills to truly connect, to be open, to listen, to be able to meet and put people at the top of your priority, then I think you’re positioning yourself for success.”
Building Walls Instead of Bridges
“There have been so many companies that have had the blinders on. They just don’t want to see what they need to see. Obviously, that’s not every organization. There are many companies that are hugely successful because they are open to doing business differently. So the more you try to insulate yourself from change and what your customers want and what your workforce wants, the more you’re going to shoot yourself in the foot. There has to be a willingness to be open.”
Helping, Not Criticizing
“I’m a solopreneur. I’ve got a team of contractors that I work with, and I know that I have to bring my best self to the best of my ability. But there have been days where I haven’t felt like it. And so if I have an employee that is feeling that way, then I should recognize that something isn’t quite right. I should really try to find out what’s going on from a place of helping, not from a place of criticizing. So that’s why I think leaders play such a critical role of influence, especially right now with these challenging times.”
Finding Meaning
“It starts with the leader setting the example. And the leaders themselves need leadership development to know how to communicate right across their organization so that someone who is ‘doing menial work’ sees the meaning in that work. If you can demonstrate that to people — how the part that they play has relevance and meaning — then they feel great about making that contribution, and they feel better about themselves. And I think that that’s something that any leader can do.”
Being an Example
“I often talk about credibility. You know, we all need to build our credibility. People must see you as someone who is genuine and trustworthy and honorable, and it’s got nothing to do with your title. If you can build that credibility by showing that you have the time and make the time, then I think it can pay you big dividends down the road.”
LEARN MORE
Grab a copy of Michelle’s book, Leading in Real Time: How to Drive Success in a Radically Changing World, or check out michelleray.com to learn more about her workshops and other leadership resources.