Today Kate delves into the essentials of giving effective feedback that is clear, kind, and useful. Emphasis is placed on the importance of regular, specific, and growth-focused feedback, as well as fostering a culture where feedback is normalised and constructive. Kate also touches on how to handle feedback to peers and superiors, ultimately aiming to create a positive environment of continuous improvement.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Effective Feedback

00:41 The Importance of Feedback

01:10 Common Mistakes in Giving Feedback

02:11 Why Feedback is Kind

03:09 Overcoming the Fear of Giving Feedback

04:36 The SO-ROCK Feedback Framework

05:36 Real-World Feedback Example

06:46 Language and Approach in Feedback

07:20 Giving Feedback to Bosses and Peers

08:09 Building a Feedback Culture

09:24 Key Takeaways and Final Tips

10:33 Conclusion and Call to Action

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This episode of 'How to Lead with Kate Waterfall Hill,' explores the skill of managing up. Drawing from her 30 years in business and leadership development, Kate debunks myths about managing up, provides five practical principles for engaging with your boss, and offers strategies for dealing with different types of managers—from micromanagers to vague visionaries.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Managing Up

02:05 Understanding the Importance of Managing Up

04:43 Five Practical Principles for Managing Up

09:13 Tailoring Your Approach to Different Boss Types

11:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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Today's episode focusses on mastering the art of influencing without formal authority. Kate dives into practical strategies and shares valuable tips on framing conversations, effective listening, and presenting with clarity.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Influencing Without Authority

00:53 Meet Linda: The Bad Manager

01:58 Understanding Influence Without Authority

03:13 Building Credibility and Relationships

05:08 Timing and Framing Your Message

08:42 Handling Resistance and Effective Communication

11:07 Final Tools and Summary

12:06 Conclusion and Further Resources

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This episode of 'How to Lead' concludes the four Cs miniseries with a practical guide on how to measure and improve team engagement. Kate dissects the crucial elements of the four Cs: clarity, challenge, control, and community, and provides specific methods to assess and enhance these areas within teams.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to the Four Cs

00:48 The Importance of Practical Application

01:31 Linda's Bad Management Example

02:03 Recap of the Four Cs

02:45 Measuring the Four Cs

06:06 Improving Clarity

07:25 Enhancing Challenge

08:10 Balancing Control and Autonomy

09:00 Fostering Community

09:47 Overcoming Common Obstacles

10:42 Final Thoughts and Recap

11:50 Conclusion and Next Steps

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In this final episode of the miniseries on the four Cs of Employee Engagement, Kate discusses how to build a sense of community within teams. She outlines the five key elements of community—connection, recognition, psychological safety, shared purpose, and inclusion—and provides practical tips for leaders to foster these within their teams.

Episode Highlights:

00:00 Introduction to Community Building

00:25 Recap of the Four Cs Miniseries

01:20 Linda the Bad Manager: A Case Study

01:52 Defining Community in the Workplace

02:36 The Importance of Community at Work

03:17 Five Key Ingredients of Community

03:52 Building Connection and Recognition

05:12 Fostering Psychological Safety

06:09 Creating a Shared Purpose

07:00 Promoting Inclusion

07:36 Common Traps That Destroy Community

08:26 Practical Steps to Build Community

09:09 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

09:43 Closing Remarks and Call to Action

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In this third part of a mini-series on the four key elements of team engagement, Kate explores the topic of control in leadership. She focusses on how to empower your team without abandoning them, breaking down the importance of giving your team the right amount of control, how to do it effectively, and common pitfalls to avoid.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to Empowering Leadership

00:24 The Four Cs of Team Engagement

01:07 Diving into Control

01:12 Linda's Management Style

01:58 Defining Control in Leadership

03:51 Common Leadership Pitfalls

04:41 Practical Framework for Delegation

07:06 Building a Culture of Ownership

09:04 Self-Check for Leaders

09:31 Conclusion and Next Steps

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In this second episode of the Four Cs of Employee Engagement mini-series, Kate discusses the importance of challenging team members in a way that promotes growth without overwhelm. Exploring the concept of the comfort-stretch-panic model she provides practical strategies for introducing healthy challenges in the workplace.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction and Program Announcement

00:49 Exploring the Four Cs Leadership Model

01:19 Understanding the Importance of Challenge

01:25 Linda's Approach to Challenging Her Team

03:23 The Sweet Spot: Comfort, Stretch, and Panic Zones

05:19 Practical Ideas for Introducing Healthy Challenge

06:47 The Role of Psychological Safety in Challenge

07:38 Recognizing and Addressing Panic Zone Signs

08:19 Encouraging Effort and Self-Trust

09:06 Challenge for Leaders and Conclusion

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This episode of 'How to Lead,' with Kate Waterfall Hill kicks off a mini-series on the Four Cs of Employee Engagement: Clarity, Challenge, Control, and Community. Clarity, and its importance for team engagement and performance, is the focus today. Kate discusses how a lack of clarity can lead to confusion, frustration, and underperformance, and provides practical tips on how leaders can communicate more clearly, align team goals with organisational vision, and create a shared understanding to enhance team motivation and effectiveness.

Episode Highlights

00:00 Introduction to the Four Cs of Leadership

00:43 Focus on Clarity

01:27 Linda's Struggle with Clarity

02:11 The Importance of Clarity in Leadership

02:50 Creating Clarity for Your Team

07:44 Common Pitfalls and Solutions

09:05 Practical Steps to Enhance Clarity

10:14 Emotional Impact of Clarity

11:40 Final Thoughts and Next Episode Preview

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