Cadence Catch-up with Lewis #17

Welcome to the 17th edition of Cadence Catch-Up.

The photograph I am leading with this time is symbolic. It’s part of the architecture of the new Metro extension at Sydney’s Central Station. For those readers not in Sydney, spare me the indulgence – but we now have a futuristic, efficient Metro linking different parts of the city that until now had been very difficult to get to. It feels like we have morphed, almost overnight, into a thriving metropolis.

When I think about it, the words that come to mind are progress and opening up. Which is appropriate symbolism when you think about leadership.

Recently I have been reading up on the works of Ronald Heifetz, specifically around adaptive leadership (the big, complex problems that take time and multiple stakeholders to solve, and can’t be fixed by a policy change). Heifetz says with these types of problems that progress should be seen as a measure of success, as opposed to just calling success when you think you’ve reached the destination. I think that is a great message for all leaders. Most of our big leadership challenges won’t be solved quickly. Some may never be fully solved. But making progress should be celebrated, no matter how minor the step may seem. This is but one way of keeping your people alongside you and motivated to press on, and to remind yourself “we’re heading somewhere”.

I am seeing and hearing more and more about vulnerability and authenticity in leadership. In practice, this can mean different things to different people. I associate this with opening up – sharing our origin story, giving context to our decisions, and most importantly, being comfortable as a leader to say “I don’t know the answer to that”. (Of course, the next line should be “But let’s look for a way to find out, together!”). The more we can open up as leaders to help our people understand context, to develop, and not make it just about you, the more effective our workplaces will be.

The articles I have selected to share in this edition link with progress and opening up. In the first, the 2025 Skills Horizon is a very impressive piece of thought leadership from Dr Sandra Peter, Professor Kai Reimer and Dr Pat Norman. I particularly like their focus on curiosity (page 67), and note through asking good questions, experimenting, consuming a range of information sources, relationship building and lifelong learning, leaders can “make sense of the mess and lead through it”. This sounds like progress to me.

THE CURIOUS LEADER

Next, I look at a Wall Street Journal article by David Yaeger about feedback. Specifically, the common but ineffective method of burying developmental feedback among layers of positive feedback. I argue that developmental feedback requires a reframe. In delivering it, you aren’t setting out to ruin a person’s day. It’s a way of you and a colleague opening up about ways a piece of work, or a situation might be improved. Context is everything here, as is leaving your colleague inspired to lift with their next effort.

PLACING THE FEEDBACK SANDWICH IN THE DUMPSTER

And to wrap things up, a simple share from leadership guru Ben Crowe: “Leadership is about creating an environment so others reach their potential”. It isn’t just about you.

IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU…..

PODCAST CORNER

I have heard so many podcasts this quarter, but I’m going to mention one I only heard today. It’s from The Imperfects, and features Australian Football legend Nathan Buckley (appreciate the tip Jo Bagg).

A known perfectionist and high achiever, Buckley has (quite publicly) done a lot of reflecting on his operating approach over the past five or so years, as he stepped away from coaching into the media. He speaks of the immense pressure he would place on himself as a player, and the hyper-critical approach he adopted both personally and with others – “criticism was the only form of communication I understood”.

Linking back to the Ben Crowe quote, he was making the environment only about himself. An epiphany while on holiday in France saw him flip that around, and ultimately achieve some of the highest honours in the game. Even if you aren’t a big sports fan, this is a great piece of leadership reflection.

ABOUT LEWIS

Lewis Williams is the Founder of Cadence Leadership Advisory, which provides coaching, strategic and team leadership facilitation and services to individuals and organisations. He has over 25 years leadership experience through senior roles at National Australia Bank and HSBC. Lewis regularly contributes as Adjunct Faculty to AGSM@UNSW on a variety of reskilling, leadership and development programs. He is also a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD).

Cadence Leadership Advisory is a leadership development business specialising in coaching people, team leadership and development, strategy review and organisational culture.