Servant leadership : How to lead with the heart ? | Liz Theophille | TEDxSaclay

Summary

In a thought-provoking talk, Liz Theophille emphasizes the importance of leading with the heart in the corporate world. Sharing her experiences, she illustrates the detrimental effects of fear-based leadership and the necessity of creating psychological safety within teams. Liz recounts her journey from a technical expert to a compassionate leader, highlighting moments where open communication and transparency transformed challenging situations. She advocates for fostering an experimental mindset, encouraging risk-taking, and embodying servant leadership to inspire and empower teams. By prioritizing empathy and understanding, leaders can cultivate a more innovative and resilient workplace.

Takeaways

• 👥 Leadership can take many forms, from traditional power dynamics to heart-led approaches.
• 💔 Leading with the heart involves fostering an environment of psychological safety for teams.
• 🧐 A leader should encourage an experimental mindset, allowing team members to take risks and innovate.
• 🚫 Micromanagement can stifle creativity and hinder team growth; listening is crucial.
• 👨‍💼 A leader's presence and engagement with their team are vital for building trust and understanding.
• 🙌 Servant leadership focuses on supporting and empowering team members rather than blaming them.
• 📉 Addressing failures transparently and collaboratively can enhance team morale and accountability.
• 🤝 Providing feedback is essential for growth, and leaders should be open to receiving it as well.
• 💪 Making difficult decisions, such as layoffs, should be handled with compassion and transparency.
• 🌱 Cultivating an environment where experimentation is encouraged leads to learning from failures and successes.

Q & A

What are some examples of leaders mentioned in the script?

The script refers to various types of leaders, such as parents, business owners, older siblings, and those who wish to lead in addressing global problems.

How does Liz define a leader who leads with the heart?

A leader who leads with the heart is open-minded, encourages an experimental mindset, provides psychological safety, and embodies the principles of servant leadership.

What challenges did Liz face when leading the transformation program?

Liz encountered a team that was afraid to speak up, lacked trust in their leadership, and spent time blaming each other for mistakes.

What did Liz's boss prioritize during the investigation of the project failure?

Liz's boss prioritized finding someone to blame for the failure, indicating a lack of understanding and support for the team's challenges.

What realization did Liz have about her own leadership style?

Liz recognized that her previous micromanagement approach stifled her team's creativity and innovation, leading her to adopt a more supportive leadership style.

How did Liz handle the difficult decision to let go of employees during the data center consolidation?

Liz chose to personally meet with each affected employee to explain the situation, instead of relying on HR to handle it without personal interaction.

What is 'psychological safety,' and why is it important?

Psychological safety is an environment where team members feel safe to take risks, experiment, and learn from failures without fear of negative consequences. It's essential for fostering open communication and innovation.

What are the three key practices Liz suggests for leading with the heart?

Liz suggests encouraging an experimental mindset, creating an environment of psychological safety, and being a servant leader who listens and shows compassion.

How did Liz demonstrate servant leadership in her career?

Liz demonstrated servant leadership by being willing to receive feedback, showing compassion to her team, and prioritizing the well-being of her colleagues over her own career advancement.

What impact does Liz believe an experimental mindset has on teams?

Liz believes that cultivating an experimental mindset leads to innovation and learning, as it allows teams to embrace failures as part of the growth process.