Welcome to this solosode that wraps up the current season and its theme of Leading Culture. I’m moving past the term meta-modern leadership (because, how helpful is that really?) and instead considering leadership in terms of how can we be more compassionate? How can we be more inclusive in our leadership thinking? And how can we navigate diversity, complexity, and ambiguity better? Thinking strategically, as a team, as an organisation, is one way to make sure we move forward in the right direction but this is a huge challenge for leaders. The response to my recent Fit For The Future event was a clear indication that this is a major struggle for many. So, I share my insights into common blockers to thinking strategically and offer some practical things to help you stretch your leadership thinking. Plus, book reviews, guest previews, a Coronation and colonisation conversation, and more - to remind us of the rich tapestry of this life that we get to live!
A tough leadership question: what’s stopping you from thinking strategically?
Why you should listen: leadership tips for boosting strategic ability
Team development activities to spark curiosity
We explore three critical attributes for leadership of the future
Compassion - for leaders and teams
Collaboration - team development at a deeper level
Creativity - expanding leadership horizons
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Key moments
*Updates on Personal and Professional Life [00:01:23]*
Including writing and upcoming speaking engagements.
*Fit for the Future Workshop [00:07:10]*
Zoë discusses the success of her recent workshop, Fit for the Future, and why strategic thinking is becoming increasingly important in the face of uncertainty.
*Stretching Your Thinking to Lead the Future [00:09:03]*
Diving into the challenges of strategic thinking and the importance of exploring, mapping, and adapting to lead the future.
*Mapping Problems and Possibilities [00:11:46]*
Zoë emphasises the importance of mapping out problems and possibilities to adapt and collaborate effectively, including mapping team dynamics and skills.
*Uncomfortable Conversations: Colonisation and Healing [00:16:31]*
Delving into the uncomfortable topic of colonisation and healing, discussing diverse perspectives on the recent Coronation and the importance of getting comfortable with being uncomfortable.
*Hopeful Threads [00:23:14]*
Two threads of hope in the coronation and the importance of acknowledging our shadow to heal and lead forward.
*Weaving Perspectives [00:27:26]*
Zoë discusses the importance of bringing more voices and perspectives to the table to create a better future.
*Exploring Uncomfortable Perspectives [00:28:19]*
Seeking out perspectives that make us uncomfortable instead of disparaging them.
*Upcoming Guests [00:29:17]*
A preview of upcoming guests for the podcast, including Rohit Barga, Iman Kabuki, and Kamish Ladi, who will discuss leading change and digital transformation.
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Related episodes: solosodes
293 Flipping the script - an interview with leadership futurist Zoë Routh
298 Three megatrends for the future of leadership
306 Three leadership truisms for dealing with uncertainty
About your host, Canberra leadership expert Zoë Routh:
Zoë Routh is a leadership futurist, podcaster, and multiple award-winning author. She works with leaders and teams to navigate future horizons.
She has worked with individuals and teams internationally and in Australia since 1987. From wild Canadian rivers to the Australian Outback, and the Boardroom jungles, Zoë is an adventurist! She facilitates strategy and culture sessions with audacious teams.
Zoë's fourth leadership book, People Stuff - Beyond Personality Problems: An advanced handbook for leadership, won the Book of the Year at the Australian Business Book Awards in 2020. Her fifth book is a near future science fiction dystopian novel, The Olympus Project.
Zoë is the producer of the Zoë Routh Leadership Podcast, dedicated to asking “What if…?” and sharing Big Ideas on the Future of Leadership.
Zoë is an outdoor adventurist and enjoys telemark skiing, has run six marathons, is a one-time belly-dancer, has survived cancer, and loves hiking in the high country. She is married to a gorgeous Aussie and is a self-confessed dark chocolate addict.