March 2023
Life Beyond Our Own Leadership
Intentionally preparing now for the not-yet--for our organization, for the leaders that follow, and for our own life beyond executive leadership--is a critical component of our leadership responsibility and contribution.
New Maestro-level leader Cohort Starting!
Linda Milanowski-Westdorp, our newest facilitator coming to us after more than three decades of leadership at MillerKnoll, is a gift to anyone who joins the cohort she gathers. The 4-year peer-cohort experience is designed to offer a place of camaraderie, with navigational tools, executive advising, and scheduled calendar time dedicated to the important, and often delicate, work of transitioning from the top leadership position to whatever is next in life - whether via retirement, sale of a company, or, simply time to move on. She would be delighted to hear from you via email at lmilanowski@designgroupintl.com.
Recent Podcast Episodes
Listen to Episode 66
Listen to Episode 67
Noteworthy Quotes
“As we look at generosity, it includes much of the financial aspect as well as being present for others.”
- Mark & Patricia Vincent with guests Kenny & Kim Cox (Episode 66)
"…when you're telling your story, numbers to numbers are just the numbers. The better story is when you talk about the people side of things. When people truly do rise above and do great things, they're motivated, they're passionate, and they care deeply. That's the thing I'm probably the proudest of when I look back on it. It's about lives, lives that have hopefully been made better for the course of the time that I was there. But also that people did great things in a very challenging time."
- Marti Nyman (Episode 67)
Key Themes
Intentionally investing in life beyond our own leadership…
- For our organization – In Episode 67: Taking A Long-Term Approach to a Short-Term Turnaround, podcast guest CEO Marti Nyman shares about the impact of setting his sights on sustainable value beyond his own short-term leadership assignment.
- For the leadership culture – In Intentionally Developing Leaders, we share a list of strategic options for intentionally developing the leadership of others, as well as practical discussion questions for your senior team and/or board.
- For our own selves – What is the life I will go to on the heels of my organizational leadership? In Episode 66: Slow Down and Keep Going couples Mark and Patricia Teall Vincent and Kenny and Kim Cox help us avoid letting our leadership busy-ness inhibit our ready-ness.
Helpful Concepts
Couples’ topic list – In their Episode 66 conversation, Patricia, Mark, Kim, and Kenny tee up a helpful and provocative list of topics to consider in preparing for life beyond our leadership:
- Thrill-seeking
- Personal transformation
- Keeping the love for people at the center of who we are
- Moving forward throughout life
- Being adults with your children
- Continuing to grow ourselves
- Generosity
Some Inspiration
Helpful leadership development lists – Use this helpful list to jumpstart and/or review strategic options for intentional leadership development:
- Peer-based and executive advising
- Coaching
- Mentoring
- Experiential curriculum
- Built-in educational moments in the agenda for boards, standing committees, and staff teams – especially when applicable to real agenda
- Common reading/discussion
- Off-site educational events with team participation
- Customized/individualized learning plans, with supervisory conversations
- Succession as standard measure of success – key to building a leadership development culture
- Strategic and organized choices to deploy a combination of the above. – also key to building a leadership development culture
And use these discussion questions with your senior team and/or board in considering the above options:
- Which of the above is more individualized, which is more oriented to groups?
- Which ones seem the easiest to deploy in your situation?
- Which ones are already in use and how might you strengthen them?
- Which ones would be good for you to add?
- What other observations do you have?
- Your next step?
- Kristin Evenson
Find out more about joining a Maestro-level leader cohort.