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Welcome to Bite Size – our bi-monthly blog where we explore a topic in bite size form – short, sharp and easy to digest
This year, have you been guilty of finger pointing within your organisation? Is the ‘blame game’ being played and how is it affecting your leadership style and culture within your work?
As 2019 comes to an end, it is always a good exercise to reflect on the year to see whether there are constructive lessons that can be learnt as we move forward to a New Year.
Blame and finger pointing are certainly behaviours that lead to toxicity, fear and a lack of progress. Often, they stem from a build-up of pressure or stress and are instinctive reactions to certain situations, rather than considered actions of leaders. If they have featured in your organisation in 2019 it is certainly time to consider changing or reversing these behaviours.
Often, before embarking on any behavioural change, it is useful to recognise how others conduct themselves. Recently we were struck by the way Quakers model their behaviour.
The four key pillars of Quakerism are:
- They value silence and stillness
- They appreciate community
- They stick to simplicity
- They emphasise equality
Whilst these could be linked to many religions, we were interested to see how simple their message was and how applicable to many business situations.
So, as you move into the next decade, consider simplifying how you behave to help prevent a negative leadership style and negative behaviour. Whatever our beliefs, we can all find inspiration in these four pillars, or within ourselves.