How Being A Fully Connected Leader Can Help Deliver Your Transformation Program with Mel Kettle

How Being A Fully Connected Leader Can Help Deliver Your Transformation Program with Mel Kettle header image

How connected do your team and stakeholders feel to you and your change initiative?

As the change leader, do you focus on creating connection with your team and impacted stakeholders?

Why is creating ‘connection’ even something we need to intentionally consider?

Today on The New Way Podcast we’re talking about how being a fully connected leader can help deliver your transformation program.

My guest is Mel Kettle.  Mel is an expert on fully connected leadership and communication.  She works with leaders, teams and organisations that want to achieve real connection and sustained engagement.

Mel is a speaker, podcast host and author, and her latest book ‘Fully Connected’ has just come out.  And, as you’re about to hear, Mel has a lot of cool insights to share about this idea of ‘connection’ and why it’s especially important for change leaders.

You’ll discover:

  • Why thanking your team is more important than you think

  • What it means to be ‘connect-able’

  • The top traits of connected leaders

  • Whether or not it’s easier to create genuine connection in hybrid teams

Mel also shares some really practical examples of unique ways leaders can create connection in their teams that made me laugh.

This was such a fun and fascinating conversation.  Take a listen now!


TOPICS DISCUSSED AND WHERE TO FIND THEM:

[3:45]: Why is it important for leaders to create connection.

[4:09]: As humans, we inherently need to feel like we belong to something. So leaders need to cultivate connection in the workplace so that workers feel like they’re a part of something and that they belong at work.

[4:48]: Loneliness is a growing epidemic in the world. When you feel lonely, you can’t be your best. Risk of depression increases.

[6:03]: A sense of connection helps us to thrive as individuals and there are clear links to organisational performance as well.

[6:30]: Benefits include: fewer absent days, less time off for medical appointments, more focus at work, higher productivity (which means more money & profit for workplaces), we bring positive energy to work.

[7:33]:  Mel defines the concept of fully connected leadership as having a really good level of self-awareness, you know who you are, you know what you stand for with a clear sense of values, and you have a good set of priorities you work towards achieving. You’re self-motivated and prioritise self-care.

[8:44]: Being a “connectable” leader is someone who people gravitate towards. They usually show qualities like kindness, empathy and authenticity.

[10:28]: The easiest way to show kindness at work is to simply say “thank you”.

[12:00]: If you’re not demonstrating that you value your workforce, why would they stay with you? There are a lot of options out there nowadays.

[13:14]:  A core part of what Mel used to do was working with leaders and organisations to help them amplify their presence and create a community online. You need to be showing who you are, what you stand for, and what you value on the platforms where your workforce go for information.

[14:33]: It is still possible to connect with authenticity and vulnerability in hybrid work environments. You can ask questions and listen but it is hard to observe body language when you’re talking to people online.

[16:29]:  Ideas to create a sense of connection in a hybrid world.

[18:15]: Connection from a change perspective. There’s an opportunity to come together and celebrate milestones and successes, both in the change journey and personally.

[22:45]: Organisations, initiatives and teams can also be connectable by making sure that individually your values and priorities align with what you’re trying to achieve as a team, in a project or organisation.

[24:48]: Where to find Mel and how to connect with her.

CONNECT WITH MEL KETTLE:

Mel’s book, Fully Connected can be found here: https://www.melkettle.com/store/p/fullyconnectedbook

Website: https://www.melkettle.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melkettle/

Twitter: http://twitter.com/melkettle

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/melkettle

CONNECT WITH ME:

Website: https://www.everchange.com.au/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/ever-change-and-communication

Kate Byrne