Korn Ferry added their perspective to LinkedIn’s research: “Conflict Management is one of the most important skills for leaders today and in the future,” and “LinkedIn’s top 15 skill list shows a growing demand for people-driven skills.” Lastly, Amy Edmonson’s latest psychology safety article in the May-June HBR stated, “High quality conversations are both an outcome and driver of psychological safety. They foster mutual understanding and progress—and create a learning environment as a by-product.”
Upskilling key skills like conflict management doesn’t need to be daunting even in today’s chaotic environment. By focusing on and practicing the 5 L words—seemingly simple but fundamental—leaders can gain confidence and competence in the skills most needed by organizations today and tomorrow.
So, what are the 5 Ls to Practice in Leadership & Life?
Listen: Quietly & Actively
Listening is an essential part of connecting and communicating. It is the foundation of understanding—whether listening to oneself, others, or one’s environment. To gather all the information, gain deep understanding, be innovative, and make informed decisions and plans, we must remain curious, pause, and really listen to the messages we’re receiving from multiple sources.
Learn: Maintain a Growth-Oriented Mindset
As listening provides us with valuable insights, it’s important to process and apply them in meaningful and productive ways. Approach every situation with an open mindset of continuous learning and growth regarding yourself, others, and your environment.
Leap: Take Calculated Action
Once you’ve listened carefully and learned from yourself, others, and the environment, it’s time to take calculated, decisive action. Making the leap from thought to action can be challenging and scary, but it’s necessary for growth and change.
Laugh: Maintain Positivity & Humor
After you take that leap, it’s essential to implement the plan with positivity, goodwill, and humor. Work and relationships that are fun create a virtuous cycle and forward momentum.
Love: Lead & Live with Heart & Kindness
Last but not least, love is the essential glue that holds everyone and everything together—whether it’s love for self, values, principles, individuals, clients/patients, families, companies, institutions, countries, the world. It’s a driving force for bringing honesty, kindness, service, aid, positivity, and productivity to work and life.
Here are some practices you can start implementing today:
Scroll through by clicking on the down arrow below.
Putting the 5 Ls into Practice
I have witnessed a significant increase in business goals, leadership, and team transformation and achievement when my clients practice the 5 Ls. Through a coaching engagement 360 report, a new department head LISTENed and LEARNed of his team’s need for greater involvement in creating the department’s 3-5 year strategic plan. As a result, he conducted focus groups to help create his group’s strategy, and vetted the plan draft with his entire department via his leadership team to gain feedback and buy-in. This made his team feel seen, appreciated, and cared for/about (aka LOVEd). He also held leadership gatherings where team leaders LEARNed key principles and skills needed to deliver on the strategic plan. They also created department norms and celebrated their accomplishments through stories, LAUGHter, and refreshments. Once the 3-5-year strategic plan was approved, he encouraged the department to LEAP forward and implement the 1st year goals of the plan. He also assigned leader oversight responsibility for important department initiatives, and created feedback loops to encourage monitoring, adjustment, and continued forward movement.
Lastly, these 5 L words don’t have to be practiced in a particular order, but they do support and perpetuate each other. For example, “Listening” often leads to learning, laughing, loving, and leaping. “Loving” fosters listening, learning, leaping, and laughing. “Laughing” promotes listening, learning, loving, and leaping. By embracing and consistently practicing these 5 Ls separately and/or together, we can keep working to become our best selves, and become better teams, departments, and organizations for us all.
Do you want to share and/or learn more about how to practice the 5 Ls and improve leadership development and performance on key leadership skills? Contact Elaine!
