Brian Watkins, MBA, PHR, ECCP on LinkedIn: So appreciative of the notes I received! Thanks to the UT Employee… (2024)

Great work to be recognized by our LOD team and the 2024 Cohorts! If you are a UT employee, you should check out how UConnecT and UTILA should be your next step in your professional/leadership development!

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I’m happy to share that I’ve started my Doctor of Philosophy - PhD in Leadership and Decision Making at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga!

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Show me a leader who is stuck in their ways of "We've always done it this way" and I will show you an organization struggling to keep up. While this mindset impacts organizational effectiveness and efficiency, it's also detrimental to employee engagement. People are made to think creatively and inspire innovation. We are created as curious beings. When leaders don't understand this concept and get stuck with what's comfortable, the fall behind. Leaders - Create a culture that employees can be curious, creative, innovative, and act on their ideas. You may be shocked how this can impact your organization.My saying is this:Curiosity is the kryptonite to "we've always done it this way."

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Reflecting on my leadership journey, I remember stepping into my first management role… ten years ago. I managed three individuals, all more experienced than me, who didn’t need me to micromanage their work. They needed a genuine leader that cared about them as individuals and not just as office workers. From the start the team had low motivation, no creativity or innovation, and morale was in the tank. Thankfully, business school taught me exactly how to FIX this (sense the sarcasm?).Ten years later, its easy for me to sit here today and advise my new leader self… but I didn’t do then what I would do now. I have learned along the way. I went into that manager role ready to make my mark. Most of you reading this can probably conclude how this went. Today, I coach new leaders and I regularly reflect on what I wish I knew then.Here are three lessons that I learned.1.Practice Humility – Acknowledge that you’re not always the smartest person in the room. Even if you think you are, you aren’t. Take time to listen and learn what your employees really need. In this case, my team needed someone who valued them and their work. Once I realized that, I started asking more questions about them, not their work. I began to trust them and gave them the autonomy they deserved with their experience. Afterall, they always did and always will be better at doing what they were skilled at doing than me. 2.Add Value – Value isn't always measured by metrics. This team was disconnected from their work and undervalued their impact to the organization. Once I got to know them and built some trust, we started talking about their organizational impact. They started connecting the value of their work to the overall organizational mission, which contributed to the success of students. This value didn’t stop there. Their mindsets changed, which boosted morale and improved our team culture significantly. 3.Seek Advice – Don’t hesitate to seek advice and different perspectives. There are people along your journey who are in your corner. One of my leaders and mentors once said, “I’m a good decision maker based on the information available to me… but it’s my job to get the information.” Sometimes the information you need is a different perspective. Find a mentor, coach, colleague, or friend that will provide a different perspective. However, don’t seek advice if you aren’t willing to listen. If you are a new leader, manager, or anyone stepping into a leadership role, I hope my journey serves as a reminder that leadership is about empowering others and fostering growth. Hopefully these lessons help you navigate your leadership journey!

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