12 Days of Leadership: An ALJ Holiday Season Special

12 Blog Articles

There are many more than 12 to choose from, but if you’re the type to love a “greatest hits” album of your favorite band, you might enjoy some of our most-read and shared articles:

• Cultivating Culture to Enable Business Agility by Brad Swanson
• Agility is a Necessity for Effective Leadership by Pete Behrens
• The Disease to Please by Rashmi Fernandes
  

11 Podcast Episodes

Choosing just 11 episodes out of nearly 60 is a challenge, but here are three you can listen to more than once and still discover a new nugget of wisdom every time:

• Strategic Thinking with Christina Carlson
• Influence Without Authority with Brad Swanson
• Gen Z in the Workplace with Tammy Dowley-Blackman
  

10 Catalyst Conversations™

If you’ve ever witnessed one of those spirited discussions on a hot-button issue around the holiday dinner table, you know that true communication can be complicated. Strong feelings can come with misunderstandings and missed opportunities to truly connect—to share and receive information the way it was intended. 

This holiday season, conduct an experiment: See if you can have 10 Catalyst Conversations™ with friends and family, maybe while sipping some hot cider with Uncle Ralph. You just might be able to discuss complex issues—without the drama.

8 Alumni Masterclasses

If you’re an alumnus of our leadership workshops—or more in-depth applied agility programs—you know that our monthly Global Masterclasses are the gift that keeps on giving. These events are an opportunity to deepen your skills, share insights, grow your network, and tackle new challenges with your peers. Share this experience with your colleagues! By inviting them to attend a workshop, you’re not just giving them a chance to learn; you’re building a stronger, more aligned team that grows together all year long. 

7 Practice Cohorts

ALJ has undoubtedly hosted more than seven cohorts of our Applied Agility in Leadership program at this point, but this list wouldn’t be complete without mentioning how transformative this six-month program can be. As the year comes to a close and those professional development funds are lingering, make an investment in yourself. Don’t just take our word for it: Listen to some recent participants share their experiences!

4 Culture Values

Culture values at the office can look a bit different than the ones we face while celebrating the holidays at home: 

• Collaborate (on building Legos with the kids). 
• Create (snowmen). 
• Compete (over who gets the last cookie). 
• Control (over the TV remote). 
  

But once you’re back in the office, take a stab at the ALJ Culture Values Quiz and see what areas are vying for your team’s attention. 

3 Leader Mindsets

Leaders don’t progress in steps; they build upon layers of capacity—like a delicious holiday trifle! Whether you find yourself in an expert, achiever, or catalyst mindset, you’re contributing to your organization’s goals in a specific way.

The real trick? Learning how to apply agility and shift between these ways of thinking and behaving.

2 Power Styles

Are you assertive or accommodative? And how is your power style reflected in how you lead? We’ve created a Leadership Power Style assessment; just fill out the form and we’ll send you a personalized report that provides the results of your assessment, additional insights into agile leadership, as well as ongoing actionable content to help you improve your leadership. 

And a Growth Mindset … in a Pear Tree?

Stay out of trees, especially this time of year. It’s cold out there. (In most regions across the world, at least. If you’re in Australia, enjoy your summer—just don’t touch anything that bites, stings, or punches.)

Jokes aside, having a growth mindset is at the core of all we do here at ALJ. Whether it’s the growth of an individual looking within or a team striving to improve value delivery, this attitude of optimism is part of our lifelong journey that extends into all aspects of our lives, both personally and professionally.

From everyone here at Agile Leadership Journey,

we wish you a happy holiday season and joyful New Year!