Responding vs. Reacting in Leadership. In this episode Judith Germain speaks to Andrew McNeill about responding vs. reacting in leadership. Andrew shares his background in major projects and programmes, both in the public and private sectors. He discusses his work over the past 8 years in leadership consulting, focusing on helping leaders develop self-awareness and the ability to respond rather than react.
This episode was originally recorded on 2 December 24. You can listen to Episode 474 on any of the popular podcast platforms or apps (including Spotify, and Audible). If you prefer to listen to your browser you can do that below. Enjoy!
Key Takeaways
- Kindness and psychological safety are crucial for high-performing teams, backed by research (e.g., Google’s Project Aristotle)
- Responding vs. reacting involves pausing to choose a thoughtful response rather than acting on instinct
- Mindfulness techniques can help leaders develop the skill of responding rather than reacting
- Unconscious biases exist, but observable actions and their consequences are what matter most
Topics
Andrew’s Unique Approach to Leadership
- Emphasises kindness in corporate environments, which can be surprising
- Shift from “lunch is for wimps” mentality to more psychologically-led, evidence-based leadership
- Google’s Project Aristotle found psychological safety crucial for team performance
Responding vs. Reacting in Leadership
- Pausing before responding can prevent relationship damage and time-wasting
- Physiological reactions (e.g., fear response) influence decision-making
- Recognising physical reactions allows for diffusing tension and making better choices
- Past experiences can trigger quick reactions; learning to pause is key
Barriers to Success in Leadership
- Unconscious biases and misunderstandings can hinder performance
- Inclusive teams shown to be more financially successful
- Importance of recognising that perceptions may be incorrect
- Agency and choice in responses are critical for effective leadership
Unconscious Bias and Observable Actions
- Debate on whether unconscious bias is an excuse for behaviour
- Agreement that while biases may be unconscious, resulting actions are observable
- Importance of addressing problematic patterns in processes like recruitment
- Need to take responsibility for actions, regardless of their unconscious origins
Overcoming Instinctive Reactions
- Mindfulness techniques helpful in creating a pause between stimulus and response
- Alex Leaders offers 6-week programs for developing these skills
- Mindfulness as an “act of rebellion” in the attention economy
- Benefits include better decision-making, improved communication, and enhanced well-being
In this conversation Andrew emphasises the value of mindfulness techniques in developing the capacity to respond rather than react. He discusses how mindfulness can help create a pause between stimulus and response, and how it can be a powerful tool for leaders to build self-awareness and make better choices.
Andrew McNeill is a leadership consultant, keynote speaker and author of Organisational Mindfulness a How to Guide.
Andrew McNeill can be found on LinkedIn here. His website is here.
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