Author Liam Black, the ‘gloves off mentor', discusses purpose-driven leadership, mentorship, and navigating tough decisions with clarity and courage. He emphasizes aligning values with actions, maintaining focus, embracing humility, and the moral dimension of mentoring in leadership roles.
Having a mentor can provide support and guidance in decision-making for leaders.
Balancing ethical considerations with profitability is essential for effective leadership in large corporations.
Deep dives
Liam Black's Leadership Journey and Purpose-Driven Approach
Liam Black, the author of 'How to Lead with Purpose,' shares insights from his leadership journey rooted in his upbringing and experiences. Coming from a working-class Irish immigrant background, shaped by his early aspirations to become a Catholic priest, his journey led him to impactful work supporting the homeless, social enterprises, and mentoring upcoming leaders focused on social impact.
Balancing Complexity of Purpose and Corporate Practice
Purpose-driven discussions in organizations often lack depth, as leaders struggle to align ethical stances with business practices. Black criticizes the adoption of cliched values without genuine alignment in corporate behaviors. He emphasizes the need for nuanced conversations to navigate dilemmas in balancing profitability with ethical practices, highlighting the challenges especially in large corporations.
Navigating Complex Leadership Dynamics and Personal Growth
Black advises on managing leadership complexity by focusing on personal clarity and courage. He emphasizes the importance of balancing ethical considerations, particularly in large organizations, where leaders often face divergent views on critical issues like climate change and diversity. Recognizing the inherent tensions in leadership tasks, Black advocates for finding the best balance amidst complexities.
Mentoring Insights: Setting Boundaries, Balancing Complexity, and Self-Reflection
In mentoring relationships, setting boundaries is crucial to prevent getting entangled in others' drama or losing focus on personal goals. Black's 'not my circus, not my monkeys' approach underscores the importance of protecting one's purpose and plans from external distractions. He suggests practical techniques like structuring daily schedules to enhance leadership effectiveness and decision-making.
Leadership can be a lonely affair. Values held by an individual might not align exactly with the needs of an organisation, and no matter the determination, implementing meaningful changes can feel like swimming against the tide. But the process can be easier when we have a third party, or a mentor, from whom we can seek support and advice, and who can offer guidance on our decision making.
In this episode of Forward Vision we speak to Liam Black, the ‘gloves off mentor’, author of ‘How to Lead with Purpose’. This is a wide ranging conversation that offers bitesize tips on how to become more effective as a leader, what ‘purpose’ really means, and why a good mentor provides clarity and supports the courage to execute ambitious goals.
For a copy of Liam's book: https://practicalinspiration.com/book/how-to-lead-with-purpose