Monday Motivation: Empowering Leaders: Unleashing Smart Power for Success in Today's World - A Conversation with Sylvia Rohde-Liebenau

Sylvia is an EMCC-accredited senior executive coach with 30 years of experience, which helps C-Suite leaders, entrepreneurs, and change-makers thrive in today’s complex and fast-moving environment. She founded the SMART Power method, a groundbreaking approach to succeeding in this environment with more significant impact and ease. 

 

Sylvia’s clients have included UNHCR, the European Central Bank, Allianz Global Investors, the Red Cross, and Amazon. She is also the author of the forthcoming book “Who’s in Charge,” a concise and practical book helping leaders to become more resilient and robust and combine success with fulfillment. 

 

Sylvia holds a PhD in international relations and worked with the European Commission in the ‘90s, driving impactful change through her leadership skills and preventing a Russian hack on the IT systems. Following an experience in consulting, she joined the European Investment Bank (EIB) in 2003, introducing innovative HR and leadership development practices. In 2021, she transitioned to full-time work as an executive coach and leadership expert.

 

As a coach, she combines classical techniques with her unique flavor from her experiences as an artist, dancer, and singer – which helped her develop an embodied understanding of crucial leadership qualities such as presence, authenticity, connection, and clear communication. 

 

On the podcast, Sylvia discusses:

• The Smart Power leadership model and how it redefines power for success in today’s complex business, social, and political landscape.  

 

She appeared on the Next Wave Leadership Podcast to get a sense of Sylvia, discussing organizational power dynamics and why old models don’t work today. 

Quick recap Leadership, Energy, and Sustainable Success Sylvia, a transformative coach and advisor, introduced her upcoming book "Who's in Charge?" which focuses on the challenges leaders face in today's complex world and the importance of maintaining energy and concentrating on meaningful success. Michael shared his experience with managing energy levels and emphasized the need to understand and support the energy levels of one's team. Both agreed that top-down, forceful control is not a practical leadership approach. They highlighted the critical importance of energy in leadership, its impact on an organization, and the connection between energy and power. Sylvia also pointed out the significance of direction, purpose, trust, alignment, and commitment in creating a sustainable source of energy for a team, which Michael related to his experience in a healthcare organization. Reducing Turnover Through Employee-Driven Culture Michael shared his successful strategy of reducing annual turnover at a clinic to 6% by creating a culture of trust, vulnerability, and employee involvement. He emphasized the importance of leaders being authentic and curious and cultivating an environment where employees feel valued and encouraged. Sylvia highlighted the benefits of leaders showing their human side and being genuinely open with their teams. Both agreed that when leaders prioritize employee well-being and recognition, it benefits the individuals and contributes to the organization's overall success. Legacy, Career Motivations, and Finance Michael and Sylvia discussed the significance of legacy in one's career, with Michael expressing interest in exploring this topic further, especially about younger generations. Sylvia shared her observations that people's motivations and priorities change over time. She emphasized the value of self-reflection and making changes, no matter one's age or stage in their career. Michael agreed, reflecting on his career path and realizing that he didn't enjoy the mountain he had climbed. They also discussed the importance of understanding finance to navigate different tasks successfully, with Michael sharing an anecdote about a physician who worked until age 93 because he enjoyed his job. Power, Love, and Creativity Discussion Sylvia discussed the concept of power and its relationship with love and creativity. She emphasized that power and love are not opposites and that love has great power when used creatively and productively. Sylvia cited examples of leaders like Jacinda Arden, who use this type of power based on a creative, willful approach rather than fear and control. She also highlighted the importance of self-love and commitment in achieving and maintaining this type of power. Self-Care in Leadership Discussion Sylvia and Michael discussed the importance of self-care in leadership. Michaelemphasizesg that taking care of oneself first allows for better service to others. Sylvia agreed and mentioned her upcoming book, "Smart Power Method," which can be found on her LinkedIn profile and website.