How Can Creative Exercises Impact Leadership Development?
Leadership development requires innovative practices to truly resonate with and develop effective leaders. We've gathered insights from Founders, CEOs, and other executives, who share eight creative exercises that made a real difference. From starting the week with Meditation for Monday Morning Focus to the profound Five Years to Live: Perspective Exercise, explore these eight transformative techniques for your next leadership session.
- Meditation for Monday Morning Focus
- Role-Reversal for Empathetic Leadership
- Reflect on Task, Team, Individual Approach
- Customer Perspective Challenge for Empathy
- DISC Assessment for Emotional Intelligence
- Role-Play Security Breach for Teamwork
- Future Back Scenario for Creative Strategy
- Five Years to Live: Perspective Exercise
Meditation for Monday Morning Focus
I started holding meditation sessions every Monday morning for me and my team. It's a simple 15-minute practice, but it's had a big impact. These sessions help everyone clear their minds, reduce stress, and start the week with a fresh focus. Since we began, I've noticed a boost in productivity and a more positive atmosphere in the team. It's a small exercise, but it sets a calm and focused tone for the whole week.
Role-Reversal for Empathetic Leadership
An effective exercise I've used in the past is 'Role-Reversal Feedback.' In this exercise, leaders are paired up, and each person takes turns playing the role of both the leader and the team member.
The leader gives feedback on a specific performance issue or development area, while the 'team member' responds as they would in a real-life situation. Afterward, the roles are reversed. Finally, the pairs discuss what they learned from both perspectives and how the experience can inform their leadership style.
This is powerful because it allows leaders to experience the feedback process from both sides. It deepens their empathy and understanding of how their words and approach impact others.
By stepping into the shoes of their team members, leaders gain new insights into how to communicate more effectively and constructively. The role reversal also helps leaders refine their feedback techniques, fostering more productive and positive conversations in real-life scenarios.
This exercise often leads to more thoughtful, compassionate leadership and has significantly improved the quality of feedback and communication in teams.
Reflect on Task, Team, Individual Approach
One exercise we implement in many of our leadership development sessions is to reflect on the task, team, individual approach. People expect their leaders to help them achieve the common task, build the synergy of teamwork, and respond to individuals' needs. This is also reflected in bringing together the common goals for an organization, while ensuring that each individual contributes with the most productivity aligned with their own personal motivation for coming to work.
Customer Perspective Challenge for Empathy
One creative exercise I've implemented in our leadership development sessions at RecurPost is the "Customer Perspective Challenge." In this exercise, I ask each leader to take on the role of a customer service representative for a full day. This involves handling real customer queries, resolving issues, and understanding customer needs firsthand. The goal is to deepen empathy and align our leadership approach with the customer experience. Personally, this exercise has been transformative; it led to several product improvements that we might not have identified without seeing our service through the customer’s eyes.
After completing the challenge, we hold a debrief session where leaders share their experiences and insights. This often sparks innovative ideas for improving our service and product offerings. It also reinforces the importance of customer-centric thinking in our leadership approach. The exercise has not only made our leaders more empathetic but has also significantly improved our overall customer satisfaction.
DISC Assessment for Emotional Intelligence
By far, the exercise that drives the most impact for clients is uncovering behavior styles via a DISC assessment.
The reactions from clients are always authentic, whether they agree with the results or not. And, that level of vulnerability allows for a tremendous amount of productive discussions that may not have otherwise happened.
At the root of the exercise is educating clients about the value of strong emotional intelligence (EQ). The notable impact is that once they have more awareness about their own behavior tendencies, they can better manage their interactions with others.
But the sessions don't just stop with deciphering the DISC assessment. I have clients couple the DISC results with a self-assessment that includes documenting an action plan over the subsequent 90 days. This 360-degree Assessment requires clients to gather feedback from close colleagues or managers so there is accountability, and a shared trust within the team.
At a high level, clients are documenting current state, future state, and through-lines connecting each that focus on involving specific behaviors, co-workers, skill sets, and other influential components to driving stronger emotional intelligence.
Plus, they leave these sessions with a focus on treating others the way they want to be treated. This allows clients to influence situations, conversations, and meetings with a focus on building trust.
Role-Play Security Breach for Teamwork
In our leadership training, I introduced a role-playing exercise where team members responded to a fake security breach. Everyone took on different roles, such as a technician, customer, or manager. This helped them see how their decisions affect the whole team and our clients. It also improved communication and teamwork, which are vital in our industry. The feedback was positive, and I noticed that leaders became more confident in real situations.
Future Back Scenario for Creative Strategy
The 'Future Back' scenario planning exercise has had a significant impact on my leadership development sessions because it fosters creativity, promotes resilience, and generates consistently remarkable results. The 'Future Back' scenario planning exercise invites participants to envision a future where their organization has achieved its most ambitious goals. They then work backward to identify the steps necessary to reach that future state.
This approach not only stimulates innovative thinking but also encourages leaders to consider diverse perspectives and potential challenges. The 'Future Back' exercise is versatile and can be adapted for teams at any level, allowing both seasoned leaders and emerging talents to engage meaningfully.
By focusing on a shared vision, it cultivates collaboration and alignment within the team. Leaders learn to anticipate obstacles and develop strategies to navigate them, fostering a proactive mindset that is crucial in today’s fast-paced environment. The ability to think creatively and strategically will set apart effective leaders from the rest and inspire their teams to innovate.
Five Years to Live: Perspective Exercise
I challenged a group of CEOs to 'Five Years to Live.'
Your doctor tells you that you will die painlessly in five years. You will also have all the money you will need to do whatever you wish during these five years. But at the five-year mark, you are gone.
So... what would you do during those five years?
After they fill it out, give them part 2, and then after part 2, give them part 3.
Your doctor calls you in to tell you he is very sorry; he made a mistake, and you have only six months to live. Same conditions... die painlessly, but all the money you need to do whatever you want for exactly six months. On a shorter leash, now what would you do over your last six months (any changes from the five-year answer)?
The doctor calls you in one more time, is clearly distraught, and says you actually have ONLY 24 HOURS to live!
This time, very different questions: What didn't you do in your lifetime that you really wish you had done?
What will you do differently as a result of this exercise?