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.

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

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.

You can find out more about our guest and today's episode in this Maverick Paradox Magazine article here.

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Maverick leadership is all about thinking outside the box and challenging the status quo. It's about having the courage to take risks and the confidence to lead in a way that is authentic and genuine.

But amplifying your influence as a leader isn't just about having a strong vision or a big personality. It's also about having the right leadership capability and being able to execute on your ideas and plans.

The consequences of not having the right level of influence as a leader can be significant. Without the ability to inspire and motivate others, you may struggle to achieve your goals and make a real impact.

How Influential Are you? Take the scorecard at amplifyyourinfluence.scoreapp.com and see. 

Catalysing Transformation - 1 min video

Judith's book: The Maverick Paradox: The Secret Power Behind Successful Leaders. 

Judith's websites: 

• Judith Germain (mentoring, Speaker, author) - judithgermain.com
• The Maverick Paradox Magazine - .css-j9qmi7{display:-webkit-box;display:-webkit-flex;display:-ms-flexbox;display:flex;-webkit-flex-direction:row;-ms-flex-direction:row;flex-direction:row;font-weight:700;margin-bottom:1rem;margin-top:2.8rem;width:100%;-webkit-box-pack:start;-ms-flex-pack:start;-webkit-justify-content:start;justify-content:start;padding-left:5rem;}@media only screen and (max-width: 599px){.css-j9qmi7{padding-left:0;-webkit-box-pack:center;-ms-flex-pack:center;-webkit-justify-content:center;justify-content:center;}}.css-j9qmi7 svg{fill:#27292D;}.css-j9qmi7 .eagfbvw0{-webkit-align-items:center;-webkit-box-align:center;-ms-flex-align:center;align-items:center;color:#27292D;}