The New Portrait Of Leadership: Anne Bloom Of Your Aspire Coach On Which Legacy Ideas About Leadership Need To Be Discarded, And Which New Approaches To Leadership Should Be Embraced
An Interview with Karen Mangia
Empowerment and Delegation: Leaders need to move away from micromanagement and move towards empowering their teams. This happens through delegating tasks and fostering autonomy that allows for growth (both personal and professional)
We are living in the Renaissance of Work. Just like great artists know that an empty canvas can become anything, great leaders know that an entire organization — and the people inside it — can become anything, too. Master Artists and Mastering the Art of Leadership draw from the same source: creation. In this series, we’ll meet masters who are creating the future of work and painting a portrait of lasting leadership. As part of this series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Anne Bloom, SHRM-SCP
Anne Bloom is a distinguished executive and leadership coach with over three decades of experience equipping leaders and teams to achieve breakthrough performance and sustainable growth.
Anne is known for her ability to inspire individuals and teams to embrace change as a powerful driver of growth — an enduring hallmark of her leadership.
Her strategic insights and consistent delivery of results have earned her widespread recognition as a trusted, forward-thinking business advisor.
Anne partners with leaders who are ready to transform their organizations, accelerate growth, and lead with purpose.
Thank you for joining us. Our readers would enjoy discovering something interesting about you. What are you in the middle of right now that you’re excited about personally or professionally?
I am finding this world of uncertainty both challenging and interesting. As a leader, I have had to recharge and rethink how I provide my coaching and consulting/advisory services. I found that in this world of high turnover, retention issues and employees seeking their next great opportunity that I am now working with leaders in transition to help them navigate this new world. I am excited that I have several clients that graduated to their next opportunity after just a few months working with me. They are gainfully employed after many months of looking for their next opportunity by hitting the pavement and networking with people who in some cases were unable to make introductions or help them in any way. It is imperative for people to understand that going through a job search does not mean you are alone or on an island. We all need a person or people to help navigate the process. We need introductions and we need guidance on the next steps. I am both elated and profoundly grateful for the aid that I can pass on to others. This process has facilitated my business growth and has improved my advancement both personally and professionally.
We all get by with a little help from our friends. Who is the leader that has influenced you the most, and how?
I have been very fortunate to work with leaders that have inspired me to be better engaged, more thoughtful and leading with end state in mind. I have been working on my own for almost nineteen years. During this time, I have been associated with senior leaders that continue to inspire me. One (who will remain nameless and if they are reading this, they know who they are!) inspired me to think outside the box, to achieve my full potential and to believe in myself. I am sure that all people going through their career growth question themselves and their actions, look for approval and want acceptance. I strongly believe that no one can give you the approval you seek. They can guide and coach, but others cannot help you build your worth. That needs to come from within. I was able to learn from coaching, mentoring and my advisory board to do what was right for me, which meant following my heart, my mind, my intuition and my soul. I am grateful that I listened to myself and followed the footsteps that resonated with me. I am further grateful that decisions made over the last year have guided me to where I am today. I am happy, engaged and doing what I truly enjoy — working with leaders to help them achieve their success.
Sometimes our biggest mistakes lead to our biggest discoveries. What’s the biggest mistake you’ve made as a leader, and what did you discover as a result?
Being only human, I have made loads of mistakes. Mistakes on the job in reading a situation incorrectly, mistakes in decisions regarding my career, trusting people who never should have gained my trust, and putting people on a pedestal who as it turned out did not deserve the accolades. It is difficult to choose only one mistake as the outcome of all the mistakes have given me insights into what is important, the wars I don’t want to fight and the battles I cannot possibly win. Today, I am interested only in people’s outcomes that lead to positive situations. I no longer have the strength nor the foresight to deal with negative. I am grateful for what this has taught me — to believe in myself, to know what I want to strive towards. Many years ago, my biggest mistake was not listening to that big/little person sitting on my shoulder, bopping me in the head and telling me what is right, wrong or circumspect. That little person is my intuition, and I have learned to listen, accept and relish what my intuition teaches me. This result has taken years to acknowledge and yet I am happier for listening to it and for allowing it to guide me to what is best for me.
How has your definition of leadership changed or evolved over time? What does it mean to be a leader now?
Since the onset of the pandemic, being a leader has changed drastically. Some leaders, five years ago, were autocratic. They had a message for their teams that said — “do as I say not as I do”. They did not communicate with transparency, but the message was “on a need-to-know basis”. Leaders were not empathetic and did not listen to their teams. Today, leaders need to understand that employees know their rights; they know what they want from their careers; they know the right leader for them. Attrition is high because employees are leaving their leader who does not listen to them, does not ask questions and does not want to learn what they are thinking or even what their career aspirations are. It is important to understand that employees don’t leave companies, they leave their leader. In today’s world, a leader will be more successful if they follow some very simple attributes:
- ASK, don’t tell
- Listen, listen, and listen some more
- Be TRANSPARENT.
- Communicate, communicate and communicate some more
- Show EMPATHY
- Listen to understand not just to respond.
- Be Human. Leaders and employees need to work towards the same outcome. You can’t do that by belittling or charging.
Success is as often as much about what we stop as what we start. What is one legacy leadership behavior you stopped because you discovered it was no longer valuable or relevant?
I always believed, and still do, that I hired people for their skills and for their knowledge. I trust employees to do their job and to learn from their mistakes. My only requirement is that people come to me not with problems but with solutions so that we can discuss and come to the right solution for the company. The one legacy leadership behaviour that needs to stop is Micromanagement. Leaders need to stop taking control and trust their employees, colleagues and clients to do the right thing. This can be accomplished by building knowledge, understanding of each person’s responsibilities, having the belief that your employees will do the very best they can. There will be times that leaders will need to teach, lead, coach, guide and mentor. Those attributes will always be valuable and relevant. What is no longer valuable and relevant is not allowing employees to think for themselves, to think through situations and find solutions. Building rapport, trust and relationships with your employees will never go away. This acceptance leads to employee security, empathy, integrity, understanding and longevity.
What is one lasting leadership behavior you started or are cultivating because you believe it is valuable or relevant?
I always try to keep the lines of communication open, be honest, transparent and direct without bring a bull in a china shop, give good feedback and listen effectively. This to me is the very core to being a successful leader. Leaders today need to follow the guidelines expected by their employees. The golden rule has never been more important for leaders to follow — “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”. Expectations are that you will get back what you give. If a leader is transparent, shows empathy and follows guidelines, they will get back tenfold what they expect from colleagues, employees and clients.
What advice would you offer to other leaders who are stuck in past playbooks and patterns and may be having a hard time letting go of what made them successful in the past?
The advice I would give is to get out of your head. Leave the past behind. Get a coach to help guide you through the realities of leadership today. What once was is no longer relevant to success today.
Employees have expectations about their own careers. They only will work for leaders that understand that. It is important for leaders to Ask and not tell. Ask questions about future career goals and the development required. Leaders need to have ongoing discussions with their employees. Ask some difficult questions that might not want to hear the answers to:
- What will it take to keep you engaged?
- You are a valued employee. How can I/we help you achieve your career goals so that you will stay with us?
- What can I as your leader do to better engage you?
- Do you feel my leadership style is working for you? What would work better?
- Do you feel that your team is working collaboratively?
- What will make working relationships better?
Never tell an employee what you want. Ask what they want and really listen to the answer. Have discussions that will allow you both to achieve your goals.
Many of our readers can relate to the challenge of leading people for the first time. What advice would you offer to new and emerging leaders?
In March 2020, when the world shut down, many companies promoted employees to leadership roles because of attrition and people leaving for other remote opportunities. Unfortunately, most if not all promotions were done without leadership training/development and preparing people to lead teams. I recall at the time getting a phone call from an acquaintance who told me about such a promotion. He was told to learn on the job. So now five years later, employees have had to learn from their teams and from mentors. Unfortunately for some employees have determined the leader they have is not the leader their team needs or wants.
For new and emerging leaders today, the best way to ensure that you are leading in an acceptable manner is to get some training. Find courses and a coach that will guide you to be the right leader for your employees. Don’t let your ego get the best of you. You were chosen to lead for what others saw in you. It is now your turn to not disappoint but be accountable and take responsibility for leading the right way. A coach has the training and knowledge to guide and instill attributes that will only be a benefit to a leader’s continued learning and growth. It is important for all leaders to be future job ready as the world changes. Leaders today need to be prepared for the changes coming down the pipeline — Artificial Intelligence, tariffs, job slowdowns, insecurities, achieving new job skills/attributes. A coach and continuous development can help meet these goals.
Based on your experience or research, what are the top five traits effective leaders exemplify now? Please share a story or an example for each.
The top five modern traits that effective leaders exemplify today are:
- Empowerment and Delegation:
Leaders need to move away from micromanagement and move towards empowering their teams. This happens through delegating tasks and fostering autonomy that allows for growth (both personal and professional)
- Collaboration and Teamwork:
Leaders need to create a work culture where teamwork and collaboration lead to diverse ideas and thoughts and acceptance of out of the norm perspectives. It is a well-known fact that the answer to what ails a company is not with the leadership but with the employees. Ask the questions to get unexpected answers. Then implement what you learn. Leaders will be very surprised with the outcomes.
- Focus on Employee Engagement and Well-being:
It is so important for leaders to understand the employee’s mental health is being challenged today. That well-being is important to getting the job done. Leaders need to recognize this and create a culture where it OK for employees to tell their manager they need a mental health day. This leads to a culture of support, respect and trust.
- Continuous Learning and Development:
Leaders and employees need to be committed to their own job development. They need to ask to attend courses, take online courses, go to conventions. We all recognize that the world is changing and that comes with the need to be ready for the inevitable. Take the courses, ask for help, accept responsibility for the changes happening within your team. BE FUTURE JOB READY
- Diversity, Equity and Inclusion:
All leaders today need to accept the world as it is. We are a world of multiple ethnicities that need to be accepted in the same manner as all others. DEI is important to the success of all organizations and its employees. We as leaders need to accept and value all employees for their attributes, skills, they bring to the job and not their religion, skin colour, sexual orientation, or gender. It is up to all leaders to build a culture that shows no favorites, that accepts all employees and treats all people the same.
American Basketball Coach John Wooden said, “Make each day your masterpiece.” How do you embody that quote? We welcome a story or example.
I am the type of person who looks at the glass as half full. I believe that what I do daily will benefit not only my clients but me and my network as well. I am the master of my own future. I take responsibility for the outcomes and am accountable to do things right. I embody this quote daily and strongly believe that only I can make a difference for me. I work each day to fulfill my vision of what I want to achieve. I achieve my goals because it is the only way that I can be the master of my own destiny. I have always believed that If I can’t envision my future or my future self, then nobody else will either. When I believe and focus on myself, the world is my oyster.
What is the legacy you aspire to leave as a leader?
I hope that I have made a difference in my family, friends and client’s lives. I hope that people will remember me for me and what I did to inspire them. My legacy is the memories and thoughts I leave to my family, friends and colleagues for changing their lives just a little or a lot. I know I am loved by my family and friends and respected by my clients and colleagues. That is the legacy I leave.
How can our readers connect with you to continue the conversation?
Leaders can connect with me on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/in/annebloomcphr or anne@youraspirecoach.com
Thank you for giving us the opportunity to experience a leadership master at work. We wish you continued success and good health!
About The Interviewer: Karen Mangia is one of the most sought-after keynote speakers in the world, sharing her thought leadership with over 10,000 organizations during the course of her career. As Vice President of Customer and Market Insights at Salesforce, she helps individuals and organizations define, design and deliver the future. Discover her proven strategies to access your own success in her fourth book Success from Anywhere and by connecting with her on LinkedIn and Twitter.
The New Portrait Of Leadership: Anne Bloom Of Your Aspire Coach On Which Legacy Ideas About… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.