The first question to ask yourself is "Am I open?" Do I want my team to tell me the truth or just want I want to hear? Your people will sense that. They won't give you the information to be successful in your role if they are afraid of the consequences. This hurts not only you, but everyone around you.

Every leader has a different approach, but staying in flux with your leadership style and being adaptable for any circumstance makes it easier to connect with a variety of people. A leader that can allow others to express their perspectives fully provides more value. Keeping an open dialogue for everyones opinions is a great way to hear others views.

Recognizing your leadership strengths and weaknesses is foundational. Yet, leadership is more than decision-making; it encompasses emotional intelligence (EI). EI empowers leaders to manage emotions, connect with teams, and make nuanced decisions. Developing EI involves self-reflection, seeking feedback, and practicing empathy. It greatly impacts decision-making, enabling leaders to think clearly under pressure and understand diverse viewpoints, thus nurturing collaboration and trust. Moreover, EI strengthens team relationships, fostering an environment where diverse ideas flourish. EI is not just a skill; it's the heart of effective leadership.

Many times you have to drop your leadership style, keep it aside for a while and continue to go with what your team is comfortable with. That’s a shortest and easiest way to drive short term goals. Slowly change it to your own and let the team adept your behaviour.

It's really good that our direct reports feel open to sharing the truth with us as leaders about what's going on in the organization. However, it's even better if we as leaders are open to sharing the truth with ourselves! If a leader isn't honest with him/her self, then that lack of authenticity will be reflected in the relationships that leader has with others. Thus, Begin with WHO by knowing yourself first.

Creating psychological safety in the team is key to creating an environment where diverse perspectives are valued. A leader should focus on creating a safe environment for team members to speak up and share varied views with a culture of active listening.

Cultivating an environment of trust and open communication is one of the best things you can do for your team and business. When your team feels heard they will share their values and contribute openly, which helps you lead more effectively. Your teams input and ideas are the most valuable assets you can get. They provide a fresh perspective on ideas and see things you may have overlooked. Being aware of how others view your leadership is essential for your own development.

Feedback-seeking is crucial for a perspective-valuing leadership style. It involves understanding external perceptions and adjusting accordingly. Coupled with compassion and empathy, it creates an atmosphere of understanding and support. Compassionate leaders consider emotions and viewpoints, reducing stress and enhancing collaboration. This journey not only improves leadership but also cultivates a harmonious environment and personal growth.

It's critical to make sure you have done your own internal work before seeking feedback so that you are open to receiving what others share. I've seen a top organizational executive ask for feedback only to reject what people were saying and refuse to make adjustments because the feedback wasn't what she wanted to hear. As leaders, we must make sure we are open to hearing input and have a coach or other support to process feedback we receive.

To get this diversity of perspective, it's important to speak not just to management but to leaders across job functions, age generations, industries, genders, ethnicities etc. There is no one size fits all, so the more you absorb, the easier it is to see what relates well with you and then use the input to carve your own niche.

Seeking feedback, coupled with compassion and empathy, is crucial for a leadership style valuing diverse perspectives. Learning from admired leaders enriches this approach. Understand their values, problem-solving methods, and ways of inspiring teams. Embrace diverse leaders too. Balancing communication, appreciating creativity, welcoming change, and avoiding micromanagement are key. This ensures a leadership journey that empowers teams, promotes growth, and fosters an environment of collaboration and innovation.

Most common in sales and business development, keeping experimenting would help understand how you are going and growing. The only challenge with this leadership behaviour is it’s expensive and time consuming.

Experiment with diverse leadership styles—a pivotal fourth step for perspective-valuing leadership. Adapt to varied contexts, balance personal preferences, and incorporate new techniques. Recognize team strengths, address disengagement signs, and prioritize open communication. Shift from boss to mentor, fostering growth within your team. Dedication to this journey yields exceptional leadership, igniting team success.

Fostering emotional intelligence is the fifth step in shaping a perspective-valuing leadership style. This skill, encompassing self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, and more, cultivates trust, collaboration, and effective decision-making. Leaders develop it through self-reflection, feedback, and empathetic communication. Emotional intelligence not only influences balanced choices but also strengthens team bonds, promoting open dialogue and innovation. Ultimately, it defines exceptional leadership—a blend of empathy, collaboration, and growth.

The most profound lesson I learned was that one cannot anticipate the same level of performance from their team as their manager once expected from them. This realization highlighted the need for me to adapt my leadership approach and foster an environment that nurtures growth and development, understanding that each individual's journey and capabilities are unique.

The way to develop a leadership style that values different perspectives is to, in fact, value different perspectives. Stop and give other people time to share theirs. Empathise. Consider team members as individuals. Research suggests perspective taking helps both leaders and their teams.

Knowing yourself and your limits will push you further toward accepting others input. When you begin to accept you don't have the answers, you accept that they do exist and the search is on. It will inevitably take the input and information of others to reach though, so naturally opening your mind to the need becomes necessary by virtue of both circumstance and desire.