How To Lead Bigger

Anne Chow’s book, Lead Bigger, is about “where it all comes together.” By that, she means:

• Being driven by a compelling purpose and values, which are not platitudes, but rather lived.
• The goals are better decisions, improved performance, and ultimately a greater impact.
• Impact means you have the power to make real and enduring change for the better.
• Widening your perspective to have a greater performance and impact.
• Advancing work that matters.
• Developing a vital, innovative workforce that is both trusted and agile.
• Championing flexibility by embracing trust and empowerment for individuals, teams, and leaders alike. 

Drawing from over three decades of experience, former CEO of AT&T Business Chow shares that leading bigger also means: 

Embracing the whole of your team beyond the workplace: Seeing the value and potential of each individual—in the context of not only their work, but also their life. 

Engaging in self-reflection: Demonstrating self-awareness and humility, recognizing the impact of your dispositions and behaviors on the wellbeing of the team. 

Having multiple touchpoints with your employees: Using both scheduled and ad hock check-ins to address especially feelings of isolation. 

Furthermore, Chow explains that to lead bigger means to NOT: 

• Micromanage.
• Be penny-wise and pound-foolish.
• Deflect.
• Be power-hungry, selfish and credit-stealing. 

“This is a critical time for leaders to lean into their humanity, both to inspire their teams and to help the individuals around them safely steer their careers in meaningful and fulfilling ways,” says Chow. 

She adds, “remember that building organizations and cultures from a place of caring can be some of the most fulfilling work you do in your lifetime. Helping those around us to discover their unique value and purpose and watching them succeed is priceless.” 

Anne Chow

Finally, one of my favorite sections in the book is where Chow writes about the importance of onboarding, which unfortunately many companies and organizations overlook. 

Chow says to “treat onboarding as a way to shape an employee’s trajectory, rather than as an afterthought to the hiring process.” 

Best practices, according to Chow, for onboarding include: 

• Consider new members in an onboarding phase anywhere from six months to a year, depending on their background and role (too many companies skip through onboarding in a month or less).
• Put into context where that person is in the organization, what their role is, and how they fit into the company’s strategy and purpose.
• Establish camaraderie and connection through assigned buddies, other colleagues who have been recently hired, and/or mentors.
• Continuously ask for feedback during the onboarding process.
• Don’t forget to onboard your nontraditional workforce – gig workers and contractors.
• Re-onboard internal hires, too (too often companies promote employees and then just leave them there to figure it out. Support them in the same way as you would a new employee).

Thank you to the book’s publisher for sending me an advance copy of the book.