234: One Thing to STOP Doing as a Leader for Better Communication

Do you feel like you can’t take a break from work?  Like if you left the whole place would stop altogether? Do you have high turnover in your volunteers or employees?  Do you have a hard time meeting metrics or feeling successful? Or do only one or two people pull their weight? If this is you then you could be “leading solo”. “Leading solo” is when a leader has a team but doesn’t trust them to carry out their jobs, so they end up doing everything themselves or they micromanage people. You often feel like you are the only one who “gets it” or even makes any progress to your goals.   In todays episode we talk about symptoms of leading solo and how probelms with your mission might be the reason you are not getting your team to engage with you in meeting your goals. Other Ways to Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Esther’s Instagram Website

How does a wife, mom of 3, and entrepreneur maintain a healthy family life plus run a thriving business? In this Leadership Rewind episode, I talk with Barbara Carneiro about how to set goals from a mindset of doing less not more. Barbara shares some of her best tips, such as creating manageable routines instead of chasing the elusive idea of balance, doing less instead of more, and getting outside help instead of trying to do everything herself. This episode originally aired in December 2018 as episode 25, and I’m excited to share this with you as one of our deep cuts that you are sure to benefit from.  Access the full show notes here: https://estherlittlefield.com/episode25-reach-your-goals-by-doing-less-with-barbara-carneiro/ To hear more from our Goal-Setting Series, check out all of the episodes here: https://estherlittlefield.com/tag/goal-setting-series/ Connect with Esther: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/estherdlittlefield/

Do you have a message you want to share?  Is there something on your heart you feel people need to hear?  Or do you manage a team and need to make sure your initiatives are communicated well and efficiently put into motion? You may even have a new idea you want to present to your leaders.     In this episode, I provide practical tips that help you think through your message and how to convey it more successfully. Using the acronym CARS, we will give you some questions to ask yourself as you craft your message to share with the world. We want to help you intentionally think through how you are conveying your message for the best outcome possible.  Clarity What do I want to say? What is my goal for this communication? What do I want someone to do as a result of receiving this information? Audience Who am I speaking to? What is their level of understanding of this topic? What kind of context do I need to provide to them for this information to make sense? Relevance Why does this matter to the person reading or hearing this info? So what? Simplify Can you take what you want to communicate and simplify it? What can you edit down to make it clearer, to speak to your intended audience more effectively? Have you made sure there’s a ‘so what’ to the information? Your Next Steps: Getting your message across effectively is key for any leader. By using this CARS acronym, you'll see a big difference in how your communication is received. Remember, practice makes perfect, so keep these tips in mind and watch your impact grow.    Connect with Esther: Esther’s Website Instagram

As a leader, you communicate constantly. But are you communicating in the most effective way? What are some best communication practices when there’s conflict? What are some practical strategies you can implement today to better your public speaking? In this leadership rewind episode, I chat with Carrie Sharpe, a homeschooling mom of five, wife, and business owner. We dive into the topics of effective communication, including the best way to talk through conflict and practices to become a better public speaker. Carrie shares how she manages her different responsibilities + roles, and how she takes a rest from all the noise and busyness. This conversation originally aired in Oct. 2018 as part of our relationship series, and we’re bringing it back into our podcast feed as one of the deep cuts that you may have missed. We think you will love hearing (or re-listening to) Carrie's story.   For the full show notes on the episode, check out https://estherlittlefield.com/episode16 Check out all the epsiodes in the Relationship Series here.   Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Website Esther’s Instagram

Have you ever wanted to convince others to go along with an idea or get your team to be on board with a new project you’re planning? Or maybe you’ve wanted to get your leader to agree to a new idea you have that you think will make a big impact in the long run. Or, perhaps you’re wanting to raise funds for a ministry or missions trip. In all of these cases, you are needing one thing: persuasive communication. You are trying to get someone else to go along with what you want them to think or do.   In today's episode we cover 4 steps to sharing your message persuasively. I explore the lessons I've learned from marketing and apologetics and how we can apply these lessons to our communication as Christian leaders.   Connect with Esther: Esther’s Website Instagram

Have you ever thought you knew what your calling in life was, only to have God redirect you to another path? Your current role may define your present situation but it doesn’t define your purpose. How can being intentional about self-leadership impact your journey as you lead teams or organizations?   In this leadership rewind episode, I chat with Jenni Catron, a leadership coach, author, speaker, and founder of The 4Sight Group. This conversation originally aired in Sept. 2018 as part of our purpose series, and we’re bringing it back into our podcast feed as one of the deep cuts that you may have missed. We think you will love hearing (or re-listening to) Jenni’s story of how she went from having her dream career to recognizing that her gifts and skills could be used in any context God called her to.   Jenni shares valuable insights based on her experiences in leadership in the corporate world, in churches, and in running her own business. She provides tips for building a healthy culture within your team and how to understand yourself better so you can lead effectively.  We even talk about her advice for you if you’re the only woman in your workplace, as well as what it’s like to be the one with the leading career in your marriage.   For the full show notes on the episode, check out https://estherlittlefield.com/episode11 Other episodes you might like: https://estherlittlefield.com/tag/purpose-series/   Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Website Esther’s Instagram

Today we want to talk about something that we ALL do, and that is hard to stop especially if you’re not aware that you are doing it. And it’s causing problems in your communication and your leadership. Can you guess what it is? This has the potential to cause breakdowns in your relationships, misunderstandings in your communication, and can even lead to major leadership problems. If you guessed assumptions, you guessed right. In this conversation, Holly and I are sharing 2 truths about assumptions and the dangers that assumptions have for us as Christian leaders. But we're not just leaving you with the bad news. We're also sharing 3 specific practices you can develop that will lessen the impact that assumptions have on your communication and your leadership. If you want to become a better leader, have better relationships, or improve your communication with others, this is a must listen.   Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Website Esther’s Instagram

Have you ever felt like you are juggling so many balls at once, and at any moment, they could all come tumbling down? Kayla Cornish found herself here, and she actually experienced the balls crashing down. She had been living the life of hustle and seeing success–but it came at a price. It wasn’t until she and her family began accepting the gift of Sabbath rest that things started to change. As a leader, you may have wondered: is practicing the Sabbath something that modern day Christians need to do? And if so, how on earth can you practice it while still managing all the rest of your responsibilities–especially if you are involved in church ministry on Sundays? In this conversation, Holly and I talk with Kayla Cornish of Legacy Roots Co. Kayla believes there are 2 important aspects of our purpose as believers, and when we neglect the gift of Sabbath rest, we are missing out on some beautiful things God wants for us, such as healing, peace, love and a deeper relationship with Him. Listen in to discover more about what it means to practice Sabbath rest and why it’s so important, especially for Christian leaders. Key Points Discussed: Kayla’s life & leadership journey Why Kayla became passionate about the importance of Sabbath Why mission, vision, and values (or roots) are important for families Why Sabbath rest is non-negotiable & what it looks like The benefits of shifting away from a hustle mindset  The church’s role in leading Christians to cultivate the practice of Sabbath Tips for getting started with the practice of Sabbath Why leaders need to model honoring the Sabbath and rest What to do when your leader or your spouse isn’t on board with the idea of rest  Leaders are Learners recommendations: Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer John Mark Comer Teachings Podcast The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry The Rest of God by Mark Buchanan Connect with Kayla Legacy Roots Co Website Sabbath Ideas Kayla’s Instagram Legacy Roots Co Instagram Ultimate Sabbath Guide   Connect with Esther and the Christian Woman Leadership Podcast: Website Esther’s Instagram

Is it possible to lead when you don’t have a leadership title or role? Is there a difference for someone who does have an official title vs. someone who is a team member?  In this conversation, Holly and I talk through how leadership looks different for us now than it did when we started the podcast. And we discuss how we feel about leading without a role or title.  Finally, we give some practical tips for things you can do when you are wanting to grow as a leader, whether you have a title or not! And, for our fun question of the day, you’ll hear as Holly and I share about whether we got into trouble in high school (and if so, what for).    Links mentioned: Episode 2: What is Leadership? Episode 6: The Importance of Leading with Confidence   Connect with me: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/ Instagram: @estherdlittlefield

When life changes, does our leadership change? How do we navigate seasons of loss or change as leaders? And what does it look like to endure the pain of healing even when we'd rather avoid it? In this episode, Holly and I are chatting through some life updates and sharing some reflections about the past year of our lives. We discuss what our goals are looking like this year as well as how they are different from past years. We also dive into the idea of healing and how it's often painful to go through healing and growth.  We hope you enjoy this conversation and gain some new insights and ideas on how to approach your goals for the year or walk through a season of healing from loss.   To get our FREE Reflection Guide, go here: https://go.estherlittlefield.com/reflect-optin   Connect with me: Website: https://estherlittlefield.com/ Instagram: @estherdlittlefield