Embedded in the GLOW UP acronym is openness. Openness should be an area of focus in your leadership development. When leaders are open and transparent about initiatives, procedures, processes, etc., they help to facilitate positive work and learning environments for all.
I did not want to make this post so incredibly long that it felt like a chapter in a book. Therefore, I focused on my top three ways of increasing openness and transparency in the workplace. I condensed my thoughts into three categories: establish effective communication, build trust, and invite different perspectives.
- Establish Effective Communication: Effective communication is essential for solving problems, making informed decisions, facilitating collaboration, and promoting positive school cultures. There are several methods of communication ranging from meetings to emails to social media. Typically, the form of communication used will depend on your target audience.
- Build Trust: Successful teams trust their leadership. Trust develops through openness and honesty. It is important to note that this process does take time. Building trust takes effort, is done by being intentional, and does not occur overnight. There is no magic formula for establishing trust.
- Invite Different Perspectives: Openness allows for giving and receiving feedback and encourages dialogue. Inviting team members to share their thoughts, ideas, and perspectives helps strengthen collaboration and creativity but also helps to establish a collective sense of responsibility. This exchange can facilitate collaboration, growth, and development while ensuring that leadership and their teams move in the right direction.
Glowing up as a leader requires consistent effort. While these suggestions for creating an environment that fosters openness and transparency are by no means the end-all-be-all, they are a great way to start thinking, planning, and reflecting on how you lead.
Side Note: When I started my leadership journey, I recall jotting down an incredible amount of notes based on what I read, the professional development sessions I attended, and even the Twitter/X chats I followed. I thought all my notes would help me navigate the struggles. What I eventually realized was that the notes overwhelmed me. There was too much, and I could not figure out what to focus on. After much reflection, I realized that I needed to chunk my thoughts. I share this so that you gain some insight into how my mind works. I will touch upon this topic again and provide additional tips, insights, and suggestions to help you on your journey. For now, I think these three are just right!
Keep going, keep growing, keep glowing… thank you for reading,
Elaine Margarita
Leaders GLOW UP 