How do you Protect Your Leadership Strategy from Expressive Individualism?

How do you Protect Your Leadership Strategy from Expressive Individualism?

You’re facing a myriad of leadership development and business growth challenges…

• How do you improve your margins when there’s intense competitive pressure to commoditize;
• How do you increase revenue when the economy is not on your side;
• How do you decrease staff turnover when engagement is on a downward spiral; and,
• How might you accurately predict revenue and strengthen your business planning strategies in an unpredictable, chaotic culture?

As if these obstacles aren’t daunting already, I pose another question…

“How have you adjusted your leadership strategies to deal with the toxic impact of Expressive Individualism?”

Many leaders will say, “No! What on earth is Expressive Individualism? What does it have to do with my business results?”

If you’re one of those leaders, you’re not alone. Most of us haven’t heard this term before. Yet, it is a popular trend, especially with your Next-Gen leaders.

You do a bit of research, and, it doesn’t look toxic! After all, with slogans like “You be you, be true to yourself” what harm can it do? How will it sabotage your business results?

In this article, I dig deeper to uncover the dangers that lurk behind a seemingly harmless trend. I look at how Expressive Individualism a challenge for:

• Your concrete business results?
• Your Leadership strategy, roles and responsibilities?

While on our Costa Rica vacation (and in between enjoying the beach, hiking volcanos, and soaking in mineral-rich mud baths) I started investigating the impact of Expressive Individualism on Leadership Responsibilities – Vision casting, Strategy formulating, aligning resources, and motivating other leaders.

This is the first site I visit:  here. There are several informative articles –

• Expressive Individualism: What is it?
• Why is Expressive Individualism a Challenge for the Church?
• Doing Ministry in the Age of Expressive Individualism

Warning – A Seemingly Innocent Trend that Challenges Leadership Development

The impact of Expressive Individualism is one more destroyer of business growth and leadership development.

While it’s important to express yourself, it’s essential to recognize that Expressive Individualism contributes to creating a disengaged culture in your workplace. Here’s what critics say about the downside. The excessive focus on me-me-me:

• weakens the connections between co-workers.
• blurs the shared values that hold a team together, and,
• makes it harder for everyone to work together effectively.

A me-me-me focus ultimately sabotages your leadership and the growth of your business.

Check out these startling facts in an article about a recent Gallup study.

• By the end of 2023, 33% of U.S. employees overall were highly engaged. They were involved and enthusiastic about their work and workplaces.
• Unfortunately, in the first quarter of 2024, engagement dropped three percentage points to 30% among both full- and part-time employees.
• This decline represents 4.8 million fewer employees who are engaged in their work and workplace.
• It marks the lowest reported level of engagement since 2013.

I believe this warrants a closer look at the impact of Expressive Individualism on disengagement, loss of connection, and your leadership/business results.

What does ChatGPT have to say about Expressive Individualism?

For kicks, I ask ChatGPT for additional information.

Question 1: What is Expressive Individualism?

“Expressive individualism is a concept within sociology and cultural studies that refers to a cultural or societal orientation that emphasizes the pursuit of personal authenticity, self-expression, and individual fulfillment. It places a strong emphasis on self-discovery, self-actualization, and the assertion of one’s unique identity, values, and desires.

This concept emerged as a response to traditional social norms, values, and expectations that may have constrained individuality in favor of collective or community values. Expressive individualism encourages individuals to prioritize their own emotional well-being, personal aspirations, and subjective experiences over conforming to external norms or conformities.

In a society characterized by expressive individualism, personal choice, autonomy, and authenticity are highly valued. People are encouraged to explore their passions, desires, and identities without being bound by rigid social roles or expectations. This cultural orientation can influence various aspects of life, including relationships, careers, consumer choices, and self-presentation.

However, it’s worth noting that while expressive individualism can be liberating and empowering, it can also have potential downsides. Critics argue that an excessive focus on personal fulfillment might lead to the erosion of social bonds, shared values, and community cohesion. Additionally, it could contribute to a sense of isolation and narcissism if not balanced with a sense of responsibility toward others and the larger society.

Overall, expressive individualism reflects a cultural shift toward valuing individual uniqueness, self-expression, and personal fulfillment as important aspects of modern life.”

Question 2: Can you write this at a 6th-grade level?

“Sure! Expressive individualism is about being yourself and showing who you are. It’s when people think it’s really important to be true to their own feelings and ideas, instead of just doing what everyone else does. It’s like saying, “I want to be me, and that’s okay!” This idea is about choosing what you like and being happy in your own way. But while it’s great to be yourself, it’s also important to remember to care about others and be part of our bigger community.”

Question 3: What are some of the downsides of Expressive Individualism, at a 6th Grade level?

“Expressive individualism is awesome because it lets you be yourself and do what makes you happy. But sometimes, if everyone only thinks about themselves and what they want, it can make it hard for everyone to work together and be friends. It’s like if everyone in a game only wanted to win for themselves and didn’t care about the team. Also, if you only focus on what you want all the time, you might forget to think about how your actions can affect others. So, being yourself is cool, but it’s good to also think about how we can be good friends and help each other.”

Question 4: I’ve heard that Expressive Individualism contributes to Loneliness. What are others saying?

“Some people say that while being yourself and expressing your feelings is important, focusing too much on just yourself can sometimes make you feel lonely. Imagine if everyone only talked about themselves and didn’t listen to others – it might not feel very nice. When we only care about our own ideas and don’t think about how others feel, it can make it harder to connect with friends and family.”

Business Results Take a Nose-Dive in a Red Zone Culture

Both the info from Gospel Coalition and ChatGPT, spotlight the importance of building a connection culture. Read Blue Zone Leadership: Expanding Leadership Influence with Gratitude, here.  I talk about leadership lessons learned from the infamous Blue Zone region in Costa Rica – the positive impacts of a connection-building lifestyle.

We contrast that with Red Zone Disengaged Culture,  where your business strategies are bound to suffer:

• Decreased revenue, margins, and market share
• Increased staff turnover with less loyal employees
• Slower ramp-up of new employees
• Unpredictable revenue and less accurate business planning
• Longer sales cycles and time-to-revenue

When the tentacles of this worldview cunningly invade your business, it makes concrete business results even tougher to achieve.

We-we-we vs. Me-me-me and Your Leadership Influence

Expressive individualism is often celebrated for promoting personal freedom and self-expression. However, when everyone focuses only on themselves, teamwork isn’t dreamwork – it becomes a nightmare!

This chart paints a clear picture of the impact of this seemingly innocent trend on your business results.

	We-We-We Focus	Me-Me-Me Focus
Teamwork	Teams value different perspectives, sparking collaboration. This synergy stimulates good business ideas.	Everyone only cares about what they want. Teams don't share ideas well and can't come up with the best solutions.
Innovation	By valuing input from all team members, businesses tap into a range of possibilities. This promotes innovation and encourages your Next-Gen leaders to explore their creativity.	Red Zone people only care about their own ideas. They struggle to listen to others. This means fewer new and creative solutions to problems.
Morale	Teamwork makes employees feel valued and supported. This boosts morale, fuels engagement, and increases motivation and productivity. A high morale has a profound impact on retaining top employees.	Where the individual reigns supreme, other employees may feel lonely and unimportant. This sense of isolation destroys employee engagement, resulting in decreased productivity and retention rates.
Communication	When everyone is on the same page and working towards shared goals, communication flows smoothly. Decision-making processes are effective and ensures tasks are completed on schedule.	When everyone is doing their own thing, it’s tough to talk about what needs to get done. This hampers the decision-making process and productivity drops.
Brand Identity	When employees align their actions with the company's values and vision, it creates a cohesive brand identity. Consistency in your message and customer experience builds trust and loyalty, enhancing your business reputation and driving sales.	If employees all act differently, it’s confusing for your customers. They might not know what your value proposition is. This can hurt sales and make people think the business isn't reliable.

Wow! Now this focus on “self” doesn’t seem so harmless anymore, does it?

In your leadership development work, what might you do to get the Next-Gen leaders in your organization more “we-we-we” focused?

Coach the Leadership Skill of Listening to Shift from a Me-Me-Me Focus to a We-We-We Focus

Not so surprising, Expressive Individualism negatively impacts active listening skills. Your Next-Gen is focused on getting their own ideas across and don’t listen well to others.

When coaching leaders, I often see them formulating their responses while others are still speaking. They’re not actively listening and processing the information being shared. (OK, let’s be real. This happens to all of us, doesn’t it?!?)

This is one of my constant growth areas – active listening skills. It’s been a part of my leadership toolbox for as long as I can remember. Many years ago, Dick Youngblood wrote about my sales strategy secrets in an article in the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Of course, one of those secrets was about the importance of listening. Here’s an extract…

‘The key is listening’

“Salespeople love to talk – they’re sort of walking brochures,” Bye said. “But the key is listening to your customers.  You have to understand their business, identify their frustrations and needs, and recognize their financial constraints.  Only then can you come up with a solution that fits them.”

When writing Millennials Matter, I mention “listening” 40 times! Read more about it in “How to Help Your Next-Gen Leader to Listen Deeply” on page 190 – 193.

Encourage your team to improve their listening skills. Discuss these ground rules. Then implement them during your next team coaching session.

• Avoid distractions: The most important rule – phones turned off, out of sight, and laptops closed. This shows the person that you are listening to them and value what they have to say.
• Focus on the speaker: Make eye contact and pay attention to the person speaking. Show interest in what they are saying. Use nonverbal cues such as nodding. Facial expressions also indicate that you are listening well.
• Don’t interrupt: Interrupting someone can make them feel disrespected or unheard. Instead, wait until they have finished speaking before responding.
• Ask questions: This helps to clarify what the person is saying and can help you to understand their perspective better.
• Practice active listening: This involves reflecting back on what you hear. It ensures that you understand correctly.

Take Proactive Steps to Fight the Toxic Impact of Expressive Individualism

You be you, be true to yourself, follow your heart, find yourself.

Do you still think this is great advice? An innocent worldview called, Expressive Individualism?

The negative influence of Expressive Individualism presents challenges for both business growth and leadership development.

• Recognize the subtle ways in which this trend isolates your Next-Gen leader from meaningful connection and collaboration. Then, take proactive steps to foster a culture of teamwork and innovation.
• The interconnected root system of the Quaking Aspen provides stability and support to the entire grove. Similarly, by coaching gratitude and a “we-we-we” mindset you motivate your Next-Gen leaders to strengthen teamwork in the workplace.
• Coach active listening so that your Next-Gen leaders can become engaged members of a strong team. Together, you can reach your business goals.

Your leadership matters. Grab this opportunity to develop strong leaders for the future.

Leadership Development Lesson: Cultivate a ‘we-we-we’ mindset to foster collaboration and connection in your organization.

Leadership Development Question: How can you coach your Next-Gen leaders to shift from a focus on individual expression to a mindset of connection and collaboration?

Bonus: Because of my work in work in Higher Education – and training in critical thinking and creative reasoning in an increasingly digitized, AI world, I also asked this question.

Question 5: Since Critical Thinking is important for leaders, how might we train someone with Expressive Individualism worldview to be a critical thinker?

‘Training someone with an expressive individualist worldview to be a critical thinker involves a delicate balance between respecting their values while also encouraging them to develop analytical skills and consider diverse perspectives. Remember that while encouraging critical thinking, it’s essential to respect their individuality and desire for self-expression. The goal isn’t to undermine their values but to equip them with the skills to make thoughtful, informed decisions that align with their personal goals while considering the broader context

Here’s a suggested approach:

1. Acknowledge Values: Recognize and respect their commitment to personal expression and fulfillment. Show that critical thinking doesn’t necessarily conflict with their values but can enhance their ability to make informed decisions.
2. Highlight Open-Mindedness: Emphasize the importance of being open to new ideas, even if they challenge their existing beliefs. Explain that critical thinking involves examining different viewpoints to make well-rounded decisions.
3. Question Assumptions: Encourage them to question their own assumptions and biases. Help them understand that even their deeply held beliefs can benefit from critical examination.
4. Analyze Emotions: Discuss the role of emotions in decision-making. Explain that while emotions are important, critical thinking involves assessing whether emotions are leading to valid conclusions or clouding judgment.
5. Evaluate Sources: Teach them how to evaluate the credibility and reliability of sources of information. This will empower them to make well-informed decisions based on accurate information.
6. Consider Consequences: Help them understand that their actions and choices have consequences, both for themselves and for others. Critical thinking involves considering the potential outcomes of different choices.
7. Engage in Constructive Debates: Encourage them to engage in respectful debates and discussions with people who hold differing viewpoints. This can help them refine their arguments and better understand the complexities of different perspectives.
8. Expose to Diverse Perspectives: Introduce them to a variety of perspectives and experiences. Exposure to different worldviews can enrich their thinking and help them become more empathetic critical thinkers.
9. Problem-Solving Skills: Guide them through practical problem-solving exercises that require evaluating options, considering potential outcomes, and making informed decisions based on rational analysis.
10. Reflective Practice: Encourage regular self-reflection. Critical thinkers often assess their own thinking patterns, biases, and areas for improvement.
11. Ethical Considerations: Discuss the ethical implications of their choices. Critical thinking should extend beyond personal desires to consider broader ethical considerations.
12. Complexity and Nuance: Highlight that many issues are complex and nuanced. Critical thinking involves grappling with these complexities rather than seeking easy answers.
13. Practice and Feedback: Offer opportunities for them to practice critical thinking through discussions, debates, writing assignments, and real-life decision-making. Provide constructive feedback to help them refine their skills.”

You can read more about Expressive Individualism in these articles:

How to Use Your Leadership Influence in the Age of Expressive Individualism

What is Your Leadership Strategy Regarding Expressive Individualism?