Danita Bye | Revolutionize Your Leadership Influence by Changing from Red to Blue Zone

Revolutionize Your Leadership Influence by Changing from Red to Blue Zone

Posted at h in Executive Leadership, Sales Leadership, Millennial Leadership by Linda Dippenaar 0 Comments

A recent poll from Vision One High Performance Group, a leadership development firm, asked leaders, “What would most define your leadership if your job title were stripped away?”

Participants could choose between the following:

Character
Competence
Charisma
Credentials

The top answer? Character.

That result didn’t surprise me. However, it did reaffirm something I’ve been saying for a long time. Leading well in the Age of AI depends far more on who we are than what we do.

That’s why I’m busy writing a new book – Character Mandate. My focus is on the winning strategies that will help you build virtue-driven leaders for the future. Because character does matter. In an AI-powered world, it’s not optional—it’s non-negotiable.

I believe our world doesn’t just need more tools — it needs more trustworthy, wise, and resilient leaders. Especially leaders like you, who are guiding and coaching young leaders. They’re watching how we show up. And more than anything, they’re learning how to lead by the culture we create.

As leaders, we’re living in extraordinary times. AI is advancing faster than most of us can keep up with. Every headline, every new platform seems to promise the next big thing. And yet, in the midst of all this innovation, I keep coming back to a deeply human question: Will we lead AI? Or, will it lead us?

In revisiting this popular article, ‘Build a Blue Zone Culture,’ I discuss the distinction between the Red Zone and the Blue Zone of workplace culture. Red Zone environments are toxic, destructive, and disengaged. And we’ve all been there. Blue Zone cultures? Those are different. They’re engaged, supportive, and collaborative. And they don’t happen by accident. They happen when leaders cultivate a connection that is founded in solid character.

AI will never replace a leader who’s deeply grounded in character. But AI will expose the gaps in those who aren’t.

What does that mean? In this article, you’ll learn:

How to root out toxic practices like gossiping and complaining to stop the Red Zone.
Practical steps to lead your young leaders into the Blue Zone.

Let’s keep raising leaders who are both tech-wise and virtue-strong. Ask them regularly: If your job title were stripped away, what would most define your leadership?

With your guidance, they will know that the answer is…character.

Your leadership matters, NOW more than ever.

Original Article: Build a Blue Zone Culture that Expands Your Leadership Influence and Fosters Gratitude

My friends often tease me about my habit of packing leadership development books when I go on vacation.

During our trip to Costa Rica, I’m reading Lessons in Leadership by Rabbi Jonathan Sacks. In one chapter, Sacks describes how, in the Torah, according to the rabbis, gossiping is one of the worst sins of all. I gasp every time I read it. Gossiping? The worst?!?

“Gossip kills three people: the one who says it, the one it is said about, and the one who listens in.”

Yikes!

Here’s a question to consider: What’s the relationship between the toxic impact of gossiping and the challenges you face in achieving your concrete business results?

Revenues are shrinking as new technology and AI innovations disrupt the market.
Margins are getting squeezed by relentless competitive pressure.
Top performers are leaving, creating a growing turnover problem.
New hires aren’t sticking around, making engagement a constant struggle.
Negativity is spreading, with blame games, excuses, and a lack of accountability eroding team spirit.

So, what might we do to fight against negative behaviors like gossiping and complaining?

Back to Costa Rica. Gordon and I are hiking the volcanoes, soaking in mineral-rich mud baths, and surfing the waves. Something else piques my curiosity…Blue Zones.

Have you heard of Blue Zones?

Costa Rica has one of the five recognized Blue Zones of the world – the Nicoya Region. Researchers say that people live longer, healthier lives in these regions. They attribute these benefits to distinct factors that these people focus on:

healthy diet,
physical activity, and
gratitude for community and connection.

The third item grabs my attention. What?!? Gratitude for community and connection helps you to live healthier and longer?!? What’s the science behind this phenomenon?

This is hard to grasp. I ask our friendly guide to share his experience of living in a Blue Zone. With his stories, he paints a picture of everyday life in his community.

Let’s take a peek…

Our guide shares his faith in God. He views his local congregation as part of his extended family.
The people of Nicoya value the time they spend with family and friends. Since they cook their food over an open fire, meals take longer to prepare. After eating a meal together, they linger at the table for more conversation.
Here, everyone gets a chance to speak, and their opinion is valued. They use these conversations to develop solid plans to tackle their problems.
With their growth mindset, they believe they can achieve more by working together. They share their resources to make plans and create solutions.

As I listen to our guide, I’m quiet as a mouse…and my excitement grows. This connection is what we need in our businesses, isn’t it? We need a culture where the whole team is engaged and motivated to work together to achieve concrete business results that tackle:

Declining revenues due to new technology and AI innovations
Weakening margins due to competitive pressure
Increasing turnover in long-time top performers
Difficulty engaging new employees
Negativity like blame-games, excuse-making, and a lack of accountability

What’s happening in your business? Which of these business challenges are you dealing with?

Gallup Research Provides Leadership Insight: Engagement drops to 30% in Q1

As business leaders, we are aware of the importance of a healthy workplace. And yet, a recent Gallup study found that, in Q1 of 2024, engagement dropped 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, marking the lowest reported level of engagement since 2013.

When engagement declines, your business problems multiply! In addition to the challenges I’ve already mentioned, many leaders are all too familiar with these disengagement results…

Decreased Productivity: Disengaged employees are less motivated to perform their best, leading to lower overall productivity levels within the organization.
Reduced innovation: A lack of engagement stifles creativity and innovation within teams, hindering the business’s ability to adapt and stay competitive.
Negative company culture: Disengaged employees can contribute to a toxic work environment, spreading negativity and impacting morale across the organization.

Any of these symptoms ring a bell?

Gossiping Kills Engagement, Connection, and Business Results

“Gossip kills three people: the one who says it, the one it is said about, and the one who listens in.”

Gossiping:

kills relationships, and destroys connections in the community,
fuels CCC behaviors. That’s what I call it when I hear people criticizing, condemning, and complaining about others.
squashes a Growth Mindset, which is a requirement for high leadership performance. Gossiping creates a toxic Red Zone Culture.

Every leadership responsibility (Art of Virtue-Based Leadership by Dr. Mark McCloskey) is exceedingly difficult:

Casting Vision – articulating a compelling vision that provides direction and guides your team toward a common goal.
Formulating Strategy – developing plans and strategies to achieve your vision, whilst considering market conditions, a competitive landscape, and internal resources.
Aligning Resources – managing resources such as finances, talent, and technology effectively to support your strategic objectives.
Motivating –cultivating a positive work environment so your employees feel valued and motivated to reach their full potential.

Back to our visit in a local Costa Rican village, I realize gossiping creates a toxic Red Zone Business Culture, the opposite of a healthy Blue Zone.

So, how might gossiping and CCC impact your business?

The Shocking Contrast Between a Blue Zone vs. Red Zone Business Culture

On the flight home, I reflect on the connection-building behaviors we experienced. Rabbi Sacks’ words still haunt me- “Gossip kills three people, the one who says it, the one it is said about, and the one who listens in.” I grab a notebook and start mapping out a comparative chart.

I’m wondering…what does this mean for your business?

Blue Zone Culture (Engaged, Supportive, and Collaborative)	Red Zone Culture (Toxic, Destructive, and Disengaged)
Strong relationships, based on trust, improves communication. It fosters a supportive network for every member of the team.	Erosion of Trust. Gossiping erodes trust. It undermines relationships and creates communication breakdowns. This leads to a disengaged workforce.
Sense of Purpose strengthens fulfillment. Next-Gen leaders see how their work contributes to the goals of the business. They show enthusiasm for their work, spreading positivity throughout the workplace.	Going in Circles. Gossiping leaves Next-Gen leaders feeling unclear about their purpose and disconnected. They struggle to see the relevance of their role. Their negative attitude often spreads throughout the workplace.
Problem-solving as a leadership team strengthens collaboration and connection, encouraging innovative solutions.	Status Quo from gossiping creates a divided team that struggles to resolve issues creatively. It impacts productivity and morale.
Growth Mindsets flourishes in a culture of learning, and innovation. It drives business success. Emerging leaders with a growth mindset are eager to learn. They develop new leadership skills and seek out opportunities hidden behind the challenge.	Fixed mindsets develop from gossiping. Growth and innovation are stifled. Next-Gen leaders become resistant to learning new leadership skills. They see challenges as insurmountable obstacles.

My chart aligns with the findings of the Gallup study that I mentioned earlier. They report that U.S. employees were increasingly detached from their employers. Employees and Next-Gen leaders reported:

less role clarity,
lower satisfaction with where they work
less connection to their companies’ mission or purpose

Are you seeing the red flags of a disengaged Red Zone in your business?

If yes, what might you do to create a healthy Blue Zone Culture? A place where emerging leaders and your business can thrive?

2 Action Steps to Coach Gratitude and Nurture a Strong Connection Mindset

I believe that a new level of wisdom and leadership emerges from a deeper level of gratitude. It’s time to revolutionize gratitude and fight the toxic Red Zone behaviors!

A recent Gallup article spotlights the 4 “C’s” of a workplace value proposition. Interestingly, “community” is one of them! (You can read this insightful article here.)

The author submits that socializing and building relationships are good for business. According to Gallup’s meta-analysis of 112,312 teams, people with a best friend at work are more likely to be engaged in their jobs. They are better at engaging customers and producing higher-quality work. Strong relationships are the foundation for trust, support, and meaningful work.

This sounds like a Blue Zone Business Culture, right?

Consider these questions…

Blue Zone: How might Gratitude help build a healthy Blue Zone culture?
Red Zone: How might Gratitude be an antidote for Red Zone Behaviors?

The following Gratitude Connection Steps drive top performance in your teams and Next-Gen leaders.

Gratitude Connection Step #1: Use Your Leadership Influence to Fight Gossiping with Positive Thoughts and Actions

Gossip kills! That’s how Rabbi Sacks describes it in his book. The shocking words remind me of this scripture:

Proverbs 18:21 (NLT) – The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Stop Red Zone behaviors with this Positive Thoughts Exercise:

- Shift focus from gossiping to gratitude! Challenge your Next-Gen leaders to shift their focus from gossiping to gratitude! Invite them to list 3 positive characteristics or skills in a colleague they don’t get along with. (I vividly remember my journey in dealing with a difficult person. I know this might be uncomfortable! The first time, it took me one hour to come up with 3 items. 1 hour! It was excruciating! However, I did it every day for a month. Today, I am great friends with that person.)

Gratitude Connection Step #2: Stimulate a Growth Mindset with Gift Discovery Action

Many people see gossiping, along with criticizing, condemning, and complaining as normal. Due to a lack of awareness, they don’t see how these negative behaviors stunt their leadership capabilities and their business results.

Stop the toxic impact of the Red Zone Culture with the Gift Discovery Action.

- Encourage every member of your team to take a survey tool, like StrengthsFinder or DiSC. These tools help them discover more about themselves and each other. Guide them as they learn about both their strengths and areas in need of growth. Then, challenge them to ditch gossip and criticizing others. Instead, invite them to channel their energy into offering support and understanding. Awareness and gratitude for each other’s strengths and growth areas fuel collaboration and engagement.

Coach Gratitude to Strengthen Your Leadership Influence

We are designed to be engaged, to be in a community, working together for a better future for everyone.

Our trip to a Blue Zone in Costa Rica was a powerful reminder of the importance of nurturing a Connection Mindset. Our businesses need connections for healthy leadership and healthy business growth. We need a culture where the whole team is engaged and motivated to work together to achieve concrete business results.

To cultivate Blue Zone Connection, wise leaders coach gratitude and encourage Next-Gen leaders to:

Fight gossiping with positive thoughts and actions.
Stimulate a growth mindset with gift discovery action.

By coaching gratitude, your Next-Gen leaders will stop gossiping, as well as criticizing, condemning, and complaining about others. Instead, they become deeply engaged in their work community.

Like the people living in the Blue Zone in Costa Rica, they work together. They focus on their goals. They believe they achieve more with practice and working together.

Your leadership matters, NOW, more than ever.