What's the secret sauce for leadership? Try the 3 Cs

Promoting leaders who are willing to challenge existing norms can lead to significant positive changes in the workplace as they help eliminate unnecessary tasks, which can create an environment where innovation thrives and employee turnover declines, writes Lisa Bodell, the founder and CEO of FutureThink. "Innovation requires defying convention, and promoting people who think differently ensures a pipeline of fresh ideas," Bodell writes.

Put it into practice: Find "stupid rules" that need to be killed by asking your team which rules are holding them back, Bodell recommends. "Eliminating these barriers gives teams more time for meaningful work and reinforces the value of challenging outdated practices."

Effective leadership relies on the three Cs of challenging people, building confidence and coaching employees to achieve their best, writes Paul Thornton, the author of "The Leadership Process." "Each new challenge, especially the big ones, often requires some tailored coaching and affirmation to ensure a strong start," Thornton writes.

Put it into practice: Challenging employees and building confidence are two sides of the same coin. "When people face a tough challenge, their confidence may drop due to increased doubts and fears," Thornton writes, adding that such times are ideal for coaching.

If your manager is driving you crazy, take time to examine the root cause and see if you can recalibrate your relationship, write executive coaches Sarah Mann and Luis Velasquez. "When you find common ground with your manager, you increase productivity and improve your relationship, as well as decrease your stress level," they write.

Put it into practice: Feeling frustrated by a new manager can lead to an opportunity for growth if approached the right way. "Look beyond your day-to-day frustrations and think more broadly about how your behavior contributes to your leadership brand and the contribution you want to make," they write.

Weekly planning offers a comprehensive view of tasks and deadlines, allowing for effective prioritization and time management, writes Mahnoor Faisal. Unlike daily planning, which can lead to focusing on immediate tasks without considering the bigger picture, weekly planning lays out all tasks over five days, which enables scheduling of important tasks first and fitting others around them," Faisal notes.

A manager who learned of an employee's distress over the loss of her pet chicken and went out of his way to buy her three new chicks is an example of how leaders can use kindness to build a thriving workplace culture, writes Randy Ross, the author of "Remarkable!" Ross also recommends ensuring new hires align with company values, focusing on what you want for your people as much as what you want from them and monitoring and measuring engagement levels.

Archaeologists in Israel have discovered 12,000-year-old pebbles that may represent one of the earliest uses of wheel-like technology, according to a study in PLOS One. The pebbles are believed to be spindle whorls used for spinning textiles, and they could have paved the way for later technological advancements involving rotational mechanisms.

I admit I am allergic to change. I am a creature of routine, which means if there are rules to be followed, I'll do it, even if those rules seem silly or may cause extra work. I figure they're there for a reason, so why rock the boat?

Well, as Lisa Bodell points out, questioning rules (especially the silly and time-consuming ones) may be worthwhile. Finding those managers who are willing to step out of the status quo and find new ways to work that old rules may be hampering can be good for both the bottom line and employee morale and retention.

"These leaders challenge the status quo and are the first to ask: 'Why does this rule exist? Is it still useful?' By rethinking outdated processes, they save time and energy, freeing up space for deep work and breakthrough ideas that can propel a company ahead of its competitors," Bodell writes.

Do you have some of these types of leaders on your teams? Now could be a good time to have a one-on-one with them and listen closely to their questions and ideas. You may just find some rules that need to go, new ones that need to be implemented and some that need massaging or changing.

"It's time to promote leaders who think differently -- those who aren't afraid to break the rules," Bodell notes.

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