Leadership Development | Leadership Styles

Having Fun In Leadership

2009-10-19T02:11:00.000-07:00

”Don't measure your life by your goals, but rather by what you are DOING to achieve them.” –Unknown
One of the biggest mistakes leaders make is getting so wrapped up in achieving results, they forget to ensure that people are having fun along the way.
Indeed, having fun is a key ingredient of keeping employee morale up, and inspiring people to continue to work aggressively toward a common set of objectives.
We here at Leadership-Tools.com were recently discussing the subject of inspirational leadership.
Although our discussion took many detours into various subject areas, we found ourselves returning to the basic concept of - having FUN in the workplace.
As a leader, you might be thinking that "FUN" is important, but it cannot be paramount in terms of achieving results.
We challenge you, however, to not just think of having in terms of the "webster" definition.
As a leader, YOU need to define fun, and communicate YOUR definition of fun to your team.
First, let us lay the foundation with a bit of "FUN - philosophy" as we work toward our own definition of "Leadership Fun in the Workplace".
We believe there is a huge difference between highly successful leaders and those leaders who are working incredibly hard, but not quite achieving the same level of results.
The difference, we believe, is in leadership styles. What do we mean?
The highly successful leader today facilitates, leads by example, encourages and participates with their team members to achieve TEAM results.
When the entire team feels fully engaged and a part of the process, then every team member takes personal pride in achieving the results.
Having FUN along the way supports engagement of each team member. Think about it, being "engaged" is fun.
Let's be frank, the days where the leader is a strong authoritative director and where all employees simply wait to see what the manager tells everyone to do does NOT produce the results that are recognized by a fully engaged team. The leader may be having fun, but his/her subordinates certainly are not.
Managers who want to micro-manage all the details are finding that it is virtually impossible to do. The marketplace simply demands too much for one person to micro-manage their team.
We all have incredible people working for us, and if we are effective leaders we need to create an environment where every employee feels like they are empowered, and understand they are expected to proactively contribute.
Okay, let's get to our definition of Leadership Fun in the Workplace.
To those of us here at Leadership-Tools.com, FUN is NOT always laughing, being light-hearted, having low stress, and being comfortable.
Quite the contrary – FUN is:
Working in an environment where people are challenged, they learn new skills, they grow, they seek opportunity and advancement, they take risks, they ask forgiveness - not always permission.
People with these traits make an organization grow - these people succeed more often than fail - and ultimately reap the rewards and recognition of one who consistently achieves results.
They stay motivated with the knowledge that they are the exception to the common rule of human behavior.
All told, they are having FUN because they make a difference and a contribution - they simply do not allow themselves to settle for the status quo. They would rather experience "engagement" - because being engaged - is FUN!
Good luck, and have fun.

Leaders, Get Online - 7 Reasons Why Leaders Need to Be on the Web

2009-04-03T04:15:00.000-07:00

It's time for you as a leaders to consider that waiting for others to take care of your presence on the Internet is no longer an option. It's time for you and leaders from all walks of life to learn how to set up a web presence. People from all over the world are using the Internet to look for information, express opinions and even win elections. If you intend to grow in your leadership in the upcoming years, understand these 7 reasons why leaders need to get on the web and be in control of their web presence.
1. Outreach. Do you want to be in touch with new market groups and expand your leadership influence? If so, you need to be on the Internet reaching out to these target groups where they congregate. Let people get to know you in a new way by setting up your web presence. This was a popular technique used by President Obama during his election that served him successfully and continues to provide linkages to people who in some cases might not otherwise be involved in the political process.
2. Socializing. Socializing has taken on new forms and formats. You can't just expect to meet people in person anymore. Some people conduct business transactions completely online without ever meeting their business partners face to face. Get into the action by knowing how to work the web.
3. Power. Understand the power of the Internet to spread the word of what you are doing. Your leadership lessons can spread rapidly when you post them on the right site at the right time. Get connected with the right networking outlet online and your power and influence could spread faster than you realize.
4. Build a Base. Learn to use software programs to set up a mailing list of people who want to hear from you. This will let you increase your base of followers who can be quickly contacted on a regular basis or in special situations.
5. Video. Learn to use video techniques online and influence others through your own video productions. Video is also important for those who prefer this method of communication. You can easily create and post videos on sites such as YouTube or your own websites and blogs.
6. Audio. Along with video software, get updated on the use of audios to send your messages to a larger audience. You can add music, do editing, and even record an interview. Update the audios on a regular basis to keep your messages fresh.
7. Influence. Influence people you know and some you will never meet by having a presence on the web. Show that you are a contemporary leader by staying updated with the new technology. Influence others to increase their knowledge of the web. Encourage the flow of information and be a thought leader by sharing your opinions with others on a regular basis. This is a great new way to build your own support group and grow in your leadership influence.
Being on the Internet is no longer an option for the modern leader. Show those you influence that you are updated and ready to move ahead with the current technology by creating an influential leadership presence online.

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Leading With Focus and Intention

2009-03-28T00:16:00.000-07:00

Your general leadership skills are helpful and useful, especially during tough times. In addition, the more you exhibit those skills, the more people in the organization will emulate them. By following your actions, the organization will generate its own leaders at all levels. But it is necessary to use your skills in a more distinct way, to hone your leadership into focused, intent, and useful actions for individuals and the organization as a whole. Here are five ways to lead with focus and intention.
First of all, you must know what you're trying to achieve and how you're going to get there. This may sound elementary, but leaders can become "all talk", especially when things are at a high level of uncertainty. Analyze your own knowledge of this subject. Ask yourself where your organization is and what it is trying to achieve. This means looking again at the vision and mission of the organization. Perhaps it means creating a five-point strategic plan based on that vision and mission. But this also means that you have to get familiar with the organization's operations in order to know how you're going to lead it from where it is now to where you want it to be. But the main point here is to know where you're going and how you're going to get there.
Next, you must take the "how" you've just discovered, i.e. how you're going to get the organization from point A to point B, and learn to talk about it. Don't simply talk about it at the executive or leadership levels. Take it to the "streets" of your organization. Know how to talk about the "how" to the front lines, the middle managers, the accounting department, and the salespeople. Know how each unit you're addressing fits in with the "how" and go from there. Leadership is inspirational, but imagine how inspirational you can really become if you can talk intelligently to all the levels about how each person will contribute to the achievement of the organization's goals.
The first two actions may be fairly easy. Or, depending on how you've involved yourself in the past, they may come with a difficult learning curve. But once you know what you're trying to achieve, how you're going to achieve it, and how to talk about it, you must be prepared for the obstacles that will come your way. In the current economic uncertainty, the one guarantee is that tomorrow will probably not be like today. And you must prepare for this. When obstacles arise, go back to the drawing board to figure out how they affect the original goal and mission. Then figure out the "how" once again. This is where your executive or leadership team comes in - each one of them has specific experience that will help you create a new plan in the face of obstacles. But the biggest thing to remember is that when obstacles occur, focus the organization back on the mission and goals using the new and improved "how". Your job is to keep people from losing their focus in uncertainty. You and your team have to figure it out and keep moving.
Along with a refocus in the face of uncertainty, you can use your other leadership skills. Think about how you can use your powers of persuasion and negotiation to refocus the groups that may be suspicious of changes, even if the changes mean that the organization is saving itself from a bad situation. Also think about how you can use your ability to choose the best battles to refocus not only your own energy but that of the organization, as well. All of the skills you've built as a leader over time will now come in handy. It's not up to the rest of the organization to get your buy-in. It's now up to you to get their buy-in; every person in every group must come with you in order to keep things moving.
Finally, if things change completely, you must still refocus. Your entire organizational goal or mission may change in the face of new problems, issues, and obstacles. But there is no giving up on leading with focus and intent. Find the organization's new goal, the new "how", and start over again. This can be the most difficult aspect of leadership - it means that you may have to admit whatever failures caused the problem, and whether they were internal, external, or both. But once you do that, keep the focus on the new goal and the new "how". Position the change as a field of ripe opportunities that each person can take advantage of as the organization moves forward.
Leadership is one thing, but leading with focus and intention is another. Do both and you'll see that the organization follows.

Vision in Leadership - Pointing the Way For Your People

2009-03-25T04:55:00.000-07:00

Vision in leadership guides the way for your team or organization to move forward. However, before you can have a vision for your organization, you must first have a personal vision for your life.
- Where do you see yourself in 5 years time? - What are you going to achieve? - Who are the people they are going to be around you?
Many managers inherently know that a vision statement is required of their organization. They're thinking,"since everyone else has one, I better have one too." That is the beginning of problems in any organization; management doing something that they don't understand, much less believe in. I don't know about you; but I've heard enough of mission and vision statements put up in organizations but no one actually knowing that it means and stands for.
I'm sure you've got one in your organization and you probably can recite it by heart. The problem of an organization not living out its vision begins with the leader of the organization. If a leader does not have a vision for his own life or does not even understand what a vision is, he cannot possibly have vision in leadership ask his organization to live it out.
Your personal vision
The question of vision is a very simple one; what do you want in your life? What does your heart desire you to be? For me, one day I want to become an influential business leader who will groom potential leaders and teach other businessmen to do business the right way. How about you? It doesn't matter what people want you to be; think about what you want. Maybe you want to be a writer. Great! Writing is powerful because words can influence people's opinions, thoughts and beliefs. Maybe you want to be a pastor of a big church who is changing the community. Maybe it's something else for you. But most important, you need to know what you want and see yourself in that future.
If you currently don't really know what you want; your answers to these type of questions are, " um... I suppose I want this.. or that.." or some vague answer like," I want to be rich." If that is your answer to the questions I posted, then its time to get away from the hustle and bustle of life and start thinking about what you want. Take a holiday to a quiet destination and start thinking about this issue. It concerns your life; and if your life is important to you, nothing would be too costly for you to go and find out what is your life's calling. That is so important in leadership. Because you chose to be true to yourself, you can be authentic in pursuing your passion and achieving your goals.
Your vision won't be another statement on the wall; it'll be written in your heart, guiding your every speech, your every action. And that speaks louder than any plaque on the wall. Your team will see it in you. They will see you are true, authentic in pursing the vision you have set your life out; and they will follow you for it. So take some time to think about it. Don't allow the clutter of life to get to you; keep your life in focus. If you don't fight for your vision, no one else will.
Creating the vision for the team
It's only after that that you are ready to create and share a vision for your team. Your vision in leadership should never deviate too far from your personal vision. Your life is one. You can't be moving one way for your own life, and asking your followers to move another way.
Two visions give DI-vision.
Here are some important qualities of a corporate vision.
A good vision excites. Visions of the future should excite people. It must be a future that everyone is longing to create. It is that excitement that can bring out the passion in people to commit to seeing that vision come to pass.
A good vision stretches. A good vision challenges people to rise beyond their comfort zone and develop as an individual to become better, stronger, to become more of a man than today. A vision that does not stretch everyone's capacity means that it can already be achieved today; it doesn't qualify as a vision.
A good vision is clear While a good vision is pretty much imagination, but it must be clear enough that everyone on the team can visualize what you are talking about. Vague visions are as good as not having a vision at all. You must be extremely specific; detailing everything that you see in your mind's eye to your team!
A good vision includes everyone Remember that you are not getting your team to buy into your agenda. You guys have a common agenda and it's a win-win for everyone on the team.
Vision in leadership is very powerful and it can draw commitment from people like nothing else can. Many of the most powerful leaders in history have been visionary leaders and they changed their world on a simple vision that they saw in their head. A vision begins with a thought or an idea but when put into action, it can change teams, communities and even nations!

Leadership Authority - The Need For a Lead Rope

2009-03-17T01:50:00.001-07:00

In the horse world the lead rope is very much like your name on the office door. It alerts your horse to your presence just as your name plate tells your employees where your desk is located. These are symbols of formal authority that do not entitle you to trust, respect or loyalty from your horse or your employees.
I can tell exactly how the relationship is developing between a horse and a human by watching the tension in the lead rope. When the two first meet the rope is short and tight. The human knows he must provide leadership for the horse. What is really going through his mind though is whether this huge animal is going to either run from him or over him. He doesn't trust the horse to cooperate and he doesn't trust his ability to control it. In the absence of trust the human micro-manages the relationship by shortening or pulling on the rope. He doesn't realize that this is a completely ineffective (and somewhat ludicrous) act. If a fifteen hundred pound horse decides he is leaving it doesn't matter what length your rope is!
As the human and horse work together over time they begin to build a relationship. The human develops more horse handling skills. His communication becomes clearer and his actions become more consistent and dependable. He learns to focus on the horse and listen to its body language. As he demonstrates his integrity through his growing knowledge, consistency and empathy the horse begins to acknowledge him as the leader and becomes more cooperative. The rope loosens and lengthens as trust grows.
When both human and horse feel they have established a relationship of trust and respect the lead rope can be removed. This is the true test of earned leadership. If there is mutual trust the horse will not only stay but follow the human willingly. To have a horse follow you freely in this manner is a very powerful experience. As one woman observed, " The first time he walked towards me and followed me, absolutely by his own choice, was a moment that has been suspended in time for me. He wanted to ... and he trusted me enough to do it ... and that was absolute magic."
A simple lead rope can reflect the quality of a relationship with a horse. In our human relationships we also rely on intangible lead ropes. It seems easier to depend on symbols of formal authority to establish leadership in our professional and personal lives. In the long run however we will hopefully come to realize that the energy spent pulling on the lead rope could be put to much better use.

Leadership Versus Management

2009-03-13T09:10:00.000-07:00

Question Posed This Week:
If everyone seems to know what leadership is when they see it, why do most organizations seem to bewail lack of leadership continuously, and why is there an apparent huge dearth of leadership at the top of most corporations these days?
Is it? a) Accident of birth? Leaders are born not made? b) Demographics? Maybe there is only one leader for every 1000 managers? c) Training? Do our education systems train managers rather than leaders? d) Selection? Maybe true leaders don't get selected in favour of managers or get screened out, or just maybe are not recognized as leaders? e) Desire? Maybe folks just don't want to lead even if they have the skills & aptitude?
My answer: Sorry, I don't buy into the belief that Leaders are born. Anyone can become a leader of any organization at any time. All that is required is a firm commitment to better oneself at every turn, acknowledging every foible and be willing to accept it and to continuously make improvements - real lasting improvements in becoming a better, more decent human being.
The more we read, the more we learn, the more personal discovery seminars (not that Meyers-Briggs or DISC fluff - a twenty-minute personality assessment which only explains why you are the way you are but not any real tools to change it) from real hardcore, locked-away for weeks at a time personal development journeys that we can attend, the more work we do on ourselves the more we become real.
Leadership must be authentic. In order to be authentic, a leader must be prepared to show all of him or herself - warts and all. Leadership comes from confidence. Real confidence requires no proof (think about that statement until you get it).
Management, however, can be done by anyone (I didn't say quality management). That's why it would be easier and more expedient to send someone to management school instead of self-discovery programs. It's quicker. It's cheaper. It doesn't remove the person from the workplace as long. And if he or she doesn't work out, the company can start again and send someone else.
You can be a jerk most of your life but it's in the "why" of being a jerk that we can discover many of our subconscious driving needs. Once we figure out what makes us tick, we can find more appropriate avenues to realize those needs.
Until organizations around the world figure out that you can't send a jerk to manager's school and expect him to become a leader, we'll keep ending up with the same old-same old. Leaders CAN be made. But they have to want to go out and get it. And it's hard work - I mean HARD work. Most people don't want to do the work. That's why there are so few leaders.
ATTITUDE ADJUSTMENT: If you need to have power and control - then you will only ever be a manager. If you want to help people become better, more proficient and help them find meaning in their work - then you are a leader.
If you need to demand respect - you will only ever be a manager. If you give respect knowing deep down that you get what you give, then you are a leader.
If you believe that your people serve you - you will only ever be a manager. If you believe that you are, in fact, in service to your people - you serve them - and that you work WITH them - then you are a leader.
You see, Leadership is an Attitude. Management is a position. Service is an Attitude. Customer Service is a department. Safety is an Attitude. Occupational Health & Safety is a program. Engagement is an Attitude. Work is a job.
The moment you give up the NEED to be in control is the moment you stop being a manager and start being a leader. Managers control. Leaders inspire.

Leadership Lessons From "Hook

2009-03-12T03:20:00.000-07:00

Have you seen "Hook", starring Robin Williams? It is one of my favorites, with so much truth buried among the comedy, if you are willing to look for it. "Hook" begins with a corporate giant workaholic, Peter Banning, completely missing his children's lives. He is rarely present, and never listens to his wife and kids. First rule of good leadership broken. . . always listen to those in your group.
As the story progresses, Peter finds himself on an airplane headed for London to celebrate the opening of a new hospital wing in honor of Lady Wendy, THE Wendy from the Peter Pan story. Again, he refuses to listen to those around him, and is constantly distracted by his cell phone. Peter failed again to connect with his "tribe" as it were, and paid the price of the dreaded pirate, Captain Hook, stealing his children.
Now, poor Peter must come to grips with the fact that he is actually Peter Pan (talk about an identity crisis!), and begins his adventure to rescue the kids. Enter the Lost Boys, a ragtag bunch of kids who have no one to lead them, so they live in constant chaos. Peter has no desire, initially, to join forces with this "tribe", but will do anything to save his children. He is in fact, scared to death, and must find a way to push through his fear if he is to accomplish his objectives. The lost boys are instrumental in encouraging Peter to move past his fear, and return to them as a true leader with a plan.
After Peter finds the courage to move forward, the next step is to discover his true self and his true passion in life. Peter eventually discovers both as he learns to fly. With the encouragement of the lost boys, Peter finds his happy thought (his kids) and accepts that he IS the Pan.
Once Peter's vision is established, he leads the lost boy tribe, training them to be a well oiled fighting machine with the purpose of rescue. From there, the story has a very happy ending with the pirates defeated and Peter's children rescued. Peter comes away with many solid life lessons learned as a result of his adventure. His wife hardly recognizes him.
So, what can we as leaders in home business learn from this fun yet quirky movie? We need a clear vision and a plan to go with it, encouragement flowing freely between our followers and us, and an ear to hear those around us. With the proper motivation, we can go forward and change the world. Keep in mind, Peter needed to be flung from a giant sling shot. I guess some of us just need a bigger nudge than others.

Ten Powerful Questions For Finding Your Leadership Voice

2009-03-11T01:56:00.000-07:00

Time and again my coaching clients tell me that one of the best outcomes of coaching is finding and developing their leadership voice. They say how cultivating their leadership voice made a huge difference in how they contribute to their company and how good they feel about themselves.
So just what is "leadership voice" and how might you find it even without a coach's support?
To me, leadership voice is an authentically articulated point of view based on integrating your values, vision, and purpose. It originates in self-awareness; it develops and deepens when combined with meaningful behaviors, and culminates in a lasting contribution and professional satisfaction.
No single activity can completely unearth your leadership voice; however, reflecting and responding to some or all of the following questions can help you define and declare it.
How to Use these Questions:
These questions are not all distinct; therefore you might have similar answers to the different questions; that's fine and most likely helpful. Approach these questions with curiosity and playfulness. It might be best to be in a relaxing environment other than work when you answer; also, consider using a journal for your responses. Unlined journals will encourage you to write or draw or make a collage with your responses. Whatever you do, resist thinking that there is one "right" answer" to any question.
Ten Powerful Questions
1. What gets you up in the morning beyond the alarm clock, the dog, the kids and the train; and even besides the pay check? What motivates you to go to this job at this company at this time? Is it to get a promotion, develop others, solve problems, build a community, have fun? 2. What do you stand for as a leader? What core values drive your decisions? If you're not sure, then think about a time when you were really angry about a decision someone else at work made - what value was not being honored? 3. What do you believe motivates others to do their best? 4. How do you believe change happens - both personally and organizationally? 5. What do you want your employees to say about you when you're not around? What do you want your boss, peers, customers to say about you? 6. Who are you being when you are at your best? 7. What conditions make it easy for you to be your best? 8. What attitudes/beliefs move you forward? What attitudes/beliefs hold you back? 9. How do you define success at this point in your professional life? 10. What nourishes you?
How to Use your Answers
Look for common words, themes, values; then find a useful and creative way to capture them. For instance, write a professional mission statement that embodies the essence of what you discovered - ideally something short enough to remember and post on a 3 x 5 card. Or, if you are more visual, find or make a picture that symbolizes what you found. One client used a tree with various branches to depict her values and vision.
Talk about what you've discovered with a trusted colleague or friend.
Refer to your responses when you are struggling with a business dilemma or tough decision.
Use a compelling question from the ones listed above to generate meaningful conversation with your employees - either in one-on-one development meetings or in team meetings.
Ask yourself if your behaviors consistently align with your values. If not, what should you do to make them align?
Benefits of Cultivating Your Leadership Voice:
1. Being consistent and explicit in using your voice builds trust and fosters engagement as it helps your staff and peers understand what they can count on you for. It also feels good, which leads to doing good and feeling even better and doing even better!
2. Having clarity and certainty in your leadership voice sustains you during organizational change. You become your own anchor and you can also be an anchor to others who feel blown adrift by the stress of change.
3. You move from victim to victor as you use your voice to influence outcomes that are useful to the organization and meaningful to you.
Investing in these 10 questions is investing in your own renewal as a leader. You are creating vitalized purpose and passion by connecting who you are more clearly with what you do.

Why Will a Horse Allow You to Ride Him Into Battle?

2009-03-07T00:09:00.000-08:00

I was having a Twitter conversation with my friend, Daniel, this morning about horses, and I had some thoughts that just wouldn't fit in 140 characters.
I was talking to Daniel about how smart horses are. They aren't smart in the same way we are. They are smart in the ways they need to survive. Since horses are prey animals, they must always be aware of their environment. Their survival depends on being able to discern what is dangerous and what is not. If they perceive something to be dangerous, they are hard coded to run. On the other hand, they can't run at every leaf that rustles in the bushes. As a result, horses are black belts at reading body language.
Daniel then asked an astute question: "Why do horses allow us to ride them into battle?"
My tweet was: "Leadership. Develop a strong relationship with your horse, and he will follow you anywhere. Same w/ people."
Here's the part that doesn't fit in a tweet:
Horses crave leadership. In a wild herd, the lead stallion or mare, or the two working as a team, are always on the look out for danger. This allows the rest of the herd to relax and graze. When you meet a horse for the first time, his biggest question to you is, "Can you keep me safe?" If you can show the horse that you can be an effective leader and keep him safe, he will be happy to let you lead him.
As your relationship grows, and the horse trusts you more and more, the two of you will be able to work together and do things you could not do separately. This includes going into battle.
The same thing works with people. Most people are better followers than leaders. They are happy to let someone tell them what to do and where to go. When a leader can convince his followers that he has a vision and can protect them, they will follow him anywhere.
Horses are great teachers of leadership. If you are not an effective leader, your horse will not follow you. Unlike with people, a horse's feedback on your leadership skills are unadulterated, immediate, and honest. There is no pretense. You are either a good leader or you are not. The horse will follow you only if you can lead.

Things to Look For When Performing a Leadership Self-Assessment

2009-03-06T03:11:00.001-08:00

The issues that surrounds the self-assessment thinking depends on the scope of, what specifically is being assessed. One thought of discussion however, is the self-assessment process is in my view perhaps the most important functional exercise in the area of: organizational development and management, personal assessment and/or business leadership direction. Often times individuals in leadership positions and the staff they lead, though often hear the term think they really know what it means; ultimately, quite honestly know very little on what the true mission of the self-assessment process is. I make this statement from eight years as a quality assurance executive of a 200 million dollar program and of a staff consisting of over 300 employees. You see typically most executives underestimate the self-assessment process; and, staff have very little idea of what to expect; other than fear of being assessed and the two; leaders and staff are not on the same page in preparing for a meaningful competent revealing self-assessment process.
So how does self-assessment apply to you as an individual? From my perspective though self-assessment is typically utilized in the professional setting; if one looks at the elements of self-assessment one will begin to observe a system that is full of components that can help you with your own personal development. And so therefore, a tool that one can have at their disposal to apply in the monitoring aspect of your personal life's goals, your business qualitative results, a document used as a guide to make change in the area of quality; quality as a person and quality as a business. Stop and really think to yourself; what in your view would you like to get from a self-assessment process? The fundamental aspects of the self-assessment process to what is called in this business as; continue quality improvement (CQI); most of us would like to be in the search for excellence and most of us would like to interact with organizations that appreciate quality. In my professional opinion the primary vehicle to obtain the level of excellence and sustain excellence is to have some form of an self-assessment tool that can be utilized in order to reach quality and excellence.
The central issues one should be driven by in mobilizing a self-assessment task is to be looking for management systems that are working in isolation from the concept of interrelated management systems operations. Whether it is a larger, medium or smaller organizational setting it doesn't necessarily matter. What matters is the model of personal and professional assessment that will reveal your strengths of your program and the quality of the services rendered or the quality of life one is seeking; these are the issues of importance and these are the issues that one must take action on.
As one continues the road to success and seeking the path to quality; keep in mind the important aspect of sustainability and of quality and of one's progress. Take corrective measures in the revelations of your self assessment results. Work on enhancing your personal and professional development by addressing and ensuring that a plan of action has been formulated which will concentrate on the weakness of what your self-assessment report reveals. Look at the external factors that could embellish on the progress of improving yourself or your organization and how external factors could work on and your weakness and how you can strengthen your skills to produce better results.

Leadership - Inside, Outside

2009-03-05T00:09:00.000-08:00

In this article I aim to achieve the following:
- dispel common myths about leadership,
- emphasize the tremendous importance of personal leadership in all walks of life,
- reveal a surprising facet of leadership and
- leave you with steps to take to develop a key quality of effective leadership.
Intrigued, then read on!
Leadership is a concept that is mis understood by many people.Until recently that included me as well.
Leadership is not about telling people what to do. Nor is leadership something that has to be practiced only by senior executives in large corporations. Leadership is not a genetic trait though some are born great leaders. Leadership is very much a learnable skill. Research conducted into the lives of some of the greatest leaders reveals undeniable evidence that they had picked up effective leadership skills on the way.
To really understand leadership you have to do the following:
- Understand the evolution of leadership down the ages
- Consider some of the important leadership models
- look both inside yourself and outside.
While there are various definitions of leadership, some so academic you would become more confused than enlightened, the one I like best is:
"Leadership is about CHANGING the status quo". - Wyatt Woodsmart
Note that leadership is not about keeping things the same.
Another definition that I like is by Eben Pagan:
"Leadership is the ability to effect human behavior so as to accomplish a mission".
A Brief History of Leadership
When society first developed, a hierarchical model of leadership evolved. Some leaders were great and their people flourished. Some were not and their people suffered.
As society evolved further we got religious leaders.
And later, politicians emerged as elected leaders.
And finally business leaders.
Managers came into existence much more recently in the late nineteenth century. The common belief is that managers were invented when two trains one each from Buffalo and New York city collided. A post mortem revealed the need to have someone oversee the movements of trains.
Traditional Model
In the traditional model a charismatic / autocratic leader of pre eminent status creates a vision for the future. He then issues clear directions to his followers.
Orders flow from top to bottom.
Information flows from top to bottom.
The Modern Model.
Leadership is a collaborative process. Anyone can engage in leadership when there is a need for change.
We cannot do it all ourselves, we need others. Hence the need for collaboration.
The Inner Game of Leadership
The concept of the inner game first came into popular vogue with the publication of the phenomenal book "The Inner Game of Tennis" by Timothy Gallwey in 1972. Gallwey wrote "Every game is composed of two parts, an outer game and an inner game." The former is played against opponents, and is filled with lots of contradictory advice; the latter is played not against, but within the mind of the player, and its principal obstacles are self-doubt and anxiety.
This concept can be extended to leadership as well. What goes on inside you is more important than what goes on outside. Your state of mind, your visualizations, your beliefs, self motivation, internal behavior, how you perceive problems etc.
The inner game of leadership is particularly challenging to understand. In the business world an undue emphasis is placed on results. Results that are tangible, quantifiable and measurable. In other words the emphasis is completely on the outer game, what happens on the outside.
Most successful leaders operate out of unconscious competence. They do not know what they are doing right mentally.
Leadership and You
If you look at some of the biggest losers in life a common theme you will notice is their lack of leadership. A lack which manifests itself in their inability to attract people that can help them, an inability to collaborate with people that can help them.
Leadership is an important skill for the future because it connects people. An important equation to know is:
Your Success in Life = Your Skill As a Leader
Until you can lead yourself it is very difficult to lead others.
A Surprising Take on Leadership
Most people think leadership is about ordering people around but to become a great leader you need to become a great follower. When you become a good follower you put your personal needs aside to serve and support others. Think of it. You get promoted because you serve your boss well. Often the person at the top is one who is best at supporting others.
The best leader is one who is the best supporter of others.
What is a vision - a key attribute of effective leadership
Humans have a unique gift, an ability to imagine a future that does not yet exist. A vision is a constructive picture, an image or a slide. It does not exist yet and is better than the present.
Leadership is about conscious change so vision is key to successful leadership. All change starts with the vision. To get other people to follow you we need to communicate a clear picture to others so that picture will enter their minds and become an attractor. In the modern world the collaborative group comes together to create the vision. Therefore the real key is in creating a compelling vision conjuring up all your creativity and imagination..
To develop a vision we should engage in reflective thinking. We should replace:
Information with inspiration
Knowledge with wisdom
Isolationist thinking with systems thinking
Detailed thinking with big picture thinking
Short term thinking with long term thinking
Things that divide us with things that unite us
Naveen Thalanki is a book lover, an IT project manager and an Internet Marketeer. He is very into human psychology.
Nothing appeals more to him than searching for the best free stuff on the web

How to be your own best leader, today

2009-03-03T02:41:00.000-08:00

Lehman Brothers, AIG, Bank of America buys Merrill Lynch, the housing crisis, mortgage mess, fuel and food costs, on and on...

While it looks dire, the times are creating opportunities for more people to become true leaders - not just in business, but in their lives. Let's examine leadership from the two perspectives, personally and professionally to see where you can gain the most from these changing times.

The current Wall Street events provide a good example of why leadership in these dynamic times is so critical. A recent article in Workforce Management1 magazine pointed out how "the upheaval at Lehman and Merrill has created an unprecedented opportunity to lure star employees from two of Wall Street's most well known brands." What an opportunity for those who are the talent and those who want this high powered talent! It's an opportunity for both sides to demonstrate both personal and professional leadership that counts!

Personal leadership is most critical in the midst of a volatile market. Demonstrating personal leadership means taking full responsibility for leading your life in the direction you desire. This is an opportunity being delivered to you. Take a step back and look at all of the possibilities. Create the life and career that gives you a sense of well being and purpose. Work with a coach, take one of the online assessments for insight into your skills and expertise, talk to people who are in an area of interest, and reach out to past and potential mentors. If you're being a personal leader, your career and life will never fall victim to the current trends, hits and misses. You must establish your own brand of leadership for your life and career, so that you have your own 21st roadmap. A roadmap that bends, curves and gives you what you can always count on - control of your destiny.

Professional leadership has always had broad impact and implications whether it's done well or not. We got a glimpse of this in the current market crisis. "Leaders" were out for themselves, speculating and investing in failing marketplace products - real estate, sub-prime mortgage, etc. For over a year, the market recognized the failing real estate market and sub prime mortgage crisis, yet the last ounce of "green" was still being drained - employing the "good to the last drop" approach. (Although, investing in Maxwell House and coffee futures may have been safer, with all the late night negotiations and job searches.) The "true" professional leader is authentic in who they are and how they demonstrate leadership. They recognize the power of purpose, passion and greatness and lead from this secure, confident place. With the spotlight on attraction and retention, it will increasingly become a competitive advantage to have a cadre of authentic professional leaders in every corporation. These leaders must exemplify the role of a "true" leader to not only attract but retain this high powered talent. Building authentic leadership begins with personal leadership and integrating your purpose, passion and greatness with business objectives. It is being comfortable with the courage, confidence and inner knowing of your leadership and demonstrating it on a daily basis.

So it's time...time for the emergence of leadership that counts! Today's leader has a grasp of the role and power of being an authentic leader. They demonstrate the influence and role modeling needed to lead in the new workplace and marketplace. They recognize that the role of the leader is to empower others to be leaders. They are also "true" leaders in their personal lives; embracing the purpose and passion of their well being as a leader. "Being" a leader for your personal life will enable you to step into this authentic role with insight and energy. Having an ability to lead and empower on a level more accessible by this newly enlightened workforce is the new call to action. This convergence of leadership that counts -- personal and professional -- is what we need in our leaders today. It is what truly creates an environment where talent competes to work in.

If you are a leader, here is your call to action. Use the insights and suggestions in this article to develop your personal and professional leadership to create the opportunities for yourself and attract the talent to your company that creates great teams to lead!

Leader's Self Belief

2008-05-03T04:02:00.000-07:00

What are the factors that enable and facilitate the realization of one's potential. Why are some individuals so successful or others not so? How does one become successful? What is success?

Some interesting questions but we need not get too philosophical and buried, perhaps, in an attempt to address questions that arise in all individuals over time, no matter what position they might occupy. Here, we are not necessarily discussing "success" in its' totality. One might achieve the pinnacle of "success" in their own terms without having any material wealth or evidence of ostentatious living.

There is a host of examples in contemporary life and throughout history of spiritual leaders who have exercised and continue to exercise global influence on the lives of generations of people of all classes and creeds but had no material wealth. Now, in many walks of life, material wealth and only that, is used as a yard-stick of success. Success is determined by how many dollars, how much property, what kind of automobile, yacht, mansion, form your list of assets.

This article is not offering any value judgement on the innate differences inherent in such classifications, rather, it will attempt to identify what are some of the key driving factors that enable an individual achieve "success" in whatever terms it is defined.

We are each creatures of influence. Parental influence over our lives is critical in positive and negative ways. Expectations of parents of their sons or daughters, will influence the direction of their childrens lives, in some instances, long after the parent(s) have passed away.

There remains a residual drive to meet the expectations of father or mother or both. If those expectations were positive, encouraging, supportive and realistic, the chances are that the child will go a long way towards realizing them and being confident in their own inner-selves of their capacity to succeed.

If, on the other hand, and it is by no means uncommon, that the expectations are negative, unsupportive, failure-orientated, expressed in terms of being critical of effort and outcome, suggestive of failure, "No point, you will never get that," "You will always be in trouble", "Johnny is an average student", then those expectations will be reflective of outcome. Child will not have a store of inbuilt positive attitudes in relation to it own potential and will, on average, be average at best.

Other key infuencers are those we admire and respect and again, the social environment can be a determinant of outcome. If one lives in a socially deprived area, in regular and perhaps constant contact and communication with, for example, criminal minds, there is sufficient evidence to support the suggestion that they will be influenced their behaviour by the actiions of such people, unless it is counter-influenced by stronger values imbued by parents or others, such as teacher, sports coach,. etc.,

Belief in one's self and in one's capacity to succeed in critical to success. Nurturing that self-belief and taking actions that will re-enforce it, such as reading, attending work-shops and seminars, studying the lives and actions of accomplished leaders and individuals who have been singularly successful, assist in building understanding and supporting self-confidence.

"Knowledge is Power" is an old expression, but its' value is in appreciating that the more accomplished, expert individuals are in mastering their role, their work, their sport, the more they can influence others and the more others will be prepared to be influenced by the and follow their direction.

Understanding the innate motivating factors empowers the individual and is a key to influencing in the role of positive and effective leadership. Understanding what drives, inspires and motivates the leader enables the leader but also facilitates the identification of what are the motivators for those one wishes to lead.

Best Inspirational & Motivational Leadership Quotes

2008-05-03T03:55:00.000-07:00

For awakening the Inner Leadership we need the right training and right motivation. I believe leadership Quality is in each of us but some of us bring it more into use then others.

Ponder what it takes to be a true leader with these practical quotes that will lead you to a more precise understanding of the secrets to successful leadership...

"A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the quality of his actions and the integrity of his intent."--Anonymous

"No person can be a great leader unless he takes genuine joy in the successes of those under him."--W. H.

Auden

"Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning."--Warren Bennis

"No man will make a great leader who wants to do it all himself, or to get all the credit for doing it."-- Andrew Carnegie

"A leader takes people where they want to go. A great leader takes people where they don't necessarily want to go, but ought to be."--Rosalynn Carter

"Perhaps the most central characteristic of authentic leadership is the relinquishing of the impulse to dominate others."--David Cooper

"The first responsibility of a leader is to define reality."-- Max DePree

"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it."--Dwight D. Eisenhower

"A boss creates fear, a leader confidence. A boss fixes blame, a leader corrects mistakes. A boss knows all, a leader asks questions. A boss makes work drudgery, a leader makes it interesting. A boss is interested in himself or herself, a leader is interested in the group."--Russell H. Ewing

"Leadership is practiced not so much in words as in attitude and in actions. "-- Harold Geneen

"One of the true tests of leadership is the ability to recognize a problem before it becomes an emergency."--Arnold Glasow

"All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership. "-- John Kenneth Galbraith

"The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can't blow an uncertain trumpet."--Theodore Hesburgh

"The final test of a leader is that he leaves behind him in other men the conviction and the will to carry on... The genius of a good leader is to leave behind him a situation which common sense, without the grace of genius, can deal with successfully."--Walter Lippmann

"Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve."--Tom Landry

"Leaders must be close enough to relate to others, but far enough ahead to motivate them."--John Maxwell
"The real leader has no need to lead-- he is content to point the way."-- Henry Miller

"The leader must know, most know that he knows, and must be able to make it abundantly clear to those about him that he knows."--Clarence B. Randall

"The person who know "how" will always have job. The person who knows "why" will always be his boss."--Diane Ravitch

"A true leader is hated by most, and respected by all. A follower is liked by all, and respected by none."--Scott Smigler

"Integrity is the most valuable and respected quality of leadership. Always keep your word."--Brian Tracey
"You know what makes leadership? It is the ability to get men to do what they don't want to do and like it."--Harry S. Truman

"Leadership is not the private reserve of a few charismatic men and women. It is a process ordinary people use when they are bringing forth the best from themselves and others."--Unknown

"Nothing so conclusively proves a man's ability to lead others as what he does from day to day to lead himself."--Thomas J. Watson

"Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it's amazing what they can accomplish."--Sam Walton

Leadership Style: Which style is the most effective

2008-04-30T23:29:00.000-07:00

From Mahatma Gandhi to Jack Welch and Martin Luther King to Rudolph Giuliani, there are as many leadership styles as there are leaders. Fortunately, business people and psychologists have developed useful, shorthand ways of describing the main leadership styles that can help aspiring leaders to understand and adapt their own styles and leadership impact.

Whether you are managing a team at work, captaining your sports team or leading a major corporation, you leadership style is crucial to your success. Consciously, or subconsciously, you will no doubt use some of the leadership styles featured, at least some of the time.

Understanding these leadership styles and their impact can help you develop and adapt your own leadership style and so help you become a more effective leader.This article helps you understand 10 of the most frequently talked-about leadership styles, some good, some bad.

Understanding Leadership Styles

The leadership styles we look at here are:

Autocratic leadership
Bureaucratic leadership
Charismatic leadership
Democratic leadership or Participative leadership
Laissez-faire leadership People-oriented leadership or Relations-Oriented leadership
Servant leadership Task-oriented leadership
Transactional leadership Transformational leadership

Autocratic LeadershipAutocratic leadership is an extreme form of transactional leadership, where leader has absolute power over his or her employees or team. Employees and team members have little opportunity for making suggestions, even if these would be in the team or organization’s interest.Most people tend to resent being treated like this. Because of this, autocratic leadership usually leads to high levels of absenteeism and staff turnover. For some routine and unskilled jobs, the style can remain effective where the advantages of control outweigh the disadvantages.

Bureaucratic Leadership: Bureaucratic leaders work “by the book”, ensuring that their staff follow procedures exactly. This is a very appropriate style for work involving serious safety risks (such as working with machinery, with toxic substances or at heights) or where large sums of money are involved (such as cash-handling).

Charismatic Leadership: A charismatic leadership style can appear similar to a transformational leadership style, in that the leader injects huge doses of enthusiasm into his or her team, and is very energetic in driving others forward. However, a charismatic leader tends to believe more in him- or herself than in their team. This can create a risk that a project, or even an entire organization, might collapse if the leader were to leave: In the eyes of their followers, success is tied up with the presence of the charismatic leader. As such, charismatic leadership carries great responsibility, and needs long-term commitment from the leader.

Democratic Leadership or Participative Leadership: Although a democratic leader will make the final decision, he or she invites other members of the team to contribute to the decision-making process. This not only increases job satisfaction by involving employees or team members in what’s going on, but it also helps to develop people’s skills. Employees and team members feel in control of their own destiny, such as the promotion they desire, and so are motivated to work hard by more than just a financial reward.As participation takes time, this approach can lead to things happening more slowly, but often the end result is better. The approach can be most suitable where team working is essential, and quality is more important than speed to market or productivity

Laissez-faire Leadership: This French phrase means “leave it be” and is used to describe a leader who leaves his or her colleagues to get on with their work. It can be effective if the leader monitors what is being achieved and communicates this back to his or her team regularly. Most often, laissez-faire leadership works for teams in which the individuals are very experienced and skilled self-starters. Unfortunately, it can also refer to situations where managers are not exerting sufficient control.

People-Oriented Leadership or Relations-Oriented Leadership: The style of leadership is the opposite of task-oriented leadership: the leader is totally focused on organizing, supporting and developing the people in the leader’s team. A participative style, it tends to lead to good teamwork and creative collaboration.In practice, most leaders use both task-oriented and people-oriented styles of leadership. Servant LeadershipThis term, coined by Robert Greenleaf in the 1970s, describes a leader who is often not formally recognized as such.

When someone, at any level within an organization, leads simply by virtue of meeting the needs of his or her team, he or she is described as a “servant leader”.In many ways, servant leadership is a form of democratic leadership, as the whole team tends to be involved in decision-making.Supporters of the servant leadership model suggest it is an important way ahead in a world where values are increasingly important, in which servant leaders achieve power on the basis of their values and ideals. Others believe that in competitive leadership situations, people practicing servant leadership will often find themselves left behind by leaders using other leadership styles.

Task-Oriented Leadership: A highly task-oriented leader focuses only on getting the job done, and can be quite autocratic. He or she will actively define the work and the roles required, put structures in place, plan, organise and monitor. However, as task-oriented leaders spare little thought for the well-being of their teams, this approach can suffer many of the flaws of autocratic leadership, with difficulties in motivating and retaining staff. Task-oriented leaders can use the Blake-Mouton Managerial Grid to help them identify specific areas for development that will help them involve people more.Transactional LeadershipThis style of leadership starts with the idea that team members agree to obey their leader totally when they take on a job: the “transaction” is (usually) that the organization pays the team members in return for their effort and compliance.

You have a right to “punish” the team members if their work doesn’t meet the pre-determined standard.Team members can do little to improve their job satisfaction under transactional leadership. The leader could give team members some control of their income/reward by using incentives that encourage even higher standards or greater productivity. Alternatively a transactional leader could practice “management by exception”, whereby, rather than rewarding better work, he or she would take corrective action if the required standards were not met.Transactional leadership is really just a way of managing rather a true leadership style as the focus is on short-term tasks. It has serious limitations for knowledge-based or creative work, but remains a common style in many organizations.Transformational LeadershipA person with this leadership style is a true leader who inspires his or her team constantly with a shared vision of the future. Transformational leaders are highly visible, and spend a lot of time communicating. They don’t necessarily lead from the front, as they tend to delegate responsibility amongst their team. While their enthusiasm is often infectious, they generally need to be supported by “details people”.In many organizations, both transactional and transformational leadership are needed.

The transactional leaders (or managers) ensure that routine work is done reliably, while the transformational leaders look after initiatives that add value.The transformational leadership style is the dominant leadership style taught in the "How to Lead: Discover the Leader Within You" leadership program, although we do recommend that other styles are brought as the situation demands:Using the Right Style – Situational LeadershipWhile the Transformation Leadership approach is often highly effective, there is no one “right” way to lead or manage that suits all situations. To choose the most effective approach for you, you must consider:The skill levels and experience of your teamThe work involved (routine or new and creative)The organisational environment (stable or radically changing, conservative or adventurous)You own preferred or natural style. A good leader will find him- or herself switching instinctively between styles according to the people and work they are dealing with.

This is often referred to as “situational leadership”. For example, the manager of a small factory trains new machine operatives using a bureaucratic style to ensure operatives know the procedures that achieve the right standards of product quality and workplace safety. The same manager may adopt a more participative style of leadership when working on production line improvement with his or her team of supervisors