|
|
| Leadership Information |
|
|
You Make The Difference
What do you think makes your company successful? Your newest hardware or software? The newest system you've put into place? The best location in town? Although these are important, they are not the key to success. Today it's not enough to produce a product and get the work done. There are big challenges in running a business. Competition isn't just local it's coming from all over the world; there's always some new piece of equipment to buy; your customers have critical needs; systems can always be improved; employees have challenges you need to respond to and there are constant changes in technology. All of this means that being a good leader, manager or employee is a tall order. Being an effective communicator is just one way you can make a difference. Communication affects every part of our lives. Whether it's at work or in your family you are constantly interacting with others. Both areas involve the need for cooperation. Discussing ideas, solving problems, making plans for the future all require good interaction skills. For your interactions to be effective, you need to understand some basic needs and bring that understanding into your interactions. ? We all need to feel valued, respected, trusted and appreciated. ? We need to be listened to and have our thoughts and ideas heard. ? We like to collaborate on solving problems and get ideas and information before making decisions. Here are three suggestions on how you can make a difference. 1) How would you act differently if you really believed that all of your co-workers wanted to and were capable of being successful? Would it be possible to trust their intentions even though your styles or methods of accomplishing a task may be different? This attitude of positive regard for others increases their self esteem and is essential to good work relationships. Examples: "I'm really impressed Judy. This new system you came up with has all the information right where we need it. It's going to save the whole team a lot of time." "That's a great idea. I can see how that could reduce our costs and make a difference in our budget this next year." "Thanks for taking the time." 2) Listening and responding with understanding is at the very core of open communication. This is very important when someone is expressing feelings, either positive or negative. Responding with understanding shows that you understand what someone is feeling and why. Reflecting negative feelings helps defuse those feelings before they cause problems that might otherwise have been avoided. Ignoring them, hoping they will go away or trying to argue them away usually makes the person more emotional. When we are not being heard, we will often "turn up the volume" in order to be heard. It's equally important to reflect positive feelings. It's a great way to acknowledge another for how they feel about getting a difficult job done. This reinforces their good work and helps the other person feel even more successful. Examples: "It's frustrating trying to please people who change their minds and you are getting mixed messages." "Being acknowledged like that at the meeting has to make you feel really good". "I understand how disappointing it can be to ??" 3) When you value someone's opinions and want their help in solving a problem, they are almost always willing to help. Two minds are usually more creative and lead to better solutions and decisions than if you try to do it alone. That might mean asking someone to get involved and work with you or it might mean asking someone to take responsibility for the task and take it through to completion. Involving others in developing ideas and carrying out the tasks builds their commitment to what you are trying to accomplish. Example: "You work with these forms a lot, Susan. What ideas do you have for how they could be redesigned to work better for us?" "In the meeting the other day you came up with some good ideas. Would you be willing to work with me on getting some of them implemented?" "How do you think we could handle that?" Opportunities to practice these skills happen frequently and sometimes unexpectedly. Even though the business challenges may not have changed you may be having a little more fun! At the end of the day, stop and think about how you might have made the difference. © 2004 Julane Borth Julane Borth is co-founder of EWF International®, an Oklahoma based firm providing personal advisory boards for women business owners and executives. EWF International also offers leadership training for women. EWF International franchises are available throughout Texas. http://www.ewfinternational.com
Leadership - Google News |
|
|
|
Coaching Give Your Valentine A Very Special Gift - Empowerment Delegating is a commonly misunderstood concept. Delegating is not about dumping problems or chores you dislike doing onto the shoulders of others, it is an invaluable tool for "motivating and training your team to realize their full potential." (Blair) To Be An Effective Leader, Do A Check-up From The Neck Up Before we can effectively lead anyone, we must take an introspective view of ourselves. We must do a check-up from the neck up. We must be certain that the thoughts and attitudes we hold are in alignment with the role we perform. The Sink Or Swim Approach To Leadership Looking around in most corporate environments today you'll find mission, vision and values statements proudly displayed on the walls, in print materials and even engraved in granite. Often, they've invested a great deal of time; effort and expense in crafting just the right message to best describe the foundational principles of the company. I can't help but stop, take notice; and then wonder how this foundational wisdom is incorporated into the day-to-day operations. What's in it for the operational leaders to carry out the mission in ways that align with the vision and values? How are they taught to walk the talk? Take the Road Less Traveled "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I, I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference." - Robert Frost The Essence of Leadership What is more important, leadership or teamwork? Leadership or consensus management? Today we hear frequently about teams, team-building, and teamwork on the one hand and management by consensus on the other. Although both teamwork and consensus building are critical skills in a leader, neither are substitutes for capable leadership itself. Instead, both, as commonly practiced in business today, are an over reaction to past autocratic management styles. Tough Times Demand Resilient Leaders The stock market gyrates with unpredictable and heartburning results. Icons of solid companies become straw figures before balance sheets. Children are abducted from their front yards and networks of terrorists spiral throughout the world. Religious institutions cast shadows of duplicity while El Nino brings strange fish to the California coasts and out-of-control fires head toward ancient Sequoias. Character -- Why It Matters In Leaders "Character is much easier kept than recovered." -Thomas Paine Having Fun In Leadership "Don't measure your life by your goals, but rather by what you are DOING to achieve them." ?Unknown Communication Skills & Leadership - Organizational Communications Processes in Leadership Activity "Sooth 't were a pleasant life to lead, With nothing in the world to do But just to blow a shepherd's reed, The silent season thro' And just to drive a flock to feed,- Sheep - quiet, fond and few!" - Laman Blanchard Pure Discipline General George S. Patton was born on November 11, 1885 on his fathers ranch and vineyard in Los Angeles County over what is today the city of Pasadena and much of the UCLA campus. Early in life he was small and weak, but raw determination and drive built up body day-by-day, piece-by-piece. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 4, Quiet Participants There are many reasons why someone would decline to participate during a meeting. For example, the person may feel reluctant to speak out, may disagree with the approach endorsed by others in the meeting, or may just be tired. C4 Leadership: Taking Your Leadership (and your Life) from Good...To Explosive! Chances are if you are interested in this post, you are looking for a few tips to take your leadership and/or your life, up a notch or two. Read on for a few things that have really helped me make my leadership more explosive after first defining what C4 is. Mentor? Who Needs A Mentor? Who needs a mentor. . .everyone who is truly serious about achieving more of their true potential, personally and financially. In fact, Richard Brooke says: Why the Squirrel Kept Winning! I had the good fortune (or misfortune depending on your climate perspective) of living in Minnesota for ten years. The Summers were beautiful, Fall was spectacular with the changing colors of the leaves on trees and winter was,?well, damn cold. Leadership: Wisdom of the Ages If you gather 100 experienced leaders together to share with you their most important secrets for success, you probably wouldn't hear a lot of academic theory or jargon. Instead, this is a good idea of what you'd hear: Real Charisma, Clinton Style What exactly is Charisma? Most would agree that it is a magical, illusive, personal quality, divinely endowed on some people more than others. One thing is for certain, it is more easily identified than defined. It is the secret to being liked and agreed with by others. It is the much sought-after quality that causes people to envy others because of their congeniality and ease at which they interact with people. Charisma, like many other character traits, may be gifted more to some, but regardless of your given level, charisma, like any other skill, can be further developed. Weakness, Struggle, Fear, Knowledge, Growth, Courage, Leader Theodore Roosevelt was one of the most remarkable men in the history of the world. As a boy he wanted the boldness of his father. As a child he wanted to be a naturalist, but as a teenager he wanted to get into politics. Once in politics he wanted power, and once in power he would change the world forever. A Winning Choice for Leadership! "The only way to enjoy anything in this life, is to earn it first." -Ginger Rodgers Follow My Leader - To Effect Change, Leaders Must Walk the Talk! A leader's role Characteristics of a Good Leader It's interesting to hear the responses from executives when I ask them, "What are the characteristics of a good Leader?"
|
| home | site map | 
|
© 2006 www.elearn-university.org |
