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Four Obstacles to Exceptional Leadership--Part 1
"Most of our obstacles would melt away if, instead of cowering before them, we should make up our minds to walk boldly through them." -- Orison Swett Marden Every day leaders are faced with challenges to expand their thinking, overcome obstacles and embrace potential growth. It is my belief that leadership hinges upon the potential of success, not the possibilities of failure. Great leaders expand their horizons, challenge and invest in themselves and those who choose to follow them. As a coach, I am often asked "how can I become a more successful leader? There are four obstacles which prevent leaders from being effective. In this four part article series, we will begin to explore each of the four obstacles: 1. Guilt in Delegation 2. Failure to Lead from Your Impact Zone 3. Reluctance to Invest in Personal or Professional Development 4. "I Can Do It on My Own" Syndrome Each obstacle presents a different challenge to today's leader and offers a variety of opportunities for success and failure. Developing a better understanding of these obstacles and how to overcome them will better equip you for the fast changing world of today. The first obstacle we will explore is: Guilt in Delegation Delegation is a key ingredient in leadership and is one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome. Delegation is necessary for your success as a leader and is equally important to the development of those that chose to follow you. Why do leaders fail to delegate? Simply, many leaders do not play to their strengths because they feel guilty delegating. They spend too much time on tasks that would better serve the organization if they were delegated. As a result, they short change the areas where they can make the most impact. When you fail to delegate a task that you could and should, you find yourself in a situation that does effectively utilize the skills that you bring as a leader. You are too busy doing other things. In order to develop into an accomplished leader, you must delegate. Remember that: ? Each person is different. There may be individuals in your organization that would jump at the opportunity to do the tasks that you are reluctant to delegate. ? Everyone in your organization benefits when you delegate responsibilities that fall outside your core competencies. Thoughtful delegation will allow others in your organization to shine and allow yourself the opportunity to focus on your areas of strength. Often times it is both natural and necessary for young leaders to try to prove their worth by doing too much themselves. They want to set the pace, be a team player, and show that they can contribute in many areas. While it is true that they can show leadership by performing tasks that are outside their position, they are not truly impacting the organization in the best and most productive way. Delegation is a learned skill. What can you do to master this skill? Evaluate yourself. What are your strengths and weaknesses? In what areas can you operate that will make the most impact? Next, evaluate others. Take time to get to know them and find out what they enjoy doing the most. What are their strengths? What are the areas in which they could compliment you and through delegation would allow you to excel in leadership? Finally, how can you effectively utilize them? What can I delegate that will enable some else's strength? With this new knowledge, you can better embrace delegation. What and when should you delegate? First, create a time journal for yourself. This journal will provide a clearer picture of where you are spending your time. Once you have the journal, ask yourself these questions. 1. What am I doing that does not really need to be done? 2. What am I doing that could be done by someone else? 3. What am I doing that could be done more efficiently? 4. What do I do that wastes time? Second, delegation is a responsibility. As a leader it is your role to develop and empower others. Delegation: 1. Helps other grow 2. Establishes accountability & responsibility 3. Generates greater results 4. Creates pride and confidence for yourself and those that follow you Next, challenge your followers. 1. People rise to the challenge; let them 2. Be clear in communication. Delegate tasks in writing whenever possible and always include a deadline date 3. Give objectives, not procedures 4. Explain the relative importance of the task(s) Finally, stay the course. Certainly, there are times when it might appear easier and less time consuming to do something yourself; however, over the long term, taking the time to delegate, train or enable someone else is one of the most beneficial investments you can make for yourself and others. Ultimately, the strength of a leader is empowering others to obtain greater results. ©Anthony Mullins - Elite Coaching Alliance 2005 Anthony Mullins is the President and Coach for The Elite Coaching Alliance. He specializes in leadership development, business coaching, strategic planning, 1-on-1 coaching, facilitation, inspirational speaking and Christian based coaching. He is the author of the upcoming book "Leadership Links." Anthony can be reached by e-mail: anthony@elitecoachingalliance.com
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Coaching Why Not Lead With Emotions? Studies have shown that companies that have acquired competencies to lead with emotional excellence are far more productive and efficient because of the impact emotional excellence has on employee morale, loyalty, retention and overall performance of the organization to name a few. Character -- Why It Matters In Leaders "Character is much easier kept than recovered." -Thomas Paine The Leadership Strategy: An Unmined Comstock Lode of Results During the Second World War, Winston Churchill had a framed inscription on his desk that said, "It's not enough to say we are doing our best. We must succeed in doing what is necessary." Hidden Self Confidence Peer independence is arguably the least understood aspect of self confidence. Many people who are shy, or suffer from social anxiety, tell me that they lack confidence. However, their shyness or social anxiety is only one aspect of a constellation of qualities which combine to determine our confidence profile. Understanding peer independence helps many people to appreciate and build on their personal strengths. Cub Scout Leader Outdoor Experience Recently I attended Cub Scout Leader Outdoor Experience training. This was a 24 hour course starting Friday evening. If you are a leader whose Council officers this kind of training, I would highly recommend it. Leadership Skill Training Quality leadership is a positive asset that is needed in every organization. Observe any successful club, committee or team and you will find a capable leader in each of these organizations. What makes a successful leader? Why do some leaders inspire confidence and have an innate ability to motivate while other "leaders" are mired in mediocrity? 3 Elements of Leadership Power! In an article discussing the need for innovative products and profitable service offerings, Vinutha V., points out that, "improvements are only the expected results, not the source of competitive advantage. Improved product development through innovation arises from the knowledge and experience of employees." [Source: The Financial Express - appearing in ZDNetIndia News] The Top 10 Questions for Socially Responsible Leaders The assets of your business traditionally include property, plant, equipment, and your customer base. Progressive organizations understand that business assets also include their good reputation, responsiveness to change, the ability to conduct a constructive dialogue with stakeholders, the ability to take advantage of networked resources, and a host of other non-traditional assets. Companies are increasingly adopting socially responsible business practices based on sustainable development to ensure efficiency, stimulate innovation, and create top-line growth. This "new" approach to business must reach into every area of the organization to ensure that goals and objectives are in alignment with the mission. To begin the discovery process, ask yourself these questions: Business Leadership: How Much is in Your Credibility Bank Account? Business leaders have more than a title on their doors. They also have the trust and confidence of those who work for them; who work with them; and who buy from them. Choose Your Best Life: Where Are Your Choices Leading You? According to the dictionary choice means "to select freely after consideration, to have a preference for, to take an alternative and of high caliber." Based on this definition, I believe choice is the act of careful selection, identifying preferences and exploring quality alternatives that lead to freedom. How often do we approach our choices in such a deliberately thoughtful way? Ten Characteristics of Leadership Many people are interested in the characteristics of a great leader. There are many lists of these traits. These are quotes taken from an article by Bill George former chairman and CEO of Medtronic. According to him the most important trait is to be yourself! Elements of Timeless Leadership Great leadership is timeless, always in vogue. The world has been hungry for great leaders from time immemorial. In times of chaos and war, environmental and social upheaval, great leaders often emerge pointing the way toward peace. In times of tranquility, calm and prosperity, great leaders have emerged to maintain the systems of order and to challenge apathy. Women in Leadership - How to Get Promoted It is often much harder for women to get promoted than men. The most common characteristic of successful women is that they know how to express their excellence in a male dominated environment. How do they do it? Birth Order - Understand How It Affects Your Personality "Know thyself" is a powerful principle that leaders, managers and effective people intuitively know. 5 Power Keys For Leadership Success! Did you know that you can successfully handle most leadership challenges with just 5 simple strategies? By focusing your attention on these critical areas you can empower your the opportunities hiding within your vision, new venture or project plans. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 2, Multiple Conversations Side conversations ruin meetings by destroying focus and fragmenting participation. Who Needs Heroes? When we were talking the other day we started to think about our heroes when we were young. After we had discussed the usual film star and sports stars that we idolised I remembered Derek. Derek was a couple of years ahead of me in school and he had everything; he always got straight 'A's' and was formidable on the football field as well as one of the fastest over 100 metres. What's more he did not appear to work at it. When the rest of us were 'slaving' away at our homework or sweating buckets trying to impress on the football field or athletics track he just turned up and got on with it. A natural, was how one of our teachers described him. The Ten Commandments of Leadership A poem hangs on the wall at Mother Theresa's orphanage in India. For all who are called to lead, it is a great reminder of what we should do: 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. Beyond Authority: Debunking the Top 3 Leadership Myths Have you noticed that across the business world people are recognizing that we are fast outgrowing the thinking and language of hierarchy, but we're also struggling to create a new, more collaborative future? The challenge for all is to figure out how to operate in this emerging paradigm-the one that our own efforts are helping to shape.
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