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Follow My Leader - To Effect Change, Leaders Must Walk the Talk!
A leader's role In any change project, a leader must wear many hats, however his/her role can be split into two key areas: 1. Set the strategic direction of the change and; 2. Convince everyone of its importance. The importance of the first part of this role is generally understood and is for another article on another day, however the second part is often overlooked (or done very badly) and can be of even greater importance. Where this point is addressed, it is generally done by giving presentations and distributing memos. Although these can be necessary, they are often ignored or just paid lip service if the most important method of communicating the importance of the project is missed action. "Do as I say, not as I do!" Many of us will have heard this line from our parents (some of us just might have been known to use it with our own kids now and again), but can we remember how patronising it felt? Too often this is the message communicated to employees from senior management during a major change. Employees are expected to attend seminars and workshops (and are sent memos and emails stressing their importance). These may even be preceded by a major presentation from the managing director, stating that everyone must give full support to the project. The senior management then continue to go about their day-to-day jobs as if nothing has changed. The Managing Director misses a session he was scheduled to attend because he has a meeting with a major client then the Sales Director uses this excuse at the next session, which the Finance Director also misses because he has a meeting with the auditors. In the next round of workshops, there are no salesmen able to attend (they all have meetings with clients), the payroll clerk cannot attend because the wages must be processed and the management accountant makes his excuses because he is under pressure to get the month-end accounts out. Pretty soon the project is completely off the rails and the managing director is wondering what went wrong. The simple fact is that people follow the examples of their leaders rather than what they are told. When the Managing Director demonstrated that his meeting with a client was more important than the project, this message was picked up by the Sales Director (who also has important meetings with clients), then comes the Finance Director, who is quite sure that his meeting with the auditors is at least as important as any client meeting. This message is then cascaded down to those reporting to these directors, until no-one is attaching any importance to this project. Perception is reality Not only must the senior management team give the project the priority it deserves (and that they are telling everyone else that it has), they must go out of their way to be seen to do so. This is often best done by doing something out of character that clearly (and publicly) demonstrates the importance of the project. This may involve such activities as missing a regular golfing trip to attend a workshop session (no-one said it was going to be easy) or coming in on a Saturday morning to attend a session with Saturday staff. The trick is to get people talking in the canteen about how important the management must see this project as, if the managing director is missing his golf/Saturday mornings, etc. Listen and act As a project progresses, one of the best ways to demonstrate its importance is to listen to feedback from workshops, etc. and act on it as soon as possible. This demonstrates that the project can really make a difference and that this is everyone's opportunity to contribute to how the business operates. If senior management can demonstrate this level of commitment, the project is well on the way to success. Glen Feechan is Chief Executive of Feechan Consulting Ltd (http://www.feechan.co.uk), a business consultancy specialising in business process improvement training and consultancy. Email Glen at glen@feechan.co.uk. Glen is also the editor (and regular contributor) of Changing Business ezine (sign up at http://www.feechan.co.uk).
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Coaching Leadership and Change in a Holographic Universe Have you ever noticed that since the early part of the 20th century, nearly every new scientific theory manages to sound more and more like the same sort of metaphysical philosophies science once dismissed? Well, it's happening again and this time our views on the structure of the universe, the power of human consciousness and even the nature of reality itself are being challenged by a startling new finding: that many hard to explain events and scientific puzzles become suddenly clear and easily understood if we consider that everything we see and experience around us is not in fact a physical reality, but rather our own interpretation of an infinitely large, dynamic and multidimensional hologram, constructed by and interpreted through our own consciousness. Evil, Hostile Grumpy Listeners? Think Again I hated Kyle Sisk*. A notorious bully, Kyle punctuated my grade school years with misery. He would tease me about my weight, purposely rattle me with shocking language, delight in making me look foolish at every opportunity. Kyle had scary, penetrating eyes and sharp, jagged teeth that looked, appropriately, like fangs. He even had his own evil henchman named Eddie who would follow him everywhere, laughing a conspiratorial little laugh asking, "Heh, heh, what are we going to do next, Kyle? Heh, heh." (All Eddie was missing was a hump.) A typical encounter was the time I was walking home from school and Kyle and Eddie pounced from behind some bushes, grabbed my books and threw them in the mud. Even worse, they snatched my precious, brand new little purse and threw it into the branches of a tree, far out of reach. They then ran off cackling in triumph. I, purseless, limped home in tears. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 6, Deadlocked Discussions Although a meeting is a vehicle for resolving differences, it can break down when the participants become mired in a disagreement. Leadership - Passion, Purpose, Profit - Its Not That Hard Go to any educational institution, look at airport bookshelves, shopping centres and open your eyes to the myriad of products available today and you could be forgiven to thinking that the art of leadership was beyond mere mortals. 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 5 Steps on How to Set and Achieve Your Goals Which one is a goal? I will lose 15 pounds I want to run a marathon Quit smoking All of the above None of the above 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. Effective Listening Equals Effective Leadership: Learn How! No matter what role you play in your company, becoming a more effective listener will help you get ahead in your position. It means fewer errors, improved accuracy, and enhanced working relationships. And, listening to your customers and referral sources will definitely help you in your marketing efforts. You will solicit better information from other people whether interviewing job candidates, solving work problems, or working to make a sale. The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part One) Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B? Character Traits of Extraordinary Leaders When people make a decision (either consciously or unconsciously) to follow your leadership, they do it primarily because of one of two things: Your Character or your Skills. They want to know if you are the kind of person they want to follow and if you have the skills to take them further. Yes, there are other variables but these are the bulk of the matter. This week we focus on the kind of character that causes people to follow your leadership. The Qualities of Skillful Leadership If you want to be a leader who attracts quality people, the key is to become a person of quality yourself. Leadership is the ability to attract someone to the gifts, skills, and opportunities you offer as an owner, as a manager, as a parent. I call leadership the great challenge of life. Get Angry And Then Get Results Leadership is not about winning a popularity contest, it's about getting great results. To do so, leaders must challenge people not to do what they want to do but what they don't want to do. Professional Organizations: Join or Fold? All of us join professional organizations for a reason--a friend belongs, we need to for credibility, etc. Many times we let years slide by and we don't stop and review those reasons. Unless something sets off a boundary--lack of funds, the organization runs itself into a ditch, or a leadership problem. In Leadership, The Eight Ways Of Right Action (Part 2) In Part 1, I said that leaders who can't have people take right action are ineffective, and I listed four of the eight ways of right action. In Part 2, I'll describe the remaining four ways. The Leadership Vacuum In today's fast moving, ever changing, and highly competitive world there is a vacuum of leadership. More than ever our government, businesses, religious organizations, and our educational institutions need leaders. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 1, General Strategies for Unproductive Behavior It happens easily. You're conducting a meeting and suddenly a small side meeting starts. Then someone introduces an unrelated issue. Someone else ridicules the new issue. Everyone laughs, except the person who mentioned the idea. Then someone insults the person who told the joke. Two people stand up and walk out. Others complain that the meeting is a waste of time. Creating Unlimited Belief for Success! What's holding your team back from experiencing "breakout performance"? Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive Abraham Lincoln Is Still Alive Leadership for the Successful Entrepreneur! Why talk about leadership?" The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part Two) In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In Part Two, I'll examine the laws in more detail.
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