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Developing and Deploying Leaders in the Right Way

Helping people realize their potential as leaders means clearing a path for them to grow, but it also means identifying what they need to work on in the current job. This is where leadership gets very personal. There’s no substitute for ongoing face-to-face dialogue with people about what’s going well and what isn’t. You can’t let fear of their response undermine your know-how in helping leaders grow and improve.

Stuart, the CEO of a global manufacturing and services company, found a simple way to save Kate, who had the potential to be a great CFO but was having trouble adapting to the company’s Midwestern culture. Kate was hired for her tremendous talent in finance, and she made contributions in her first year by surfacing important issues and having the tenacity to keep them on the table. But others on the executive team complained regularly that she was too gruff with her peers and too intimidating to the people below her. She just didn’t seem to fit in. Stuart recognized the talent and contribution and decided to be frank with her about what she had to change. He even got her a coach, but he was careful in choosing one. He didn’t want Kate to lose her edge; he wanted her to continue to raise tough issues and set a high standard, just to do so more constructively. Her coach was frank about what was at stake and made some specific suggestions. One of them was to emphasize the positives as well as the negatives in her subordinates’ presentations. Instead of cutting people down in front others, signal what was good, then make specific suggestions about what to improve. And stop using four-letter words — that was an absolute. Within a couple of weeks, people noticed the difference. The company retained a high-caliber individual, and Kate herself is working hard to improve with encouragement from her colleagues, who see the change in behavior.

The 360 evaluations many companies use can be helpful, but you have to be thoughtful about how you use them. Don’t try to cover everything; zero in on one or two things the person has to work on. For one leader, the 360 showed a low rating (less than 3 on a 5-point scale) in every item having to do with peer relationships. He was one of four internal candidates to succeed the CEO, and the low rating puzzled his boss. The CEO knew him to be a great performer who regularly delivered 70 percent of company profits, and he was a born learner who stayed at the top of his game. He was also a good conceptualizer. But obviously there was something going on when it came to working with colleagues. By persistently digging and asking pointed questions, his boss got to the nub of the problem. When he respected the other person, the guy was great. When he didn’t, his disdain was very visible. This type of behavior was keeping him from reaching his potential. The CEO brought this pattern to the leader’s attention, and he instantly agreed that it was true and promised to try to curb that behavior. This kind of reflection, whether you do it on your own or with the help of a mentor or coach, improves your judgment and is essential to mastering each of the know-hows.

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The Unheard Third: How to identify, grow, and keep your latent leaders

Leaders lead. Followers follow. And then there’s The Unheard Third™: The people in the middle who, for one reason or another, fall through the leadership cracks when they’re passed through or passed over. These latent leaders are the next generation achievers whose potential has yet to, or may never be, turned into performance: Failing to distinguish themselves from the rest of the pack, they just blend into the background,. They’re leaders, but just not yet. Left untended, The Unheard Third™ grows more and more disengaged, discontented and disheartened. Eventually, they become just another retention statistic.

There are millions of people who are waiting to make a contribution, who are enthusiastic about their work and their lives: They are waiting to let the rest of the world know about both. And companies can either tap into their enormous potential, or waste a precious resource and lose a competitive advantage.

So why do these folks languish under the radar, unrecognized and unrewarded? Though it’s not for lack of talent, skill or intelligence the reasons are still plentiful. Remember: un-mined does not imply incapable. (Could one of these describe you?

They don’t quite qualify for the high potential track. They haven’t yet learned the skills to stand up and stand out-to get the recognition they deserve.

They don’t know where they’re going or, if they do, they don’t know how to get there (grab a mentor, please).

They’re disengaged in their careers-what they have to offer is de-valued, untraditional or under-utilized so they haven’t put their skin in the game.

They just don’t see themselves as leadership material or they don’t identify with the word “leadership”. (This is particularly problematic for women who are fully two thirds of The Unheard Third™).

As the middle child in the organizational family, The Unheard Third™ is virtually invisible to the people who can positively influence their careers because, in actuality, they themselves feel invisible. Akin to the middle child in a family of origin, this group refuses to be categorized, is independent by nature and often has a sense of not belonging.

Failing to fit neatly into traditional definitions of leadership, they are needlessly discarded or ignored, more out of efficiency and convenience than for any other reason: Like it or not, most companies simply run smoother when things are nice and neat and tidy. But nice and neat and tidy betrays creativity, innovation and growth. In fact, The Unheard Third™ obstinately refusing to fit into an uninspired model of leadership might be precisely what is needed to shake up your organization and incite change.

Let’s face it-there’s no such thing as one-size-fits-all genius: We each arrive with our own brand of brilliance and never is this more crucial than when business is tough or times troubling. Looking at The Unheard Third™ through the lens of opportunity, this population is an invitation to dismantle the status quo and to explore rich resources and previously disregarded talent in the most unlikely of places. This group teaches us the consummate lesson in diversity by being, well… diverse. They demand we broaden our definition of leadership. They remind us of the value of commitment, and the price we pay for forgetting that. By far it’s greatest contribution to the workplace lies with the fact that The Unheard Third™ is the ultimate study of the do’s and don’ts of engagement-the intrapersonal and interpersonal relationship between individuals, their work, their purpose and their passion.

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Criminal Background Checks are the Price of Admission

Criminal background checks are considered to be of great value in the some fields. In the world of day care centers background checks are considered to me just like the price of admission.

In some day cares, such as the KinderCare in Marlborough, the director stated that the employees hired at her day care center are first evaluated with a background check. This involves all employees at the center. They are also required to go through an annual check-up also.

The director of this KinderCare believes that the state’s enforcement of background checks should currently go through an expansion. This is because it is a good tool to better evaluate and set rules and regulations as to who is working with the children.

She also states that you can not be careful enough these days as to who works with your children on a daily bases. It is very important to do a criminal background check before putting them in this type of situation.

Of course rules and regulations must apply when evaluating a criminal record. What applies to denial of employment should be considered as well as what should be ignored. In other words, companies and businesses must determine what the offense is and whether it is serious enough to deny employment.

http://www.backgroundcheckunlimited.com

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Dust That Crock Pot Off!

What’s slow and steady and will fit right into your face-paced life? Would you believe cooking with that old crock pot?!

Going slower in terms of cooking can actually help you go faster in the long run. Make sense? Keep reading and it will. When you prepare a crock pot meal in the morning, the food will be ready when you get home. No more waiting for the oven to preheat or food to defrost in the microwave.

Fast and slow cooking entered American kitchens in a big way during the 1970s. Rival introduced the Crock Pot slow cooker in 1971 (the slow cooking appliance was originally called a beanery). Microwave ovens also became affordable during the 1970s. (They actually went on the market in 1952 for the price of $1,295). By the 1980s, most couples could count on receiving at least one crock pot as a wedding gift. While it’s almost unthinkable to cook without a microwave today, many crock pots have been relegated to the closet shelf. It’s time to revive the Rival!

Five reasons to dust of the crock pot and start slow cooking again.
1. Save money. Starting a meal in the crock pot in the morning can save you from the temptation of grabbing fast food during the evening family rush hour. Save those fast food bucks for a meal out at a nice restaurant on the weekend when you have time to sit and enjoy it.
2. Save money. This reason’s so nice we said it twice. Crockery cooking can make less-expensive cuts of meat tender and delicious.
3. Save time. Cook when you have more energy and less stress. Have your food ready and waiting for you rather than the other way around. You’ll also save time on clean up. After the meal, you’ll have just one pot to wash. If you have a crock pot with the removable crockery liner (and you really should), clean up is extra easy.
4. Eat healthy. It doesn’t take a nutritionist to know that a meal of meat and veggies with a green salad on the side is going to be better for your body than another frozen pizza.
5. Keep your kitchen cool and your food hot. You won’t have to heat up the whole house just to roast a chicken or cook a pot of stew. The crock pot also frees the oven and stove for other foods when you’re cooking a big meal.
To make the most of your rediscovered crock pot, try not peek at the food while it’s cooking. Every time you lift the lid, you add 20 minutes to the cooking time.

To convert regular recipes for use in the crock pot, reduce the amount of liquid by one-third to one-half, unless you’re making soup, rice or beans.

I hope this all makes sense. The best part about crock pot cooking is all the recipes you can make with the same crock pot. Just cut up the ingredients, throw them in the crock pot, wait 8 hours and a delicious meal is ready!

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Earth Day Every Day

Each Spring, my family and I participate in a town-wide Earth Day clean-up effort. We don heavy gardening gloves and set out with buckets and trash bags to clean up a nearby portion of state forest that borders a busy street. This quarter mile stretch seems to be a magnet for bottles, cans, cigarette butts and fast food wrappings. We are always amazed by how much we accumulate in a short time. We sort the trash into rubbish, which we throw away, and recyclables, which we clean and bring to the recycling area of our public works department. (We collect far more than what would fit in our curbside recycling bins.) Afterwards, it is so rewarding to admire the pristine woods.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t stay clean for long. Within a few days, I often spot several new cans and wrappers as I walk or jog by, and I’ll come home with another handful of trash. This makes me realize that it’s not enough to do an annual clean-up blitz on Earth Day. To really make a difference, we need to think of every day as Earth Day. Here are some practices we can adopt to contribute to a greener planet:

REDUCE If you’ve recently looked around on a trash collection day, I think you’ll agree that we produce a staggering amount of garbage. There’s a disposable version of most consumer goods: contacts lenses, razors, grocery bags, paper plates, plastic utensils, juice boxes, and now even disposable cutting boards. Consider using cloth napkins, canvas bags for your groceries, reusable plastic containers for sandwiches, and refillable bottles for water and juice. Single serving packages may be convenient but they create more waste than buying in bulk. See how much you can cut back on what you throw away.

REUSE Before you throw something out, think if there is someone else who could use the item. There are many organizations that welcome donations of clothes, shoes, furniture, household items, computers, books, toys, bikes, and even cars! One man’s trash can be another’s treasure.

RECYCLE Educate yourself about what’s recyclable in your area and take full advantage of curbside and town recycling. Bottles, cans, plastic milk containers, paper-including newspaper, magazines and junk mail all belong in the recycling bin, not the trash. From my observations, many people don’t realize that cardboard boxes, pizza boxes, egg cartons, and even cereal boxes can also be recycled. You may have to take some items to designated recycling bins at a local dump or public works department.

DETOX Pollutants are taking a toll on our air, water, soil, and health. There are environmentally friendly lawn and garden products that can be just as effective as pesticides and chemical fertilizers. Using compost as a mulch and leaving nitrogen-rich grass clippings on your lawn are just two natural landscaping strategies. Inside the home, you can choose non-toxic cleaning supplies. On the Internet you can find many recipes using common pantry staples like vinegar, salt, and baking soda to replace many household cleaners. Also, learn what items, such as computer and TV’s with their cathode ray tubes, oil-based paint, motor oil, mercury thermometers, and some batteries are considered hazardous waste, and find out how to properly dispose of them.

Read more: Earth Day Every Day

Team Building – What and How??

“Coming together is a beginning.
Keeping together is progress.
Working together is success.”
– Henry Ford

You got it! Team building is the art of building a team with a can-do attitude to achieve targets or business goals. And keeping the team intact is an essential part of the process.

Do I really need this?

In an increasingly shrinking world, people move across the planet chasing their dreams. As a result, you need to work with different groups of people at different times. It’s not always easy for everyone to get along. Have we touched a raw nerve…?

The good news is that there are ways to bind your team together into one tight workforce.

Do I need to hypnotize team members?
Hell, no! It’s much tougher than that… just kidding.

The goal of team building is to help create better focussed and effective teams that are result oriented. Successful managers will probably give you the following mantra.

§ Leave no room for doubt – Communicate to the team your expectations on performance. Tell them why the team has been formed and how important they are to the organization.
§ Assess their comfort level – You need to understand the mood of the team – what do they feel about its composition? Do they feel that they have the knowledge, skill and capability to accomplish a mission? Are they in need of resources?
§ Empower – Make the team feel an integral part of your success. Allow them not only to take some decisions but also assume the responsibility necessary to achieve targets. This will bring in a sense of ownership.
§ Review progress – Periodically make sure to talk through the team’s progress, so everyone knows where they’re headed.
§ Be generous with praise – Anticipate & recognize their achievements. Reward an extra special performance. This will motivate them to take on further challenges.
§ Make room for innovation – Tell them you’re open to creative thinking, unique solutions and new ideas, as long as they’re not too wacky. Allow for a measure of risk taking.
§ Let them in on the decision making process – Change is particularly hard to swallow. If you involve the team in the decision making process, chances are, you’ll improve the odds of a successful implementation.
§ Enjoy the experience – Last, but not the least, make it fun for the members to work with each other. People rarely remember what you say, but they’ll never forget how you made them feel. And that’s the crux of team building.

Team building is a strategic tool that helps you harness the potential of your employees and makes for a strong and vibrant organization. On the other hand, a poorly planned and disorganized team might fail to deliver and result in disillusionment, low self esteem and demotivation.

Ben Franklin knew what he was talking about when he said
”We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately.”

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Why Learning is a Leader’s Most Important Skill

Ask anyone to give you a list of skills that describe a highly effective leader and I’m guessing they’ll give you a pretty extensive list. (Go ahead, make a quick mental list right now.)

Since I’ve done this many times in groups I am accustomed to what I will hear or read. These lists typically include: Leaders must have vision, they must be compassionate, they must be good communicators, they must build relationships, they must work well in teams, they must be powerful persuaders…and many other similar sentiments. All are excellent observations.

Rarely though do I find someone listing the most basic, underlying skill of all.

Learning.

Highly effective, remarkable leaders must be continuous, lifelong learners.

There are at least four reasons why I believe this is true: the complexity of leadership, the nature of change, the role of leaders to model for others and the overall source of leadership. Let me explain.

Leadership is a complex endeavor. Humans are complex, and a leader is dealing with more than just his or her own complexities. They are tasked with understanding the complexity of human behavior and interactions across many people. When we put it this way, the role can seem daunting. Something this complex won’t be mastered quickly. Remarkable leaders know that the mastery of these complexities is a lifelong journey with no defined endpoint. The result? The need and desire to be in a continuously learning mindset.

The status quo requires no leadership. Think about it. If everything in the current situation was great – if there was no need for change – how much leadership would be needed? Leadership is required because we want to move somewhere. In other words, the need for leadership is predicated on change, and so leaders must be prepared to work under changing conditions. If conditions change, then learning is required to continually adapt to and work under the changing conditions. Remarkable leaders know their job is to move people through status quo. Therefore they know that they must continue to grow themselves to meet the needs of the situations and the people they are leading.

We must model it for others. While the needs and forces for learning are great, leaders aren’t just learning for themselves. Sure they are learning for their own competency and confidence as well as to better serve those they are leading, but they also are setting a tone and modeling for those that are following them. When you are a leader, whether by position or reputation, people are looking to you – whether you like it or not, you are a role model. How then, can leaders expect their teams to continue to grow and develop if they aren’t doing it themselves?

Better leader = better human. The best leaders are learners for all of the reasons above (and their own other reasons), but they also know something else. They know that in the end, the skills that make them better leaders also make them more highly functioning human beings. Remarkable leaders are learners because they want to be better leaders and because they want to be better people. For example, learning how to communicate more effectively makes you more effective in more than in just your role as a leader – that skill development, that growth, spills out into every part of your life. If none of the other reasons above are compelling enough for you, this one should be!

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Is There An Increasing Need For Leadership, Or Is It Just Hype? 5 pointers for potential leaders

Of all the things that have changed over the last few centuries, and particularly the massive amount of change experienced during the last 100 years, the one constant that remains is the need for good leadership.

Whether it be for leading nations, organisations, teams or even relationships, effective leadership is sought by all.

Traditionally, the view of leadership was that there were leaders and followers – each with his or her assigned or expected role. This is probably still true today. However, there is a growing body of authors and researchers who suggest there might be a broader definition of leadership. Many would suggest for example, that within organisations, we are now at a time when all employees will have to take turns at leading, where they see the need to influence others in order to achieve their goals (“Leadership – Do We Know What It Is? 4 Pointers To Start You On The Road To Becoming A Leader” http://www.leader-values.com/content/detail.asp?ContentDetailID=1101).

Even in the wider community, the leadership of groups is not the old fashioned “follow me” type. Noted author Charles Handy (“The Leader Of The Future” 1996) first described this new type of leadership as “distributed leadership”.

Handy inadvertently got a look at what distributed leadership might look like when giving a presentation in the UK, Handy facetiously compared an English team to a rowing crew.

“Eight people going backward as fast as they can, without speaking to each other, steered by the one person who can’t row.”

An oarsman in the audience corrected him; “How do you think” he said, “that we could go backward so fast, without communicating, if we were not completely confident in each other’s competence, committed to the same goal, and determined to do our best to reach it? It’s the perfect description for a team”.

Handy had to agree that he was right, but then asked: “Who is the leader of this team?”

“Well”, he said, “that depends. In the race, on the job, it is the little person at the back of the boat, the one who can’t row, who is in charge. He, or often she, is the task leader. But there is also the stroke, who sets the pace and standard we all must follow. Off the river, however the leader is the captain of the boat. He or she is responsible for choosing the crew, for our discipline, and for the mood and motivation of the group, but on the river, the captain is just another member of the crew. Finally, there is the coach, who is responsible for our training and development. There is no doubt who is the leader when the coach is around. We don’t have any one leader,” he concluded, “nor do we give anyone that title. The role shifts around, depending on the stage we are at.”

- What stage is your organisation, your team, your relationship at?

- What stage are you at?

In my work as a consultant with many different and diverse organisations, groups, teams and cultures, I see three constant leadership issues emerging around this need for distributed leadership.

Read more: Is There An Increasing Need For Leadership, Or Is It Just Hype? 5 pointers for potential leaders

Cruise Ship Jobs

It might be an exotic dream to work aboard a cruise liner but can be just as exhausting. Among the 300 or so liners, the minimum crew is a couple of hundred. Some liners have crews of 500 or more. However, with this many employees working together at such close range, you will get to know many people very well over a period of time this way.

There are a variety of employment opportunities on cruise ships. There are positions available in the many entertainment venues on board including singers, dancers musicians, comedians and photographers. Competition is tough because the cruise line look for only the best in their fields in order to guarantee passenger satisfaction. Positions are also found in the ship’s casinos and shops and eating facilities. These consist of waiters, waitresses, hosts, chefs, security, card dealer, slot attendants, clerks, etc. All luxury yachts need crews (marine and deck jobs) to maintain and operate the vessel, and health clubs, spas and salons are always looking for experienced staff. Openings are often found for engineers, technicians, and other crew positions.

A medical staff is also hired for the general well being of passengers and in case of emergencies. There is at least one physician and a nurse, and on some liners there are also massage and physiotherapists as part of the ship’s staff.

Basically, people in all fields can apply for marine jobs. They pay well and a vacation is an added bonus. Applying and getting the job is the toughest part. The rest is, as everyone says, a breeze.

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Leadership: Genuine Service or Ego?

For about a year, I considered applying for a position on the board of a local non-profit organization whose mission I believe in deeply. I felt that my education, skills, and experience would help them. Eventually, I approached one of the board members and expressed my interest. I was excited at the prospect of being involved in good work; I could not stop talking about it. Two of my friends called board members to express their support for my involvement. Here was my chance to engage in community leadership and to honor my belief in the value of service. T he eagerly awaited call finally came. To my surprise and disappointment the caller said, “Well, we’re not sure you’re what we need on the board at this time.” There was more to the conversation but that sentence was all I heard. My heart sank. I felt a knot in my stomach. For two days, my emotions bounced from sadness to anger to frustration. I knew this organization was in need of board members. I was offering my time and energy. How could they not want me? I am not pleased to admit that I found myself planning to withdraw the donation I had pledged to them. I began to plot my revenge.

Then it hit me.

My sadness and disappointment over the rejection of my application hijacked my good intentions. I stepped out of leadership. One minute I said I supported the organization’s mission. I wanted to help lead it into the future. The next minute I was ready to bring the organization down because of my wounded pride, my deflated ego. I made the prospective board membership about my ego rather than about the organization’s best interest.

Leadership is about service. It is about being a part of something bigger than we are. It is about contributing to the world around us. Leadership requires us to offer the best of ourselves to solve the problems we find in that world. Such leadership can and should be personally rewarding. When we make it about looking good, impressing others or meeting some ego-driven need, however, we serve an individual agenda. Thus, we fail to serve the common good. We risk undermining the good we want to do.

A word of caution: effective leadership does not require us to lose ourselves in service. A call to service is not a call to martyrdom. Leadership in the name of service requires that we take care of ourselves — but that is a topic for another article.

• Think of your various leadership roles.
• Which of these roles do you perform in the name of service?
• Are there cases where you ought to check your ego?

If the answer to the last question is yes, do not abandon the leadership role. Step back and consider what you want to accomplish. Re-align yourself with your original good intention. Trust that you will know the best way to proceed once you have your ego in check.

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How Can We Define Leadership?

“Wherever you see a successful business, someone once made a courageous decision.”
Peter F. Drucker

Undoubtedly, he’s talking about the leader who walks the path which others fear to tread. So how are these people different from the ordinary? More importantly, do you have what it takes to be a good leader? Read on.

First of all, let us define leadership so that everyone’s on the same page.

Leadership is the process by which a person influences others to accomplish an objective. Leaders have vision which they share with others. It is the leader who binds the organization with beliefs, values and knowledge.

Having said all that, there is no single magic mantra. Different organizations, being influenced by their own set of circumstances, will necessarily differ in the way that they define leadership. What is important is to understand that leadership is an art which can be mastered. It calls for you to raise your performance to higher standards and think outside your limitations. The basis of good leadership is character and the willingness to make sacrifices for the sake of the organization. In short, it takes nerve!

Leaders, by definition, set examples for others to follow. But before that happens, they will have to prove their worth. Leaders are constantly being observed by those who are expected to follow and whose respect they must earn. For this reason, integrity and courage define leadership better than any pompous statement!

Leadership is that important element which separates the extraordinary from the run of the mill. If you’re seeking to become a strong leader, you will have to show drive, energy, determination, self-discipline, willpower, and spirit. Only then will you be able to motivate others to overreach themselves.

At this point, you’re probably thinking that anyone can define leadership, and it’s easier said than done. We’ve got a slightly different take on this. We believe everyone can improve their leadership skills, provided they work towards it.

Not convinced yet? OK, let’s play a simple game. Take a few minutes to write down the first ten phrases which, according to you, best define leadership. Come back to the rest of this section after you’re done.

Chances are you’ll find most of your phrases in this list.

§ Honesty – That’s a no-brainer. Unreliable behavior on your part will not win trust and respect. Never compromise your ethical standards.
§ Proficiency – You can’t expect to teach others if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
§ Vision – You need to be able to see ahead of most and set goals for the future.
§ Inspiration – The best way to motivate others to reach new heights is to teach them to believe in themselves.
§ Intelligence – So what if you’re no Einstein! You can learn from every situation, and from those who have a certain expertise which you might lack. Observe, ask questions and imbibe – that’s what true intelligence is all about.
§ Fair-mindedness – Playing favorites is a surefire way to failure as a leader. As a leader, it’s much more important to be fair than be popular.
§ Open-mindedness – Don’t dismiss a new idea, just because it hasn’t been tried out before. An open-minded leader is an effective one.
§ Boldness – Leadership is not for the fainthearted. You must have the nerve to take calculated risks and with that the ability to stay confident and calm under stress.
§ Imagination – Be creative in the way you set new goals, plans and methods.
§ Positive attitude – Do not think about failure before it actually arrives. And if it does, take it up as one more challenge. In the words of Thomas Edison, “Our greatest weakness lies in giving up. The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time.”
§ Courage of conviction – It takes courage to deviate from the trodden path. But think of the leaders you look up to. How many of them would be where they are if they hadn’t backed their instincts?

If you pay close attention, you’ll find that each of these can be broken down to a process. And anybody can follow one if they try hard enough.

Read more: How Can We Define Leadership?

Develop Your Leadership Styles and Skills

What is it that has set the great leaders and entrepreneurs of the world apart from the rest of the world? You know what I’m talking about- the truly remarkable ones that have made their mark on the world. Sam Walton didn’t create the Wal-Mart Empire overnight, and he certainly didn’t do it alone. He had a group of quality employees working for him, a group that both respected and admired Mr. Walton and of his accomplishments. He is a prime example of possessing the right leadership styles and skills to get the job done, and created and kingdom in the process.

Of course, success means different things to different people; therefore the personal definition of leadership must also be different. The dictionary lists the word “leadership” as the ability to or the activity of leading. Ronald Reagan, one of the most respected presidents that the United States ever had (with one of the highest approval ratings to boot), watched a nation suffer with double digit unemployment for years. Napoleon was a great leader, and so was Attila the Hun, but neither of them was liked very much by those they led, but were either respected or frightened into following as they did. “Ruling with an iron fist” is what these gents did best, but this means demanding respect as a form of leadership is not the best way for everyone. You need to find what will work best for you, your needs and your goals. The big trick is to find them.

We’ve all heard the proverbs like “There is no “I” in T-E-A-M” and “We can’t Spell “SUCCESS” without “U”. Motivational speakers around the globe are always speaking of believe, conceive, and achieve. And while these all seem to make sense, it can be tough to put these tidbits of information and proverbial quotes to work and attain the results that we’re looking for, and there’s only so much room in the business world for trial and error. So what exactly are those of us climbing up the corporate ladder or building our own rung-by-rung supposed to do?

A plan needs to be created, filled with different ideas from different angles. Timelines need to be set with as much detail as possible. Finally, a goal needs to be deciphered amongst it all, one that is reasonable and undoubtedly achievable. If the plan isn’t working for one reason or another, you must be able to switch to a different route without disruption, as disruption can cause chaos, which can set you farther back from where you started.

There are a number of quality websites out there designed for the sole purpose of relaying quality information and ideas about leadership and the business world, passing on information on a plethora of shapes and forms, all which has worked for so many. By taking one idea from one success story and another idea from the next, you’ll be sure to create your own plan and story of success.

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Five Signs of a Great Leader

When we think of successful leaders, we often think of people like Abraham Lincoln, John F. Kennedy, Mahatma Mohandas Gandhi, people who have made a difference in the lives of millions.

Whether it’s a leadership of millions, thousands, hundreds, or just a few dozen, there are certain attributes of a leader that shine through. Though some may assume that great leaders are born and not made, we know that’s not true. With the right motives, training, hard work and persistence you too can be a great leader. It doesn’t matter if your desire is to be the leader of a large company, a new church or your own little family the attributes are the same.

1. Desire: First and foremost is your desire to lead. Leadership takes a great deal of work, so what motivates you? The prime motivator is usually passion. Passion to be the best company, the fastest growing company; the church helping more people than any other, a force in the community, or the happiest, most grounded family unit. Passion to be the biggest, the best is a powerful motivator. Ask yourself what you most want to achieve in your life and the life of others. Then guide your group to creating even more motivation. Keep in mind the words of Ralph Waldo Emerson who said, “Nothing great is ever achieved without passion.”

2. Vision: It can be a vision of what you want your company to achieve, what difference you want to make in your community or the vision you have for your children and their future. Write down your vision, flesh it out and know precisely what that vision entails. Know how you’ll get from Point A to Point B. You can’t make a plan without a detailed vision of what you hope to achieve.

3. Creativity: This is where your plan starts. You have the vision of what you want to achieve, now you set it out step by step. You know where you want to end up, but you need the road map to get there, the plan to get you and your workers, family or parishioners to the ultimate goal. This is where you ask your people the challenging questions and get them running with the ideas you’ve generated and inspire them to be creative as well. John Quincy Adams said, “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.”

4. Expertise: Naturally, the more expert you are concerning your company, or community or family, the better. You must hone your information gathering abilities. Knowledge is power. It’s also essential that your people recognize and respect your expertise and trust your abilities to lead them. Let your group see you as the expert, and know they can trust you to guide them to success.

5. Respect: Respect for others is an essential attribute in a great leader. You should compliment others when they show progress. Always praise in public and condemn in private. This shows respect for your workers, family and parishioners as fellow human beings. As the leader of any group, it’s your responsibility to help them sort out their conflicts. Remember, their problems are your problems. Acknowledge their strengths and their weaknesses. On the positive side, you should also help them celebrate their achievements and accomplishments. And you should listen to their ideas and suggestions, and then let them help you implement them. This will fire up their motivation in doing the required tasks.

Remember, “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.

Read more: Five Signs of a Great Leader

Conduct Your Own Leadership Seminar: The 10 Step Process

The Value of a Leadership Seminar

Contrary to the opinion of many, leadership skills can be taught, and many effective leaders have learnt the various strategies needed to accomplish leadership. It is not something that you necessarily have to be born with, although of course life may be somewhat easier for those people if choosing leadership roles. So an advertised leadership seminar will not be there simply to hone the skills of natural leaders, it may be there to teach leadership skills to those without that natural advantage.

Employee Satisfaction

Trust in our leaders is a very important indicator of unlikely employee satisfaction in an organisation. But how can this be taught through the simple forum of a leadership seminar? As it turns out, quite straightforwardly. The needed trust and confidence are a result of effective communication in three essential areas: identifying the employee’s place in the company, communicating the business plan, and communicating and setting the organisations business goals and how the individual may contribute to them.

Principles of Leadership

The U.S. Army have identified ten principles of leadership. They are very straightforward

1. Knowing your job. You need to know what needs to be done and how to do it along with those jobs undertaken by comrades. Many times we may see in the workplace jobs delegated to junior staff in the leader’s sincere belief that they are quick to perform; this may not be the case at all in practice.

2. Seek out responsibility and take responsibility when matters go awry. We can see this happening in the workplace all around us all the time.

3. Make decisions in a solid and timely fashion. An effective leadership seminar will deal with problem solving and how to make and take decisions.

4. Example setting. An obvious one perhaps, but we all need an example to follow; perhaps hard work is a good example of this.

5. It is important that our leaders also look out for us – for some this may come naturally, but a leadership seminar will cover this too.

6. This deals with communication again, with an effective leader ensuring that all around him are aware of relevant situations.

7. The important task of encouraging beneficial character traits in co-workers.

8. Communication; again employees must know what is expected of them in going about their tasks and what are the signs that they have been completed successfully?
9. Teams must be trained together; they are not just a collection of individuals.

10. Lastly, the full potential of the organisation must be utilised.

That should be enough to run your own leadership seminar – good luck!

Read more: Conduct Your Own Leadership Seminar: The 10 Step Process

Seven Tips For Giving Effective Criticism

There are times when you are required to give criticism to others. This can be a potentially volatile situation that does not lead to improvement, and may even end up in resentment.

Here are seven tips for giving effective criticism that will generally achieve the outcome you want without harming your relationship with the person you are criticizing.

1. Potential Solution

Make it a rule to never criticize without offering a potential win-win solution. If the other person sees that you have thought about the situation and that your aim is to improve the outcome for all concerned then they are much more likely to accept the criticism and act on it.

2. Short And To The Point

Keep your criticism short and to the point and always start by pointing out what you ARE happy with before pointing out what you are NOT happy with. Precede the criticism by asking “do you mind if I speak bluntly for a moment?”

3. Talk In Terms Of Your Own Mistakes

It is a lot easier for a person to face up to their mistakes if you talk in terms of your own mistakes. By drawing a parallel between the current situation and one in which you made a mistake you are allowing the other person to realize that it is okay to make a mistake and that they can go past that mistake to achieve good results in the future.

4. Allow Others To See Their Own Mistakes For Themselves

The best form of criticism is to create a situation that allows the other person to see their own mistakes (before you need to directly criticize them). This is not always possible but with a little thought you will be able to do this a good percentage of the time. It also has the benefit that people generally learn better when they become aware through their own experience.

5. Allow The Other Person To Retain Their Dignity

Being criticized has the potential for being embarrassing. If a person becomes embarrassed they may react by arguing for there limitations rather than opening their mind to a better way of doing things.

Allow the other person to retain their dignity at all times throughout the criticism and, wherever possible, deliver the criticism in private.

6. Finish On A Positive Note

Always finish on a positive, inspiring point and maintain good rapport. Let the other person know that it’s okay to make a mistake and that you have confidence in their ability to improve the situation.

7. The End Result

There should only ever be one reason for criticizing and that is to get a better end result than the result you are getting now.

Before you start criticizing make sure you know clearly what result you want. If you hold that desired result in mind and you apply the tips you have just learned you will find that most of the time you will get the result you seek and all concerned will be happy about it.

Read more: Seven Tips For Giving Effective Criticism

7 Tips To Becoming an Inspirational Leader

I was recently asked “What would you say is the one real key to finding and keeping people?” After thinking for a moment, I said “Leadership.” The reason is that an inspirational leader in any field – business, sport, politics – draws in great people to work with them through their own magnetism. But what is it that these leaders do that makes them stand out? And how can this help you recruit and retain the right people?

Here are 7 tips given by people much wiser than myself on the subject of leadership:

1. “The Very Essence Of A Leader Is That You Must Have A Vision” (Theodore Heburgh) – Have you taken time to undertake some longer-term strategic thinking? – Yes, I am sure you can manage the day-to-day aspects of your work – but where do you see your business in 3 years, or 5 years? – What does this mean for your team over that time? The clearer and more exciting your vision, the easier it becomes to attract and retain the best people in your market

2. “Leaders don’t force people to follow – they invite them on a journey” (Charles S. Lauer) – Once you have a powerful vision about where your business is going, you then need a map for that journey – This means developing a plan and articulating it to current and future employees: a plan to get people excited about where your business is going, where their careers could go and so inspiring them into joining you and then remaining with you

3. “If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader” (John Quincy Adams) – It’s all very well talking about a vision and planning, but “actions speak louder than words” – Leading by example demonstrates your commitment to building your business and developing a future for your staff as well as yourself

4. “I start with the premise that the function of leadership is to produce more leaders, not more followers” (Ralph Nader) – Modern leaders focus on developing and growing people – people who will help to build the future of your business and help to lead it. – Not everyone has the potential to be a leader of people but, led in the right way, they will have the capability to help develop and grow your business. – Focus on developing and growing such people and you become a much more attractive employer.

5. “Outstanding leaders go out of the way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish” (Sam Walton) – Developing the confidence and capability of your people will raise their self-belief – Show them you believe in their potential, encourage them, praise them – Encourage them to take risks and try new things and help them to learn lessons when things go wrong – A leader who boosts the self-esteem of his/her people will always be more successful in recruiting and retaining people than one who doesn’t

6. “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other” (John F. Kennedy) – Great leaders have the ability to gain knowledge, acquire skills and adapt behaviours to achieve their goals – The pace of modern business is such that this ability to ‘unlearn’ old behaviours and skills and develop new ones is a fundamental requirement of leaders – Those leaders and businesses that have the ability to adapt to changing environments will be the winners when looking to attract and keep the best talent

Read more: 7 Tips To Becoming an Inspirational Leader