When you are at work, do you get frustrated because things don't seem to be happening the way they’re supposed to be? You see people milling around but nothing gets accomplished. And in the daily hustle and bustle, do you feel that your goals remain just that – goals. Then maybe its time for you to stand up and do something about it.
Most people are content just to stand around listening for orders. And it isn't unusual to adopt a follow-the-leader mentality. But maybe, somewhere inside of you, you feel the desire to make things happen – to be the head, not the tail. Then maybe leadership just suits you fine.
Some people believe that great leaders are made, not born. Yes, it may be true that some people are born with natural talents. However, without practice, without drive, without enthusiasm, and without experience, there can be no true development in leadership.
You must also remember that good leaders are continually working and studying to improve their natural skills. This takes a commitment to constantly improve in whatever endeavor a person chooses.
First of all, let's define leadership. To be a leader, one must be able to influence others to accomplish a goal, or an objective. He contributes to the organization and cohesion of a group.
Contrary to what most people believe, leadership is not about power. It is not about harassing people or driving them using fear. It is about encouraging others towards the goal of the organization. It is putting everyone on the same page and helping them see the big picture of the organization. You must be a leader not a boss.
First of all, you have to get people to follow you. How is this accomplished?
People follow others when they see a clear sense of purpose. People will only follow you if they see that you know where you are going. Remember that bumper sticker? The one that says, don't follow me, I'm lost too? The same holds true for leadership. If you yourself do not know where you're headed to, chances are people will not follow you at all.
You yourself must know the vision of the organization. Having a clear sense of hierarchy, knowing who the bosses are, who to talk to, the organization's goals and objectives, and how the organization works is the only way to show others you know what you are doing.
Being a leader is not about what you make others do. It's about who you are, what you know, and what you do. You are a reflection of what you're subordinates must be.
Studies have shown that one other bases of good leadership is the trust and confidence your subordinates have of you. If they trust you they will go through hell and high water for you and for the organization.
Trust and confidence is built on good relationships, trustworthiness, and high ethics.
The way you deal with your people, and the relationships you build will lay the foundation for the strength of your group. The stronger your relationship, the stronger their trust and confidence is in your capabilities.
Once you have their trust and confidence, you may now proceed to communicate the goals and objectives you are to undertake.
Communication is a very important key to good leadership. Without this you can not be a good leader. The knowledge and technical expertise you have must be clearly imparted to other people.
Also, you can not be a good leader and unless you have good judgment. You must be able to assess situations, weigh the pros and cons of any decision, and actively seek out a solution.
It is this judgment that your subordinates will come to rely upon. Therefore, good decision-making is vital to the success of your organization.
Leaders are not do-it-all heroes. You should not claim to know everything, and you should not rely upon your skills alone.
You should recognize and take advantage of the skills and talents your subordinates have. Only when you come to this realization will you be able to work as one cohesive unit.
Remember being a leader takes a good deal of work and time. It is not learned overnight. Remember, also, that it is not about just you. It is about you and the people around you.
So, do you have the drive and the desire to serve required of leaders? Do you have the desire to work cooperatively with other people? Then start now. Take your stand and be leader today.
Lets start LEADING
Showing posts with label leadership management. Show all posts
Showing posts with label leadership management. Show all posts
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Friday, October 26, 2007
Leaders come in different flavors
Much has been written about leadership: rules, pointers, styles, and biographies of inspiring leaders
throughout world history. But there are certain leadership ideas that we ourselves fail to recognize
and realize in the course of reading books. Here is a short list of things you thought you knew about
leadership.
Leaders come in different flavors.
There are different types of leaders and you will probably encounter more than one type in your
lifetime. Formal leaders are those we elect into positions or offices such as the senators,
congressmen, and presidents of the local clubs. Informal leaders or those we look up to by virtue of
their wisdom and experience such as in the case of the elders of a tribe, or our grandparents; or by
virtue of their expertise and contribution on a given field such as Albert Einstein in the field of
Theoretical Physics and Leonardo da Vinci in the field of the Arts. Both formal and informal leaders
practice a combination of leadership styles.
·Lewin’s three basic leadership styles – authoritative, participative, and delegative
·Likert’s four leadership styles – exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative,
and participative
·Goleman’s six emotional leadership styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic,
pacesetting, and commanding.
Lets start LEADING
throughout world history. But there are certain leadership ideas that we ourselves fail to recognize
and realize in the course of reading books. Here is a short list of things you thought you knew about
leadership.
Leaders come in different flavors.
There are different types of leaders and you will probably encounter more than one type in your
lifetime. Formal leaders are those we elect into positions or offices such as the senators,
congressmen, and presidents of the local clubs. Informal leaders or those we look up to by virtue of
their wisdom and experience such as in the case of the elders of a tribe, or our grandparents; or by
virtue of their expertise and contribution on a given field such as Albert Einstein in the field of
Theoretical Physics and Leonardo da Vinci in the field of the Arts. Both formal and informal leaders
practice a combination of leadership styles.
·Lewin’s three basic leadership styles – authoritative, participative, and delegative
·Likert’s four leadership styles – exploitive authoritative, benevolent authoritative, consultative,
and participative
·Goleman’s six emotional leadership styles - visionary, coaching, affiliative, democratic,
pacesetting, and commanding.
Lets start LEADING
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
How to be an inspirational Leader
(1) Inspirational leaders set the pace. One of the great examples of this is depicted in the movie We Were Soldiers, directed by Ronald Wallace and starring Mel Gibson as Lt. Col. Hal Moore. Prior to leaving for service in Vietnam, Moore delivers a moving speech to his troops. He says,
I can’t promise you that I will bring you all home alive, but this I swear: I will be the first one to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead, or alive, we all come home together.
Moore then literally fulfills this promise. He is the first one to step into battle and the last one to leave. This is real leadership.
True leaders don’t ask their people to do anything they are unwilling to do. They lead by example. They model the behavior they want others to manifest.
(2) Inspirational leaders believe in the future. They are able to paint a vivid picture of a different and better reality. They make it concrete, so people can see it, touch it, smell it, and taste it. They give people hope that things can be better, and they have a plan for making it so.
Regardless of what you think of his politics, Ronald Reagan was a master at this. He offered hope. In the late 1970s, as a result of high inflation and high interest rates, Americans were discouraged. Many were cynical. Some were saying that things couldn’t get better—this was simply the new reality and Americans needed to get used to it.
Reagan painted a different picture. He didn’t accept the status quo. He offered hope for “Morning in America,” a time of new beginnings. People bought into his vision, because they liked where he was going.
(3) Inspirational leaders connect people to the larger story. People want to know that their lives have meaning. They want to know that they are more than a cog in a machine. They want to know that their work matters.
True leaders connect them to a larger story—something big and significant. Something epic. John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart and numerous other bestsellers, is a genius at this.
The ultimate story is, of course, God’s story. And, finding our place in His story is incredibly motivating. As leaders, our job is to help people understand that what they do, not only matters in this life, but in the life to come. It will “echo into eternity.”
(4) Inspirational leaders help people believe in themselves. We all get bumped and bruised as we go through life. Circumstances constantly conspire to undermine our esteem. It’s easy to lose heart—to begin doubting our ability to handle the challenges we face.
That’s why it is so refreshing to meet someone who believes in us and is willing to verbalize it. It gives us confidence that maybe we do have what it takes.
Great leaders—like great parents—help people believe in themselves. They look for opportunities to catch people doing something right. They focus on their people’s strengths, not their weaknesses. And, they have a knack for offering encouragement at strategic moments—when the team needs it.
Not everyone is in a position of leadership. But, as Robert the Bruce pointed out to his father, leadership is influence. And that is something all of us have.
Lets start LEADING
I can’t promise you that I will bring you all home alive, but this I swear: I will be the first one to set foot on the field, and I will be the last to step off. And I will leave no one behind. Dead, or alive, we all come home together.
Moore then literally fulfills this promise. He is the first one to step into battle and the last one to leave. This is real leadership.
True leaders don’t ask their people to do anything they are unwilling to do. They lead by example. They model the behavior they want others to manifest.
(2) Inspirational leaders believe in the future. They are able to paint a vivid picture of a different and better reality. They make it concrete, so people can see it, touch it, smell it, and taste it. They give people hope that things can be better, and they have a plan for making it so.
Regardless of what you think of his politics, Ronald Reagan was a master at this. He offered hope. In the late 1970s, as a result of high inflation and high interest rates, Americans were discouraged. Many were cynical. Some were saying that things couldn’t get better—this was simply the new reality and Americans needed to get used to it.
Reagan painted a different picture. He didn’t accept the status quo. He offered hope for “Morning in America,” a time of new beginnings. People bought into his vision, because they liked where he was going.
(3) Inspirational leaders connect people to the larger story. People want to know that their lives have meaning. They want to know that they are more than a cog in a machine. They want to know that their work matters.
True leaders connect them to a larger story—something big and significant. Something epic. John Eldredge, author of Wild at Heart and numerous other bestsellers, is a genius at this.
The ultimate story is, of course, God’s story. And, finding our place in His story is incredibly motivating. As leaders, our job is to help people understand that what they do, not only matters in this life, but in the life to come. It will “echo into eternity.”
(4) Inspirational leaders help people believe in themselves. We all get bumped and bruised as we go through life. Circumstances constantly conspire to undermine our esteem. It’s easy to lose heart—to begin doubting our ability to handle the challenges we face.
That’s why it is so refreshing to meet someone who believes in us and is willing to verbalize it. It gives us confidence that maybe we do have what it takes.
Great leaders—like great parents—help people believe in themselves. They look for opportunities to catch people doing something right. They focus on their people’s strengths, not their weaknesses. And, they have a knack for offering encouragement at strategic moments—when the team needs it.
Not everyone is in a position of leadership. But, as Robert the Bruce pointed out to his father, leadership is influence. And that is something all of us have.
Lets start LEADING
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
6 QUALITIES EVERY GREAT LEADER NEEDS
American Airlines Executive Chairman Ed Brennan knows about corporate leaders. He's had a seat on a dozen corporate boards -- he's sitting on four right now. Addressing attendees at the Society for Information Management's SIMposium 2004 last week, Brennan said leadership is one of those things you know when you see it. It's a subtle quality a friend of his described thusly: "I don't know if I can define leadership, but I know when I've been led."
Brennan said he believes that great technology leadership is imperative for businesses. "As an example, on the fateful day of 9/11, American Airlines had many important decisions to make," he said. "On average, at any time during the day, we have 900 to 1,000 planes airborne. The decision was made to ground the fleet, and all planes landed within one hour.
"IT was critical to making and implementing this decision; it would have been impossible without it," he stressed.
So what makes a great corporate leader? According to Brennan, six qualities separate the leaders from the followers:
Integrity: This is a deal breaker if you don't have it completely. When it comes to governance, Brennan said, he "never did anything or asked anyone to do anything he couldn't go home and explain to his kids."
A deep understanding of the business: "You can't fake it. People will know." While you don't need to know every detail, you do have to have a good grasp of the business.
Consistency: While keeping things fresh is important, leaders cannot change direction frequently. They will lose people's confidence.
Willingness to admit a mistake: Everyone makes mistakes. If you're not making any, you're not doing your job right. But Brennan emphasized the importance of admitting your missteps -- otherwise people will not respect you.
The ability to listen: Good leaders must be willing to handle opinions contrary to their own and absorb as much as they can.
Decisiveness: While you should listen to others' opinions, the final decision is yours to make. Brennan said when CEOs fail, very often it's because they are not decisive. Average tenure for a CEO has fallen from more than a decade to three years because people lose confidence in leaders whose indecision results in failure.
So where does the CIO fit into Brennan's framework? The perception of senior management is that IT over-promises and underachieves, he said. Just remember that a good leader will know that results don't happen overnight, and being patient is important, too.
Leats start LEADING
Brennan said he believes that great technology leadership is imperative for businesses. "As an example, on the fateful day of 9/11, American Airlines had many important decisions to make," he said. "On average, at any time during the day, we have 900 to 1,000 planes airborne. The decision was made to ground the fleet, and all planes landed within one hour.
"IT was critical to making and implementing this decision; it would have been impossible without it," he stressed.
So what makes a great corporate leader? According to Brennan, six qualities separate the leaders from the followers:
Integrity: This is a deal breaker if you don't have it completely. When it comes to governance, Brennan said, he "never did anything or asked anyone to do anything he couldn't go home and explain to his kids."
A deep understanding of the business: "You can't fake it. People will know." While you don't need to know every detail, you do have to have a good grasp of the business.
Consistency: While keeping things fresh is important, leaders cannot change direction frequently. They will lose people's confidence.
Willingness to admit a mistake: Everyone makes mistakes. If you're not making any, you're not doing your job right. But Brennan emphasized the importance of admitting your missteps -- otherwise people will not respect you.
The ability to listen: Good leaders must be willing to handle opinions contrary to their own and absorb as much as they can.
Decisiveness: While you should listen to others' opinions, the final decision is yours to make. Brennan said when CEOs fail, very often it's because they are not decisive. Average tenure for a CEO has fallen from more than a decade to three years because people lose confidence in leaders whose indecision results in failure.
So where does the CIO fit into Brennan's framework? The perception of senior management is that IT over-promises and underachieves, he said. Just remember that a good leader will know that results don't happen overnight, and being patient is important, too.
Leats start LEADING
Friday, October 19, 2007
Leadership vs Management
What is the difference between management and leadership? It is a question that has been asked more than once and also answered in different ways. The biggest difference between managers and leaders is the way they motivate the people who work or follow them, and this sets the tone for most other aspects of what they do.
Many people, by the way, are both. They have management jobs, but they realize that you cannot buy hearts, especially to follow them down a difficult path, and so act as leaders too.
Managers have subordinates
By definition, managers have subordinates - unless their title is honorary and given as a mark of seniority, in which case the title is a misnomer and their power over others is other than formal authority.
Authoritarian, transactional style
Managers have a position of authority vested in them by the company, and their subordinates work for them and largely do as they are told. Management style is transactional, in that the manager tells the subordinate what to do, and the subordinate does this not because they are a blind robot, but because they have been promised a reward (at minimum their salary) for doing so.
Work focus
Managers are paid to get things done (they are subordinates too), often within tight constraints of time and money. They thus naturally pass on this work focus to their subordinates.
Seek comfort
An interesting research finding about managers is that they tend to come from stable home backgrounds and led relatively normal and comfortable lives. This leads them to be relatively risk-averse and they will seek to avoid conflict where possible. In terms of people, they generally like to run a 'happy ship'.
Leaders have followers
Leaders do not have subordinates - at least not when they are leading. Many organizational leaders do have subordinates, but only because they are also managers. But when they want to lead, they have to give up formal authoritarian control, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary activity.
Charismatic, transformational style
Telling people what to do does not inspire them to follow you. You have to appeal to them, showing how following them will lead to their hearts' desire. They must want to follow you enough to stop what they are doing and perhaps walk into danger and situations that they would not normally consider risking.
Leaders with a stronger charisma find it easier to attract people to their cause. As a part of their persuasion they typically promise transformational benefits, such that their followers will not just receive extrinsic rewards but will somehow become better people.
People focus
Although many leaders have a charismatic style to some extent, this does not require a loud personality. They are always good with people, and quiet styles that give credit to others (and takes blame on themselves) are very effective at creating the loyalty that great leaders engender.
Although leaders are good with people, this does not mean they are friendly with them. In order to keep the mystique of leadership, they often retain a degree of separation and aloofness.
This does not mean that leaders do not pay attention to tasks - in fact they are often very achievement-focused. What they do realize, however, is the importance of enthusing others to work towards their vision.
Seek risk
In the same study that showed managers as risk-averse, leaders appeared as risk-seeking, although they are not blind thrill-seekers. When pursuing their vision, they consider it natural to encounter problems and hurdles that must be overcome along the way. They are thus comfortable with risk and will see routes that others avoid as potential opportunities for advantage and will happily break rules in order to get things done.
A surprising number of these leaders had some form of handicap in their lives which they had to overcome. Some had traumatic childhoods, some had problems such as dyslexia, others were shorter than average. This perhaps taught them the independence of mind that is needed to go out on a limb and not worry about what others are thinking about you.
In summary
This table summarizes the above (and more) and gives a sense of the differences between being a leader and being a manager. This is, of course, an illustrative characterization, and there is a whole spectrum between either ends of these scales along which each role can range. And many people lead and manage at the same time, and so may display a combination of behaviors.
Many people, by the way, are both. They have management jobs, but they realize that you cannot buy hearts, especially to follow them down a difficult path, and so act as leaders too.
Managers have subordinates
By definition, managers have subordinates - unless their title is honorary and given as a mark of seniority, in which case the title is a misnomer and their power over others is other than formal authority.
Authoritarian, transactional style
Managers have a position of authority vested in them by the company, and their subordinates work for them and largely do as they are told. Management style is transactional, in that the manager tells the subordinate what to do, and the subordinate does this not because they are a blind robot, but because they have been promised a reward (at minimum their salary) for doing so.
Work focus
Managers are paid to get things done (they are subordinates too), often within tight constraints of time and money. They thus naturally pass on this work focus to their subordinates.
Seek comfort
An interesting research finding about managers is that they tend to come from stable home backgrounds and led relatively normal and comfortable lives. This leads them to be relatively risk-averse and they will seek to avoid conflict where possible. In terms of people, they generally like to run a 'happy ship'.
Leaders have followers
Leaders do not have subordinates - at least not when they are leading. Many organizational leaders do have subordinates, but only because they are also managers. But when they want to lead, they have to give up formal authoritarian control, because to lead is to have followers, and following is always a voluntary activity.
Charismatic, transformational style
Telling people what to do does not inspire them to follow you. You have to appeal to them, showing how following them will lead to their hearts' desire. They must want to follow you enough to stop what they are doing and perhaps walk into danger and situations that they would not normally consider risking.
Leaders with a stronger charisma find it easier to attract people to their cause. As a part of their persuasion they typically promise transformational benefits, such that their followers will not just receive extrinsic rewards but will somehow become better people.
People focus
Although many leaders have a charismatic style to some extent, this does not require a loud personality. They are always good with people, and quiet styles that give credit to others (and takes blame on themselves) are very effective at creating the loyalty that great leaders engender.
Although leaders are good with people, this does not mean they are friendly with them. In order to keep the mystique of leadership, they often retain a degree of separation and aloofness.
This does not mean that leaders do not pay attention to tasks - in fact they are often very achievement-focused. What they do realize, however, is the importance of enthusing others to work towards their vision.
Seek risk
In the same study that showed managers as risk-averse, leaders appeared as risk-seeking, although they are not blind thrill-seekers. When pursuing their vision, they consider it natural to encounter problems and hurdles that must be overcome along the way. They are thus comfortable with risk and will see routes that others avoid as potential opportunities for advantage and will happily break rules in order to get things done.
A surprising number of these leaders had some form of handicap in their lives which they had to overcome. Some had traumatic childhoods, some had problems such as dyslexia, others were shorter than average. This perhaps taught them the independence of mind that is needed to go out on a limb and not worry about what others are thinking about you.
In summary
This table summarizes the above (and more) and gives a sense of the differences between being a leader and being a manager. This is, of course, an illustrative characterization, and there is a whole spectrum between either ends of these scales along which each role can range. And many people lead and manage at the same time, and so may display a combination of behaviors.
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
How to Lead not Push: Being a True Leader
A common mistake inexperience leaders make is using authority when it is not needed. If you are the boss people have to do what you say right? So the easy way to get people to do what you want is to just use your authority muscle and show they that you are the boss. Right? Actually that is probably the easiest way because it doesn't rely on any true leadership skill. You are basically pushing your way toward what you want instead of leading the way.
A good leader knows how to actually lead people instead of pushing them. That means coming up with clever and sometimes subtle ways to get things done without beating people over the head with your authority. This doesn't mean that using authority is never called for, but a good leader will be able to operate 90% of the time without resorting to the "I am the boss" trump card.
A good leader will be able to create an environment where it is easy for people to head in the proper direction because it seems natural--not because they have to. They can do this because they understand the motivation and personalities of the people they lead. This isn't something that happens easily and most inexperienced leaders lack the skill and won't take the time to really understand their subordinates on that deep of a level.
When people are following your lead, they will work hard and achieve more than they ever thought possible. When you are pushing them, they will resist you. It might not be overt, but they definitely will not put the same passion into their work as they will when they are excited about where they are going and where you are taking them.
Leadership is not about having authority. Authority can be important, but leadership is really about leading. If leadership was about authority it would be called "driving" or "corralling" or "forcing your will", but it isn't. Leadership is about leading people--taking them places because they want to follow not because you are forcing them.
When a leader recognizes the difference between leading and pushing and chooses to to be a true leader, they are headed down the path toward greatness. Unfortunately most people in leadership positions are more worried about having authority than actually leading. They work hard to push people, but never really put any effort into really learning how to be a leader that people will want to follow.
Cheers to success
A good leader knows how to actually lead people instead of pushing them. That means coming up with clever and sometimes subtle ways to get things done without beating people over the head with your authority. This doesn't mean that using authority is never called for, but a good leader will be able to operate 90% of the time without resorting to the "I am the boss" trump card.
A good leader will be able to create an environment where it is easy for people to head in the proper direction because it seems natural--not because they have to. They can do this because they understand the motivation and personalities of the people they lead. This isn't something that happens easily and most inexperienced leaders lack the skill and won't take the time to really understand their subordinates on that deep of a level.
When people are following your lead, they will work hard and achieve more than they ever thought possible. When you are pushing them, they will resist you. It might not be overt, but they definitely will not put the same passion into their work as they will when they are excited about where they are going and where you are taking them.
Leadership is not about having authority. Authority can be important, but leadership is really about leading. If leadership was about authority it would be called "driving" or "corralling" or "forcing your will", but it isn't. Leadership is about leading people--taking them places because they want to follow not because you are forcing them.
When a leader recognizes the difference between leading and pushing and chooses to to be a true leader, they are headed down the path toward greatness. Unfortunately most people in leadership positions are more worried about having authority than actually leading. They work hard to push people, but never really put any effort into really learning how to be a leader that people will want to follow.
Cheers to success
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