“Too many people today think leading is exclusively about their own performance."
Robert Joss
In today’s competitive world, leaders have to discover new ways to be successful—often times employing methods contrary to traditional wisdom or leadership styles. In fact, today’s leader will not be fully effective utilizing many of the conventional tactics of leadership without discovering new strategies to lead. With this in mind, below is a list of some of the top “dont’s” and “do’s” of effective leadership today.
#1 Don’t Dictate—Do Inspire
The most effective leaders today do not dictate rather they inspire. People do not want to be told what to do rather they seek encouragement and motivation from leaders. Leaders must learn how to inspire those whom they lead through many different means. Inspiring and encouraging rather than compelling and mandating will help leaders get full effort, respect, and participation from those they lead. And in the end will produce greater results.
#2 Don’t Direct—Do Persuade
Similar to number one, winning people over to your way of thinking or helping them believe in your plan goes a lot further than directing them constantly in what they need to do. Good leaders today know how to effectively persuade others to follow them and do what they’d like them to do.
#3 Don’t Criticize—Do Praise
It has been said that a pat on the back goes a lot further in helping someone to do a good job than a kick in the fanny. People respond well to praise and appreciation. Our world is full of criticism and most people already have enough critics. Thus, leaders who are able to see the good (and frequently point it out) rather than focus only on the bad will be much more effective in their leadership.
#4 Don’t Blame—Do Protect
When things go wrong, the effective leader takes full ownership of the results of his team and protects individual team members from ridicule or embarrassment. Good leaders prove they trust their team by standing by them and sticking up for them during the good times and the bad. Leaders must avoid pointing fingers or blaming others in order to be fully effective.
#5 Don’t Dominate—Do Involve
Successful leaders today do not dominate the decision making, idea-generating, or brain-storming, of the team. Rather, whenever appropriate and possible, they seek input, ask questions, and look for feedback and input from others. They strive to find the best solutions through collaboration because they understand that they do not know it all and that buy-in from the team is important to their success.
#6 Don’t Question—Do Believe
The effective leader believes in their team by empowering them to make decisions and raising their vision of themselves. In essence, the great leader gives their team a great reputation to live up to. Leaders who are constantly questioning motives or the abilities of their team will fail.
In today’s competitive atmosphere, it is time for leaders to embrace new leadership tactics and methods in order to more effectively lead. These are six ways to quickly improve our leadership abilities and our success. As we inspire, persuade, praise, protect, involve and believe in our team we will discover our ability to lead will increase. And though some of these tactics may force us to change, I believe each of us has the ability to implement them, and as we do, I am certain our results will improve.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars
“There is perhaps no greater cause of professional anxiety and turnover than employees fighting with people in their own organization.”
Have you ever felt at home or at work that you are at war against the very people who you thought were supposed to be on your side?! This issue of “internal fighting” is at the heart of the book Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni.
Too often organizations are greatly hindered or even sometimes destroyed by people who seem at times to be unwilling to work together. Insecurity, a lack of trust, dishonesty, different objectives, and an unwillingness to share information plagues our places of work and just about every group of people. If we can figure out how to eliminate these silos, we can begin to reach our potential as organizations. The author of this book offers some good insights in to how we can solve this great epidemic.
Unifying Purpose
“If everything is important, then nothing is.”
Perhaps the number one way to start eliminating infighting and silos is to create a common purpose. Do people know why they come to work every day? Do they understand what the ultimate goal of the organization is? Do they know how they can contribute? Too often people are uncertain what is most important and thus they create their own priorities based on their personal beliefs. When this happens, (multiplied by numerous individuals, departments, divisions, etc.) we can understand why there is so much fighting and confusion. Leaders must create a vision with common goals and objectives that can unite and unify their teams. When everyone has the same end in mind with a clear sense of purpose, working together becomes much easier.
Create a Crisis
“A crisis brings out the best in companies.”
The author notes how often in the event of an emergency, people work well together. Very little infighting, resistance, arguments, etc. tend to occur when someone’s life is in immediate jeopardy for example because people want to do all they can to help save the life. Similarly the author encourages leaders to find a way to ensure members of an organization feel a sense of urgency in reaching goals and obtaining results. When organizations can create mechanisms that cause discomfort and “emergency” situations, silos are greatly eliminated.
Make a contribution
“That is why you are here, so that you contribute across the board.”
Finally, team members must understand that their overall objective is to make an overall contribution to the vision of the organization. Simply helping yourself or your department at the expense of sacrificing performance toward the main objective is unacceptable. Leaders must stress that group members are a part of the team to make an overall positive impact on the group. Too often leaders reward individuals who help themselves or their departments succeed but in the process hurt progress toward the ultimate goal. Ensuring that rewards are based on overall contribution to the organization’s purpose is critical.
One final important point from the author is that most people want to work well together—people do not enjoy the battles!! Leaders often inaccurately believe their team members are to blame or that they actually do not want to work together, but this rarely is the case. Often the main reason why team members do not work well together is because leaders in the organization are failing to follow some or all of the simple suggestions above.
As we unify our teams around a common purpose, create a crisis, and teach and reward contribution, our ability to eliminate internal fighting and silos within our organizations will greatly increase. And in turn, our ability to lead and be successful will grow. Good luck!!
To see how I rated this book click here
Have you ever felt at home or at work that you are at war against the very people who you thought were supposed to be on your side?! This issue of “internal fighting” is at the heart of the book Silos, Politics, and Turf Wars by Patrick Lencioni.
Too often organizations are greatly hindered or even sometimes destroyed by people who seem at times to be unwilling to work together. Insecurity, a lack of trust, dishonesty, different objectives, and an unwillingness to share information plagues our places of work and just about every group of people. If we can figure out how to eliminate these silos, we can begin to reach our potential as organizations. The author of this book offers some good insights in to how we can solve this great epidemic.
Unifying Purpose
“If everything is important, then nothing is.”
Perhaps the number one way to start eliminating infighting and silos is to create a common purpose. Do people know why they come to work every day? Do they understand what the ultimate goal of the organization is? Do they know how they can contribute? Too often people are uncertain what is most important and thus they create their own priorities based on their personal beliefs. When this happens, (multiplied by numerous individuals, departments, divisions, etc.) we can understand why there is so much fighting and confusion. Leaders must create a vision with common goals and objectives that can unite and unify their teams. When everyone has the same end in mind with a clear sense of purpose, working together becomes much easier.
Create a Crisis
“A crisis brings out the best in companies.”
The author notes how often in the event of an emergency, people work well together. Very little infighting, resistance, arguments, etc. tend to occur when someone’s life is in immediate jeopardy for example because people want to do all they can to help save the life. Similarly the author encourages leaders to find a way to ensure members of an organization feel a sense of urgency in reaching goals and obtaining results. When organizations can create mechanisms that cause discomfort and “emergency” situations, silos are greatly eliminated.
Make a contribution
“That is why you are here, so that you contribute across the board.”
Finally, team members must understand that their overall objective is to make an overall contribution to the vision of the organization. Simply helping yourself or your department at the expense of sacrificing performance toward the main objective is unacceptable. Leaders must stress that group members are a part of the team to make an overall positive impact on the group. Too often leaders reward individuals who help themselves or their departments succeed but in the process hurt progress toward the ultimate goal. Ensuring that rewards are based on overall contribution to the organization’s purpose is critical.
One final important point from the author is that most people want to work well together—people do not enjoy the battles!! Leaders often inaccurately believe their team members are to blame or that they actually do not want to work together, but this rarely is the case. Often the main reason why team members do not work well together is because leaders in the organization are failing to follow some or all of the simple suggestions above.
As we unify our teams around a common purpose, create a crisis, and teach and reward contribution, our ability to eliminate internal fighting and silos within our organizations will greatly increase. And in turn, our ability to lead and be successful will grow. Good luck!!
To see how I rated this book click here
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Getting Back to the Basics of Success
“Never abandon the fundamental concepts that stand the test of time. Consistently applying those fundamentals brings success. [People] need to go back to the basics.”
Jim Collins
Last week I wrote about the importance of adhering to and applying the fundamentals of life in order to guarantee success. To reiterate, these fundamentals have been proven over time to work, and although there may be more than the items listed below, I believe these five are core to increasing success and happiness in life!
#1 Hard Work
Hard work is the bedrock of success. Few if any ever achieve success without hard work. On the other hand, many successful people can attribute their success almost entirely to working hard. Some say hard work is becoming a lost art with each new generation. Though in some ways there may be some evidence of this, I still believe many hard workers exists and will continue to find success as they commit their many efforts to it. Hard work is a fundamental in life that cannot be overlooked, diminished, or forgotten. Hard work works!
#2 Selflessness
An outward focus on people and others rather than an inward focus on self has proven to be a basic fundamental that leads to success. Many studies have proven that people who give more of their money, time, talents, etc. have greater happiness and success in life. In our minds this is often hard for us to comprehend as we can’t understand how focusing on others actually helps us in the end but it has been proven to be true. Somehow, an outward focus on others creates an inward strength that can’t be matched, duplicated, or found in any other way. Thus, when we effectively build relationships by caring about others, and giving back, success comes.
#3 Positive Thinking
You may have heard of the Law of Attraction from the famous book The Secret. For the most part, the secret found in this book is a fundamental that leads to success and this is the power of positive thinking. We are and become what we think about. If we think we can’t we are usually right and if we believe we can then we usually are also right. Positive thinking or faith in our abilities to be successful is an important fundamental that will greatly impact and influence our success in life. Pessimism, fear, and doubt surround us constantly and seek to obliterate this fundamental. However, if we can focus on the good, truly believe, and then put forth the effort necessary—we can accomplish anything. There are no limits for the person that truly believes.
#4 Honesty
This core fundamental has greatly become regarded as naïve or impractical. Honesty however leads to success. When we are honest, others will want to work for and with us. When we are honest we have an inner peace that allows us to focus and put all of our energies toward what we working for. Honest people do not have to waste any time on worrying about what they may have said or done. When we are honest, our ability to reach our full potential and be successful is maximized.
#5 Persistence
It has been said that it is impossible to beat the man that never gives up. Persistence is a fundamental in life that can be overlooked or ignored. All of us face roadblocks in life but only those who are willing to put forth the effort to scale the roadblocks will be successful. And always in the end, persistence pays off.
Again, these basics of life are tested, tried, and true fundamentals that if practiced and applied will lead us to success and greater happiness and satisfaction. Through history we can see how these and perhaps other “fundamentals” have proven to work. We don’t need any secret formula or superior wisdom or skills. Each of us can apply the fundamentals and find success. Therefore, when we find we are not making as much progress as we’d like or we can’t seem to find the success we were hoping to have, it’s probably an indication that we need to get back to living the fundamentals!
Jim Collins
Last week I wrote about the importance of adhering to and applying the fundamentals of life in order to guarantee success. To reiterate, these fundamentals have been proven over time to work, and although there may be more than the items listed below, I believe these five are core to increasing success and happiness in life!
#1 Hard Work
Hard work is the bedrock of success. Few if any ever achieve success without hard work. On the other hand, many successful people can attribute their success almost entirely to working hard. Some say hard work is becoming a lost art with each new generation. Though in some ways there may be some evidence of this, I still believe many hard workers exists and will continue to find success as they commit their many efforts to it. Hard work is a fundamental in life that cannot be overlooked, diminished, or forgotten. Hard work works!
#2 Selflessness
An outward focus on people and others rather than an inward focus on self has proven to be a basic fundamental that leads to success. Many studies have proven that people who give more of their money, time, talents, etc. have greater happiness and success in life. In our minds this is often hard for us to comprehend as we can’t understand how focusing on others actually helps us in the end but it has been proven to be true. Somehow, an outward focus on others creates an inward strength that can’t be matched, duplicated, or found in any other way. Thus, when we effectively build relationships by caring about others, and giving back, success comes.
#3 Positive Thinking
You may have heard of the Law of Attraction from the famous book The Secret. For the most part, the secret found in this book is a fundamental that leads to success and this is the power of positive thinking. We are and become what we think about. If we think we can’t we are usually right and if we believe we can then we usually are also right. Positive thinking or faith in our abilities to be successful is an important fundamental that will greatly impact and influence our success in life. Pessimism, fear, and doubt surround us constantly and seek to obliterate this fundamental. However, if we can focus on the good, truly believe, and then put forth the effort necessary—we can accomplish anything. There are no limits for the person that truly believes.
#4 Honesty
This core fundamental has greatly become regarded as naïve or impractical. Honesty however leads to success. When we are honest, others will want to work for and with us. When we are honest we have an inner peace that allows us to focus and put all of our energies toward what we working for. Honest people do not have to waste any time on worrying about what they may have said or done. When we are honest, our ability to reach our full potential and be successful is maximized.
#5 Persistence
It has been said that it is impossible to beat the man that never gives up. Persistence is a fundamental in life that can be overlooked or ignored. All of us face roadblocks in life but only those who are willing to put forth the effort to scale the roadblocks will be successful. And always in the end, persistence pays off.
Again, these basics of life are tested, tried, and true fundamentals that if practiced and applied will lead us to success and greater happiness and satisfaction. Through history we can see how these and perhaps other “fundamentals” have proven to work. We don’t need any secret formula or superior wisdom or skills. Each of us can apply the fundamentals and find success. Therefore, when we find we are not making as much progress as we’d like or we can’t seem to find the success we were hoping to have, it’s probably an indication that we need to get back to living the fundamentals!
Friday, March 4, 2011
A Fundamental Principle of Life
“Never abandon the fundamental concepts that stand the test of time. Consistently applying those fundamentals brings success. [People] need to go back to the basics.” Jim Collins
Does life have you down and are you floundering with success?! Today I want to share one key principle that will help us all be successful. Though not revolutionary or unique, this idea can and will help anyone who is serious about finding happiness and success in life.
The Principle
The simple principle is to stick to the fundamentals of life. So what exactly does this mean? Let me try to explain by using an example from the sporting world where there are many instances of how focusing on the fundamentals has helped individuals and teams succeed.
A legendary football coach by the name of Vince Lombardi is someone who taught and lived by the fundamentals of the game. Stories have been told of how he would take seasoned, veteran players who had been playing football all of their lives, and he’d explain to them the very basics of the game. From the shape of the ball to how to hold it, throw it, and kick it, to the length of the field, and to the most elementary rules of the game, Coach Lombardi taught the fundamentals and demanded that his players knew them. Rather than trick plays, detailed plans, or new schemes to gain advantages, simply mastering the fundamentals led many of his teams to greatness.
Likewise, I believe there are fundamentals for life that when focused on and applied, they will lead us to success. These fundamental principles have been proven time and time again to work by many successful people and companies throughout history. On the other hand, if we ignore the fundamentals, I believe most of our other efforts will be in vain. Lamentably, too often we abandon or ignore these proven methods of success and strive to find quick solutions or intricate and obscure ways to obtain success.
A Word of Caution
In today’s world, with more and more distractions, amusements, and easy access to a world of information, I’m afraid the fundamentals are being ignored or forgotten or pushed away or maybe even labeled as old fashion. In fact, some even believe that striving to apply the fundamentals is naïve.
Others claim they are too busy. To be honest, it is easy to be busy—we all are!! Each of us can probably think of all sorts of ways to overwhelm our schedules and appear to be doing all we can to be successful. In fact, many of us constantly try to accelerate our already frantic pace pretending this will somehow help us succeed and make us happy. The truth is however, there is an “optimal speed” in life for each of us and if we can find that optimal speed rather than constantly accelerating, we will find greater success.
We must resist the temptation to unnecessarily complicate our lives by getting caught up in the “rush” or the “hype” or the “trends” of today because this only leads to frustration, exhaustion, stress, and unhappiness. Instead we should seek a steady pace, with focus and clarity on what matter most to us. Simplicity in our lives brings relief, happiness, and joy.
Conclusion
It is so easy for the basic fundamentals of life to be washed away by today’s narcissistic messages and the deluge of information that surrounds us. As we slow down and focus on the fundamentals and become masters of them—even if we do nothing else—we will find much greater success and happiness in life.
In my next blog I will share what I believe to be some of the fundamentals of life…
Does life have you down and are you floundering with success?! Today I want to share one key principle that will help us all be successful. Though not revolutionary or unique, this idea can and will help anyone who is serious about finding happiness and success in life.
The Principle
The simple principle is to stick to the fundamentals of life. So what exactly does this mean? Let me try to explain by using an example from the sporting world where there are many instances of how focusing on the fundamentals has helped individuals and teams succeed.
A legendary football coach by the name of Vince Lombardi is someone who taught and lived by the fundamentals of the game. Stories have been told of how he would take seasoned, veteran players who had been playing football all of their lives, and he’d explain to them the very basics of the game. From the shape of the ball to how to hold it, throw it, and kick it, to the length of the field, and to the most elementary rules of the game, Coach Lombardi taught the fundamentals and demanded that his players knew them. Rather than trick plays, detailed plans, or new schemes to gain advantages, simply mastering the fundamentals led many of his teams to greatness.
Likewise, I believe there are fundamentals for life that when focused on and applied, they will lead us to success. These fundamental principles have been proven time and time again to work by many successful people and companies throughout history. On the other hand, if we ignore the fundamentals, I believe most of our other efforts will be in vain. Lamentably, too often we abandon or ignore these proven methods of success and strive to find quick solutions or intricate and obscure ways to obtain success.
A Word of Caution
In today’s world, with more and more distractions, amusements, and easy access to a world of information, I’m afraid the fundamentals are being ignored or forgotten or pushed away or maybe even labeled as old fashion. In fact, some even believe that striving to apply the fundamentals is naïve.
Others claim they are too busy. To be honest, it is easy to be busy—we all are!! Each of us can probably think of all sorts of ways to overwhelm our schedules and appear to be doing all we can to be successful. In fact, many of us constantly try to accelerate our already frantic pace pretending this will somehow help us succeed and make us happy. The truth is however, there is an “optimal speed” in life for each of us and if we can find that optimal speed rather than constantly accelerating, we will find greater success.
We must resist the temptation to unnecessarily complicate our lives by getting caught up in the “rush” or the “hype” or the “trends” of today because this only leads to frustration, exhaustion, stress, and unhappiness. Instead we should seek a steady pace, with focus and clarity on what matter most to us. Simplicity in our lives brings relief, happiness, and joy.
Conclusion
It is so easy for the basic fundamentals of life to be washed away by today’s narcissistic messages and the deluge of information that surrounds us. As we slow down and focus on the fundamentals and become masters of them—even if we do nothing else—we will find much greater success and happiness in life.
In my next blog I will share what I believe to be some of the fundamentals of life…
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