Tuesday, March 13, 2012

Can Leaders be Developed?

ETL Leader DevelopLike anything else, leadership ability is distributed throughout a population. Some people are "natural" leaders, others prefer to operate capably within a well-defined context, and many people are somewhere in between.

Natural leaders have important core abilities, but they often need careful training in the more practical aspects of converting a creative vision into a concrete program of action. Very often, they need to understand the length of the change life-cycle so they don't underestimate the importance of persistence.

Most people, however, can develop their leadership skills by working at it. The process starts with the recognition that leadership requires "ambidextrous" activities. The first hurdle is recognizing that excellence at the day-to-day is critical, but it is not enough. The second is the need to look inside yourself and decide whether you are willing to be uncomfortable for a prolonged period while you conceptualize and lead the change. The ultimate reward is the deep satisfaction that comes from seeing something new that wouldn't have been there if you had not created it.

Once you decide to become a leader, you can develop the characteristics you'll need by being thoughtful about the accomplishments that you want on your resume, and deciding to devote the time and attention needed to achieve them. Like anything else, practice makes perfect.

To be a great leader, you need a certain level of intellect, but not necessarily great genius. You need a certain level of social skills, but not necessarily those of a great salesperson. However, you do need a compulsion to operate at two levels: to be a great doer, and a great reflector.

Most importantly, to be a great leader, you need to find what you really like. That's where the passion, commitment, and integrity come from. In my experience, the most important underlying factor in leadership is whether a person has searched out and found a great match between what's in his or her heart, which is what he or she really enjoys, and the work situation.

Think about the definition of leaders, "people who leave their footprints in their areas of passion." It's easy to focus on the first part, how to leave footprints. But the real power comes from the second, working in your area of passion.

How can you recognize leadership potential in a young person? The most important clue is whether the person has identified and sought out a work situation in which he or she feels real passion. If a person doesn't have the drive or ability to get his or her own situation right, how will he or she be able to do this for a company? If you're doing what you really like, you almost can't help but feel passion toward making it better.

Source Jonathan Byrnes

Friday, March 9, 2012

How to Measure Your Effectiveness As a Leader

ETL leadership-skillsThe demands for leaders are growing each day and many find themselves being consumed in their organization and not finding the time to be effective leaders. Working "on the business to achieve results through others" requires leaders who are focused on what they need to achieve and are actively thinking about how to adopt the correct leadership behaviors to achieve results. This requires a clear understanding of what leaders do. Many, when asked, find it difficult to clearly explain what they do to be a leader, and therefore have difficulty in owning their leadership development. One leadership model that delegates have found provides an excellent practical model is the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) by Kouze & Posner. The model has 5 key leadership behaviors

Challenging the process
Inspiring a shared vision
Enabling others to perform
Modelling the way
Encouraging the heart

The 360 online feedback process by boss, colleagues, direct reports  and self clearly provides feedback on your effectiveness in these 5 key leadership behaviors.  Individuals are able to priorities areas for improvement, implement change and measure their improvement by repeating the 360 process within a year. LPI really makes you see your leadership as it is, not how you perceive it to be and enables you to take action and rise to the challenge of improving your leadership of each individual and the team. Experience has shown this is a feedback process that is extremely challenging,– are you ready for the challenge? This process is a key part of helping individuals understand themselves to improve their effectiveness as a professional manager Linking personality, leadership and culture into a seamless journey of development for managers in any organization has a profound impact on organizational performance. Individual managers  personal perceptions are frequently different from  perceptions of others.  To be an effective leader you have to manage all 3 aspects...Do you manage all three? If you want to be an effective leader these issues must be addressed. By choosing a practical and effective form of Leadership Development Training you will notice a huge improvement on your ability to Lead.

5 Things You Should Say Today

This is a great and motivational article.

ETL business-peopleI left the company years ago for another but I still run into former colleagues. Usually the ensuing conversation involves something along the lines of, “Hey, did you hear about the (latest management decision I think is really stupid) at the plant?”

This question was different.

“You worked there for almost 20 years,” my ex-coworker said. “Is there anything you wish you could go back and do over?"

I thought about it later. I don't really regret strategic errors or poor tactical decisions or career missteps (I made plenty of those.) I certainly regretted those things then, but now, not really.

Instead I most regret the things I didn't say: To employees who reported to me, to some of my peers, and to at least one person I worked for. Those are moments I'd like to have back.

It's too late for me, but it’s not too late for you. Here are five things you should say—today—to people you work with:

“That was great how you...” No one receives enough praise. No one. Pick someone who did something well and tell them.

Feel free to go back in time. Saying, “I was just thinking about how you handled that project last year...” can make just as positive an impact today as it would have then. (Maybe a little more impact, because you still remember what happened a year later.) Surprise praise is a gift that costs the giver nothing but is priceless to the recipient.

“Can you help me...?” One of my biggest regrets is not asking a fellow supervisor for help. I was given the lead on a project he really wanted. To his credit, he swallowed his pride—he was senior to me in tenure and perceived status—and told me he would be happy to help in any way he could.

Even though I could tell he really wanted to participate, I never let him. I decided to show I could handle the project alone. I let my ego be more important than his feelings.

Asking someone for help implicitly recognizes their skills and value. Saying, “Can you help me?” is the same as saying, “You're great at that.”

And there’s a bonus: You get help.

“I'm sorry I didn't...” We’ve all screwed up. There are things we need to apologize for: Words. Actions. Omissions. Failing to step up, or step in, or simply be supportive.

Say you're sorry. And don't follow up your apology with a disclaimer like, “But I was really upset...” or, “I thought you were...” or any statement that in any way places even the tiniest amount of blame back on the other person.

Say you're sorry, say why you're sorry, and take all the blame. No less. No more.

“Can I help you...?” Then flip it around. In some organizations, asking for help is seen as a sign of weakness. Many people naturally hesitate to ask. But everyone needs help.

Don't just say, “Is there anything I can help you with?” Most people will automatically say, “No, I'm all right.” Be specific. Say, “I've got a few minutes... can I help you finish that?”

Offer in a way that feels collaborative, not patronizing or gratuitous.

And then actually help.

“I'm sorry I let you down.” I was assigned a project in a different department. It was a project I definitely didn't want. So, to my discredit, I let it slide. I let other people take up my slack and focused on projects I was more interested in.

To his credit, my manager had stuck his neck out to get me the project so I could get broader exposure but I, well, didn't care. Eventually my manager said, “Everyone knows you're really busy, so they have decided to handle it themselves.”

I felt bad but I never said, “I know you were trying to help me. I'm sorry I let you down. I promise it will never happen again.” That one statement would have chased a very large elephant from the room.

The biggest elephants are emotional elephants. It's up to you to chase them away.

Jeff Haden learned much of what he knows about business and technology as he worked his way up in the manufacturing industry. Everything else he picks up from ghostwriting books for some of the smartest leaders he knows in business.

Source inc

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Make Your Goals a Reality

How can you make your goals a reality?

ETL successHow do you get from fantasizing about realizing your goals to actually achieving them? Many people dream about starting their own business, going back to school, losing weight, or any number of goals, but smell defeat even before trying. So what's the difference between those who do and those who don't? How can you get from here to there? The truth is that goal setting is extraordinarily easy. Note the millions of people who pledge any number of goals at the beginning of the New Year. Even though most us think of different goals we would like to achieve in our lifetime, few of us actually accomplish them.

How can you make your goals a reality?

The truth is that goal realization is a process. The steady work of achieving your goals is what really matters in the end. The actual process of achieving your goals is what allows you to grow as a person, and to achieve success in your own right. So how do you approach the process of goal realization in a way that cultivates freedom, joy, and ultimately, success? Here is a checklist of different things you should keep in mind when in pursuit of your goals.

First, all successful goal-seekers know that in order to achieve your goals you must be successful. People who speak or think abstractly about something they would "someday" like to accomplish tend to abandon their goals or let them languish in the margins of their life. Be specific. What is it exactly that you would like to accomplish? Do you want to write a novel? Go back to school? Start a theater troupe? Be as specific as possible. Articulate your dream. Get out a pad and pen and write down what you want. Be realistic with yourself. What will you probably need in order to accomplish your goal? What are the inherent sacrifices or compromises that you foresee? What kind of resources will you need to succeed? Describe your goal clearly. The simple act of writing it down will make it seem more real, and make the path toward your goal will appear more palpable.

Now that you've been specific about your goals, and honest about how realistic they are, it's time to think about making your goals measurable. Many people make New Year's resolutions "to be more healthy." This is awfully vague! How do you know when you are "more healthy"? Everyone has a different definition for this. Make your goal specific and measurable.

Next, you must set a reasonable timeline for achieving your goals. Don't let your goals fall to the wayside, or languish in the realm of "someday" thinking. Break down your goals into manageable sections. The smaller these sections, the easier and smoother the journey will seem. Set deadlines for yourself, and make them short. If you're working on your goal of writing the great American novel, don't give yourself a deadline of two years. Instead, give yourself a deadline of finishing a chapter a month, two pages a day, or ten pages a week. Whatever works for your specific situation. The important thing is to be specific, to set short and firm deadlines for yourself that are easy to keep track of.

An important part of goal realization that many people overlook is the way they communicate their goals. People speak of "trying to lose weight," of "trying to start a business," or "trying to learn how to play the piano." "Trying" often doubles as a security clause. It serves to protect us from failure by providing us with security hatch. Speak confidently about your goal. Don't speak of "trying." Instead, say you "will lose weight," or you "will play the piano." Don't give yourself an easy way out of achieving your goal.

The final and most important part of your goal realization process is to harness a deep and abiding passion for your goal. You cannot simply motivate yourself out of fear or guilt. You must truly care about achieving your goal. If you don't possess a passion for your goal, if you can 'take it or leave it,' chances are that you will not be successful.

Source

Thursday, March 1, 2012

How To Achieve Greatness In Your Life

Everyone has a different vision of success in life. Your greatness can be defined as anything you wish; you simply need to do some self-reflection to decide what is most important to you.

Here are some questions you might ask yourself:

  • How important is financial wealth to me?

  • Is having a happy or large family the most important thing in my life?

  • Are there certain skills or gifts that I would like to master?

  • When I die, what will be the most important goal I achieved?


How To Achieve Your Goals

It doesn't really matter what you've set as your true calling, maybe it's becoming a millionaire, living on the beach, or having a large family. The most important thing is that you have found your definition of greatness that personally applies to you.

Your next step is to form an action plan on how to achieve this goal. It may take a lifetime, but the only way you're going to get there is with a plan!

Think Less Do More

It's easy to get lost in your thoughts and plans, but you won't achieve greatness by daydreaming alone. You need to take some powerful action to get there! Greatness won't just fall into your lap - you need to work hard in order to get there.

Small Steps

Your definition of greatness is probably a lofty, multi-year goal, which can be a very intimidating and daunting task. But it doesn't have to be so bad when you plan things out day by day in small, manageable steps.

It's vital to take life day by day and, at the same time, keep the bigger picture in mind. When you set and achieve your small daily goals, you'll build momentum without getting too overwhelmed.

Surrounded Yourself With Good People

It's always great to be in the company of good, positive people. When you have someone you can look up to and model, you're bringing yourself one step closer to greatness.

It's also a good idea to be surrounded by people who can inspire, motivate, and encourage you. My biggest advice to you is to keep the negative, complaining type out of your life. Those people won't bring you anywhere good!

Setbacks

It's common to run into setbacks on your way to greatness. Things are not always going to turn out like you expect, but that is part of the journey to your success! When you hit a snag in the road, you need to pick yourself up, change course, and forge on.

Of course, you'll want to maintain a high level of enthusiasm toward your goal. If a setback has got you down in the dumps, take a short break, then trudge along again! Don't allow anything to get in the way of your goals.

You Are Already There

Every once in a while it's important to take a step back and reflect at your life. Are you enjoying your life and your journey? If so, then you're actually already living your dream.

Remember: All you'll ever have is the present moment. If you like where you are and where you're going, greatness is already yours!

Source Solve Your Problems