Why do some leaders quickly implement change and inspire their team(s) to exceed all targets- while others try everything possible and their team(s) barely meet expectations?
For many employees, one of the most popular questions they are asked every morning is “How are you?” By the way, this question is stated not by a co-worker, but by their boss. Many ineffective managers and leaders have distinguishing factors such as not asking good questions or offering little or no help, support or even encouragement or suggestions to their employees to be more productive. Many leaders do not avail themselves to the potentially useful techniques that help them manage better either because they do not know them or do not believe in them.
Management By Walking Around or MBWA for short, was pioneered by the two men who started HP-Hewlett-Packard (Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard) in the 1940’s. The “HP Way” of MBWA was based on the concept that employees are capable of being part of the problem solving process and that a team approach to creating new business ideas and innovating ways to solve problems was far superior to the “top down” approach of management coming up with all the answers and dictating them to their employees.
The idea behind MBWA, according to author Tom Peters who popularized the term, is simple: “Managers can be a lot more effective when they wander around the work site. Companies that perform the best are the ones whose managers actively go out into the trenches and listen and engage with their employees.
Managers can best engage employees by asking how their day is going, what barriers they face, what problems they see, how the organization could do better, and how management can help them do a better job. Some may remember the notion of management by walking around as an old idea that is coming back in many companies.
Some organizations who have used “management by walking around” focused on leading that resulted in productivity improvements of at least 30%. Effective managers have their fingers on the pulse of their projects, their teams, and the organizations. Some of the ways “Management By Walking Around” improves leadership includes:
· Motivates employees to achieve individual and team goals
· Focuses the team’s attention on business priorities
· Increases the ability to drive cultural change
· Builds company spirit
· Reinforces company values
Management By Walking Around builds trust and relationships, motivates the staff by management allowing employees to take an active role in the company they work for, and creates a healthy organization.
Management By Walking Around recognizes and appreciates the employees who help make you successful. Managers who practice this style, take note of the following:
1. Speak with People One-on-One as this builds trust.
2. Get to Know People more on a personal basis as this shows your interest in them. Tell them something about yourself.
3. Be Prepared to hear some things you would rather not hear. Some things may not be going so well. Accept these things as information that may be useful to you without being critical of the employee who presents the information.
4. Always Ask people for their ideas on how their work could be improved. Listen carefully to their ideas.
5. When You Notice something out of line, make a mental note and go back later to address the problem.
6. Practice MBWA with everyone as often as you can. Be humble. Let them show you how to input the data.
7. Try to Catch Employees in the act of doing something right. Notice the things that are right and express your appreciation. This builds loyalty.
These are simple and powerful tools for you to use daily. Today, many business owners and leaders walk the floor only when a crisis occurs. They think their presence will calm their employees. The trouble is, that is not effective if you have been hiding in your office before you notice a problem has hit. MBWA only works (and does work) if you do it regularly and you really want to know what is going on in your organization. So Instead of staying in your office all day, every day, visit your employees on a regular basis, and discover how to improve your leadership with your employees and your company.
“Ninety percent of leadership is the ability to communicate something people want.”
- Dianne Feinstein
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you for the leadership skills you may be seeking, please contact us at 602-405-2540 or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
Friday, August 13, 2010
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Resilient People
How do you react to unexpected difficulties? In today’s workplace everyone feels pressured to get more done, of higher quality, with fewer people, in less time, and with less of a budget. It is more challenging when life throws you a curve especially in difficult times when it is important to be resilient as much as possible.
Healthy, resilient people have stress-resistant personalities. Resilience is the process of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences. Resilient people bounce back from setbacks quicker than others, and can thrive under extreme, on-going pressure without acting in dysfunctional or harmful ways.
Resilience comprises 2 different elements: (1) The ability to keep it together when you are subject to great demands and pressures; and (2) The ability to overcome difficulties, to learn from mistakes and to develop creatively, by turning difficult circumstances into opportunities.
Resiliency is what sets some people apart from others. The traits of resilient people are plenty for people to understand. Here are several characteristics. See if they fit for you!
· Resilient people are connected to what is most important to them in their lives (meaning, direction and purpose in what they do).
· Put things in perspective.
· They understand that emotions are great sources of energy and motivation but are often poor guides for action. They know how to motivate themselves to take action.
· They are focused with having a clear vision of what they want to achieve.
· Resilient people are positive. They are optimistic in their thinking as negative thinking is just a “bad habit”. (Challenge yourself to reframe situations in more positive terms).
· They are flexible especially when responding to change.
· Resilient people are organized as they develop structured approaches to managing change.
· Always exploring their options. If one door closes, they look for another door or window of opportunity. They even create them when needed.
· Resilient people have excellent problem-solving skills. The can brainstorm and negotiate with the best. They think critically.
· Maintain a higher level of quality and productivity in their work.
· Resilient people have the ability to re-frame their experiences to see the positive side of things. They always look for the silver lining. They ask questions like, “What can I learn from this experience?”
· Achieve more of their objectives.
· They look for adversity as a challenge rather than as a threat. They realize that no matter how the present situation turns out, they will learn and grow from it.
· Resilient people respect themselves and others. They have a spirit of cooperation and look for win-win solutions rather than try to win over people or ignore their own wants and needs.
· They know how to let go of things they have no control over. They know the only thing in their control is “Me, Myself, and I”.
· Resilient people use positive self-talk. They spend time thinking what they want versus what they do not have. They understand and use the power of positive affirmations.
· Resilient people let go of the past and learn from past experiences and plan for the future.
· They know how and when to ask for help. They do not try to do everything themselves. They do not expect others to do everything for them. They understand the benefits of tapping into the strengths of others.
· Resilient people enjoy living in the NOW. They do not put important things off for another day.
· Actively seek solutions. Active coping rather than being passive and waiting for things to happen.
Think about how resiliency impacts you and your organization!
Healthy, resilient people have stress-resistant personalities. Resilience is the process of successfully adapting to difficult or challenging life experiences. Resilient people bounce back from setbacks quicker than others, and can thrive under extreme, on-going pressure without acting in dysfunctional or harmful ways.
Resilience comprises 2 different elements: (1) The ability to keep it together when you are subject to great demands and pressures; and (2) The ability to overcome difficulties, to learn from mistakes and to develop creatively, by turning difficult circumstances into opportunities.
Resiliency is what sets some people apart from others. The traits of resilient people are plenty for people to understand. Here are several characteristics. See if they fit for you!
· Resilient people are connected to what is most important to them in their lives (meaning, direction and purpose in what they do).
· Put things in perspective.
· They understand that emotions are great sources of energy and motivation but are often poor guides for action. They know how to motivate themselves to take action.
· They are focused with having a clear vision of what they want to achieve.
· Resilient people are positive. They are optimistic in their thinking as negative thinking is just a “bad habit”. (Challenge yourself to reframe situations in more positive terms).
· They are flexible especially when responding to change.
· Resilient people are organized as they develop structured approaches to managing change.
· Always exploring their options. If one door closes, they look for another door or window of opportunity. They even create them when needed.
· Resilient people have excellent problem-solving skills. The can brainstorm and negotiate with the best. They think critically.
· Maintain a higher level of quality and productivity in their work.
· Resilient people have the ability to re-frame their experiences to see the positive side of things. They always look for the silver lining. They ask questions like, “What can I learn from this experience?”
· Achieve more of their objectives.
· They look for adversity as a challenge rather than as a threat. They realize that no matter how the present situation turns out, they will learn and grow from it.
· Resilient people respect themselves and others. They have a spirit of cooperation and look for win-win solutions rather than try to win over people or ignore their own wants and needs.
· They know how to let go of things they have no control over. They know the only thing in their control is “Me, Myself, and I”.
· Resilient people use positive self-talk. They spend time thinking what they want versus what they do not have. They understand and use the power of positive affirmations.
· Resilient people let go of the past and learn from past experiences and plan for the future.
· They know how and when to ask for help. They do not try to do everything themselves. They do not expect others to do everything for them. They understand the benefits of tapping into the strengths of others.
· Resilient people enjoy living in the NOW. They do not put important things off for another day.
· Actively seek solutions. Active coping rather than being passive and waiting for things to happen.
Think about how resiliency impacts you and your organization!
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you for the leadership skills you may be seeking, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
Friday, July 9, 2010
Leaders Understanding Their Own Awareness
One who knows others is wise.
One who knows oneself is enlightened.
Lao-Tzu
Although it is probably one of the least discussed leadership competencies, self-awareness is one of the most valuable. Many of us operate on the belief that we must appear as though we know everything all the time or else people will question our abilities, diminishing the effectiveness of leaders.
Self-awareness is the cornerstone of leadership. When you are self-aware, you are mindful of the impacts that your emotions, your behavior, your communication patterns have on those around you. Strong leaders take time to reflect on their strengths and development needs.
Self-awareness is the first step to better leadership. If you do not know what you do not know, you cannot improve on your weaknesses. If you are unaware of your strengths, you will not reach your potential. A lack of knowledge about who you are and how you operate can lead you to overemphasize your strengths, to the point where they become a weakness. Once you know yourself- your strengths, weaknesses, behavior tendencies and motivators- you can begin to lead yourself to success.
Recognition of your own strengths and limitations means that you are more likely to empower others, giving them the opportunity to develop and support broad improvement goals. On the interpersonal level, self-awareness of your strengths and weaknesses can net you the trust of others and increase your credibility – both of which will increase your leadership effectiveness.
On an organizational level, the benefits are greater. When you acknowledge what you have yet to learn, you are modeling that in your organization then it is okay to admit you do not have all the answers, make mistakes and most importantly, to ask for help. These are all characteristics of an organization that is constantly learning and presents itself as a springboard to innovation and agility – two hallmarks of high performing organizations.
So How Self-Aware Are You?
According to research on management styles, you are more likely to be unaware of your behavior and how it impacts others if you normally tend to operate at the extremes.
Developing your leadership potential begins with self-reflection. Leadership development helps leaders understand their own style. Knowing your own strengths and limitations helps you understand your own emotions and the impact of your behavior on others in diverse situations.
Leadership guru, Warren Bennis states, “Know thyself means separating who you are and who you want to be from what the world thinks you are and wants you to be.”
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you for the leadership skills you may be seeking, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
Monday, June 28, 2010
Who Are Your Star Performers
Brent was a successful senior executive working for a large manufacturing company. He was the person that you wanted to have when things did not go well. Everybody loved him for his enthusiasm, never-ending motivation and his vision of taking the organization to the next level. About one year after this bright star was brought in and produced so well he started getting frustrated due to the fact that his boss was not spending any time to groom him and was not receiving any recognition or bonuses for the work he was doing. When he accepted an offer at another firm nobody could believe it. His boss did not understand his reasons, his team was disappointed, and his peers simply didn’t get it. Brent never told anyone what he was going through. But everyone knew he was a top performer who everyone expected to run the company one day soon.
It is a difficult event for an organization when a star employee leaves, ripping a hole in the organization. Most managers are aware of the 80-20 rule that states that “80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people.” Whether this is fact or fiction, few managers would disagree that the bulk of the work is done by a few key staff.
Ask a manager where they spend the bulk of their time, and most will say that it is spent with underperformers in an attempt to raise the overall level of the team. Most people don’t spend a lot of time trying to identify their best producers.
I came across an article recently from World at Work that reported an alarming 47% of high performing employees are actively looking for another job. In many cases stars are only identified long after they have left.
Star Performers Are:
· Known within the team, but may not be known to management
· Not clock watchers starting to pack their bag at 4:58.
· Usually approached when something important needs to be done
· Stars don't think of networking as something to do with other people. For stars, it's a constant. Nothing is a complete waste of time because you can always meet someone, talk to someone, or help someone. That last piece is important – stars know that networking is as much giving as taking. And there is an inherent humility in this way of life; stars know they can't get what they want by acting alone.
· Stars exceed expectations. Just doing your job is not enough. Stars do their own job well and then perform well in areas that exceed the job description. Generally star initiative includes helping people, taking risks and seeing a project through to the end – all in arenas that go beyond their job duties
Star performers are usually not the ones flapping around and spending time each day telling others how busy they are. They may be easy to spot in areas such as sales, because it is a numbers game.
Not only are star performers a dumping ground for additional work and some say they are often a victim of their own success.
What Drives Star Performers Away?
• Lack of recognition or feedback with respect to performance
• Internal promotions that are not based on performance
• Others taking credit for their work
It does not matter what profession you are in, the following is a formula to use to identify your star performers.
1. Look at the people in your organization, and then inventory their skills.
2. Compare those skills to what’s hot in the open job market.
3. Compile a list of people that have extremely valuable skills.
High performers are usually people who need a different form of motivation in order to stay passionate about their jobs. Stars thrive on executing results. Seldom do they sit down and reflect on the things that “just happen.”
Most of us can divide the people in our organizations into three categories: Star performers, moderate performers and substandard performers. Suppose you have 100 employees. In a typical work force, that would probably mean 15 star performers, 83 moderate performers and two substandard performers. . A study of computer programmers at Bell Laboratories showed that the star performers outperformed moderate performers by a margin of 8-1.
Retain Your Star Performers
· Work with star performers to set realistic performance targets.
· Give them more of your time than underperformers. Meet with them on a weekly basis for an informal catch-up. They are the backbone of your company, so why spend all your time with staff that are not producing the results?
· They want to be in the limelight. They want to make decisions. They want to shine. Be sure to create an environment where they can do just that.
One of the best ways to get what you want is to be an extraordinary performer at work. The interesting thing about star performance at work is that it actually demands that you be the person you want to be anyway. Being a good person, seeking self-knowledge, and taking responsibility for where you're going are probably key pieces of your core belief system. So you truly do not need to stray from your idea of a good life in order to be wildly successful in your career.
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you for the leadership skills you may be seeking, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
It is a difficult event for an organization when a star employee leaves, ripping a hole in the organization. Most managers are aware of the 80-20 rule that states that “80 percent of the work is done by 20 percent of the people.” Whether this is fact or fiction, few managers would disagree that the bulk of the work is done by a few key staff.
Ask a manager where they spend the bulk of their time, and most will say that it is spent with underperformers in an attempt to raise the overall level of the team. Most people don’t spend a lot of time trying to identify their best producers.
I came across an article recently from World at Work that reported an alarming 47% of high performing employees are actively looking for another job. In many cases stars are only identified long after they have left.
Star Performers Are:
· Known within the team, but may not be known to management
· Not clock watchers starting to pack their bag at 4:58.
· Usually approached when something important needs to be done
· Stars don't think of networking as something to do with other people. For stars, it's a constant. Nothing is a complete waste of time because you can always meet someone, talk to someone, or help someone. That last piece is important – stars know that networking is as much giving as taking. And there is an inherent humility in this way of life; stars know they can't get what they want by acting alone.
· Stars exceed expectations. Just doing your job is not enough. Stars do their own job well and then perform well in areas that exceed the job description. Generally star initiative includes helping people, taking risks and seeing a project through to the end – all in arenas that go beyond their job duties
Star performers are usually not the ones flapping around and spending time each day telling others how busy they are. They may be easy to spot in areas such as sales, because it is a numbers game.
Not only are star performers a dumping ground for additional work and some say they are often a victim of their own success.
What Drives Star Performers Away?
• Lack of recognition or feedback with respect to performance
• Internal promotions that are not based on performance
• Others taking credit for their work
It does not matter what profession you are in, the following is a formula to use to identify your star performers.
1. Look at the people in your organization, and then inventory their skills.
2. Compare those skills to what’s hot in the open job market.
3. Compile a list of people that have extremely valuable skills.
High performers are usually people who need a different form of motivation in order to stay passionate about their jobs. Stars thrive on executing results. Seldom do they sit down and reflect on the things that “just happen.”
Most of us can divide the people in our organizations into three categories: Star performers, moderate performers and substandard performers. Suppose you have 100 employees. In a typical work force, that would probably mean 15 star performers, 83 moderate performers and two substandard performers. . A study of computer programmers at Bell Laboratories showed that the star performers outperformed moderate performers by a margin of 8-1.
Retain Your Star Performers
· Work with star performers to set realistic performance targets.
· Give them more of your time than underperformers. Meet with them on a weekly basis for an informal catch-up. They are the backbone of your company, so why spend all your time with staff that are not producing the results?
· They want to be in the limelight. They want to make decisions. They want to shine. Be sure to create an environment where they can do just that.
One of the best ways to get what you want is to be an extraordinary performer at work. The interesting thing about star performance at work is that it actually demands that you be the person you want to be anyway. Being a good person, seeking self-knowledge, and taking responsibility for where you're going are probably key pieces of your core belief system. So you truly do not need to stray from your idea of a good life in order to be wildly successful in your career.
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you for the leadership skills you may be seeking, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Leadership Action to Move Forward
Leadership is not something you “do”…it is a quality of who you “are”
What are you willing to take action on, whether you feel like it or not, in order to help you drop the old way and empower the new way? One of the prime differences between leaders and followers is that leaders go out and make something happen, while followers wait for something to happen. In fact, there are three kinds of people in business. See which you most resemble:
1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who wait for something to happen.
3. Those who wonder, “What happened?”
While leaders have numerous qualities, the following helps you start to move forward as a leader.
Leaders Focus on Strengths
Besides assessing and identifying your own strengths, as a leader you need to focus on the strengths of your employees and of the organization. Leaders know that by focusing on and developing strengths, they gain momentum and can become exceptional in an area(s). Leaders focus on strengths because they know it takes more time and energy to go from miserable to mediocre than it does to go from good to great and great people make an organization great and great people and organizations make things happen!
Leaders Set the Tone and Climate for their Workplace Each Day
Effective leaders are the ones who make the work environment a place in which employees: (a) want to show up for work and (b) want to follow the leaders.
Leading by example is the best way many employees view of their top company execs are doing and especially of how they feel about the company they lead. Many employees like to wait and see how their leaders handle various types of situations before believing they are doing well for the company. Other employees go along with the flow and perceive their leaders at the moment of what they say and how they present to employees their vision, expectations, etc.
Be Forward Looking
The whole point of leadership is figuring out where to go from where you are now. For leaders to be able to look ahead in the present context means that they need to be able and willing to stay informed continuously about developments.
Leaders are charged with taking organizations forward, and rely on information systems to see what’s coming ahead.
Forward looking leaders need to know when to take a few steps back to see what is in front of them and how to solve the challenge(s) they face. Some leaders know that it is hard to see the bigger picture when you're inside the frame. That's why they regularly step back to see themselves, their team, or their organization through the eyes of others.
Optimism
There are some who are naturally pessimistic, while others are naturally optimistic. Successful leaders are part of the second group. They know that they cannot control every eventuality but they can control how they respond. They focus on solutions, not problems. Optimistic leadership help you not just look for the positives, but gives you energy that inspires others.
Sometimes leaders need to look at things from an open perspective. “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.” -Unknown Author
Be Decisive
A leader who does not make decisions, who waffles, gets his management team into a position of standing still — ‘If s/he’s not going to make a decision, I’m not going to make a decision because I don’t want to go out on a limb.’
When you start getting that groupthink of, ‘Inaction is what he or she wants,’ then you develop a company that is focused on inaction. Then you have your customer facing managers who need something to happen and confused about what corporate is doing. Then the frustration starts to build, customers start to feel it, and your business starts to go sideways.
Leaders Plan for Success
In planning for success, leaders encourage their employees to take risks, and look for breakthroughs by empowering employees to complete tasks/projects/assignments by using their thinking skills. Asking questions to get people to think more critically helps them solve challenges and helps them improve their self-confidence.
It is now time to take action.
"We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals." - Gen William T. Sherman
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
What are you willing to take action on, whether you feel like it or not, in order to help you drop the old way and empower the new way? One of the prime differences between leaders and followers is that leaders go out and make something happen, while followers wait for something to happen. In fact, there are three kinds of people in business. See which you most resemble:
1. Those who make things happen.
2. Those who wait for something to happen.
3. Those who wonder, “What happened?”
While leaders have numerous qualities, the following helps you start to move forward as a leader.
Leaders Focus on Strengths
Besides assessing and identifying your own strengths, as a leader you need to focus on the strengths of your employees and of the organization. Leaders know that by focusing on and developing strengths, they gain momentum and can become exceptional in an area(s). Leaders focus on strengths because they know it takes more time and energy to go from miserable to mediocre than it does to go from good to great and great people make an organization great and great people and organizations make things happen!
Leaders Set the Tone and Climate for their Workplace Each Day
Effective leaders are the ones who make the work environment a place in which employees: (a) want to show up for work and (b) want to follow the leaders.
Leading by example is the best way many employees view of their top company execs are doing and especially of how they feel about the company they lead. Many employees like to wait and see how their leaders handle various types of situations before believing they are doing well for the company. Other employees go along with the flow and perceive their leaders at the moment of what they say and how they present to employees their vision, expectations, etc.
Be Forward Looking
The whole point of leadership is figuring out where to go from where you are now. For leaders to be able to look ahead in the present context means that they need to be able and willing to stay informed continuously about developments.
Leaders are charged with taking organizations forward, and rely on information systems to see what’s coming ahead.
Forward looking leaders need to know when to take a few steps back to see what is in front of them and how to solve the challenge(s) they face. Some leaders know that it is hard to see the bigger picture when you're inside the frame. That's why they regularly step back to see themselves, their team, or their organization through the eyes of others.
Optimism
There are some who are naturally pessimistic, while others are naturally optimistic. Successful leaders are part of the second group. They know that they cannot control every eventuality but they can control how they respond. They focus on solutions, not problems. Optimistic leadership help you not just look for the positives, but gives you energy that inspires others.
Sometimes leaders need to look at things from an open perspective. “The mind is like a parachute. It doesn’t work unless it’s open.” -Unknown Author
Be Decisive
A leader who does not make decisions, who waffles, gets his management team into a position of standing still — ‘If s/he’s not going to make a decision, I’m not going to make a decision because I don’t want to go out on a limb.’
When you start getting that groupthink of, ‘Inaction is what he or she wants,’ then you develop a company that is focused on inaction. Then you have your customer facing managers who need something to happen and confused about what corporate is doing. Then the frustration starts to build, customers start to feel it, and your business starts to go sideways.
Leaders Plan for Success
In planning for success, leaders encourage their employees to take risks, and look for breakthroughs by empowering employees to complete tasks/projects/assignments by using their thinking skills. Asking questions to get people to think more critically helps them solve challenges and helps them improve their self-confidence.
It is now time to take action.
"We have good corporals and good sergeants and some good lieutenants and captains, and those are far more important than good generals." - Gen William T. Sherman
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com
Tuesday, June 8, 2010
Looking Down from the Balcony to Lead on the Dance Floor
So much has changed in the past few years. The best ways of running a sustainable business has also changed. Successfully managing change will be your competitive advantage. Every bookstore or library shelf has an abundant number of leadership from the theoretical to the practical and everything in between. Find a book on leadership shifting gears slightly about how to lead from a different perspective. This will help you immensely especially if you are thinking about moving your organization to be more efficient and effective, but not know where or how to start.
While not everyone is cut out to be a leader, not everyone can or wants to be a follower all the time, also. It is often the mix of the smartest, most effective and efficient way to build and sustain your business, team and productivity. Orchestrating your leadership and how your employees go about completing their day work, may need some
Leaders need to identify if a change they are introducing requires primarily technical expertise, or represents a deeper, adaptive challenge. The key to success is to correctly identify which type of challenge leaders are facing and then proceed to orchestrate the change based on whether the type of change they are facing is a technical or an adaptive challenge.
Ron Heifetz, professor at Harvard University and author of Leadership Without Easy Answers (1998), makes the point that leaders periodically need to get off the dance floor and get up on the balcony. By doing so, you can see the patterns and the flow of your employees working better than when they are right in front of you.
Heifetz believes that leaders need to regularly “get up in the balcony” and get a different perspective of everything that is going on. You also can see who is dancing well and who is struggling.
In their book, “Leadership on the Line”, authors Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky offer a practical solution of “getting off the dance floor (daily operations) and up in the balcony.
When growing or leading your business, it is important to regularly make the time to consider where you want to be and what is changing around you rather than always being bogged down in (with) the details. Applying the “getting off the dance floor” metaphor, spending less time dancing and more time looking down from the balcony at the dancers to assess whether there is better way to do things. On the Dance Floor, you can find yourself in action, consumed in the day to day running of your business. On the “Balcony”, you can take a step back from the details and take a clearer, more strategic view of what is going on in your business. Spending regular time in the Balcony is important for you to see what you need to do in order to grow or lead your business.
Return to the dance if you want to affect what is happening. Staying on the balcony for short periods of time to give you a different perspective is great.
Position your people to be able to provide feedback, opinions and suggestions without fear of intimidation or being ignored. Provide regular opportunities to hear what they are thinking, feeling, and how they respond to current trends and issues affecting their work.
Many leaders modify their behaviors according to their responses from their employees. A masterful leader understands that their leadership is a work in progress and that their ability to manage and lead depends on many factors and situations. Continuous monitoring and confirming with observations and feelings of others is a good barometer for leaders.
Leaders that develop and practice emotional intelligence seek feedback when it comes to behaviors and attitudes may find they actually get it if they are responsive to improvement(s).
The notion that leadership means “I know where we are going just follow me”; or “I’ll bring in the best experts and then follow me” is clearly inappropriate to adaptive contexts and puts enormous pressure on people in authority to fake it and provide quick technical fixes that tend to avoid the more significant questions.
Taking a balcony perspective is difficult especially when you have been leading from down below. When you break away, step back and you will see the big picture. Sometimes it is complicated by several factors.
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com.
While not everyone is cut out to be a leader, not everyone can or wants to be a follower all the time, also. It is often the mix of the smartest, most effective and efficient way to build and sustain your business, team and productivity. Orchestrating your leadership and how your employees go about completing their day work, may need some
Leaders need to identify if a change they are introducing requires primarily technical expertise, or represents a deeper, adaptive challenge. The key to success is to correctly identify which type of challenge leaders are facing and then proceed to orchestrate the change based on whether the type of change they are facing is a technical or an adaptive challenge.
Ron Heifetz, professor at Harvard University and author of Leadership Without Easy Answers (1998), makes the point that leaders periodically need to get off the dance floor and get up on the balcony. By doing so, you can see the patterns and the flow of your employees working better than when they are right in front of you.
Heifetz believes that leaders need to regularly “get up in the balcony” and get a different perspective of everything that is going on. You also can see who is dancing well and who is struggling.
In their book, “Leadership on the Line”, authors Ron Heifetz and Marty Linsky offer a practical solution of “getting off the dance floor (daily operations) and up in the balcony.
When growing or leading your business, it is important to regularly make the time to consider where you want to be and what is changing around you rather than always being bogged down in (with) the details. Applying the “getting off the dance floor” metaphor, spending less time dancing and more time looking down from the balcony at the dancers to assess whether there is better way to do things. On the Dance Floor, you can find yourself in action, consumed in the day to day running of your business. On the “Balcony”, you can take a step back from the details and take a clearer, more strategic view of what is going on in your business. Spending regular time in the Balcony is important for you to see what you need to do in order to grow or lead your business.
Return to the dance if you want to affect what is happening. Staying on the balcony for short periods of time to give you a different perspective is great.
Position your people to be able to provide feedback, opinions and suggestions without fear of intimidation or being ignored. Provide regular opportunities to hear what they are thinking, feeling, and how they respond to current trends and issues affecting their work.
Many leaders modify their behaviors according to their responses from their employees. A masterful leader understands that their leadership is a work in progress and that their ability to manage and lead depends on many factors and situations. Continuous monitoring and confirming with observations and feelings of others is a good barometer for leaders.
Leaders that develop and practice emotional intelligence seek feedback when it comes to behaviors and attitudes may find they actually get it if they are responsive to improvement(s).
The notion that leadership means “I know where we are going just follow me”; or “I’ll bring in the best experts and then follow me” is clearly inappropriate to adaptive contexts and puts enormous pressure on people in authority to fake it and provide quick technical fixes that tend to avoid the more significant questions.
Taking a balcony perspective is difficult especially when you have been leading from down below. When you break away, step back and you will see the big picture. Sometimes it is complicated by several factors.
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Characteristics of Inspiring Leaders
A survey of more than one and a half thousand managers, people were asked what they would most like to see in their leaders. the most popular answer, mentioned by 55% , was "Inspiration". When asked if they would describe their current leader as "inspiring", only 11% said yes.
An inspired and motivated workforce is essential for any business that stays ahead of their competition. Ann Clarke Judd, the chief executive officer of the American red Cross National Testing Laboratory in Charlotte, N.C., "Inspiring leaders under the consequences of their decisions, are trustworthy, presevere, and plan carefully."
An Inspiring Leader is an authentic individual who demonstrates the following characteristics.
1. Is open to change and is always looking for better and easier ways of doing things.
An inspired and motivated workforce is essential for any business that stays ahead of their competition. Ann Clarke Judd, the chief executive officer of the American red Cross National Testing Laboratory in Charlotte, N.C., "Inspiring leaders under the consequences of their decisions, are trustworthy, presevere, and plan carefully."
An Inspiring Leader is an authentic individual who demonstrates the following characteristics.
1. Is open to change and is always looking for better and easier ways of doing things.
2. Their decisions are based on the greater good of all and not solely on one individual.
3. Is flexible, responsive, and adaptable.
4. Are "Big Picture" vision thinkers.
5. Not threatened or intimidated by others.
6. Accepts 100% responsiblity for their leadership style and not only admits but apologizes when they are wrong.
7. Knows who they are and acknowledges their strengths and weaknesses. they surround themselves with people that complement their weaknesses and capitalize on their own stengths.
8. Is solution focused.
9. Always gives credit to those who the work or idea belongs to.
10. Builds people up, empowers them as the leader provides direction, guidance and encourages others to believe in themselves.
11. Create an open forum for ideas to flow freely from everyone and encourage others to express their ideas.
12. Involves people in decision making on every important issue. (Seeking the opinions of others communicates that leaders respect and appreciate them).
13. Listens well and gives others the courtesy of their full attention.
14. Delivers extraordinary results.
15. Articulates compelling course of action. (Inspiring leaders craft and deliver specific,, consistent and memorable vision).
16. Reinforces an Optimistic Outlook. Speaks in positive, optimistic language. (Extraordinary leaders throughout history have been more optimistic than the average person).
The inspirational leader feels passionately about the vision and mission of the organization. They share their passion with others.
The ability to inspire people to reach great heights of performance and success is a skill that leaders need. Passion, purpose, listening and meaning help make a leader inspirational. The ability to communicate that passion, purpose and meaning to others helps establish the inspirational culture of your organization. These points will tell you how to enable inspiration and motivation in the people you lead.
For a 30 minute complimentary session to see how we can help you, please contact us at 602-405-2540, or email nburgis@successful-solutions.com.
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