Posts Tagged ‘team building’
Leaders Don’t Listen? Really?
Condoleezza Rice once said, “When you’re in a position of authority, you need truth-tellers around you.” Did she hit the mark? You bet.First, let us agree that one element of leadership is the authority. To be a leader, you must have some authority. This authority isn’t determined by power but by your ability to motivate,…
Read MoreThe Eight Attributes of a Transformational Leader
I have been very lucky to work for CEOs who understood the principle that leadership is not about doing business as usual but about transforming the organization. Transformation is what differentiates a capable leader from a great leader. Transformational leadership is not easy. It is fraught with risk and reward, angst and celebration, stress and…
Read MoreA Leader’s Dilemma; Punish or Pamper?
On CBS Morning, there was a piece titled Punish or Pamper. The news story was about how to maximize productivity in the workplace. Why is this an either/or issue? Is managing a team about punish or pamper? I don’t think so… There are times when employees need and deserve to be pampered, and conversely, there…
Read MoreLeadership, a Journey Without End
The common denominators of respected leaders are they never stop learning, and they never stop teaching. Leadership takes a significant commitment to the journey of others. It is fraught with setbacks, mistakes, tough decisions, and pride. The unwavering leadership commitment is to help others take risks, make mistakes, do things wrong, and from all that…
Read MoreIs There a Place for a Humble Leader?
Some lead with ego, and some lead with humility. Which are the most successful leaders? Let’s look at history. Leading with ego, we all have a list that jumps to mind because you’ve probably known or worked for these leaders. I immediately think of Ken Lay of ENRON fame and Joe Nacchio of USWest, leaders…
Read MoreSometimes you gotta get “Prickly”
The biggest threat to a team or organization is complacency. The minute a team is okay with the status quo, all growth, innovation, and improvement stops. One symptom of complacency is groupthink. This situation occurs when everyone sits in a meeting in silence, and the robotic bobble-heads begin to bob with every agenda item. We’ve…
Read MoreCreate a Leadership Presence – 4 Steps
Some people seem to have a leadership presence. They seem to own the room when they walk in. How does that happen? How can you create a leadership brand for yourself? First, we will identify the attributes of a leader. Confident Purposeful Authoritative Directive Attentive Specific Trustworthy Second conduct a personal inventory to see which…
Read More10 Steps to Leadership Influence
Being influential is essential to being successful. Influence is communication and behavioral skill that allows the leader to establish his/her authority into a situation that results in others responding with thought and action. To be an effective leader requires you to be an influencer. If you cannot influence others, your only course of action is…
Read MoreThere is no “I” in leadership, well sometimes…
There are two kinds of leadership; leading from the front and leading from the back. Let me define the two. Leading from the front is the most often seen because it is the apparent demonstration of leadership. Leading from the front is essential in situations that require a strong vision, direction, or action. It is…
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