Leadership 101
1. Directional Strategy.
Research on effective and transformation leadership consistently put directional strategy at the top of every leader’s ” must do” list. At every opportunity remind everyone including yourself where you are going with the efforts you make. You can call it “envision the future” (Kouzes & Posner) or “keep the end in mind” (Covey) or “build a shared vision” (Senge) or a “vision must permeate through the entire organization as a vital influence on the behavior of all employees” (Margaret Wheatley).
Finally, “There is nothing so useless as doing efficiently that which should not be done at all.” (Peter Drucker) Improving team performance and manager’s skills will just get you to the wrong goal faster. This of course has value but imbeds frustration and chaos into the organization’s culture.
Implementation: write “where are we going?” on a Post It and on the 1st day of each month put it on your bathroom mirror or computer screen and answer it. Then create a story for that month that relates to the vision, to the destination. Yes, you will need 12 good stories for the year. Then share it in a thorough and efficient way.
Advanced Leadership
1. Emotionally intelligent (Goleman) leaders can inspire by emotionally connecting to their team. This is an ability unique to each leader and is the fascinating adventure that all leaders must take. The “heroes journey” (Joseph Campbell) is a life time of learning and growing. Leadership is not about “arriving” but about learning. Developing your own style (which is like the model of car you drive) should be fun and a non-judgemental journey . But the gas, the combustible that supplies the energy and zip, that’s the emotional intelligence which pushes and pulls everything along the path, through challenges and changes that life gives us.
2.Positive Psychology (Snyder & Lopez or Seligman). Transformation Leadership promotes employee empowerment with internal rather than external rewards that are self generated through followership or “buy-in” to the leader’s expresssed mission and vision. This requires a leader to promulgate a directional strategy at a deeper more engaging level. And when it is consistent, it builds mutual trust and respect. (Turner, Barling, Zacharatos) and (Bass,1985 and Burns,1978).
Implement: Take this quick E.I. test and if you find it interesting then get more involved by ordering the book Emotional Intelligence 2.0 which comes with a passcode for taking a more informative test.
Leadership Mastery
1. Mindfulness
We think Ellen Langer’s research puts being mindfull at the top of every leader’s must have skillset. The “western” concept of being mindful is different than the eastern concept and like it’s asian cousin sharpens the mind. We need leaders who live long and healthy lives so their influence and driving force is potent and longlived. Daniel Goleman’s early work, before his best selling book “Emotional Intelligence” dealt with meditation practices. If you read self help, management and leadership books a clear picture begins to emerge. Start with yourself (“personal mastery”, Senge’s 1st Discipline or Kouzes/Posner’s “model the way”) and move up the skillset ladder to understanding others and finally understanding culture and social systems with complex interactions. Why is it important to understand yourself first? Anyone who has meditated and experienced “monkey mind” and the myriad of thoughts and images that assault the mind knows that clarity and calmness in the mind allows for greater understanding (or perhaps acceptance) of complexity and paradox.
Implementation: Close your eyes every day at work for 5 minutes and work backward recalling every detail of how you got to your current location. Include sounds, faces, words, nature, human made structures, smells and feelings. At the end put yor attention on your feet, then legs, torso, shoulders, neck head, eyes and finally your breathing. Then get to work.
2. Innovation, Confident but Uncertain
Leaders who show confidence in their managers and staff, yet express uncertainty about the best way to get the job done will inspire creativity, innovation and self starting behavior. Nothing kills creativity quicker than insisting on “my way or the highway”.
3. Tough Love
While maintaining empathy for each of your team members and using a “parenting approach” with natural consequences makes them (not you) personally responisble for their results . By removing yourself from the formula, being an observer, not taking anything personally (Miguel Ruiz, The Four Agreements) you can be more effective when you have to step in to guide and empower your team, especially when someone’s “feet must be held over the fire”.
Implementation: Take a few minutes to write down all the screwups you think others have committed and then notice which of them bother you the most and which of them you have yourself committed in the past. Then mentally let it all go, toss it in the trash. This will help you “depersonalize” the behavior of others.
AT SFLC YOU CAN PRACTICE THESE SKILLS IN A TRUSTING SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT USING ENGAGING EXPERIENCIAL EXERCISES AND ACTIVITIES. GET A PROGRAM QUOTE.