Leaders on Leadership: July 2008

The Ten Pillars of Leadership and Business Development

Author: Bea Fields

Leadership is any influence relationship that brings about change…this can be a teacher/student relationship, a parent/child relationship, a politician/citizen relationship, a business owner/employee relationship, a community leader/volunteer relationship and peer/peer relationship. These ten guiding principles can support leaders in becoming trusted by their followers and for withstanding the challenges of today's ever-changing world.

(1) Leaders must be willing to be highly visible during crisis.

Enron, WorldCom and Martha Stewart...Their greed and fraud have further eroded trust in people around the world, and as a result, corporations and business owners are now operating with a brand new set of rules. Building trust requires a special effort on behalf of the CEO or Business Owner to communicate openly, honestly, and often…especially during crisis or tough times. During a crisis, the stakeholders want to hear from their leader…they don't want to hear from his or her spokesperson. They not only want to hear from the person at they top…they want to engage in open communication that involves the sharing of information and ideas, and they want to know that their voice has been heard. During turbulent times, it is important to take advantage of all types of opportunities for communication, including open forums, task forces, breakfast meetings, the media, one on one meetings, and stakeholder surveys. More formal forms of communication strategies include the 360 degree feedback assessment or a full communications audit (which may take 2-6 months to complete.) The goal is to communicate openly and often and to continue assessing your communications program every day to insure that a culture of trust is being maintained.

(2) Leaders must be willing to take a stand- based on their vision and their values.

This does not happen in a vacuum…leaders must be willing to admit that they need strong support from an executive coach or a strong mentor who can guide them to doing the tough internal work required to shift their thinking and to get off the ego trip that many leaders live . They must be willing to carefully explore their values and how they can move their companies in the direction of a vision that is unwavering. This takes boldness, and a leader's stand must be nailed into the ground and secured with cement...the stand must be so strong that the leader does not become "wishy-washy" during tough times and in the face of controversy. Consistency is key, and the leader must know and believe in his or her stand on a very deep level...from the heart...not because the public relations director or Chief of Staff told him or her what to do or say. This is a genuine stand that is driven by the leader's authentic value system that never changes.

(3) Leaders must be willing to be fully engaged with the four focus areas of their being: physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually.

These areas of being must also be congruent with the leader's environment. Leaders of today must be willing to be fully engaged...physically fit, emotionally balanced, mentally tough, and spiritually centered. Leading a strong life is a quest that many leaders run from, because it can be tough, but it is crucial if he/she wants to engage followers in a way that is trusting. I cannot help but think about Tiger Woods when I think about leaders being fully engaged. He is an example of a world leader who is a model of what I am describing. His body is fit, his mind is sharp, his emotions are solid, and his spiritual presence is inspiring. He is being followed by young men from all corners of the world and viewed as an inspiring model and mentor in the world of golf.

In addition to strengthening the four areas of being, leaders must be willing to create a strong environment...one that is congruent with leading a strong life. The environment must be clean, clutter-free and optimized for speed, efficiency, and effectivness. The people and network surrounding the leader must be moving forward and fundamentally strong, and the activities leaders choose must point to a life that is built for change and is rock solid. If the environment is not congruent with the goals a leader seeks, her resources, energy, and effectiveness will become drained over time, and people will no longer be willing and loyal followers. They will seek a stronger leader to turn to for direction and hope.

(4) Leaders must be willing to build deep pockets of social capital by designing a network based on diversity.

In the book ""Achieving Success through Social Capital"", author Wayne Baker advocates the building of networks based on diversity, In chapter 2, he states: ""Diversity provides the benefits of multiple perspectives on problems, protection against groupthink, and enhanced ability to collect, process, and digest information. Management teams with members from diverse functional background, for example, perform better than homongenous management teams."" Building a diverse network is a crucial step in leaders being able to build a strong business and personal life. It is not uncommon to see leaders develop homongenous networks...known commonly as cliques. This is a dangerous approach, because the network does not develop the arms and legs it needs to reach the four corners of the globe, to get the resources and knowledge it needs, and it can actually cave in on itself, pulling the company down with it. By reaching into different cultures, ages, geographical locations, educational backrounds, and belief systems, leaders can build networks that will yield the biggest results and that will be sustainable over time.

(5) Leaders must be willing to overcome the growing tide of cynicism in the business world and define an upbeat style of leadership.

In the article "A Prescription for Leading in Cynical Times" authors James Kouzes and Barry Posner, authors of the Leadership Challenge discuss this in detail. Cynics are evident in every company in the world. They usually believe that human conduct is motivated by self- interest, and they have a disbelief about the integrity of others. They have high expectations of the world, and they are continually disappointed when the people in their lives don't meet those expectations. To begin working with this challenge, leaders must be willing to drop their own cynical ""The World Stinks"" attitude and develop the qualities that others say are important to leadership such as integrity, competency, the ability to relate, visioning, inspiration and the drive the build a thriving and cohesive team.

(6) Leaders must be willing to push the edges of innovation.

I want to begin by talking about the difference between innovation and creativity. William Coyne, senior vice president for R&D at 3M once described the difference: ""Creativity is thinking of new and appropriate ideas whereas innovation is the successful implementation of those ideas within an organization. In other words creativity is the concept and innovation is the process."" Innovation always involves treading into uncertain waters, and entering a new territory can be challenging, even for the most creative of thinkers. Yet falling behind can be a great deal worse than taking the risk to stretch and grow into new markets with new ventures. If companies are to move into the future, leaders must be willing to push the edges of innovation each and every day. Executing an experimental venture requires planning, and it requires revisiting ideas that your company may have put on the shelf years ago, and whose time has now come. It is about zeroing in on the best possible strategy, discovering what systems are needed and what processes will be required to get the job done and to come out on the profit side of the venture. Your new offering should meet the demands of your customers and should be an improvement over the way things are currently being done. As Nike says "Just Do It." Start today to begin the process of innovation, and see what comes about for the future of your company…you may just be surprised!

(7) Leaders must be willing to show their employees that they love and care for them.

There is one truth in life that I firmly believe: With the showing of love and concern, people begin to feel wonderful and more worthy, and their productivity will triple in an environment that is loving. The book "Love is the Killer App" by Tim Sanders focuses on what it takes to create a true "Love Biz" by the giving and showing of compassion, resources, and knowledge without the expectation of anything in return. People will do business with people they like, and this "Love Cat" way of doing business often strikes an uncomfortable chord with leaders who are insecure about their own abilities or who view a show of love, empathy, and compassion as a sign of weakness. People have to know on a very deep level that their leaders care about them, their future, and their growth. With this loving approach to leading, the talent in organizations will grow, and a sense of self confidence and commitment will inspire individuals at every level of the company.

(8) Leaders must be willing to listen to the grapevine and then build a sense of community based on what he/she hears in the grapevine.

One of my favorite leaders in my local community is Dan Landis, the Director of Sales and Marketing for St. Joseph of the Pines, a life care community in North Carolina. He is one leader who I see as truly being bold…he actively places himself every day in the middle of the firing line. He spends much of his day talking to residents, sitting down and eating lunch with them, and stopping them in the hall to simply ask "How are you…What can I do for you today? What are the problems you are having? How can I help? " He does not stop with the residents. He goes on to exercise this same approach with employees of St. Joseph of the Pines. Dan is a leader who is developing a very deep understanding of the collective issues and desires of the customers of St. Joseph of the Pines…both the employees and the residents. He is building a sense of community based on shared values, and he is taking people to places they have never been before. Not only does he listen…he acts, bringing quick solutions to the problems he hears and the desires he knows are in the hearts of the people he leads.

Every company has a grapevine, and it is not uncommon for companies to have a grapevine that spreads negative messages, complaints, and rumors. These messages and rumors can seriously undermine the morale of any company. Leaders must be willing to do as Dan Landis does…listen to the grapevine, and use it as a feedback mechanism to highlight key issues that customers and employees consider relevant enough to whisper about at the water fountain and in the community. Leaders can also use the grapevine to monitor which employees and customers are more likely to pass information along, so that the impact of the grapevine can be reduced.

(9) Leaders must be devoted to continuous improvement.

Leadership development is mandatory for CEOs and Executive Team, but it is also a necessary part of training for every person in the organization. So many business leaders of today see leadership development as ""fluff"" and "soft" but the truth of the matter is that leadership development can improve bottom line profits and productivity. By listening to an employee who is on the front line, and acknowledging her value, a leader can create loyal internal customers and can bring innovative ideas to the table which can grow a company by leaps and bounds. By strengthening team communication, a leader can create a sense of purpose, loyalty, and long-term commitment to the organization. One thing to know about leadership development is this: Leaders must not ask her followers to do what she is not willing to do. . Many leaders will hire training for their company and will then refuse to attend the training because they "don't need it or think they are beyond it." This is, in my opinion, completely out of integrity. The leader must first be a model of what is expected in the area of training, development, and improvement, and must be willing to fully participate in a training that the front line is asked to attend. The leader must develop a culture that sends the message that leadership development is not another undesirable task but a new and fresh way to go about work.

(10) Leaders must have a plan.

The late Christopher Reeve once said "If you don't have a vision, nothing happens." Strategic planning is about the future impact of decisions made today, and leaders must have a plan that examines the necessities of today and tomorrow in light of the organization's vision, mission, values and goals. It is not uncommon to find organizations that either don't have a strong strategic plan, or they have a plan that is sitting on a shelf collecting dust. This makes absolutely no sense to me. Leaders must realize that to fully implement change, to satisfy customers, and to promote teamwork from the top to the bottom of the organization, strategic changes must be made that are driven by a clearly articulated vision, mission, and purpose. Once the strategic plan is written, leaders can then take the steps necessary to insure that all stakeholders are in alignment with the strategic plan and that they are moving cohesively in the direction of fulfilling the vision and mission of the company. Many organizations will buy a "canned strategic plan" written by an expensive consulting company, and they will try to fit their round peg in the square hole of the canned plan. This is a BIG MISTAKE! Leaders need to understand that the strategic plan is a collaborative process implemented by key stakeholders in the company, and the CEO or Business Owner must be involved in this process. With a strong commitment and an experienced strategic planning coach or facilitator, a company can create a solid plan which meets the needs and demands of all stakeholders.

About the author: Bea Fields is a Leadership Coach and Trainer and the President of Five Star Leader Coaching and Training . She is the Visionary Leader for the Personal Environments Community for www.CoachVille.com.

The 11 Secrets to Sales Leadership

Author: Mark Dembo

In his classic book, "Think and Grow Rich", Napoleon Hill discussed the eleven secrets of leadership. Recently, as I was reading the book, it occurred to me that the attributes of strong leadership and effective selling have a tremendous amount in common. After all, to be really successful in sales, you need to be a leader, both within your own organization, as well as to your clients and customers.

To paraphrase management guru Peter Drucker, a leader is someone who not only does things right, but who also does the right things, while helping others do the same. The same holds true in sales: how better to serve your clients than to really know and understand what they do, and to truly help them do it better?

With that in mind, here are Mr. Hill's eleven secrets to leadership, as they apply to leadership in selling:

1."Unwavering Courage": Selling successfully requires courage; taking a risk where the odds may seem stacked against you; courage to make that extra call, to deal with the tough client or prospect, and to not let anything deter you. As Hill says, courage is "based upon knowledge of self and one's occupation.

2."Self-Control": The ability to set a course for yourself and take disciplined action each day is a key attribute of all successful salespeople.

3."A keen sense of justice": Knowing right from wrong - understanding what is fair and just - allows you to make, wise informed decisions.

4."Definiteness of decision": Deciding on what you want to achieve, and then doing whatever it takes to get there, even in the face of obstacles and setbacks, is crucial to your success. For those who don't quite make it, failure can usually be traced back to a lack of decisiveness about what they really want.

5."Definiteness of plans": In Hill's words, "the successful leader must plan his work, and work his plan. Truer words were never spoken when it comes to selling. Plan your time, and then take action on your plan each and every day.

6."The habit of doing more than paid for": Want to sell more? Go the extra mile for your clients. Want to get the respect, admiration, and cooperation from your internal "clients" – the people you need to rely on to implement or help you close sales? Go the distance for them as well.

7."A pleasing personality": Is selling a popularity contest? No, but would you buy something from someone who was nasty and rude?

8."Sympathy and understanding:" Selling is about understanding what people DO, and then helping them do it better. Plain and simple.

9."Mastery of detail": Ah, yes… The devil, as they say, is in the details. Ever work really hard to close a sale, only to have it fall apart because of some small detail that falls through the cracks? What may seem like a small detail to you can be a crucial one, maybe even a deal-breaker, to your prospect, customer, or client.

10."Willingness to assume full responsibility": No matter how much customer support your company provides, you are the prime representative of your organization. If you try to pass the buck to someone else, you lose respect and credibility. "But it really wasn't my fault that the shipment was delayed in customs and then the delivery truck was attacked a pack of wild dogs…" Doesn't matter; accept the responsibility for any problem and all details, and then do whatever needs to be done to make things right. Your clients need to know that you are their advocate.

11."Cooperation": You can't do it alone. Sales is a collaborative effort. Your prospects need to collaborate with you; you need the cooperation and assistance of others both inside and outside your organization to make things happen. The best salespeople are those who can work well with others, and with whom other people want to work.

Think about these eleven areas of leadership, and ask yourself how you do on each of these items. Find areas where you can make improvements and chart your course to work on improving what you do each day; incremental improvements each day become exponential over time.

About the author: Mark Dembo; President, Lexien Management Consultants (http://www.lexien.com) Mark has over 20 years of sales, sale management, and business development experience, focused on improving the performance of individuals and organizations. You can contact Mark at 914-682-2069, or at mdembo@lexien.com .

Top 3 Myths of Leadership Debunked

Author: Susan J. Schutz

What happens people define "leadership" as something attached to a title, or a salary, or a corner office? Both managers and employees suffer the consequences! Explore what happens when leaders and staff buy in to the top 3 limiting "myths of leadership." And learn how you can ask the provocative questions that unleash everyone's greatest potential in your organization.

Have you noticed that across the business world people are recognizing that we are fast outgrowing the thinking and language of hierarchy, but we're also struggling to create a new, more collaborative future? The challenge for all is to figure out how to operate in this emerging paradigm—the one that our own efforts are helping to shape.

As I work with top leaders in organizations and then, independently, the staff they lead, I'm frequently struck by the gulf that occurs between the two in the early stages of change. Typically what the leaders are trying to offer employees is very different than what's being received by them. While a significant number of leaders begin with optimism about their efforts to engage everyone's greatest wisdom, staff members can be slow to recognize and trust the intent of initiatives undertaken to empower them. Many employees simply don't believe that their insights and decisions will really be valued so they continue to hold back. Some may be unwilling or feel unprepared to share in responsibility for what the group creates. In their hesitancy they actually work against the changes and make it more difficult to include them in creative and decision-making roles.

When members of either group become frustrated during the creation of a new working order it's easy to resort to what they know best—the behaviors of the boss-subordinate relationship. Those with formal authority may again feel compelled to take up too much space (by using commanding words and actions), and followers too little space (by silencing their voices or talking only in whispers amongst themselves). When this occurs, leaders once more feel all the weight of responsibility on their shoulders, as well as the exhaustion that comes with constant staff resistance—a resistance they can no longer understand.

What accounts for the tension and the different perceptions that exist between two groups who must rely upon each other to maximize success?

Unfortunately, many myths and "old truths" about leadership linger and keep us caught in the snare of hierarchy. At every level of an organization these beliefs undermine a company's potential greatness and cause unnecessary stress and dissatisfaction. These myths must be ferreted out and talked about in order for businesses to successfully, and more effortlessly, create a collaborative and effective culture.

** 3 MYTHS OF LEADERSHIP **

1. LEADERS MUST HAVE FORMAL AUTHORITY. What happens when people throughout the organization believe leaders must have formal authority? People see leadership as a position, rather than as an action or behavior accessible to everyone. It invites those with formal authority to value their own opinions over others, and it keeps people who don't have it from stepping to the plate and sharing in responsibility for the success of the organization. It divides the powerful from the powerless, and creates the tendency for the people in these two camps to lob blame back and forth across the fence that separates them. Each group holds the other responsible for the dynamics between them, and for bringing about the needed change.

2. LEADERS MUST HAVE ALL THE ANSWERS. Do leaders need to have all the answers? People tend to answer this question with a resounding "no," but in everyday business the myth creeps subtly in to do its damage. Many leaders secretly harbor feelings of inadequacy and incompetence as they try to speak with unconvincing expertise and authority on every aspect of their complex business. At the same time, front line workers fault their leaders for lacking their own particular brand of genius and, consequently, ridicule or work against their efforts. Employees may almost arrogantly wait for a leader's plan to fail, and take no responsibility for failures when they do occur.

3. LEADERS SHOULD KNOW HOW TO ACHIEVE THEIR VISIONS. Although at first blush it makes sense that leaders ought to know how they are going to achieve their visions, the speed of change in today's world makes it prudent to reassess the "rightness" of the organization's direction after each step taken and to make regular "course corrections." Equally important, as things become increasingly complex, and people place value on contributing in meaningful ways to accomplishing a shared vision, it is crucial to consistently include the wisdom that exists everywhere in the organization. Sadly, efforts to create this agile, responsive and inclusive workplace can be misunderstood by many employees if they are not given the chance to really understand why and how things unfold as they do. Rather than seeing themselves as co-creators of the organization's success, many feed upon the idea that management already has all the answers and is "holding out on them" in some important and harmful ways, or that leadership is inept for not fully charting the course before beginning a new initiative.

** 10 SIMPLE CONVERSATION STARTERS **

At Highest Vision we believe that leadership today is less about having the right answers and more about having the right questions. The next time you see an opportunity for a meaningful dialogue in your organization, consider posing one of these questions to get the conversation started. Include everyone you can in the process. (In large organizations it helps to host groups that are comprised of both participants who have and do not have formal authority, and to keep each group small enough for genuine dialogue to occur.)

1.What stories about leadership are told within our organization? What different perspectives exist?

2.How can we ensure that everyone feels like a valued contributor to our shared success?

3.How can we invite people to act upon their right and their responsibility to be a fully participating member of the organization?

4.What will entice people to contribute their own knowledge and experience?

5.How can leadership be exhibited by every person in our organization?

6.What will it take to create relationships where people ask for your ideas and offer you theirs?

7.How can we make sure that information and ideas are flowing freely?

8.What is needed to ensure that decisions are able to be made as close to the front line as possible?

9.What can leaders do to challenge the myths and invite forth everyone's full participation?

10.What can staff members do to challenge the myths and invite forth everyone's full participation?

** CONCLUSION ** As our organizations increase in size and complexity, "quality of life" issues gain attention, and our businesses continue to shape the world in ever greater ways, successful companies must actively engage every member of their teams in both formal and informal ways.

So what can you do to move beyond the myths of leadership discussed here? Begin by recognizing that if you wait for someone else to take the first step—no steps are taken. With or without formal authority, find your voice and use it well. Ask provocative questions that invite open discussion and the sharing of ideas. Risk joining the conversation and shouldering the responsibility for what we create together.

About the author: Susan J. Schutz founded Highest Vision in 1999. Highest Vision services – executive coaching, leadership development, and team building -- reflect her deep conviction that professionals can be attentive to their "bottom lines" while also creating lives worth living and businesses that contribute to the good of all. For a free subscription to VantagePoint, Highest Vision's free E-zine for trailblazers in life and business, go to www.highest-vision.com.

In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 331

Summary: Having a ""good enough"" attitude is a serious stumbling block for leaders. Such an attitude allows them to avoid the hard work of finding better ways to accomplish things. Leaders will be more accomplished, and will accomplish more, when they eschew ""good enough"" and adopt an attitude of having a ""powerful dissatisfaction"" with the way things are.

In Leadership, Good Enough Is Pretty Bad by Brent Filson

The first time I meet a leader to decide if we should work together, I invariably ask one question. The answer to that question gives me an idea of whether we'll have a productive relationship. The answer also tells me how the career of that leader might turn out.

I ask, ""Are you satisfied with the results you're getting now?""

It's a simple enough question, yet it points to a world of difference between leaders. Because if the answer is ""yes"" then our meeting will be brief. We'll quickly go our separate ways. My leadership methods can't help a satisfied leader, a leader who lives by ""good enough."" Those methods can only help if that leader has a powerful dissatisfaction with the results h/she is getting now.

To understand this, let's go back to basics: Leaders do nothing more important than get results. If you can't get results, you won't be leading for long. Somebody who can get results is always waiting in line to take your place. If ""good enough"" is okay with you, you are the next best thing to somebody who can't or won't get needed results. So, ""good enough"" is your enemy, ""powerful dissatisfaction"" your benefactor. I'm not saying that you should go around in a funk powerfully dissatisfied with everything and everyone. You'd be a royal pain. What I am saying is results should be seen not as an end in and of themselves but part of a natural process to get more. Powerful dissatisfaction does not have to be a downer. It can be a joy. The joy of having the opportunity and privilege of thinking anew and acting anew. To be powerfully dissatisfied, one must be relaxed, open, caring, and humble. Banishing ""good enough"", embracing ""powerful dissatisfaction"" becomes a profoundly enriching way not only of being a leader but of living one's life.

So, take a joyful, powerful dissatisfaction into your leadership activities and see the difference it makes in your interactions with others and in results.

About the author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. For 2 decades, he has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at www.actionleadership.com

Get Out Of The Stone Age: Give Leadership Talks

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 715

Summary: Many leaders have the wrong idea of what is important in terms of communication. Brent Filson observes that it's just not sending information that is critical, but making all-important deep human connections with people.

Get Out Of The Stone Age: Give Leadership Talks. By Brent Filson

160 years ago, the newly invented electric telegraph carried the first news message. The message zipped 40 miles in a flash over wires from Baltimore to Washington, D.C.

The public was dazzled -- except Henry David Thoreau. He wrote: ""We are in great haste to construct a magnetic telegraph from Maine to Texas; but Maine and Texas, it may be, have nothing important to communicate.""

Today, we live in a Golden Age of communication. We have the Internet. We have faxes. We have e-mails. We have streaming video. We have on-line audio. We have RSS feeds. We have logs and blogs.

Yet today Thoreau is as right as rain. When it comes to really getting our messages across, we're stuck in the Stone Age.

Here's why. The vast majority of business leaders I've encountered are repeatedly making a huge mistake in communication, a mistake that's screwing up their jobs and careers. They're stuck giving presentations and speeches. They're NOT giving Leadership Talks!

What's a Leadership Talk? Look at it this way: There's a hierarchy of verbal persuasion when it comes to business leadership. The lowest levels are speeches and presentations. They communicate information. The highest, most effective way of communicating is the Leadership Talk. The Leadership Talk does more than simply send information. It has the leader establish a deep, human, emotional connection with the audience. That's where leaders communicate for the best results.

Here are a few examples of leadership talks. When Churchill said, ""We will fight on the beaches ... "" That was a leadership talk. When Kennedy said, ""Ask not what your country can do for you ... "" that was a leadership talk. When Reagan said, ""Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"" That was a leadership talk.

You can come up with a lot of examples too. Go back to those moments when the words of a leader inspired people to take ardent action, and you've probably put your finger on an authentic leadership talk.

Mind you, I'm not just talking about great leaders of history. I'm also talking about all leaders everywhere no matter what their function or rank. After all, leaders speak 15 to 20 times a day: everything from formal speeches to informal chats. When those interactions are leadership talks, not just speeches or presentations, the effectiveness of those leaders is dramatically increased.

That's where business leaders communicate for the best results. You can order people to go from point A to point B. But the best way to get great results is to have people want to go from A to B. Instilling ""want to"" in others, motivating them ... isn't that what great leadership is all about?

Don't get me wrong. The Leadership Talk is not some kind of ""feel-good"" way of relating. It took me 20 years to figure out how to give Leadership Talks and write two books about it. There are specific processes one must manifest in order to give Leadership Talks. Usually it takes me two full days to teach people how to do it. Once they learn it, they can use it throughout the rest of their careers. The Leadership Talk is relatively easy to learn and it takes years to master. The point is that through it, you can take specific, concrete steps to motivate people to take action that gets great results. For instance, before leaders can develop and deliver a Leadership Talk, they must first answer ""yes"" to three simple questions: ""Do you know what the audience needs? Can you transfer your deep believe to others so they believe as strongly as you do about the challenges you face? And can you have that audience take ardent action that gets results?"" If leaders ""no"" to any one of those questions, he/she can't give a Leadership Talk.

160 years ago the dots and dashes that chattered down the wires from Baltimore to Washington spelled out that the Whigs had nominated Henry Clay to run for the presidency.

Back then, Thoreau might have said nothing important was communicated; but today if you want to lead for great results, take Thoreau to heart. Communicate what truly IS important. Don't give presentations and speeches. Give Leadership Talks. Forge those deep, human, emotional connections with your audiences. Get them motivated to take ardent action for great results.

About the author: Brent Filson recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He helps leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine at http://www.actionleadership.com and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results."" For more about The Leadership Talk: http://theleadershiptalk.com

The Female Face Of Leadership

Author: Olivia Morrow

Can women break the stereotypical leadership mold and still position themselves as leaders?

It has been almost 30 years since women started entering the workforce in large numbers, yet we have barely made a dent in the executive boardroom table.

Women account for 50% of the workforce in the US but fill less than 5% of executive positions in corporate America.

Despite the groundbreaking advances made by the previous generation of women, have we broken through the glass ceiling or merely cracked it? Is the dearth of women in leadership roles reticence on the part of the gung-ho, warrior-like corporate chiefs to hire a woman, or is it reluctance from the would-be female leaders to adopt roles they feel uncomfortable or incapable of fulfilling?

There is no doubt we are making progress, and our female leaders have accomplished huge transformations in the styles of leadership now adopted in many executive suites throughout the US. But at what price?

Preconceptions about what leadership looks like are embedded in our collective psyche, as well as in the structures and policies of society. The implicit requirements for a high-flying position are being able to work a 12-hour day and being on-call 24/7. This assumes that someone else will be there to pick up the slack for family responsibilities.

Another difficulty women face is that their behavior in leadership roles is defined differently. While a dictatorial style is seen as necessary in a man, it is interpreted as aggressive in a woman. A male boss who pushes his team will be admired for demanding high standards, while a woman will be called domineering.

The Role Of Female Leaders In The 21st Century

Research measuring traditional leadership roles shows that female and male leaders do not differ in overall effectiveness.

The challenge for women in taking on leadership roles is to reclaim and redefine the accepted stereotypes. Rather than camouflaging their identity in previously male-oriented roles, the new female leaders are bringing their own values and principles to the job and redefining what it means to be a leader in the 21st century.

The values that women bring to their role as leaders, whether it be in the corporate boardroom or in a community work group, are the capacity to envision new ways of getting things done and encouraging others to follow them.

As we move forward, the blunter transactional style of leadership previously adopted by many a corporate boss is making way for transformational leadership, a style that embraces many of the qualities women naturally tend towards.

Transformational leadership centers around communication and a positive working environment, where people are inspired and energized to achieve organizational goals through team-oriented pursuits. This is where women excel.

Studies have shown that women leaders are better communicators, have better social skills, are more tolerant, more willing to adapt to change, better organized, better at motivating others and less bound by social traditions; skills essential for effective leadership.

It took the previous generation of women 30 years to crack the glass ceiling and clear the debris for those following them to clearly see a path forward. So realistically, it is going to take a long time for women to not only accept, but be accepted, in the evolving leadership roles now presented to them. What has become clear is that the newly defined terms of leadership offered by women are a desperately needed panacea in an increasingly cut-throat and dog-eat-dog world.

All we can hope for is that it doesn't take another 30 years.

About the author: Olivia Morrow is a freelance journalist, humorist and author and is the Editor of Savvy Women Magazine, an online lifestyle magazine for women who want to KNOW...the latest business and fashion news, women's health issues, beauty, movie and book reviews, travel and lots more. Visit Olivia's website at http://www.savvy-women-magazine.com.

Leadership Training Seminar - What makes a great leader?

Author: Stephanie Tuia

At one point or another, we have all been either a leader or a follower. While both roles are equally important, a leader plays an instrumental role in providing direction for his/her followers. A good way to identify an effective leader is to see if his/her followers are able to support and accomplish what their leader is asking of their team.

In order to be a great leader, one must possess various qualities that will attract followers. The following qualities are just of few of the many qualities that are vital for effective leadership.

Charisma

A notable charismatic leader was Martin Luther King, Jr. Decades after his death, King is still honored today for his passionate movement towards equality. His most famous speech, "I have a dream," still impacts a current generation as his powerful words grace the majority of history textbooks all over America. His speech radiates personality because of his expressive words in his fight against inequality. Like King's speech, charismatic leaders have the gift to touch people through their choice of words. Charismatic leaders are alluring, charming and can encourage followers to support a grand vision or idea. Positive Attitude

A leader who possesses a positive attitude will influence his/her followers to carry that same attitude. An example of a positive leader could be a parent or teacher. Mothers, fathers, or elementary teachers appear and are viewed as role models to the young children they are teaching and nurturing. These role models are the first leaders they encounter in life. Children become very dependent of leaders because they are their vehicles to the outside world and provide much needed help and assistance. If a parent is nurturing and loving to their child, they will thrive under this encouragement. If a school teacher provides a positive learning experience to the child, they will succeed and that success will become contagious. In any circumstance, a leader's positive attitude will have greater impact and influence on their followers. Motivation

In an athletic world, a motivating leader could be a coach, trainer or even a fellow teammate. While the "talent" of players is a good determinant of a winning team, their coach is also an important factor. If a coach can not produce a winning team, his job is at stake. A coach's motivation involves infusing his players with high standards, and setting challenging but attainable goals as they perform well. Thus, his/her ability to motivate his players will enhance their performances. Motivation also correlates with having a positive attitude. When a coach has a positive attitude and provides a positive environment for his players, then the team will most likely be motivated to move in his/her direction where ultimate success can be found. Assertiveness

A leader has the responsibility to guide the direction of his or her company. When a leader is firm and assertive in delegating tasks to his subordinates, they will hold a greater respect to follow through on their assignments. An assertive leader has the ability to convey enforcement without being too autocratic or threatening to their subordinates. Furthermore, an assertive leader should not make his subordinates feel like they're in a hostile environment. Instead, an assertive leader should respect his people, and require proper accountability at the same time. A leader's assertiveness and confidence earns respect. With that respect, people are much more likely to follow, help, and emulate their leader to achieve success.

Leaders exude many qualities that make them effective and appreciated. These four qualities all compliment each other in constructing a well-balanced leader.

About the author: Stephanie Tuia is a Client Account Specialist with 10x Marketing - More Visitors . More Buyers . More Revenue . For more information on how to conduct a Leadership Training Seminar, visit Leadersh ip Training Seminar .

Primal Leadership - A Book Summary

Author: Regine Azurin

This article is based on the following book: Primal Leadership "Leading To Lead With Emotional Intelligence" By Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, Annie Mckee Published by Harvard Business School Press 2004 ISBN 1591391849 306 pages

Primal leadership takes center stage in this book. This concept goes beyond the set of conventional competencies on the making of a leader. Beyond bottom line figures, this book takes a leap forward with the concept of primal leadership through a keen and in-depth understanding of emotional intelligence and its link to leading and building emotionally intelligent organizations.

The authors explore the idea of leadership as an emotional function. They propose that the fundamental task of a leader is to create resonance at work, thereby unleashing positive traits and attributes in people. Emotionally intelligent leaders bring organizational success to the fore because they inspire, motivate and foster commitment in people.

Harness the power of primal leadership in this book and bring out the emotionally intelligent leader in you.

Primal Dimension of Leadership The use of emotion in leadership functions is a primal task that sets leaders apart. Great leaders move people by channeling emotions in the right direction, whether it is in formulating corporate strategy in the boardroom or a series of action items in the shop floor.

Resonance Effect The positive channeling of emotions that empowers people to be top performers is called resonance. The culture of resonance brings out the best in people. On the other hand, when leaders negatively drive emotions dissonance is created. Dissonance is not conducive to harmonious working relationships as it can undermine people's potentials.

Key to Primal Leadership Emotional intelligence is the foundation of making primal leadership work. An emotionally intelligent leader knows how to handle himself and his relationship with the people he works with in order to drive up performance.

Good Moods, Good Work A good mood is essential for a team to function effectively. It is crucial for a leader to foster positive working relationships because emotional conflicts in a group can hamper a team's performance.

A study of CEOs from Fortune 500 companies revealed that positive overall mood of top management people leads to better cooperation and better business performance. This argument takes the view that it is top management that creates the conditions for workers to work well.

Resonant Leader For emotionally intelligent leaders, resonance comes naturally in their dealings with people. Their actions reinforce synchrony within their team and within the organization. The strength of an emotionally resonant leader lies in the emotional bond he forms which allows people to collaborate with each other even in the face of change and uncertainty.

Four Dimensions of Emotional Intelligence The creation of resonance is a hallmark of primal leadership that can only be fostered by emotionally intelligent leaders. For a leader to promote prime resonance in a group, it is important to understand the four EI competencies. Interestingly, these competencies are not innately inherent but are learned abilities. According to research, an effective leader typically demonstrates at least one competence among the four dimensions.

1. Self-Awareness 2. Self-Management 3. Social Awareness 4. Relationship Management

Approaches to Leadership in a Nutshell 1. Visionary 2. Coaching 3. Affiliative 4. Democratic 5. Pacesetting 6. Commanding

The Five Discoveries of Self-Directed Learning 1. First Discovery: My ideal self – Who do I want to be? 2. Second Discovery: My real self – Who am I? What are my strengths and gaps? 3. Third Discovery: My learning agenda – How can I build on my strengths while reducing my gaps? 4. Fourth Discovery: Experimenting with and practicing new behaviors, thoughts, and feelings to the point of mastery. 5. Fifth Discovery: Developing supportive and trusting relationships that make change possible.

Final Notes Primal leadership is anchored on emotions. These emotions have underlying neurological explanations to them such as the open loop system. Thus, a leader must work hard to obtain emotional intelligence competencies that will make him a resonant leader because resonance is the key to primal leadership.

A resonant leader builds a culture of resonance by demonstrating emotionally intelligent abilities that permeate throughout the organization. A resonant leader aims to live a resonant life for him and his people in order to make resonant work. It is this kind of work that builds an emotionally intelligent organization – a kind of organization that can survive the changing business climate because it has built-in processes that can sustain change.

By: Regine P. Azurin and Yvette Pantilla http://www.bizsum.com ""A Lot Of Great Books....Too Little Time To Read"" Free Book Summaries Of Latest Bestsellers for Busy Executives and Entrepreneurs

About the author: Regine Azurin is the President of BusinessSummaries.com, a company that provides business book summaries of the latest bestsellers for busy executives and entrepreneurs.

In Leadership, Results Are Limitless

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 580

Summary: A key stumbling block to leadership success is the very mind-set of the leaders. Those leaders who don't believe that results are limitless are selling their jobs and careers short. Here is a four-step process for manifesting a ""results are limitless"" mind-set.

In Leadership, Results Are Limitless by Brent Filson

Results are limitless. That's not a supposition. That's a fact. Leaders who don't believe that don't understand the power of leadership to achieve great results. Leaders who believe it and live by their belief have an unmatched advantage over those leaders who don't.

To begin to understand how and why results-are-results are limitless, consider these facts: * In 1878, Jean Bouillaud, member of the French Academy of Sciences, said upon hearing a demonstration of Thomas Edison's phonograph, ""It is quite impossible that the noble organs of human speech could be replaced ignoble, senseless metal.""

* In 1899, Charles H. Duell (Commissioner of U.S. Office of Patents.), urging President William McKinley to abolish his office, said,""Everything that can be invented has been invented.""

* An 1909 article in the Scientific American stated, ""The automobile has practically reached the limit of its development is suggested by the fact that during the past year no improvements of a radical nature have been introduced.""

* Popular Mechanics stated in March 1949: ""Where a calculator on the ENIAC is equipped with 18,000 vacuum tubes and weighs 30 tons, computers in the future may have only 1,000 vacuum tubes and perhaps only weight 11/2 tons.""

The point isn't that experts are wrong. Experts, we know, have been wrong countless times. The point isn't that things change. That's obvious. The point is this: BECAUSE THINGS CHANGE, RESULTS ARE LIMITLESS. IN OTHER WORDS, WHATEVER RESULTS YOU ARE ACHIEVING, YOU CAN ALWAYS ACHIEVE MORE.

This may seem like a non sequitur. After all, leaders know that things change. But many leaders whom I have encountered don't make the connection and fail to realize that results are limitless.

But there is a connection -- a profound connection. And leaders who don't make that connection, don't live that connection, are giving short shrift to their leadership and the people they lead.

Living by the results-are-limitless credo can set you apart as a leader who consistently gets results, no matter what the challenge you face.

Start to take a small but well-defined step to manifest results-are-limitless leadership.

(1) Identify. Identify one thing you think is NOT BEING QUESTIONED. Make sure it is something people believe has ""reached the limit of its development."" It may be a product or features of a product. It may be the way your organization is structured. It may be a successful engineering program.

(2) Question. Treat it as if it's fundamental premise were false. Can you shoot holes in the logical reasons for its existence? If it ain't broke, see what would happen if you break (change) it — with one end in mind, achieving more results.

(3) Change. See if you can come up with answers that will lead either to replacing what you're questioning or improving it.

(4) Continue. Don't look at this as an academic assignment. It's not homework. It's the beginning of making the credo part of the DNA of your leadership.

Repeat: This as a leadership endeavor. Determine who are the cause leaders you need to make the change happen. Talk to them about how they would take leadership to affect that change. You should not only have ""What if ... "" discussions but more importantly, ""Why not ... ""discussions.

About the author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at www.actionleadership.com

Trust - The Most Vital Component in Leadership

Author: Guy Harris

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""Trust is the emotional glue that binds followers and leaders together."" - Warren Bennis and Bert Nanus ""If you don't believe in the messenger, you won't believe the message.""

- James Kouzes and Barry Posner

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I see it all the time - leaders who blame followers for breakdowns in the organization. I often hear complaints like these: - "If those people would just do what I tell them."

- "You just can't find good workers today."

- "Why won't these people get onboard with what needs to be done?"

- "Why do they complain all the time?"

Each of these leadership laments focuses on what's wrong with the follower. Each concern excludes leadership responsibility as a source of or contributor to the breakdown.

I see employees who won't do what needs to be done, or, at best, perform at a bare minimum level. I see team members who drag their feet on new procedures or work practices. I see workers who do just enough to get by.

I see these behaviors and I ask myself - what's the problem?

When I get the opportunity to discuss the issue, I usually hear at least some component of violated trust. I hear people say that they want to perform at a higher level, but they don't trust that they will be recognized or rewarded. I hear people concerned that they'll be penalized if they speak the truth and identify the real problems in the organization. I hear people who have been beaten-up by current or previous leadership. All signs of violated trust.

Creating an environment of trust is a tricky issue. People carry past hurts with them. Some people expect more from their leaders than they are willing to give themselves. Leaders do things that unintentionally confuse or scare people. Some people just don't want to trust organizational leaders. But, regardless of the past or current situation, the responsibility to build trust lies first, and foremost, with the leader. It's not always fair, and it's not always easy. But it is always the leader's responsibility.

Trust is the foundation for every successful leader's accomplishments. When people don't trust the leader, they won't follow very far.

How do you, the leader, address the issue of trust?

Entire books have been written about trust, but, for the purpose of this newsletter, I'll stick with two quick tips.

The first comes from the book, The Leadership Challenge. In their survey of leadership behaviors, James Kouzes and Barry Posner asked the question, "What do you look for in a credible (i.e. – trustworthy) person?" The number one response – "They do what they say they are going to do." So, trust building tip number one – do what you say you're going to do.

The second idea comes from the world of social psychology. Social science researchers have identified a key behavioral principle that affects the development of trust. This principle is known as the Principle of Reciprocity. The Principle of Reciprocity states that we tend to feel obligated to repay in kind what someone else has given to us. In a nutshell, it says that if you want trust, you must first give trust. Trust building tip number two – show people you trust them if you want them to trust you.

Trust issues almost always come back to the leader. It's possible that you can have isolated trust issues with just a few people. In this case, it may be just their personal problem. If you find yourself or if you hear someone else asking the questions at the top of this page - look out. You may have a systemic trust problem. If that's the case, your team is either in trouble or it's about to be in trouble. Carefully evaluate what might have happened or might be happening to damage trust and immediately start applying the two tips above to begin the repair.

You may use this article for electronic distribution if you will include all contact information with live links back to the author. Notification of use is not required, but I would appreciate it. Please contact the author prior to use in printed media.

About the author: Guy Harris is the Chief Relationship Officer with Principle Driven Consulting. He helps entrepreneurs, business managers, and other organizational leaders build trust, reduce conflict, and improve team performance. Learn more at http://www.principledriven.com Register for Guy's monthly newsletter at http://www.principledriven.com/newsletter.htm

A Rare Leadership Skill: Dealing With People Who Want Out By Offering Crowns For Convoy

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 660

Summary: Most leaders eventually have to contend with people who want to leave their team or organization. How you deal with such situations can be one of the most important things you do as a leader. Here is a simple but powerful process, taught by Shakespeare's Henry V, that will help insure you do the right thing.

A Rare Leadership Skill: Dealing With People Who Want Out By Offering Crowns For Convoy by Brent Filson

As a leader, you'll inevitably be faced with people wanting to leave your team or organization. Dealing with the challenge is critical for your leadership success. Your response will have ramifications far beyond your immediate circumstances. One of the best ways to respond comes from Shakespeare's Henry V.

The stirring speech of Shakespeare's Henry before the battle of Agincourt contains many leadership nuggets. But commentators who recount the speech usually overlook a particularly valuable one. They focus on the speech's ""band of brothers"" aspects but neglect the fact that Henry also said that if any of his soldiers would rather not fight, he'd give them passport and ""crowns for convoy"" back to England.

Henry was aware that some of his soldiers were reluctant to fight; for he led a rather bedraggled army. History recounts they had marched 260 miles in 17 days. They were short of food. They were drenched by two weeks of continuous rain. Many of them were suffering from dysentery contracted from drinking fetid pond water. And they were facing the flower of French knighthood, knights who were rested, better equipped and eager for battle. So there were probably many soldiers who wanted to avoid battle, get quickly to the coast and board ships for England.

Shakespeare has his Henry respond to these leadership challenges in a telling way. Instead of trying to cajole those who wanted to leave into remaining with him, or on the other hand, punish them, he did something much more effective: He actually offered them passports and money to go.

""Rather proclaim it, Westmoreland, through my host, That he which hath no stomach to this fight, Let him depart; his passport shall be made, And crowns for convoy put into his purse; We would not die in that man's company That fears his fellowship to die with us.""

Now, apply this lesson to those people who tell you they want out. You may find yourself reshaping your relationship with them in positive ways and boosting your leadership effectiveness with the people who remain.

Here's how you do it. Offer them ""crowns for convoy."" Have them draw up specific leadership actions that they will take to leave. Provide milestones and ways that you and they can monitor their progress. Support them in their taking leave as you would any cause leader who is staying.

One might say that if somebody wants out ... good riddance! But let's examine this. When somebody wants to leave, two facts apply. One is that, clearly, that person - for whatever reason - is dissatisfied and is looking for satisfaction elsewhere. And two is that you have a relationship with the person. It might be a good relationship. It might be a bad relationship. But here's the point: You don't want to get the two facts mixed up in a bad way. Because that relationship will continue in one way or another even if you don't set eyes on each other again.

A bad relationship with an employee that left your organization can come back to haunt you in many unforeseen ways. For instance, it may poison your relationship with the people who remain behind. By supporting that person in taking leadership of their leaving, you are creating an opportunity for you to change your relationship with them, to work together in a positive way. This may help redress any bad feelings that might have otherwise grown worse.

When CROWNS FOR CONVOY are not offered in spite or rancor but out of a genuine desire to help, you'll transform a potentially bad situation into a beneficial one. And who knows? Maybe, like Henry, you'll achieve an unexpected upset win.

About the author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at www.actionleadership.com

The Four Laws Of Leadership (part One)

Author: Brent Filson

Summary: The best leadership is motivational. But the author contends that most leaders misunderstand motivation. In this two part article, he describes four laws of motivation that will help you be a better motivational leader.

Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B?

The ability to instill ""want to"" in others, to motivate them, marks the difference between average leaders and great leaders.

But many leaders misunderstand the true meaning of motivation. And if you misunderstand its meaning, you can't make it happen. Break the laws, and you'll fail to motivate people. Or you may motivate them -- but motivate them against you.

Here are four ""laws"" of motivation that you must adhere to if you want to consistently motivate people to get great results.

First, let's be clear about what motivation is. The word derives from the Latin root ""to move."" Motivation involves movement; yet the Latin root indicates it's not just movement but also ""that which triggers movement.""

Don't get me wrong. I'm not counting angels on the head of a pin. This subtle double meaning in the very root of the word motivation represents a manifest leadership lesson for you.

This lesson can be understood within the context of the four laws of motivation.

Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Note that the first two letters of the word are the first two letters of words such as ""motor"", ""movement"", ""momentum"", ""motion"". Those words denote physical action. Motivation isn't what people think or feel but what they physically do. Furthermore, it is not simply engaging in physical action but also preparing for physical action. In other words, there is action and also that which triggers the action.

Law 2. Motivation is their choice. Many leaders are clueless about motivation because they think it's their own choice. They think because they simply want people to be motivated, people should automatically be motivated. That misunderstanding has caused many a leader to come to grief. The act of their being motivated is not your choice, it's theirs, always. Motivation can't be done to people. People must ""do"" motivation to themselves. Leaders communicate, and the people they lead motivate themselves.

Law 3. Emotion drives motivation. The words emotion and motivation come from the same Latin root ""to move"". When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. Motivation involves emotionally commitment.

Law 4. Face-to-face speech is generally the best way to motivate people (i.e., have those people choose to be motivated.)

With these concepts in mind, you can begin to get a clear understanding of motivation by studying the past.

This exercise will sharpen your ideas on motivation. Who were the three most effective leaders in history? Why were they effective? Who were the three least effective? Why were they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your industry? Why are they effective? Who are the least effective leaders in your industry? Why are they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your organization? Why are they ineffective?

Now go back over each answer and tie it to motivation or lack there of. What motivational lesson is there in each answer? In doing so, you may find yourself changing and sharpening your ideas about motivation; and hence changing and sharpening your leadership skills.

In Part Two, I will expand on each law.

About the author: Brent Filson is the founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at http://www.actionleadership.com

Creativity and Innovation Management- Thought Leadership

Author: Kal Bishop

Leadership is only sustainable when leaders consistently come up with good ideas – when they are dependable thought leaders. It follows then that leaders would be more effective if they knew how to manage creativity and innovation.

Some of the tools for effective creativity management include:

a)Develop the brief. Formulating a brief helps i) induce the problem solving state of mind, ii) creates structures with boundaries and limitations within which experimentation can take place and iii) enhances motivation.

b)One tacit knowledge elicitation and lateral thinking technique is to use the five senses. This helps define problems and generate ideas along five different pathways, instantly increasing the quantity of ideas and further increasing the probability that quality ideas will be generated.

c)Setting a clear goal. Goals and incremental targets produce more output than simply "do your best." Prolific screenwriters that stick to goals produce more output and move along the learning curve much faster than those who simply wait for inspiration. Look at the untold number of people with unfinished manuscripts under their beds. d)Separate idea generation from idea valuation. Creative and critical thinking and two separate and distinct activities.

e)Persistence pays off. Persistence slowly but surely helps develop the competencies required for quality output. Failure is a learning activity. Ridley Scott didn't achieve financial success with Blade Runner but went on to make some very successful movies.

These and other topics are covered in depth in the MBA dissertation on Managing Creativity & Innovation, which can be purchased (along with a Creativity and Innovation DIY Audit, Good Idea Generator Software and Power Point Presentation) from http://www.managing-creativity.com

Kal Bishop, MBA

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You are free to reproduce this article as long as no changes are made and the author's name and site URL are retained.

About the author: Kal Bishop is a management consultant based in London, UK. He has consulted in the visual media and software industries and for clients such as Toshiba and Transport for London. He has led Improv, creativity and innovation workshops, exhibited artwork in San Francisco, Los Angeles and London and written a number of screenplays. He is a passionate traveller. He can be reached on http://www.managing-creativity.com.

The Four Laws Of Leadership (part Two)

Author: Brent Filson

Summary: The best leadership is motivational. But the author contends that most leaders misunderstand motivation. Here are four laws of motivation that will help you be a better motivational leader. In this second of two parts, the author expands on the laws he described in Part One.

In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In Part Two, I'll examine the laws in more detail.

Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't about what people think or feel but about what they physically do. In leadership, you should understand the difference between inspiration and motivation.

The word ""inspiration"" comes from the ancient Greeks and the oracle of Delphi. The oracle would sit in front of a fissure in the earth and breath in (inspire) earth vapors and in a half-drugged state, make her pronouncements. For instance, when she told the Greeks only a ""wall of wood"" would save them from being annihilated by the Persians, it was the Greeks themselves who had to take action and build up a great navy that ultimately defeated the Persians at the Battle of Salamis.

Motivation, on the other hand, comes from a complex of words beginning with ""mo."" Motion, motor, momentum, etc. all denote physical action.

Getting people to not simply be inspired but motivated to take physical action may seem like a simple, even simplistic, approach to leadership. However, once you begin to see your leadership interactions in terms of physical action, you'll see your leadership, and the way you get results, in fresh ways.

For instance, in my seminars, participants develop Action Plans designed to achieve measurable and continual results back on the job. I have them challenge the cause leaders they enlist to take physical action by asking them, ""What three or four leadership actions, PHYSICAL ACTIONS, will you take to achieve the results we need?"" The difference between people simply saying they will execute their part of the Plan and their committing to specific physical actions leads to a significant difference in results.

Remember, people who simply take some action are useless to the organization. The useful ones are those who take action for results. For the end of all action in an organization is results. Therefore, the best action is freely chosen action directed toward specific results.

Law 2. Motivation is their choice. When you face a particularly tough challenge, avoid meeting that challenge by ordering people; instead, have people make the choices to meet the challenges.

An effective way to have them make the right choices is to ask them questions.

Here is a tip that you can start using immediately to become a more effective leader. Put question marks, not periods, at the end of your sentences. That's one of the best ways of developing an environment in which people are making the choices for results.

Some of the most powerful questions a leader can ask are: ""What is our challenge here? Why is it worth tackling? How do we feel about it? Do we have the facts we need? Are we asking the right questions? What results are we really seeking? What's the worse thing that can happen? Why are we having this problem? Can you explain that further? What if we do nothing? Have we explored creative approaches? What do you propose? And what can I do to help?""

Law 3. Emotion drives motivation. The words ""emotion"" and ""motivation"" come from the same Latin root meaning to move. When you want to move people to take action, you must engage their emotions. I'm not talking about getting people emotional. I'm talking about having people make strong emotional commitments to what you're challenging them to achieve.

The best way to make that emotional connection is with Leadership Talks.

My experience working with thousands of leaders world wide for the past two decades teaches me that most leaders are screwing up their careers. On a daily basis, these leaders are getting the wrong results or the right results in the wrong ways.

Interestingly, they themselves are choosing to fail. They're actively sabotaging their own careers.

Leaders commit this sabotage for a simple reason: They make the fatal mistake of choosing to communicate with presentations and speeches -- not leadership talks.

In terms of boosting one's career, the difference between the two methods of leadership communication is the difference between lightning and the lightning bug.

Speeches/presentations primarily communicate information. Leadership talks, on the other hand, not only communicate information, they do more: They establish a deep, human emotional connection with the audience. For more on the Leadership Talk, click on my website in the resource box.

Law 4. Face-to-face speech is generally the best way to motivate people (i.e., have those people choose to be motivated.) A middle-manager told me, ""Where is our new CEO? We call him'Elvis'. We seldom see him in person. There're only purported sightings of him. Maybe I'll see a blurry photo of him in one of those supermarket check-out tabloids.""

In another company, a secretary said, ""Our division chief stays in his office most of the time. But on the rare occasions that he's out and about, the only evidence of his existence is the odor of his pipe smoke.""

Isolation may be good for monks but it's an affliction with leaders. When you want to motivate people, relationship is the name of the game; and you can't have a relationship, at least a productive one, as an absentee leader.

Get out and about. This is more than MBWA, (Management By Walking Around). The key is what you do when walking around. Don't be about simply sharing information but also creating the environment for motivation. People hunger to be motivated. Even more: people are ALWAYS motivated. And if they won't be motivated for your cause, they will be motivated for their cause – a cause that may be at cross purposes with yours.

Make no mistake: Motivation isn't about bands playing, people cheering, hugging, and singing kombaya. Those are only the surface features of motivation. True motivation happens in the profound quiet of human relationships.

So, in your interactions, strengthen those relationships by keeping the laws of motivation in mind. When interacting with people, challenge them to take physical action, understand that motivation is their free choice, their HEARTFELT free choice, give Leadership Talks to develop deep, human, emotional relationships; and take opportunities to speak with them face-to-face.

About the author: Brent Filson is the founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at http://www.actionleadership.com

Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk (Part One)

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 879

Summary: The author asserts that presentations and speeches are the least effective means of leadership communication. There is a much more effective way: the Leadership Talk. In this three part series, he describes underlying principles of the Leadership Talk and ways to help develop and deliver it.

Turbo Charge Your Career With The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All: The Leadership Talk (Part One) By Brent Filson

Leaders speak 15 to 20 times daily. You speak at meetings, you speak across their desks, you speak on the phone, you speak in e-mails, you speak at lunch, beside the water cooler, and on elevators, etc.

It's in the interaction of those speaking encounters, multiplied daily, month in and month out, year in and year out, that you become a successful leader or not.

If those encounters are defined by Leadership Talks instead of presentations/speeches, the effectiveness of your leadership will be dramatically increased, not only in your job but in your career.

Here's why: There's a ladder of verbal persuasion. The lowest rungs (least effective)of which are presentations and speeches. Primarily, they communicate information.

But the highest rung, the most effective way to communicate as a leader, is through the Leadership Talk.

The Leadership Talk not only communicates information. It does something much more. It has you establish a deep, human, emotional connection with people – so important in motivating them to achieve results.

Once you understand the Leadership Talk, you'll find it's indispensable to your leadership. You'll never go back to giving presentations/speeches again.

I'm going to show you what it is and a few tips on using it. But first, let's understand this important point: If leaders don't measure up, it's often because they act under the wrong premises. Here are two golden leadership premises that drive The Leadership Talk.

Premise one. Leadership is about one thing only, getting results, however you define and measure them. If you're not getting results, you're not a leader, or you won't be a leader for long. Leadership is not a measure of results; results are a measure of leadership.

That seems simple enough; but many leaders either ignore or misunderstand this premise. They may not know that getting results is their raison d'etre. Or they may be focusing on the wrong results. Or they may be going after the right results in the wrong ways.

If leaders don't act on the above premise, they'll go wrong in countless ways.

Premise two: The best leaders get more results, get them faster, and get ""more, faster"" continually.

This too may seem like an obvious point, but it is a point many leaders miss as well. In leadership, the greatest sin is the greatest treason, to get the right results for the wrong reasons.

For example, many leaders think that they can cost-cut their way to achieving a robust organization. Don't get me wrong: Cost-management should be an on-going effort in any organization, but to rely on it as the primary results-generator can lead to an organization being driven into the ground. Achieving ""more, faster, continually"" means going beyond an exclusive focus on cost-cutting and getting results by tapping the heart of what the organization is all about.

And the heart of any organization is purpose and people: the combination of its central purpose and the actions of the people who manifest that purpose. Those people must be enlisted as cause leaders. Cause leaders do more than accomplish their jobs; they actually take leadership of those jobs and by doing so bring a special motivation, vision, and initiative to the jobs.

Leadership is not position, it's performance. If you are a floor sweeper, say, you best accomplish your work not simply by doing floor sweeping but taking leadership of it: in other words, approaching the job with the distinctive initiative, care, and commitment that leadership entails.

These two essential premises beg the question, how do leaders get more results, faster results on a continual basis?

The answer is simple: through the Leadership Talk.

The Leadership Talk is a powerful results-generator, maybe the most powerful results-generator you'll ever use. It works through your interacting with people so that they become motivated to be your cause leader(s) in achieving more results faster, continually.

Leadership Talks can be formal ways of communicating but mostly they are informal. Unlike a speech, they are usually interactive. They can be delivered anywhere: at a conference table, over lunch, at a water cooler, across a desk. (One of the best Leadership Talks I have witnessed was given by a plant supervisor to one of his team members at a company picnic while they sat on the back of a truck, sipping beers.) And in many cases, an effective Leadership Talk can be given when roles are reversed, when the audience speaks to the speaker.

Finally, though the methodologies I've developed for The Leadership Talk are new, its roots go back into the mists of history. Throughout history, when people needed to accomplish great endeavors, one thing had to happen, a leader had to gather them together and speak from the heart. That leader had to give a Leadership Talk.

In the next two parts, I'll describe the essential elements of the Leadership Talk, so you can start developing and delivering them right away.

The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. – and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at http://www.actionleadership.com. For more on the Leadership Talk: http://www.theleadershiptalk.com

About the author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at http://www.actionleadership.com. For more on the Leadership Talk: http://www.theleadershiptalk.com

Leadership Development for Results

Author: Roy Wooten

Professional development is a key to retaining quality staff. Yet too many companies fall into the same pattern of leadership development. Senior leaders attend an annual retreat then spend the rest of their professional development budgets on each traveling their separate ways for conferences specific to their profession expertise. Mid level and line supervisors abhor a few half day or day long trainings where a senior leader or outside trainer provides a boring lecture on how they should be supervising. If results are expected in supervisor and leader performance, then the current leadership development model should be abolished in the garbage pile of non-effective practices.

Professional development is about behavior change. No one would take such an approach to stop smoking or lose weight. Living healthy includes daily or every other day aerobic activity for 30-50 minutes according to the fitness gurus. What fitness expert would recommend an exercise program of aerobic activity for ten to sixteen hours once a month? Behavior change takes time to take effect and the information-dump approach to professional development waste precious professional development budgets.

Professional development achieves change results: 1. When the appropriate interactive adult learning environment is presented. More information is retained when information is provided through multiple learning styles and in small enough groups where discussion and interaction reinforce the training objectives. 2. When professionals develop specific plans on how to implement the changes. Professionals need to have time during training to develop goals based upon the information, develop action steps to reaching the goals, assign time lines, describe how they will know when the goals are accomplished and choose a way to reward themselves when the goal is met. 3. When professionals find accountability partners to help them succeed. Whether another supervisor, their supervisor, or a friend outside the organization, sharing their plans with another who can ask them about their progress will help the behavior change take hold. 4. When training is provided in short but frequent sessions. A couple of hours focused on a topic is about as long as the current workforce can maintain attention and retention loss is significantly related to the amount of information provided. Providing two hour sessions every couple of weeks gives each professional the right amount of time to soak up the information and begin working on their plan. 5. When they believe top management is buying in to the professional development plan. What is important to the senior leaders is usually important to other managers and supervisors within the organization. Visible support for the professional development program from the top of the organization will help it yield results.

Next time you are planning how to spend your professional development budget, put these budget saving ideas to work for you. You and those you lead will see results!

About the author: Roy Wooten is Founder and CEO of Wootens Success Solutions, an organizational development and training firm located in Midland, Texas. www.successsolutions.org. This article may be republished in its entirety with appropriate attribution. Author requests a copy of all republished articles.

The 20/60/20 Rule Of Leadership. Don't Go Solving The Wrong Problems

Author: Brent Filson

PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com

Word count: 777

Summary: Leaders often hamper their effectiveness by focusing on solving problems that eventually turn out to be the wrong problems. Here is a tool to help you focus on the right problems and solve them in the right ways.

The 20/60/20 Rule Of Leadership. Don't Go Solving The Wrong Problems By Brent Filson

Several decades ago, a passenger jet approached a Florida airport with the pilot and co-pilot struggling to fix what they thought was a malfunctioning landing gear. The landing-gear light was on, signaling that the gear was deployed; but both men did not hear it actually deploy.

As the men sought to understand whether they had a defective landing-gear light or a defective landing gear -- the co-pilot actually taking up a hatch and getting down into the wheel well -- the aircraft kept losing altitude. Too late, a warning alarm sounded and the plane crash, killing all aboard.

Quite possibly that tragedy has subsequently saved many lives. For the pilot and co-pilot's actions have been used in flight simulation training programs to demonstrate how NOT to troubleshoot problems in the cockpit.

The incident has become known as the Landing-gear Fix, a diligent attempt to solve the wrong problem. Of course, they had a landing-gear problem on their hands. But unbeknownst to them, they faced a far more serious problem, a pending crash.

The Landing-gear Fix is a leadership lesson. In the quest to get results, many leaders often focus on Landing-gear Fixes -- putting their time, resources and talents into solving wrong problems. In fact, it's been my experience working with thousands of leaders during the past 20 years that most leaders are either working on the wrong problems or working on the right problems in the wrong ways.

In this issue, I'll give you a tool to avoid getting involved in a leadership Landing-gear Fix. It's a tool that will help you avoid wrong problems and focus on the right ones. It's called the 20/60/20 rule. And it will save you aggravation and help you avoid wasting time.

When you are leading a group of people of whatever size to get results, understand that roughly about 20 percent of the people are intractable; they won't do -- or at least won't want to do -- what is required. Another 20 percent will be your ardent cause leaders in getting it done. And 40 percent will be on the fence.

How does this rule help you focus you on the right problem? For one thing, it gives you a template of where to put your time and resources.

I wish I had known about the 20/60/20 rule early in my leadership endeavors. In the military and later in other venues, I often gave inordinate amount of attention to people at the intractable end. That people were upset with me and my leadership and the direction I wanted to take organizations upset me – more than it should have.

I did not know that if you are not getting a portion of the people upset with you, you are not challenging them enough as a leader. I did not know that the anger of the people you lead is the door prize of leadership.

Apply the 20/60/20 rule to a project you undertook in the past. (Remember, those are not exact percentages but approximations.) Which category did you focus your time, attention, and resources on? Was it the right category to do so? What would you do differently? How might you have moved people from the intractable end to the highly motivated end? How did you deal with the people in the middle, the 60 percent? What category demanded your best resources and efforts? What could you have done differently to improve your results?

What are the lessons you learned in applying the rule to a past project? List at least three specific ones. Now apply the 20/60/20 rule to a present leadership effort. This rule is about saving you time, money, and resources and getting you more results to boot. There are several ways to use it. First, as a straight up template.

How might the lessons you learned in applying the Rule to a past project now help you apply it to this present one?

Focus on one of the three categories. How will you expend your time and resources? It does not matter which category you focus on. The importance of the rule is that you have the option. Without this rule, most leaders scatter their focus.

Don't get caught applying diligent solutions to the wrong problems. Apply the 20/60/20 Rule, and you'll focus on getting the right results in the right way at the right time.

About the author: The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: ""49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results,"" at www.actionleadership.com

The Leadership Talk: The Most Powerful Leadership Tool Of All (part 1)