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Volume 1, Issue 2 June 2002 Newsletter |
Something
to Think About: Defining Leadership |
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Have you ever
read Webster’s definition of the word lead? Here’s a shortened
paraphrase; to guide, to be at the head of, to pursue, to tend
toward a given result, to direct the performance or activity
of, to start or begin, to entice or lure as in the front, foremost,
or winning position; a margin or advantage or superiority, a
clue, leadership, an example, a principal role. Whew! Which
piece of that definition speaks to you? Ask 10 people
to define leadership and you'll get 10 different answers. The
key to allowing a leadership definition to help you, is deciding
for your group what leadership means before you can determine
how to "make it happen" for your employees, peers,
customers, family, neighborhood, church, or any other circle
of people among whom you circulate. While people
might agree that there are characteristics in common, among
the world’s great leaders, it’s a more challenging task to consider
what will work with your own specific group. Here is one way
to get started. View leadership characteristics in terms of
dimensions. Use a pie chart to visualize the view. There may
be many slices, or few, to the pie. History may dictate some
slices continue, b The idea is to
consider characteristics from two avenues. Technically and behaviorally.
First, ask what is technically required of this position in
your organization. What skills, knowledge, and professional
experience are required for the leadership position? Second,
what role will this leader need to play in your organization?
How is the leader expected to communicate, act, react, connect
(physically and emotionally) with employees, customers, and
vendors. Is he/she to be “hands on” or in the background? Does
the environment require an outspoken individual, a conservative
approach, a casual attitude? What works for a leader is what
works for the organization. It’s a hand in glove relationship.
In order to get the correct glove, you must measure the hand
first. Leadership development steps in to assist when changes
take place, requiring the characteristics (or slices in the
pie) to shift percentages. Give us a call if you need help defining
your pie. |
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The
Manager's Chair |
Working Your Puzzle |
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When your day’s
activities run from conflict to chaos and then to crisis, you
must stop and take stock. If this describes your day, and you
lead by example, what are you asking your staff to do? It is
difficult to ask employees to stay on task, get to appointments
on time, facilitate productive meetings if you having trouble
doing so yourself. If you feel like you are chasing your tail,
stop for a few minutes and try working through the following
process:
Immediate handling
of crisis situations is where Management Signature can be an
instant help. Keep our number handy. We can manage the crisis
and move beyond the chaos to effectively deal with future conflicts
before they happen. |
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Quick Source
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LEADERMENT Intersecting leadership qualities with
management tasks. "While all ambitious people are not leaders, a common leader characteristic is ambition. The will to progress, self-motivation and the desire to achieve are vital elements of a leader's journey.” James Champy and Nitin Nohira, Authors “The Arc of Ambition, Defining the Leadership Journey” |
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In our next issue – Conversation Management
Watch for the upcoming July issue to learn more about effectively
managing your conversations at work. |
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anticipating future events will likely change the percentages
over time. Recognizing where your group has been is important,
but looking ahead is equally as critical.