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Incites 7: a
newsletter for leaders from
Terry
Power
Welcome to the seventh edition of
‘Incites’. Thank you in advance for
passing this along to anyone interested in educating leaders whether this
be insights for your children, your staff or for yourself. This newsletter
is in three parts; hindsight, insight and foresight. Enjoy!
Hindsight
Feedback.
Feedback is necessary in all life forms if it is to grow, thrive and
develop. If we perceive value in any relationship it behoves us then to
provide constructive feedback whether positive of negative.
Feeling optimistic.
There has been a significant amount of research that supports the notion
that optimism is a learned response. Too many people bemoan their
situation and wallow in despair. With a little conscious effort repeated
daily, things can and do look a lot brighter.
Impulsive decisions.
Undoubtedly there are times which demand a
quick, decisive response, the danger occurs when we do this impulsively.
Many decisions need the fullness of time to think through the available
options. No matter what organization there will always be a need to move
away from black and white thinking to ‘shades of grey’.
Contrived courtesy.
Whenever I have the misfortune of running an errand to the supermarket I’m
reminded of the idiocy of robotic responses and contrived courtesy; I’m
referring to the automaton salutations from the checkout staff. They are
clearly trained to parrot the words ‘how are you today?’ and before you
even have a chance to answer they ‘that’s good’. And this no matter you
might have said your haemorrhoids giving you hell today! What is needed is
education not training; leave the training to animal trainers.
Insight
Authoring
and re-authoring your life
If it is true that life ‘unfolds
like a book’ then the corollary is surely that someone has to be the
author. The question is… who? For too many people their life is authored
by others; their parents, their teachers, their peers. Now is the time to
reclaim the pen. Not only are we all capable of doing this but rather it
is our entitlement. Gone are the days when loyalty to a company, firm or
organization was rewarded but the good news is… now you are on your own;
the bad news is… now you are on your own!
How then, do you re-author your
life? The first step is to decide that you are going to be your own
author, that your goals are in line with your values, that your actions
are congruent with your beliefs and that your words are aligned with your
thoughts. Like any re-engineering process it could take time and effort,
but it is well worth it in the long run. This does not mean you are to
re-create yourself in a way that is false or inauthentic. As Warren Bennis,
the great leadership thinker has stated: “When you write your own life,
you have played the game that was natural for you to play,” he says. “You
have kept your covenant with your own promise.”
Foresight
Lead like a non-profit
Focus
on the Few
No one is denying that leadership
is a complex and demanding task, sometimes to demanding. The key then is
to simplify and get back to the basics. Jim Rohn says there are only a few
things that separate success from failure. Extrapolating from that idea,
here are the few that I think are successful in terms of leadership.
First focus on what’s important.
Now that may seem a no-brainer but I am continually amazed at how many
leaders get bogged down in micro management and low-priority tasks.
Secondly, seek out and reward
behaviour you want repeated. Blanchard of ‘One Minute Manager’ fame says
“Catch them doing something right”. It is all too easy to focus on the
challenges, but in my experience nothing great was ever achieved by
focusing on the weaknesses. Build on, and praise liberally people’s
strengths. Find creative ways to praise people, vouchers, flexitime,
recognition, bonuses, cards the possibilities are endless, limited more by
your imagination than budgetary constraints.
Thirdly, rather than ignore
mediocrity penalise it immediately, harshly and without regret. Begin a
‘zero tolerance’ to sub-standard work, ethos and performance. Too many
organizations set the bar low and then work hard at getting people to fall
across it. Instead raise it high and inspire people to rise to the
challenge.
Fourthly, promote those that
perform. Again, seems simple enough, most of the basics are, perhaps
that’s why so many leaders get it wrong. Promotion should come from merit,
not nepotistic or sycophantic behaviour. This sends a clear message that
performance, enthusiasm, competence and attitude are high values.
About
the author
Terry
has built numerous businesses, he understands how to help people be their
best and what it takes to lead a company to success and profitably. He
cuts right to the core issues that are important to you and shows your
people what works, what doesn't and why. He artfully blends content-rich
presentations with an entertaining and motivating style that inspires,
motivates and leads people to action. When
Terry
presents you learn in an enjoyable and fun way while learning practical,
immediately applicable skills that impact your bottom line. Your people
will gain a fresh perspective from real-world material for real-world
results.
Web:
www.terrypower.com.au
email:
terry@terrypower.com.au
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