so your vision is never lost.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS
Written by: Don Hadley One of the biggest challenges organizations face today is “the changing of the guard”. The examples below briefly demonstrate how succession (or lack of it) can dramatically hurt or transform an organization: One disaster: The head of the company was almost 80 years old. He was having troubling recruiting and retaining leaders that wanted to run the organization. None of the existing employees, to his knowledge, had the desire, attitude, skills and habit to be able […]
Most of us realize that in order for our organization to realize the potential success we know is possible, a strategic plan must be in place. Common knowledge, right? According to a recent study of 26,000 start-up companies, 67% had no written plan. The same study found that businesses that have and use a strategic plan are 12% more profitable than those who have no plan. Ensuring the commitment of your team to the company’s vision and goals is a […]
The mind and heart can envision and feel great things, but so many times there is a disconnect in where we are today vs. where we desire to be. While there are many necessary pieces to bridging that gap, one of the key girders is accountability: the willingness to do what one says. Part of this is holding others accountable. There must be both individual and team accountability for a business to work effectively. I am reminded of Peter Block’s […]
A clear, effective communication skill is one of the best attributes a person can develop. It equips you to be successful professionally and personally. By communication, we mean stating your needs clearly and listening to others with the intention of fully understanding what they are trying to say. It is a “two-way” street. Can you identify with this example? It is the job of leaders to go to the unknown and find out what’s there. Asking employees for honest […]
Meetings can cost a lot of money if they are not productive. If your manager has put you in charge of leading an upcoming meeting, ensure it goes well by using these guidelines: Goals: have specific, tangible SMAART Goals for the meeting, as well as sub goals. Transform the goals into questions. Questions: ask questions that get them thinking about the whole organization. The objective is to get them to see, think about and consider the entire map and not […]
And that dollar figure only applies to the United States! While meetings are a necessary activity, at times you may be sitting there wondering when it will be over, if you got anything out of the meeting, or why you were even there. When 11 million meetings occur each day in the U.S. and 71% of employees feel those meetings are unproductive, clearly there’s improvement to be made. (Source: Socialcast.com) Source: abettersolution.biz The Dark Side of Meetings Meetings started out […]
As a leader you must continually build your techniques, capabilities and habits. You need to be able to evaluate honestly where you are, what strengths you have and what you need to work on. Some of the improvements can be external, some internal and at times it is simply awareness of your weaknesses. “Quality is never an accident; it is always the result of high intention, sincere effort, intelligent direction and skillful execution; it represents the wise choice of […]
A Job Should Be More Than Just a Job: Creating Enthusiasm for Your Company’s Shared Sense of Purpose
Next time you need a quick break, take a walk through your company’s office space. What’s the mood like? Are your employees engaged, excited, and inspired? Or are they tuned out, tapping away on iPhones and counting down the minutes until they can head home? If you see the latter, it could be because your employees don’t connect their day-to-day work with any greater meaning. Employees who find meaning in their work are more likely to exhibit higher levels of […]
Does your company have a compelling mission statement? What about an inspiring vision statement? For many business leaders, these may sound like trick questions; executives often don’t understand the crucial difference between a company’s mission and its vision, let alone carve out enough time for this key part of strategic planning. That’s bad news for leaders who want to earn the respect of their colleagues and guide employees to success. In a Harvard Business Review survey, 77 percent of respondents […]