so your vision is never lost.
LEADERSHIP INSIGHTS
Clients often wonder why so much time is spent with the teams of people in an organization rather than the leader. We have found that talking to the team reveals a lot of information about their leader. A large percentage of the time team members are confused about the vision of the company as well as the direction they are trying to go. Generally teams understand that the goal is to increase business, to improve processes and maintain a healthy […]
A good friend and client, in his 60’s, who I believe is one of the smartest well-read people I know, and is constantly learning, likes to say that “Standing around looking stupid, you can learn an awful lot.” Originally, I thought I was smart, but I have learned that my real job is to stand around looking stupid and ask a lot of questions. This brings out the wisdom of any group and gets the debate going. It is also […]
If everyone was direct, open and specific about their opinions on all issues, surveys would not be needed. However, the reality is that surveys not only get opinions that are hard to get otherwise, they are also valuable because: They cause people to think more since they can take time and come up with a deeper answer. Some people will respond in writing and not verbally. The questions can be specifically written to find out exactly what you need to […]
In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses the lack of communication within an organization and it may begin with a misconception of what it really means to communicate with a person or group. Communication is not merely telling people what you know, it is about creating a dialogue where you exchange thoughts, feelings and ideas. Then, allowing what you hear to affect what actions are taken and how perceptions are shaped. Some questions to consider: […]
The King’s Speech – What a fantastic movie! I have watched it many times! The movie shares the internal struggle of the Duke of York from 1926 until after World War II. Unable to communicate to the public with any value, when his brother abdicates the throne, he must learn how to create trust, confidence, etc. as a leader to his country. By persisting and being courageous in his personal battle, he affects millions. (Most of us see Winston Churchill […]
In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses the impact that our values and beliefs have in the workplace. Leaders, in general, tend to focus on behaviors and actions rather than values and beliefs. Focusing on values and beliefs is much harder to do. If we take the time as leaders to see our employees from a different, more powerful perspective, and begin to change their perspectives accordingly, this will allow them to impact people at a […]
We sometimes rely on stories to change perspectives and mindsets among our clients and their teams. Hearing a tale seemingly unrelated to the immediate concerns of the day relaxes the listener in a way nothing else can and makes them open to new ideas. I heard a story recently about a pillow: Once upon a time, there was a guy with a wonderful feather pillow. He loved it! He went into his backyard and opened up the pillow. He wanted […]
Leadership development is an issue facing many organizations today. In fact, in a recent survey we conducted it ranked as one of the top five concerns. A key component of leadership is the ability to engage your team so they see the entire fabric of what’s happening around them, not just their department or division. Much has been written on this topic, but one of the better leadership authors is John Maxwell. As I was reading his books, I was […]
In this week’s video blog our expert guide, Don Hadley, discusses how leaders can engage their employees and teams. Many leaders may be great at communication yet not at engaging their people. When leaders reach their employees’ hearts, the employees are able to drive action within the organization without the leader’s presence. One way to engage employees is to involve them in looking at the bigger picture or challenging them and each other to look at each other’s metrics […]