Leaders must have passion; that is, in their own way, they must show that they care. Talk can only go so far – while an occasional well-done pep talk can be great with the right context and timing, it’s what you do that demonstrates your passion. There’s a lot you can do to show your … Read more
We’ve covered six leadership traits and skills. Now, it’s time to talk about two mindsets that must permeate our leadership behaviors. The first is positivity. Being positive is the way others see that the hard work is worth it. Now, leaders ought not be a fake, smile-plastered, Pollyanna; positive leadership is not “soft” leadership. It … Read more
Leaders are committed to constant self-improvement. Why use the phrase “stretching and growing?” Because you can’t grow if you don’t stretch – And it is possible to stretch without growing. One of two things is always true: 1-I am a perfect master of all my desired skills and capabilities; I’m perfect.or2-I still have room to … Read more
It’s cliche to mock the “do as I say, not as I do” leadership failure. That’s because this failure is way too common. Leaders must consistently model the behavior they expect from others. If you expect your front-line folks to provide great customer service, then use the same standards of interaction when you talk to … Read more
If there’s one skill that leaders must master and habitually improve, it’s communication. If you read this blog, you’ll see that it’s a pretty popular area of concern. So many dysfunctions, productivity concerns, drama, misunderstandings, and performance failures can be traced directly to communication mis-steps. It’s tough to summarize this, but here’s an attempt: Communication … Read more
Does it go without saying that leaders must have integrity? If so, sorry. Just a couple of weeks ago, a manager was telling me about having to let a seemingly great hire go. Seeing my surprise, she looked me in the eye and said “He didn’t walk the talk.” The folks at Iowa’s Character Counts … Read more
Leaders must have vision. Not just in the “creatively imagined future” way, but also in the way of “I have an accurate assessment of the way things are right now.” Leaders must (in the words of those wise men, Kouzes and Posner) “inspire a shared vision.” Without knowing what the goals are, folks are rarely … Read more
The essence of leadership is service. Robert Greenleaf paved the way for opening minds to this concept a few decades ago, and now it is quite widely accepted. Peter Block does a fine job of refining it by calling it Stewardship, but the essence is the same: When approaching any individual, any team, any organization, … Read more
1996 I was despondent. Poor me. “My people” weren’t engaged. They didn’t get me; they weren’t loyal, they weren’t receptive, they were leaving me, and it wasn’t my fault. They just needed to give me more time, to get to know me… Except… My boss, Fred, said “They are fighting you.” My colleague, Jo, said … Read more
“Samantha, please reinstate the afternoon tea and coffee cart for the residents, starting in November.” Samantha [delivered with sarcastic tone and an eye roll] replies, “Well, sure, why not. Last time we tried it, Beth in 4C took 10 tea bags. AND when I wasn’t looking, some of the staff drained the second pot of … Read more