| |
| |
|
Management Information |
|
|
|
My Companys Leadership Sucks!
Maybe it's the season or just a more buoyant job market; but lately I'm sure involved in a lot more discussions about leadership. I'm receiving more requests for help defining the key characteristics which make a great leader; and I'm hearing a lot of negative stuff from clients about their bosses. Most leaders die with their mouths open: I recently read an article in Fast Company magazine which reflected on the issue of leadership. In it, they quote Ronald Heifetz, the founder of Harvard's Center for Public Leadership, who made the above comment back in 1999. He followed it up by saying that, "leaders must know how to listen - and the art of listening is more subtle than most people think it is. But first and just as important, leaders must want to listen." You'd think this is simply basic stuff, right? Like what we learned in Management 101. I doubt there's any exec in business today who wouldn't say they 'know' this already. But in my experience, in many cases, leaders don't seem to think it applies to them. And yet, I'm continually told by executives and professionals that they don't feel 'heard' enough by their superiors. And here's the really interesting thing about it - I hear this frustration cited by people at every level within organizations! < What this means that managers at every level, are busy looking 'up' the organization chart for someone to listen to them - but they're not giving their own managers and staff 'below' them the same benefits! So we have the situation, in many companies, where the managers go around telling those who report to them what to do & how to do it but rarely ask those same people for their input. How dumb is that? Our North American companies are pretty inefficient: OK - this is a random poll: Please raise your arm if you believe that your company is at least 90% efficient. Based upon what I hear from clients, there aren't many arms raised out there, I'd guess. In fact, most executives tell me that their own organizations are actually inefficient. Many are concerned that their employer is getting less competitive on a global scale. Some worry about cutbacks or reduced investment spending which may result. At the same time, they'll often tell me that they personally are bored, unchallenged, stale, and losing interest. So, let's review: Inefficient businesses - no one is listeing to those closer to the real action - and stale managers who are worried about global competitiveness. Is this a coincidence? Not likely. We can fix this situation. And it's not that hard. Remind yourself once in a while about that lesson of Management 101 and become a better leader by becoming a better listener. Simply start asking - and here I mean showing that you really want to hear your team members' ideas about making your department or organization more efficient. Show clearly that you are on a new mission and want to make 'listening' a priority. When your direct reports start to believe that you are serious - watch out. I guarantee that you'll start to hear new ideas which will kick-start your organization's success. With that will come renewed enthusiasm for the job. And the cycle of success will build from there. You don't need to die with your mouth open. Tips: 1. Give your team credit for having the same basic needs and expectations as you have yourself. 2. Shut up once in a while. 3. Ask your subordinates how they'd deal with a problem or situation. 4. Get enthusiastic for the game again. There was a reason you took this job. If you thought this article was worthwhile, you many want to take a free 7 part mini coaching course, "7 Secrets of Leadership Success". Sign up at http://www.BusinessSuccessCoach.net John McKee is the visionary behind BusinessSuccessCoach.net, the premier online coaching service for business people and professionals at all levels. During his over 25 years as a senior executive, he personally hired, promoted, and fired literally thousands of people. Now, as a business coach, McKee uses the phone to coach others to become more successful using field tested approaches.
MORE RESOURCES:
Management - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Guidelines For Conducting A Good Meeting Okay, so you've figured out what kind of meeting is needed, you've planned well and you have all the right materials. How about the meeting itself? How can you be sure the meeting you've so carefully planned and prepared actually comes off as expected?The checklist below can help you through the process. 7 Strategies for Sustained Innovation The need for constant reinvention is a given in today's business environment. And while a breakthrough product or concept can catapult an organization ahead of its competitors, in these fast-paced times, that advantage is often short-lived. 6 Shared Factors of Successful Executives These factors where determined by interviews with and books from very successful people. Factors which eminently successful people considered essential were collected and classified. Creativity and Innovation Management - Competition versus Collaboration There is much confusion as to whether competition or collaboration is most beneficial to creativity and innovation. Though there are negatives to collaboration and it is not easy separating the effects of time pressure and group activity, in general collaboration beats competition. Human Resource Employee Risk Profile - Management Risks Explained Human Resource Employee Risk ProfileIs your business at risk? Do you want peace of mind?Please answer the following question honestly by drawing a circle around or shading in the column. If you can only answer part of the question in the affirmative, then you should select 'No' eg in Q1 if you have employment contracts for your employees and not for your management team then select 'No'. First Things First -- Process BEFORE Technology Here's a brief story I encountered while leaving Newark International Airport following a recent business trip. Hard to believe, but true. Can A Business Still Be Profitable When People Skills Are Absent? In our current world of rapid and amazing technological advances, many entrepreneurs have managed to dramatically limit the need for staff in highly profitable operations of all kinds.It is therefore tempting and believable to imagine that with every passing day, the need for people skills is diminishing. Argue Your Way To Business Success "Jack" (not his real name) is a vice president of a publicly traded company. Recently, Jack's stress and anxiety levels have been high enough to impact both his working and his personal lives. Create Your Dashboard for Success Driving down the road our eyes frequently scan the vital instruments on the dashboard that monitor speed, fuel level, coolant temperature, and oil pressure. The modern vehicle also has many more devices that constantly monitor various systems for fuel mixture, exhaust gasses, timing adjustment and others. Interviewing: How to Stay Out of legal Hot Water Some interviewers ask great questions; others ask dumb questions; and, worst of all, some ask questions that can get them into legal hot water.Every recruiter, hiring manager, executive, and department manager must realize that asking the wrong questions or making improper inquiries can lead to discrimination or wrongful-discharge lawsuits. Delegation Obstructions OBSTRUCTIONS: 1. Staff deficiencies. IT Expenditure - Why Businesses Spend Huge Amounts on Ineffective IT Investments Another IT White Elephant!It seems that almost every day we read in the newspapers about another hideously over budget IT project that doesn't achieve its expected benefits. The ones we read about are usually major multi-million pound projects in the public sector, however this is only the tip of the iceberg. How To Write Commercial Collections Letters It is sometimes valuable to bring the sales manager into this step of the collection process. Information concerning the delinquency can often be obtained from the sales department. Proven Secrets to Keeping Your People and Increasing Your Profits Why are people changing jobs so quickly these days?Here are a few reasons why:They have a boring job therefore they feel they are not achieving anything.They have no leader to follow. Importance of Just-In-Time Inventory System In today's competitive world shorter product life cycles, customers rapid demands and quickly changing business environment is putting lot of pressures on manufacturers for quicker response and shorter cycle times. Now the manufacturers put pressures on their suppliers. Budgets! Budgets! There I've said it. For some the most hated and feared word in business. How to Build Your Business and Still Take Time Off We all know people who are like human dynamos. They seem to make an art form of building their business and still enjoy quality time with friends and family. Business Innovation - Ignoring Content Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.There are other useful definitions in this field, for example, creativity can be defined as consisting of a number of ideas, a number of diverse ideas and a number of novel ideas. How Your Business Can Pick A Software Developer Eventually, your business is going to need to have some software development. Your business is unique - you can't rely on a huge, faceless corporation to handle your unique needs with a shrinkwrapped, mass produced, production-line solution. 9 Strategies for Writing Accounts Payable Procedures The Cash to Cash Cycle Part Four of SeriesNext: Complete Cash to Cash CycleThe white flag is just a nose away?toward the Million dollar prize in cash savings for your business?So far, in Inventory and Accounts Receivable, we've found $250,000 each in cash savings. Then we found another 250K in Sales and Marketing.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
