ABC's Of Leadership - J Is For Juggle

ABC's Of Leadership - J Is For Juggle

By E. Elizabeth Carter

Needless to say, there are many duties that a leader has to manage which includes overseeing the staff's activities. Priorities will shift as things come up but when one is leading an organization there may be too many urgencies and not enough time.

Juggling starts to occur but is that the best use of a leader's time? Instead isn't the role of the leader to keep the team focused and motivated? Some leaders have real issues with this because they become overwhelmed and may start delegating things that they personally need to handle. They also lose so much focus that even the highest priority is not getting the attention it needs.

An effective leader must analyze daily what he or she needs to spend their time on. Leaders should delegate what they can even if it is just a piece of a project, etc. The problem is that some leaders delegate the wrong tasks to team members who do not excel in that area, and/or they do not provide the right direction for the task to be completed. These mistakes take up valuable time which will have a financial impact in some way.

Any time management or project management article will tell you to get organized which is a given. The next step is then to make two lists and label them A and B. List A should only have 3 to 5 items at the most. When you look at your B list, how many items can be delegated or just taken off the list completely? Each item on the A list should then be given a timeline with deadlines written in for each one. Each piece of the timeline should have a "generous" amount of time allocated to complete it. Lay out the timelines and start to create a calendar with what you will focus on for the next five business days. It is vital to also have "reflective time" and "downtime" listed on each calendar day.

Try this for two weeks and then tweak it if necessary. If you are more of a visual person, use an online calendar and segment each project in a color. Make blue sleep time and a vibrant color like orange personal time. Also include exercise time, meetings, etc.

Thinking of a current project, how can you spend less time working on it by delegating or by outsourcing?

Other "J" words to ponder - just-in-time, joy, judge, and journaling.

Article Source:  ABC's Of Leadership - J Is For Juggle

ABC's Of Leadership - I Is For Influence

ABC's Of Leadership - I Is For Influence

By E. Elizabeth Carter

A leader who is influential versus controlling and/or authoritative is much more effective. By influencing others to achieve an objective, a leader is empowering them which is much more productive and beneficial to an organization in the long run.

Influencing others is not easy. So how does one do it? In most cases, trying to influence someone else takes time which in our fast-paced, instant gratification society is not usually desirable. The leader needs to be able to explain his or her ideas fully which includes backing up any statements he or she makes with accurate information. In addition, the leader needs to understand what the concerns or problems the other person foresees and be open-minded enough to take that into consideration.

If this is not working, it is necessary for the leader to really spend the time to investigate why the other person is resisting. Asking "why" once to the person usually does not work. I suggest to my clients to ask "why" seven times to really "peel the layers of the onion" to get to the true reason why this person is pushing back.

As an example, a leader may want to implement a new program by a certain date. One of his senior managers does not agree. On the surface, the leader may view this as a financial reason, but after spending the time to really delve into the "whys", it comes out that the senior manager has some staffing issues and is concerned that the program will eventually make him look like he is incompetent. His insecurities are the real reason he is pushing back but it took time to really understand the underlying issues. These feelings stem all the way back to his childhood, and it is an area that the senior manager knows he needs to improve upon but does not like to admit this to others. The leader still wants to go ahead but with this new insight he can provide better guidance to this person to make it a success which will help with the senior manager's confidence.

Think of a time someone tried to influence you. Did it conflict with your core values or beliefs? If so, how did you react? Keep that in mind next time you are trying to influence someone else.

Other "I" words to ponder - inspire, independent, imaginative, innovative, image, interactive, intelligent, improve, impact, invest, and integrity.

Article Source:  ABC's Of Leadership - I Is For Influence

ABC's Of Leadership - H Is For Hero

ABC's Of Leadership - H Is For Hero

By E. Elizabeth Carter

A hero can be defined as an individual who is highly regarded for his or her personal qualities or exceptional achievements. He or she is often also considered a mentor or a role model. This does not necessarily mean, however, that all heroes are viewed as leaders. The added piece to this is that leaders need to take these abilities and motivate others to achieve success too. They need to encourage their staff to identify their own "super powers" (or strengths and defining qualities) and become role models for their subordinates.

How does one go about achieving this? First, leaders must be willing to share what does not come easily to some because they are very possessive and may not want to spend the time. On the other hand, true leaders share information and serve as guides in helping subordinates find their own passions, desires, and paths. They do not necessarily give them the answers but try to create environments where innovative thinking is appreciated and encouraged.

These leaders also need to be consistent in terms of their mannerisms, their communications, and their goals. As we have seen too often, a leader says one thing but acts differently, which just causes confusion and anxiety within the entire organization. A leader should keep a journal listing not only their core values but also their aspirations and personal mission statement, which will be a constant reminder of what they stand for, act, and are perceived by others. It can be difficult at times to be consistent, especially when an emergency arises, but a true leader will make every effort to do this.

Lastly, heroes only use their super powers when they need to. They do not show off and act like they are better than anyone else. Just because someone is a leader does not give them the right to be egotistical and domineering. Instead they need to show their true skills when appropriate but also give others the opportunity to take the lead. This will encourage others to feel valued and achieve success.

Which super hero do you identify with? Why do you identify with this particular super hero? What defining qualities do you have that you would consider to be your super powers? How can you use your super powers to help you to become a role model to your subordinates?

Other "H" words to ponder - humble, healthy, helpful, humorous, and honest.

Article Source:  ABC's Of Leadership - H Is For Hero