Choose your leadership qualities...

Qualities of Effective Leaders:

1. Integrity                    2. Communication             3. Accountability

4. Vision                        5. Self-awareness               6. Decision-making

7. Empowerment         8. Creativity                        9. Motivation

10. Courage                   11. Transparency               12. Innovation

13. Passion                    14. Problem-solving          15. Influence

16. Adaptability            17. Empathy                        18. Flexibility

19. Delegation               20. Respect                         21. Learning agility

22. Gratitud

Qualities of Ineffective Leaders:

1. Inability to Follow

2. Feeding Pride and Vainglory

3. Setting Unrealistic Expectations

4. Refusing to Accept Blame

5. Avoiding Conflict

6. Focusing on Bottom-Line Revenue

7. Micromanaging and Failure to Relinquish Control

8. Failing to Encourage Team Members

9. Focusing on Self Rather than Team

10. Failing to Listen to Critiques

11. Claiming Others’ Ideas as Your Own

12. Rejecting Any Perspectives that Don’t Align with Your Own 

13. Constantly Working and Never Resting

14. Failing to Grow

15. Failure to Create a Healthy Corporate Culture

16. Expecting Others to Do Things They’re Unwilling to Do

17. Forgetting the Importance of Tone

18. Jumping Wildly from One Strategy to Another

19. Playing Loosely with Ethics

20. Unwillingness to Change 

One way or the other, it’s a choice. Rate yourself and choose today.

 

Napoleon Bonaparte (1769 – 1821), French general and statesman. 

Read his biography and history: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleon

Promote from within...

When I was actively recruiting people, candidates asked about career development and promotional opportunities. Good questions, but hard to answer in the abstract; even an answer like “as far as you want and are capable of going” sounds wishy-washy. Realistically, most companies promote from within – even if an employee may not have all the skills and attributes desired, you already know them, they already know the company’s culture, practices, policies, and expectations, and it sends a positive statement to others. Many companies have succession plans that, in my humble opinion, are mostly for senior level positions. I think it appropriate to post mid-level management openings internally to see who might be interested – with training, promoted employees usually meet company needs with little disruption. With a robust program like that, employees will take pride in how far they’ve come, and have faith in how far they can go. While new leaders often like to bring in some key reports they’ve known and worked with elsewhere, it’s best to limit that practice to only those instances where there are no available employees. These are the kinds of policies and practices that build organizational depth and promote staff morale and loyalty. The kind everyone can appreciate and be proud of today.

 

Christian Daa Larson (1874–1954): American New Thought leader and teacher, as well as a prolific author of metaphysical and New Thought books.

Nurture and nourish employee pride...

Last week was the 20^th anniversary of the Wynn Las Vegas opening – to commemorate that milestone, the company hosted a gala for 1700 day 1 employees. One of the night’s entertainment features was a video showcasing these employees and the pride they feel for their jobs and company[1].   From pre-opening through this anniversary – more than 7300 days for most of them, that translated into incredibly great work, earning 5-star honors in more segments of the business than any other casino hotel. The workplace culture there was and continues to be focused on nurturing and reinforcing that pride – in themselves, in their teamwork, and in the service they provide. In too many businesses, people are not that proud of where they work and that’s reflected in what they do. Look around the next time you go to a mall – are things picked up and put away correctly and are employees smiling. Listen the next time you try to call a company’s contact number – are your questions answered by a live and knowledgeable staff. And what’s it say to hard working people everywhere when the governmental services they need are cut or eliminated? Give your employees a workplace environment where they can excel and feel proud of what they do and where they work. Make that happen today.

 

Dan Hawkins: CEO and Founder of Summit Leadership Partners, and business advisor on strategy execution and value creation through leadership and organization performance.

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[1] His is a link to that video: https://youtu.be/nQZJj71QMQs?si=CLn2gEN3yA8iBhx4&sfnsn=mo  

 

Look sharp...

I’ll bet that today’s author had a mother like mine – always telling her son to “stand up straight”. As a kid, I thought slouching was cool, like the James Dean characters we saw in the movies. So, didn’t I feel silly years later talking to employees about the importance of good posture, because it projects one’s attitude and pride in what they do. I’d watched customer reactions to poor posture, inattentiveness, and lack of hustle, and how those overshadowed any good service they experienced. It was a perception thing – those employees didn’t look as professional or attentive as those who stood up straight. And while it’s purely anecdotal, I think poor posture more often went along with fewer smiles and less eye contact. In the service business, perceptions matter – think about when you’re out shopping or eating, and how you react to the overall picture of someone with good posture, or not. While that might seem superficial or an over-generalization, I believe that feeling good, feeling good about yourself, and being on top of your game tend to go together. And that’s good for business. Whether sitting at a desk or standing on the floor, good posture and a positive attitude can create a can-do attitude. And that’s good for your career. As a manager, don’t hesitate to promote these concepts today. 

 

Dr. Steven Weiniger: American chiropractor, author, and world leader in the field of posture improvement.

Get started on the right foot...

I’m sure you’ve heard people say they got up on the wrong side of the bed – meaning they started the day in a bad mood.  Not a good way to start any day. Some of that is caused by lack of sleep – maybe because they’re working on a computer or doing stuff on a smartphone before bed – from personal experience, I know I need to shut those devices off and do something else for a few hours before trying to sleep. Like exercising –walking around the block or riding a bike; like having some engaging talks with a live human rather than a bot; like reading a book or playing a game – to start to unwind. And when waking up, stretching, eating a good breakfast, and setting one or two goals to accomplish that day – things that can help side-step the development of a bad mood. It’s not perfect, but even one small positive thought in the morning can change your whole day. And be aware that some around you may be going through the same s**t, so be positive. When you get this right, be proud of the fact you’ve managed to start off on the right foot today.

 

The 14th Dalai Lama (born 1935; spiritual name: Tenzin Gyatso; né Lhamo Thondup): The incumbent Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader and head of Tibetan Buddhism.

Be a force for good...

The good humor examples from this week’s messages set good examples for people to try and follow. To be role models. To be the kinds of people we generally like to be around (whether we like to admit it or not). Because it’s nicer to be around people of good cheer than those full of frowns. People working together to move things along rather than creating obstacles. This is especially important at work – everyone’s there because they have to be, and it’s respectful that each do their part to make it a positive and productive environment. It’s not like anyone can just walk away if it isn’t – you’re all stuck there, so it’s best to make the best of it. Don’t get annoyed at those who are trying to make it nice, join them (again, even if you’re not into it); you owe it to them just like they owe it to you. It’s called teamwork, or camaraderie, or playing nice. It’s what lays the foundation for excellent quality and service because each of those start with a smile, not a frown. Be a good example at work today.

 

Mark Twain (1835 – 1910): The pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens, was an American writer, humorist, and essayist, often praised as the "greatest humorist the United States has produced.

You don't have to be happy to smile...

              And still more good humor

 

This quote is a generalization of the opposite sides of the humor coin, but you can read much into it. Now you don’t have to take an Elizabethan Baron’s word on this – think of the people you know and work with. Those of good humor – fun, optimistic, engaging people are the kinds that you want to be around, who make work enjoyable, and don’t get into or cause much drama. Those of ill humor – defensive, moody, loners who don’t share or play nicely, the ones we’d rather avoid. The first volunteers help or time, the second does little or nothing extra to help, even if your pants are on fire. We all know people who fit both models. And yet at work we’re encouraged to get along with everyone, help some even if they don’t want or deserve it, because that’s what colleagues do. And even if they don’t smile, we never stop trying to make them. This is about personalities not politics. And even though some are incredulous when one smiles acceptingly at everyone, there’s no reason not to. As a leader at work, your job is to promote good humor as a means of promoting teamwork and quality – thanking those that do while encouraging and coaching those that won’t.  There’s no place for ill humor at work – if we can get that concept across there, why not try to apply it to the rest of our lives at well today.

 

Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke (1554 – 1628): Elizabethan poet, dramatist, and statesman who served in the House of Commons between 1581 and 1621, when he was raised to the peerage.