home | site map | privacy policy |
|
Follow My Leader - To Effect Change, Leaders Must Walk the Talk!
A leader's role In any change project, a leader must wear many hats, however his/her role can be split into two key areas: 1. Set the strategic direction of the change and; 2. Convince everyone of its importance. The importance of the first part of this role is generally understood and is for another article on another day, however the second part is often overlooked (or done very badly) and can be of even greater importance. Where this point is addressed, it is generally done by giving presentations and distributing memos. Although these can be necessary, they are often ignored or just paid lip service if the most important method of communicating the importance of the project is missed - action. "Do as I say, not as I do!" Many of us will have heard this line from our parents (some of us just might have been known to use it with our own kids now and again), but can we remember how patronising it felt? Too often this is the message communicated to employees from senior management during a major change. Employees are expected to attend seminars and workshops (and are sent memos and emails stressing their importance). These may even be preceded by a major presentation from the managing director, stating that everyone must give full support to the project. The senior management then continue to go about their day-to-day jobs as if nothing has changed. The Managing Director misses a session he was scheduled to attend because he has a meeting with a major client then the Sales Director uses this excuse at the next session, which the Finance Director also misses because he has a meeting with the auditors. In the next round of workshops, there are no salesmen able to attend (they all have meetings with clients), the payroll clerk cannot attend because the wages must be processed and the management accountant makes his excuses because he is under pressure to get the month-end accounts out. Pretty soon the project is completely off the rails and the managing director is wondering what went wrong. The simple fact is that people follow the examples of their leaders rather than what they are told. When the Managing Director demonstrated that his meeting with a client was more important than the project, this message was picked up by the Sales Director (who also has important meetings with clients), then comes the Finance Director, who is quite sure that his meeting with the auditors is at least as important as any client meeting. This message is then cascaded down to those reporting to these directors, until no-one is attaching any importance to this project. Perception is reality Not only must the senior management team give the project the priority it deserves (and that they are telling everyone else that it has), they must go out of their way to be seen to do so. This is often best done by doing something out of character that clearly (and publicly) demonstrates the importance of the project. This may involve such activities as missing a regular golfing trip to attend a workshop session (no-one said it was going to be easy) or coming in on a Saturday morning to attend a session with Saturday staff. The trick is to get people talking in the canteen about how important the management must see this project as, if the managing director is missing his golf/Saturday mornings, etc. Listen and act As a project progresses, one of the best ways to demonstrate its importance is to listen to feedback from workshops, etc. and act on it as soon as possible. This demonstrates that the project can really make a difference and that this is everyone's opportunity to contribute to how the business operates. If senior management can demonstrate this level of commitment, the project is well on the way to success. Glen Feechan is Chief Executive of Feechan Consulting Ltd (http://www.feechan.co.uk), a business consultancy specialising in business process improvement training and consultancy. Email Glen at glen@feechan.co.uk. Glen is also the editor (and regular contributor) of Changing Business ezine (sign up at http://www.feechan.co.uk).
Leadership is best defined by the quality of your thoughts, decisions and actions. It is also underpinned by the quality of the tools you use in your role. Be seen to bring true leadership to your organization and act with the authority that it brings to you.
MORE RESOURCES: BP to Simplify Organization, Trim Leadership Team The Wall Street Journal Nurses in County Jails Demand Leadership Change Willamette Week Medical Education Leadership University of California San Diego Be Bold summit champions women in leadership - UND Today UND Blogs and E-Newsletters Empowering women in STEM: Journey of leadership, growth SiouxFalls.Business Swanger Award winner leaves behind legacy of service, leadership University of South Carolina NMDSI features UWM professor in new thought leadership program University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee UWLP Publishes Research Summaries on Leadership, STEM, Male Allyship Utah State University Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek has a new leadership team after several of her top aides left Oregon Public Broadcasting Leadership lessons from a geographer's perspective - UND Today UND Blogs and E-Newsletters Opinion | Bad Leadership Is a National-Security Threat The Wall Street Journal News Flash • Agile Academy and Supervisor's Leadership Acade City of Norfolk (.gov) Leadership Institute Addresses America's Literacy Challenges at the National Education Learn Right Summit PR Newswire Northwestern and CERN Step into Collaborative Leadership Role, Fostering Innovation in Open Science - News Center Feinberg News Center Munich Re announces leadership shakeup in APAC and Africa Insurance Business Antisemitism, Academic Freedom, and Board Leadership American Council of Trustees and Alumni Tourism Leadership Council April Connection Luncheon Connect Savannah.com JROTC cadets instill values of leadership, respect in elementary students through service project United States Army BP Reshapes Its Leadership Team Rigzone News Why Rare Leadership Is Well-Done at Omaha Steaks WCBE 90.5 FM Leadership changes redraw ranks at local architecture firms RichmondBizSense Mundelein team shines at FBLA Leadership Conference Daily Herald DCE HOSA member advances to International Leadership Conference wausaupilotandreview.com Hammonds graduates from Sheriff's Leadership Institute - Washington Daily News thewashingtondailynews.com Nurse Leaders Named Fellows in Nursing Innovation ChristianaCare News Collaborative leadership in addressing sexual and domestic violence Utah Public Radio Coalition of U.S. legislators call for American leadership to secure justice for Artsakh and the Armenian Genocide Armenian Weekly Goodman honored with Frank E. Bentley Sr. Leadership Award Times-Enterprise FSU celebrates 2024 Leadership Awards Night Florida State News Mesa leadership class to reveal project April 18 at Oakwood Creative Care | Mesa Independent Daily Independent Leadership through accountability Youngstown Air Reserve Station Nominations open for the 2024 WIN DRR Leadership Awards United Nations - Europe News Analysis: CM softball's senior leadership keeps team stable, positive Williamsport Sun-Gazette Crestcom International Named a 2024 Top 20 Leadership Training Company by Training Industry AccessWire Grbac, Kyle talk faith, football to St. John the Evangelist Leadership Guild Diocese of Cleveland Here's what we learned at the Restaurant Leadership Conference Restaurant Business Online Donald M. Payne, Jr.: A beacon of leadership, impact, and compassion New Jersey Globe | New Jersey Politics Fortune Favors' leadership wins Wisconsin's Small Businesspeople of the Year Channel3000.com - WISC-TV3 Paretohealth adds two to executive leadership Captive International Rail News - Watco restructures executive leadership. For Railroad Career Professionals Progressive Rail Roading Transitions: The Cougar bids farewell to departing members, hello to new leadership - The Cougar The Daily Cougar Operation Shoebox gets help from residents, new leadership The Villages Daily Sun Charlotte-based Maya Hotels transitions leadership to children Business North Carolina Leadership changes announced for Orangeburg County schools The Times and Democrat DeForest Buckner talks Colts extension, leadership, and buy-in for what's being built! Kent Sterling Top 10 Leadership Theories in 2024 Simplilearn Husker notes: Linebackers stepping into leadership roles Lincoln Journal Star Shore Fire Media Elevates Five Staff to New Leadership Roles Reflecting Growth of Company and Roster AccessWire “This Is a Criminal Cover-Up”: Boeing Whistleblowers Slam Leadership for Ignoring Safety Issues Democracy Now! |
RELATED ARTICLES
Make the Most of Your Mentoring Relationships Mentoring is one of the best ways to learn, to get feedback, and to take your career to the next level. Here are ten tips for making the most of your mentoring relationships. Transformational Leadership "What is leadership?" When this question is asked most of the people answer "leadership is the capacity or an ability of a person to lead". Earlier theories of leadership viz. What Kind of Leader Are You? You are a leader if someone is following you. This could be as simple as one person watching you and following your example and encouragement, to being a leader in your home, your community, your workplace or even your nation. Mr. Shoaffs Simple Strategies to Success (Excerpted from the Jim Rohn Sampler single CD)My first mentor, Mr. Shoaff, over a six-year period from the time I was 25 to age 31, taught me some extraordinarily simple things, before his untimely passing at age 49. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 1, General Strategies for Unproductive Behavior It happens easily. You're conducting a meeting and suddenly a small side meeting starts. In Leadership, Dreams Are The Stuff That Great Results Are Made Of Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. The best leaders don't order people to do a job, the best leaders motivate people to want to do the job. 7 Excellent Ways To Improve Your Leadership Skills! Did you know that there are 7 really effective yetpowerful ways to improve your leadership learningopportunities?If you have ever looked at using a leadership skillstraining program, you probably have run smack into one ormore of the following problems:- leadership training will usually cost you some seriousmoney - in fact, some programs are outrageously expensive- leadership training programs last for a very short time -quite a few of them run for only one or two days- many leadership training programs fail to give you someway to support or help you meet your daily challenges- less than 1% of all leadership training programs couplecoaching and mentoring follow-ups with classroom sessions- most leadership training programs like to do 'raw datadumps'- the vast majority of them do NOT give you chances to'blend' your learning experiences with supervised practiceThis article will help you to find, use and take advantageof every leadership skills learning opportunity youencounter - you will be able to employ your leadershipskills in highly effective, more creative and powerful ways.Power Strategy - 1 -- Make sure you get clearly defined andsignificant returns on your training investment!When you spend your money on training are you looking forentertainment, engagement or education?I don't know about your priorities but I know that I demanda ton of convincing to invest in training of any sort. Why the Squirrel Kept Winning! I had the good fortune (or misfortune depending on your climate perspective) of living in Minnesota for ten years. The Summers were beautiful, Fall was spectacular with the changing colors of the leaves on trees and winter was,?well, damn cold. Who Is Randy Gage and Why Is He One of My Mentors and Heroes? Who is Randy Gage? I first read about him in a newsletter by his friend, and another of my mentors and heroes, Stuart Goldsmith.At first he came across as a bit too much 'in-your-face' for my liking but, as he was challenging some of my long held beliefs, I came to realise that I was in a state of denial. Asking for Help For many of us, asking for help is a difficult concept. It can require a certain amount of vulnerability. The Tao of Leadership There can be no doubt that the ancient author of the Tao Te Ching, Lao-Tzu, was a man of unique wisdom whose writings continue to influence people of different backgrounds and faiths.Many leaders then and now get wrapped up in selfish ambition. Leadership Prep So you want to be a leader? Or you want to be a better leader? It can be done, you know. No matter where you are in your leadership journey, you CAN move forward. Reinventing Failure: Designing Success I am fascinated by problems. I like to think of myself as a solution oriented individual. Two Leadership Traps: How To Get Out Of Them and How To Avoid Them (Part 1) You've heard of the Peter Principle: "People are promoted to their level of ultimate incompetence". But what the Peter Principle doesn't tell you is the nature of the incompetence. Would Socrates Be A Celebrity Today? Last week, as I was standing in the checkout line of my local grocery store, I found myself staring at the dozen or so magazines on display. As I gazed upon the various photos and headlines praising or trashing the celebrity du jour, I got to thinking. Leadership Webster's defines leadership as : "1. the office of position of a leader, 2. 3 Aspects of Developing Leadership Skills Everyone knows that great leaders are made, not born. However good that statement sounds, we still want to know how we "make" or turn people effective leaders. The Best Ways To Multiply The Extraordinary Leadership in Your Organization Extraordinary Leaders are those who understand that in order for theorganization to grow and make the maximum impact that it can, the leadershipbase in the organization must grow first and grow strong enough to hold thegrowth. If this does not happen, the organization will either not grow orwill grow and then crumble because there is no solid foundation ofleadership. Visions of Leadership Right about now, you've made the discovery that if you intend to push your company beyond its current plateau, you will have to change the way you relate to your work. You have doubtlessly concluded this next level mandates you to let go of things like hiring, product design, perhaps even day-to-day sales - many things you handled in the past - and focus yourself on your role as CEO. Leadership Like Water-Water Canoeing Although world business is undergoing historic changes, the prevailing view of what constitutes business leadership is stuck in the past. Generally, business leaders view leadership as an order-giving process. |
|
© 2016 Definition Of Leadership & Career Consulting Limited |