Black In Business

http://leadershipepidemic.blogspot.com/2007/09/does-most-leadership-suck-challenge.html Say What?
That’s right; we all suck at leadership according to John W Mckenna. I have been asked to accept the challenge of confirming John’s opinion. Even if I agreed with John, I prefer the Starbucker method of rambling from a glass half full. I will refer to some of my persona that has allowed my leadership to be a strength in the pass. I hope we have some debate on this topic. Keep Hope Alive!
What a simple sentence, Keep Hope Alive!! That is what leadership means to me, with out hope you have nothing. Your position becomes a job, a paycheck, with no fulfillment.
Here are some steps of great leadership.
1 Determines the vision of your company. You must have a mission a purpose a reason to drive performance! This has to be more than a 3 day retreat at a country club, with 2 days of golf and a half day putting together a mission statement that nobody reads. It should take the dull mission statement that is framed and hanging in the office and break it down into action terms. I call it a strategic intent statement. Do you remember this one?
“We will send a man to the moon and return him home safety by the end of the decade!” This was a rallying cry of a nation during the 60’s that helped launch a space program. It was easy to remember, measurable and had a timeframe. The objective was clear, send a man to the moon, timeframe was clear, by the end of the decade, the part about return him home safely, was very important to the astronaut and his family.
2 Ensure all of your people understand the purpose and why it is good for the company but more important how they benefit. Make sure they get benefits that are important for them, not just you or the company.
Manifest on them how their job contributes to the big picture; make your team feel important. Celebrate the small victories, make work a fun time
3 Make sure your team has all they need in order to contribute successfully to the big picture goal. Fight like hell to help your people feel the thrill of victory.
4 Do not be a boss, be a help, make your team a team and you are a team member.
5 get to know your people and lead them all differently according to their. Relax get to know them as people and let them know you.
6Communicate and update how things are going, this is easy when things are going gangbuster, but you must be willing to communicate failure as well.
7 Seek their advice; challenge your team members to find solutions not problems.
8 Help your people grow, coach, reward performance, help them become ready for promotion, provide constant feedback
9 Admit your short comings, be a human being not a perfect being
10 The difference, inspire the people and lead through helping them get benefits from work, the team will perform. If you only manage results and track metrics, your team may do well bur will not care if you are a success or not. A true leader is one the people want to help become a success.
So John, In closing, I do not suck as a leader and by following these steps you will not either. Let me know what I left out. Keep Hope Alive!