Leadership Articles

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 8th December 2006 @ 1:17 PM

Ineffective leaders don't understand that actions speak louder than words. The expect people to listen to what they say not what they do. If you want to be an effective leader you need to lead by your example--not just what you say. I knew an ineffective leader who tried to lead by decree instead of by example. He would do things like mandate that the entire organization had to wear a particular dress code on Fridays which had previously been casual day. Then he would show up in ... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 8th December 2006 @ 1:10 PM

A common mistake inexperience leaders make is using authority when it is not needed. If you are the boss people have to do what you say right? So the easy way to get people to do what you want is to just use your authority muscle and show they that you are the boss. Right? Actually that is probably the easiest way because it doesn't rely on any true leadership skill. You are basically pushing your way toward what you want instead of leading the way. A good leader knows how to act... more...

Business » Leadership | By Regina Maniam @ Friday, 8th December 2006 @ 11:07 AM

How many times have you conducted a business meeting and found yourself not in control? The unnecessary sidetracking discussions and sheer lack of interest on the part of the participants can really frustrate anyone. Would you like to have managed the meeting with greater confidence and have better control? Many a time you attend meetings and there are people there who just are not interested in what is going on. These people just distract the whole meeting. Unfortunately, sometimes peop... more...

Business » Leadership | By Marcia Granger @ Friday, 8th December 2006 @ 5:14 AM

Managers often deal with great deal of paperwork and people. Although paperwork is usually the most tedious, it's often the most predictable. People aren't predictable. They have moods, illnesses, career expectations, crises in their family lives, etc. The supervisor's technical expertise is often useless when it comes to supervising people. Sometimes Intimidated by Wide Range of Policies and Procedures the new supervisor is suddenly faced with a wide range of rules... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Thursday, 7th December 2006 @ 3:02 AM

Attitude is defined as the way you dedicate yourself to the way you think. Think negative or think positive is a choice and a process. Negative is (unfortunately) an instinctive process. Positive is a learned self-discipline that must be studied and practiced every day. To achieve a positive attitude, you must take physical, verbal and mental actions. Here are a few short chunks of attitude - awareness and actions - that will help put you (or keep you) on the positive path: 1. Admi... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Thursday, 7th December 2006 @ 2:34 AM

People see things differently. While some concentrate on negative possibilities and see their glasses half empty instead of half full, others consistently look on the bright side. But being positive does not mean being unrealistic. So an important question to ask yourself when evaluating one's demeanor: Is your glass half empty or half full? While life can bring challenging times, having a positive attitude often can have real mind and body benefits. People who are less burdened by p... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Thursday, 7th December 2006 @ 2:26 AM

Our strengths often become weaknesses because we rely on them too heavily, habitually doing what we do best instead of seeking the best things to do. Someone said: If your only tool is a hammer, you approach every problem as if it were a nail. Put down your old, familiar tools for now, or else find a different way to use them. Doing the right things, even very imperfectly, can bring about a quantum leap. Doing the wrong things, even if you do them to perfection, will never deliver your dr... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Tuesday, 5th December 2006 @ 8:03 AM

Our personal experiences with time often force us to draw sets of conclusions which seem to contradict each other. They set up a paradox in which it is difficult to see how both conclusions can be true. Yet, on closer examination, the conclusions often are both correct. For example, no one has enough time, yet everyone has all there is. Often, one of the statements in a paradox is based on conventional wisdom, while the other statement challenges that wisdom by pointing out a deeper truth... more...

Business » Leadership | By Chris Marshall @ Monday, 4th December 2006 @ 12:28 PM

When you're asked about a leader in the context of a workplace, who springs to mind? Maybe your current or a former boss, a head of department, or maybe even the company Chief Executive Officer. Leadership is a complex subject. We should all consider ourselves leaders, particularly those of us looking to progress our careers beyond the current nine to five days we love (or endure). Whatever our occupation, admin staff to managers, refuse collectors to chefs, we have a duty to behave ... more...

Business » Leadership | By Jeanie Marshall @ Monday, 4th December 2006 @ 10:48 AM

The word "empower" has potency and strength. It's used frequently these, some say "overused." It's also misused. Similar to the concept of "motivation," the most common misuse of the idea of empowerment is that one person can empower another. Empowerment, as I use the word, is an inner-to-outer dynamic, most usefulwhen preceded by silence and awareness of inner guidance. Empowerment is not simply another way to "get" something, it's a condition that... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Saturday, 2nd December 2006 @ 6:06 PM

Live life enthusiastically! Dale Carnegie often called this principle the little-known secret of success. Without enthusiasm, all the skills and techniques you learn will not be as effective as they could be. On the other hand, if someone is enthusiastic, it is an energy builder. They can sell their ideas and ultimately accomplish more than sheer intellect. History is ripe with stories of people who overcame adversity and achieved great success simply because they were enthusiastic about ... more...

Business » Leadership | By Pj Germain @ Friday, 1st December 2006 @ 1:34 PM

In the hyper competition for breakthrough solutions, managers worry too much about characteristics and personality: Am I smart enough? Do I have the right temperament? The do not worry enough about the process. A commitment to the systematic search for imaginative and useful ideas is what successful entrepreneurs share, not some special genius or trait. What is more, entrepreneurship can occur in a business of any size or age because, at heart, it has to do with a certain kind of activity: innov... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 1st December 2006 @ 2:08 AM

Leaders recognize that in order to lead effectively they need to give their followers success. Some leaders are concerned that if they reveal their goals to their subordinates there is the possibility that they might miss the goals. The leaders are concerned that they might lose credibility if this happens. While this is certainly a possibility, the risks of not presenting any goals to an organization are likely to be more detrimental that missing a goal occasionally. If you think of an o... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 1st December 2006 @ 2:08 AM

Leaders recognize that in order to lead effectively they need to give their followers success. Some leaders are concerned that if they reveal their goals to their subordinates there is the possibility that they might miss the goals. The leaders are concerned that they might lose credibility if this happens. While this is certainly a possibility, the risks of not presenting any goals to an organization are likely to be more detrimental that missing a goal occasionally. If you think of an o... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 1st December 2006 @ 2:08 AM

Leaders recognize that in order to lead effectively they need to give their followers success. Some leaders are concerned that if they reveal their goals to their subordinates there is the possibility that they might miss the goals. The leaders are concerned that they might lose credibility if this happens. While this is certainly a possibility, the risks of not presenting any goals to an organization are likely to be more detrimental that missing a goal occasionally. If you think of an o... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 1st December 2006 @ 1:20 AM

Leaders must lead by their own example. If subordinates see their leader doing one thing and saying another, they may follow the letter of the law and obey what is said without really following the spirit behind what the leader is trying to accomplish. Not following the spirit behind a rule can result in a very large loss in efficiency. Leading through example is leading through intent not through directives. When people hear you say to do something they may follow what you say, but that... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Thursday, 30th November 2006 @ 8:53 AM

Many leaders understand the importance of achieving goals, but have little skill at motivating their subordinates to meet these goals. Often leaders in this position end up blaming the people they lead. Most often the fault lies with the leaders in ability to focus effort toward a specific result. Achieving goals is the responsibility of the leader. The other people in the organization are following the leader, so if he is unable to motivate them to achieve goals, the fault lies with him. <... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 10th November 2006 @ 6:55 PM

Many people assume that if someone is successful it is because they have good leadership skills. Some people assume that if a business is successful it is because it has good leaders. Leadership isn't something that is particularly easy to pass on to other people. Sometimes a company is successful because a past leader was very skilled as a leader and the current leader simply has kept things running the same as before. Great leadership is a rare skill. It is much more rare than most... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 10th November 2006 @ 6:54 PM

Many leaders assume that everyone understands their vision. Often there is a big gap between their vision and what the people they lead see as the vision. Unfortunately many leaders don't take the time to actually find out how well they have expressed their vision to their team. They often assume that because they are in charge people listen and understand what they mean to say, even if it isn't exactly what they really said. They also assume that people will hear the same thing that... more...

Business » Leadership | By Mark Shead @ Friday, 10th November 2006 @ 6:53 PM

A good leader can take a team and accomplish things that no one believed was possible. In order to do this they must make incremental changes that are challenging, but not impossible. By giving their organization a string of successes they will build momentum and attitudes that will help them overcome even difficult situations in the future. Good teachers take their students far beyond what the students think is possible in a short period of time. A good leaders do the same. Teache... more...