Leader Heal Thyself

Leadership it seems is getting a bad press ! Many would argue that it was the leaders in the financial sector that drove us into this recession. Others that Alan Sugars “ The Apprentice “ does nothing to give you confidence in our future leadership

It is clear that Leaders in a whole range of industry sectors and companies of all shapes and sizes are having to deal with very unusual times. In such a time people look to their leaders for confidence, guidance and clarity.
To paraphrase Rudyard Kipling

“ If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you ..... then you’ll be a leader !

For leaders to help steer their people and companies through these times it is essential that leaders first of all look after themselves. But how ?

1) Have a clear IDENTITY. Be sure you know who you are and what you stand for. A leader , parent , school governor , football coach. Ask yourself what would your passport say on the page headed “ who is xxxxxxx and what do they believe in ? How do want to be physically , emotionally, mentally and spiritually ?

2) Generate a clear VISION for SUCCESS in all the areas ( and beliefs ) that are important to you. What would it look like , feel like , sound like ? How would you know when you had got there ? Share this vision with those important to you.

3) Raise the ENERGY levels by aligning your thoughts, beliefs and emotions to your vision. All successful leaders ( and teams ) operate with high energy levels. Imagine how great it would be if everyone shared your dream and were passionate about working towards it. If you can imagine it you can make it happen. Help your team to find ways to address the six human needs of certainty, growth, significance, variety, connection and contribution. Ensure they can overcome any “ survivor syndrome “

4) Take ACTION to make the things you want happen. Set out and agree clear specific outcomes leading to actions now. Check the results you get and if it worked do more. If it didn’t work try something else ! Work to create small successes and a virtuous circle of ambition , actions , results.

To paraphrase ( again ) from Michael Knight of Knight Rider fame “ one person can make a difference .. when they believe they can “

Surviving and thriving in a recession

Some months ago I was interviewed by ITV West on how to survive and thrive in a credit crunch ( as we called it then ). I highlighted 3 key areas of focus
CASH – the lifeblood of any business. Managing its ebb and flow and spending it effectively is critical
CUSTOMER – where the money comes from. Knowing who they are, what they want and why they should come to you
CREATIVITY – adapting to the environment and changing customer’s needs. Involving your staff and customer’s in adapting your product and services. Trying to find what works and then doing it
Also many business leaders have been saying that a good company pre the recession will be able to steer a course through these difficult times and come out of it stronger. Amidst all the gloom there are tales of firms adapting and growing. So what makes the difference?
According to “Leading at a higher level “ by Ken Blanchard and published by FT Prentice Hall high performing companies
- Set their sights on the right target and vision
- Treat their customers right
- Treat their people right
- Develop the right kind of leadership
Ken shares his experience of working with High Performing Companies across 300 pages and 13 chapters. Full of simple models and concepts, littered with illustrations, it provides an excellent framework for thinking about your companies triple bottom line “ provider of choice, employer of choice ,investment of choice “
Two key models are of particular interest today.
SCORES – the six elements found in every high performing company
Shared information – so that everyone in the company can make the right decision
Compelling Vision – to energise and focus people
Ongoing Learning – changing and striving to get better
Relentless focus on Customers – an obsessive drive to keep customers
Energising systems – ensuring structures and processes are aligned to improving results
Shared power – teamwork, collaboration and engagement
PERFORM – the seven characteristics of high performing teams
Purpose and values – mutually agreed on goals
Empowerment – they have autonomy and decision making powers within clear boundaries
Relationships – people share their thoughts, opinions and ideas openly
Flexibility – adapting to changing conditions everyone is interdependent
Optimal Productivity – a commitment to significant bottom line results
Recognition – positive feedback reinforces appropriate behaviours
Morale – the team is confident and optimistic because all the above elements are in place!

If you want a book full of ideas that will help to energise you and your team then that take a look at this one and use whichever model works best for you!

For further articles and tips visit me at www.advancebp.co.uk