Leadership ConneXions - Issue 15
Welcome to Leadership ConneXions Issue 15 and welcome to all our new subscribers. Leadership ConneXions currently reaches out to over 5000 subscribers.
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A Good Leader Inspires Followers
by Harvey Mackay
Every election year we have a remarkable opportunity to make things better. And those of us who take the time to vote help make some serious decisions in this country. Now stick with me here, I know this isn't an election year, but with all of the political unrest in our country and the world, it gives you pause to stop and think. Right now the word we hear over and over again is leadership - who is better at it; who has the better plans; and who can assemble the masses and try to reach some agreement on how to progress.
Leadership is critical
at every level of business as well as government. John Brock, who teaches
leadership classes at the
1. Know yourself and seek self-improvement.
2. Be technically and tactically proficient.
3. Seek responsibility and take responsibility for your actions.
4. Make sound and timely decisions.
5. Set the example.
6. Know your employees and look out for their well-being.
7. Keep your employees well informed.
8. Develop a sense of responsibility in your subordinates.
9. Insure that the task is understood, supervised and accomplished.
10. Train your employees as a team.
11. Employ your team in accordance with its capabilities.
12. Set your priorities.
13. Take the initiative.
What I like most about this list is its simplicity. It cuts through the doubletalk that so often disguises incompetence. It leaves little room for misinterpretation. You are either following the rules or you're failing as a leader. Case closed. Brock maintains that all great leaders have four common characteristics: bedrock principles, a moral compass, vision and the ability to form a consensus. I couldn't agree more. The minute you compromise your principles, you lose respect. That goes hand-in-hand with the moral compass, I think. Knowing and doing what is correct even when it may be unpopular or perhaps unprofitable requires a strong character. Keep your moral compass pointed straight ahead and you will never have to apologize for your actions. General Robert E. Lee, widely respected for his military and personal leadership, summed it up: "You have only always to do what is right. It will become easier by practice, and you enjoy in the midst of your trials the pleasure of an approving conscience."
Vision is a little harder to acquire. I firmly believe it is an acquired skill. You can train yourself to see what's ahead and determine an appropriate response and plan of action. Consensus building used to be simpler, when competition wasn't as cutthroat and civility ruled. That's not the world we live in now, and the gauntlet has been thrown down. You need only look at the hostile political climate for a prime example of the difficulty in reaching agreement. But this trait, possibly more than the others, is what defines a leader. Dwight Eisenhower, who led our army and the country, advised, "You do not lead by hitting people over the head - that's assault, not leadership."
Through example and
information, finding common ground is a very rewarding accomplishment - a
win-win situation for all. Consider the story of Christopher Columbus.
His crew became discouraged and threatened rebellion as they searched for
the
Mackay's Moral: True leadership must exist for the benefit of the followers, not the enrichment of the leaders.
From: Your Achievement Ezine – For free subscription to Your Achievement Ezine, send an email to subscribe@yoursuccessstore.com with Join in the subject.
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On Respect
By Michael Neill
"Never look down on anybody unless you're helping them up." Jesse Jackson
I have long been
fascinated with the life and work of Martin Luther King Jr., a man as
instrumental in the success of the civil rights movement in the
In studying the lives of these two men, there are two things which stand out for me as worthy of contemplation. The first is that both were decidedly human, imperfect, and fallible, (something which I personally find deeply comforting as it suggests perfection may not be a prerequisite for making a positive difference in the world :-). The second is that both demonstrated in their words and actions a deep and abiding respect for all people, regardless of colour, creed, religion, or standing in life.
Now, "respect" is not a word I have given particular thought to over the years. In fact, if you asked me what associations I had with the word before studying the lives of these inspirational men, I would have said (in this order):
1. A song by Aretha Franklin
2. Something you're supposed to give to people older than you (like your parents) and get from people younger than you (like your children) but often don't!
Yet when I began to look into it, I discovered that there are essentially two schools of thought in our society when it comes to respect:
1. Respect is a Commodity to be Earned
In this 'school', any time you "do the right thing", honour your word, and fulfil your promises, you earn respect; any time you do the "wrong" thing, break your word, or fail to follow through on your promises, you lose respect.
Despite the pervasiveness of this idea in our culture, we can easily feel its shortcomings when we consider how difficult it is to live up to its challenge. Have you ever failed to follow through on a promise? Ever told a lie? Ever done the "wrong" thing (even if it was unintentional)?
For many of us, trying to live up to the ideal of earned respect has the opposite of its intended effect. Rather than raising us up to the heights of virtue, self-love, and self-esteem, it often drives us to give up on self-improvement altogether and put our attention on simpler matters, like choosing what to wear and what to watch on TV this week.
2. Respect is a Basic Human Right
In the Jennifer Lopez
movie "Maid in
But serving them is what she does, not who she is - as Bob Hoskins' butler points out, "being of service is not the same as being subservient" - i.e. seeing yourself as less than the people you serve in any way, shape, or form.
In fact, seeing other people as 'just like us' acknowledges an inner knowing that we all share but rarely speak of - that black or white, rich or poor, positive or negative, we're all going to die one day and there's nothing any of us can do about it!
Therefore in this 'school', you are worthy of my respect because you too are alive and doing the best you can to make it through - no more and no less.
The dictionary definition of respect is as follows:
Main Entry: [1]re·spect
Pronunciation:
Function: noun
1 : an act of giving particular attention
2 a : high or special regard b : the quality or state of being esteemed
So to respect someone it to pay 'particular' attention to them, and/or to hold them in high or special regard. And if someone is worthy of my respect, it means they are worthy of both my attention and of my esteem.
This does not mean I have to like them (phew!), nor does it mean I have to want in any way to emulate them (double phew!). What it does mean is that I need to stop deleting them from my universe.
I can demonstrate my respect for you by noticing you - by acknowledging your existence. By learning your name. By looking you in the eye (or by knowing if in your culture that is deemed inappropriate). By taking the time (where possible) to get to know you, to learn about you - your history, your family, your loves, your pain.
What I've come to realize since I began studying it is that respect is actually a form of love. What makes it a particularly potent one is that it causes the love to be made tangible.
Today's Experiment:
1. Today, as you encounter both strangers and friends, silently repeat to yourself the phrase "You are worthy of my respect."
2. Notice what you notice. The following questions may serve as a useful guide:
Did any people suddenly "appear" in your life who were previously invisible, either because they were in subservient roles or because you had grown so used to their being around they had become 'part of the furniture'? Did you find yourself relating to people differently? What did you notice about the way people related to you?
3. Choose an action that will assist you in real-izing (making real!) your respect for the people in your life. You can practice a different thing each day, or stick with just one for a week or month or lifetime!
Examples:
- Learning and using everyone's name
- Remembering birthday's
- Taking the time to ask how someone's doing and actually listening to their answer
- Showing up on time for a meeting
- Not multi-tasking in the midst of a conversation
- Noticing at least one thing you appreciate about each person in your life and telling them about it
- Cutting people (including yourself!) extra slack for being human
Have fun, learn heaps, and consider this: Are you worthy of your own respect?
Reprinted with permission. To subscribe to the Michael Neill's newsletter, simply send a blank e-mail to subscribe@geniuscatalyst.com or visit us online at http://www.geniuscatalyst.com
©2006 Michael Neill All Rights Reserved
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