Keeping the balls in the air

Successful people, indeed leaders in business, manage across multiple domains, most importantly themselves. Their progress measures, understanding and responding to below expectation situations.  Leaders attending to each in their team, asking questions, tracking progress and seeking understanding, with stakeholders and peers. Negotiating and collaborating to get critical work completed to an appropriate standard in a timely manner.

Managing ourselves

Developing our own leadership style – leaders need to find their own style, to see how others perceive them. It is taking the journey of self-awareness and to appreciate our impact on others.

Personal Management – how we present, our reactions, behaviours and body language.  Further considering our motivations, the energy we bring, how we manage our time, creativity, and communication style.

Managing our Mental state – be open to others, managing energy, being fully present at work.  Shutting down at the end of the working day, to be present at home with family and friends.

Stakeholders

Perspective of others – Leading others is not about ego, but rather developing empathy and emotional intelligence.  Being curious and seeking to understand what it is to be someone else.

Communicate for clarity and purpose – leaders achieve more, improve themselves and resonate with their team.  Making sure that each member understands their role, the context and impact.

Relationships – Working with others is critical for our success.  Very few people achieve results by themselves, instead relying on other people with their own strengths, learning styles and motivation.

Leading others

Establish credibility and trust – through sharing vision and priorities.  Considering how each person contributes, taking a coaching approach and asking rather than telling.

Engage – great leaders make interactions meaningful.  In supporting a team of direct reports, adapting approach to their style, coaching and mentoring as required.

The incomplete leader – aware that we cannot be great at everything and that is not our role.  Understanding of the talents that each team member possesses, what they love to do, the way they learn, what they want from their work.

Executing the Strategy

Take charge of our time – prioritise and manage it – discussing and reinforcing what is to be done.  Recognising who are the best people to do the work and balancing the classic Stephen Covey Important versus Urgent.

Decision making and ensuring Progress over Perfection.  Focusing on established priorities, giving concise updates on progress and issues.  Asking insightful questions.

Managing responsibility, not relinquishing responsibility in delegating.  Thus, ensuring that each member can work towards their objectives, delving into progress and not accepting off-the-cuff responses.

Getting Work Done

Getting work completed in a quality, timely manner, ensuring appropriate delegation and progress monitoring.

Discuss and reinforce what is to be done, who are the best people to do the work and balancing empowerment and accountability.  There is a need to balance a drive for results and people skills.

Mea Culpa – making mistakes, learning to fail fast, being frank and forthright about them and moving on.  Ensuring the same mistake is not repeated – personifying dogged determination.

I trust that you enjoyed this summary of my research.  Please feel welcome to discuss with me, or have a look at my Papers in Resources at www.adamcallender.com.