Category: Leadership &amp; Influence Page 15 of 20

On February 11, 2009

Many of today’s leaders are operating from an old leadership model that could be described as “leadership through domination.” This style stifles creativity and inhibits innovation.

It is impossible to think of new ideas that defy old ways of doing things if we are afraid of making mistakes and are constantly worried about the real or perceived threat from a leader whose style is based on autocracy, coercion and punishment.

Creative and innovative people require creative and innovative workplaces that are fluid, flexible, fun, nurturing, supportive and enjoyable. No longer is economic success dependent on natural resources, manufacturing excellence, and scientific or technological prowess. Today, the terms of success revolve around an organization’s ability to mobilize, attract and retain creative human talent. Every competitive dimension depends on creativity and ingenuity of the people that make up the organization.

Leading a team of creative talent is very different from leading a factory line of workers who do similar tasks repetitively. It simply does not work to command creativity! Can you imagine Mozart or Picasso being told to produce or else, “You are out!” Leadership in the creative economy requires vastly different skills.

Today’s new model of leadership involves partnership, cooperation and team.

The Culture of “Blame”

On February 10, 2009

One of the biggest blocks to most people stepping into personal leadership and responsibility is that they are so afraid of making mistakes that they won’t take the risk of being responsible and accountable at the same time. Most people inaccurately see responsibility as another way of laying “blame” – or finding who is “at fault” when things go wrong. Combine this with the fear of losing face, and you have people who won’t speak up – even though they know the solution!

Encouraging people to speak up requires building trust and safety. Before people will take the risk of speaking up, they need to know that they won’t be punished for expressing themselves and stating their opinions.

Little White Lies

Honesty is the best policy: platitude or truism? How many times are we faced with the decision to be honest or to tell a “little white lie?” No one else may know or find out; however, you know and how do you feel about yourself?

There are many ways to tell the truth without the discomfort that most people avoid. It just takes a little effort to escape the black/white way of thinking.

Lead or Follow

Are you a leader or follower? The best leaders also make the best followers; however, the best followers are not always the best leaders…

Great Leadership

“Great leadership lies in the absence of ordinary.”

Power

“The supreme proof of virtue is to possess boundless power – without abusing it.”

Benchmarks

“Ambitious people aim at benchmarks. Leaders define them.”

It Is Unwise To Pay Too Much, But Worse To Pay Too Little

“It is unwise to pay too much, but it is unwise to pay too little.

When you pay too much, you lose a little money; that is all. When you pay too little, you sometimes lose everything.

Because the thing you bought was incapable of doing the thing you bought it to do. The common law of business balance prohibits paying a little and getting a lot.

It cannot be done.

If you deal with the lowest bidder, it is well to add something for the risk you run, and if you do that, you will have enough to pay for something better.

There is hardly anything in the world that someone can’t make a little worse and sell a little cheaper – and people who consider price alone are this man’s lawful prey”.

– John Ruskin 1819-1900

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