Leadership is a vital aspect of any organization, be it a small team or a large corporation. A leader's ability to inspire and guide their team toward success can make or break an organization's future. It is essential for leaders to possess certain leadership qualities and skills, develop their own leadership style, and continually work towards effective leadership.
In our articles, we will cover key leadership concepts including:
Leadership Qualities: the inherent characteristics that make a great leader. These qualities include communication skills, self-awareness, empathy, vision, decisiveness, and adaptability. Leaders who possess these qualities are better equipped to inspire and motivate their team members, build strong relationships, and navigate challenging situations with ease.
Leadership Skills: The practical abilities that leaders need to develop to achieve their goals. These skills include problem-solving, decision-making, delegation, conflict resolution, time management, and strategic planning. Effective leaders continuously work on enhancing these skills to ensure they can lead their team towards success.
Leadership Styles: Referring to the way in which a leader approaches their role and interacts with their team. There are several leadership styles, including autocratic, democratic, laissez-faire, transformational, and situational leadership. Each style has its strengths and weaknesses, and effective leaders can adapt their leadership style based on the situation and the team's needs.
Effective Leadership: The ability to inspire and guide a team towards achieving a common goal. It requires a leader to have a clear vision, communicate effectively, and create a culture of trust and accountability within their team. Effective leadership also involves the ability to navigate challenges and make tough decisions, all while keeping the team focused and motivated.
Leadership Development: The process of enhancing a leader's skills, qualities, and abilities. It involves various forms of leadership training, such as workshops, coaching, and mentoring. Leadership development programs are designed to help leaders identify their strengths and weaknesses, improve their skills, and develop their own leadership style. It is a continuous process that requires dedication and commitment.
Leadership Training: An essential component of leadership development. It provides leaders with the skills and knowledge they need to excel in their roles. Leadership training programs cover a wide range of topics, including communication skills, conflict resolution, strategic planning, and team building. These programs can be delivered in a variety of formats, such as in-person workshops, online courses, and coaching sessions.
Leadership Career Advice: This is another important aspect of leadership development. It involves providing guidance and support to individuals who aspire to leadership roles. Career advice for aspiring leaders may include tips on how to develop leadership skills, identify opportunities for growth, and network with other leaders in their field. It can also involve guidance on how to navigate career transitions, such as moving from an individual contributor role to a leadership position.
Leadership Coaching: A form of one-on-one mentoring that focuses on developing a leader's skills, abilities, and style. A leadership coach works with the leader to identify their goals and challenges, create a development plan, and provide ongoing support and guidance. Leadership coaching can be an effective way to develop leadership skills, build confidence, and overcome obstacles.
In conclusion, leadership is a critical aspect of any organization's success. Effective leaders possess certain qualities and skills, develop their own leadership style, and continuously work towards enhancing their abilities. Leadership development, training, career advice, and coaching are all essential components of building effective leaders.
In the following blog posts, we will explore each of these topics in more detail and provide practical advice on how to become a successful leader.
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I’ve never understood why so few leaders use Leader Standardized Work (LSW). I’ve found it to be a great tool to help me be a more consistent and effective leader. I’ve used LSW for years. For me it’s my little voice reminding me of the most important things I need to do or that I want to do to be successful when leading. Regardless of your responsibility, there is a certain component of it that is repeatable and therefore LSW is for, well, everyone!
Here’s some key points I found useful when it comes to LSW:
1. Set-up LSW with a designated section for daily, weekly, monthly and Mid-long term (quarterly, semi-annual) based on frequency of completion of the task.
2. Place tasks in the LSW that are important to YOU, that you must get done and also the ones that you want to ensure get done, checked, or confirmed because they are important to you or your business.
3. Set your LSW up on a monthly basis, refreshing it at the beginning of each month.
4. Have a method within the LSW to indicate which days you are on vacation and differently identified when you are out of the office on business. This will help you plan more effectively when you complete tasks or provide you the opportunity to delegate if necessary.
5. LSW should be dynamic, not static. It’s ok to add and remove items from your LSW. As priorities change, new systems develop, metrics improve or degrade, you may find that you need to make adjustments as to what you’re doing or what you’re checking and confirming.
6. LSW is for you, not anyone else. It’s fine to show people your LSW, but I don’t advocate posting it. It’s more effective if you carry it with you at all times to help you actually execute to it versus showing others. As a leader, you should be checking your teams LSW periodically as well.
7. If you’re not getting to something on your LSW, don’t beat yourself up, but rather find the root cause as to why you are not getting it done and determine what you need to do differently to achieve it. After all, the items on your LSW were put there by you because you either need to get them done as a core responsibility of your job, or they are most important to you. Use it to improve your self-discipline, motivate you, or to remind you to just do it!
8. LSW must be an integral part of your personal planning system and routine. It must be integrated with your schedule, your follow-up system, and your to-do lists. 9. Print out your LSW for the month, update it daily throughout the day as you complete tasks, and “pencil” in additional LSW tasks as you’re thinking of them throughout the month.
10. When you get really busy, that’s when you need your LSW the most. Don’t abandon it then. Use it to help you get the most important things done. In a pinch when you just can’t do everything, use it to make an informed decision as to what will and will not get done.
I use an Excel spreadsheet for my LSW. To make things easier, I've added some conditional formatting for visibility of weekends, business travel, or when out on vacation. I prepare the LSW for the month, print it out, and then use it daily by marking tasks using a pen. LSW is an integral part of my daily, weekly, monthly planning system.
I hope you found this helpful. Are there any key points I've missed or in your experience you feel are most important?
See more of Glenn's posts HERE |
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Glenn Sommerville 33 May 17, 2023 |
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Scott Smith 17 January 9, 2023 |
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HPL Administrator 2 November 24, 2022 |
