Volume 7 Issue 1

WOULD YOU WORK FOR YOU?

Does that question cause a little discomfort? A bit of anxiety? If so, you aren't alone. After discussion with leaders and their staff, I realized that a book devoted to finding the secrets-the strategies-the tools to assist us become better leaders made sense. When I considered my own leadership ability I was quick to decide that certainly I would work for me, if only....the job were less stressful ...more interesting ...a learning experience ...ego-gratifying ...fun... more profitable... more rewarding and so on. Would You Work for You? has been written to address all those "if onlys" we all consider.

Today the dearth of talent and the recent projections indicating that by 2008 there will be 161 million jobs available for 154 million workers, makes it imperative to create a work environment that ensures you and your staff want to work for you for the long term. Would You Work for You? has been divided into six chapters-each focusing on enhancing leadership skills in one specific area-from chapter 1, The Essence of Leadership, which highlights the characteristics often associated with outstanding leadership to Chapter 6, Moving Forward, which outlines strategies to ensure your vision remains vibrant, inspirational and just ahead of the times. Between the beginning of the book and its end these issues are investigated in detail:

• How to maximize strengths and skills; how to minimize weaknesses.
• How to maximize the potential of your people by knowing them, their wants, needs and aspirations.
• How to improve upon the six essential capabilities of a leader-hiring, team building, managing time, delegating, resolving conflict and decision making.
• How to become a better communicator.

By its conclusion you will have novel options to consider, applicable ideas to implement and innovative directions in which to grow. It will make you a better leader. It will make you a better person.

Take a sneak preview of the quotes, statistics, suggestions and wise words of outstanding leaders that you'll find in Would You Work for You?

STATS OF OUR LIVES

Replacing an employee costs about 1.5 times a year's salary. -Watson Wyatt Worldwide study

20% of working parents are of the "sandwich generation"-raising children and caring for elderly relatives. -1997 Study of the Changing Workforce

More than one-third of employees with elder care responsibilities in the past year, reduced work hours or took time off to provide that care. -1997 Study of the Changing Workforce

On average U.S. companies lose half their employees in four years.-Frederick Reichheld, Management Consultant, Bain & Co.

Only 49% of those surveyed felt they could have a decent family life and still get ahead at work. -Business Week survey

In a recent survey 15% of American workers said they had the opportunity to use their strengths every day; 69% said they didn't even get to use them once a week. -Gallop Poll

PROVIDE INSPIRING LEADERSHIP

It fires up staff. It powers them to perform at higher levels-it encourages them to go to the ends of the earth for you. Use the following suggestions to motivate everyone around you.

Seven Ways To Inspire

1. Look for opportunities to inspire. Be innovative. Experiment. Take risks. Stretch the boundaries.
2. Share your vision. Take your passion to your people. As you transmit the belief you have in the cause, you will be able to enlist others in it.
3. Be unimpeachable & compassionate. Be above reproach, but be under- standing so others can follow with confidence.
4. Be an enabler. Once you've transmitted your ideas, your goals, allow others to act on them-carry them forward.
5. Recognize others for what they are. Expect high performance-but don't expect the sun, the moon and the stars.
6. Walk the talk. Be what you want others to be.
7. Recognize changes. Celebrate achievements. Recognition reinforces your goals and strengthens the collective passion and drive.

TEST YOUR LISTENABILITY

It is essential for leaders to be effective listeners. Take this test and decide if your listening skills are excellent or if you should work to improve them. When you are listening do you:

1. Empty your mind of preconceived ideas, notions and biases?
2. Give your undivided attention to the speaker?
3. Listen from the speaker's perspective?
4. Listen for what has not been said? (it's sometimes very telling)
5. Listen without interrupting?
6. Give feedback by providing encouraging gestures, making appropriate comments and asking brief questions?
7. Listen in order to discuss, rather than argue or refute?
8. Listen to what is being communicated rather than concentrating on how it is being expressed?
9. Listen for both the intellectual and the emotional content?
10. Reiterate the speaker's point of view before you explain yours, especially if you disagree?

UNDERSTANDING HUMAN BEHAVIOUR PRINCIPLES

• Everyone "sees" from their own unique perspective, and it is bound to be different from yours.
• Everyone wants to be fulfilled-to be satisfied-to be happy. They change to gain pleasure. They change to avoid pain.
• Living or working in different environments causes people to think and act differently, because their experiences, and hence their perception of reality, is different.
• No matter how illogical, strange or irrational some behavior appears to the observer, it makes sense to the person exhibiting it-and it is, at that moment, fulfilling to them.
• True understanding comes primarily from experience. A decided course of action is appreciated by those who assisted in its formulation.
• Feelings and emotions are often far more powerful than rational judgment. o True cooperation is possible only in a win-win situation. The benefits and the rewards must be appreciated and attainable by all.
• Methods used to garner cooperation may be more significant than the cooperation itself.
• Feelings and attitudes change when people convince themselves that change is beneficial to them-not before.
• The best perspective from which to understand the perceptions, attitudes and behavior of those you lead, is from each person's internal frame of reference.

QUOTES FROM THOSE WHO KNOW (Excerpted from "Would You Work For You?")

"Whether you think you can or can't-you are right."

Henry Ford, (1863-1947), Founder & President, Ford Motor Company

"Since management is getting work done through others, an outstanding leader is one who can envision the future, motivate and delegate to qualified people -then stay the hell out of the way! A leader is one who instills pride and confidence in an organization."

Bernie Brill, Executive Vice President SMART

"There are a lot of companies that are just waking up to the fact that there's a war going on out there (in recruiting staff) and it's not just in the hi-tech sector."

Kathy Herties, Manager, Human Resources KMPG LLP

"If you take risks, you may still fail. But if you do not take risks, you will surely fail. The greatest risk of all is to do nothing."

Roberto Goizueta, former Chairman & CEO The Coca-Cola Company

"Information gathering is the basis of all other managerial work, which is why I choose to spend so much of my day doing it."

Andy Grove, CEO, Intel Corp.

"If you want one year of prosperity, grow grain. If you want ten years of prosperity, grow trees. If you want one hundred years of prosperity, grow people."

Chinese Proverb

"You can delegate authority, but you can never delegate responsibility by delegating a task to someone else. If you picked the right man, fine, but if you picked the wrong man, the responsibility is yours-not his."

Richard E. Krafve, President, Raytheon

"Complexity alienates whereas simplicity invites." Anonymous