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Accounting InformationFive Leadership Private secrets for Challenging Times
by:
Ed Sykes
We systematically
face new and ever growing challenges in the geographic point such as reorganizing, downsizing, and “left out sizing.” We are featured with the question, “How do we lead in this storm of change?” It may seem difficult at times and the decisions we do define our short-term and long-term outcomes. I wish share with you five leadership techniques secure to keep you on track during these difficult times.
1 Integrity.
I put this 1st because the lack of integrity wish do or break you as a professional, as a leader, as a person in the long run. The lack of this wish turn yesterday’s heroes in today’s villains. For example, “MCI was the apple of the business community’s eye. High revenues, high profits, and high growth; MCI was beating the competition hands down.
Then it was discovered that there were gross accounting irregularities that accounted for the astounding profits. You see, management ready-made a decision, “Do I continue to sustain nice growth and be able to look at myself in the mirror or do I cook the accounting books and spend the rest of my time covering up this integrity deficiency? The real shame of the MCI situation was that AT&T, Sprint, and others in the industry had to cut price and lay off thousands of employees to contend
with MCI’s false numbers. The lack of integrity at MCI not only affected the institution but as well the bread and butter of thousands and the industry as a whole.
I was recently speaking with a recently retired City Council member who is well respected in the community. I asked her what the private secret was to her success patch on the council? She mentioned that one of her political adversaries aforementioned to her, “While you were on the council, I didn’t like the way you voted, but I respected the way you voted because you were consistent with your votes and had the city’s better interest in mind.”
Ask yourself what decisions that you do are right for the long term? Be consistent in your actions, whether it is with management, your team, or your family.
2. Knowledge.
With change happening quicker
and quicker
every moment, it is extremely important that you gain the noesis to master these changes. You owe it not only to yourself, but to your team and management. As I always say, “It’s not having the right answer, it’s that you have the right answer quicker
than before.” Many a times during my teambuilding programs a student wish say, “I didn’t cognize wherever
to find the answer.” Then I wish say, “That is an unacceptable answer.” Because part of being a leader is deed the skills to find the right answers. With the Internet, room
and online training, mentors, etc., the noesis is at your fingertips.
Challenge your team members to use the same resources to acquire the noesis to master their challenges. By deed this knowledge, you wish be able to navigate your team through the ocean of change and attain your goals.
3. Decisiveness.
You have seen them. They wait for information, then much information before fashioning a decision. Then they need much information to keep the information they already have.Then they need a committee to analyze the information. Then they wait for the perfect time to do the decision.
Well, you cognize what I mean. Anyone you know? Do the decision! Nice things happen once
you take action; you grow, you adapt, and your team grows. There is no perfect time to do a decision. Leaders do decisions based on past experience, golf shot into action the decision, and staying and adapting the decision if needed. But do the decision. The worst quality you can show your team is indecision. What do you think your team sees once
you can’t do a decision? Do the decision and go for it.
4. Vision.
This is the ability not only to see what is the present - anyone can do that - it’s the ability to see the future. Outstanding leaders can not only see their team for what they can do now, but what they can become, and paint the image for them. These leaders are systematically
act and employment their team members to that vision. One of the better ways, and least used methods, to convey your vision is the team meeting.
Every meeting should start out with the team vision, mission, and goals; and the rest of the meeting should tie into the vision. For
example, the motivation portion of the meeting should tie into the vision, the information portion of the meeting should tie into the vision, the training portion of the meeting should tie into the vision, etc. Also, invest time to develop your team members’ personal visions and show them how they can accomplish their personal goals by attachment into the overall vision. By systematically
act the vision, your team wish come with purpose, feel they are in person
fashioning a difference, and attain their goals sooner.
5. Unselfishness
Stephen Covey, in his eminent book Seven Habits of Extremely
Effective People, wrote that a true leader must be a servant to the ones he or she leads. The leader must be able to “give of oneself for the nice of the team.” In different words, be unselfish in words and action. Be unselfish in praise of others, in public, especially in front of management.
Be unselfish in the ability to take time to listen, actually listen to your team’s concerns. A recent management survey aforementioned that the average time management invests doing “pure listening” to employees during the year is a mere two hours- simply two hours! What was meant by “pure listening” time was listening with eye contact, acknowledgement, and not responsive
the phone patch listening, not speaking with another person patch listening, etc. Be unselfish in the ability to help your team. Whether it’s the ability to pronto assist with a difficult telephone call, jump in and move out road blocks for team members, or “be there” for a team member during challenging moments. Believe me, your team wish remember those moments and surpass
for you.
Now I challenge you to put into action simply one of the leadership techniques I mentioned above to attain your vision, your mission, and your goals in the future.
Copyright © 2003 Ed Sykes. All rights reserved
Just about the author:
Ed Sykes is a professional speaker, author, and success coach in the areas of leadership, motivation, stress management, consumer
service, and team building. You can e-mail him at mailto:esykes@thesykesgrp.com, or call him at (757) 427-7032. Go to his web site, http://www.thesykesgrp.com,and signup for the newsletter, OnPoint, and obtain the free ebook, "Empowerment and Stress Private secrets for the Busy Professional."
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