Leadership Success Tip

A leader must be willing to accept responsibility for the success of the project, for the actions of the members of the team and the goals selected. The leader is responsible to contribute. A leader must get things done, which means organizing others, setting goals, establishing procedures, and monitoring progress.

Leadership and Change

Good Managers Focus on Employees' Strengths, Not Weaknesses

Marcus Buckingham knows enough about good management to know he's not a good manager. The author of First, Break All The Rules: What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently and The One Thing You Need to Know, Buckingham says the best managers share one talent -- the ability to find, and then capitalize upon, their employees' unique traits. "The guiding principle is, 'How can I take this person's talent and turn it into performance?'" he asked during a presentation at the Wharton Leadership Conference on June 9. Buckingham talked about good vs. poor managers, and the need for leaders to display optimism, clarity, and an ego big enough that they can "build a future for their companies." Read the whole article

Free publicity space

Continuing the message

You probably get at least one of these among your monthly credit card bills. We're talking about a remittance envelope that offers you things you may or may not want to order.

But have you ever considered borrowing that same idea and adding helpful information to your own reply envelope?

Because on most fundraising packages, the back (and back flap) of the BRE is as bare as a baby's . . . well, you get the idea. So why not utilize that valuable — and empty — space to promote your group and its mission? Article continues

Meeting success tip

Choose clothes that say you are competent and successful. A rule of thumb: dress like the people you work with. If there is wide variation, dress like the decision-makers. People tend to trust, include, and help others who look like them.

Virtual teams roadmap

Virtual Teams Roadmap To High-Performance Collaboration: The Bioteaming Manifesto
 
Today’s virtual business teams don’t appear to be able to fully leverage the much touted opportunities offered by always-on interconnectedness, easy access to unlimited information sources and real-time communication and collaboration tools.  Post continues

Leadership - Delegation series Part 2

Be prepared before you Delegate

Ensure that you have your vision articulated very precisely. This is the vision that you will use to motivate and enthuse your members. Be very familiar with the place of this particular job in the organisation's plans and objectives.

Run the idea past other members of the Board, or trusted friends, so that they can find any difficulties or flaws. They can refine the idea for you, until it is stronger and more authentic than your original.

Check out the resources available for the job to be delegated.

Understand the whole scenario. Look for the fears that your members may feel, anticipate the problems that might occur, and think through how you will deal with those, what you will say. Look for flaws that might exist in the way you will communicate your plan, and the ways you might be misunderstood. Then you will be prepared enough to present a confident persona when you are motivating those who will share the work.

Match the Job to the Person

How many people will you need?
What kind of history does that person have on previous jobs?
Does this person show enthusiasm and interest in this appointment?
Does this person have the basic intelligence, knowledge and willingness to learn, necessary for the job?
Look for latent skills, strengths, and especially enthusiasm and willingness to learn.
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Keeping Criticism Helpful

By Fred Smith

Keep criticism positive. Recently, I tried to analyze the reasons I criticize. Three of them were negative and one was positive.

If before 10 a.m. I have been critical of everybody, I stop and say: "Fred, what's wrong with you? What are you mad at yourself about?" And generally I have to go and make a call to apologize to somebody. But my environment won't straighten out that day until I quit being mad at myself. If I criticize too many, I'm just passing the buck on a self-grudge.

The second reason: To show superior knowledge. How often does someone show you a great idea and you are showing enthusiasm when you suddenly say to yourself, "I can't be too enthusiastic because he may feel he is as smart as I am." So you say, "This is a great idea, but . . . . " Many "yes-buts" come from the desire to show your superior knowledge.

The third root of negative criticism is usually a performer who didn't make the grade. Those who start well but don't make the A list usually become critics. You can't put a failed executive back into the ranks--he will become a critic.

Positive criticism is simply: A genuine desire to bring improvement. It can be done quietly. True positive criticism is not done in the earshot of others, unlike the three negative types that generally are done in public. Really strong positive criticism is specific and directed only to the point that needs work.

When you can positively criticize you are demonstrating emotional stability as a leader.

This week, review a circumstance in which you negatively criticized--at work or at home. Then think about what was really going on. Next,
think about an example of positive constructive criticism and how effectively it worked.

Leadership success tip

Leadership Success Tip:
 
Successful leadership is often a result of self-motivation.  Motivation is the instinct, desire or idea which moves you to action... Aristotle said:  "We learn by doing."  The beginning of success is when you are inspired to make the effort.  Each time you act, you will become more competent and productive.  The act will retype the motivation message and give you more confidence in your leadership abilities.

Why Use Humor in Your Presentations?

by Tom Antion

Why use humor?
• Why should I bother using humor in my presentations?
• Can't I just deliver my information and sit down?
You sure can! That's what most people do. The problem is that most people are not effective presenters. They are nighty-nite, snooze-inducing, say-your-prayers, hit-the-sack, unlicensed hypnotists. They are ZZZZZs presenters. They might be experts in their field and able to recite hours and hours of information on their topic, but is that effective?
According to Bob Orben, Special Assistant to President Gerald Ford and Former Director of the White House Speech writing Department, "Business executives and political leaders have embraced humor because humor works. Humor has gone from being an admirable part of a leader's character to a mandatory one."
A survey of top executives who earned more than $250,000 per year was conducted by a large executive search firm. The survey found that these executives believed their communication skills were the number one factor that carried them to the top.
Mastering the use of humor and other high-explosion techniques puts a fine polish on your presentation skills which can help propel you to the top of the speaking profession.
Benefits of using humor
There are many benefits you can derive from using humor in your presentations. Keep in mind that these benefits only help you reach your ultimate purpose for making the presentation. They are not purposes in themselves unless, of course, you are only interested in entertaining.
How humor helps you:
• Enhance your connection with your audience
• Makes you more likeable
• Arouses interest
• Keeps attention
• Helps emphasize points and ideas
• Disarms hostility
• Overcomes overly flattering introductions
• Gets your point across without creating hostility
• Helps relate facts and figures
• Makes a positive impression
• Shows that you do not take yourself too seriously
• Helps paint pictures in the audience's mind
• Makes information more memorable
• Lightens up heavy material
Tom's List of Top 4 Benefits of Using Humor
• You will be asked back
• You will get higher evaluations or more sales
• You will make more money
• You will make people happy.
The last one is my favorite benefit. I get great satisfaction from knowing that I have brightened someone else's life. I had an executive come up to me after one of my humor seminars and say, "You opened up a whole new world for me." I almost cried right on the spot. I'll never forget it. "
Tom Antion is a veteran of over 2300 paid presentations. His Great Speaking e-zine has the largest subscriber base (over 85,000 as of this writing) in the entire speaking industry.