LEADERSHIP FILE I

WHAT IS A LEADER?

18 WAYS TO LEAD, NOT MANAGE, ASSOCIATES

Leaders get results by leading. Managers try to get results by issuing orders and using fear and punishment to get compliance.

Leaders lead. Managers nag. Associates have a way of becoming what they are led to be, not what they are nagged to be.

Leaders focus on human resources. Managers focus on material resources.

I am always amazed and amused by the number of how-to management books that have been written and continue to be written each year. I guess this is 1 more of those efforts but I hope it serves a more practical approach to how to best perform your job. Strange as it may sound, I want you to stop managing. I want you to start leading. This Leadership File is intended to help you do just that.

1st understand that the definition of a leader is one who has followers and, through these followers, gets results in whatever their particular mission may be. That's it. It can't get much simpler than that. Now comes the hard part. What do you have to do to be a leader? Most of those how-to books I just talked about offer you a magic formula. While some of them provide excellent advice, the one thing of which I am certain is that the advice differs from book-to-book and it is usually ignored during the heat of organizational battle. What that tells me, and what I have learned through the years, is there is no 1 formula for becoming an effective leader. Most managers don't even read the book(s). They attempt to lead through the hit-and-miss method they learned from some other ineffective manager. As such, more than 50% of the time, they fail to achieve the desired results. They never become leaders. Just nagging managers.

I can't give you that 1 magic formula for becoming a leader and neither can anyone else. You are all different and, as such, so are all leaders. What I can give you are 18 characteristics of effective leaders. You will then have to decide which of these characteristics you already possess, which ones you don't have but would like to have, and which ones are not you and never will be. With your inventory complete, begin to practice the wonderful art of Leadership. As someone once said ... It ain't easy, but it ain't rocket science either.

THE 18 CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE LEADERS (IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER)

As I have said, Leaders have followers. Some people are thinkers. Some are prophets. Both these roles are important and needed, but without followers, there can be no leaders. Effective leaders aren't necessarily loved and admired. He or she is someone whose followers do the right thing. Popularity is not leadership – results are. Here are 18 ways to achieve those results from your followers.

Look over your shoulder now and then to make sure someone is following you.

I. Leaders don't motivate associates. Leaders create the environment in which associates motivate themselves. They do this by ...

1. Describing how a job is to be done and then having the associate do it that way.

2. Using lots of positive reinforcement and personalizing it to each associate.

3. Respecting the individuality of associates and trusting their intentions.

4. Understanding the associate's point of view by active listening. If they don't understand what the associate is saying, they repeat the information for clarity.

5. Through their actions, showing associates that the job matters, quality is important, and deadlines are real.

6. Refusing to accept poor performance. It's better to aim for excellence and hit good, than it is to aim for good and hit average.

II. Leaders understand the needs of their associates. They understand the 5 I's of High Performers:

1. Independence

2. Information

3. Incentives

4. Individualism

5. Innovation

It is important to allow high performers to walk their own path because it is just that, their own path.

III. Leaders follow 3 Dozen Principles of Leadership.

1. Leaders know themselves and seek self-improvement.

The 4 Stages of Leadership Self-Improvement

Stage I You don't realize you aren't a good leader.

Stage II As you learn, you realize you are not a good leader.

Stage III The more you learn the more you will think of yourself as a good leader, until

Stage IV You are a good leader without even thinking about it.

2. Leaders are technically proficient where their area of responsibility is concerned.

3. Leaders seek responsibility and take responsibility for their actions.

4. Leaders make sound and timely decisions.

5. Leaders set the example.

6. Leaders know their associates well and look out for their well-being.

7. Leaders keep their associates informed.

8. Leaders develop a sense of responsibility in their associates.

9. Leaders insure that the task is understood, supervised as appropriate, and accomplished.

10. Leaders develop teams. They are able to merge different personalities into a cohesive unit.

There is no "I" in team, but there is a "me" if you rearrange a couple of the letters.

11. Leaders deploy their associates in accordance with their capabilities.

12. Leaders shape the opinions of their associates and win their enthusiasm.

13. Leaders practice counseling, coaching, constructive criticism, conflict resolution, and change implementation.

14. Leaders show respect for others by not wasting their time with useless meetings.

15. Leaders plan and put the important things first.

16. Leaders provide a vision. They set goals that are simple and easy to understand.

17. Leaders communicate clearly.

18. Leaders help others improve. They are not afraid to develop their associates.

19. Leaders trust their associates.

20. Leaders lead with integrity. They are honest and fair. They live by a value system.

21. Leaders set high standards. Good enough is not good enough.

22. Leaders always seek opportunities for improvement.

23. Leaders are not afraid to assume responsibility and accountability.

24. Leaders give credit when and where credit is due.

25. Leaders are loyal to their superiors, their organization, and their associates.

26. Leaders respect...