| |
| |
|
Leadership Information |
|
|
|
10 Ways to Develop Your Latent Leader
latent (adj.) - Not visible or apparent, but capable of developing or being expressed; dormant. Everyone has leadership qualities. The visible difference lies in the degree those qualities are developed. Each individual chooses their own path and determines to what degree skills are developed and how those skills or qualities will be expressed. There are born leaders, but even those people evolve their approach to leadership over time. Leadership skills are valuable in every crack and crevice of life. You could be the most successful person in your field and you will still face an endless stream of problems and situations that require you to seek new and innovative strategies for dealing with them. A leader approaches problem-solving with an eye on the future. Whether you're leading yourself, your family, or a vast enterprise, it is important to develop the skills necessary to move forward with confidence. I have included here what I consider to be the Top 10 Ways to Develop Your Latent Leader. 1. Know your purpose. Everyone has a unique purpose in life. Too often, people settle for what life brings them rather than creating the life of their dreams. You can design your life around purpose if you have a clear vision of what that purpose is and where you are headed by pursuing it. No matter what your current situation, there is a way to bring it purpose and meaning, building from there. 2. Commit to goals. With a clear vision and purpose, goals can be established that provide the road map to be used when implementing plans. There will be regular forks in the road presented to help you refine your vision and goals. Unless you have your road map ready to refer to, there is a good chance you will continually end up in the weeds trying to find your way back to the path of choice. 3. Manage your reputation. Your reputation is one of your most valuable assets. Effectively managing that reputation requires an understanding of how the reputation was built and how it is best maintained or enhanced. The effective leader sets an example to follow and that contributes to their reputation. Your reputation can be parlayed into tremendous success if it is managed and used wisely. 4. Open-minded. Leaders know that they don't have all the answers. In the book by Jim Collins "Good to Great", the first quality demonstrated by leaders of the most successful companies in the study was humility. These leaders were open to suggestions and knew that their success was dependent on a group effort. To have sustained success, you have to be open to all possibilities. 5. Continuous improvement/innovation. Along the same lines, leaders are in a never-ending cycle of improving themselves and whatever they touch. They read the latest material in their field of study expanding their territory in whatever ways they're lead; provide a wealth of information as a resource for others; are continually educating themselves; and seek innovative ways to expand their horizons. 6. Demonstrate collaborative problem-solving. The master-mind experience can be very powerful. The process of collaboration transcends the concept of "two heads are better than one". When a leader begins to employ the ideas of people outside of their familiar decision-making track, innovation becomes commonplace. Collaboration can be applied in every area of life. 7. Grow other leaders. The best way to develop leadership skills is to teach others to be leaders. It is easy to get bogged down in daily activities and inhibit your own growth and the growth of those you lead. When a person begins to develop their latent leader, there is a change in their thought process. It is no longer enough to just get the job done - it must be done right with awareness of consequences. 8. Be decisive. As a leader, others will look to you for direction. You must weigh your options using the resources you have to work with and make the best decision. Sure you will make mistakes and, in hindsight, see that a different decision might have produced better results. Remember that there is tremendous value in those errors in judgment as long as you take the time to learn from them. 9. Learn from mistakes. The leader takes responsibility for mistakes made. Period! Mistakes are an enormous investment of resources and should be used for all of their value. If you take mistakes seriously, spending the time necessary to determine the root cause that created the opportunity for the mistake to be made, you have turned a costly mistake into a potential gold mine. This is where innovation lives. 10. Realize your full potential. In every individual there are untapped resources. The human potential has only scratched the surface. Each of us has a "sweet spot" where the lines between work and play merge. We have bordered on genius. Our job is to design life so that we spend increasing amounts of our time in excellence. The leader accepts nothing less than the best from themselves and others. Leadership styles are as varied as the leaders that employ them. In order to begin to develop your latent leader, start anywhere on this list. Determine how you might use a new or different approach to a situation or problem you're facing. Once you have experienced a bit of success, it will get easier to use a more innovative and creative approach to problem-solving. The leader will no longer be latent! About The Author Gala is an executive coach focusing on creative problem-solving. She is committed to assisting organizations of every shape and size in developing their leadership with an emphasis on socially responsible business practices and a keen eye on productivity and profitability. Gala is a certified public accountant, certified financial planner, published author, and business consultant with over 25 years of experience. She can be reached at (702) 386-4111, by e-mail at Gala@MetaCommIntl.com, or by visiting http://www.GalaGorman.com. For more information, contact Gala Gorman between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time at: METACOMM MEDIA A division of MetaComm International, LLC (888) 886-4111 or (702) 386-4111 9101 West Sahara Avenue, Suite 105-G36 Las Vegas, NV 89117 E-mail: DrGala@GalaGorman.com Web site: http://www.GalaGorman.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Leadership - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Three Growth Guidelines from Stephen Covey I have been looking for answers to what it takes to create a winning corporate culture in the midst of today's confusing economic indicators. If I rely solely on history or economic indicators, I won't find the answers. Benefits of Leadership Skill Training DESCRIPTION CMOE's Leadership Skill Training addresses a wide range of leadership development topics, based on the needs of the audience and scope of delivery. Leadership Skill Training for new leaders might be targeted to help them make the transition from individual contributor to effective leader. Teen View of Leadership From Around the World It has been stated that the world of tomorrow will be shaped by the leaders of today. This is certainly true when you stop to think that the great leaders of the past, Columbus, Washington, Lincoln, Roosevelt, King, and Reagan did not get to see the lasting impact their leadership had on the future. Leadership Skills and Ability What is true Leadership.Is leadership something we are born with or is it learned. Who Needs Heroes? When we were talking the other day we started to think about our heroes when we were young. After we had discussed the usual film star and sports stars that we idolised I remembered Derek. Leadership Skills Training Empowers Problem-solving and Visioning Leadership skills training programs empower you to influence, persuade or inspire others. Well constructed training programs should result in improved, more effective leadership skills for your colleagues and you. Top 25 Leadership Quotations Ponder what it takes to be a true leader with these practical quotes that will lead you to a more precise understanding of the secrets to successful leadership.. 5 Steps on How to Set and Achieve Your Goals Which one is a goal? I will lose 15 pounds I want to run a marathon Quit smoking All of the above None of the above The correct answer is (5) - none of the above. The first three are wishes, not goals. Awaken the Leader in You: 10 Easy Steps To Develop Your Leadership Skills "The miracle power that elevates the few is to be found in their industry, application, and perseverance, under the promptings of a brave determined spirit." - Mark TwainMany motivational experts like to say that leaders are made, not born. Leadership Success and its Greatest Barrier: the Law of Administrivia Years ago, a very wise, and often cynical boss of mine asked me for a definition of management. After reflecting on the question I proceeded to give him an intellectually careful and, I thought, accurate definition. People or Objects? - - You Decide "How you think determines how you act. How you act, in turn, determines how others react to you. UNCLOS III Process model The United Nations Conference on Law of the Sea was ground breaking in the way negotiations were conducted. Several strategies were employed that allowed for efficient negotiation and a reasonable outcome as viewed by all participating parties. The Metamorphosis of the Successful Executive . . . Overcoming Professional Stagnation You're a bright, successful business executive making good money and managing a capable staff of accomplished professionals. You are successful beyond your wildest business school dreams. Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 3, Drifting From the Topic Although new ideas lead to creative solutions, they can be a challenge when they interrupt or distract the work on an issue.Approach 1: Question the relationship to topicWhen new ideas seem inappropriate, say:"That's an interesting point (or question). To be, or Not to be (Average)? When is hate OK? When it's the feeling you have toward average. Let me make this point clearly and without reservation. Your Ultimate Leadership Feedback Loop: Their Leadership Life on our planet flourishes through feedback. If life forms don't develop feedback loops and get good information about how well they are interacting with their world, the world eventually kills them. What Every Manager Should Know About How to See the Talents of Effective Leaders An organization of any size, from the family to the department store, the neighborhood grocery store to the largest international corporations, is a reflection of its leadership.And leadership is only as good as its leaders. Leader is Not a Title There is a steady flow of information in the form of books, articles, white papers and training all in the context of [ "what is leadership" or "how to develop a leader"]?. In this issue, I will avoid those two questions and write about two others that I believe might be on the minds of a lot you readers and they are:Why does better leadership make a difference? andHow does better leadership achieve those differences?If you ask yourself and others the first question, why does better leadership make a difference? the answer will most likely be because better leadership creates high performing teams with strong sense of personal and collective power. People Problems -- Understanding the Dueling Paradigms You've spent the last 12 years riding your technical skills up the corporate ladder.Now the payoff -- you're a manager. Precious Moments There is too much learning out there that we earn drop by drop as we go through experiences in life. There is one of the experiences that I earned from a workshop on Leadership Skills and Management.
|
| home | site map |
| © 2006 |
