On Leadership..
Sep 16, 2008
Leadership in a Competitive Market
Leading by Example:
Woody Allen was quoted as saying, "80 percent of life is just showing up." He was right. Good leaders are "present" in their lives and others can depend on them to thoughtfully and predictably accomplish whatever goals have been set forth. If they also manifest presence and charisma and can engage and energize the organization and its people, these exceptional leaders will nurture and grow exceptional organizations.
On Teamwork:
Good leaders are not micro-managers as they recognize that it will only lead to organizational dependence. In such an environment, employees do not think for themselves but, rather, determine how their leader wants something done and execute the requested task accordingly. They learn not to think, not to solve problems, and not to take any ownership or incentive. When talented employees are respected, valued, and carry ownership for the success of the business, amazing things can happen. Within a team, creativity and the free flow of ideas can result in unique approaches that might otherwise never be tried. "Two heads are better than one"-how much better is a team?
Motivation and Appreciation:
Mom always said, "You will always get more with honey!" There is more to this advice than meets the eye. Mom ran her own business and worked harder than anyone in her employ. She was always gracious, treated people with respect, and was fair and caring with her employees. The result was that her employees respected her immensely and had a loyalty and commitment to perform for her that was uncommon. This holds true in any business; the leader who lives a life of high integrity, carries a strong work ethic, demonstrates respect and compassion for others, and rewards workers for their efforts will surely garner loyalty, respect, and hard work.
On Staying Ahead of the Wave:
With an eye to the "bottom line," many companies have historically paid as little as possible for information technology needs. Today's information environment is so incredibly complex that there is no longer a middle ground for investing in new technology. Companies must now stay on the cutting edge just to survive. The only course of action in this information age is to adopt and embrace new technology to gain competitive advantage and generate additional revenues. The company with an eye to the future and being on the vanguard in embracing new technology can triumph in today's highly competitive marketplace.
The 3 T's: Talent, Teamwork and Technology:
An old adage states, "The team with the best players wins!" There is truth to this in business as well as in sports. However, this adage does not provide enough guidance. A leader who can assemble a talented team, get them to work well with each other, and who implements new technology as a strategic revenue-generating and resource-leveraging tool will inevitably rise above competition.
