Sep 29 2008
Definition of Leadership
Definition of leadership has many aspects, yet it agrees that a leader is one whose magnetic personality galvanizes people for some cause. Not by words, but by their actions is the way great leaders influence their followers. They do what they preach. Their presence is enough to motivate people, as they act as a catalyst.
It is often argued that leaders are born they are not made. Sufficient examples can be cited for both the arguments. However, history has been a testimony to the fact that several leaders have shown extraordinary leadership capability in later parts of their life. No one can become a leader unless and until he is able to influence others. A leader is one who is able to create a lasting influence in the minds of the people, making them believe that whatever the leader is doing, it is for their benefit.
One definition of leadership categorizes a leader as ‘X’ leader if he has extraordinary personal leadership capabilities. The ‘X’ leaders have inner instinct to lead. They demonstrate their leadership ability by developing requisite skills and knowledge. They lead from the front and show utmost care for their followers. These leaders also do not hesitate in admitting mistakes and learning from it. They constantly keep on innovating themselves. They are open to new challenges and are ready to adopt unconventional approach to achieve their objectives. These leaders also have the ability to take big risks.
While defining leadership it is imperative to understand that a leader is one who is effectively able to communicate with his followers. One definition of leadership defines leaders as natural leaders. These natural leaders are called charismatic leaders. The charismatic leaders have the potential to bring radical changes in the society.
Leaders need to monitor the environment continuously. They cannot just act locally but instead they need to have a broader outlook. They should be very flexible and adaptable. A better leader is one who is able to foresee the future and take steps to deal with it. Leaders can be nurtured also. It is for the leader to groom the future leaders for their organization. Proper training, guidance and responsibility help an individual to emerge as a leader.
It is often argued that there is not any single definition of leadership. Every leader in the past exhibited some unique trait, which made them the hero of their followers. Consistency of purpose is necessary. A fickle minded leader confuses his followers and takes them nowhere. A leader should lead a life of discipline. He should act as a catalyst and should not jump to take credit for any success. Once it becomes evident that the leader is behind name, fame and money, he loses the credibility and trust of his followers. A leader should show utmost restraint and patience. During adversity, he should create a positive environment around himself, which will motivate his followers. A leader should not only be visionary but he should be practical also. He should be able to establish a chord with his followers.
By Jeff Glasser
Looking To Expand Your Leadership Abilities? Read These Excellent Free Articles, Definition Of Leadership and Define Leadership
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jeff_Glasser
Sep 28 2008
Characteristics of Good Leadership - How Effective Leaders Lead Their Team to Success
Oftentimes, we find it hard to identify the characteristics of good leadership. In one book, a leader is described as the take-charge person who leads his team. In another, you’re considered a leader if you empower your subordinates and rely on their own ability to make decisions for the team.
In this article, we will discuss the nature and characteristics of good leadership. While it is true that anyone can lead or motivate a team, only a good leader can maximize the application of available tools to achieve maximum results.
The main objective of any business is to earn profit and ensure sustainability. You, as the leader of your team, are the driving force behind a successful business. Hence, you must have the necessary characteristics that can lead the team to realize your objectives.
Here are some characteristics of good leadership that you must possess in order to lead your team to victory:
1. Confidence in your own abilities - Even though you trust your subordinates’ capacity to make their own decision, you must lead them by providing an exciting picture of the future.
As a leader, it is your role to provide the vision and direction. Having such vision transmits the message that you are confident about your projections, continued relevance of your products/services, and your own capability to gain more market share.
2. Intense motivation - To motivate others, you must first be passionate about your own work. You must not only direct others, but you must also be able to lead yourself. It is always good to lead by example.
3. Decisiveness - When faced with difficulties, you must have the ability to come up with firm decisions and maintain a positive attitude. It is also important that you remain calm during critical situations to be able to think objectively on what needs to be done to improve the current situation.
4. Aim towards excellence - This is one of most vital characteristics of good leadership. You should maintain high standards in your field of work and devise sound strategies to reach the team’s goals.
Many claim that effective leaders are born naturally. However, the characteristics of good leadership can be developed through constant practice. Constant practice leads to continuous improvement. The quest for continuous improvement is one secret of a reliable leader.
By Michael Lee
Michael LeeLevel: PlatinumMichael Lee is a master persuader, professional copywriter, self-improvement expert, and author of “How To Be An Expert Persuader… In 20 Days or Less.” His … …
If you have the power to lead any team and influence anyone to do anything you want, how will you use these motivation techniques? Grab a FREE course that reveals 10 groundbreaking persuasion secrets at: http://www.20daypersuasion.com/secrets.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lee
Sep 25 2008
A Leadership Guide to Managing the Generations
One of the most common questions I am asked by managers is “how can I manage the ‘younger’ generation?” It seems every second workplace is having challenges between different generations …with differences in expectations of managers, work approach and style.
Let me start by saying that what I am about to tell you will be discussing the generalities of generations. Before you leap in and yell “stereotypes” … listen up for a moment.
The best way I can describe this is by looking at the height of people. Some people are tall and some are short but most people fall within a certain height range or average height.
When people design furniture they look at the average height of people to determine for example the length of the seat in a chair. They base their decision about the chair seat length by looking at general data. That doesn’t mean that the seat fits everyone … for some people it will be too small and some too big but for many the fit will be just right (a bit like Goldilocks).
What you may not know is that the average height of people is changing across the generations. People today are much taller than their counterparts 50 or 100 years ago for a whole range of factors including better health and diet. The generations are physically different as a result of the circumstances they grew up in.
So too with people’s attitudes. There are differences between how generations approach work … what motivates them, how they learn and how they prefer to be managed. There are variances with individuals in the generation … but there are average trends you can observe.
Most workplaces have at least 3 generations of people working with them … Baby Boomers, Generation X and Generation Y. These are all terms sociologists have used to describe certain age groupings of people.
Baby Boomers were born just after World War 2 until about 1964. That means that today this means people 45 and older. The sort of world they grew up during their formative years included events such as the Vietnam War, Woodstock, the Cold War, the Moon landing & Civil Rights Movements.
Generation X people were born between about 1964 - 1978 which means people between about 29-43 years of age. They grew up in the era of the pill, no fault divorce, the fall of Russia and the Berlin wall, USA becoming the dominant world superpower, the introduction of PCs and they watched their parents be outsourced and downsized at work.
Generation Y people were born about 1979 - 1994 which means people about 13-28 years of age. They grew up with the internet and the technology boom, they generally had extended periods of economic growth and stability and watched 9/11. They were the first generation where building self esteem was as important as building reading and maths skills and they had very busy school years being ferried from sport to dance to school to homework to school extension.
Each generation sees the world differently. Baby Boomers quite often wear the tag “workaholic” with pride. They believe in doing the hard yards to get ahead, paying ones dues and putting in the hours at your desk at work. They tend to value stability in a job - wanting to see extended periods of time in the one company. They believe with hard work they will succeed. They are loyal to the company and assess their managers based on what they see their managers demonstrate in terms of their own personal work ethic.
Generation X people are more cynical than Baby Boomers. They watched their parents put in the long hours when they were growing up, only to be made redundant. Many Gen X people vowed not to do the same … that they wanted a life not just a job and believe in productive work time not “face time”. They believe that any success is up to them.
They tend to distrust management and companies - believing there are always “hidden agendas” at play. They sign up to a manager … not a company and want the opportunity to express their views and to be heard by their manager. They will change jobs if they are not happy.
Generation Y people are the internet generation. They are used to getting information instantly when they need it rather than holding large amounts of data in their heads. They are self confident and are not afraid to tell people what they are feeling and how a decision affects them personally.
They love to learn new things but also like taking things to conclusion. They need clear goals and objectives to work towards. They want to make a difference to society through their work. They crave constant, honest, mentoring communication with their manager and will quickly leave a company if they don’t get it. They don’t believe in doing the jobs no one else wants to do just because they are the youngest there.
Some Tips to Manage and Motivate the Generations:
Baby Boomers: Help them get a life … give them loyalty … recognise their status and seniority
Generation X: Help them boost their productivity at work … give them flexible work options … provide open democratic management
Generation Y: Build in regular ongoing formal learning … give them clear goals & targets … establish mentoring schemes
By Ingrid Cliff
Ingrid CliffLevel: PlatinumIngrid Cliff is a freelance copywriter in Brisbane Australia and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - her writing services studio that helps put … …
Ingrid Cliff is a Brisbane freelance writer and the Chief Word Wizard of Heart Harmony - her writing services studio that helps put your business into words. Visit her website for a free copy of “Copywriting Secrets : Seven Secrets of Compelling Copy and Powerful Words”
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Ingrid_Cliff
Sep 24 2008
How to Successfully Lead a Team
Leading a team is not easy. It is difficult to get everyone pulling together, because of diversity of personalities. However all team members will look to the leader, and a good leader will lead through positive influence. Here are some tips that will help you to work smarter and not harder to build the team.
How to Become a Good Leader
If you’re in a position of management or if you are the leader of one organization or the other, getting people to do what you want them to do may seem like a very difficult thing to do. The truth is that it needn’t be that difficult. No need exists for a person to be too nice or excessively mean. You can easily become a good leader by sticking to these professional tips.
Don’t Play the Blame Game:
When your team misses a project deadline or someone forgets to order something they should have, you should seek to blame other people. After all, it happened on your watch and that alone makes you responsible for everything especially in cases where something goes wrong.
Be Clear About What You Expect:
It’s difficult for your team members to stick to the game plan if they don’t have a strong idea about what the game plan is. You should always remain clear and concise when giving instructions to be carried out. You should take the time out to explain to the particular individual what exactly it is that you need them to do and how you expect it done. You should then allow them go off and handle the situation the best way that they are able to.
Accept That Everyone’s Style is Different:
While you may feel that a certain way of doing things is the best way to go, someone else may disagree with you. However you should be too picky about slight details, you should recognize the fact that everyone else does things their own way. What should really matter is that the same results should be achieved in the end. Nothing else counts.
Lead By Example:
You should follow the Eleanor Roosevelt principle and never expect more from your employees or volunteers than you are personally willing to do yourself. You should show everybody in your place of work that you’re willing to join in as well and help the team get things done. They’ll be much more disposed to staying an extra hour or two after work to finish an important project if the team leader stays behinds as well to do the same thing.
Learn from Your Mistakes and those of Other’s:
Everyone at one time or the other has made a mistake. The best thing to do is to learn from these mistakes. This way whenever you or someone else makes a mistake you should take stock of the situation and see if there is any way that the situation could be coped with better. You should then follow this route in the future.
Give Credit Where Credit’s Due:
You should never take all the glory for yourself regardless of how much of a great leader that you are. You should give credit to the people who have made one contribution or the other to your success. You should make them feel that you wouldn’t have achieved any success in your endeavors without them. The truth is that when you think of it, you probably won’t have achieved all that you have on your own.
By Darren Williger
Darren Williger is an over-caffeinated, low carbohydrate eating, wine making sales maker who writes for LeadersPages.com, and TopSalesmaker.com.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Darren_Williger
Sep 14 2008
Famous Leadership Quotes - How to Use Leadership Quotes to Be a Successful Leader
Several famous leadership quotes can inspire and motivate you to aim for something that is beyond anything you ever thought possible. Here are a few famous leadership quotes you can ponder on, and some great ways to apply them in real life.
Leadership Quote # 1 - “The best teacher is the one who suggests rather than dogmatizes, and inspires his listener with the wish to teach himself. - Edward G. Bulwer-Lytton”
Essential to becoming an effective leader is being able to consider the opinion and insight of your subordinates. Although a leader should establish bureaucracy, there must be freedom within the organizational structure to keep ideas free flowing.
Leadership Quote # 2 - “Don’t tell people how to do things, tell them what to do and let them surprise you with their results. - George S. Patton”
Effective leaders don’t merely instruct. Instead, they delegate tasks to their staff or crew according to their skill, and they trust their team members to do the job well.
When you have confidence in your people’s ability, this will challenge them to live up to your standards and aim to do better.
Leadership Quote # 3 - “The very essence of leadership is that you have to have vision. You can’t blow an uncertain trumpet. - Theodore M. Hesburgh”
This is one of my favorite famous leadership quotes. Success lies in your ability to create objectives and goals. Only then can you determine the steps to take in order to get there. Hence, you will also be able to plan what actions to take in case you experience difficulties along the way.
Leadership Quote # 4 - “I not only use all the brains that I have, but all that I can borrow.” - Woodrow Wilson”
Successful leaders not only rely on their own knowledge, but they make an effort to learn new ideas and leverage from other people’s skills to improve their team’s chances of success.
Leadership Quote # 5 - “The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out and meet it.” - Thucydides”
Leaders need to recognize the risks involved, but should not be afraid to make big decisions. They must pursue their mission with relentless determination. Only when you realize your vision and act on it will you reap the rewards of your hard work.
You can apply these famous leadership quotes towards your aim for greatness.
By Michael Lee
Michael LeeLevel: PlatinumMichael Lee is a master persuader, professional copywriter, self-improvement expert, and author of “How To Be An Expert Persuader… In 20 Days or Less.” His … …
Discover how to possess persuasively leadership skills and ethically use mind control techniques to influence anyone to your way of thinking. Get your FREE course that reveals groundbreaking persuasion secrets at http://www.20daypersuasion.com/secrets.htm
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Michael_Lee
Sep 06 2008
Gaining Good Leadership Skills
As a consultant, I am often hired for my expertise on workplace leadership. Although few people realize it, there are many different leadership styles out there. Some leaders prefer a very hands-on approach, trying to get involved in everything that is going on. Others prefer to step back and allow their underlings to shine. But whatever leadership styles are exhibited in your workplace, you will get much higher productivity if you make sure that your leaders are the strongest they can be.
Leadership skills training is designed to do exactly that. The problem is, there are baffling variety of leadership skills training programs, and no two are the same. Some of them, in fact, are quite awful. I first became interested in leadership skills training about 10 years ago. I was in one of those old-school seminars involving ropes courses, team building activities, and all of that other Boy Scout junk. Although it was fun for some of us to pretend we were 15 again for a weekend, I doubt we really gain anything from it. The leadership skills training program was ridiculous, and the instructors were just like camp counselors. We were grown man, and it was insulting to our intelligence to subject us to such a program.
It was this that got me interested in developing my own leadership skills training seminars. It seemed to me that Good Leadership Skills training usually fell into one of two groups. The philosophy was either dog eat dog, or all for one. In other words, leadership skills training was either based on a totally individualistic perspective in which the goal was to do as well for yourself as possible, or on a team-based perspective in which you’re supposed to do everything so that the team itself could succeed. Neither of these leadership skills training philosophies seemed to work for me. I wanted to work on something else.
For me, the key to successful leadership skills training is to encourage independent thought. It is not important to indoctrinate your clients with some philosophy of self-actualization, or of collective benefit. Presumably, they are mature enough to tackle such philosophical questions on their own. Leadership skills training is all about skills. It is about allowing people to develop their natural leadership abilities to best work in a style that they choose. Leadership programs help the most when they allow people to develop their own personal managerial styles.
Aug 17 2008
Info On Organizing The Paperwork In Your Life
The organized way to deal with all paper that crosses your hands and/or desk is to:
1. Have it placed at a designated tray, basket, shelf or drawer.
2. Spend the time you need to look into what the paper commands of you and, when done with it;
3. Place it in either a file, put it in a filing basket to be filed, put it in an out basket, or simply throw it away.
This type of paper flow system will organize you in a heartbeat and will prevent finding assorted pieces of paper everywhere throughout your home. As soon as you receive a piece of paper, you put it in its allotted place. From this, you will create a peaceful work area. You will automatically know where to go to get your paper and where to find paper that you need.
The same system can be applied to reorganizing a disordered environment. You can tackle a room, a closet, or a drawer by first organizing it and then taking a look at how it got that way in the first place. Here is where the new system comes into play. You need to be able to maintain the order you have applied to it for later so that the same mess does not just develop all over again.
The more time and effort you put into being organized, the less time you will need to apply to organizing later.
You will have to acquire the necessary “tools” needed to create good order.
Having good order is the building block to being better organized.
Check out the discount and specialty stores for great tools to organize. They are inexpensive and work well. If you find your bedroom is hard to keep organized then look around for something to solve your problem. The moment you find the right tool, you can begin to put things into their proper place.
There is no easy way around trying to get your life in order and be better organized. It takes time and effort on your part. The more tools you can apply to your disorganized messes, the easier it will be to maintain order. Once you find the right approach, it will be easy to keep the same momentum going.
Use a system to organize every area of your life. Go from room to room in your home and apply tools to simplify messy problems. You will be so glad you did!
For more advice, check out these home organization articles
House Clutter Tips
Organize Home Tips
Declutter Your Home Tips
Aug 07 2008
Learning The Ropes Under Jeannene Tedesco
Learning the Ropes Under Jeannene Tedesco In any industry, it’s hard to find someone willing to be your mentor. It seems even harder in the marketing and promotions world since everyone is fighting to get customers and their money. However, Jeannene Tedesco, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, is one professional who isn’t afraid to set aside time to help newcomers to the marketing world.
Many team members at various companies have spoken about how Jeannene Tedesco has personally taken them under her wing and introduced them to the world of marketing and promotions. As an affiliate with Tedesco’s global marketing companies, employees do the face to face meetings with clients. This gives everyone a chance to work directly with clients and get a look at the marketing world that few do.
Jeannene isn’t afraid to break down the barriers between supervisor and employee. In fact, she works hard to promote an atmosphere that brings everyone in the office together regardless of title or position. Many supervisors see the invisible line of responsibility as one that cannot or should not ever be crossed, but Jeannene regularly steps across over this boundary. She can regularly be found with other company members chatting over coffee before work or during breaks. Another tradition of Jeannene’s is to hold semi-regular dinners at local restaurants as a way of getting team members to socialize outside of the office and get to know each other on a personal basis.
Gaining experience from working under Jeannene Tedesco is only one of the great benefits you’ll get as a team member with her company. The company offers competitive wages and plenty of room for promotion, both within the company itself and with other affiliates. All of this combines to create a work place with everything: a great atmosphere, a great mentor, a great salary, and plenty of places to go.
Jeannene Tedesco has years of experience in the marketing world, and she knows more than just textbook information. She knows all the little tips and tricks that it takes to survive in such a cut-throat industry, and she’s more than willing to share them with anyone who asks. Some mentors may claim to want to help others but then rarely have the time. Jeannene Tedesco, however, is more than just talk—she’s ready to take her personal time to help guide others.
Aug 06 2008
Time Management At Work For Time Management Skills
Are you a business owner or an office manager? See time management at work. If you are, it is your responsibility to make sure that your company is making money. Unfortunately, a company cannot profit from employees who do not know how to make good use of their time. Whether you notice an increase in employees socializing on the clock or an increase in personal computer use, it is important that you put a stop to this behavior right away.
As important as it is to know that employees with poor time management skills may have a negative impact on your company and its profits, you may be unsure as to how you should proceed. Your first impulse may be to terminate the employees who are causing the most problems or the most profit loss. Of course, this is more than possible to do, but there are other time management steps that may prove just as successful. To help you get started, a few of these steps are highlighted below.
If you notice multiple employees in your office wasting company time, it may be in your best interest to hold time management at work training. This training can be put on and organized by you or other well performing employees or you can use the services of an outside company that specializes in time management and organization in the workplace. Time management training should involve outlining the importance of proper time management, tips should be shared on how work time should be spent, and consequences should be laid out for those who continue to waste their time, company time, and money. Read more at time management.
Time management software is another way to reduce the amount of money lost due to employees who just can’t seem to manage their time correctly. Time management software programs come in a number of different formats, so be sure to find a program that has features that you and your staff members can benefit from. These features should include automated updates, messages, and reminders on important deadlines, desktop computer calendars, office wide communication at the click of a button, and so forth.
The use of rewards is another way that you can work to improve the time management of your office employees. Although we often associate rewards with young children, adults are likely to produce better results when those results are noticed. Be sure to comment on employees who perform well at the office or meet all deadlines. You can implement an employee of the month program or offer pay raises to those who make the best use of their time.
As much as employees who perform well and improve their time management at work need to be rewarded, those who don’t need to be called out. One of the many reasons why office workers waste time is because many know or feel that they can get away with the behavior. Be sure to first give warnings if you notice an employee of yours who is socializing as opposed to working or if an employee of yours regularly turns in their projects late. Termination can be used as a last resort.
As a recap, employees who waste company time can put your business at risk. As a business owner the last thing that you want is to see your company fail or lose profits. If you are not a business owner, but rather an office manager, it is still important that you take action immediately. If you do not, you may end up taking the fall for the employees who just can ít seem to properly manage their time at work. View time management.
Jul 30 2008
Using Gifts In Business Growth
Corporate gift baskets are sure to build relationships between you, your employees and clients, depending on your target person. Any smart boss would know the value of having strengthened relationship expressed through items that are sent through rewards, compensations or simply expressions of gratitude and appreciation.
Powerful For Managing A Business
While corporate gift baskets are often composed of delectable food selections, choicest office items, luxury objects like engraved trophies and plaques intended for the employees and the clients themselves, some company owners still find touchy ways of sending gifts. Among the most common (and better appreciated ones) are the baby basket corporate gifts and the maternity corporate gifts. Report on small business management.
A new baby certainly elates feelings of joy and content for the parents. This can be best complemented through sending a selection of items that will add more meaning to the coming of a new soul. The thing is, parents normally appreciate everything that is intended to be good for their child.
Sending a baby basket corporate gift to your employee, clients and customers is an ideal medium of sending the warmth of welcome to the new soul and to congratulate the parents. The little one would definitely need delicate care and comfort. There are various selections of baby basket corporate gifts.
Great For Business Influence
Central to one’s choice of baby basket corporate gifts is the theme that will coordinate each item. The most common basis for theme is color which tends to be either blue or pink. Obviously, blue for the boy and girly stuffs matched with hues of pink.
You can add flavor on these with special greeting cards that can reaffirm the significance of the coming of a baby boy or girl. Additionally, it would not hurt if the mom will be given personal stuffs like dresses.
Business Management Software Strategy
A new mom will certainly love objects that would deliver softness and comfort for his son or daughter. Gentle soaps, baby shampoos and creams, oils, cuddly towels, and wonderful little toys would all do well for a newborn babe. A combination of baby garments can also add up to the delight of having a new soul in the home. If you want to send out going out stuffs, a good mixture of diaper stuffs and bags, an assortment of feeding bottles, a stroller and others can be a good idea too. Toy baskets are also appreciated as this would add more joy and connection between the mom and the kid. Read at small business resource.
Be mindful of the timing for the baby basket corporate gift though. However, this must not only be limited to a newborn baby. Baby basket corporate gifts can be sent to anyone who is celebrating a thing or two for a little one. Say, there are baby corporate baskets gifts that are created specifically for birthdays, Christmas and virtually all other occasions.
For broader choices of baby gift items, you can search on the catalogs as provided by the local retail store or through online merchants. Depending on your choice, you can have the customization and the personalization of the gift items. These two combined, you are sure to tap the sensibility side of any parent.
You can also be creative for your choices of gifts. In India, jewelries are often treated as baby gifts. There is no harm if you would adopt this culture. However, you can go on to the extent of using gift certificates, gift cards and other means of sending gifts with preloaded value. These would provide much freedom n the parents to choose what they want for their daughter or son. More for team building.
Baby basket corporate gifts must also be based on the age pf the child or the personal preference of the parents. Say, the appropriate gifts for a 3-year old child are toys while newborns can be given stuffs that are fit for newborns such as those we have mentioned earlier.