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on Friday, 04 May 2012
Adaptability Becoming an Even Better Predictor of Executive Success
Over the past four years, nearly every company has had to confront the challenge of change in all its forms. From the need to shift to a new business model, serving new customers, doing more with less and getting creative when it comes to meeting financial commitments, the sheer pace and scale of change has been daunting. Whether structural or cosmetic in nature, change has forced companies to work smarter and more efficiently than ever before and pushed them to build collaboration and innovation into their cultures.
But change, or adaptability to it, is equally rising to the point of a mandate for executive business leaders.
Executives are hungering for solutions in an uncertain and rapidly changing world, and to satiate it, they're working to close knowledge gaps and expand their networking with peers who already rate as professional confidants and those who should.
The pursuit of business and careers, therefore, really comes down to a search for change from the inside out. That is, executives know they'll continue to be intellectually stretched by the complex, global business challenges that are already emerging, and they will still be pulled in myriad directions by competing interests even after the economic downturn is put indisputably behind us.
Knowing when an environment is closing in around you, or your business model, is important. Seeing what's possible through new eyes and with a focus on new ideas is key. And sensing when a team of talented individuals is facing needless obstacles is also part of what's needed from business leaders in times like these.
There are many sought after skills in top executive leaders, but perhaps chief among them should be the perspective, self-awareness and confidence to know when and how to use them when answers and data are lacking and members of the team are looking to you for sound judgment and inspiring example.
Maybe leadership for today's organizations can be summed up in this: Knowing when to change your approach, adapt your communication style and your engagement with customers, and opening your mind to a new operating environment, yet also knowing your principals and holding firm to them no matter the shifting of business conditions.
Adaptability can be a source of strength, but as with so many things in work and life, perhaps too much of it can weaken an enterprise and a career.
Published in
Leadership Services Articles
on Wednesday, 25 April 2012
Are your in a doom loop or building momentum using a fly wheel?
Based on the Good to great book, Jim Collins introduced the framework bellow on how an organization can go from good to great using disciplined people, thoughts and actions, breakthroughs and build momentum using a fly wheel effect.
Jim Collins provides the following picture on how to build a flywheel effect. He points out to the fact of how critical it is to accumulate visible results that build identity of winning, so people would line up and be energized by the results. Everyone wants to be on a winning team.
On the other hand, bad news travel faster than good news and build the wrong momentum (Doom loop).
MO’s RECOMMENDATIONS!
- Collect good news and accomplishments on a daily basis. Ask your team to submit accomplishments and progress regularly (email,….). I call them Items of Excellence!
- Communicate good news and accomplishments in writing (email, newsletter, online, in meeting) on a weekly basis.
- Good news frequently build momentum and people start believing in your winning team (Fly wheel effect).
- Other team members would want to work with your winning team.
- Remember!! Nothing exists but in language: if you don’t say it, it does not exist.
Published in
Leadership Services Articles
on Tuesday, 17 April 2012
What you wear can influence how you perform
New research suggests that clothing can have an effect on our behavior if that clothing has a symbolic meaning and if we have the physical experience of wearing the clothes. Researchers at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University call this "enclothed cognition."Read more >>
Published in
Leadership Services Articles
on Thursday, 23 February 2012
“People are like stained-glass windows. They sparkle and shine when the sun is out, but when the darkness sets in, their true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.”
Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
As a Leader, be the shining light for your team! Let the light come from within.
Published in
Leadership Services Articles
on Monday, 02 January 2012
This is a list of leadership articles that might be of interest.
What is your Air time in meetings?
by Mohamad S Kasti
The next time you are in a meeting, measure how much airtime your voice occupies in the meeting versus others. Then analyze how much of this airtime is noise versus of a value add to the discussion. To measure the later, ask yourself, if I was not at the meeting, would people miss what I have to say? or would they be relieved? :)
How doctors and nurses can exhibit disruptive behavior
by Lisa Schulmeister, RN, MN
“Behavior problems” were reported by 97% of 2,124 nurses and physicians responding to a survey conducted by the American College of Physician Executives (ACPE). The most common behaviors included degrading comments (reported by 85.5%), yelling (73.3%), cursing, inappropriate joking, and refusing to work with one another.....
Published in
Leadership Services Articles