Decisions - regarding people

When it comes to "people" I wonder if their happiness matters - do I even care if they are engaged or not. If it mattered, would I rehire them or better still, all of them?  Jim Collins had a question about whether the right people were on the bus.

It is no surprise that relationships matter - with that comes two key words - love and forgiveness. In fact, I believe that until I settle any relationship issues left unattended, they will consume a tremendous amount of emotional energy. 

To make it even more complicated, these relationships go outside of our own space within our corporate walls. If I am to grow fast I will need to develop relationships with key people outside of my organization. Who are the key people in my industry?  Can I find 25 names or even possibly more? Maybe one set of criteria could help me narrow the search a bit more - who are the people and the brands they represent that will be impacted by the vision I aspire to achieve.

I believe that one of my highest priorities will be having a healthy top leadership team. Who are the right people, for the right roles and are they able to do the right things. I will only know if they are doing the right thing if I have established clear accountabilities and metrics.

I suppose that I will know I have people challenges if I am not enjoying being part of the team or company I am leading.

How can I determine leadership team health? It is something that is important to me. I want to understand how people function in their environments and how they will make decisions. I believe that will give me a way to effectively choose the best people for positions on their leadership teams.

“In retaining employees and keeping them engaged, we’ll cover the five activities of great (vs. good) managers: 

• Help people play to their strengths.

• Don’t demotivate; dehassle. 

• Set clear expectations and give employees a clear line of sight. 

• Give recognition and show appreciation. • Hire fewer people, but pay them more (frontline employees, not top leaders!).”
― Verne Harnish, Scaling Up: How a Few Companies Make It...and Why the Rest Don't

 

 

 

The importance of effective relationships

It is my conviction that the most of the trouble experienced by a leader in their organization is not based on leadership but relationships.

If a leader is able to form effective, meaningful relationships with the people with whom they come in contact, in most cases, they will succeed in the organization. 

If they have severe relational deficiencies, they are likely to become a casualty to the organization and end up in some other profession. 

It would be extremely helpful if young leaders were to take whatever tests are necessary to see if relational deficiencies exist in their lives.  If they do exist, then the person should seek professional counseling to help them work out their difficulties or they should abandon their plans for a leadership position.


http://youtu.be/Z_Q46sDa4Nc


 Related articles

• The 3 Rs - Building Relationships That Last (ahhamoments.wordpress.com)

Personal LIfe

"Life In a Fishbowl"

Excessive demands make it often easy for us to become absorbed in tasks and ignore those important personal needs.

Those needs include the following:

•Sleep – morning person or night owl get the required amount of sleep that we have you refreshed for the next day http://www.thoughts.com/shemelts/the-power-of-sleep

•Nutrition – watch the sugar and the caffeine - some of you know the 3 o'clock wall is an indication of a sugar addiction and just try and not have a coffee for a day and see how many trucks have hit you...

•Recreation – do it regularly and make sure your phone is no where near you - whether sports, gardening, hiking, reading, fishing...

•One day a week off – unplug the phone - doing something that completely has nothing to do with your work environment

•Find a mentor/friend/confidant - sounds easy? Try it...

•Relationship with Jesus - Many people take this part for granted – especially if the leader has ‘pastoral’ tendencies. A close walk with God does not come automatically. In fact, this is the hardest work of all and the part of a leaders life that requires the greatest amount of personal discipline.

The Call

Questions to ask yourself to determine if in fact you have been "called."
1.  Do you like people enough to give yourself in service to them unselfishly?
2.  Are you comfortable with people, or are you easily threatened by them?
3.  Are you able to confront people lovingly?
4.  Are you an organizer, a motivator, a person who can inspire people to undertake ever greater and more exiting tasks?
5.  Do you have the capability of being an interesting person, or do people yawn at the very thought of your appearance?
6.  Are you able to communicate?  Can you organize your thoughts in logical fashion and present them in such a way that you will provoke attention?
7.  Do you have the physical stamina?  Will you be able to hold up under long hours and during times of stress?
8.  Do you have administrative and leadership abilities?
9.  Are you comfortable with children, the aged, as well as those that are between?
10.  Are you a disciplined person?  Are you able to manage  your time wisely?
11. Are you able to project realistic expectations upon people and thus solicit their support and encouragement?
12.  Are you sufficiently trained for the challenge of leadership?
13.  If you are married, is your spouse sympathetic to your role and is she possibly willing to enter into a partnership with you in the ministry to which you have been called?