Somehow, we think that the "company" owes us a supply of tools necessary to do our job. I know that auto mechanics, construction workers etc. have to buy their own equipment and sometimes even truckers need to own their own rigs to get employment.
So we complain that we do not have the necessary tools to do our job if we do not get that Blackberry, or that Tablet or that MacPro.
I have seen the difference between two of my staff, hired at the same time. One went out of her way to acquire the necessary tools to make her successful. Another would not budge to buy, learn or engage past what the company provided. Guess who was far more successful in communicating to her "clients."
What can we do with the tools at our disposal that will make us better leaders. I actually think there are more tools and more variety of use than we could possibly make use of during our lifetime. So we end up either using what we are comfortable with the most - and for some of us that means not using the new equipment at all - or for most of us, we should be choosing the product that yields the most results in making us the leader we want to be.
First thing we notice is the audio doesn't work. Talking heads do not work. Audio provides the opportunity to daydream and not engage. However, there has to be instruction and there has to be fun, and there has to learning. So we get creative by mixing that all up - sometimes there is a talking head, sometimes its a person and sometimes a clip, game or other perception we engage to provide a well-rounded experience for those we are communicating with. Look at some of the blogs that are currently being assembled - I have a serious of photos revolving on the side, a flickering smiley face reminding me to "look here" later, a blog that has content that is static, but has links to fun stuff to do which help provide more for later - for instance, do a Myers Briggs personality type test - you learn how that works for your and how you now need to work with others - then a video of what you look like in a situation and then a summary of results of people who also took the test - just like you just did - you had fun! http://www.survivalblog.com/2011/04/knowing_your_personality_stren.html
That is why education can now leave the classroom setting. I am currently engaged in a Master's program for Leadership from an institution in California - amazing and fun. I have so much material that I can now begin to train others with the material which I have learned from - which again enhances my learning experience and builds me into a better educator.
With our webcams we can much more easily and readily video tape a presentation and then be able to review that presentation to analyze strengths and weakness in style, content and presentation. We can email it to our mentors to get an idea of their thoughts, we can email it to those we are mentoring for their learning pleasure.
http://www.psipsychologytutor.org/6199/how-is-counselling-from-a-tutormentor-useful-to-the-student/
Power Point is now the communication tool or request when I go and speak. Everyone asks me to bring my points on a "stick" so that the audience has a visual opportunity to participate. I still not comfortable with insert music, video etc. and taking my short screen and enlarging like you would if you were to change from letter to legal size paper. Since this seen as a reflection of who you are, I find that I spend more time with this then giving it to my assistant to pull together. Again, as I engage with the material, I am learning, adding, changing, modifying and growing with it.
What would be your favourite tool that enables you to be the leader you are?
