Hope everyone had a great Independence Day that lives in the United States. Today's blog is quick and short, just wanted to give you something to think about.
We have all heard that leadership is about influence, it is about influence and a lot more, but definitely influence is very important. In the military they require you to trust your leadership really fast, like day one. When I was in the military my soldiers had to trust me from the first day they met me. So I learned to do three things to establish trust very quickly with my soldiers. The first thing I did was to ask as much as possible about them and their families. The more you know about a person the more you can gauge their motivation for working, what their triggers are. This will also allow you to know upfront some of the challenges they may face in the future. When I asked more about them in that first meeting, more than I told them what I expected from them, they felt like I cared and saw them more than just a soldier, but a part of the team. The second thing I did was create an environment where they could ask any question they wanted. When you give your team an opportunity to ask questions it leads to clarity and confidence. Even when a person doesn't agree with a decision, at least they know they had an opportunity to be heard. Lastly, I tried to always praise my team in front of their peers, not only in private. Everyone likes to be praised for doing a good job. So as much as possible in our team meetings I would celebrate someone's efforts. What are some ways you increase your influence with your team. Share in the comments below. Dr. Will Author, Genius Potential America's #1 Leadership Life Trainer P.S. Thank you for all your support of Genius Potential, continues to do well!!!
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Teams in corporate, church world and sports are made up of many moving parts and people. Every individual has their own perspective and ideas of how something should flow. Everyone looking for their idea or way to be implemented in the overall plan. Two of the greatest team killers I have seen in my experience is number one lack of communication and the other assumptions.
When these two elements are present, the team is sure to implode no matter how talented they may be. Communication must be clear, if not, everyone is left to think their idea is the one and this leads to assuming. So as a leader how do you diffuse this problem. You make every effort to clearly communicate the goals and the intent of the organization at every turn. If not, you open the door to these team killers. Remember, Think Better, Live Better Being an effective leader is all about developing, developing how you learn, lead and love those who look to you for leadership. For almost two decades I have been involved in leadership and leading teams. And what I have observed in my leadership and other great leaders I have studied is that people respond when you C.A.R.E.
The most effective leaders CREATE environments where individuals can grow, develop and flourish in their given fields. Great leaders ASSESS their teams to ensure they have the tools to perform their best; they are always looking to give their team the right equipment. In my experience you need to RELEASE your team, micro-managing those you lead will foster distrust and make them feel belittled. Lastly, look for the opportunity to ENCOURAGE, even when a person makes a mistake, look for the training opportunity and be able to still see the value Follow me on Twitter @moldlegacy I have had the privilege to lead in many different leadership positions in various types of organizations. I have lead in government, church, colleges, non-profits, sports teams and the Army. In each of these arenas I was able to achieve great success, because I learned not to abuse my influence.
Great leaders understand that leadership is about influencing those that they lead in a positive way and direction. Your team looks to you for guidance, instructions and direction, you are a symbol. As a leader if you are not careful you can abuse your influence, and manipulate those you follow. I see this all the time, this can even happen in relationships between two individuals. Often I see it in churches, where the leader will use their influence to accomplish personal goals, this is abuse. So, how do you check yourself to ensure you are not abusing your influence over those you lead? Here is a quick check list to ask yourself: 1. Is what I am asking them to do, benefiting the team 2. Have I considered their goals as well 3. Will asking this individual create a hardship for them There are times when we require our teams to come out the comfort zone and push beyond the normal; I’m not talking about these times. Influence abuse occurs when we as leaders become more concerned with our own goals and lose sight of the overall vision. Don’t become influence abusers; check your motives at all times. Think Better, Live Better! |
AuthorDr. Will is an author, speaker and leadership consultant.... Archives
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4802 E. Ray Rd. Ste 23-122
Phoenix, Az 85044
Legal Information