Communicating Your Vision

Communication is more than just the words you say or the memos you write. 

Remember, actions speak louder than words. 

Take every opportunity to communicate your vision in words and deeds.

 One of the best ways to communicate a vision is to sum it up in a simple catch phrase.

Post your slogan, catch phrase and mission statement in prominent locations.

When you send out emails, quote it in your email signature. 

Hold meetings occasionally or hand out “Visionary Awards” to people who exemplify your vision.

Above all else, lead by example.

The Strength Within - Influence is the Soul of Leadership

An extract from my upcoming ebook

In 2002, Jossey Bass published a book by James Kouzes and Barry Posner called The Leadership Challenge. Building upon the Hersey-Blanchard model and other transformational leadership models, they went to the heart of what skills are required by the leader to stimulate such a transformation. What abilities are able to influence followers and bring them to accept the leader’s vision as their own? 

An Introduction to Kouzes and Posner

James Kouzes and Barry Posner asked thousands of people to rank list of characteristics associated with leadership, including the seven top qualities that motivated them to follow willingly.

They gave this survey to over 75,000 people over a 20-year period.  In their book, The Leadership Challenge, the authors identified five abilities that were crucial to successful leadership:

The Five Abilities Crucial to Successful Leadership

1. Model the Way: You must lead by example. You can’t come into work 10 minutes late every day if you want your employees to arrive on time.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision: If you capture the imagination, you will inspire creative thought and increase loyalty, communicate it effectively for others to adopt it as if it were their own.

3. Challenge the Process: Don’t continue doing something just because “We’ve always done it that way.” Situations change, and sometimes a policy or procedure never worked well in the first place.

4. Enable Others to Act: Truly empower people to act on their own within their level of authority.

5. Encourage the Heart: A positive attitude is infectious. If the leader appears passionate or excited about the vision, others will catch the enthusiasm as well. 

"The Strength Within - Influence is the Soul of Leadership"

You may have heard that perception is reality. You must always present an
honest, caring, dedicated attitude to inspire others. To inspire loyalty, you
must have a track record of honesty and fairness.

If any of your followers feel they have been wronged, for whatever reason, you need to address the issue immediately. People talk, and a problem ignored is a problem that grows. Believe it or not, the most powerful influence you can have is often not trying to influence someone.

When people believe you are open to their suggestions and believe they have been heard, they will work harder even if they disagree with the methods; that is the power of listening. Simply listening to others makes them feel empowered, even if you don’t accept their suggestions. If a follower feels there’s no point talking to you, they won’t, and they will disengage themselves from your vision and will only follow your directions begrudgingly.

If you are seen as going the extra mile, your followers are more likely to go the extra mile. If you hide in your office and people never see you, you will be perceived as out of the loop, uninformed, uninterested, and therefore unworthy to lead.

Many a successful corporate executive makes it a point to be seen by their employees every day. If an employee is to be commended for something, it is done publicly, often right in the middle of their workplace while they are surrounded by their coworkers. That sends a powerful message to
everyone, and I have yet to see a complaint from a worker who was publically praised for his or her efforts by a leader

"The Strength Within - Influence is the Soul of Leadership"
 
                            An extract from my upcoming ebook
 
Leadership is not telling others what to do. Leadership is inspiring others to
do what needs to be done. Many people around the world in leadership
positions are not leaders. 

Dictators call themselves leaders, they are not, they are tyrants, and tyrants are not leaders. There have been leaders of countries throughout history but few were real leaders.

Bullying is far too common place in our modern lives especially amongst children, head bullies sometimes being referred to as ring leaders, leading a mob of like minded followers. The one thing it shows is that leadership and influence can be used in a very destructive and negative format.

If a leader intentionally or unintentionally with “his or her way” sows seeds in the minds of those who follow, with doubt, unrest or unfairness, it could create a lack of trust; followers will not necessarily display or hold those values, but inwardly they may feel those characteristics of concern within themselves towards that leader, which in turn could development into a lack of confidence and a lack of commitment and trust.

                                "The Strength Within - Influence is the Soul of Leadership"

A short paragraph from my upcoming Ebook

"The Strength Within" - Influence is the Soul of Leadership

James Kouzes and Barry Posner asked thousands of people to rank list of characteristics associated with leadership, including the seven top qualities that motivated them to follow willingly.

They gave this survey to over 75,000 people over a 20-year period.  In their book, The Leadership Challenge, the authors identified five abilities that were crucial to successful leadership:

The Five Abilities Crucial to Successful Leadership

1. Model the Way: You must lead by example. You can’t come into work 10 minutes late every day if you want your employees to arrive on time.

2. Inspire a Shared Vision: If you capture the imagination, you will inspire creative thought and increase loyalty, communicate it effectively for others to adopt it as if it were their own.

3. Challenge the Process: Don’t continue doing something just because “We’ve always done it that way.” Situations change, and sometimes a policy or procedure never worked well in the first place.

4. Enable Others to Act: Truly empower people to act on their own within their level of authority.

5. Encourage the Heart: A positive attitude is infectious. If the leader appears passionate or excited about the vision, others will catch the enthusiasm as well. 

"The Strength Within - Influence is the Soul of Leadership"

Short paragraph from my upcoming ebook 

In business producing an outcome is a strategy of business; good market conditions influences a business in opportunities, expansion, new product lines and job creation.

Poor market conditions, falling sales, cash flow or interest rates is the underlying influence for cutbacks, rationalization and consolidation. Either in a positive or a negative form influence performs an outcome of the business strategy creating various outcomes and influences along its journey to many people.

All our actions are the subject of an influence; business strategies positive or negative are the product of something that has an influence on the business.

In the purest and simplest terms, in business the leadership influence strategies to produce an outcome are the main defining components for a businesses success, its potential and its direction that has an affect on so many.  
 
Influence can be likened to throwing a pebble in a pond on a calm sunny day; the action of the pebble creates many ripples far beyond where the pebble entered, it creates an influence on the surface of the water and distorts the reflections of the clear day.....for a while everything changes.

Motivation = Great Results

Without motivated employees, any manager or leader will find it a lot harder to get the true results and the real potential they expect from their team. 

Any person or team can produce a reasonable standard of work without having great motivation, but to exceed the expectations and achieve great results in a business it is essential to have everyone extremely well motivated. 

Without the correct motivation it will always be difficult to produce top quality results.....because an absence of enthusiasm will result in flawed results.

"Motivation is the art of getting people to do what you want them to do because they want to do it" Dwight D. Eisenhower:

"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing - that's why we recommend it daily" Zig Ziglar

Make Sure Your Door is Always Open

Whether your a new manager to a company or it's a new position to you as the role of a manager it can be intimidating and sometimes a little scary. Give your employees the assurance that they can always come to you for your advice and support when they are faced with a challenge. 

Reassure them that they are not alone...it's a team. Keeping an open door policy will let them, as well as other employees know that they are free to approach you with any questions or concerns. Your employees will appreciate the gesture and know that you are there to support them.....here are some quick tips:

• Be open to listen to the employees and their needs.
• Maintain an open door policy – make sure your employees are aware of it.
• Always be approachable – avoid becoming too distant.
• If you are busy, schedule a follow-up as soon as possible

Offer advice, not the Solution ....but help them reach the solution themselves...by doing this you’re helping improve their critical thinking and problem solving skills....which in turn will help them in their own personal development for the future.

As the Chinese Proverb says “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day.  Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.”

Batteries Included !!!

Andrew Carnegie said it best with his quote:

 “People who are unable to motivate themselves must be content with mediocrity, no matter how impressive their other talents.” 

Self-motivation is an essential part of excelling in life.....you must learn to motivate yourself because you cannot depend on others around you to do it for you....you have to know how to encourage yourself and how to remain positive at all times regardless of how a situation appears.

There are several keys to building self-motivation.....you have to work towards a cause....create your own personal goals....but don't compare yourself to others....make the conscious effort never to give up.....don’t live in your past failures....nor should you live in your past successes....but most of all utilize positive thinking.