I am struck by the realities that exist in a place of work. I’ve worked solo for so many years now, that I’ve forgotten what it can be like within the social web and office structures that exist. Joining the “team” my goal was to experience success and growth and to be part of the same philosophy within the company culture. It’s disappointing to see that this ideal is not held by others, and that teamwork is a mere abstract idea instead of a sound business decision. So what is one left to do at this point?

It’s not such a difficult decision to make and the goal can remain unchanged. However, the timeline and process to realize the dream takes on new proportions and the perseverance to keep to the high ground must be maintained. It’s not about what the company will do. It’s about what I will do.

What more can be said?

You don’t have to be in a position of authority to be a leader. Conversely, just because you have authority doesn’t mean that people will follow you. You must be a leader to get others to follow you.

There are many books on leadership. They can have lots of great examples and in-depth explanations, but sometimes you just need something simple to help you focus on the essentials. This article intends to do just that. These are the habits that will help you and your team achieve great things if you focus on them.

1. Goals
   Make it simple and easy for your team to understand the mission and to understand their part in achieving it.
   • Concise Goals. Keep them simple and easy to understand.
   • Focus your team on as few goals as possible.
   • Communicate the team’s goals often and through various means (team meetings, individual meetings, emails, posters, slogans). And then do it some more.
   • Track progress on goals.
   • Involve team players in tracking the goals so that they own the results.

    

2. Motivating People
   What you reward gets done. It’s that simple.
   • Incent team players to do the tasks that are most critical for reaching the team’s goals. Make sure the rewards are meaningful to people. Understand each player and what they want from their job and in life. That’s how you’ll know how to reward them.
   • Praise, Thank, and Recognize big and small contributions by individuals. Do this often and then do it some more.
   • Set High Expectations. People will live UP to or DOWN to the expectations you set. Set them high and you’re saying, “I believe in your ability to do great things!”
   • Empower people by delegating responsibility.
   • Celebrate team accomplishments often.
   • Encourage Fun. Make the work place a fun place to be. Yes, work needs to get done but short fun breaks can make all the difference in the culture of your team.
   • Pride. Foster a sense of pride in your team. As a team you could establish a mascot, create a team chant, and have a meeting that is focused solely on each individual’s strengths and the team’s overall strengths.
3. Walk Your Talk
   You need to practice what you preach. This is how you establish trust and credibility.
   • Model the Way by participating in the team’s tasks as much as your position allows.
   • Be Honest. Deliver on your promises. Actions speak louder than words.
   • Challenge Yourself. Do your best (and then some) just like you ask your team to do their best.
   • Speak Up. Just like your team members sometimes need to let you know what they’ve done in order for you to be able to recognize and praise them. They, in turn, need to know what you’ve been working on and what you’ve accomplished. So find ways to communicate this, modeling this key behavior.
   • Stay Sharp. You need to be competent for others to follow you. If you’re not improving, you’re falling behind. Always be learning and keep on top of the latest skills, technology, and knowledge in your field.
4. Inspirethrough a combination of
   • Unwavering Positive Future Vision
   • Commitment to Improve things along the way that will make that positive vision a reality.
   • Ability to Bootstrap as necessary when resources are tight.
5. Process Power
   Good process is like having a high performance machine. Sloppy process makes things fall apart. So be sure to establish these key habits with your team.
   • Establish Routines. Do this for the team and also work with each individual to come up with their own high productivity routines. These are routines that dictate what work is done when.
   • Establish Processes for all the tasks that are done repeatedly. It takes time to set up at first, but after that it will pay off in saved time and less errors. Processes describe how work is done and might involve systems for doing the work.
   • Task Assignment. As much as possible, assign tasks according to the strengths of each teammate.
6. Change
   Embrace change by seeking it out. This will tread a path for your teammates to follow.
   • Change Routines Quarterly. Look for better ways to achieve the team’s goals.
   • Take Risks. Don’t be afraid of failure. No one ever reaches great heights without a few failures.
   • Learn. Learn as a team from failures. “How can we improve it the next time?”
   • Encourage team members to take smart risks too by making it safe to fail. Focus on learning from past experiences and building upon them to find better solutions.
7. Advocacy
   Support your team and they’ll support you.
   • Promote your team members. Make sure others outside your team know about the individual team members’ successes. You want your team members to excel and even graduate away from your team possibly. Don’t worry. If your team is great there will be plenty of others who will want to join! This natural turnover of team members is like the renewal of cells in your body. It is necessary and healthy.
   • Promote your team. It’s your job to market the great accomplishments of your team in order to get the rewards, recognition, and resources that your team deserves.
   • Fight for the most important resources and changes that will benefit your team and the organization overall. Remember to pick your battles wisely.

    

What else do you think is essential for a good leader? Got a good story? Please share in the comments. We’d love to hear from you!

Written on 11/7/2007 by K. Stone, the author of of Life Learning Today, a blog about daily life improvements. Republished on 5/14/2011.

Photo Credit: The U.S. Army

 

We are all motivated by unique desires, expectations, and interests, but there are still overarching tendencies and values people possess that impact their motivation.

So, when it comes to motivating others, tapping into what they need and how they want to be treated is a key factor in making a connection and prompting action. Following the principle of “What’s in it for me?” offers a valuable approach to begin satisfying others needs and to spur lasting motivation.

From this perspective we are all motivated by personal interest, and want to see the value in what we are doing. Learning to treat and interact with people in the way they want to be treated offers valuable leverage to influence them in a positive manner.

Whether you want to enhance the level of motivation of co-workers, family members, or friends, consider what they would want. What is their personality like? What behavior tendencies do they have, and how do they usually express themselves?

By uncovering this information you can connect with others in the most effect way by treating them how they want to be treated. Almost anyone you’re dealing with should fit somewhere in the six needs below.

1. The need for autonomy
   This is the need to have control and be a causal agent in our environment. Individuals with this need and personality trait are often self-reliant, self-motivated, and desire to work on their own schedule. You will notice these types of individuals tend to be independent, creative, and nonlinear thinkers. In order to really be motivated they need to have freedom to do things their way and on their time. If you are working with someone of this nature their motivation will be stifled if they are placed within strict boundaries.
2. The need for power
   This need refers to the level of importance and influence someone desires. People with this need and personality trait would rather take charge of a situation and can effectively do so. They are often strong in expressing their opinions and reaching goals. When around people who tend to elicit control and take the lead it can be helpful to offer them an influential role in what they are doing. These people desire to be leaders and will not be motivated by a submissive and inhibited role.
3. The need for achievement
   Many people are motivated by the successful completion of projects and activities. So, be aware that someone with a need for achievement is likely to have high aspirations and be ambitious, and just as the label implies are very achievement-oriented. If someone has a need for achievement, help them to apply their talents and strengths in order to accomplish goals and attain success. They will be motivated by seeing progress occur.
4. The need for affiliation
   We are social creatures and want to be connected to others. Particularly, for more extroverted individuals, the need for affiliation is a major a factor in motivation. They derive energy from being a part of a group and interacting with others, and you can expect them to be very open and expressive. Realize the importance of relationships and socializing as a source of motivation for these people and make them a part of tasks or activities where they will be interacting with others.
5. The need for esteem
   Many people need validation and confirmation about the quality of their work. This provides insight that they’re doing their work effectively and successfully. People who have a need for esteem can be motivated by being shown recognition and respect. These individuals want to feel that they are doing a good job and that they’re appreciated for their efforts. Offering public praise and positive reinforcement can really be effective to motive someone with this need.




6. The need for equity
   Knowing we are being treated fairly can be a major factor in our emotional state and hence our level of motivation. Showing people there is mutual benefit and value from everyone’s contributions can be very effective in managing dynamics within teams and groups. When it seems others are getting much better treatment we can develop a negative perception that really dampens motivation. Making a concerted effort to treat people the same and not provide preferential treatment will serve you well in motivating almost anyone that believes in the virtue of equity.

Many people will fall somewhere in between these needs, though by being observant and aware of peoples’ behaviors and tendencies you can learn what makes them tick and begin to interact with them in the most effective way. If one area doesn’t seem to be that important to them try another approach until you find what their driving needs are. When you do so, you can be sure your interactions will be much more positive and productive.

Written on 5/2/2011 by Joe Wilner. Joe Wilner is a coaching and writer who manages www.shakeoffthegrind.com, where he inspires and empowers people to live a full, meaningful, and thriving life. You can also follow him on Twitter at @shakethegrind.

Photo Credit: Erin and Joe

At a networking event, catching up on people I hadn’t seen in a while, one invidual took time to talk about being an entrepreneur. His articulate point of view, personal assessment, about what the journey of an entrepreneur is about, was very insightful.

First, he had mentioned that the reason most entrepreneurs fail is they give up too soon. Being an entrepreneur, second, is more of a journey of Self than of building a business. Particularly in those first few years.

Turning the corner and becoming profitable takes time, a lot of hustle, and the desire to keep going in the face of adversity. This of course, did not mean to say that proper Market Research and Business Planning can be replaced by hard work. You do need a good idea, a needed product or service that the market will pay for and of course, location, location, location.

However, it does mean that once you’ve taken your great idea and hit the ground running with it, you won’t have customers beating a path down to your door. This is where the real work begins. The confidence is shaken, the workload is enormous, the ride is fast, rocky, and life feels very uncertain. This doesn’t mean to say that those “rare” instances of success cannot happen; they do, we hear about it al the time in the media.

What we don’t hear, is how many fail. So for those of you who are out there considering the journey, remember that it will require a lot of hard work. Don’t be impatient, never turn down an opportunity to bid – you’re never too busy to market – always book some time to market your business (a day per week). The first 6-12 months is the most critical. Have something that is easy to sell, service or product, something that can be bought quickly, with little hassle or decision-making. Make everything about what you do simple to the point that all obstacles to buy are removed.

Then work hard and think about the long road. If you can persevere, you’ll make it. I don’t know if there are others here who are considering self-employment, but I think many would agree with the stress experienced can be quite daunting.

Oh, yes, one last thing. The one other important thing this fellow mentioned last night. The entrepreneurs worst enemy is him/her self. The battle that rages in their own mind, their expectations, patience, faith, tenacity, confidence. Hang in there! You can do it!

Business trends have always swung extreme-to-extreme in conduct, behaviour, and strategy (or tragedy). Human Capital is always the bottom-line for every transaction and reason for being. Losing sight of this creates all sorts of havoc in social spheres and financial spheres. Examples of short-term thinking losing sight of the long-term impact.

A quick buck is seductive, and the market has driven itself to producing a consumer that throws away and buys replacement so that our markets can sustain themselves. Don’t get me started on explaining this – it’s a sore point – as our once ability to adapt and repair has been reduced to throw away and replace, regardless of the expense. Our attitude toward material objects spills into our relationships with people.

In any sphere, as in every business, people make the machines go. We buy, we sell, we make, we serve, we support, and we create. It is in doing all these things that we also provide a basic human need to interact; to know others and to be known. Loyalty, service, value, and earnings are all directly tied to our value upon the human capital, whether serving the company, or a customer of the company.

Whatever it is you are selling, understand some basic principles.

• Relationship: Invest in your relationships on a personal level. Build a commitment to them so that they will engage in return. Don’t worry about the dollar value, worry about the relationship value. Investing wisely will yield tremendous Return$.
• Freedom: People are free to choose and you desire the same freedom of choice. Provide and offer your customers freedom. Whenever they hesitate, offer an alternative. Always focus upon filling their need first. Once they’re committed, the relationship will offer the right up-sell.
• Change: The Top Dog isn’t the Top Dog forever. There is a natural evolution with everything in life. When more choices hit the market, the consumer base may disperse a little or a lot. Always be ready for change, always enable movement and supported change. The more you empower your customers choice, the sooner they can return as you adapt and change too.
• TurnOver: Why are Dynamic websites the most successful, and the way we continue to go? People need stimulation, change, growth, and more. It might be a little more frenetic than is healthy, and it is what it is. Facilitate change, bringing new talent, creativity, and ideas to the organization. At the same time, empower departing talent with the support to transition successfully. Paths may cross at new levels again. As the Culture of Society shifts, so does the culture of the organization.
• Adapt: With life continuing, adaptability, growth, flexibility, learning, change, empowerment, etc., are all encouraged in an individual. As it is in an individual, so it is in an organization. Allow the creativity of life from all fronts be brought to bear upon the marketing efforts, etc. Sure we don’t fix what ain’t broke, but we don’t let it die a slow death either.

You’ll have noted this encompasses an attitude that fits Life, Business, human resources, customer service, etc. If there were a word to describe it, it would be FLOW, the ability to allow Life to move in and out of your grip. Trusting that Life would replenish as she does with the Seasons, and that every up and down is an opportunity for change, improvement, empowerment, and success.

Keep tweakin’!

I was just reviewing the search terms from my WordPress stats service. It touches my heart seeing the search terms, as I wonder at the quality of people and the hope for humanity and our future. Check it out:

Yesterday

2008-01-13

2008-01-12

2008-01-11

2008-01-10

2008-01-09

In the world of metrics and search engine traffic, these may not be big numbers, but they’re certainly big enquiries. I hope you found what you were looking for.

Reputations are vanishing with the click of a mouse. The risks of social networking can impact any individual, company and brand. Sites like Facebook and MySpace are being checked by employers, recruiters and clients – and they’re about to become more easily searchable. While the risks can be devastating, when social networking is managed thoughtfully, the benefits to companies and brands can be rewarding.

clipped from Techvibes Blog, Online Reputation Management in Vancouver

Forty-three years old, and I have worked 26 of those years full-time. Beyond that, I worked part-time all through my teen years, beginning with a paper-route. Well, you can imagine as a kid I would goof up quite regularly. I’m sure I left many customers either stifling a laugh, fuming, or shaking their head in amazement.

In the military, the business of building a cohesive unit strips the individual to create a piece of the whole. A man surrenders his freedom to bond with a woman, and become a father. A woman surrenders her freedom to bond with a man, and to bear children. Individuals born and raised in families identify with the group. Foibles, goofs, and gaffs embarrassed everyone, kept us humble and human. And then something changed.

What exactly changed and how is somewhat of a mystery to me. In a big way, my own experience really speaks to an age of individuality. I’m not sure if I’ve got the right read on this just yet, so lets just play with it loose and fast, rather than getting hung up on technicalities just yet. Take a look over the last 10 years, 20 years, 30 years, or even 50 years, and the changing social landscape speaks volumes about what is happening.

The sciences offer a great deal of information that synthesized can reveal the social impact of the time period, the affect of politics on the consciousness or psyche of the people, literature reveals much as well, also exploring the emotional undercurrents and philosophies of an encapsulated period of time in a culture. And looking back, a shift and change has pronounced what we have become over recent decades, and the longing in the heart of people everywhere echo the want for more authentic and intimate relationships.

And now technology drives a wedge even further into the divide business, people, consumers, markets, money-lenders, employers, employees, unions, governments… wait… what is going on? Judgement. The worst kind of thing is happening that we wish children would stop doing in schools: Bullying, Peer Pressure, Picking On, Singling Out, Ridiculing, Fighting. Need I go on?

People everywhere, at every single level of business, market, government, service, religion, and so on and so forth had better start realizing that everyone is simply human, and that we’re all simply here to do life together. The restriction on human freedoms is strangling the life and vitality of people all over North America, and has been killing people world-wide for centuries. We are at a time in our lives when more and more people are supposed to be waking up to the truth and enacting powerful and positive changes in their lives.

Live the Life, Love the Joy, and Bless the Pain… this is just the way it is:

There but for the Grace of God, go I.

Case Sample: Boston Legal

So, you nincompoops who want to make a case out of the messy games the Internet trails leave I say, “Shame on you! I wonder what messes live in your closet to shame you so much to reach such harsh critical judgement upon the lives of others and the games they chose to engage as curiosity suits?”

Life, after all, is to be explored.