As leaders, there is a lot you can learn from the examples of others. The top 5 leadership blog posts address several aspects of leadership that will help you to be a better leader. The topics covered are: 1) Focus on your strengths. 2) Understand the timeliness of your message. 3) Be somewhat transparent when it comes to succession or you will lose you qualified resources. 4) Know the politics within your organization and have an in. 5) Expect the best from your subordinates to stretch them.
Great Work is Hard Work by Wally Bock
The best description of a restaurant business model I’ve ever heard came from Mario Batali:
“We buy food. We fix it up. And we sell it at a profit.”
Most businesses are just that simple. And in the most successful companies, there are people who are excited about and concentrating on the core business, whatever their company equivalent is to buying food and fixing it up.
[…] Like great companies, great business teams are excited about the work they do. Foster excitement in the work. Revel in it.
Brandon’s Thoughts
In leadership you need to focus on your core strengths. It can be easy to focus on the new trend or fad and get away from your core competencies, but as you do that, you can slowly alienate your core customers. It is very important to stay relevant by changing to keep up with your competition, but you must keep your core values.
Politicians and Persuasion: When to Use Abstract Versus Specific Messages by Bob Sutton
As I was reading research this morning for our scaling project, I came across a series of studies that has implications for both politicians and — perhaps organizational leaders — who wish to persuade others to like and support them. The question tackled by these studies in paper by Hakkyun Kim and his colleagues in the Journal of Consumer Research was when “influencers” are better off using vague, abstract high level messages — ones that are more about “why” — versus concrete, specific, implementation oriented messages — ones that are “how” to get things done.
Their general hypothesis was that, given the way that people “represent” events in their minds, vague and abstract messages fit with their attention and expectations when the event is far in the future, but as the event draws closer, they become more concerned about concrete details as the practicalities begin to loom.
Brandon’s Thoughts
I found it very interesting that people care about the abstract when you are talking about events in the distant future and the specific when the event is soon. The leadership implication is that when you prepare your subordinates for future events, you need to be conscientious about how soon the event will occur. If it is going to happen soon, you need to be very specific, whereas you need to be abstract when it will occur in the distant future.
Transparency In Succession Planning: To Tell or Not To Tell? by Dan McCarthy
“To tell or not to tell”?, now THAT is the question when it comes to succession planning and high potential programs. […]
While it was all good and interesting, the part that sparked the most questions and discussions was the section on “transparency”.
At one point, participants were asked to raise their hands if their high potential programs were:
1. Not transparent;
2. Somewhat transparent; or
3. Fully transparent
According to research conducted by the Center for Creative Research (CCL), 77% of high-potential leaders surveyed reported that being formally identified was highly important to them.
Furthermore, knowing one’s status as a high potential has a significant impact on retention. Of those formally identified, only 14% were currently seeking other employment compared to 33% who were not formally informed by their organizations.
Brandon’s Thoughts
As a leader, you have control over the direction of the organization. If you want to keep your good talent, you must let them know what expectations you have for them and their future progress in the organization. If you don’t let them know, they will have a hard time being patient and they won’t stick around. Your high performers understand their value and they know that they can do a lot for any company. As the blog post stated, you probably shouldn’t divulge too much information because changes always happen. At the same time you need to follow through when you make promises.
Don’t Get Blindsided By Organizational Politics by Art Petty
Some people take pride in being deaf and blind to organizational politics. A good friend and now out-of-work colleague confesses that he didn’t see his termination coming. He offered:
“I didn’t want to play the games.”
He now knows that his approach was naïve. By ignoring the internal power dynamics in his organization, he allowed himself to be marginalized and then eliminated.
“My reviews were fine, but I ignored the shifting structure and ended up on the wrong side of someone I had shown no tolerance for during my time at the firm.”
Brandon’s Thoughts
In order to succeed as a leader, you need to know and understand the politics within your organization. You must keep your ears open to know what is going on or you can be blind sided. The old saying that, “It is not about what you know, but who you know” is very true.
A Tribute To A Leadership Lesson From Sister Alice by Mary Jo Asmus
(There is a great story preceding this statement that is worth reading) Great leaders stretch us. They believe we can do more than we think can do ourselves. They help us to feel confident and accomplished, qualities that can stick with us throughout our life’s journey.
Brandon’s Thoughts
In leadership you should always strive to be your best self. You should also expect the best out of your subordinates. Although they may complain in the moment, your subordinates will be very grateful for your efforts to bring out the best in them. By expecting the best, you are driving them to be better and step up to a higher plain. By expecting the best, you will see the overall performance of the group improve.
Summary
Leaders constantly try to be better and learn. There are many lessons that you can learn from the above mentioned posts as you put the principles into practice. What lessons did you learn from reading the posts? How will the principles help you to be a better leader? Please share you thoughts in the comments section below!
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