Leadership Done Right

Brandon W. Jones

Leadership Done Right Blog

Why Humility Is A Leadership Strength

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One leadership quality that has become less and less popular is humility. People feel like in order to compete in the business world they have to be strong, competitive, and anything but humble. Humility is looked at, in many cases, as a weakness. I believe, however, that humility is a strength.

I would like to suggest four reasons why humility is a strength and not a weakness.

1. Humility is NOT Insecurity.

Insecurity happens when you are not secure in yourself or your beliefs. You lack an understanding of your purpose or value. When you are humble, however, you are not insecure. You understand yourself, your beliefs, and the unique value you provide. [Read more…] about Why Humility Is A Leadership Strength

You Can’t Lead if You Can’t Communicate

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This is a guest by Jasmine Lloyd. She is in her last year of college and looks forward to entering the business world after graduation. When not studying she is often blogging for Essay Edge or working on her writing skills.

There are any number of skills that aspiring leaders may want to include in their skill set. They probably want to include organization skills. Really, who can lead without being organized? They would also likely include assertiveness, vision, and skills to name a few. But if you look at really effective leaders you will find that they are great communicators as well.

You Can’t Lead if You Can’t Communicate

The argument about whether leaders are born or made rages on, even here in this blog. But of all the skills that can be taught, communication skills are certainly one of them. Many mistakenly assume that because they are good speakers that they are good communicators. That is a bad assumption.  Communicating and talking are not the same thing. Communication involves much more, including listening, watching, deciphering, and not the least, writing.

Writing ability is an often un-noticed skill of effective leaders. In today’s business world, much of the communication that takes place is through reports, letters, emails, and even texts. A large portion of a leader’s thoughts and directions are transferred through other means than direct conversation. As a leader, you can’t afford not to improve upon your ability to write. Below are some tips to improve this skill. [Read more…] about You Can’t Lead if You Can’t Communicate

The Leaders Are Born But You Can Learn

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About the author: Melisa Marzett enjoys writing. She is highly interested in the topics of leadership, success and self-development. Contact with Melisa: Google+|fastcustomwritinghelp.com.Leaders Are Born But You Can Learn

There are still debates about if the great leaders are born or made. Some say that the leadership skills are something that’s in the blood, and if the person is not born a leader, no learning will help. Their opponents, however, state that the leadership is like a skill and it can be learned, as follows.

I agree with the second statement, and lots of leadership trainings and books on how to turn yourself into a leader also reaffirm it. But what the ‘leadership’ word means for us is plenty of skills and abilities, which, in my opinion, makes a successful leader. And, having formed these habits and ways to act, you can turn yourself into a good leader. So, what are these qualities?

  1. Confidence and high self-esteem. Probably, it’s the first point we mention when someone who is, in our opinion, a good leader. A leader cannot be imagined without faith in everything he does and belief in himself. [Read more…] about The Leaders Are Born But You Can Learn

The Toxic Leader

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Not all leaders are created equal. What’s more, just because a person is in a position of leadership doesn’t mean they belong there. This is a serious problem that many companies struggle with. They have a problem recognizing what a leader is. They will spend money and time on diagnostic tests, evaluations and assessments to help give them insight on an individual’s leadership ability but in reality, they only need to ask themselves one question: Does this individual produce results?

The Toxic Leader

As John Maxwell said, “There is no success without a successor.” Leaders will help build other leaders which will drive your company forward.  Toxic leaders, on the other hand, if left alone will eat away at your company’s culture and success. To identify toxic leaders, take a look at the following topics typical of a leader that will eat away at a company’s success.

Tunnel vision

Leadership without vision is destined to fail. A toxic leader doesn’t have a clear vision of which direction to lead his team in. It can be likened to the blind leading the blind. Without vision a toxic leader cannot rally his team around a common goal and motivate them to perform at their best. [Read more…] about The Toxic Leader

Build Your Successful Team

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This is a guest post by Paul Smith. Paul Smith is an experienced writer. He is a versatile person who is keen on writing on topics of business, social media, personal development etc.

Being a real leader is not an easy task. But it’s your only way to real success as one person will never reach the heights which can be reached by the professional and well-organized team. Yes, you can be a good leader but who you are without a team? By the way, building a successful team that will perform all the given tasks – and even more, is not an easy task. But if you’re a real leader, you will cope with it, right? So, here are just some suggestions on how to create a team that exceeds your expectations:

  1. Know your leadership style and keep to it. A leader who doesn’t know himself and the work methods needed at a particular time, will unlikely be able to build a strong team. Pick the leadership style according to the field of your business and your temperament.
  2. Communicate. When you’re a boss, it’s not the cause for getting isolated from the people who work with you. Just the opposite – communicate even more to know their passions, strengths and weaknesses. When you know the strengths and preferences of each team member, you can give them the tasks they will perform best. And, in this case, in addition to developing their talents, you’ll get a bigger revenue.
  3. Building Successful TeamsClarify the goals. Don’t just delegate tasks – set the goals so each employee will be oriented on the concrete result. The company’s goal should be understandable and inspiring for the people.
  4. Distribute and interconnect the responsibilities. Working in a team means giving support and be depending on each other’s performance. That’s why if the team is well structured and motivated, the higher work quality of one employee improves the performance of the others.
  5. Motivate people and acknowledge their high results. Everyone wants to be appraised for a good performance, and if one doesn’t get it, it leads to a hidden dissatisfaction. Yes, it’s very simple, but anyway, compliment your workers for a well-done job.
  6. Control and direct your people. Even if you picked the best professionals, it doesn’t mean that they automatically make a good team. At the beginning it’s your task to give them different kinds of job to test them and redistribute the responsibilities if necessary. But don’t just fire those who are not very good at this particular position. Look closely at them, maybe, they will be brilliant at something other?
  7. Support the team spirit by regular meetings and celebrating good results. But don’t let these actions be too formal. Let them be another chance to get to know people better and find the ways for achieving big goals.

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The Right Attitude To Lead

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This is a guest post by Dennis Phoenix. He is a human resource specialist and writer. He writes on topics including business relationships, productivity, employee satisfaction, and corporate awards. He spends his weekends mountain biking and photographing nature. His twitter handle is @DennisPhoenix1.

attitudeHaving the right attitude is often the lynchpin to a successful outcome. As history has shown, leaders with a can-do attitude have often positively impacted those around them. If you have the responsibility of a leadership position in business, whether as an owner or manager, it is critical for you to develop a set of attitudes that will guide your dealings with those entrusted to you.

Fortunately, these attitudes have been around as long as man has. They reflect simple and effective principals that have stood the test of time. Perhaps they are best described by those that have been this way before. Listen to the following quotes of successful individuals and see if the principals they lived by could make you a more effective leader.

Help others to succeed

The growth and development of people is the highest calling of leadership. —Harvey Firestone

One of the primary roles of a leader is often misunderstood. In fact, many in leadership positions work in opposition against this principal. Instead of progressively working to build up the skill sets of those they manage, some leaders inadvertently hinder the development of their employees. Leaders should always look to hone the skills of those they supervise.

Money and time spent training their employees is never wasted. Not only will your employees become more effective in the workplace, they will also be willing and able to tackle any challenges thrown their way. [Read more…] about The Right Attitude To Lead

Change Creates Opportunity For A Fresh Start

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Have you ever been in a situation where you felt you could do better, but were in an environment that made change extremely difficult?  Or, have you been in a situation that wasn’t going in the direction you wanted?  If so, you were probably in an environment where you needed a fresh start.  Change creates an opportunity for a fresh start.

Change Creates Opportunity For A Fresh StartDragos Roua is a blog writer at DragosRoua.com.  He specializes in goal setting.  He wrote a post called 50 Ways To Start Fresh.  In it he said, “Defeat. Boredom. Lack of meaning in your life. All these symptoms, and many others, of course, are a sign that you need to start fresh. To run again. To leave the old behind and embrace the new.”

What Is A Fresh Start?

A fresh start happens when you leave behind something old and start something new.  You meet new people, have new experiences, and start something new.  A fresh start brings new challenges and opportunities.  It also stretches you in ways that you have never been stretched in the past.  The fresh start can happen as a result of monumental or incremental change.

Making Monumental Change to Create a Fresh Start

There are many major changes you can make that will give you the opportunity for a fresh start.  Some monumental changes are:

  1. Taking a new job and/or getting a promotion
  2. Moving to a new city
  3. Starting a new business
  4. Going back to school
  5. Joining/starting a club
  6. Changing your profession
  7. Getting married

Each change listed takes you away from your old environment and puts you into a new one.  Some of the changes mentioned, however, are significantly bigger than others. Some take you out of one aspect of your life while others completely flip your world upside down.  The largest changes take you away from all that you know to put you into a completely new environment.  The smaller ones are still major changes, but they only take you away from one aspect of your life. [Read more…] about Change Creates Opportunity For A Fresh Start

The Value Of Effective Communication

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Effective communication is more of an art than a science.  Leaders that master the art of effective communication connect with people on a personal and professional level.  They break down barriers and strengthen relationships that can be beneficial far into the future.

In writing this post, I did a Google search on the most common reasons for divorce.  The factors that lead to divorce were summed up on lawyers.com as:

  1. Infidelity
  2. Financial Difficulty
  3. Depression
  4. Addictions
  5. Stress

The Value Of Effective Communication

What I found extremely interesting was that a breakdown of communication contributed to each of the above listed factors.  Infidelity often results when one partner does not adequately communicate their needs to their partner, but instead confides in someone else.  Financial difficulty that leads to divorce usually occurs when one partner spends money without communicating it to the other partner.  Depression and addictions are caused by many factors, but communication (which includes speaking AND listening) helps couples to work through their challenges.  Stress can be alleviated through effective communication.  Business relationship can break down just as easily with the lack of effective communication.

So what are the benefits of effective communication?  Effective communication creates connections, overcomes barriers, and builds strong teams.

Effective Communication Creates Connections

As a leader, effective communication creates connections with all those with which you come in contact.  These connections are made as you take time to learn about others.  Have you ever had a leader that asked you about your life, family, career goals, and other aspirations?  That leader probably communicated with you in such a way that you felt valued.  It probably helped you recognize your worth and value as a team player.  Their communications with you probably gave you a special connection with them that will go on into the future. [Read more…] about The Value Of Effective Communication

You’re Fired!

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None of us ever want to say this or hear it. It is something we feel we won’t have to experience. Almost as if we are immune to it.  Unfortunately, it happens far too. To an HR professional, having a situation or issue rise to a level warranting termination equates to failure.  It is our role, as HR professionals, to handle escalated or complex issues/concerns and decide on the right approach. This makes each disciplinary action or review a critical one that can decide an individual’s fate.

You're Fired!

Terminations are costly, carry liability, counterproductive, and affect workforce morale. Taking appropriate steps before letting it escalate to the point of termination can prevent these detrimental outcomes. Through my personal work experience and that of others I have learned that it comes down to a few basic factors. Give each concern adequate time, provide regular training, set clear expectations, and involve subject matter experts.

Each problem should be given proper due diligence.

I have dealt with legal charges that have stemmed purely from managers not taking matters seriously. If an employee takes it upon themselves to tell you about an issue they are encountering, it is severe enough to require your consideration. Look into the matter with care, courtesy, and thoroughness. Keep in mind that follow-up with the employee who raised the concern is as important as the investigation itself. [Read more…] about You’re Fired!

Understand Your Stakeholders

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Within many for-profit organizations, there are two common models that drive the decisions of all the leaders within the organization.  One model refers to the shareholders and the other refers to the stakeholders.  The models are the shareholder-wealth maximization model and the stakeholder model.  Each model has its own challenges and benefits.  As a leader, it is important to understand both models so you know how to best serve those you lead and your organization.

Understand Your Stakeholders

Shareholders

In today’s business environment there is a strong culture of leaders that follow the shareholder-wealth maximization model.  As stated on wiki answers, “The Shareholder-Wealth Maximization model (SWM) goal states that the objective of a firm’s management should be to maximize the present value of the expected future cash flows to equity owners (shareholders).  Consider cash flows to be the same as profits. Hence, the value of a firm’s stock is equal to the present value of all expected future profits, discounted at the the shareholders required rate of return.”

With the shareholder-wealth maximization model, whether it is the CEO, mid-level manager, or the supervisor, all leaders are taught to focus on maximizing the shareholder wealth.  With shareholder wealth as the driving force, leaders have foregone ethics, moral values, and any other set of standards they held for the purpose of increasing the profit within their company.  Leaders within this framework have taken greater risks or made other decisions that either led to their personal downfall or the downfall of the company. [Read more…] about Understand Your Stakeholders