How do you select leaders? Do you have a particular method or procedure or is it just a matter of who catches your eye? Once you've established a leadership development program, the next step is to determine who your future leaders are. Remember, it's best to start by looking for new, first-level managers.
There are a couple of places to look for potential leaders. One is the informal groups that normally develop in any organization. You should recognize where these groups are and who seems to lead them. Though they have no formal leadership authority, these leaders are the ones people turn to for help or clarification. They may not consider themselves leaders, but when things need to be done, you'll find those informal leaders in the middle of it.
Another place to find potential leaders is among the workers who seem to accomplish more than their peers. This requires careful assessment on your part as sometimes it isn't easy to spot just who is making things work. But, chances are there are a couple of people who are the catalyst for success or are at least working hard to make things happen. These are the people you'll want to seriously evaluate.
There's a lot of talk about "natural born leaders." It's true that there are people who seem to have a natural tendency to lead. These people usually demonstrate personal charisma which attracts other people and they find it fairly easy to get other people to do things. If you have someone like that on your team you should certainly consider helping them progress. But be alert for two issues.
First, as I said, they usually have great charisma that helps them induce others to do things. Technically, that means they're leading, but that doesn't mean they are the type of person you need to lead in your organization. Second, while appearing to have an innate leadership skill, they may actually be bullies. The problem is, it's easy to see that charisma as just what you're looking for in a new leader. That thought can lead to a less complete evaluation. Certainly don't discount these people, but also don't give them any less scrutiny than you would anyone else.
Also, be careful of people who are just loud. They normally are the ones complaining about this policy or that assignment. You'll probably notice that when there's discontent, these people are in the middle of it, always ready to tell anyone who will listen that something is unfair. They seldom have any suggestions for improvement and seem to think their only purpose in life is to complain. To be fair, some of these people can be turned into good leaders, but doing so is hard.
On the other hand, always be on the lookout for the "diamond in the rough." Every so often you'll have someone on your team who, at first glance, doesn't seem to posses much leadership potential. But, as you observe them, you see a little spark of something, maybe a little leadership talent that is masked by a gruff or even unfriendly exterior. This person may come across as unpolished and perhaps a little coarse and while they may be more difficult to develop, the extra effort will produce a superior leader.
Start looking for potential leaders today!
Bob Mason is a speaker, trainer, and author of "Planning to Excel: Strategic Planning That Works." After 30 years of leadership experience he founded RLM Planning and Leadership to transform leadership by developing great leaders. Bob works with organizations that want to excel by training managers to lead and creating great strategic plans to keep leaders focused. See what he can do for you at http://www.planleadexcel.com.
Holiday Party Planning Made Easier Through Delegating and Conferencing Strategies
The holidays always seem to be around the corner and that requires giving thought to planning holiday parties whether they are office parties, school parties, or a family gathering at your home. Everybody knows that the holiday season can be stressful, even if shopping is the only thing on your to-do list. Add the stress of planning a party or two and it may seem like a never ending chose.
And the stress may be worth it in the end when you finally see family that you have not seen in a while, or when you see the smile on the faces of children, or when you see your boss pucker up under the mistletoe but you surely would still welcome any advice that may make the planning process easier. After all, the parties will be much more fun if you know you had fun planning them too.
If you have children then you likely have responsibilities involving them after work hours and if you don't that doesn't mean that your life is completely devoid of other responsibilities. So how do you solve the problem of planning a Christmas party with other people that do not have the same schedule as yourself? There are actually a number of ways that you could implement that would work for you and the others with whom you are doing the planning.
Stress free planning option #1
The first option for reducing stress when it comes to planning a Christmas party is to delegate duties. This is a surefire way to reduce your workload and ultimately your stress. If you are uncomfortable choosing who should be responsible for which duties you could do one of two things.
One option is that you could make a list of things that need to be done and have each individual sign up for a task. The second option is writing all of the tasks down on separate slips of paper and putting them into a hat and having everyone choose a slip of paper. Both of these options provide you with a way to delegate responsibilities without being responsible for who gets what.
Stress free planning option #2
Another way to reduce the stress when planning your Christmas party is to have a meeting to discuss each aspect of the party such as the decorations, food, and gift giving procedures. Some things not only need to be delegated but discussed first in order to come to an agreement and while you may not be able to all find the time to get together in a physical setting you do have the option of holding a conference call.
Conference calls are useful because you can get together whenever it is convenient for everyone and everyone can conveniently be at home when it is done. Also, keep in mind that conferencing does not need to be expensive.
In recent years, a number of free conference calling services have made their debut. Simply search out a free conference calling service using any internet search engine. Once you have found a free conference service with the features you need, start planning your conference call now so that you have plenty of time to be flexible for everyone.
Planning a Christmas party can be a lot of fun but it can be a lot of stress too. Make it easier on yourself and everyone else by delegating responsibilities or making plans together. You could even do both and really be efficient.
Whether it's delegating more responsibilities, rotating assignments in a hat or using a free conference call service to facilitate communication, a number of ways exist to help you make the process more fun. In the end you will all enjoy a great Christmas party that was planned with not nearly as much stress as you thought it would entail.
Author Andy Court is an avid enthusiast of new technology systems. He contributed to the launch of Rondee's free conference calling service in 2007. Andy has spent most of his life in the Southern part of California.
And the stress may be worth it in the end when you finally see family that you have not seen in a while, or when you see the smile on the faces of children, or when you see your boss pucker up under the mistletoe but you surely would still welcome any advice that may make the planning process easier. After all, the parties will be much more fun if you know you had fun planning them too.
If you have children then you likely have responsibilities involving them after work hours and if you don't that doesn't mean that your life is completely devoid of other responsibilities. So how do you solve the problem of planning a Christmas party with other people that do not have the same schedule as yourself? There are actually a number of ways that you could implement that would work for you and the others with whom you are doing the planning.
Stress free planning option #1
The first option for reducing stress when it comes to planning a Christmas party is to delegate duties. This is a surefire way to reduce your workload and ultimately your stress. If you are uncomfortable choosing who should be responsible for which duties you could do one of two things.
One option is that you could make a list of things that need to be done and have each individual sign up for a task. The second option is writing all of the tasks down on separate slips of paper and putting them into a hat and having everyone choose a slip of paper. Both of these options provide you with a way to delegate responsibilities without being responsible for who gets what.
Stress free planning option #2
Another way to reduce the stress when planning your Christmas party is to have a meeting to discuss each aspect of the party such as the decorations, food, and gift giving procedures. Some things not only need to be delegated but discussed first in order to come to an agreement and while you may not be able to all find the time to get together in a physical setting you do have the option of holding a conference call.
Conference calls are useful because you can get together whenever it is convenient for everyone and everyone can conveniently be at home when it is done. Also, keep in mind that conferencing does not need to be expensive.
In recent years, a number of free conference calling services have made their debut. Simply search out a free conference calling service using any internet search engine. Once you have found a free conference service with the features you need, start planning your conference call now so that you have plenty of time to be flexible for everyone.
Planning a Christmas party can be a lot of fun but it can be a lot of stress too. Make it easier on yourself and everyone else by delegating responsibilities or making plans together. You could even do both and really be efficient.
Whether it's delegating more responsibilities, rotating assignments in a hat or using a free conference call service to facilitate communication, a number of ways exist to help you make the process more fun. In the end you will all enjoy a great Christmas party that was planned with not nearly as much stress as you thought it would entail.
Author Andy Court is an avid enthusiast of new technology systems. He contributed to the launch of Rondee's free conference calling service in 2007. Andy has spent most of his life in the Southern part of California.
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