Straw in a Haystack

Good leaders make people feel that they're at the very heart of things, not at the periphery. Everyone feels that he or she makes a difference to the success of the organization. When that happens people feel centered and that gives their work meaning.
- Warren G. Bennis

The basis for leadership should be trust. Building relationships of trust requires strength of character and competency. Trust must be bidirectional. When people know they are trusted to do their job well, they will strive to do so. People must also be able to trust their leadership team. Trust is built through (but not limited to) consistency, collaboration, caring, understanding, and integrity. The next level of leadership should be to present a clear vision of purpose. People must be involved in and understand the goals that need to be achieved. By involving everyone they will "own" the process and a unified vision of mission, values and goals may be created. The reward of great leadership is the unleashing of talent. Great leadership empowers people to fully utilize their intelligence, creativity, and resourcefulness. It is the responsibility of a leader to inspire and bring out the best in people. Do not focus solely on the strengths of others, offer them council to pursue and realize their passions.

Here's what I love about leadership, coaching, team-building, and development:

Helping people look at problems from multiple angles. Often people get caught in the minutia of what is at hand and have trouble seeing the problem in a larger context. I learned the power of this as a calculus tutor and there is no greater moment for a coach or instructor than the light bulb moment.
Aligning what people are passionate about with their career goals. When people love what they are doing they will do their best. People are not cogs in a machine and need to feel respected and fulfilled by their work.
Working with others to learn and find patterns of success. I am very passionate about learning and teaching. While I believe software should do one thing and do it well, I believe people should be willing to learn, understand, and apply ideas from various fields. Some of my own greatest success has come from applying patters and systems from one field to another.
The process of continual improvement. I strive to make myself and those around me better every day.
Innovation is often a key to success. Companies can become bogged down in process and old technologies that allow newer more agile companies to beat them in the market place. However, change is not always better. It is very important to weigh doing something just because it is new versus a proven and stable process.
Courage to do the right thing. The trick is knowing what the right thing is. Leaders must champion causes that need to be brought forward. It is also their responsibility to challenge teams and departments that the cause is worth championing.
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About Me