September 12, 2008
When we speak of a group or team that is assigned a task, there is a model called the two-dimensional model for group activity or The Walnut in brief. How does this relate to Management Training?
Well, the so called Walnut has two parts. Imagine first a line from the left to the right. At the start of the line (on your left) is where the group receives a task, something they should do. At the other end, which is also the end, on your right, is where the group achieves a result. In between, along the line, there is some sort of activity or work in the group to achieve the result.
For our Management Training discussion we also need to add two dimensions of this work. Just as a walnut has two halves, one of the dimensions goes above the line and one below. The one above we could WHAT, i.e what is being done, services delivered, strategies outlined, budgets etc. Much of these things are such that we could see we could see with our eyes. We could also call them hard skills.
It all depends of course on what we mean when we say management, and then of course also what we mean when we say management training, but before we get into that lets look at the lower half also, the HOW. Here are things like the group process, group dynamics, willingness to take risks, trust, values etc. Much of which are not visible to the eye. We could alsl call the hard skills.
It is my belief that management training is about the upper part and leadership training is about the lower part. Management of that which is visible to the eye, i.e the production, and leadership of that what is not visible, i.e the relationships.
September 9, 2008
If you are not able to manage your time well you are most likely under control of other forces in your life. If you do not plan your life, somebody else will make you a part of their plan. Some of us are fine with that arrangement, but some of us need to get better at time management to enjoy life more.
One of the keys to time management is to start small. Understand this correctly, it is important to create the big picture, your vision in life. The things that you value the most. How else are you going to prioritize and make the choices that are vital to efficient time management?
But…when I say start small I mean start planning your day. Plan it the night before. For example make a list of your top 6 priorities for the next day and then do it. When you have got that skill down (and what a great feeling it is) go ahead and start planning your week also. And when you have that down your month, and then your quarter, then half-a-year and then your year.
Start small, go big, so you do not get overwhelmed in your time management efforts.
September 3, 2008
A teacher of mine said something that I think pertains to leadership development as well as to other areas of life. He said that it is with us humans as it is with world of plants. There is no status quo. Either things are growing or dying slowly.
So the question is are your growing as a person and as a leader through leadership development…or are you dying slowly. Things do not remain the same. Just in our body over 90 percent of the cells are exhanged within one year.
It is easy to do leadership development also, it does not have to be a big thing or a fancy training that you attend. It can be just reading an article online or a book half an hour a day. It could be taking the time once a week to reflect what has gone well the past week and what you could do better as a leader.
August 19, 2008
It will be quite interesting to see in the coming years how the term cultural leadership is affected by the strong emergence of countries such as India and China. Even though cross-cultural thinking has been part of the corporate world for quite some time it will most likely be even more important.
I saw an ad a few years back that questioned what language would be the main Internet language in some years time. This was in China and it had a chinese image on it. I think cultural leadership will also go through a transformation whether or not any asian language becomes the main leadership language.
Thinks like leadership trainings at different institutions will most likely need to continue to add more of cultural leadership to their curriculum.
August 9, 2008
Whenever humans come together there can be a need for conflict resolution to help get things to work properly. Conflicts tend to arise and can be handle in different ways, more or less effective such.
One of the advantages of conflict resolution is to get a third, outside perspective on things. Some times there can be so much emotion involved in the communication that it tends to get locked up. Then it can be useful to mediation help.
Sometimes the conflict resolution can be quick and sometimes it will require a longer effert over time. Which ever the case for it to be succesful the involved parties need to exhibit the willingness to reach a solution. If there is a will, there is most of the time a way.
July 30, 2008
Just got off the phone with a woman who had been promoted to a leaders position. She was at first hesitant about her capabilities as a leader, but two of her co-workers persisted in that they believed in her ability.
With their support, over time she started to believe in herself and today she very much enjoys being a leader. This is to me a clear case of where other people having higher expectations on us than we have of ourselves and how that can make great things happen with a support in place.
Often people I meet live their lives and their leadership governed by what others think of them and expect of them. Low expectations from environment, sooner or later the leader falls into mediocracy. High expectations from others, leave or rise to the occassion as a leader.
July 29, 2008
There are several aspects to business leadership but in my opinion one of the most important ones is sustainability. Not only is it a terminology used conversations about the climate and the like but I think it also relates to good leaders.
All to often I hear stories of business leadership where a leader or manager burns out after some years in that position. This usually arises from stress of different sorts. Reasons could include the lack of proper delegation skills, or that those skills are not used as they should dure to an overly need for need for control that is in existence.
I think good business leadership should allow for times of both a high achievement as well as times for true relaxation. It is only when such a balance is present that we can speak of a truly great leader and manager for our mutual future.
