Team Leadership development

Trust Building: How do you do it!

Posted On: March 11, 2011By: admin Comments: Comment

There are a number of crucial elements required to create high performing teams. I have worked with many different types of teams in different contexts over the past 25 years and have picked up a few strategies that might help. The foundational element needed to create an effective team is that often elusive characteristic of TRUST! Despite what people say trust is earned. But don’t look at this as an obstacle – “Just go out and earn it!” There are some fundamental steps to take in order to earn trust. One key is to take the time to understand your team member’s perspectives on trust. It helps to understand that there are four main characteristics of trust, and people tend to have a more dominant focus on one or two of these characteristics. The four main traits of trust are reliability (do what you said you would when you said you would), openness (being transparent to feel free to share information and opinions with team members), acceptance (that I know if I share something about our work, no matter how negative it might be, that I as a person am respected and safe from personal attack) and directness (not brutal bluntness, but feeling free to directly give and receive helpful feedback) (Dr. Ralph Colby). Inevitably, we all tend to view others through our own interpretive filters, thus if a team member (or team leader for that matter) highly values reliability and another in the team esteems acceptance it can cause a value conflict, undermining team trust.

Manager as Coach

Posted On: February 18, 2011By: admin Comments: 1 Comment

Leaders who use Coaching Techniques Accomplish Greater Results! Why use Coaching techniques? Businesses that are seeking to attain or maintain their competitive advantage over their rivals are recognizing that one of the key factors to success is the relationship managers have with their staff. This is a constant factor whether it is related to front-line managers, middle managers or top level managers. The Gallup organization conducted a large research project and discovered that the most significant factor contributing to high employee retention rates, healthy customer satisfaction levels, increased bottom line results and productivity levels were the direct relationships managers had with their staff. It is worth the effort One of the most significant skills therefore for managers is to learn how to better engage with their staff. Studies show that the use of quality coaching techniques in working with staff can empower them to their potential in their place of work. Research has shown that managers in general believe that the use of coaching techniques as a part of their leadership style would bring greater work place benefits. Furthermore, managers who had been trained in coaching techniques and persisted at utilizing them over a six month period, noted that they were worth the effort to learn and implement. Different modes of Coaching by Managers When implementing coaching techniques within the workplace, there are two typical modes of operation used. There is the formal and the informal. The informal is also known as corridor coaching, where the manager uses short targeted

A Business Leader’s Prime Objectives

Posted On: November 20, 2010By: admin Comments: Comment

A Business Leader’s Prime Objectives! Building Leaders, Teams and their Organizations to Phenomenal Success! As a Leader there are Four key areas to stay focussed on. ONE: The Leader’s personal growth – vision, challenges, motivations, skill levels, and personal goals: It never ceases to amaze me how little time business leaders put into their own personal development, especially when they own their own business. More and more, there is a culture building within the business community which appreciates the need for continued professional and personal development for leaders. There is still a long way to go for many organizations. One thing for sure, it is up to the leader to make this a priority in their life. We tend to philosophically agree with the concept that we need to make it a part of our life, but it often takes a place on the back burner. The more leaders are convinced that their development directly affects the outcomes of their business, the sooner they will make this a higher priority. Then they will see the benefits in their business and in themselves – not to mention the benefit for their families and those around them. Ask yourself: “How much time do I commit to my own personal and professional growth?” “How much time do I want to commit?” “How much time do I need to commit?” “What am I going to do about this starting today!” TWO: Bottom Line goals – clear financial goals: If you do not set clear