This past week, there was an article in the Wall Street Journal by Joe Light titled: Leadership Training Gains Urgency Amid Stronger Economy. In the article, Mr. Light discusses how many organizations have cut spending on leadership development initiatives over the past two years during the economic downturn.  Now that the economy is starting to recover, these organizations are worried they will experience the exodus of baby boomers and retirees as their investment portfolios start to recover.  Many organizations are finding they simply don’t have the leadership pipeline within the organization to fill these leadership roles as companies shift towards a growth focus.  This scenario leaves any organization vulnerable to the competition.  Add to that the severity of the economic downfall and it only compounds the challenges further.

For individuals who work in the learning and development industry, this news and information is nothing new.  For many other individuals this may be a shocking surprise.  Organizations need to spend more money to develop talent to drive the business.  Remember, half of your assets do not show up on the balance sheet – your people.  Organizations spend thousands of dollars on computers, specialized software, mobile phones, and office space.  Why not spend a few hundred dollars developing your people to maximize performance and drive bottom line results.  If you have not already done so, think plan, and act to develop your high-potential leaders.

While the title of this book intrigued me (only four hours of work a week), I just didn’t get around to reading the best seller until a couple of weeks ago. It’s a fast read and well articulated. I really liked Mr. Ferriss’ first concept that “Time is Money.” For me this view is right on. Too often, we are so busy trying to make a better income, we forget just how much it really costs us. Three main elements in the book caught my attention. I feel they are well worth considering if not incorporating into your life: Elimination, Selective Ignorance, and Outsourcing.

Elimination
As we age, we naturally reach a point where we begin an elimination process in our lives. We not only cut back on material possessions, we also begin to eliminate unfulfilling activities. Mr. Ferris is simply moving this process from the autumn years to the spring years of life.

Selective Ignorance
One person cannot know everything about everything, and yet we all know people who will not, maybe cannot, say, “I don’t know.” Selective Ignorance, according to Ferriss, is the process of deliberately ignoring topics that may not be relevant or will take too much time to explore. I agree that it is important to limit our focus to what we can handle realistically, but it may not always be to our best interest in doing only those things we enjoy. Think about the first time you were on a bicycle; can you honestly say you enjoyed falling off that two wheeled contraption? Yet, today you may be an avid bicyclist.

Outsourcing
Asking others to do jobs that are outside our expertise is a no-brainer. However, I have two main concerns about giving our tasks we consider time wasters, to others. First, outsourcing will not guarantee that what you get will be what you wanted or needed. Simply put, no one sees the world like you do. Second, by giving your time wasters to someone else, are you adding more hours to their work week. You must ask yourself, “What’s the cost? Is your time more valuable than theirs?” Rather than outsourcing time wasters, let’s go back to the concept of Elimination. Get rid of them and make everyone more efficient.

Summary
What concerns me most about Mr. Ferriss’ book is the impression he gives that you should simply stretch the rules of the game to fit your needs so that you can win the prize. Example, early in the book he talks about using loop holes in rules to win an international sports competition. He drastically reduced his water weight to weigh in at a lower weight so later he would outweigh his opponent. And because he didn’t have the skills, he used another loop hole in the rules to win by pushing his opponents off the mat. So, okay, he won the prize. Strategy and tactics aside, what about ethics! What about to the personal satisfaction in acquiring the skill to compete? While winning is important, the pride in developing the skill is often more satisfying.

I relate this story of the steering wheel because the world economy is going through some stormy waters.  Although the changes going on may turn out to be good in the long run, it is still difficult to stay the course in the middle of these “troubled waters”.  More than ever we need strong leaders to step up and take the “helm”, provide guidance, and “steer” their teams in the right direction.

A strong leader will effectively partner with each employee and provide direction, guidance, and coaching.  He or she can help team member adjust their personal courses and move into “smooth water”.

Providing constant support takes a lot of effort but it will be worth it in the long run. Consider the following points when helping your team stay afloat:

Communicating frequently with each team member

-Will reduce or eliminate fear of the unknown

-Encourages confidence in individual performance

Building understanding within your team

-Instills ownership in the tasks to ensure success

-Keeps each person focused on the goal

Encouraging respect between members

-Promotes synergy

-Supports a relaxed and engaging environment

Maintaining your integrity

-Retains trust in you and the organization high

-Inspires integrity from team members

“It is not enough that we do our best; sometimes we have to do what is required.”

-Winston Churchill

It started out when employee #1 took the order from the customer. He paused and gingerly took a 20 ounce cup; a great start but he just stood in front of the machine. It was clear he did not quite know what to do next. Employee #2 stepped in and offered to help when she saw that employee #1 was in need of a more team based approach to the task at hand. Almost immediately you could see the distress on employee #2’s face as she realized that she also needed some help with this matter as well. In jumped employee #3 who looked as if this person was an assistant manager. Now with three employees, one taking on the role of the leader, they were able to at least grab a manual to find the instructions. This seemed to get the ball rolling…until the manual they found was outdated and did not include the instructions for the newly added menu item.

Bring in the reinforcements! The manager stepped in, ignoring the manual or lack thereof and poured in some type of chocolate mixture. When this was completed, the group took a millisecond to bathe in the success of making their (what looked like) first ever mocha at this particular establishment. Then employee #5 was brought in, who had no idea what obstacle this team had just overcome, and was given the instruction to give the 5 employee made, 20 ounce cup of joe to the awaiting customer–smile and all.

The best saying is not always, “If you want something done right, do it yourself.” As stated above, productive teams have a culture of trust and accountability and must work together. This particular team leader did this by allowing his team to attempt the task at hand without his influence or intervention. However, when the task seemed to be too daunting for the 3 employees involved, he did what a leader should and working along with his team, delegated the tasks needed to find the missing pieces and complete the equation. We can all be leaders, as part of being a team is assisting a leader in the leading of others. Henry Ford said, “Coming together is a beginning, staying together is progress, and staying together is success.”

Dr. Steven Stowell and the team at CMOE define Teamwork as: A group of people who: Combine their energy and efforts to achieve common goals, are committed to achieving the team’s goals, fulfill their roles and responsibilities, and have defined processes, procedures, and mechanisms that enable them to function at peak performance.

Productive teams have a culture of trust and team members are accountable for the team’s results. The team’s leaders and each team member invest in the team through their behaviors, attitudes, and actions. Teams are the mechanism by which organizations can unlock world class results for customers, colleagues, and other stakeholders.

In this day and age of drive-thru’s, instant messaging and the World Wide Web, sooner is not only better—it is required. And in most cases, this requires some teamwork.

Teamwork Is A Combined Effort: Part 2

Are you ready? Do you have what it takes? Have you developed the crucial skills that will make you an effective leader?

Organizations continually change and doing things the way they have always been done before will not cut it today. Leaders must be flexible and observant of the environment around them. They must think strategically and prepare themselves for new adventures and challenges. Your ability to transition into leadership effectively will define your potential and your ensure success in the future. While there are many skills and qualities to master, there are three areas that will get you started on the right track: influence, coaching, and team leadership.

Influence

Although some may disagree, influencing others is an art. It is difficult to master and too often the most underdeveloped skill. Command and control management, delegating without explanation, and saying “because I said so” is no longer effective. We live in a time where clear communication and collaboration are crucial to achieve desired results. Good influence skills motivate others into action. Leaders must pass on the vision to employees in a way that “the” vision becomes their vision. This is done by clearly articulating the assignments, reasons, objectives, or goals important to the success of the team member’s team, and organization as a whole.

Employees thrive on opportunities to collaborate improving conditions. When they understand how important their contribution is, they often perform at higher levels and increase their commitment not only to the team but to the company as a whole. For the leaders it means gaining solid listening, interpersonal, and communication skills. Leaders must spark excitement within team members and cultivate their desire succeed; but remember, to do this effectively, you must be sincere and genuine.

Coaching

Coaching is more than just one-on-one interaction with a team member, or telling them what to do and how to do it. Coaching is so much more. It requires patience, understanding, and a desire to help improve their performance as a team member. There is nothing more effective than a sincere and passionate coach. Successful leaders are those who can mentor and coach others in a way that is fair and easy to understand. Coaches must also model the skills that ensure success. Coaching isn’t something you can avoid or do once in awhile. Whether it is a formal one-on-one discussion or just coaching in the moment, you need to make the time and energy to give quality coaching to your team members. As their coach, you are developing their potential talent for success.

Team Leadership

In today’s world, most organizations utilize a team approach. So it is vital for new leaders to have the skills to create, build, and lead high performance teams. This includes addressing issues from team cohesiveness to conflict resolution. Most importantly, a team leader must ensure that the team’s direction is aligned with the aims and mission of the organization. By instilling a sense of cohesiveness and accountability in team members, you will put your team on the path to high performance because they will be focused, united, and therefore more efficient.

As you develop and foster your skills of influence, coaching, and team leadership, you will quickly discover the positive effects they will have over you and those around you. Develop these fundamental leadership skills, think strategically, and prepare now so that, you will be a great leader who is equipped and ready with the necessary skills for success.