It's that time of year.. the end.. where we thinking about our past and decide that we need to be doing something different in the coming year.
This has caused me to think about "new year's resolutions". What are they? Are they representations of our intentions? Are they a procrastinators worse nightmare or are they just a gentle motivator to start the ball of courage rolling when it comes to the call for leadership we might need in our life.
Whatever it is for you, it is a great opportunity to take action. And leadership is about taking action. Moving towards an intention that lives within you and that can manifest itself in the world only when you take action.
What is your intention for 2009? What new reality will you bring to the world (or your world) that without your decisive action it would never come to pass?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Call 4 Leadership during the holidays
Effective leadership comes from effective relationship. Effective relationships comes from understanding that; relationships are generative... ie. you need to work at them for relationships to grow, develop and be effective.
Reflecting back over the past year, have you had relationships that were enriched by your active participation in them? Maybe you haven't thought about relationships in this way, but if you take a moment, what do you think?
Have you had a relationship in the past year that has broken down in some way? Or maybe just has been as good as it might otherwise be? Could be an old friend you have loss contact with etc..
Wouldn't now be a good time to experience the effectiveness of "generating" relationship and see for yourself the results?
Holidays seem to be when people are willing to start new, grant trust, turn over a new leaf... So isn't is a good time to try? The only thing is takes is "YOU" to make the first move, "YOU" to take the first (and maybe second, and maybe third, and maybe forth....) step. Because relationships are generative, and leadership is about what "YOU" can do... So do it.. and benefit from the results....
Reflecting back over the past year, have you had relationships that were enriched by your active participation in them? Maybe you haven't thought about relationships in this way, but if you take a moment, what do you think?
Have you had a relationship in the past year that has broken down in some way? Or maybe just has been as good as it might otherwise be? Could be an old friend you have loss contact with etc..
Wouldn't now be a good time to experience the effectiveness of "generating" relationship and see for yourself the results?
Holidays seem to be when people are willing to start new, grant trust, turn over a new leaf... So isn't is a good time to try? The only thing is takes is "YOU" to make the first move, "YOU" to take the first (and maybe second, and maybe third, and maybe forth....) step. Because relationships are generative, and leadership is about what "YOU" can do... So do it.. and benefit from the results....
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Generative Relationships
Have you ever thought of relationships as being something that needs to be generated?
"Out of sight out of mind!" Why? Have you ever wondered why as relationships begin to breakdown, they do so at an accelerated rate when there is no communication? When there is no communication, it is not that the relationship is getting worse, it just isn't getting better.
But if you think of a relationship that is something that must be generated. Said another way, worked at for it to be sustained and grow. You will begin to see relationships in a different light. And one that will serve you, in your quest for leadership. Share your thoughts on the concept of generating relationships....
"Out of sight out of mind!" Why? Have you ever wondered why as relationships begin to breakdown, they do so at an accelerated rate when there is no communication? When there is no communication, it is not that the relationship is getting worse, it just isn't getting better.
But if you think of a relationship that is something that must be generated. Said another way, worked at for it to be sustained and grow. You will begin to see relationships in a different light. And one that will serve you, in your quest for leadership. Share your thoughts on the concept of generating relationships....
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Deflection instead of courage..
True leaders stand for .. what they believe.. it takes courage, sometimes a lot of courage. Why is it so many "so called" leaders choose to use deflections.. Eg. If he didn't ...x then I wouldn't have had to do ...y.
Personally I find this so disturbing.
As a leader, you need to be accountable for what you say and what you do. It needs to be backed by your convictions and consistent with your values.
In the current Canadian political environment few leaders are willing to do this.. The Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe.. Although I don't agree with his policies, I think he is the most authentic of all the politicians. And maybe we should call them that; politicians and NOT leaders.
Personally I find this so disturbing.
As a leader, you need to be accountable for what you say and what you do. It needs to be backed by your convictions and consistent with your values.
In the current Canadian political environment few leaders are willing to do this.. The Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe.. Although I don't agree with his policies, I think he is the most authentic of all the politicians. And maybe we should call them that; politicians and NOT leaders.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Canadian Politics - a sad representation of leadership
The past week has been an artful display of the worst things about leadership. It brings to the forefront the role that ego, positional power and abuses of leadership play under the cover of democracy.
I was disgusted to hear how a Coalition of decenter can come together for their own purpose.. but claim it is for the greater good.
What I didn't see was anything close to leadership demonstrated by the Coalition heads (wrongly call leaders). In particular Stephane Dion and Jack Layton. There may have be more credence to their position if Dion would have said, we are creating a coalition to appose the view of this government, and although I am responsible for putting it together, I would not lead the government as that would be self interest and not in the best interest of the Country (given his dismal showing in the last election). That would have been to me, someone that was using leadership for the good of the Country. But no, their plans had to include (self, ego, and personal gain). And quite frankly there wasn't a clear thinking Canadian that didn't see through what they were doing...
Although demonstrated on the National stage, this too lives in organizations. But when there is a call 4 leadership, you need to park your ego at the door. You need to provide what is missing and that goes beyond a personal benefit. That is not so say that you can't benefit from your leadership (in fact you should), but that can't be the only purpose. And if it is you should at least have the courage to stand up and say that, and not try to hide behind others as they are the cause for what you are doing... you are the cause for what you are doing.. you have the ability to choose... you have the ability to start what you are going to do, or stop what you are doing... to be a leader you need to be transparent in what you are doing, and why you are doing it, and you will garner the support of many more people than you would otherwise.
I was disgusted to hear how a Coalition of decenter can come together for their own purpose.. but claim it is for the greater good.
What I didn't see was anything close to leadership demonstrated by the Coalition heads (wrongly call leaders). In particular Stephane Dion and Jack Layton. There may have be more credence to their position if Dion would have said, we are creating a coalition to appose the view of this government, and although I am responsible for putting it together, I would not lead the government as that would be self interest and not in the best interest of the Country (given his dismal showing in the last election). That would have been to me, someone that was using leadership for the good of the Country. But no, their plans had to include (self, ego, and personal gain). And quite frankly there wasn't a clear thinking Canadian that didn't see through what they were doing...
Although demonstrated on the National stage, this too lives in organizations. But when there is a call 4 leadership, you need to park your ego at the door. You need to provide what is missing and that goes beyond a personal benefit. That is not so say that you can't benefit from your leadership (in fact you should), but that can't be the only purpose. And if it is you should at least have the courage to stand up and say that, and not try to hide behind others as they are the cause for what you are doing... you are the cause for what you are doing.. you have the ability to choose... you have the ability to start what you are going to do, or stop what you are doing... to be a leader you need to be transparent in what you are doing, and why you are doing it, and you will garner the support of many more people than you would otherwise.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Being a leader doesn't require a Leadership Position
Why is it, that we think that to be a leader we need to have a title?
In fact, leadership is all around you (if you are open to see it).
Leadership is about bringing something new into existence. Leadership is about getting results. Particularly results that were not prescribed (in terms of a process to get there). Management is about repeatable, consistent, predictable results. Management is a science. Leadership however is an art. And one that often begins with nothing more than a blank canvas. An idea, an intention, a desire to go to work on. With Leadership, you must stand in the face of no agreement. Not disagreement, just no agreement. That is when there is a call for leadership.. And this happens in all walks of life, in all situations, at all ages, and where positional power doesn't even matter. In fact, I am sure you can find many examples of people with positional power, and are not leaders at all.
I am interested in your thoughts about leadership, and times when you have found (either in yourself or in others) where leadership stood out, results were achieved irrespective of positional power .. share your views.
In fact, leadership is all around you (if you are open to see it).
Leadership is about bringing something new into existence. Leadership is about getting results. Particularly results that were not prescribed (in terms of a process to get there). Management is about repeatable, consistent, predictable results. Management is a science. Leadership however is an art. And one that often begins with nothing more than a blank canvas. An idea, an intention, a desire to go to work on. With Leadership, you must stand in the face of no agreement. Not disagreement, just no agreement. That is when there is a call for leadership.. And this happens in all walks of life, in all situations, at all ages, and where positional power doesn't even matter. In fact, I am sure you can find many examples of people with positional power, and are not leaders at all.
I am interested in your thoughts about leadership, and times when you have found (either in yourself or in others) where leadership stood out, results were achieved irrespective of positional power .. share your views.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
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