The Art of Effective Leadership

I am amazed at how much and how little can be accomplished by a person's ability to work with others. I am convinced that getting things done has nothing to do with a person's education or resume and everything to do with a person's ability to listen to, respect, and work with others.

Some of the most talented leaders in my life have an innate ability to understand the needs of others because they truly listen to the perspectives of others. They respect others whether they agree or disagree with their views. They see the person is more important than the issue they are hiding behind. They are quick to place their egos aside and slow to criticize others.

I am embarrassed to say that I am often a slow learner. I am slowly learning that becoming more effective begins with my attitude towards others. How do you begin? One step at a time.

Points to Ponder:

• Am I truly listening to another's needs or my wants?  
• How quickly do I place my ego aside and roll up my sleeves? How slowly do I criticize? 
• Do I truly respect others? Can I see beyond the issue a person is hiding behind? 

Why Waste My Energy and Dreams on Complaining?

Lately I have had a really difficult time not complaining about things. It's interesting how we all complain about things from time to time. Isn't it ironic that the more we complain, the worse we feel?

Unfortunately, I have failed in this part of my leadership journey. I have wasted too much time, effort, energy, and words worrying and complaining about things (and people) that I have no control over. Why? It feels great. The more I complain, the better I feel...right? No.

It's hard to think of the benefits of complaining because all of my wasted energy has led to a very negative and depressed outlook of the world and people. Leaders who are complainers are ineffective and have a short shelf life. The moment something gets tough, they complain about something (or someone) and blind themselves from potential solutions.

I am no expert. In fact, the more I give this "pep talk" on leadership, the more I see that I am struggling with this area.  But I have to ask myself, am I willing to sacrifice my hopes and dreams because of temporary feelings and situations? This is a very tall order and interesting way of looking at the annoyances of life.

The Power of the Mosquito

It has been said in certain parts of Africa that if you think that you are too small to make a difference, then you have never been bitten by a mosquito. It is amazing to think of the havoc and discomfort that one insect can have on humans, but it is a powerful lesson in how our actions make a difference.

It makes me think of choices that I need to make. How often do I neglect my family, friends, and colleagues because I'm too connected? Too busy? Too concerned about work? Perhaps I need to find more time to unplug?

We live in a super-connected society, where answers are at our fingertips. We know more about our Facebook friends, than we know about our families. We say that we don't care about what other's think, but base our self-worth on the number of likes on a post. It is scary to think that many leaders (including myself) live in this world.

As much as I love technology, I hope I never become too connected that I neglect others. I hope I value friendships rather than friend lists. I hope I value others more than I value likes on social media. I hope I value face time with others rather than Facetime. I hope a hug holds more value than a text.

Here is a video that inspired me to spend less time looking at a screen and more time listening and spending time with others:

Lesson 6: The Person is More Important Than The Task

A friend of mine recently told me a rather disappointing story. They have been going through health issues for several months and recently found out that they needed surgery. This person has been very straight forward with their employer about doctors appointments and the potential for surgery. They recently went to their boss to notify them about the bad news. Instead of offering any condolences or showing any concern for this individual as a person, their employer stated that they needed to "talk" about when this person could have surgery and what would be "best for the team."

We have to remember that people are more important than any project, job, recognition, or task that needs to be performed.  How often do you listen with your mouth rather than your ears? How much do you know about the others around you? When was the last time that you said thank you? Each time we consider the task more important than the person, we begin to push others away.

How do you think this inconsiderate response made my friend feel? Unfortunately, it communicated that the job was more important than the health and well-being of the person. It has prompted my friend to start updating their resume. If you are communicating that the job is more important than the individual, you are likely to lose talented people - just like my friend.