A Clear and Inspiring Vision
From Henry Ford to Steve Jobs, having a clear vision that inspires a leader was and is a necessary factor to take EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP to the next level.Depending on a leader’s experience and talents, having a vision that is inspiring yet realistic to achieve is important.
People Management Skills
A leader that cannot understand their employees can over time create unhealthy conflict, bring about high turn over, and breed mistrust amongst leadership and employees. In many instances, the leader themselves is not a “bad person” and instead has not been trained properly. Many organizations have made the critical and impatient mistake of promoting staff within their organizations to management positions without assessing and ensuring the proper skillset is present. If the particular skillset is lacking, the necessary training should be provided to particularly ensure efficiency.
Time Management Skills
Time in an organization is irreversible and so managing it is a key component of an organization leader’s day to day tasks. Leading a team and making sure their time is effectively used directly correlates to the productivity one can expect from their organization as a whole.
The following are key factors to keep in mind when considering the efficient use of time management in an organization:
1) Focussing on the DECISION MAKING PROCESS, rather than the decision itself.
2) Focussing on one task to complete rather than multi-tasking many tasks that can dis-organize a team’s time and disrupt focus on the tasks at hand
3) Short letters and memos to be used for correspondence to expedite the decision making process.
4) Running focussed meetings with a clear itinerary so tasks and necessary information are allocated to the correct employee in a quick but efficient manner so meetings are managed to have clear purposes with time limits, discussed with specific employees.
5) Implementing checklists and “to do” lists to team members so their focus can be channelled efficiently.
6) Putting aside time for reflection when it comes to looking at completed work for positive criticism.
Here are a few stats that may interest you:
1) An astounding 97% of organizations believe project management is critical to business performance and organizational success.
(Source: PricewaterhouseCoopers)
2) 10-12 minutes invested in planning your day will save at least 2 hours of wasted time and effort throughout the day – (“Eat the Frog” by Brian Tracy.)
3) “Read any vision statement and ask yourself, “Is that inspiring to the employees?” It is not hard to tell. I believe the best vision statements will be inspiring to both investors and internal stakeholders. Effective vision statements tell a story of the benefit the organization creates, the impact the products and services have on others, and the kind of organization that is required to create that value.”
(Joseph Folkman, )8 Ways To Ensure Your Vision Is Valued)
Effective leadership in our day and time determines an organization’s outcome and more importantly its positive growth. Putting an emphasis on effective leadership is not just a choice but a mandatory component in an organization’s success.