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You searched for the string: "Develop staff and succession" found 21 results
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LEADERSHIP: RECESSION BUT NO DEPRESSION
published: 2008-12-21
Times are tough - economically, but also psychologically. Calls to a national executive counselling service are up 25% year-on-year, according to a report I read today. And, training and development budgets are getting the chop. We're all under pressure: to maintain business performance, cut costs and hold our jobs. There’s no easy answer, but being smart beats being depressed.
LEADERSHIP: OF GENERATIONS X, Y AND Z
published: 2008-12-28
School teachers often teach - and, therefore, have to lead - students of a common age. But, most of us lead teams covering a range of ages. So, why the fixation with the leadership needs of Generation X or Y, or any other letter of the alphabet? An effective leader engages people of all ages - and types. And, I'll bet X and Y are as diverse as any group.
LEADERSHIP: WINNING THE WAR FOR TALENT
published: 2008-09-22
I use taxis a lot. On rare occasions, I step in and am immediately struck by the cleanliness and polish, the smooth running engine, and the useful gadgets the owner has added. He or she is normally very polite and clearly proud of their chariot. And, such cabs instead of aging tend to get better with time.
LEADERSHIP: THE ART OF LIBERATING TALENT
published: 2009-05-11
An article in The Economist (October 5, 2006)* highlights the value of "brainpower (both natural and trained) and especially the ability to think creatively." It states that "the value of 'intangible' assets - everything from skilled workers to patents to know-how - has ballooned (since 1980) from 20% of the value of companies in the S&P 500 to 70% today." Also that "the proportion of American workers doing jobs that call for complex skills has grown three times as fast as employment in general."
LEADERSHIP: THE SMALL BUSINESS SUPERCHARGER
published: 2008-06-30
For many small business owners, survival is an ever-present issue. There are so many challenges. Finding customers. Delivering the product or service. Holding good staff. Managing cash and so much else. What's the key? To staying afloat - and, more importantly, growing and succeeding?
LEADERSHIP: THE HEROES ON THE FRONTLINE
published: 2008-06-23
Talk to any soldier and they'll tell you it's frontline troops, not generals, who fight the battles. HQ may set direction and define key goals but it's platoon leaders and their troops, who go there. They're the ones, who reconnoitre, take territory, dig in and fight. Now, business isn't warfare. But, the metaphor has its place.
LEADERSHIP: STAND TALL AS THE BEST MANUFACTURER
published: 2008-06-16
My father had an engineering business - making furnaces and other products. And, I worked summers in factories, while studying engineering. So, I love that hot, noisy world of clanging metal as it's formed and worked with presses and punches.
LEADERSHIP: LEARNING FROM NET GENERS
published: 2008-12-14
In 1997, Don Tapscott published "Growing up digital" - and coined the name "net generation" for the natives of the online world. Now 11 years on, and after a two-year survey of 8,000 people (born 1978 to 1994) from across 12 countries, he's published "Grown up digital". He concludes that on average Net Geners are smarter, quicker and more tolerant of diversity than the decrepit oldies like the Baby Boomers, let alone the dodos like me, familiarly known as Veterans.
LEADERSHIP: HOW MUCH DIFFERENCE DOES IT MAKE?
published: 2009-07-27
We often speak of some part of our organisation running "like a well-oiled machine". But, we all know business lacks that precise and reliable machine-like character. It's organic, changeable and often unstable. Unlike an engine, it's not bolted to a chassis or floor. It floats in a larger organic pool of economic, competitive and regulatory influences. No wonder, therefore, people find it hard to measure (and justify) leadership investment. But, if you've found some good metrics or trustworthy business-performance stats., please let me know (timothy@vectorleadership.com). In the meantime, here are some arguments to consider.
LEADERSHIP: DON'T WAIT FOR THE MUSIC TO STOP
published: 2009-09-14
How's this? Eighty percent of CEOs expect big changes in their companies' strategies and operations this year! In a calamitous downturn (trashing markets and businesses), people expect organisational change. Well, I'd be concerned if they didn't! The same report also worries about succession. Two thirds of candidates won't be ready for 12 or more months. But, one third being ready seems OK to me. Surely, the real issue is raising performance of all leaders - NOW and in their current jobs. Not playing musical chairs! So, what's your plan - other than waiting for the music to stop? Here are some thoughts.
LEADERSHIP: NOT ANOTHER ASSESSMENT TOOL
published: 2009-10-05
A CEO recently showed me a tool she's considering - to help lift her own and her team's leadership effectiveness. She asked what my criteria would be for choosing such a tool. I highlighted the five listed below. How do tools you've used measure up?
LEADERSHIP: 7 HABITS OF HIGHLY INEFFECTIVE MANAGERS
published: 2009-10-26
I'm no techo, nor a digital native. But Langdon, V|E|C|T|O|R's technology manager, tries to educate me. And, recently forwarded an article by Nari Kannan from www.it.toolbox.com* - and, I've borrowed its title for this Potshot. It's a play on a famous book title and the seven negative habits he lists are all too common - and, not just in IT. So, why not check below and rate yourself - and see what options you have to overcome such habits!
LEADERSHIP: BE SPECIFIC AND PRACTICAL
published: 2009-11-02
Twenty years ago, which was also twenty years into our marriage, my wife and I nearly separated. But with professional help, we reviewed what we each wanted and how this could be achieved. We set goals and negotiated actions. What saved us was specifics, not general principles. In most areas of life, the principles are pretty obvious. However, the specifics are what's tough and personally challenging. And, that's particularly true of leadership, which is perhaps a strange sort of legalised polygamy. A relationship between a leader and his or her followers. So, like many marriages, it may need some help - and here are some thoughts.
LEADERSHIP: POWER AND PURPOSE
published: 2010-01-28
US decline and China's inexorable rise are much talked of. But, in a recent article, Josef Joffe* concludes his rebuttal thus. "Gainsayers will still dramatise China's growth rates as a harbinger of a grand power shift. But as the 21st century unfolds, the US will be younger and more dynamic than its competitors." Whether right or wrong, it's an important issue. And, his arguments have resonance for the durability of leaders, as well as nations. He stresses the requirement for "requisite power and purpose." If asked, would your colleagues say you still have these?
LEADERSHIP: BEWARE OF YOUR STRENGTHS
published: 2010-03-22
Twenty years ago, I was shocked to hear that some of the reasons my wife had originally been attracted to me were now driving us apart. My decisiveness and energy were leaving no decision-room for her. It's often the same in business. Our natural attributes, which are powerful and value-adding, can go to extreme and undermine effectiveness. If I asked your colleagues, which two of your strengths would they say are most causing them trouble? Here's a checklist that might help.
LEADERSHIP: THE WISDOM OF CICERO
published: 2010-04-06
In Rome of the first century BC, most leading politicians were soldiers as well as statesmen. For example, Caesar, Mark Anthony and Brutus. But, one key contemporary was not: Cicero was primarily a thinker, orator and writer. He had huge influence during the final turbulent decades prior to the fall of the Roman Republic and appointment of the first Emperor, Augustus, in 27 BC. John Adams (the second US president) said of him that the world has not produced "a greater statesman and philosopher combined". As leaders, what can we learn from Cicero? Here are four must-haves I've taken from a biography* I read recently.
LEADERSHIP: MOBILISES TALENT AND KNOWLEDGE
published: 2008-02-04
“The formal structures of companies, as manifested in their organisational charts, don’t explain how most of their real day-to-day work gets done.” That’s what the authors of a recent article claim; and, many would agree. But, being consultants, they have a solution. Establish “formal networks” – and more about these below. But, let’s keep it simple. Why not appoint more appropriate leaders to run the company as it’s already structured?
LEADERSHIP: WHAT’S YOUR INNOVATION INDEX
published: 2008-02-18
The authors of an article in the December issue of Harvard Business Review assert that “five ‘discovery skills’ separate true innovators from the rest of us.” They list the usual suspects: Steve Jobs, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson and Ratan Tata. And, as usual, it’s more about after-the-event generalisations than scientific deduction. But, that doesn’t stop us asking: what must I do to be more creative? Here are their five thoughts – and one I’ve added.
LEADERSHIP: WHERE AND HOW DO WE ALL FIT IN?
published: 2008-02-04
The golden rule of property is position, position, position. And, leadership is similar. But, in this case it’s people, people, people. And the bottom line is simple: you’re not a leader if you don’t have followers. How would your team rate their commitment to you and your plans: high, medium or low?
LEADERSHIP: THINK BIG BUT ALSO SMALL
published: 2010-05-24
Successful leaders offer both an uplifting goal and the steps to get there. The secret’s in the balance. If you’re only visionary, your legacy may well be just that: a high-potential but unrealised dream. People love it, but nothing happens. Equally, if you’re only focused on action and implementation, your people may be busy as hell but going nowhere. On long flights, I sometimes cook up an idea and enjoy the experience of what the outcome might look like – truly the view from 30,000 feet. But later, back at my desk, I have to think about how we’ll get there and my interest wanes. Too much hard work. Which would your people say you are: the dreamer or the detailer? Test yourself: which of the following two statements is more your home territory?
LEADERSHIP: 12 FACETS OF EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE
published: 2010-08-23
A valuable gemstone has many facets, each finely polished. To be a valuable leader, you similarly need a range of carefully honed capabilities. For some people, these attributes fall broadly into two categories. First, the technical (or IQ-driven) ones: for example, professional expertise, market knowledge, financial acumen or analytical skills. Second, interpersonal (or EQ) ones: such as showing empathy, listening well, being self-aware, developing successors and creating teams. With regard to the latter, below is a list of 12 EQ actions. Why not re-order them into a list that starts with the one you do best, through to the one you do least well! And, perhaps plan what you’re going to do to improve the bottom couple. After that, I’ll tell you where the list comes from.