Category: Leadership Development

Take the Lead in Coaching and Developing Others

This guest post was provided by Jessica Edmondson who contributes on Leadership skills training for the University Alliance, a division of Bisk Education, Inc.

“Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great make you feel that you, too, can become great.” Mark Twain

In today’s competitive business settings, leaders who cultivate influence have longer-lasting effectiveness and more powerful alliances than those who simply manage with top-down authority. When a leader relaxes control and promotes team cohesion, individual and group growth can bring about stronger working relationships and increased productivity.

If you are a professional looking to grow your leadership skills, then consider mentoring other professionals in areas in which you are proficient. Sharing your knowledge with someone who appreciates and can benefit from your experience is a rewarding practice. At the same time, seeking mentoring for your own advancement can be an effective way to polish a skill set and uncover hidden opportunities.

Formal Mentoring

Many business-related organizations, such as the Professional Management Institute, offer opportunities for networking through local chapters. Participating in such events can lead to formal mentoring opportunities. In recent years, consulting firms have begun offering services to more precisely match up mentors and protégés. Additionally, through forums on LinkedIn and other networking sites, less-experienced professionals can post a question and receive feedback from other group members.

Other ways to seek out mentoring for yourself include approaching someone in your organization whose leadership style you admire. As an alternative work with your human resources contact to find a mentor in another division of the company who can teach you about a new area of interest. Taking an online course taught by a respected industry leader can also result in strong contacts for sustained mentoring.

Innovation, Inspiration and Influence

The best aspect of mentoring, either as a mentor or a protégé, is that the positive energy of a great mentoring experience can permeate your entire thought process and build you up more than any other single career development strategy. Coaching others to discover and reach their personal and professional potential feeds the entire team.

Whether as a leader or a protégé, you can reap the benefits of the synergy created when a team is enjoying frequent periods of personal development.

Organizations want to attract top talent. Gaining a reputation as a leader who fosters excellence in team members – and also seeks professional development to bring in new ideas and fresh perspectives – may provide a competitive advantage in a job search or promotion opportunity.

A Win-Win Opportunity

When Mark Twain was a newspaper columnist in Carson City, Nevada, he met humorist Artemus Ward who encouraged him to write as much of his unique brand of storytelling as time would allow. The two eventually championed each other’s work.

Everyone needs a mentor, and companies who value and promote mentoring are positioned to create a win-win environment. Tech-savvy younger professionals may be able to help older colleagues get up to speed in regards to their technological acumen. In return, more seasoned professionals can offer guidance on finessing soft skills and relating effectively in a corporate culture.

In an age where technology often insulates us from human connections, mentoring and coaching in the workplace offer great potential for innovation, insight and collective growth.

Service

Forty-nine year old Steve Carell apparently noticed how hard out the Pizza restaurant he was at, that he donned an apron and spent an hour serving, answering phone calls and mucking it up in the kitchen.  In Jeff Hadens 9 Beliefs of Remarkably Successful People  number 6 is Volunteers always win (yes take these quick lists with a grain of salt but if it works you know!).

I saw the movie Cafe de flore today. It’s too early to process what it’s all about but it’s a bit about exorcising some connections that don’t work where they are and embracing new ones or old ones in a new context.

I’ve been too flat for blogging recently, writing an article for a magazine in the weekend was really hard, but the movie, some great conversation over the last few days (even thanked someone for an involuntary coaching session it lifted me so much) I feel back, as Jasbindar Singh would say, in the groove.  And listening to the song Cafe de flore.  Very groovy tonight.

Simple pieces of service to others can lift them and you immeasurably.  I’m thinking of a Conversation at a Cafe with like-minded people on leadership stuff.  I’ll mention this in the next day or three and get it going.  Service to each other to lift our spirits and our business too.  Sound oblique?  Could be, but just roll with it.  It’ll be fun.  Especially if you’re 49 or think you might run into someone interesting who is.

Stephen

Unofficial start

One of the blogs that came up this week on the WordPress site where this blog is posted was headed “Unofficial start to Summer”.  Driving home this evening late the outside temperature reading was 9.  Not what I’d call the unofficial or any other type of start to Summer.

Winter can be a beautiful time – this is near Whakatane

Of course it’s all about perspectives and living south of the equator – a fair way south – our perspective is very much Winter calling.

Recently I had a bout of chest infection with coughing that seemed to go on an on.  Perhaps all that flying and mixing with strangers in the compressed environment wasn’t so good for me afterall!  Winter is definitely on the way and I notice myself feeling ever so slightly morose when it’s dark early and cold.  Why is that? I have heating, and it always gets dark at some point anyway.  So why should the blackening sky blacken the mood.

I’ve noticed it in the past, but for some reason been more conscious of it this year.  Perceptions can greatly impact how we feel about each other and often those perceptions are right.  If I’m told I appear stressed (like I was today!) then there’s a good chance I was. Or the perception might be wrong, but it’ll be a good excuse for a conversation between colleagues.

So how about an unofficial start to feedback with a comment about perceptions?  You don’t need to accuse or state anything.  Just “My perceptions is that you appear……..” – you fill in the blank which might be happy/anxious/overworked/mindful/unfocussed – and see where it takes you.  If it doesn’t fire, it’s unofficial, so no harm done.

But I’d say probably a lot of good will be done.

Stephen

Being Number One

I’ve been hearing quite a lot lately about the desire to be Number One. “My goal is to get to the top” or “I want to be number one”. Ambition can drive us to achieve remarkable things both in leadership roles and in our personal quests. What comes first: the goal to get to the top or the the desire to achieve or do the things that can make a difference at the top?

I was fortunate enough to be at a function recently where graduating students were having their final celebrations. Prizes were awarded for top marks. Speeches were made about achievement.

I have goals, both personal and professional and those goals help to guide my actions and, I hope, the meaning that my actions bring. Striving to achieve a goal can bring real focus and attention to what matters, not just doing the “things” that need to be done.

If my only goal was to be “number one” for whatever that means, now might be a good time to pause and reflect on what it will mean to be top dog; who is it for; and what purpose can only be achieved by getting to this place.

I might also think about who I’m wanting to be Number One for. And think about who is watching and why I need them to notice that I’m going for the top.

Not much was said in the achievement speeches about doing what has purpose and making a difference through new skills. Or leading others to grow. I left with a feeling that what was admired was the pursuit of going to the the top over and above what that might mean.

Being number one. We already all are in our own world. Wise leaders know that and use what they bring to add meaning and purpose to those around them.

Without worrying about what others are thinking about position or title.

Stephen