Liz Cassidy, founder of Third Sigma International is an author, Speaker, Trainer and Executive and Performance Coach dedicated to facilitating results in the businesses, professional and personal lives of her clients. For more information http://www.thirdsigma.com.au
Business leaders today at all levels in organisations are facing more stresses and tasks than at any time in the past. Even though we also have more tools at our disposal to manage these tasks, we are also bombarded with more information and data to process than ever before. In this environment it is all too easy for leaders to make mistakes and in most instances staff are patient and forgiving of these honest slips.
However, there is one area where staff are not willing to compromise. This is the area of management versus leadership. It is too easy to forget that there are times to lead and times to manage, and it is too easy to slip into management mode when under stress.
If you or your team are experiencing "people issues" look for this rule of thumb:
Manage the processes and the procedures, but, Lead, guide & teach the people.
If there are problems, check if your leadership team is confusing managing with leading.
It really is that simple - not that easy - but certainly that simple.
A truly effective leader has a genuine concern for the success of those he leads, treating all staff members as individuals, giving credit, and ensuring that he is making his people look good.
A great leader keeps the objective out in front as a vision, as simple as possible. He is always promoting understanding, always acting as a role model, living the organisations values, walking his talk. He gets out of the way of his people so that they can get on with their work, and achieve their goals
An effective leader will make the difference between success and failure in an organisation. Great processes and systems will support leadership, but are never a substitute.
- Related Articles
- Related Q&A
- Business Manager Understand the Secrets of Self Management Leadership
- Management Leadership Tips
- Managers Leadership Training
- Spending Training Dollars Wisely. Management Leadership Training
- The Three Conversations of Leadership: Management Leadership Training
- Sales Force Management & Leadership: Increase Profitability By Understanding your Sales Team
- How Should Leadership Within a Business Change in a Recession?
- Leadership Development - Leadership Styles and Training
Greed, Money, And Its Effect On Managing
By: Craig Nathanson | 24/11/2009The organizational drive to increase margins, lower costs, improve productivity continues to be the main emphasis in business.
The Fishy Challenges of Leadership in Business
By: Deanne Earle | 23/11/2009Talented leaders soon start to resemble hopeful salmon battling upstream when leading organisations on a tortuous journey ahead while dealing with the problems that leaders face in challenged organisations. This article looks at leadership impact on organisational challenges while discussing the views of William Tate's book on the subject.
Multicultural leadership
By: Javier Palomarez | 22/11/2009Multicultural leadership focuses on welfare, unity and harmony among employees. It does not focus on anyone individual but believes in a mutual relationship.
Microsoft Office 2010 Moves to the Cloud
By: Sparxoo | 20/11/2009When Canadian company i4i sued Microsoft this past August, watchdogs in the software community predicted that the move would encourage Microsoft to bring up their plans for a move to cloud computing much earlier than planned – and it looks like they were right. In addition to the announcements of a new and improved version of Internet Explorer and a major update of the Silverlight runtime platform at this week’s Microsoft at the…
What I Admire In A Good CEO
By: Spicer Matthews | 18/11/2009I have to admit, I am a CEO stalker. Not in the creepy sit outside their house kinda of way. However, I must admin I did drive by Warren Buffet’s office and house a few time. When I say I am a stalker I am more of an admirer. I am someone that loves getting inside the mind of a great CEO (or CEO type person). I read as much as I can about them, I watch all the interviews, I track the performance of their companies and more. Some CEO’s are very hard to follow and some are very easy to follow.
Focused and Effective Coaching
By: Be! Coaching | 18/11/2009I read a couple of books lately that have really inspired me. One is The Jackrabbit Factor by Leslie Householder. This is a great story about a guy who is depressed about his life as he is dealing with the very common, difficult situations we all experience at some point. He finds himself in a strange sort of dreamland where people are scrambling around in what appears to be the “rat race” of life.
Importance of Leadership Development
By: Elle Wood | 17/11/2009Leadership training is based on the company and the leadership development training differs from one company to the other. It should be very industry specific, however with certain foundations that cross borders.
Turn your Skills into Money
By: Hayat Fethia Bouamama | 16/11/2009Skills and hobbies are the best channel to make money easy.
Developing Effective Communication Skills - Don't Interrupt
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/11/2009 | ManagementSo many times I see frustration on faces of people being interrupted. I hear potentially useful channels of communication being shut down. All for the sake of getting a point across. Don’t interrupt - again so simple and so obvious. We have all seen the couple who finish each others sentences because they are in tune. This is not what I am talking about.
Developing Effective Communication Skills - Listen
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/11/2009 | LeadershipI have long been an observer of people, and whenever I get the opportunity I also eavesdrop on their conversations. So if you see me hanging out in a coffee shop at the table next to you, be prepared for me to listen in! One of the things I love to listen to is how people just don’t listen to each other. They talk at, over and around each other but miss the deep in-the-moment opportunities which cement and advance relationships.
Passive Assertive or Aggressive – What’s the Difference?
By: Liz Cassidy | 02/10/2008 | Self HelpWe can define assertiveness by placing it on a continuum between passiveness and aggression and making a contrast with them.
Leading or Managing?
By: Liz Cassidy | 14/09/2008 | Leadershipt is too easy to forget that there are times to lead and times to manage, and it is too easy to slip into management mode when under stress. If you or your team are experiencing "people issues" look for this rule of thumb: Manage the processes and the procedures, but, Lead, guide & teach the people.
Facing Reality – Handling Disappointments
By: Liz Cassidy | 17/08/2008 | Goal SettingLike many of you I have been relishing the feats and records at the Beijing Olympics this last week. The results have been a Goal Setting 101 course on focus, action; repetition, and celebration.
Maybe Tomorrow?
By: Liz Cassidy | 03/08/2008 | CoachingWhat is your unique offering to your client base or to your organisation? How do you stand out from the masses?
Maximising your Communication When Replying to Emails
By: Liz Cassidy | 12/04/2006 | BusinessAnswering emails has the same importance as answering telephone messages. Usually an email may more usefully be replied to with a phone call rather than another email (think about that)
Getting the Most From Your Emails
By: Liz Cassidy | 12/04/2006 | BusinessSome 93% of communication is in body language and tone. So with the written word as in this text, emails are words on a screen, or on paper if printed. Whilst email is designed to make our working lives easier, it totally messes things up if used inappro