First, to all of our Chinese readers and friends of China readers “Happy National Day & Mid-Autumn Festival”

“The Power of Leadership”

Do you know of someone in your department, division or organization that is always saying “if I were the leader, things would be different”. Perhaps you are the person saying this, or at least, thinking it!

As a manager, I always liked it when one of the people on my team would challenge how we were doing things. Many new ideas or at least new ways of dealing with issues can be discovered by listening to what these people are saying. If you are a person who is “thinking” that things would be different if I were the leader, allow me to provide you with some questions you might think through before stating out load you thoughts. Think of the areas of the company under your scope of responsibility as you think through these questions. How do the answers effect your areas of responsibility as well as the company as a whole?

* Are there areas in your department/company that you feel make major, exceptional contributions to the overall success of your department/company?
* Are there areas or functions that do not quite measure up?
* Are there areas that need new blood or revitalization? Sometimes moving people around to different functions or departments can have amazing effects. New eyes see what others sometimes miss.
* Looking at all the functional areas in your department/company and at the strength of the people in them, which ones do you feel are meeting, exceeding, or falling short of expectations and can significantly help or hinder the department/company from moving forward?
* Who are the “rising stars” who possess strong leadership qualities within your department/company?
* What is it about these individuals that makes you feel they are highly capable?
* Are any of these people ready to be utilized in a different or bigger role elsewhere in the department/company?
* Who are the “key contributors” whose departures, if unexpected, might hinder your department/company from going forward? How?
* Describe the kind of people who are best suited for success in your department/company’s culture. What are the characteristics of those who have a hard time “fitting in” here? Can you cite any examples of people who “don’t fit”?
* What is the top issue regarding people and human capital needs in your department/company?
* Who would you be concerned might leave within the next few months? Why?
* If you were the leader, what people and organizational changes would you make? Why?

You need to think through some of these issues before you put you hand up and say, “Things would be different around here if I were the leader”!

“Do my behaviors set the example for the kind of healthy, collaborative culture I want to establish in my group?” … Martha I. Finney

Have A Good Day!

Russ

Russ M. Miller, LLIF – Chairman & CEO
Performance Institute (Human Capital Development)
Global CEO Academy (Management Training)
Sunny Hong Zhang – Managing Partner – China
Shawn M. Miller – Managing Partner – USA

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