While the experts pontificate on which direction the economic climate is headed, thousands of professionals go about their day totally unbiased to the chatter. Intellectual enthusiasts debate the next greatest innovations as marketeers sell their wares. Change is as a necessary to the evolution of business as the invention of the integrated circuit was to the computer industry.
Closing the confidence, competence gap is as challenging as navigating a lunar landing. It is precise, predictive and requires massive amounts of communication. Creative, forward thinking professionals are the catalysts for closing this gap. Innovators are creating new learning management systems (LMS) using cutting edge technology to engage their leadership team. Developing a learning platform is as an important measurement as an asset is to the balance sheet. Successful organizations are constantly reinventing themselves through the implementation of structured developmental learning programs.
Having a thorough understanding for how leadership is showing up consistently is essential for creating a conducive culture. The leader’s intention is more important than any other responsibility that individual contributes to the team. It also matters how this intention is deployed, how contagious it is, and how effectively that energy shifts from person to person. The leader must have absolute clarity to the type of experience they are trying to create and ultimately, what that outcome will look like.
There is generally, apprehension relating to what can only be considered as the “soft” elements of leadership. Thereby the complexity of leadership and the strategies produce strong but, paradoxical messages.
Joseph Clementi
6 ways to identify forward-thinking leaders:
- They know what they want. Leaders have clarity for what they want and devise a game plan for what is required to accomplish the specific goal.
- They pull the team in the direction of the activities to produce the results. Results are in direct proportion to massive action taken towards accomplishing goals. Anthony Robbins says, “if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do occasionally that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.”
- They are willing to take more calculated risks. Leaders understand failure is a prerequisite to achieve results and they are willing to make more mistakes.
- They are inspiring, contagious, and that positive energy elevates others. Leaders challenge others to pull the rope in unison. No one wants to be pushed towards and objective or goal. “Leaders understand they catch and spread what it is they are committed to.” – Anese Cavanaugh
- They feel guilty when success eludes them. Good leaders bear a strong connection between performance obligations and achievement. Guilt is an essential indicator that you have the right person on the team. Leaders take responsibility for their failures and share successes. They never shift blame onto others when failure occurs and always praise their team for victories.
- The mental cognizance of “ANT”. A-N-T is known simply as, auto-negative-thinking. Effective leaders proactively manage internal conversations that drain attention, focus, and emotional energy. High-performance leaders have the mental acuity to respond positively to the right stimulus.
The business climate has forced companies to re-think the conventional employee-client interaction policies that have been dogged for years. Leadership teams adapt their approach to coordinate activities with employees. The process must generate reciprocity among teams engaging customers. Reciprocity in the business environment means the rewards commensurate with the efforts.
Emotion frames the employee-customer encounter. It is vital to not think like an economist when assessing those interactions. There is inherent value in cultivating measured leadership qualities from a variety of personnel across a broad spectrum of personalities and qualifications. High-performance, growth-minded organizations experience sustainability because the cornerstone of their success is the development of their leadership.
“Within the genetic structure of a successful organization it is paramount for continued growth to have a learning development orientated thought-leader.”
Joseph Clementi