Leadership and Power

Leadership, for many, means power - power over the actions of others, power over the direction of the business, power over conversations and decisions, power over results. As people climb the corporate ladder and gain power, they begin to use it more and more to influence the results that they want. And then one day, if they are lucky, or if someone cares enough to help them learn it, they learn about the paradox between leadership and power. Exerting power does indeed influence results, but the impact is negative. Those who want to become successful leaders for the long term find that they essentially have to make a choice between leadership and power, between control and results. A recent study by Leigh Plunkett Tost from University of Washington, Francesca Gino from Harvard and Richard P. Larrick of Duke takes a much closer look at the negative impact of power on achieving results and leading teams. Their research uncovered many negative impacts of power including the two related points below taken directly from their research:

• Power leads individuals to dominate social interactions and to engage in greater amounts of talking, which inhibits input from others.
• Leader power decreases perceptions of leader openness and diminishes team performance.

Essentially, what they learned from their research is that leaders who try to direct the outcome of a situation end up influencing the outcome to the point that they cause it be less successful. In our effort as leaders to drive results, we can easily end up driving the wrong ones. Teams that listen to all of the available ideas, communicate effectively and work collaboratively come up with better solutions. As leaders using position power, we make a mess of that successful process. This doesn't mean that we have to be power hungry dictators with evil intentions to compromise the team's efforts. It's often done with the best of intentions in mind. 

Usually we just want to help the team get to a great solution and, naturally, we have an idea what that great solution should look like or we probably wouldn't have the job of leading that team. The problem comes when we help too much by dominating the conversation, exerting our influence or not listening well enough to competing ideas. We have to remember that as the leader, people see our ideas as having more authority, more experience behind them and, because we are the boss, are the most likely to be implemented. Most people jump on the boss's idea bandwagon pretty quickly and abandon the competing, and sometimes more effective, solution. People like being on the side of the winning solution. So if we want to help the team, or even an individual, reach the best solution, and we don't want to influence the process to the point of destroying it, what do we do? Well there are many ways for us to guide others without imposing our will. For starters try these:

• Ask open-ended questions that don't convey your preferences or ideas. Things like "what will help us solve this problem effectively and also prevent it from happening again?" "What if there were no limits to money or time, would we think about this differently?" "Who has thoughts that we haven't heard yet on this subject?"





• Challenge them if they are settling for an easy fix or a quick but less than optimal approach. Use questions like "have we considered all of our possible options here?" Or "who else might have some information or experience we need to make the best decision on this subject?" These kinds of interactions also position us as someone who cares about the best solution and not the one we come up with on our own.


• Push the group to come up with great solutions or ideas and then support the ones they settle on. If you end up changing their ideas into your own version of their ideas it simply tells them that next time it doesn't matter what they think, you're going to do what you want anyway. If that happens, count on solving most of the problems your self from here on out.

As leaders we have the power to help others become their best. We lose that when we want them to simply duplicate our best. We work hard to hire, coach, train and develop people who can help our organization move into it's better future. Let them do that. Let them do it with all of the energy and engagement that they can muster and understand that your leadership enables them, your power competes with them.

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Leadership Qualities List - Top 10 Qualities Of A Good Leader

I've put together this leadership qualities list because I feel it is very important for anyone aspiring to lead people to success to know and understand the exact type of person that people consciously and unconsciously desire to follow. Pay attention to how a lot of these characteristics fit together and impact the others.

I've been on a personal mission to master these qualities to achieve greater success within the network marketing industry; however the characteristics on this leadership qualities list will apply to great leadership in all areas of life.

Self-confidence & Belief- I feel this is the most important trait on this leadership qualities list, because without it most of the other qualities on the list wouldn't be possible. If you don't yet believe in yourself, begin to change the way you feel through the use of positive affirmations and incantations every day.

It is only when you have self-confidence that other people will begin to follow you. If you don't believe me, ask yourself if you would follow someone who was unsure of themselves?

Self-Awareness & Self-Mastery- I like to refer to what I've learned is the "warrior awareness" to describe this trait, because you must truly be able to master your inner game.

This means that you must be able to control your mind, your thoughts, your feelings and desires at all times. This self-awareness and mastery is essential especially in times of conflict or confrontation. The best way to gain control when your mind or emotions start to take over is to breathe deeply.

This is #2 on the leadership qualities list because you will often have to deal with people or situations that would make someone who's not in control of their mind and feelings absolutely curl up and die. Also, it's essential to master this to maintain your focus so that you can accomplish everything that must be done in a leadership position.

Patience- This quality will grow much stronger only after you've truly mastered yourself. When you can control your emotions and thoughts, you will be able to maintain patience even in the most stressful situations.

You often hear the phrase "patience is a virtue", and this is very true. Having patience will allow you to be more understanding of another's situation or position, which will ultimately allow you to better lead that person toward their goal.

Understanding & Empathy- Notice how this leadership qualities list ties together. Having patience will allow for better understanding and empathy towards a team mates thoughts, feelings, situation, etc... Only when you truly understand someone can you truly help that person. Reason being there is no 1 solution that is the fix-all. We cannot use the "Duct-Tape method" when it comes to fixing people's problems.

Attentiveness- This leadership qualities list would not be complete without this important trait. Gaining "warrior awareness" will lead to you paying close attention to everything going on around you in the moment. It is only what is happening right here and now that is important for everything to move forward, especially when you're dealing with people. If you're un-attentive you'll never be able to have a true understanding of what your team needs to succeed. This is also going to play into the power of influence, because you will not be able to influence a person without knowing what they really need.

Integrity- I almost can't put a rating on any one trait in this leadership qualities list, because they all are equally important. You would be able to lead people and become successful, but if you want to maintain your position for an extended period of time you'll have to gain your team's trust. You must do things for the over-all good of the team and not just think about yourself or the here-and-now. Sure you can make a quick buck in network marketing or any form of sales if you don't care about others, but it will never last.

Decisiveness- This is perhaps 1 of the easiest and most difficult qualities to master. The leadership qualities list wouldn't be complete without decisiveness. You must possess all 9 of the other qualities in order to achieve this trait, or at least to effectively be decisive.

Pay attention to that last sentence, because you can be decisive and reckless at the same time. A leader can and will make decisions quickly based on intuition, and will usually sticks with that decision long enough to know if it was a good decision or not.

If you're someone who takes weeks to make a 50 cent decision, opportunity will certainly pass you by.

Takes Initiative- Once you've made a decision in your mind the next step would be to take action. A leader is willing to take initiative with a total uncertainty of success or failure. Again this doesn't mean that you should be reckless, but you must be willing to lose some battles in order to learn how to win bigger battles.

Taking initiative also means that you don't procrastinate in all areas of your life. Followers sit back and wait for the leader to tell them it's safe to take the action. What do you want to be?

Responsibility- Nearing the end of this leadership qualities list is responsibility. You alone are responsible for your success, and when you understand this and can admit to yourself and others when you're not doing what is required, you'll be able to push harder and further to achieve greater success. That being said, you're only partly responsible for the success of your team. You can show them the way, but if they choose not to follow your path, they are responsible for their failures.

Power of Influence- This power is not to be used immorally, which is why I've waited until now to add it to the leadership qualities list. Having a deep desire to truly help other people become successful will increase your power of influence greatly. People can sense if you're someone who wants to help them or not. Therefore the power of influence can only be harnessed after you are able to understand people at their core, and show them that you care about what happens to them.

When you have harnessed the awesome power of influence by developing this awesome leadership qualities list within you, you will not have to convince people to do anything or buy anything. They will simply take action because they desire to.

In closing, take note that it's important for you to begin with self-mastery, so that you have the mindset and control to properly develop the rest of the qualities on this leadership qualities list. It's also essential to develop all of these qualities in order to become a leader. Lastly I want to mention that the power of influence will develop naturally as the other qualities become greater. Work through developing these qualities or characteristics in order, and you'll truly become a great leader.

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Communication That Isn't Perfect

Are you ever worried that your communication isn't perfect? Before your conversation (i.e. in your head), you know what you want to say and how you want to say it. You may have also considered what the other person's thoughts or objections may be. You may even have learnt some new techniques (be it in training or coaching), but when put into practice it doesn't quite work out.

Communication is rarely going to be perfect. No two moments are the same, and no two conversations will be the same. So, rather than give ourselves a hard time if our discussion didn't go to plan, we have a great opportunity to learn from the imperfections!

Stressing out about a conversation, and trying to make it perfect, can only make it harder to do. And by being anxious, you also can't be the most effective YOU.

I remember going into appraisals with my team, concerned about how I was going to say the right thing, especially if it was going to be thought of as criticism. How do I position it, when do I say it, will they accept it or will the barriers go up and we achieve nothing?

Human nature, and therefore communication, is complicated. We have different preferences, different working styles, different tolerances and different motivational needs. We also have different experiences and knowledge we draw upon when we enter any kind of communication. What we hear and how we feel about the conversation is based on our own personal thoughts, and not necessarily what is being said to us.

I've always loved this quote: "I know that you believe that you understand what you think I said, but I'm not sure you realise that what you heard is not what I meant." - Pentagon Spokesman, Robert McCloskey

But we can help ourselves get the best out of our communication style. By relaxing, and accepting that every conversation will be different, we take the pressure off. We are then activating our executive part of our brain, where we can make connections and notice what is happening during the conversation.

To help yourself (and the other party) get the best from the communication:

• Develop self-awareness to understand how your attitudes, behaviours and beliefs contribute to your communication style.
• Develop your leadership skills to understand and appreciate different personality types and motivational needs.
• Develop the confidence to actively listen, make mistakes and encourage people to contribute to discussions.
• Understand how cognitive biases could be at play in your decision making and discussions.
• Take notice of where someone with a different point of view and challenge your thinking on it.

 
When we are not busy stressing about our own "performance" during the conversation, we can watch for tone and facial expressions. We can sense when someone has put their barriers up, or is no longer listening. We can bring authenticity. And therefore, we no longer have to worry about communication that isn't quite perfect.

 

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7 Helpful Tips To Sustain Your Motivation

When it pertains to getting things done, motivation can be hard to come by. Yet, that is precisely what is required. A small amount of motivation is needed to do little, simple things, like brushing your teeth. Larger jobs require more motivation to complete.

But how do you find motivation when you have none?

Discover how to really motivate yourself and you'll achieve more:

1. Use pain. If you cannot complete a specific job, what are the consequences? It may simply be the inconvenience of having more to do the following day. Or it could be the possibility of someone stopping by and seeing how dirty your home is.
Create several good reasons why failing to do complete a task would be painful to you.

2. Use satisfaction. Saving back £25 today might not be too exciting, but the vacation getaway you'll be taking next year is pretty terrific. Remind yourself of all the advantages you'll receive. Make a long list that will help to keep the fire burning inside to effectively handle those undesirable or dull tasks.
Envision the future you expect to enjoy from getting your jobs completed. Rehearse your successes in your mind over and over. Produce an image that motivates you take the next action enthusiastically.

3. Set short-term objectives. It's hard to stay motivated on a goal for more than 8-10 weeks. So, if you have a goal that will require a year to achieve, you'll run out of gas before you achieve success.
Break objectives that take a prolonged amount of time into smaller sized goals that can be achieved within 2 months.
To paraphrase Henry Ford, "If you take a large job, and break it into small parts, you'll make it easy."
 
4. Make the job more satisfying. Raking the leaves might seem like a terrible way to spend the afternoon, but what if you listened to your favorite music while you raked? You could even invite a few friends over for a cookout and ask them each to bring a rake, for a "barbecue raking" party!
Ask yourself, "How can I make this task as pleasurable as possible?" then listen to the responses you get.

5. Give yourself a reward. You would not go to work daily if you didn't earn money. The benefit you get suffices to keep you returning every day. Apply the very same idea to keep your motivation high enough to get things done. Think about a couple of things you truly take pleasure in and utilize them as motivation.

Just feeling pleased with your achievements can be a type of reward. Those that struggle with motivation are often hard on themselves. Enjoy your accomplishments and you can be sure to enjoy more progress in the future.

6. Take a deep breath. Few things will drain your motivation faster than an over-stimulated mind. Stay clear on what you're attempting to achieve and concentrate on the most direct path to obtain it. Deal with one task before moving on to another.
Keep your brain focused on your current job. Meditation is an effective tool for learning how to focus better.

7. Include another person. Going to the fitness center daily can be difficult. However if you know your exercise partner is awaiting you, it's harder to stay home. The presence of others can increase your level of commitment. Reach out to a friend.

Without motivation, willpower is the only option, and willpower is far more difficult to sustain than motivation. Learning how to control your motivation comes with learning how to manage yourself. There's little that can't be accomplished when you find out how manipulate your level of motivation. Even the most difficult jobs end up being manageable.

 

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Self motivation

Being self-motivated and taking initiative is vitally important to most employers. No one wants to babysit a new member of staff through their work. Equally, however, it is not right to simply ignore instructions or advice and do what you feel is right. So how do you get a balance?

What is self-motivation?

Being self-motivated is about doing your job well because you want to, and not simply because it pays your wages. Self-motivated individuals want to be the best they can be regardless of where they work and will often take responsibility for projects even when they do not need to.

Self-motivated individuals tend to:

• Work longer and later than others
• Learn new skills and take regular training courses
• Take ownership of problems
• Become team leaders
• Go above and beyond their job description

Why do employers want self-motivated people?

Self-motivated employees need a lot less managing than less determined individuals, so are highly sought after by recruitment agencies and HR departments.

If you are self-motivated, you will normally want everything you do to be of the highest quality and you will always see the bigger picture that the company is looking at. Self-motivated individuals are motivated by improving themselves, and they only way they can do this is by making the company they work for better.

How can you show you have it?

Desire and self-motivation are difficult qualities to show. Expect to be asked questions about times when you have risen to a challenge or taken control of a situation. Employers are looking for people who have taken charge of a situation and solved it in a creative or innovative way. Fundraising is a good way to show initiative, as is times when you’ve identified a problem and come up with a solution.

You can also demonstrate self-motivation by emphasising the quality of your work and the impact it has had on your studies or previous jobs.







How is self-motivation used in the world of work?

It is much easier to demonstrate self-motivation once you’ve actually landed the job. Little things like getting to work ten minutes early are noticed. Make sure you ask your manager questions and show a desire to do well – if your manager identifies an issue, go away, think about it and try to come up with a solution. Enthusiasm can go a long way.

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Best Methods to Build Rapport - Anthony Robbins