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Todays Information Age is Changing the Dynamics of Leadership Roles
The model of leadership as we knew it in the Industrial Age has undergone a massive face-lift. The “command and control” approach no longer works in the Information Age, which is based on a more participative leadership style (rather than authoritarian) -thereby creating more equality between the leader and the follower.
This is because the older, more authoritarian approach does not work with the empowered employees in the current Information Age.
This is the reason why leaders and executives cannot succeed if they lack self-awareness.
Needless to say, the leader of a global organization needs a variety of skills and talents ‘and no single leader could possibly possess all of them at any given time. Today’s leader is faced with financial issues, marketing issues, legal issues, human capital issues, team and leadership issues, technological issues … the list is endless.
Good leaders need to have an innate understanding of their specific skills sets as well as limitations -the type of personal mastery, which helps them become aware of the fact that they cannot possibly deal with every single issue or challenge.A good Executive Coach can help the executive or leader achieve personal mastery and help them cope with the challenges in a much more effective manner.
Effective leaders do not micro-manage their team. They know how to let-go of the day-to-day activities of the business and focus on strategic decision-making to provide strong direction for the organization.They open themselves up to receive feedback from their followers.
In order to be effective, leaders need to recognize the critical difference between what they need to do as compared to what they could possibly delegate to their team.
Behavioral-based Executive Coaching can help in this direction. Developing personal mastery begins with closely watching your own performance. You should make a note of areas in which you shine and the ones you need to polish. Accept these and communicate the same to your team. It is also imperative that leaders acknowledge the fact that making mistakes will only take them closer to success.
Great leaders are aware of the impact they have on others, and are comfortable giving themselves well as others credit for improving.
In today’s Information Age, decisions are made jointly between leaders and followers, who share an equal ground rather than a hierarchical one as was the case in the days past. This has largely changed the corporate culture -where it is now commonplace for leaders to willingly accept feedback from their team. The leadership style has turned into a more participative one, which is conducive to open communication and where mutual trust and respect is paramount.
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For more information on this article, please visit http://exec.actioncoach.com/leadership-in-todays-lnformation-age.php OR for to find an Executive Coach, go to http://exec.actioncoach.com/find-an-executive-coach.php
How to Control Your Career
It’s not the economy, the job, or your boss that will control your career, it’s you. Don’t leave your success in someone else’s hands – control your career with these four simple steps.
Focus on your long term goals:
Look beyond your current situation and don’t be afraid to take on the ‘grunt’ work. Do the tasks well and recognize the long term rewards of these efforts. Always place yourself in a position to take on added responsibility.
Keep your expectations realistic:
Don’t set yourself up for failure by having unrealistically high expectations. Be clear on your goals and the actions needed to achieve them. Work within your abilities and only on what you can control.
Take responsibility for what you do:
Take ownership of your successes and failures. Understand your responsibilities and make sure they’re clear. Be accountable for all that you do and don’t dwell on the mistakes – learn and move forward.
Know the difference between action and attitude:
A positive attitude and the way you think are certainly important, but it is how you act that’s significant. It’s the old adage “you can talk the talk, but can you walk the walk” on which you’ll be judged. Accept what you can’t control and act on what you can.
When all is said and done, the positive actions you take on a daily basis will help you control your career.
Time Management Techniques to Overcome Too Much Workload
Having too much workload can be very stressful. So as not to compromise health, apply the following best time management techniques in order to live a balanced life namely: make a list of scheduled activities, identify your objectives, apportion time equally, plan your approach, know your capacity, delegate tasks, utilize time management tools, and relax.
Stress at work is completely inevitable. It is part of the pay since the company exists to generate revenue; employers pass the pressure to its people by expecting the most out of them. Although you are compensated to work, it does not mean you have to work hardly as if tomorrow will never come. Do not put your health at risk by getting exhausted from too much load. Therefore, if you want to be efficient in whatever you do, manage your time properly by following these simple tips:
Make a list of scheduled activities
List down all the things you need to do for the day. Arrange them from the highest to least priority, so that you can sort out which one needs utmost importance. Be realistic; include only those you can handle for the day, so that you will not end up having a long list, which is almost impossible to achieve. Having a long list of “to-do” things can be frustrating especially if you find out that you have not accomplished 50 percent of the total number of things listed.
Identify your objectives
Once you are done with the list, you need to know what your objectives are to be able to properly manage your time. Identify what you want to accomplish, so that you can carry on with your tasks spontaneously.
Apportion time equally
Since not all tasks require the same length of time, be able to give an approximation for each task, so that you can equally distribute your time. By doing this, you will not end up bringing your works at home.
Plan your approach
Now that you have allocated your time properly, decide on what approach to use, so that work will be smooth sailing. As a suggestion, arrange things from easiest to the most difficult or you may also categorize them according to nature and scope of work. This will make your job more convenient because you won’t get stuck on one task that will consume most of your time.
Know your capacity
Refusing a task once in a while will not affect your performance especially if your reason for not accepting is your being overloaded. It is not proper to just accept everything what your boss requires even if you know he is getting overboard. By refusing a given task is something you should not be worried of. This only shows that you know what your limits are and that you do not want to compromise your work by producing low-quality results.
Delegate tasks
Asking for assistance is a common occurrence in a work place. Every person has its own field of expertise; therefore, it is understandable that sometimes delegating a task to other competent workers is a sensible thing to do. If you think that you can’t make it on your own, you might as well give it to your co-worker who is much knowledgeable and experienced than you.
Utilize time management tools
For beginners who have just started getting organized, you may make use of tools that are useful when managing time. From the various tools available such as organizer, watch, beepers, electronic reminders – pick something that you are comfortable with. By the time you get accustomed to setting routines, you may gradually get rid of these tools.
Relax
In case you feel like you can’t bear the load anymore, the best thing to do is to relax for a moment. No matter how willing your body is, but your mind is not working anymore; you will turn out unproductive and lousy.
No matter how busy life may be, make sure to take care of your health by practicing time management techniques. Do not allow stress to defeat you in the end because after all it is just a matter of getting organized.
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For more information on time management techniques, kindly visit this site: http://www.best-of-time-management.com for tips and strategies.
Self Improvement – How to Make a Good First Impression
In the busy modern world the good first impression is vital for success in your career and in your personal life as well. You often get one shot and if you miss it, you can ruin some great prospects for your future. This does not have to happen – you can be successful in networking and in building strong relationships. All you need to do is use some basic techniques.
It is of great importance for you to be self confident. Remember that people rely on their intuition to assess you when they first meet you so try not to express anxiety or fear. Try to think of all your valuable qualities and the great aspects of your personality.
Be yourself – this is one of the essential rules for making a good first impression. Just like the nervousness, the lie may not be obvious, but can still be sensed. Be honest about who you are and behave naturally. The trick is not to make the conversation or your gestures too personal.
Be positive and open to the person you are presented and talking to. Always smile politely even if it is only with your eyes. Show attentiveness with your gestures. Look the person in the eye, but without making them uncomfortable.
Work on your communicative skills. Pay great attention to what the other person has to say and be prepared to ask them a question that will allow for the continuation of the conversation. Use gestures such as nodding as well as short phrases that show you are interested.
You should definitely dress appropriately for the occasion – whether it is a job interview or a company party. Always be in line with the dress code and do not try to make an impression with an unconventional look.
Always have business cards with you and give them to the people you are talking to. This makes you look serious plus you will certainly get a card in return
Leadership Skills – The Art of Communication
Having exceptional communications skills is one of the most valuable assets of a leader. If you cannot communicate your wants and needs in a clear and concise manner, no other leadership skills will compensate for this lack. Fortunately, these skills are easily learned if you have the right coach.
Here are a few tips to help you build your competency in giving and receiving information.
Receiving Information: To be an effective listener, you need to encourage others to speak freely.
1. Use Body Language. Show interest by leaning forward, paying attention, nodding in agreement, taking notes, and so forth.
2. Be engaging. Greet new ideas with interest.
3. Be attentive. Give the individual you are speaking with your undivided attention.
4. Be focused. Maintain good eye contact throughout the conversation.
5. Be familiar. Use the individual’s name.
6. Be approachable. Smile, relax, and be friendly.
One important step that often gets overlooked is the need to verify the information. This step will insure there were no misunderstandings. You simply repeat what you thought you heard and give the other person a chance to clarify anything you may have missed or misunderstood in the conversation.
Giving Information: To be an effective communicator you must encourage active listening to insure you have gotten your message across.
1. Give clear and consise instructions.
2. Use Visuals. Many people are visual learners. The use of charts, graphs and demonstrations will help make your meaning clear.
3. Use your voice. Varying the tone of your voice will not only keep your listener’s attention, it can help you to add emphasis to important pieces of information.
4. Be understood. Do not use terminology or vocabulary that is above your listener’s comprehension. Use terms and language everyone understands.
5. Maintain eye contact. Watch for signs and body language that might indicate your listener doesn’t understand or you are losing their attention.
6. Interact. Ask questions and encourage your listener to ask questions. Never judge the quality of the question asked. Remember your goal is to get your message across and be certain it is fully understood.
If you follow these tips, you will be developing good leadership skills in effective communication. Once you are a good communicator people will naturally turn to you for advice and guidance.
Career Coaching For Women- Planning Now To Be A Leader Tomorrow
Now, more than ever, is the time for women to include strong leadership development in their career planning strategies. Women of the baby boomers era have opened many doors in upper management for the women of today. In the past, very few females were ever considered for board of directors positions within the Fortune 500 companies that make up corporate America. Those statistics are rapidly changing.
According to American Demographics, “Women are becoming visible at the top of corporate ladders, but remain few and far between. Female executives and male CEOs often agree about what helps women get ahead, but not about what holds them back. Senior-level women set priorities to achieve balance in their lives. Companies seeking to make the most of women’s talents should do the same.
Conditions have never been more favorable for women to ascend to leadership in all sectors of the U.S. economy. Women aged 45 to 54, of prime age to attain senior management positions, will account for more than one-third of all net additions to the nation’s work force between 1994 and 2005, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics projections.
Three factors drive this inexorable trend. First, the massive baby-boom generation will swell this age group during the next decade. Second, labor force participation rates among women aged 45 and older will rise as boomers replace a less well-educated, less career-oriented cohort of women. And third, men’s labor force participation at older ages will continue its long-term gradual decline. These demographic developments virtually ensure that utilizing female talent will continue to gain prominence as an issue for U.S. employers in the years ahead.
A pioneering generation of American women has already begun to attain top positions in the nation’s largest corporations. Although no Fortune 500 company boasts a female CEO today, Catalyst has documented substantial progress of women in big business in recent years. At the apex of corporate decision-making, women now hold about 10 percent of seats on boards of directors of Fortune 500 corporations, according to the 1995 Catalyst Census of Female Directors. Eighty-one percent of these companies had at least one woman on their boards last year, up from 69 percent just two years earlier. What’s more, companies are moving beyond the tokenism of a single female director; 165 of the Fortune 500 now have two or more women on their boards.”
If you are aspiring to advance to the upper echelon of corporate America, you need to map out your course of action early in your career to acquire the necessary skills in communication, leadership and achieving balance in your life. Career and life coaching is no longer solely for the rich and famous. It should be considered your source for ongoing, post-graduate education. Reaching your career goals will be much more easily attained when you have someone with experience guiding you through all of the important choices you must make on your way to the top.
To Do or Not To Do – The Key To Organized Time Management
Time Management Strategies
Keeping a To Do list sounds like such a trivial thing but it is the key to never missing a deadline and managing your time more effectively. If you do not use a list you will undoubtedly miss something or forget an important detail which results in you appearing unprofessional or unreliable. The secret is to use the list properly.
To get started just write down everything you hope to accomplish today. If you get into the habit of jotting down notes of things to do over the course of your day you can use it to plan your To Do list for the next day.
Now categorize the tasks on your To-Do List as follows.
- Need to do: These are the tasks that require immediate attention. Anything urgent or aproaching deadline would go in this category.
- Have to do: These are the routine things that you do on a daily basis that are not high priority but must be accomplished daily.
- Ought to do: This category is for the tasks that are performed only ocassionally. Things like staying in contact with past clients, networking, planning future projects, etc.
- Want to do: Cleaning and reorganizing your office space, and other low priority tasks.
Tip. Break large projects down into manageable time blocks allowing you to complete them in intervals, if possible, over the course of several days.
Anything not accomplished today must be transferred to your To Do list for tomorrow and moved up the list depending on their importance. Do not be too concerned if your “ought to do and Want to do” categories don’t get completed for several months. They are very low priority and must only be done after the important tasks are completed. By keeping a prioritized list of things to do you will never miss a deadline and will not waste time performing low level jobs in place of the ones that really matter.
Check each task off your list as you complete it. This gives you a greater sense of accomplishment and a better feeling that your time was well spent. Without a To Do list your time management can’t be visualized and monitored.
Time Management-How Much More Could You Achieve In A Day With Just One Extra Hour of Time?
Time Management Strategies
Many of us feel like we are run off our feet but still can’t keep up with everything that needs to be done because of poor time management. How many times have you felt like there just aren’t enough hours in the day? If you are feeling overworked and overloaded it makes sense to take a look at just how your time is spent. The best way to do this is to keep a time management journal.
When you start recording the length of time you spend doing unimportant tasks and routines you may find that you have an extra hour in your day that could be spent more productively. Making better use of your time can go a long way towards reducing your stress and increasing your productivity.
By keeping a log of your time you will also learn to recognize when you are functioning at your peak performance. We all have times of the day when our energy levels are at their highest, our mind is focused and we can dig in and get an amazing volume of work accomplished in a short amount of time. Learning to plan your work around your peak times and scheduling your breaks in your down times will make better use of your time.
For the next week, record the time whenever you move from one activity to another.
Jot down not only work time but also time spent chatting with colleagues, making coffee, having lunch, checking email, talking on the phone and breaks.
At the same time, make note of your mood. Are you feeling energetic or lethargic; creative or mentally drained; tired or alert?
A good idea is to also include your eating habits in the log. Your energy bursts or lack of energy may be directly related to the last time you ate and what you consumed.
After a week it is time to analyze the results. You may be surprised to see just how much time is spent on non-work related or low value jobs. Now start crossing off tasks that should be delegating to a lower paid employee.
1. Eliminate non-productive activities such as personal emails, personal phone calls, reserve lunch hour and break-times for socializing with coworkers.
2. Schedule the tasks that require the most focus and presents the most challenge during the times when you have the most energy and alertness.
3.Complete your tasks in blocks of time. Reduce the amount of times you switch tasks. Check and answer emails only twice per day; once in the morning and once in the afternoon instead of checking every time you switch tasks.
By analyzing your time you should be able to find blocks of time that your are currently wasting. Often just having to write down the time makes you more aware and accountable and you may find that while you are keeping the journal you are being more productive. If that is the case then you should continue keeping an activity log.
11 ESSENTIAL TIPS FOR BUILDING SELF-CONFIDENCE
1.When speaking with someone always make eye contact.
2.Never lose control of your emotions in public.
3.Have an open mindset to change, but do not negotiate your principles.
4.Stand your ground and be confident with your ideas.
5.Don’t beat yourself up for making mistakes. Learn from them and move on. No one is perfect.
6.Always sit and stand with good posture.
7.Dress the part for any occasion you are confronted with.
8.Remind yourself daily that you are a “Successful Female Attorney”. Only you can define your success.
9.Do not allow others to intimidate you and control your life. They have no right to do so.
10.Believe in your abilities to reach your goals. Others can tell when you doubt yourself.
11.Do not let anyone demean you in front of other people. It is a flood gate for others to follow suit and treat you the same way.
Source: Professional Woman Network (PWN)
Steps for Female Attorneys to Survive Stress
20 Steps for Female Attorneys to Survive the Stress in Today’s Economy
1. Organize. Disorganization produces confusion and stress. Organization establishes an element of predictability.
2. Seek opportunity from challenges. We reduce our stress when we use it as an opportunity.
3. Create an environment that reduces stress. Our environment influences how we feel in many situations.
4. Do not procrastinate. Procrastination is a stress producer.
5. Choose your friends carefully. Choosing positive individuals to be your friend is a key to minimizing stress. It allows you to share your burden, increase your strengths, and create solutions to problems.
6. Eat well. Take vitamins as well as eat nutritious foods. It would be wise to take very good care of yourself physically and mentally to have good stamina.
7. Exercise regularly. This is a great means for releasing stress.
8. Get proper rest. We need rest to regain energy.
9. Recognize your values. Focus on what is important to you.
10. Properly channel your anger. Discuss your anger issues with a friend or professional and develop a healthy release for your anger.
11. Do a reality check. Take a step back from life and reflect on the reality. What can you change, have control over and accept in your life?
12. Stabilize your situation. Be open and honest to yourself.
13. Decrease life distractions. Discover your own getaway where you can relax.
14. Keep a sense of humor. Learn to laugh at yourself.
15. Do not participate in gossip. This creates a stressful circumstance for others.
16. Treat yourself. Get a spa treatment or stay in a luxury hotel.
17. Pace Yourself. Manage your time well to avoid anxiety.
18. Don’t be a SuperWoman. Refrain from saying “yes” to every request.
19. Learn stress reducing techniques. Keep items with you that help with your stressful situations.
20. Develop your spiritual life. Prayer, mediation and spiritual reflection are “peaceful to the soul”. Discover ways to become more centered with your life.
Source: Professional Woman Network (PWN)