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Management or Leadership?

Simply stated, management ensures that things get done, in accordance with accepted policies, based on the reality of a situation. It involves deciding the how, and the when and often the who. The who can be a cross-over factor in the initial stages. It is doing it right, creating process and systems and insuring efficiency. A manager manages both the process and records the efficiency of the individual’s performance within the process.

Leadership revolves around concepts, ideas and effectiveness, enunciating what is the right avenue, establishing direction, insuring individual and team success, and necessarily implies a following. It is discerning and articulating the what, the determination of what is the right thing and often who is the right person or team. Teaching, an integral part of the process, enables a targeted team to do the right things and do them right.

For an administrative plan to be effective, we must first determine what is the right thing to do. Next we approach the who, how, and when to do it; and finally we must make certain each individual and team is enabled to do, to accomplish it. In other words, we manage the process and we lead the people, educating them as necessary.

Management functions have been classically stated as Planning, Organizing, Leading and Controlling (POLC). Much controversy has arisen surrounding these principles and they have been revised largely depending on the focus of the organization. I would like to offer a perspective based on 6 elements, making room for management and leadership coexistence, each undeniably valuable in the success of any administrative plan. They are establishing objectives, organizing & planning (combined as one element of the process), motivation, communication, employee development, and finally, measurement and analysis.

Each must be addressed in any administrative venture, whether building or rebuilding, or merely tweaking your administration, from the smallest detail to the most comprehensive reorganization. And since there is nothing new on the planet, merely a reshaping of what already exists, each will be familiar to you. Management issues and direction can be effectively delineated based on these six basic functions inherent in the management/leadership process. Each is pertinent to guiding the design, or redesign and implementation of administrative proce-dures.

Establishing Objectives

The process of establishing objectives involves determining a statement of vision, and then setting the goals necessary to achieve that vision. Goals must apply to the team (the organization), the individuals within the team, as well as to those in lead-ership positions. These objectives must be a direct result of the team’s determined purpose, which should ultimately be service, either to an internal or an external client. Each objective must have as its established goal the smoother, more efficient operation of the team (department and/or organization). Each objective must also be in accordance with the acknowledged purpose(s) of the department and the larger organization. This requires interaction not only with the team members, to determine that the they are on track, but with the internal clients, to insure that the goals and objectives are pertinent to their needs, as well as to the organization’s greater purposes. Translating objectives into action requires utilizing all available resources, as well as networking and interfacing with others on the management team organization wide, who have displayed effectiveness in their positions.

Organizing/Planning

Efficiency in this area is critical, in order to implement, clearly and realistically, the goals and objectives enunciated by upper level leadership. This involves the ability and resources to develop well-detailed plans and realistic schedules, while maintaining a critical balance between the vision (broad view) and operation (day-to-day activities).
All the while there must be continuing communication with all levels involved, at all stages of the process. The existing
structure of a department in the case of a redesign is all-important, along with an ability to delegate responsibility, while continuing to monitor and control the outcome.
Structure, though it may be transitional, must be moved to the forefront of the plan, often a challenge in an atmosphere in which performance is occurring hand in hand with design and implementation. It must, however, assume a position of precedence.

Motivation

Motivating is a critical function of any process, one that addresses the issue of control. Motivation provides a purpose, the impetus, for an action, or for changing it. It is complex at best and takes more than one form, depending on the level of the individual or team, the level of the manager, and the product or service provided by the department or organization. It is acknowledged by experts, that the feelings of the individual or team toward the motivator are key to the degree of motivation achieved. It becomes ideal then to have the full cooperation of those directly affected by the process or process change.

There are those who maintain that humans cannot be motivated but are solely self-motivated. Adoption of this viewpoint presents somewhat greater challenges, and it becomes highly beneficial for the leader to have a good understanding of the individuals he is working with. He must know what makes each tick.

The use of unilateral power is an effective form of motivation in situations in which individuals need to be overtly stimulated or influenced to comply with direction, rules, and policies. This is most effective with entry level employees, or those whose responsibilities are basic, repetitive, and easily measurable. It is not an effective long-term motivator for those whose role is largely self-directed. These individuals require a motivation that stimulates their ability to perform independently, fostering a higher performance level, and building a spirit of collaboration within the team.

It is often effective and highly productive to involve key staff members in the design and implementation of administrative procedures, particularly those involving drastic change to the existing structure. It is of utmost importance to keep in mind that humans do not react well to change, regardless of proven benefit to their condition. Change implies upheaval, disturbance of the status quo, and humans will resist it. Involving them in the process, on whatever level seems reasonable, is definitely wise to con-sider.

Communication

Nothing short of great communication is essential. This cannot be over sated. Communication is the dissemination or exchange of information on the true state of the situation, all information being as accurate and understandable as possible. Great communication is timely, pertinent, and requires confirmation that the message has been understood; it is unilateral. The more ways in which information is given, the more believable it is, the more likely it is to initiate action. By means of clear communication from the organization environment, a course of action is determined, and information is provided concerning its relationship to those involved. A manager/leader must be a great communicator, or very simply, goals will not be met. This may not be obvious at once, but will manifest in future, multi-level failures for the organization. It is by this rela-tively simple stumbling block that many truly great plans are crushed.

Employee Development

Developing people is crucial to any organization, and developing existing staff members during a period of growth or alteration of the administrative process is not only practical, but often profitable. Leadership cannot develop people, but can attempt to provide an environment rich in opportunity and resource, in which individuals are encouraged to develop themselves. It is critical to realize when mistakes are a natural part of the learning process, and when they are a valid reason for strong recommendations regarding continuation or termination of an assignment. In the former instance, mistakes viewed positively will generally be enthusiastically corrected.

A critical element in the area of development is appropriate placement. This is an area in which you must simply bite the bullet and assume placement responsibility. You must gain a sound appreciation for the trust placed in you by the successful candidate. This is not the place for a cavalier attitude. If you are experienced at hiring, you also understand that finding a fit for your company and its culture is not the same as fitting the individual to the position. This can be one of the costliest flaws in company procedure, affecting cost and performance on every level. Hiring the right people is only the beginning of the process, and simply assures that your new hire will probably acculturate successfully, submitting readily to the vision and mission of the organization. Place them properly within the organization, and you will have a long-term contributor, one whom can count on during transition and periods of growth.

Another important element of management’s role in employee development is to clarify that the goal is excellence in all pursuits, and to further define excellence as it applies to a specific endeavor. In the majority of instances, employees in such an atmosphere will strive to attain excellence, with little or no external prompting. The assumption is that everyone enjoys success, and most people welcome an achievable challenge. It is necessary to have a clear vision of the point at which development issues end, and poor performance begins, and to clearly communicate this. It is important to note, that growing and improving is a process best achieved under relatively stable circumstances, though not impossible during the challenging period of organizational growth and transition. This is oftentimes an excellent proving ground, a period during which the stars will begin to shine.

Measurement & Analysis

Finally, management needs to measure and analyze output, both of processes and of individuals, and a function of doing it right. Employees must be made aware of their progress, either in a new setting, or a changing setting, and in the familiar one as well, in order to effectively set and adjust personal goals and improve performance.

Great leaders take pleasure in improvement, as it is a true confirmation of the validity of the vision. Such measurement and evaluation should be designed to motivate and initiate self-governing on the part of the individual. Measurement and analysis, when employed to motivate, can be extremely effective.

When used to control or dominate, however, it can backfire. In considering the evaluation process, be certain to clearly determine in the initial stages, exactly what is being measured, a very simple step too often overlooked.

IN SUMMARY, each of these functions must be approached with sound judgment, either resulting from experience with poor judgment, or better still from solid wisdom, which circumvents the negative aspects. Each of these functions must also be approached proactively using every tool and all the available resources.

Finally, the above challenges must be met with maturity in two key areas, interpersonal skills and leadership skills. This implies sophistication, a ripeness of attitude, in relating to any given situation, that each member of the leadership team has gained as a result of experience and a willingness to continue their own personal growth process.

Interpersonal Skills

Interpersonal skills are of paramount importance. Leadership must treat individuals fairly, developing solid working relationships with them across all levels. This may appear to be blatantly obvious, but sadly is all too often overlooked in the name of accelerated organizational progress. Managers and supervisors must be willing to facilitate conflict resolution, as well as to confront issues surrounding relations between teams or departments, particularly during the period of growth or change in the administrative process.

Leadership Skills

A great leader has a sincere concern for the success of people he leads, treating staff members as individuals, giving credit, taking pleasure in making people look good. A great leader keeps the objective as simple as possible, in order to promote understanding, always acts as a role model, and stands out of the way, letting others get on with their jobs, not interfacing unnecessarily.

A true leader will make the difference between an effective administrative transition and the failure of an otherwise brilliant plan. Do not overlook the advantage of adjusting the needs of the plan to allow for the needs of the people. It is not necessary to prioritize purpose over people, or vice versa. If leadership has done its homework, everyone in the organization will arrive at the vision simultaneously.

Karin Syren is a certified coach specializing in executive mastermind coaching, who has over 25 years of business experience and has played key roles in all areas of business administration. She has managed several small businesses, setting up processes and supervising all areas of their administration. She has created procedures in diverse departmental areas, often as a result of technological innovation, creating positions and new departments as the needs arose, in industries from independent creative enterprises to the Fortune 500 elite.

Ms. Syren believes strongly that responsibility proceeds from knowledge. The benefits of what we learn cannot be solitary; they must be shared. We ought to assume that if we have learned from our experiences, others will learn from them as well. Knowledge moves in concentric ripples and when shared will continue to benefit exponentially far beyond anything we can conceive.

Copyright 2002 Karin S. Syren & So-lu’shunz Management Services

All Rights Reserved

http://solushunz.com/

Some presentations fail to impress because key elements are missing. Many more fail because they contain too much information. Information overload is ever present in our modern society. The presentation that impresses with a powerful message is the one that is sharp and focused on its aim. So, how to make sure that your presentation doesn’t fall into the trap of giving your audience more information just because you can.

Question: What is it precisely that you want your audience to understand - not just know - at the end of your presentation? Can you explain this aim in one sentence? If you can, write it down. If you can’t then work at it until you can. If it won’t fit into one sensible sentence then you have more than one aim and need more than one presentation.

Keep this aim in mind throughout the planning phase. Build out from the aim, use mind-mapping or other planning aids if you are comfortable with them. Immediately around the aim are clustered facts and figures that are essential. Further out there is supporting information that is important. As you get further away the importance and the relevance drops off sharply. Be ruthless and eliminate everything that doesn’t build a picture of your aim in the mind of your audience.

Note down all the information, illustrations and arguments; whatever you need. If you are not sure in the early stages whether you need a particular item, leave it in. But have the courage to throw it out later if it is not needed. One check question is, ‘would my audience feel cheated if they found out about this later?’ If so, leave it in. You are not hiding things from your audience; just doing them the courtesy of their having to listen to only what is necessary.

Do not fall into the trap of filling a thirty minute slot (or whatever) just because you have been given that time. If you need less, say so. You will probably be thanked, especially if there is a busy programme. Of course, if you need more, ask. Never, ever, over-run your time. Few of us are good enough speakers for our audiences to want more than they asked for.

Do you know the difference between: an example and an anecdote; humour and jokes; friendliness and obsequiousness? For our purposes, the difference is what you leave in and what you discard. Do use examples if required; do not ramble off into irrelevant tales. Do be mildly humorous if appropriate; do not tell jokes, especially smutty ones. Do be as open and friendly as the occasion allows; do not attempt to suck up to your audience.

If you stick to these rules, your presentation will be lean and sharp. The lines you draw from your arguments to your final conclusions will be clear. Your audience will understand exactly what you wanted them to understand without any distracting thoughts. Your chances of achieving you aim will be much higher. And if occasionally you do fail, at least you will know it was because you failed to convince them, not because you lost them on the way.

Niall Evans has been giving presentations for over thirty years, and he hasn’t finished yet.

Learn more Presentations Skills
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Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase but never read — or the articles you read with great ideas or opportunities you never implement? Are you spending time recreating marketing materials because you cannot find what you wrote the preceding month or year? Do you run out the door for an appointment at the last minute because you could not find your keys or the directions you needed to get where you are going? Are you frequently feeling tired and overwhelmed? Do the people you care about express frustration at your disorganization or want to spend more time with you? If so, “getting organized” should be high on your priority list!

One of the continual frustrations in my career as a professional organizing consultant has been people’s misconceptions about what it means to be “organized.” Visions of unrealistically tidy desks and impossible mandates such as “Handle a piece of paper only once” conjure up feelings of frustration and impossibility. Fears of being imprisoned by a specific work style eliminate the reality of the freedom resulting from true organization.

What does it mean to “get organized?” Many people have a total misunderstanding of what it really means. I am trained as a musician. I look at organizing as an art form. Paint me a picture of what you want your life to be like, and I will help you get organized so you can get there! “Organization” is very personal. To identify whether a particular aspect of your work or life is organized, ask these three questions:

1. Does it work?
2. Do you like it?
3. Does it work for others?

Getting organized is about creating and sustaining a setting in which everything around you supports who you are and who you want to be - and allows everyone else you care about to do the same! The secret of getting organized and staying organized is what we call a “Productive Environment.” I have spent the past 25+ years assisting individuals and organizations to create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do that by helping them organize their time, space and information.

If you are ready for a life that will help you increase your profit and decrease your stress, here are 9 proven principles to get you started:

1. Today’s mail is tomorrow’s pile:
Are you sick of the clutter in your life? Most people start getting organized by throwing away old stuff. Our most popular service is called The 8-Hour Miracle. We spend eight hours with a client with the promise of three things: 1) You will know what to do with every new thing that comes into your home or office. 2) You will be able to find anything we have filed or stored in that eight hours in five seconds or less. 3) You will have a Productive Environment GamePlan for handling whatever we didn’t handle in the eight hours we were there. If we do not live up to that promise, you do not owe us any money. How can we make that promise? Because we ignore all your old stuff, and set up a system to design the future you desire.

2. Organizing in and of itself is of no value.
It is merely a tool to help you accomplish something important to you. Ask yourself, “If I were organized, what would I be able to do that I cannot do now?” An inability to organize a particular aspect of one’s life often reflects a “should” mandated by someone else - not an inner desire to improve the quality of work or life, which is the only real reason for organizing anything! Always ask “Should I be organizing this at all?”

3. Clutter is postponed decisions.®
Not being able to decide what to keep, where to keep it, how long to keep it, etc. causes paralysis when it comes to organization. The good news is that there are really very few options. You can get rid of something, you can store it so you can use it regularly, or you can store it so you can use it if you want to.

4. Implement The FAT System.
Papers pile up on your kitchen counter or a desk because you have not made a decision. The good news is there are really only three decisions you can make: File (in case you want it in the future, Act (the ball is in your court to pay the bill, write the report, or make a phone call), or Toss (decide it is not necessary).

5. Eighty percent of what you keep you never use.
Ironically, often the more you keep the less you use. It is no mistake the simplicity movement is one of the fastest growing in the world! Continually practice The Art of Wastebasketry® by asking these questions:
• Does this require action?
• Can I identify a specific use?
• Is it difficult to obtain again?
• Is it recent enough to be useful?
• Are there tax or legal implications?
• What is the worst possible thing that would happen I did not have this? If you can live with your answers, toss or recycle!

6. Overresponsibility can become irresponsibility.
One of the major reasons people keep things is because they “might be useful someday.” For example, many people have every pair of eyeglasses they ever ordered while someone 20 minutes away cannot afford even one pair. Do you have difficulty letting go of things - even if you do not use them? Finding someone else who needs them more than you do will make it easier.

7. Half of any job is having the right tool.
For years I struggled with guilt about my inability to stick to an exercise program. The combination of spending 80% of the time on the road and negative childhood experiences about physical activities seemed insurmountable, until I discovered I could get amazing results using exercise equipment I could pack in my suitcase and use in the privacy of my bedroom.

8. Perfection prevents progress.
A creative mind always has more ideas than the physical body can carry out. Virtually everyone I know, including myself, feels guilty about not being able to keep on top of the “to read” pile. Consider spending more time contemplating what you will do as a result of what you have read than feeling guilty about what you have not done.

9. Asking for help is a sign of wisdom, not weakness.
Sadly, many people have been conditioned to feel that being successful means going it alone. Nothing could be farther from the truth. As president of The National Association of Professional Organizers, my theme, which I have subsequently turned into a theme for my life and my business, was “Together we are better.” I believe that statement applies to all of life. The only thing keeping you from getting what you want is finding people who can - and want - to help you get there!

Getting organized is an on-going process, not a destination. It is about progress, not perfectionism. When you feel less organized than you would like to be, forgive yourself, and move on. Substitute “If only…” with “Next time…” and you are on the right road!

Will any system turn you into a perennially “clean desk” person - unlikely! Messy desks are the natural outcome of a hectic pace. A place for everything and everything in its place - forget it, but it is half right! A place for everything means than when you want to clean up your office to meet a client, or just because you are sick of the mess yourself, recovering is no big deal! Some quick decision-making will clean off your desk in a matter of minutes, bring back a sense of control and get you on your way to productivity, profit, and peace of mind!

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger’s Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

In September this year (for reasons too long to explain here), I had no internet or email access for 26 days. We all know how much we rely on these for running our business (and our lives), but it’s not until it’s actually taken away from you for an extended period that you realize the full extent of your dependence.

Needless to say for the first 2 weeks I was feeling very pressured about my inability to respond to client enquiries, communicate with people and generally get things done.

But what I did discover very quickly was how much actual work I was getting done because I didn’t have the email or internet to distract me! In fact, by the time 3 weeks had passed, I was really enjoying my extra freedom - yes freedom.

This experience truly opened my eyes to my own inefficiencies. Once you get over the feeling of being out of control you realize that you are actually very much in control. In today’s world we’re led to believe that we always need to be accessible - to our clients, our suppliers, family and friends. Not so. By choosing to control how frequently we communicate, and at what time, we put ourselves in the driver’s seat.

So now that I am back on line, I’ve made some significant changes. I would highly recommend them to anyone, particularly if you are strapped for time.

Turn off automatic send/receive on your email program

I used to have Outlook set up so it would check for new emails every 10 minutes. Really, I was just asking to be distracted. To turn this off (in Outlook) click on Tools, Mail Set Up, Send/Receive. Then uncheck the box “schedule an automatic send/receive every x minutes”. Now you can decide when you want to read your emails.

Download emails no more than 3 times per day (2 is even better)

Now that you are in control, pick 2-3 times a day when you choose to hit the send/receive button and get all your emails delivered. Do this at the same time every day - make it a habit.

Schedule time to respond to emails, and only do it then

Our natural instinct when we get email is to reply immediately. That’s extremely inefficient if you are constantly getting emails throughout the day. Set aside 30-45 minutes per day to respond to your emails, and you’ll eliminate the problem of constant interruption. You can still send emails as you compose them, you just won’t be distracted by all the incoming mail.

Get better at managing junk email

Not having to read about Viagra, mortgages and surgical enhancement for 26 days was just brilliant. Since being back on line I’ve used Outlook to filter out even more of my junk email. Two rules are highly recommend.

1) create a rule putting all emails not addressed directly to you in a new folder called Junk Suspects.

2) put all emails not from someone in your address book into the Junk Suspects folder.

To set these up in Outlook Mail, select Tools, Rules and Alerts, New Rule. Then just use the suggested templates to create this and any other rule

Set expectations with your customers about response times

The most difficult mental hurdle to overcome is about not feeling responsive to requests that come in from clients and customers. If your customers are used to getting a reply within 1 hour, then you need to communicate your new standards, or make them very clear up front. Why not ‘induct’ new clients and suppliers to your process by telling them when they can expect a reply from you. For example, “I read emails at 9am and 4pm every day, and will respond to you within 24 hours”. This sets clear boundaries and removes the expectation of an immediate response.

Unsubscribe to everything that’s unnecessary

If you’re like me, you’ve signed up for all sorts of things over the years. It’s amazing what you choose to spend time reading when you only have 1 hour per day. I used to waste so much time just scanning things through that I thought might be interesting. No more! This takes up huge amounts of time, so only read what is really of value.

It may take you a week or so of feeling uncomfortable about these changes before you start to feel the benefits of more time. Stick with it. I’m totally converted.

Floating on the Willamette River watching last night’s fireworks with my family I couldn’t help but think of our founding fathers and the sacrifices they made when they fought to establish our country’s freedom. Those thoughts of respect and admiration in turn led me to think about of our troops oversees currently fighting to protect our way of life and preserve our freedom. The more I began to ponder the heroism of our military (past and present) the more I began to consider the traits possessed by our nation’s warriors. I believe the same characteristics that are present in the heart of a warrior are also present in the most successful executives and entrepreneurs.

Regardless of whether or not they have served in the military, today’s business leaders would be well served to possess the characteristics of a warrior in their pursuit to achieve sustainable growth and long-term success. Commitment, attention to detail, discipline, service above self, honor, integrity, perseverance, the ability to both lead and follow, to execute with precision and the ability to adapt, improvise and overcome are all traits that will serve you well in the boardroom.

The characteristics mentioned above will allow you to inspire and lead with a focus and commitment not present in DNA of those leaders who don’t have the heart, mind and soul of a warrior. It is the ability to stay mentally focused on achieving the mission at hand regardless of circumstances that will help you take your organization to that next level.

A warrior’s heart has served my family well in both business and life in general. It is the mental agility, fierce determination and a never say die attitude that has carried us through the best of times and the worst of times. My father was a marine before he was an attorney, I served in the army before I entered the business world and my son is currently attending the University of Virginia on an air force ROTC scholarship. While not all great leaders have served in the military those of you who possess the heart of a warrior understand the advantages you derive from your military bearing and state of mind. I’ve rarely come across students of military history that don’t have a great command of both strategic thinking and tactical implementation.

I strongly recommend to all business leaders that they learn to develop a command presence and lead from a committed position of strength. Refusing to surrender and having the ability to make the tough decision or the needed sacrifice will allow your company to continue taking ground and will keep the competitive advantage on the side of your enterprise.