Developing the Leader Within You - Priorities : Part 1

We will continue our leadership journey, learning new skills and refreshing old ones, with John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You.

The Key to Leadership: Priorities : Part 1

There are two things that are most difficult to get people to do: to think and to do things in order of importance.

Success can be defined as the progressive realization of a predetermined goal. This definition tells us that the discipline to prioritize and the ability to work toward a stated goal are essential to a leader's success. In fact, Maxwell believes they are the key to leadership.

The Pareto Principle

20% of your priorities will give you 80% of your production.

IF

you spend your time, energy, money, and personnel on the top 20% of your priorities.

 

The solid lines on the 20/80 Principle represent a person or organization that invests time, energy, money, and personnel on the most important priorities. The result is a four-fold return in productivity. The dotted lines represent a person or organization that spends time, energy, money, and personnel on the lesser priorities. The result is a very small return.

Every leader needs to understand the Pareto Principle in the area of people oversight and leadership. For example, 20% of the people will be responsible for 80% of the company's success.

The following strategy will enable a leader to increase the productivity of an organization.

1. Determine which people are the top 20% producers.
2. Invest 80% of your "people time" with the top 20%.
3. Invest 80% of your personnel development dollars on the top 20%.
4. Determine what 20% of the work gives 80% of the return and train an assistant to do the 80% less effective work. This "frees up" the producer to do what he/she does best.
5. Ask the top 20% to do on-the-job training for the next 20%.

Remember, we teach what we know; we reproduce what we are.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Developing the Leader Within You - Influence : Part 3

We will continue our leadership journey, learning new skills and refreshing old ones, with John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You.

Leadership is influence. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less.

In the introduction of the book, Maxwell states: The key to success in an endeavor is the ability to lead others successfully. And, as we have heard before, Everything rises and falls on leadership.

The Five Levels of Leadership

Through his years in leadership and the business of leadership, Maxwell has created a model reflecting the various levels of leadership. He has also created a teaching tool to assist others in understanding their levels of leadership so they can increase their levels of influence.

The Five Levels of Leadership are:

1. Level 1: Position
2. Level 2: Permission
3. Level 3: Production
4. Level 4: People Development
5. Level 5: Personhood

Maxwell's model indicates that in order to get to the top, you must do two things:

• Know what level you are on at this moment.
• You will be on different levels with different people, so you need to know which people are on which level.
• Know and apply the qualities needed to be successful at each level.
  
• Below is a partial listing of the characteristics that you must exhibit with excellence before you can move to the next level.
  
  Level 1: Position / Rights
• Know your job description thoroughly.
• Be aware of the history of the organization.
• Accept responsibility.
• Be a team player.
• Do your job with consistence excellence.
• Do more than expected.
  
  Level 2: Permission / Relationship
• Make those who work with you more successful.
• See through other people's eyes.
• Do "win-win" or don't do it.
• Include others in your journey.
• Deal wisely with difficult people.
  
  Level 3: Production / Results
• Initiate and accept responsibility for growth.
• Develop and follow a statement of purpose.
• Develop accountability for results, beginning with yourself.
• Know and do the things that give a high return.
• Become a change-agent and understand timing.
• Make the difficult decisions that will make a difference.
  
  Level 4: People Development / Reproduction
• Realize that people are your most valuable asset.
• Place a priority on developing people.
• Be a model for others to follow.
• Expose key leaders to growth opportunities.
• Be able to attract other winners to the common goal.
• Surround yourself with an inner core that complements your leadership.
  
  Level 5: Personhood / Respect
• Your followers are loyal.
• You have invested years mentoring and molding leaders.
• Your greatest joy comes from watching others grow and develop.
• You transcend the organization.

Well, that is certainly a lot to think, absorb and put into action. This is why Mawell says leaders are developed daily, not in a day. Leadership takes time and commitment.

Next time, we will explore the key to leadership - priorities.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Developing the Leader Within You - Influence : Part 2

We will continue our leadership journey, learning new skills and refreshing old ones, with John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You.

Leadership is influence. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less.

The Five Levels of Leadership

Through his years in leadership and the business of leadership, Maxwell has created a model reflecting the various levels of leadership. He has also created a teaching tool to assist others in understanding their levels of leadership so they can increase their levels of influence.

Level 1: Position

We covered this level last time. This is the basic entry level of leadership. The only influence you have is that which comes with a title. People who stay at this level get into territorial rights, protocol, tradition, and organizational charts.

We will take a brief look at the next four levels of leadership ....

Level 2: Permission

Fred Smith says, "Leadership is getting people to work for you when they are not obligated." People don't care how much you know until they know how much you care. Leadership begins with the heart, not the head. It flourishes with a meaningful relationship, not more regulation.

On this level, time, energy, and focus are placed on the individual's needs and desires. People who are unable to build solid, lasting relationships will soon discover that they are unable to sustain long, effective leadership.

Caution! Don't try to skip a level. The most often skipped level is 2, Permission. Relationships involve a process that provides the glue and much of the staying power for long-term, consistent production.

Level 3: Production

On this level things begin to happen, good thing. Profit increases. Morale is high. Turnover is low. Needs are being met. Goals are being realized. Accompanying this growth is the "big mo" - momentum. Everyone is results-orientated. In fact, results are the main reason for the activity.

This is a major difference between levels 2 and 3. On the "relationship" level, people get together jus to get together. There is no other objective. On the "results" level, people come together to accomplish a purpose.

Level 4: People Development

How do you spot a leader?

There is a clue: Since some people are mediocre, the true leader can be recognized because somehow his people consistently demonstrate superior performances.

A leader is great, not because of his or her power, but because of his or her ability to empower others. Success without a successor is failure. A worker's main responsibility is developing others to do the work.

Loyalty to the leader reaches its highest peak when the follower has personally grown through the mentorship of the leader.

The core of leaders who surround you should all be people you have personally mentored or helped to develop in some way.

The following suggestions will help you become a people developer:

• Walk slowly through the crowd.
  
  • Learn names.
  • Make yourself available for communication and conversation.
  • Visit member of your crew during the shift.

• Develop key leaders.
• Communicate with the influencers within your crew.
• They will pass on to the others what you have given them.

Level 5: Personhood

Very few people will ever achieve this level, so Maxwell chooses not to discuss it just yet. Later, perhaps. Here are some additional insights on climbing the steps of leadership:

• The higher you go, the longer it takes.
• The higher you go, the higher the level of commitment.
• The higher you go, the easier it is to lead.
• The higher you go, the greater the growth.
• You never leave the base level.
• If you are leading a group of people, you will not be on the same level with everyone.
• For your leadership to remain effective, it is essential that you take the other influencers within the group with you to the higher levels.

Next time, we will review the conclusions of this chapter of the book and the key characteristics of each of The Five Levels of Leadership.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Developing the Leader Within You - Influence

We will continue our leadership journey, learning new skills and refreshing old ones, with John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You.

Leadership is influence. That's it. Nothing more. Nothing less.

In the introduction of the book, Maxwell states: The key to success in an endeavor is the ability to lead others successfully. And, as we have heard before, Everything rises and falls on leadership.

A leadership proverb: He who thinketh he leadeth and hath no one following him is only taking a walk.

Leadership is the ability to obtain followers.

Insights about influence:

• Everyone influences someone.
  
  • No one is excluded from being a leader or a follower.
• We never know who or how much we influence.
  
  • Big events leave marks on all our lives and memories.
  • Think also of the little things or people who influenced you in a powerful way.
• The best investment in the future is a proper influence today.
  
  • The issue is not whether you influence someone. What needs to be settled is what kind of an influencer you will be!
• Influence is a skill that can be developed.
  
  • Robert Dilenschneider, CEO of Hill and Knowlton, discusses the idea of the "power triangle" in his book, Power and Influence. "The three components of this triangle are communication, recognition, and influence. You start to communicate effectively. This leads to recognition and recognition in turn leads to influence."

The Five Levels of Leadership

Through his years in leadership and the business of leadership, Maxwell has created a model reflecting the various levels of leadership. He has also created a teaching tool to assist others in understanding their levels of leadership so they can increase their levels of influence.

Level 1: Position

This is the basic entry level of leadership. The only influence you have is that which comes with a title. People who stay at this level get into territorial rights, protocol, tradition, and organizational charts. These things are not negative unless they become the basis for authority and influence, but they are poor substitutes for leadership skills.

Real leadership is being the person others will gladly and confidently follow.

Characteristics of a "Positional Leaver."

• Security is based on title, not talent.
• This level is often gained by appointment,
• People will not follow a positional leader beyond his stated authority.
• Positional leaders have more difficulty working with volunteers, white-collar workers, and younger people.

Most of us have been taught that leadership is a position. Frustration rises within us when we get into the real world and find that few people will follow us because of our titles. Our joy and success in leading others depend on our abilities to keep climbing the levels of leadership.

Next time, we will explore the remaining levels of leadership.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Developing the Leader Within You - Introduction



Source

We will continue our leadership journey, learning new skills and refreshing old ones, with John C. Maxwell's book Developing the Leader Within You.

In the introduction of the book, Maxwell states: The key to success in an endeavor is the ability to lead others successfully. And, as we have heard before, Everything rises and falls on leadership.

Fortunately, leadership can be taught. Leadership is not an exclusive club for those who were "born with it." The traits that are raw materials of leadership can be acquired. Link them up with the desire and nothing can keep you from becoming a leader. Maxwell's book will supply the leadership principles. Each of us must supply the desire.

There has always been a great deal of confusion over the difference between "leadership" and "management." Management is the process of assuring that the program and objectives of the organization are implemented. Leadership, on the other hand, has to do with casting vision and motivating people.

John C. Gardner, former Secretary of the US Department of Health, Education, and Welfare, has pinpointed five characteristics that set "leader managers" apart from "run-of-the-mill managers.":

1. Leader Managers are long-term thinkers who see beyond the day's crisis and the quarterly report.
2. Leader Managers' interests in their companies do not stop with the units they head. They want to know how all the company's departments affect one another, and they are constantly reaching beyond their specific areas of influence.
3. Leader Managers put heavy emphasis on vision, values, and motivation.
4. Leader Managers have strong political skills to cope with conflicting requirements of multiple constituents.
5. Leader Managers don't accept the status quo

People don't want to be managed. They want to be lead.

During the coming months, we will be reviewing the following Maxwell leadership principles:

• Influence
• Priorities
•  Integrity
• Creating Positive Change
• Problem-Solving
• Attitude
• People
• Vision
• Self-Discipline
• Staff Development

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

HOT HOT HOT

Folks,

It is going to be hot again this week. It seems repetitive to talk about the heat and heat-related illnesses, again. But, we must remember....

HEAT ILLNESS CAN BE DEADLY

The body normally cools itself by sweating. During hot weather, especially with high humidity, sweating isn't enough. Body temperature can rise to dangerous levels if you don't drink enough water and rest in the shade. You can suffer from heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

In 2014 alone, 2,630 workers suffered from heat illness and 18 died from heat stroke and related causes on the job. Heat illnesses and deaths are preventable.

Under OSHA law, employers are responsible for providing workplaces free of known safety hazards. This includes protecting workers from extreme heat. An employer with workers exposed to high temperatures should establish a complete heat illness prevention program.

• Provide workers with water, rest and shade.
• Allow new or returning workers to gradually increase workloads and take more frequent breaks as they acclimatize, or build a tolerance for working in the heat.
• Plan for emergencies and train workers on prevention.
• Monitor workers for signs of illness:
  Heat Exhaustion

• Dizziness
• Headache
• Sweaty Skin
• Weakness
• Cramps
• Nausea, vomiting
• Fast heart beat

         Heat Stroke

• Red, hot, dry skin
• High temperature
• Confusion
• Convulsions
• Fainting

To prevent heat related illness and fatalities:

• Drink water every 15 minutes, even if you are not thirsty.
• Rest in the shade to cool down.
• Wear a hat and light-colored clothing.
• Learn the signs of heat illness and what to do in an emergency.
• Keep an eye on fellow workers.
• "Easy does it" on your first days of work in the heat. You need to get used to it.

Working in full sunlight can increase heat index values by 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep this in mind and plan additional precautions for working in these conditions.

Who is affected?

Any worker exposed to hot and humid conditions is at risk of heat illness, especially those doing heavy work tasks or using bulky protective clothing and equipment. Some workers might be at greater risk than others if they have not built up a tolerance to hot conditions, including new workers, temporary workers, or those returning to work after a week or more off. All workers are at risk during a heat wave.

What to do if a worker becomes ill?

• Call a supervisor for help. If a supervisor is not available, call 911.
• Have someone stay with the worker until help arrives.

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc

Whale Done! 9

Today, we conclude our little journey with Wes Kingsley in Ken Blanchard's book entitled Whale Done! It carries the subtitle "The Power of Positive Relationships." The message and the "to do" items meld nicely with our journey to culture excellence in safety, quality, ethics, production, in fact, with all we do.

Wes contacts the Consultant to compare notes. He shares with the Consultant all the positive changes he is witnessing around him due to following the few simple steps of the WHALE DONE Response.

\

Consultant: "As long as you're busy accentuating the positive with others, a little self-praise won't hurt. I come across a lot of managers who are hard on others because they're so hard on themselves. They're always after themselves in their heads. 'Oh, I should have done that better,' or, 'What a dummy I am, forgetting that detail.'  If you catch yourself doing things right, everything in your life will improve - especially your relationships. That's because it's fun to be around someone who, likes himself."

 

As a way to summarize this great book and the message it contains, I encourage you to review the following slides from the Consultant's presentation:

 

 

Donald G Rosenbarger
Senior Vice President
Delta Companies Inc