Have a leadership plan

If you are working to develop your leadership skills, develop a plan.

Identify the following:

- Where do you have opportunities to display leadership?
- How will you be show leadership?
- What kind of legacy would you like to leave?
- How do you distinguish yourself?
- How do you avoid falling into a trap and become a bad leader?

Following is an example of how you can brain storm ideas and develop one for yourself.

Tip: Now or Never

For past few months I was planning to write a new tip on time management. Title of the  tip was meant to be ‘Now or Never’ and what I will be writing in this tip kept resonating in my mind but didn’t make it so far.

Hectic work schedules, information overload, lack of attention, numerous distractions have turned me (may be some of you) into a busy bee  and now I suffer from ‘Now or Never’ symptom.  What I need to do keeps coming back to me at various times, but before I get to it, something else comes to my mind.

I have abandoned paper based planner because I am equipped with mobile device like Blackberry. But I find myself re-writing goals on my computer/blackberry which I had in my paper based planner. This is good news because my goals have not changed.

How am I planning to deal with this ‘Now or Never’ problem?

- Focus on at least one Important tasks instead of only Urgent tasks everyday.
- Schedule specific backlog clearance effort during weekend
- Clear at least one item from backlog every day.
- If you can do it, DO IT NOW and ignore possible distractions at that time

One thing is for sure, I am going to post this note TODAY as soon as I have written it instead of planning to reword and send it another day (or NEVER?)  and I DID IT by successfully ignoring a new instant messages I was getting while posting this message.

Favorite Authors and Appealing Book Titles

I think we cannot rest till we have latest/unread book by our favorite authors (once you see them) in our hands. Over last one week I have acquired three books that I need to finish.

- Excused Begone by Wayne Dyer
- Foreign Body by Robin Cook
- When Everything Changes Change Everything by Neale Donald Walsch

I am sure I will enjoy them and hope I can share some words of wisdom I learn on this blog.

Meanwhile, I also wanted to share some book titles that tempt me a lot. It is because I believe in those action words and talk about them at work. I feel that I must read them.

Titles are

- Practice What you Preach
- Sense of Urgency
- Hit the ground Running
- Helping People win at work

I already have first two and completed reading them. I am hoping to get to other two after I finish what I already have waiting on my reading table.

Book Extract: Top Performance by Zig Ziglar

I recently finished reading up this book and wanted to share some items from this.

First is a summary of what differentiates Top Performers in different areas.

	Aggression	People	Patience	Quality
10	Direct	Enthusiastic	Predictable	Perfectionist
9	Daring	Persuasive	Relaxed	Accurate
8	Risk Taker	Emotional	Nondemonstrative	Systematic
7	Decisive	Trusting	Deliberate	Conscientious
6	Competitive	Sociable	Stable	High Standards
Midline
4	Calculated Risk Taking	Reflective	Outgoing	Opinionated
3	Self-critical	Factual	Eager	Persistent
2	Weighs +/-	Controlled	Fidgety	Independent
1	Peaceful	Self-Conscious	Restless	Rigid
0	Quiet	Suspicious	Active	Firm

Some Management Gems

Formula for Top Performance Management

1. Show honest and sincere appreciation at very opportunity – make the other person feel important.
2. Don’t criticize, condemn, or complain.
3. Make your cause bigger than your ego
4. Work for progress, not perfection
5. Be solution conscious, not perfection
6. Invest time in the activity that brings the highest return on investment according to the priority list of responsibilities – effort alone doesn’t count; results are the reason for activity.
7. Fulfilling responsibility is a good reason for work; discipline is the method.
8. Recognize and accept your own weaknesses.
9. Make checklists and constantly refer to them
10. Always show the people in your life the humility of gratitude.

Six Action steps for Performance Oriented Managers

1. Give regular, specific and observable feedback on performance
2. Respect the lines of communication and authority
3. Make timely decisions
4. Be accessible
5. Encourage creative ideas
6. Provide personal support.

The Ten “Double Win” rules that lead to Top Team Performance

When dealing with others

1. Remember that a smile is the most powerful social tool we have at our disposal.
2. Listening is the most neglected skill in business (or home) today. The person who listens controls the final outcome of the discussion. Encourage others to talk, and then consciously remove any barriers to

your good listening skills.

1. Talk in terms of the other person’s interest. You will find a “uniqueness” and “specialness” in every individual you meet. Others are interesting when discovered; check out the other person’s point of view.
2. Ask questions you already know the answer to and you will get to see the other person’s perspective. Most ideas are more palatable if we “discover” them ourselves. People who truly care about others lead them down the discovery path
3. “What you are speaks so loudly I can’t hear what you say.” Remember to model the behavior and attitude you want the other person to have.
4. Give assignments that allow you to express faith and confidence that the other person can successfully in the task assigned.
5. Always make requests, never give orders.
6. Develop your ability to use the narrative story and the meaningful analogy – these are powerful teaching tools.
7. Always be respectful of others. Show your respect by being on time for meetings or letting others know why you must be late.
8. Return phone calls and letters immediately – there is no excuse for not doing so.