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"In Germany they came first for the Communists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics and I didn't speak up because I was a Protestant. Then they came for me and by that time no one was left to speak up."
Martin Niemoller

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Leadership Notes -- Thoughts on Leading People and Making a Difference in Organizations

Word count this issue: 470

Estimated reading time:   2.15 minutes 

 

 

To be very transparent, I have been convinced for sometime that long term, sustainable business success is driven by relationships. Your business might be financially successful for a short period of time by ignoring or damaging relationships, after all con artists thrive and then move on to the next mark. In the long term though, con artists fail.

 

I was pleased, to say the least, that Fast Company magazine http://www.fastcompany.com/3045453/hit-the-ground-running/how-the-wrong-people-get-promoted-and-how-to-change-it? agrees. This great article highlights data from Gallup who have been talking about the importance of relationships since the late 1990’s and the game changing research by Buckingham and Coffman http://www.amazon.ca/First-Break-All-The-Rules/dp/0743510119 

 

My own work on the 5 Thrives for the Digital (R)evolution includes the Gallup research, and more. Interestingly, while the Fast Company article notes that Gallup’s research shows five rare talents of great managers:

 

  • They motivate their employees.
  • They assert themselves to overcome obstacles.
  • They create a culture of accountability.
  • They build trusting relationships.
  • They make informed, unbiased decisions for the good of their team and organization. 

 

Furthermore the research suggests that this “combination of innate talent  is so rare that it exists in about only one out of 10 people. They also believe another two out of 10 people have some of these five talents, and can become great managers with the right coaching and development.”

 

I believe that there are good managers potentially in far more of us, and that with the right coaching and development in the following “5 Thrives”, more of us can become good, if not great managers.

  1. Become more self-aware; know your strengths and your challenges. Know your triggers and work on building your self-reflection. That will help you become more accountable to yourself and build trusting relationships with others.
  2. Become more other-aware, using empathy and exploration with others you’ll be more successful in motivating your employees, creating a culture of accountability and building trusting relationships.
  3. Work on perseverance; putting one foot in front of the other even in difficult times so that you can overcome obstacles
  4. Learn, learn, learn, and keep learning in order to overcome obstacles, motivate yourself and others and make informed unbiased decisions for the good of the team and the organization.
  5. Find the courage to know more about yourself, to know more about others, to persevere and to learn, and you’ll grow yourself, your team and your organization.

 

The 5 Thrives are not easy, nor are they for the faint of heart. They are however the path to becoming a better manager, and a stronger person.