Leadership training and sales training Australia.

I was at a dinner party recently and I started a discussion about Leadership, just for something different. The friend that I was talking to raised his concern around the way that many Leaders often expect their team members to adapt their overall identity and behavior to align with their own expectations.

It is amazing how often people approach me and ask for assistance due to the fact that their teams are breaking apart and their business is suffering the consequences of what is often categorized as negative team member behavior.

According to James McGregor Burns as quoted in Jean Lipman-Blumen's book "Connective Leadership", there is an important distinction to be made between different leadership styles. My understanding is that the key difference between transactional and transformational leadership is one of vision and forethought.

I went to a primary school parent teacher meeting last night for my daughter. I was particularly interested in the rating my daughter received for her behaviour in class. Every school report until now she received an 'Excellent' rating. This term she received a 'Good'. Curious, I enquired about this 'drop' in rating.

I worked for a large corporate for almost 20 years, and when I became a Manager in my mid twenties, I had a very blinkered view in regards to how to manage people. My basic philosophy was that I simply had to tell people what to do and they would do it. If they did not do what I asked, then all I had to do was get really angry with them and this would basically fix the problems I was experiencing. I really had a problem understanding why this approach would not work, as my instructions were clear and…

Respect of others Many of us were brought up to believe or at least have heard the old Elizabethan saying 'do unto others as you would have them do unto you.' In plain English it means 'treat people they way you would like to be treated.'   Following this noble value is probably not a bad way to live your life....or is it?

This step is for those of you that may feel you are only one person in a wider organisation that has a culture and work practices that undermines employee engagement.  Let me say this emphatically - this does not inhibit your ability to make change in your department/branch/team. 

I often think that in Australia (and perhaps other places too) we are too keen to be mates with our staff.  I certainly love the idea of a few drinks together on a Friday night and a long lunch on occasion, but we need to be the kind of mates that can tell it how it is.

We all need to be reminded from time to time as to why it is that we do our jobs.  What is it about the work that we chose to do, the industry we were drawn to work in, that floats our boat?

Do you remember the last time someone gave you some positive, specific feedback about your performance?  I hope it wasn't too long ago.  It felt good, right?