Khidmah Blog

Leadership is like a Puzzle

Sun, 06 Jun 2010 01:42:00 GMT

Many times, I think it is easier to take something that is concrete and real, and use it to help us discuss and learn something that is abstract. Therefore, today we will use a jigsaw puzzle to help us describe and learn more about leadership.

With a jigsaw puzzle, you begin by looking at the picture on the top of the box. The picture reveals what the outcome of your effort will look like. It represents the vision for a company, and the pieces of the puzzle represent the people within the company. It is the leaders job to put the right people in the right place to fulfill the vision for the company.

A good vision must be the following:
• Compelling
• Challenging
• Not too difficult for the leader
• A clear picture
• A positive change
• A future focus

1. When you start out, you look for border pieces and most importantly corner pieces – To Frame the Vision.

When a leader starts to form a company or a division, he must first decide what the company will be and will not be. This is framing or defining the outside borders or boundaries of the company and vision.
Once these people and pieces are in place, then the leaders is able to fill in the remainder with people within the boundaries and borders.

2. The corners are the key, and many times you start with these pieces, as there are only 4 in a standard puzzle.

These corner pieces do the connection between one part of the puzzle to the next. They are also the strength of the puzzle.
In Leadership, the key leadership team that reports to the leader of the company are the corners of the puzzle. If these leaders are strong and hold their areas together and communicate with the other leadership, the vision can become a reality.

3. It is harder to put the first pieces of the puzzle together than the last pieces of the puzzle.

With the first pieces, you have so many pieces to choose from and you really don’t know where to start. However in the end, you will have one piece of sky missing or one piece of grass missing and you know what you are looking for. Also in the end, you know what shape the others that surround that piece will accept.
In leadership, when you start a company, division, or department it is harder than in the later stages of the company. With a new company or division you have some many things to do, you don’t know where to start. There are so many people you need and you just can be overwhelmed by the task.
But as you put 1 person in their right place and then connect another person to them, small sections of the vision start coming together, thus you begin to gain momentum.
However, once most of the people are in place and you are missing just one person from a team, you first need to look at the exact shape or characteristics of the person you are looking for. You do this by looking at the surrounding team and determine what will be the best fit. Then you are able to find that exact piece or person.

4. With complicated puzzles, you try and group the pieces by color before starting to place them together.

In leadership we do the same thing. We must determine what a person’s strengths and weaknesses are before we can place them. Then after we put them in the correct area – Finance, Support, Property or Services we are able to better place the person.
When people are not sorted by strengths and weaknesses, when a position becomes available, then the leader wastes time and effort searching all of the pieces or all of the people to find the right one.

5. The right person in the right place makes the “fit” between people smooth and “snapped”.

When you have a brand new puzzle, many times the pieces put in the right place, “snap” into place and make a good sound. The fit between pieces becomes smooth and you almost are unable to recognize where one piece stops and the other starts.
In leadership the same principle holds true. The right person in the right place is referred to as a “good fit.” Almost immediately when the leader places the right person in the right position, the others around him quickly make the new person feel as part of the team as the team needed his skills and talents.

6. The leader must enjoy putting the right pieces in the right places.

Growing up, my grandmother would love to do puzzles, especially when it was cold outside in the winter. We would get a card table and put it up in front of the TV and work on the same puzzle together for days. We enjoyed putting the puzzle together as a team, and took enjoyment of making the picture that was on the top of the puzzle box.
Leaders must take enjoyment in putting people in the right positions for the employees to be successful and then the company to be successful. The only way leaders are successful and a vision is realized are if the leaders learn, relate, and develop each employee. Leaders who enjoy this will be successful, and leader who don’t, will not be successful.

7. If a puzzle piece does not fit, it does not mean you throw it away. Every piece is different, special and fits somewhere in the puzzle.

To complete a puzzle’s picture or a company’s vision you must have all of the pieces in the right place. A picture without all the pieces is incomplete and does not tell the full story. A company that does not complete the full vision of a company is not a successful company.
The challenge to every leader is to find out each person’s strengths and weaknesses and put them in an environment where they can be successful. Every person who has a positive attitude, positive work ethic, and positive values can be used by the leader some place within the company’s vision.
The leader learns, relates, and develops each follower for a position within the company.

8. Sometimes if you are not careful, you can have a puzzle piece from another puzzle that gets mixed in with your puzzle pieces.

This puzzle piece is designed to make another picture when the puzzle is complete, not the picture you are working on. So no matter where you try to place this puzzle piece, it will not fit anywhere and is a waste of the leader’s time.
In Leadership, you will have people who you might find in your division or company that belong in another company. They do not share the same vision as your company and these employees need to find another company to work for.

9. The pieces that have special features and are different than the rest of the pieces are easiest to use.

You know just by looking at the piece and knowing the picture where that piece fits. However, where there are pieces that are not special and do not have special attributes then these pieces are hard to place (like blue sky pieces where there is a lot of blue sky).
In Leadership, when we find someone with a special skill or talent that we know that we will need, it is easy to place that person in the organization. These are people with a technical background or experience in a similar company doing similar tasks.
However, what is hard to place is the raw and undeveloped people that do not have special skills or special experience. Many times a leader will try many different places to find the right fit for these people. This is why our internship program is very important. It allows untested and inexperienced people to see lots of different areas to find their interest, their passion, and their place in the company.

10. Puzzles are different based on their level of difficultly. What determines the difficulty is the number of pieces. The more pieces the harder the puzzle.

Leadership is the same thing. First the leader must be able to lead themselves. Second, after they are successful doing that, they begin to lead others, and the more people they lead the greater the level of difficulty. So lead yourself first (1 person - you), then lead a group (10 people), then lead a division or company (100 people), then lead a large company (1000 people) …
If you try and start with leading 100 people and you do not even lead yourself well, you will fail.

11. Wrong pieces in the wrong place hurt people.

A puzzle piece is meant to fit in only one place in the puzzle. However, if the leader decides to “make the piece fit,” the corners of the piece being placed and the pieces surrounding are bent and hurt. And then after these pieces are bent, they are less able to receive the correct piece that was actually made for the spot.
In leadership, many times we place people who do not have the skills or abilities in a place because of necessity or carelessness of the leader. When this happens, it hurts not only the person we have wrongly placed in the company, but also the people surrounding this person. A wrong person in a wrong position puts undue pressure and work on the people around them.

12. From far away, you do not see the individual puzzle piece; you just see the picture the completed puzzle creates.

As the leader is focused on putting the pieces or people into the correct places, it forms a picture. As more and more of the puzzle’s picture is revealed, observers are able to see what picture the puzzle is making. As the puzzle becomes more complete, the picture becomes clearer from farther and farther way. After the picture is complete you are able to stand far enough away from the puzzle and not see the puzzle pieces.
This is just like in a company, from a distance you do not see individual people in a successfully company, you just see the overall vision of the company and what the company represents as a whole.

So as we close this lesson today, I challenge you with one question.

What kind of piece of the puzzle are you going to be? Are you going to be the piece that does not get along with the people around you?

Find your place in the vision
Understand that each person is important and needed for the vision.
Lead yourself well first, then lead others. And as you lead others try to understand where each person can best be used.
Work at becoming a special piece of the puzzle, with special skills and special experience that make everyone in the company know where you fit.

Lead On,
Sutton

Priorities and Leading Yourself

Wed, 02 Jun 2010 08:56:00 GMT

Priorities and Leading Ourselves

As we have discussed over the past several months, the first step in being a good leader is to Lead Ourselves well. We must be able to lead ourselves before we can ask others to follow us as Leaders.

Leading Ourselves starts with today and focusing on things that are surrounding what is happening today. People create success in their lives by focusing on today. It may sound trite, but today is the only time you have. It’s too late for yesterday. Yesterday ended last night. You can’t depend on tomorrow—you don’t know what tomorrow holds. That’s why today matters.

The Fact Is…
* We exaggerate yesterday.
* We overestimate tomorrow.
* We underestimate today.

How Does Today Impact Tomorrow’s Success?
The way you choose to invest your time today directly affects your future.
Consider this: you will become what you are becoming right now. If you take a faulty approach to today with a faulty view of success, you won’t capitalize on today’s potential. Let’s examine some common misconceptions regarding success.

Common Misconceptions and Reactions:
1. We believe success is impossible—so we criticize it.
2. We believe success is mystical—so we search for it.
3. We believe success comes from luck—so we hope for it.
4. We believe success comes from productivity—so we work for it.
5. We believe success comes from opportunity—so we wait for it.
6. We believe success comes from power—so we leverage resources.
7. We believe success comes from connections—so we network for it.
8. We believe success comes from recognition—so we strive for it.
9. We believe success is an event—so we schedule it.

What do Successful Leaders do?

1. Effective people make right decisions early, and then manage them daily.
2. Making right choices may go against the trends of popular culture.
3. The secret to your success is determined by your daily agenda.
4. When opportunity arises, it is too late to prepare for it.
5. You never change your life until you change something you do daily.
6. Decisions help us start. Discipline helps us finish.
• Discipline: refers to the training that one gives to one’s self to accomplish a certain task or to adopt a particular pattern of behavior, even though one would rather be doing something else.

Managing My Attitude, Priorities and Health
Our Attitudes: Today’s Attitude Gives Me Possibilities
My attitude today gives me possibilities. Is it possible for a leader to be successful without a good attitude? Yes, it is. However, their attitude will determine how much they will enjoy the success.
a. A Positive Attitude (Leaders believed they can do almost anything.)
b. A Servant Attitude (Leaders generously served others.)
c. A Determined Attitude (Leaders worked persistently and would not quit.)

Here is why your attitude matters to your leadership:

1. Your attitude at the beginning of a task affects its outcome.
2. Your attitude toward others often determines their attitude toward you.
3. Your attitude can give you a winner’s perspective.
4. Your attitude—not your achievements—provides you happiness.
5. Your attitude is contagious.

Our Priorities: Today’s Priorities Give Me Focus
Given the choice, would you rather save time or money? Most people focus on money. However, time may be more valuable than money. You can always get more money when it is lost, but you can never get more time. Consequently, effective leaders focus on establishing priorities in order to get the most out of their time.

“Devoting a little of yourself to everything means committing a great deal of yourself to nothing.” We must learn to focus. The art of being wise is the art of knowing what to overlook.

1. Time is our most precious commodity.
2. We cannot change time, only our priorities.
3. Leaders can do most things but not everything.
4. We choose our life by how we spend our time.
5. Priorities help us to choose wisely.

Making the Decision to Choose and Act on Our Top Priorities

1. Ask yourself three questions:

a. What is required of me? (What tasks must I assume in light of my work?)
b. What gives me the greatest return? (What produces the most results?)
c. What gives me the greatest reward? (What is most fulfilling to me?)

2. Remain and work in your areas of strength.
3. Evaluate and follow your priorities daily.
4. Delegate whenever possible.
5. Invest in the right people daily.

Our Health: Today’s Health Gives Me Strength
Leaders often neglect this issue because of their busy schedule. To spend time on our health, whether it is eating right or exercising or resting, seems so selfish.

Why Your Health Should Matter to You

1. Your health impacts you emotionally, intellectually and drives our attitude.
2. Health often determines quality as well as quantity of life.
3. It is easier to maintain health than to regain it.

Making Decisions to Follow Healthy Guidelines

1. Eat healthy foods as often as you can.
2. Have a purpose worth living for—do work you enjoy.
3. Find your pace in life.
4. Get physical exercise regularly.
5. Accept your personal worth.
6. Laugh often.
7. Handle stress effectively—communicate well, delegate well.

Lead On,
Sutton

360 Degree Leader - Review and Questions Session

Wed, 12 May 2010 06:57:00 GMT

Today, we will have a wrap-up or summary session to review what we have learned over the last 6 weeks in becoming a 360 degree leader. We had 6 leadership sessions – Myths of Leading from the Middle; Challenges of a 360 Degree leaders face; Leading Up (to your boss); Leading Across (to your peers); and Leading Down (to your followers).

In each of these situations we find ourselves in, we must focus on building or gaining influence with the people that surround us (our boss, our peers, and our followers). But this takes time and it is based on two simple things: Respect and Trust.

Again, building influence with others takes times and however the steps and practices we have learned over the last 6 weeks will hopefully equip you to gain influence with others.

The Myths of Leading from the Middle:

1. The Position Myth: “I can’t lead if I am not at the top.”

2. The Destination Myth: “When I get to the top, then I’ll learn to lead.”

3. The Influence Myth: “If I were at the top, then people would follow me.”

4. The Inexperience Myth: When I get to the top, I’ll be in control.

5. The Freedom Myth: “When I get to the top, I’ll no longer be limited.”

6. The Potential Myth: “I can’t reach my potential if I’m not the top leader.”

7. The All-or-Nothing Myth: “If I can’t get to the top, then I won’t try to lead.”

The Challenges 360 Degree Leaders Face

If you are a leader in the middle of an organization, you have a challenging job. Everyone who attempts to serve effectively as a 360 Degree Leader faces common challenges. At times you may feel like you are banging your head against a brick wall. In this lesson we will discuss seven challenges faced by middle level leaders.

1. The Tension Challenge: The Pressure of Being Caught in the Middle

2. The Frustration Challenge: Following an Ineffective Leader

3. The Multi-Hat Challenge: One Head – Many Hats

4. The Ego Challenge: You Are Often Hidden in the Middle

5. The Fulfillment Challenge: Leaders Like the Front More Than the Middle

6. The Vision Challenge: Championing the Vision is More Difficult When You Didn’t Create It

7. The Influence Challenge: Leading Others Beyond Your Position Is Not Easy

Leading Up

The 360 Degree Leader must learn the skills to lead up (with your leader), lead across (with your colleagues), and lead down (with your followers). Each of these draws on different principles and requires different skills. Leading up is the greatest challenge. Your underlying strategy should be to support your leader, add value to the organization, and distinguish yourself from the rest of the pack by doing your work with excellence.

Let’s study the “Lead Up” principles one by one in this lesson.

1. Lead Yourself Exceptionally Well

2. Lighten Your Leader’s Load

3. Be Willing to Do What Others Won’t Do

4. Do More Than Manage – Lead!

5. Invest in Relational Chemistry

6. Become a Go-To Player

Leading Across

Leaders who work really hard and exhibit very high competence can influence those above them. So in that respect, they become leaders of leaders. But leading peers is another kind of challenge! To succeed as a 360 Degree Leader who leads peer-to-peer, you have to work at giving your colleagues reasons to respect and follow you. If you want to gain influence and credibility with people working alongside you, there are principles that must be followed. Let’s discuss them in this lesson.

1. Understand, Practice, and Complete the Leadership Loop

2. Put “Completing” Fellow Leaders Ahead of “Competing” with Them

3. Be a Friend

4. Avoid Office Politics

5. Expand Your Circle of Acquaintances

How to Lead Down

Because effective 360 Degree Leaders lead through influence, not position, they invest time and effort to earn influence with their followers just as they do with those over them and beside them. At the heart of this approach is the desire to add value to those they lead. The 360 Degree Leader helps those below him or her discover and reach their potential. This lesson covers several principles to follow in this process.

1. Walk Slowly Through the Crowd

2. See Everyone as a “10”

3. Develop Each Team Member as a Person

4. Place People in their Strength Zones

5. Model the Behavior You Desire

6. Transfer the Vision

7. Reward for Results

Lead On!

Sutton

How to Lead Down

Tue, 04 May 2010 12:36:00 GMT

Follow me, I will help you get better - Add Value to those you lead.

Because effective 360 Degree Leaders lead through influence, not position, they invest time and effort to earn influence with their followers just as they do with those over them and beside them. At the heart of this approach is the desire to add value to those they lead. The 360 Degree Leader helps those below him or her discover and reach their potential. This lesson covers several principles to follow in this process.

1. Walk Slowly Through the Crowd

Relationship building is always the foundation of effective leadership. One of the best ways to relate to your people is to approach your task informally. When you see people in the parking lot or in the hallway, stop to chat with them. Arrive early for meetings and spend time talking informally with your team.

Always ask about their families.

To help you develop this skill successfully, here are a few suggestions:

Slow down. To connect with people, you must travel at their SPEED.
Express that you care. Offer words of ENCOURAGEMENT.
Show interest in their personal lives. Don’t see them as employees only, see them as FRIENDS.
Pay attention when people start avoiding you. SILENCE, not distance, is what separates us.
Tend to the PEOPLE, and they will tend to the business. Leaders who tend only to business often end up losing the people and the business.

2. See Everyone as a “10”

The 360 Degree Leader respects and values people—leaders, peers and followers. The optimistic, uplifting attitude of an effective leader creates a positive working environment where everyone on the team has a place and purpose – where everyone shares in the win. If you want to be highly effective in building up people and encouraging them to reach their full potential, here are some suggestions:

See their potential—who they can BECOME.
BELIEVE in them.
Commend them for even small ACCOMPLISHMENTS.
Build them up by ENCOURAGEMENT.
Treat them with RESPECT and DIGNITY.

Discussion:

What potential do you see in your team?
Who do you envision them becoming?
How can you encourage them in their potential?

3. Develop Each Team Member as a Person

When you equip people, you teach them how to do a job. When you develop people, you are helping them to improve as individuals. You are helping them acquire personal qualities that will benefit them in all areas of life, not just their jobs.

Here are some keys to developing people:

See DEVELOPMENT as a long-term process.
Discover each person’s DREAMS and desires.
Help each person discover his STRENGTHS.
Lead everyone DIFFERENTLY.
Model good LEADERSHIP.
Provide leadership TRAINING and resources.

The Law of Process in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership states: “Leaders develop daily, not in a day.”

Discussion:

What are several steps you can take to develop your team?

4. Place People in their Strength Zones

In The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork, the Law of the Niche says, “All players have a place where they add the most value.” John Maxwell adds, “The number one reason people don’t like their job is that they are not working in the area of their strengths.”

Successful leaders find the strength zones of the people they lead.

Here are a few suggestions for placing people in their strength zones:

1. Provide TOOLS for self-discovery.

2. Give them the right JOB.

3. Identify SKILLS they need to improve.

4. Provide TRAINING to improve these skills.

If you don’t place people in their strength zones, you are making it almost impossible for them – and you – to win.

Discussion:

Are your team members serving in their strength zones?
What steps can you take to move them to their strength zones?

5. Model the Behavior You Desire

You will reproduce what you are, not what you want! Leaders need to be what they want to see in their followers.

Here’s how this works:

Your BEHAVIOR determines the culture of your organization.
Your ATTITUDE determines the atmosphere.
Your VALUES determine the decisions.
Your INVESTMENT determines the return.
Your CHARACTER determines the trust.
Your WORK ETHIC determines the productivity.
Your GROWTH determines the potential.

Followers tend to become like their leaders. If you don’t like what your people are doing, first take a look at yourself.

Leaders can reproduce only what they have become themselves. The Law of Reproduction in The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership says, “It takes a leader to raise up a leader.” We teach what we know, but we reproduce what we are.

Consider the following truths about leaders:

It takes one to know one.
It takes one to show one.
It takes one to grow one.

Discussion:

What plan do you have to continue to grow as a leader and to grow other leaders?

6. Transfer the Vision

A 360 Degree Leader will rarely be the inventor of the vision, but he or she is almost always involved in communicating it to their team.

Here are suggestions for how 360 Degree Leaders interpret the vision of the top leaders and fire up their teams to accomplish the dream.

Present it CLEARLY and concisely.
Connect it to past, present and FUTURE.
Explain the PURPOSE of the vision.
State the specific GOALS to be reached.
Present it as a CHALLENGE.
Put a human face on a challenging vision by telling STORIES.
Communicate with PASSION.
Share it CONSISTENTLY.

Discussion:

How do you communicate the top leader’s vision to your team?
What stories do you use to put a face on the vision?

7. Reward for Results

Whatever actions are rewarded will get repeated. That is why it is important for leaders to reward positive actions and results. When you reward results, you inspire your people to work hard and to feel better about their job. To reward results effectively, follow these principles:

Give PRAISE publicly and privately.
Give more than just PRAISE. Talk is cheap.
Don’t REWARD everyone the same.
Give rewards other than MONEY.
PROMOTE when possible.

Discussion:

Have you recently complimented one of your team members?
Did you do so publicly and privately?

Assessment and Application

Assessment:

Of the seven principles in this lesson, which one is your strongest?

Which one is your weakest?

Application:

Name three steps you can take to become more effective in leading your team.

Lead On!
Sutton

Incredible Teamwork - Well Done!

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:30:00 GMT

Thanks to the whole team for your incredible efforts this week with the take over of 8 buildings for Abu Dhabi Municipality. We have grown as a company 20% in just 1 month. This is a massive feat no matter the size of the company, especially one that has just celebrated its first year in business. Great Job!

It is truly great to see everyone come together for a common goal and a common purpose. I am so impressed that all of the Services Supervisors and Managers were on ADM this week making sure things got off to a great start! Secondly, I love that the Property Management leaders were out to help inspect and play an important part - Great Teamwork and Great Leadership.

When you think about our growth of 20% in 1 month, you see the important role of Support Services plays with Services or Property Management to pull off a feat like this. Now don’t get me wrong, we have had some problems and we need to learn from this and improve. But all in all, with only 30 days to get ready, we grew 20% in only one month to now 495 employees. It is quite a feat.

Think about this - recruiting, selecting, training, supplies, etc. are the life blood to a company, especially one that is fast growing like we are. It is like an army's need for supplies in ammo, people, weapons, and food. The army can only advance into enemy territory (Khidmah growing with new contracts) as far as the supplies are there to support them. The quickest way to stop an army (or a company) is cut off the supplies, then the people doing the fighting (our PM and Services Teams) have nothing to fight with and we lose not only the battle but possibly the war.

It takes really good communication between the troops on the front lines and the people supporting them. Both must determine FUTURE NEED, which many times is an experienced estimate done in collaboration with both teams. This relationship, if done well, allows the Army (Company) to defeat the enemy and take new territory (win new business). Success begins inside an army or a company, not on the outside. And most of the time, the battle is already decided before the fight starts based on which side is better supplied and trained.

As we take on new business and expand in size, these communication and supply lines must be strengthened by ALL and defended as the life blood of our growth. It is not just up to the people supplying or people fighting, but all of us. We are all in this struggle together.

Lead On!

Sutton

Cityscape: Khidmah succesfully participates in Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2010

Tue, 04 May 2010 07:02:00 GMT

Moments at the Khidmah exhibition booth in Cityscape Abu Dhabi 2010:

Khidmah team welcoming visitors                                                 Interested customers inquiring about Khidmah's services

Visitor reading about company offerings                                     CEO interacting with visitors

Media interviewing top management                                            Client testing the newly launched resident portal & technologies

Khidmah team extending a warm welcome to visitors       All committed to serving the vision of our Nation

Times of Stress can Bind us together

Sun, 25 Apr 2010 12:49:00 GMT

In times of stress, like we are in these weeks with ADM, it is even more important to communicate clearly, praise often for a good job, and show everyone more patience than normal with fellow team members.

When a team goes through a time of stress, especially when it is going to a HNL, we find ourselves doing 1 of 2 things:

1. The stress of the situation makes team members begin to fight against each other because they are frustrated with the current situation. The Team can actually come apart during a time such as we find ourselves in.

2. The stress of the situation makes team members begin to defend each other and help other team members cure their mistakes. The Team can actually come/bind together during a time such as we find ourselves in.

So I challenge everyone over these next couple of weeks to allow this current situation to binds us together and not pull us apart. As this is an individual decision, I urge you to think about it.

Thank you and together we can Lead On!

Sutton

Leading Across

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:35:00 GMT

Leading Across

1. Understand, Practice, and Complete the Leadership Loop

Here are the steps:

1. Caring – Take an INTEREST in people

2. Learning – Get to KNOW people

3. Appreciating – RESPECT people

4. Contributing – Add VALUE to people

5. Verbalizing – AFFIRM and ENCOURAGE people

6. Leading – INFLUENCE people

7. Succeeding – WIN with people

“Great leaders don’t use people so that they can win.

They lead people so that they all can win together.” John C. Maxwell

2. Put “Completing” Fellow Leaders Ahead of “Competing” with Them

There is nothing wrong with competition. The problem with many leaders is that they end up competing against their peers in their own organization in a way that hurts the team and them. You want to compete with your teammates in such a way that you are actually completing them. The list below will help you determine if you are competing with or completing your co-workers.

Competing vs. Completing

The bottom line is this, the success of the whole team is more important than any individual wins. Winning at all costs will cost you when it comes to your peers. If your goal is to beat your peers, then you will never be able to lead across with them.

Competing Completing

Scarcity mind-set Abundance mind-set

Me first Organization first

Destroys trust Develops trust

Thinks win-lose Thinks win-win

Single thinking Shared thinking

(My good ideas) (Our great ideas)

Excluding others Including others

3. Be a Friend

Friendships are important because…

• Friendship is the FOUNDATION of influence.

• Friendship is the FRAMEWORK for success.

• Friendship is a REFUGE in the storms of life.

Make it your goal to be a friend, not find a friend. Here are some steps:

1. Be a great LISTENER.

2. Be AVAILABLE.

3. Have a sense of HUMOR.

4. Find mutual INTEREST.

5. Tell the TRUTH when others don’t.

4. Avoid Office Politics

Office politics is when you change who you appear to be or what you normally do to gain an advantage with whoever currently has power. Political people in the work environment are unreliable and opportunistic, doing anything in the moment to win, regardless of what’s best for their peers, their employees, or the organization. There seem to be two ways to get ahead in an organization – politics or production.

Note the differences:

People Who Rely on Production People Who Rely on Politics

Depend on how they grow Depend on who they know

Focus on what they do Focus on what they say

Become better than they appear Appear better than they are

Provide substance Take shortcuts

Do what’s necessary Do what’s popular

Work to control their own destiny Let others control their destiny

Grow into the next level Hope to be given the next level

Base decisions on principles Base decisions on opinions

Here are some safe guards against falling into the trap of playing politics:

1. Avoid GOSSIP.

2. Stay away from ARGUMENTS.

3. Stand up for what is RIGHT, not just for what is popular.

4. Look at all SIDES of the issues.

5. Don’t protect your TURF.

6. See the BIG PICTURE.

7. Always tell the TRUTH.

The characteristics of an out-of-control leader:

1. He misunderstood the HEART of his leader.

2. He lost JOY over little problems.

3. He was desperately INSECURE.

4. He burned with ENVY.

5. He would do ANYTHING to win.

6. He listened to the WRONG people.

7. He thought too HIGHLY of himself.

8. He REAPED what he sowed.

5. Expand Your Circle of Acquaintances

Expanding your circle of acquaintances may be uncomfortable, but it can do a lot for you. It will expose you to new ideas. It will help you see things from a different point of view, which will often help you generate new ideas of your own. It can help you learn new working methods and become more innovative.

Here are some suggestions for expanding your circle of acquaintances:

1. Ask your friends to introduce you to their FRIENDS.

2. Connect with people who have EXPERTISE in fields other than yours.

3. Go out of your way to meet people who have STRENGTHS different than yours.

4. Expand beyond your personal PREJUDICES.

5. Extend beyond your ROUTINE.

Leading Across

1. Understand, Practice, and Complete the Leadership Loop

Here are the steps:

1. Caring – Take an INTEREST in people

2. Learning – Get to KNOW people

3. Appreciating – RESPECT people

4. Contributing – Add VALUE to people

5. Verbalizing – AFFIRM and ENCOURAGE people

6. Leading – INFLUENCE people

7. Succeeding – WIN with people

“Great leaders don’t use people so that they can win.

They lead people so that they all can win together.” John C. Maxwell

2. Put “Completing” Fellow Leaders Ahead of “Competing” with Them

Competing vs. Completing

Competing Completing

Scarcity mind-set Abundance mind-set

Me first Organization first

Destroys trust Develops trust

Thinks win-lose Thinks win-win

Single thinking Shared thinking

(My good ideas) (Our great ideas)

Excluding others Including others

3. Be a Friend

Friendships are important because…

• Friendship is the FOUNDATION of influence.

• Friendship is the FRAMEWORK for success.

• Friendship is a REFUGE in the storms of life.

Make it your goal to be a friend, not find a friend. Here are some steps:

1. Be a great LISTENER.

2. Be AVAILABLE.

3. Have a sense of HUMOR.

4. Find mutual INTEREST.

5. Tell the TRUTH when others don’t.

4. Avoid Office Politics

Note the differences:

People Who Rely on Production People Who Rely on Politics

Depend on how they grow Depend on who they know

Focus on what they do Focus on what they say

Become better than they appear Appear better than they are

Provide substance Take shortcuts

Do what’s necessary Do what’s popular

Work to control their own destiny Let others control their destiny

Grow into the next level Hope to be given the next level

Base decisions on principles Base decisions on opinions

Here are some safe guards against falling into the trap of playing politics:

1. Avoid GOSSIP.

2. Stay away from ARGUMENTS.

3. Stand up for what is RIGHT, not just for what is popular.

4. Look at all SIDES of the issues.

5. Don’t protect your TURF.

6. See the BIG PICTURE.

7. Always tell the TRUTH.

The characteristics of an out-of-control leader:

1. He misunderstood the HEART of his leader.

2. He lost JOY over little problems.

3. He was desperately INSECURE.

4. He burned with ENVY.

5. He would do ANYTHING to win.

6. He listened to the WRONG people.

7. He thought too HIGHLY of himself.

8. He REAPED what he sowed.

5. Expand Your Circle of Acquaintances

Here are some suggestions for expanding your circle of acquaintances:

1. Ask your friends to introduce you to their FRIENDS.

2. Connect with people who have EXPERTISE in fields other than yours.

3. Go out of your way to meet people who have STRENGTHS different than yours.

4. Expand beyond your personal PREJUDICES.

5. Extend beyond your ROUTINE.

So, Let's Lead Across and Lead ON!
Sutton

Leading Up

Tue, 27 Apr 2010 04:43:00 GMT

Leading Up

Let’s study the “Lead Up” principles one by one in this lesson.

1. Lead Yourself Exceptionally Well

Learn to lead yourself before you try to lead others. The keys to leading yourself well are self-management and self-discipline. Nothing will make a greater positive impression on those above you than your ability to lead yourself.

John Maxwell lists the following areas in which you must manage yourself:

1. Manage your emotions.

2. Manage your time.

3. Manage your priorities.

4. Manage your energy.

5. Manage your thinking.

6. Manage your words.

7. Manage your personal life.

If I can’t lead myself, others won’t FOLLOW ME.

If I can’t lead myself, others won’t RESPECT ME.

If I can’t lead myself, others won’t PARTNER WITH ME.

2. Lighten Your Leader’s Load

The top leader carries many responsibilities. He can give up many things, but he cannot give up final responsibility. As a subordinate leader in his organization, you can make his load lighter, or you can make it heavier.

Helping the top leader carry the load does the following:

1. Shows you are a TEAM PLAYER.

2. Shows your GRATITUDE for a place on the team.

3. Makes you part of something BIGGER.

4. Gets you NOTICED.

5. Increases your VALUE and INFLENCE.

Follow these principles:

* Do your own job well first.

* When you find a problem, offer a solution.

* Tell leaders what they need to hear, not what they want to hear.

* Go the second mile by doing more than is asked of you.

* Stand up for your leader whenever possible.

* Ask your leader how you can help lift his load.

3. Be Willing to Do What Others Won’t Do

Few things gain the appreciation of a top leader more quickly than a subordinate with a whatever-it-takes attitude. This person can think outside their job description and tackle the kinds of jobs others are too proud to do or too frightened to take on. This is crucial to becoming an effective 360 Degree Leader.

John Maxwell teaches several things to do to become a 360 Degree Leader who leads up:

1. Take on the TOUGH JOB.

2. Work hard even if no one NOTICES you.

3. Learn to get along with DIFFICULT people.

4. Be a RISK TAKER.

5. Admit faults, but never make EXCUSES.

6. Do more than is EXPECTED of you.

7. Be first to VOLUNTEER to help others.

8. Perform tasks that are not in your JOB DESCRIPTION.

4. Do More Than Manage – Lead!

“Leaders must be good managers, but managers are not necessarily good leaders.”

Leadership is much more than management.

Leadership is:

1. People more than projects

2. Movement more than maintenance

3. Art more than science

4. Intuition more than formula

5. Vision more than procedure

6. Risk more than caution

7. Action more than reaction

8. Relationships more than rules

9. Who you are more than what you do

Sum it up this way: Managers work with processes – leaders work with people.

1. Leaders think LONGER term.

2. Leaders see the LARGER context.

3. Leaders push BOUNDARIES.

4. Leaders see the INTANGIBLES.

5. Leaders invest POWER in others.

6. Leaders see themselves as agents of CHANGE.

5. Invest in Relational Chemistry

All good leadership is based on relationships. People won’t go along with you if they can’t get along with you. As a 360 Degree Leader, you must take it upon yourself to connect not only with the people you lead, but also with the person who leads you. If you want to influence those above you, you must take the responsibility to connect up.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Know and relate to your leader’s INTERESTS.

2. Know your leader’s PRIORITIES.

3. Know your leader’s STRENGTHS.

4. Support your leader’s VISION.

5. Understand your leader’s PERSONALITY.

6. Earn your leader’s TRUST.

7. Respect your leader’s FAMILY.

6. Become a Go-To Player

The Law of the Catalyst in The 17 Indisputable Laws of Teamwork states, “Winning teams have players who make things happen.” These team members demonstrate consistent competence, responsibility and dependability. These are the people who will step up and make a difference when it matters most, often when the pressure is greatest. Go-to players gain tremendous influence with the leaders above them.

They produce!

1. They produce when the PRESSURE is on.

2. They produce when the RESOURCES are few.

3. They produce when the MOMENTUM is low.

4. They produce when the LOAD is heavy.

5. They produce when EVERYONE is tired.

6. They produce when the LEADER is absent.

7. They produce when the TIME is limited.

Do you volunteer to help your leader in challenging times and situations?

How can you develop as a go-to player for your leader and team?

Be prepared every time you take your leader’s time.

Bring ideas and solutions to the table.

Know when to push and when to back off.

Make the right move at the right moment with the right motive.

Be better tomorrow than you are today.

The key to personal development is being more growth-oriented than goal-oriented.

So let’s be leaders who lead up and LEAD ON!

Sutton

Leading from the Middle - Myths and Challenges

Tue, 06 Apr 2010 12:04:00 GMT

Fighting through the Myths about Leading from the Middle:

1. The Position Myth: “I can’t lead if I am not at the top.”

The number one misconception about leadership is the belief that leadership comes simply from having a position or title.
“The true measure of leadership is influence – nothing more, nothing less.”

2. The Destination Myth: “When I get to the top, then I’ll learn to lead.”

3. The Influence Myth: “If I were at the top, then people would follow me.”
The position does not make the leader; the leader makes the position.

4. The Inexperience Myth: When I get to the top, I’ll be in control.

“If I were in charge, things sure would be different around here”?

To think that life “at the top” is easier is a serious mistake. Being at the top has its own set of problems and challenges. In leadership – no matter where you are in an organization – the bottom line is influence.

5. The Freedom Myth: “When I get to the top, I’ll no longer be limited.”

When I get to the top, I’ll have it made.
When I finally finish climbing the organizational ladder, I’ll have time to rest.
When I control the organization, I’ll be able to do whatever I want.
When I’m in charge, the sky will be the limit.

When you are on top, you no longer make the easy decisions. The only decisions you make at the top are the hardest decisions that no one else is able to make.

6. The Potential Myth: “I can’t reach my potential if I’m not the top leader.”

John Maxwell argues that people should strive for the top of their effectiveness, not the top of the organization.
Sometimes you can make the greatest impact from somewhere other than first place.

7. The All-or-Nothing Myth: “If I can’t get to the top, then I won’t try to lead.”

You do not have to be the top leader to make a difference.

Fighting through the Myths about Leading from the Middle: The Challenges 360 Degree Leaders Face

1. The Tension Challenge: The Pressure of Being Caught in the Middle

Here are five suggestions for relieving the tension challenge:
1. Determine how much authority and responsibility the person above you has given to you.
2. Accept the fact that you may receive limited recognition and appreciation.
3. Know what is expected of you by your senior leaders.
4. Never violate the trust of your leaders.
5. Take initiative without overstepping your boundaries.

2. The Frustration Challenge: Following an Ineffective Leader

1. Develop a solid relationship with your leader.
2. Identify and appreciate your leader’s strengths.
3. Commit yourself to adding value to your leader.
4. Tactfully share good leadership resources with your leader.
5. Publicly affirm your leader.
6. Remember that you also have blind spots.
7. Bring your leader solutions, not problems.

3. The Multi-Hat Challenge: One Head – Many Hats

Here are some suggestions for dealing with this challenge:
1. Always remember which hat you are wearing in a given situation.
2. When you change hats, don’t change your personality.
3. Don’t neglect any hat you are responsible to wear.
4. Remain flexible at all times.

4. The Ego Challenge: You Are Often Hidden in the Middle

Here are some suggestions for doing that:
1. Focus more on your duties than on your dreams.
2. Appreciate the value of your role in the organization.
3. Find satisfaction in knowing you did your job well.
4. Remember that good leadership always gets noticed in due time.

5. The Fulfillment Challenge: Leaders Like the Front More Than the Middle

There are some advantages to being out front:
1. There is more recognition at the front.
2. The view is better at the front.
3. The leaders in front determine the direction.
4. The leaders in front can set the pace.

A 360 Degree Leader can influence the entire organization wherever he or she is in the organization. Here are five things to enhance his fulfillment in the middle of the organization:
1. Develop strong relationships with key influencers in the organization.
2. Define winning in terms of teamwork.
3. Put the team’s success above his own success.
4. Engage in continual communication with the organization’s leaders.
5. Accept responsibility and keep growing.

6. The Vision Challenge: Championing the Vision is More Difficult When You Didn’t Create It

They add value to the vision so it becomes their own vision. They do four things exceedingly well:
1. Place the organization’s needs before their needs.
2. Help keep the vision before the people.
3. Understand their roles in seeing the dream become reality.
4. Stay focused on the vision.

7. The Influence Challenge: Leading Others Beyond Your Position Is Not Easy

People follow the kind of leader described below:
1. People follow leaders who CARE about them.
2. People follow leaders they trust – leaders with CHARACTER.
3. People follow leaders they respect – leaders who are COMPETENT.
4. People follow leaders they admire – leaders with COMMITMENT.
5. People follow leaders they can approach – leaders who are CONSISTENT.

Learn to think INFLUENCE, not position. Grow your influence by:
• Building relationships on trust
• Caring about people as individuals
• Believing in people
• Listening to what others have to say
• Understanding from others’ points of view
• Helping others become better
• Assisting others through difficulties
• Initiating positive relationships
• Giving others the power to lead

Lead On!

Sutton

Leading in Chaos

Sat, 03 Apr 2010 16:15:00 GMT

In 1989, I was hired as a ranch hand outside the Texas town of Fort Stockton, Texas. The ranch was about 100,000 acres (41,000 hectares). The head cowboy and my boss was a guy by the name of Snotty. He was 70 years old and many years before had suffered a stroke. The entire left side of his body was immobile, but this did not stop him from riding each day while managing 20 cowboys, 10,000 cattle and 25,000 sheep.

One day, when we were out working, he said to a group of us, “We need to head for the house, boys.” He said that he could “feel and smell the rain” - that it would rain soon. Then, he turned his horse and began the ride back to the barns.

I looked around and there was barely a cloud in the sky. It was actually hot that day.

Most of the cowboys began to return to the barn, but I wanted to get one more thing done that I thought was important. I thought, “What did the old cowboy mean that he could ‘feel and smell the rain?’”

After I had finished doing what I thought was important, I began the hour horseback ride to the barn. And as I began, I realized the winds started blowing clouds were rolling in.

Well, you guessed it. The storm came in before I was back to the barn. It was a horrible storm with really high winds. I became really scared. Being on the back of a horse, with lightening all around you in the open country is not a fun place!

About that time, I looked up and saw a truck with a horse trailer. Snotty was coming to get me. After he put my horse in the trailer and I got into the truck, he turned to me as he was driving and said “You know, this ain’t my first rodeo, I have done this thousands of times and you young people always think you know more.”

I learned a few very valuable lessons that day.

Nothing beats experience. No matter how much schooling, or knowledge you think you have, nothing beats having been in the same situation before. Snotty had probably seen it rain literally hundreds of times. He know when a weather front was arriving and could predict it.
Be sensitive to the situation. Always be flexible to allow your plans to change to the situation. It was not Snotty’s plan to head for the barn early, but he was sensitive to the situation and flexible.
Care about the team as well as yourself. Even though some of us did not listen, Snotty cared because he warned us and rescued me.
Lead when others don’t respect you. Even when some people did not respect his authority and his experience, Snotty bailed them out of a bad situation and earned a new level of influence.

As we discussed during leadership, I have been in the position we are currently facing as Khidmah before. I sense that we are about to grow rapidly and about to enter a "Season of Chaos, caused by the rapid growth. Like Snotty did in 1989 with sensing the coming rain, I sense this season of growth and choas from my years of experience of growing property companies. So with this said, we must now focus on answering the question, "How do we lead in a season of Chaos?"

Leading during the Chaos

1. Treat time as a precious resource.

Look at what you are doing and make sure it is important and helps achieve the goal. Many times during a lull in business, we fill up our day with busy work.

2. Prepare for all possible outcomes.

The mistake is, we focus on what we WANT to happen, not all possible outcomes.

What is the best and worst case scenarios.

3. Pace yourself – this is a marathon, not a sprint.

You can not work 60 hours a week for 52 weeks.

As a leader, everything can NOT be urgent or a crisis.

4. Focus on your core competences.

What makes you money?
What will save you money?

5. Ask and listen to your customers – they will foreshadow the need to change.

What do the customers want now in Abu Dhabi? They want low service charges, good quality service, and being able to pick the services they pay and don’t pay for.

6. Understand that Team Work and Team Culture are really important heading into a crisis.

You cannot be fighting with team members heading into a crisis. You must be one team, one vision, one focus.

Techniques to build culture and shared purpose:

Orientation and training programs that emphasize corporate values.
Social gatherings
Storytelling events and corporate histories which dramatize guiding values.
A unique, shared corporate language that reflects these values.

7. Put the Right Person in the Right Place at the Right Time

Weakness in a department, service or position will be magnified during a crisis or chaos. Know where you are weak and work to strengthen that weakness. The time to address weaknesses is NOT during the Crisis or Chaos.

8. Don’t stop investing in your people during the Chaos.

Conferences, Training, Benefits, Time off, telling people Thank you, weekly 1-on-1 meetings, etc.

9. Lead Clearly and Coolly under pressure.

Because Chaos adds stress to the situation and company, leaders must clearly communicate expectations and goals under pressure.

10. Focus on the Success, not the Chaos.

Lead On!

Sutton

Be a GIANT Killer

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 06:14:00 GMT

GIANTS are a big task, event, problem, or challenge that you have never tackled before. It is something that seems like a "GIANT Hill to climb," or "GIANT obstacle to overcome." It is something that creates a crisis, hardship or difficulties in our team. It seems like you are fighting a GIANT sometimes when you try to overcome, tackle, or “kill” these challenges. So today, we will become GIANT KILLERS and beat the biggest challenges we have ever seen.

Truths about Giants

Every Giant introduces you to yourself.
People who reach “giant positions” have defeated giants.
Giants are often Tools that are used to shape up for bigger opportunities.

10 Characteristics to be a Giant Killer

Giant Killers Don’t Begin as Giant Killers

Giant Killer See the Potential REWARD if they Defeat the Giant.

Giant Killer Don’t Listen to Doubting Critics

Giant Killers are NOT overwhelmed by the Challenge

Giant Killers Build upon Past Successes.

Giant Killers convince others they will be Successful.

Giant Killer Don’t try to be someone else.

Giant Killer Face the Challenge with the bigger purpose in mind.

Giant Killers are Eager to Win!

Giant Killers Take Those around them to a Higher Level.

Lead On!

Sutton

Failure is NOT a bad word

Fri, 26 Feb 2010 08:43:00 GMT

Before we can discuss failure, let’s quickly cover what is Real Success according to Dr. John Maxwell:

Becoming a REAL Success:

Relationships: The ability to get along with others. They either make or break your success.

Equipping: Those people close to you determine your success or your failure.

Attitude: Your attitude, more than your aptitude (what you know), will determine your altitude (how high you will go).

Leadership: Everything rises and falls with Leadership. Your ability to be a success is determined by how you increase your leadership skills.

What is the Main Difference between People who Achieve and People who are Average?

Is it your Family Background? Many people that are successful are from broken homes.

Story of my trip last week to the orphanages in Ethiopia.

Is it your wealth? No, there are many people throughout history that come from nothing to become something.
Texas Lottery Example

Opportunity? Opportunity is determined by who is looking at the situation. 2 people can look at the situation in two different ways.

High morals? Unfortunately, this is not the case. Many people with high morals are not successful. And many people with low morals are successful.

The absence of hardship? Helen Keller example.

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AVERAGE PEOPLE AND ACHIEVING PEOPLE IS THEIR PERCEPTION OF AND RESPONSE TO FAILURE.

Why do we fear failure?
Culture has done this to us.

Why do we misunderstand failure?If you fail at something are you thus a “failure.” Is failure a single event or is it a process?

Why are we unprepared for failure?
Why do we assume that our idea will be approved, or we will get the promotion, or we will get the raise, or we will succeed at this task, without any preparation of failure?
What if I were to tell you that Failure is more common than success?

There are more people today in poverty than wealth.

Almost half the world — over three billion people — live on less than $2.50 a day.

25,000 children die each day due to poverty.

Only one in five of those who enroll in two-year institutions earn an associate degree within three years, and only two in five of those who start four-year colleges complete their degrees within six years.

So, during this leadership sessions we are going to talk about failure. It is not if you are going to fail in something during your life, it is when you fail. Are you going to Fail Forward or Fail Backwards?

If your perception of and response to failure were changed, what would you attempt to achieve?

Failing Backwards Failing Forward

Blaming others Taking responsibility

Repeating the Same Mistakes Learning from Each Mistake

Expecting never to Fail Again Knowing Failure is a Part of Progress

Expecting to Continually Fail Maintaining a Positive Attitude

Accepting Traditional Blindly Challenging Outdated Assumptions

Being Limited by Past Mistakes Taking new risks

Thinking, “I am a failure” Believing something didn’t work

Quitting Persevering

Lead On!

Sutton

All of this teaching material comes from Dr. John Maxwell's book Failing Forward.

Leadership is Influence

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:54:00 GMT

Over the last 2 weeks, we have filmed a video of the Leadership Series where we asked 5 different leaders within Khidmah questions about leadership. Most of these leaders have been with us since Khidmah was founded and have heard at least 30 to 50 leadership sessions. For many, the simple questions “What is Leadership?” was hard to answer. Many people talked about attitude, charisma, and leading followers to a vision. When hearing these questions, I realized that I had done a poor job communicating the main thing. And as my friends always say – “it is best to keep it simple.”

So, the correct definition of leadership is influence. Leadership is all about influence. You can not be a leader without influence and if you have influence on others you are a leader - good or bad.

If you really think about it, the greatest leaders influence others long after they are gone (The Leadership Law of Legacy, as we learned last week). When I first came to Abu Dhabi, I quickly learned the leadership of Sheikh Zayed still remains to this day. The people he touched, the changes he made, the sons he raised, the vision he instilled, is still propelling this country today and will for generations to come.

Something that Sheikh Zayed and other great leaders have always known is that true leadership cannot be awarded, appointed, or assigned. It comes only from influence. Most people think that because you have a high position or a title you are a leader. NO, you just have a high position or a title – you don’t have influence. Influence is earned and based on many leadership principles.

Dr. John Maxwell teaches that there are Five Myths About Leadership and I want us to discuss them.

The Management Myth
- Management is focused around the running and maintainance of processes and systems.
- Leadership is focused around influencing others to follow.
- Here is the TEST – A manager can not create a positive change, only a leader can do that. A manager is a maintainer and can “manage” a company going straight ahead without any challenges or changes. But it takes a leader to lead a company with challenges and changes.
The Entrepreneur Myth
- Many successful entrepreneurs are first inventors or people that see something new that is not captured by the current market. That does not mean they are a leader with influence. Most entrepreneurs are solo workers that don’t have followers; they do it all themselves.
- Many successful entrepreneurs will partner with a business leader who is able to influence followers to realize the opportunities the entrepreneur sees.
The Knowledge Myth
- Many people fall into the myth that if a person is smart they are a leader. After 3 Masters degrees, I can tell you that many really smart people are in colleges and universities, but they are not leaders. If they were a leader, they would be out doing what they are teaching in these colleges and universities. It does not mean that these professors are not great teachers, they just might not be a great leader or influencer of followers.
- I have personally heard many times in my career the statement, “Well, I can not be a leader because I just have a high school diploma.” This is an excuse and has nothing to do with reality.
The Pioneer Myth
- Just because you were first to do something only means that you were the first to do something. Nothing more.
- So being first is great, but you must have influence to have followers behind you – otherwise you are just first, not a leader.
The Position Myth
- Ok, HERE IS THE BIGGIE. Most people believe that because you are of such and such title, you are a leader. There is nothing more false about leadership than this.
- The title will bring you influence for about a week or maybe at the most a month. But after that, people will see through the title and realize if you have what it takes to be their leader or not. Titles buy you a little time, nothing else.
- “It’s not the position that makes the leader; it’s the leader that makes the position” – Stanley Huffty

Now hopefully I have unveiled the myths of leadership, let’s discuss influence.

Influence according to Dictionary.com is

The capacity or power of persons or things to be a compelling force on or produce effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of others: He used family influence to get the contract.

The action or process of producing effects on the actions, behavior, opinions, etc., of another or others: Her mother's influence made her stay.

A person or thing that exerts influence: He is an influence for the good.

So as Dr. Maxwell says “the proof of leadership is found in the followers,” and leadership is influence, then what important things matter to have influence?

Character – Who They are Matters.

As we have discussed before, leadership is built on Trust and Respect. However, a leader must have the character in order for people to respect him/her.

Relationships – Who they Know Matters.

Are you a bridge builder when it comes to people of differences? Or do you divide and hurt people? Do you bring out the best or the worst in people?

Knowledge – What they Know Matters.

Knowledge alone will not make you a leader, but no one will follow you unless you know how to do the job or understand the business and market.

Intuition – What they Feel Matters.

Leaders seek to recognize and influence the intangibles such as energy, morale, timing, and momentum. They are able to sense it or feel it. Example of Khidmah at the last 60 to 90 days of 2009.

Experience – Where they’ve Been Matters.

You are more likely to get a chance as a leader if you have the experience. Being a followers allows you to gain experience to be ready to lead.

Past Success – What They’ve done Matters.

Example of Saima and “We are the Service.” Example of Adel setting up the network, email systems, etc. Example of Kamilia with the Expo.

Ability – What they Can Do Matters.

Do the followers think the leader can lead them to victory or accomplishment of the vision? A moment of truth.

The two extremes – Leadership in the Military and Leadership of Volunteers

If you ever want a tough leadership job, then try to lead volunteers. Leading volunteers means that the followers have set aside their own personal time to dedicate to the vision, mission or cause. This takes a leader to inspire and influence these followers to accomplish the goals at hand. If at anytime the volunteers do not believe in the leader or do not believe in the mission, they will just quit and allocate their personal time to something else.

Leadership of Volunteers is 100% opposite than leadership in the military. Literally, in the military if you do not listen to the leader and do not follow his orders you can be put in jail or court marshaled. Even though leadership is critical in the military, especially when it is life and death situations, it can be contrasted with leadership of volunteers by the amount of influence you must carry with the followers. In the military, you can force people by rank to do something, however in volunteer leadership you must rely 100% on influence.

In Business, the leadership level is somewhere in between the military and volunteer. You can for a short-term rely on rank or position, however it will not last.

So you might ask, “How do you gain, increase or grow you level of influence to be a better leader?” Well, that is where we will pick up next week.

Lead On,
Sutton

Leadership Training at Khidmah

Mon, 08 Feb 2010 17:44:00 GMT