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Leadership Essentials - Sun, Apr 26, 2020

The Recipe of Good Leadership

I came across this amazing Udemy course by Chris Croft: “Leadership: Practical Leadership Skills”. I am not into a managerial role. But I wanted to have knowledge about the essentials of leadership. So I took up this course and I was very impressed by all the points which were put across during the course. Sharing some points which I had taken while pursuing the course. I hope you find it useful :)

Leadership skills:

leader vs manager

  • [-] Leader more about getting things done
  • [-] Manager more about motivation and knowing what ppl wants etc.
  • [-] A good manager needs to be a good leader and vice versa

A Leader’s responsibility

  • [-] Do the main work for sure. Anything else is good to have.
  • [-] Train ppl for tasks which are not necessarily to be done by the captain
  • [-] Have a system in place
  • [-] Keep the ppl appreciated and motivated
  • [-] Make sure to check on quality from time to time
  • [-] A good boss is the one who is in control, builds a machine of people
  • [-] Got to work in 3 areas: people, systems and vision
  • [-] The manager is always responsible for everything that happens in the team

Everything is management’s fault

  • [-] Management is responsible for any and every mistake/actions knowingly/unknowingly committed by the employee.
  • [-] If you have the right people and the right monitoriting in place, you are okay.

Methods of Monitoring

  • [-] Management by wandering about (MBWA). Walk around the whole office every day. Have a real feel for what’s happening. Communication is very important
  • [-] Back to the floor: For a stipulated time per year, try to go back to the basic job and try doing it. No need to be secretive. Better decision making due to this experience.

Communication

  • [-] Information cascade: Pass down at every level
  • [-] Team meetings
  • [-] Addressing the troops: Eg. All hands. Makes ppl feel part of something big.
  • [-] He who communicates, leads

Leadership: born or made?

  • [-] Depends on what you do, not what you are.
  • [-] Anybody can be a good leader if you know the right thing to do
  • [-] Action centered leadership:
  • |==== (1) Work gets done
  • |==== (2) Team is happy
  • |==== (3) Individuals are happy
  • [-] Stages in which tasks need to be done:
  • |==== (1) Setting objective
  • |==== (2) Planning
  • |==== (3) Briefing
  • |==== (4) Action

MOTIVATION:

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:

  • [-] Physiological Needs
  • [-] Safety/security
  • [-] Belonging
  • [-] Esteem/status
  • [-] Self actualization

The Management Potato

  • [-] Thanking people is very important
  • [-] Potato of performance:
  • |==== (1) Good performance
  • |==== (2) expert
  • |==== (3) needs improvement
  • [-] Manager should focus on all the areas
  • [-] Can use shit sandwich while talking about improvement
  • [-] Good-bad-good news
  • [-] Help them what can be done differently next time for the “needs improvement” areas. Be positive about it.

People Matrix:

      ---------|--------------------------|------------------------|
        Task   |                          |                        |
        Facts  |    ANALYTICAL            |      CONTROLLER        |
        Logic  |                          |                        |
      ---------|--------------------------|------------------------|----
        People |                          |                        |
       Feelings|    AMIABLE               |      ENTHUSIAST        |
       Emotions|                          |                        |
      ---------|--------------------------|------------------------|----
               |    Quiet                 |    Assertive           |
               |   Careful                |      Quick             |
               |   Thoughtful             |    Decisive            |
               |Take their time           |    Outspoken           |

Types of people

  • [-] Personalities vary.
  • [-] Need to adapt to the different personalities
  • [-] Manage people depending on which type they fall into

[1] Analytical:

  • |==== (1) Intereseted in some amount of security.
  • |==== (2) Likes rules, processes, system in place.
  • |==== (3) Plenty of explaination of whats going on in the company.
  • |==== (4) Keen on self-actualization.

[2] Controller:

  • |==== (1) Hard to manage.
  • |==== (2) Easy to motivate, since they are very driven.
  • |==== (3) Intereseted in status and self-actualization.

[3] Enthusiast:

  • |==== (1) Much more socially driven.
  • |==== (2) Like to be important.
  • |==== (3) Have lots of strengths: Creative, Energy, excitement.
  • |==== (4) To manage these kind of people, give them an exciting vision of the future.
  • |==== (5) Such people needs controlling so that they stay on tracks.
  • |==== (6) Moody.

[4] Amiable:

  • |==== (1) More concerned with social and security side of things.
  • |==== (2) They want to be a part of team. Like to feel the sense of belonging.
  • |==== (3) They want to feel looked after. Want to feel that you care.
  • |==== (4) Managers need to give time and nurture.

How will these types of people be in case if they are the managers?

[1] Analytical:

  • |==== (1) Very fair boss and a good communicator.
  • |==== (2) Not a natural communicator.
  • |==== (3) More of a 1To1 communicator.
  • |==== (4) Won’t enjoy giving inspirational talks.
  • |==== (5) Need to work on vision.
  • |==== (6) Not a risk taker.
  • |==== (7) They do like to have a plan.
  • |==== (8) Sensible and a nicely organised leader

[2] Controller:

  • |==== (1) Very dynamic leader.
  • |==== (2) Lead from the front.
  • |==== (3) Solve problems as they go along.
  • |==== (4) May not be a very sympathetic leader.
  • |==== (5) May leave people behind, if they cant keep up.
  • |==== (6) Need to make an effort to be caring.

[3] Enthusiast:

  • |==== (1) Very good leader.
  • |==== (2) Naturally enthusiastic vision.
  • |==== (3) Must remember to communicate enough details to people like Analyticals.
  • |==== (4) An inspirational Leader.

[4] Amiable:

  • |==== (1) Probably not going to push themselves forward to be the leader.
  • |==== (2) Can actually make a very good senior manager. Because, at that level, quite a lot of job is actually about judging people.
  • |==== (3) Moving people into the right kind of jobs.
  • |==== (4) Not a pushy thrusting type of manager. Hence, may never become a top boss.

Is money a motivator?

  • [-] Mostly No
  • [-] Self-actualization and status has nothing to do with money, even though it may bring security
  • [-] Money is a push motivator, not a pull motivator. i.e. It will make you do things, but will not make you want to do things
  • [-] Below a point it works
  • [-] Pay increase has only a short term effect. It makes an individual think that they got it just because they must be doing a good job.
  • [-] Praise + Money is more effective than just Money
  • [-] For creative tasks, more money == Less output. Thats because money distracts you from the task. It replaces the motivation.
  • [-] Money matters are always unfair
  • [-] Better to motivate people with other factors than Money
  • [-] Worth thinking: Will you do a better job at work if you are silently paid more?
  • |==== YES: That means you are not performing your best currently
  • |==== NO : That means money is not a motivator for you

20 Motivational essentials

  • [01] Give everybody ownership of something
  • [02] Involve people as mush as possible
  • [03] Challenges (give them to everyone)
  • [04] Let them Set their own objectives
  • [05] Do appraisals
  • [06] Make people feel secure
  • [07] Give out praise
  • [08] Thank people
  • [09] Coach & support
  • [10] Know your people
  • [11] Offer learning
  • [12] Show progress
  • [13] Co-develop (growth & career)
  • [14] Reach potentials
  • [15] Help to grow
  • [16] Keep things varied
  • [17] Create a social environment
  • [18] Build team spirit
  • [19] Make money adequate
  • [20] Set an example (be positive)

Leadership Styles

  • [-] It’s all about control.
  • [1] Tells:
  • |==== Just telling what you want.
  • |==== Not so motivational.
  • [2] Sells:
  • |==== Telling what you want and why.
  • |==== Quick and a bit more motivational
  • [3] Consults:
  • |==== Tell what you want and ask for their thoughts about it.
  • |==== More motivational.
  • |==== Slower ad less control.
  • [4] Shares:
  • |==== Not much control
  • |==== Time consuming
  • [5] Delegates:
  • |==== Instead of sharing, delegate
  • |==== Ask to check with you first before going ahead.
  • |==== No control
  • |==== Just monitoring
  • |==== Quicker for you
  • |==== Motivational for them
  • [6] Abdicate:
  • |==== Delegate.
  • |==== Similar to sharing, but here you don’t care about the decision.
  • |==== So you don’t monitor
  • |==== Don’t give support
  • |==== More likely to go wrong
  • [7] Empower:
  • |==== Extend support
  • |==== Give them full control
  • |==== No monitoring

Delegating

  • [-] Trusting and supporting
  • [-] Empower others
  • [-] Extend help when needed
  • [-] Spend time adding value
  • [-] Keep your word when u trust others
  • [-] Use a sliding scale to make sure that people are keeping up the trust
  • [-] Trust leads to ownership. People will take more care.
  • [-] Advantages of Delegation:
  • |==== (1) Motivation
  • |==== (2) Better work
  • |==== (3) Learning
  • |==== (4) You don’t have to do it
  • |==== (5) Less risk
  • |==== (6) Promotions loom
  • [-] Objections to Delegating:
  • |==== (1) Fear of unknown (can be solved by monitoring)
  • |==== (2) Fear of overtaking
  • |==== (3) Too busy to explain
  • |==== (4) I like the work (Have to let it go, pass it down)
  • |==== (5) I may run out of work
  • |==== (6) My team are already too busy
  • [-] Would you be missed?
  • [-] What if I wasnt here?
  • [-] Create a system, make someone responsible
  • [-] How to delegate:
  • |==== (1) Delegate at 80% (even if they can do 80% good job)
  • |==== (2) How will they get to 100%?
  • |==== (3) Should you challenge people? (If not time bound, give to new people)
  • [-] Words to use while delegating
  • |==== (1) What you want
  • |==== (2) Why its important
  • |==== (3) Why them?
  • |==== (4) What the limits are
  • |==== (5) Reporting processes
  • |==== (6) Offer support
  • |==== (7) Check if they are okay
  • |==== (8) “You can do it”
  • [-] Taking the monkey
  • [-] Don’t accept what u cant do
  • [-] Don’t take the monkey
  • [-] Ask what have you tried so far?
  • [-] Follow up
  • [-] Ask them to go and come up with a plan
  • [-] Which one do YOU think will work?
  • [-] Get them to do it and follow up
  • [-] It’s a failure to take it
  • [-] Pass on the authority

Leadership Styles Part 2

Competencies:

                                    Competence
                            LOW                   HIGH
                    |-------------------|---------------|---|
                    |       (1)         |       (2)     | --|---> Empower (No monitoring, 
                    |  Enthusiastic     |   Experienced |___|      Ask for support if needed)
              HIGH  |      new          |       and         |
                    |    learner        |     Fulfilled     |
         Commitment/|                   |                   |
         Motivation |-------------------|-------------------|
                    |       (3)         |        (4)        |
              LOW   |    Lacking        |   Bored           |
                    |   Confidence      |   Misdirected or  |
                    |  or interest      |   misunderstood   |
                    |-------------------|-------------------|
  • [1] LOW Competence/ HIGH Motivation
  • |==== Not sustainable.
  • |==== Eg: New employee. Move across once you learn.
  • |==== Need Teaching/KT
  • |==== Give instructions.
  • |==== Tell what and how.
  • [2] HIGH Competence/ HIGH Motivation
  • |==== Empower them.
  • |==== No issues with such people
  • |==== Delegate
  • [3] LOW Competence/ LOW Motivation
  • |==== Everything’s management fault.
  • |==== May be in the wrong job.
  • |==== May need coaching.
  • |==== Pull information in. Praise.
  • |==== Coach
  • [4] HIGH Competence/ LOW Motivation
  • |==== Bad management.
  • |==== Try to motivate.
  • |==== Involve in decision making
  • |==== Pull information out. Thank.
  • |==== Involve

The Freedom Ladder (Highest to lowest)

  • [5] Free to act. Routine reporting only
  • [4] Report afterwards
  • [3] Suggest- Check before acting
  • [2] Ask what to do next
  • [1] Wait until told
  • [-] Try to move people higher up the ladder
  • [-] Decide the amount of control which you want in “Plan” and “Do” parts

Daily, Weekly, Monthly, Yearly

  • [-] Daily:
  • |==== (1) Management by walking about
  • |==== (2) Thinking/vision
  • |==== (3) Jobs “to do” list at EOD
  • [-] Weekly
  • |==== (1) Thank everyone who works for you
  • |==== (2) Team meetings
  • |==== (3) 1:1 coaching of one person per week
  • |==== (4) Time planning
  • [-] Monthly
  • |==== (1) Review each person’s progress relative to the goals set at their appraisals
  • |==== (2) Project progress review meetings for each project
  • |==== (3) Do a motivation review of each person
  • |==== (4) Are they motivated
  • |==== (5) What challenges have they been given
  • |==== (6) Do each one have ownership of something
  • |==== (7) What are they learning
  • |==== (8) What coaching might they need?
  • [-] Yearly
  • |==== (1) Appraisals
  • |==== (2) Ask people about feedback for yourself
  • |==== (3) Address teams on past, present and future
  • |==== (4) Do between a day and a week of “Back to the floor”
  • |==== (5) Review your personal goals and life quality
  • |==== (6) Go on a course of some sort - get new ideas
  • |==== (7) Read a book on the subject of your work

I would really recommend everyone to opt for this course. You won’t get the whole picture just by looking at the notes :)

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© Neha Joshi 2020

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