Monday, January 24, 2011

Leadership Vs. Management

Management is doing things right; leadership is doing the right things.
Peter F. Drucker


There is often a lot of debate regarding the differences between leadership and management. For most of my career I have held the view that leadership can be fostered in everyone, regardless of title, versus management being more related to a specific role.

In his book, The Leaders Digest, Jim Clemmer makes the following distinction between leadership and management:




Ask yourself:
What activities are you undertaking this week that fall under the management side?
Which activities are you engaging with for the leadership side?
Where is it more important for you to spend you time?
Which skills and approaches do you want to put further focus on this month?

Have a great week
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)





Wednesday, January 19, 2011

Common Team Challenges

In a couple of weeks I'm speaking at this year's HRPA Conference, co-leading a session entitled "Tips, Traps and Frameworks for Creating High Performing Teams". As a coach and consultant who works with teams who want to get better, I am often asked What are some of the key challenges a team can face in their life-cycle?

In today's post I am tackling three very common team challenges faced in almost every industry:

New Leadership - In this era of change, teams encounter new leadership, sometimes more frequently than they would wish. New leaders bring the possibility of new opportunities and certainly a new history for the team. It may take 90 days for a new person to feel comfortable in their role, AND it may take a team even longer to feel comfortable with a new leader.

Ask yourself:
What are your plans to really get to know your team? Discuss expectations?
How is leadership having an impact on your team?
As a new leader what is important to recognize and acknowledge within this team? What changes do you want to make?


Matrix Management - A majority of my career existed against the backdrop of matrix management often across global boundaries. As a Program Manager and Director, it was very common for my own team to have several supervisors. How do you create a sense of team identify when operating in a matrixed environment? It is possible, and requires strong relationship building and communication skills. This team challenge is a definitely a topic for several posts. I hope that you will check out what I have said about matrix teams under our tags.

Ask yourself:
What communication channels need to be opened in your matrix environment?
What information needs to be shared?
What roles need to be clarified?

Silos - Silos are a common challenge in so many workforces today. Even as organizational change is designed to "bring down the silos" many times, new ones emerge or old ones become even more entrenched.

Ask yourself:
What is your organization doing to foster communication between different parts of the organization?
How is your team impacted by silos?

If you are attending HRPA's conference this year, I look forward to meeting you!

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized Team Services
Team Coaching, Workshops, Retreats
Phone: 416.996.TEAM (8326)
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Small Business Clean Up for the New Year

I really enjoy the regular newsletter I receive from Donna Gunter, the Internet Marketing Automation Coach. Last week she had a link to a blog post she wrote entitled

Business Planning: Your 17-Point New Year's Business Inventory and Cleanup


It's a brilliant reminder of many of the important, yet simple things, we can do as business owners at the start of the year to make our lives easier for ourselves.

By this time of year the glow of all those new years resolutions starts to wear off. As a business coach I continue to be an advocate that it is never too late to start some new habits. I hope that you will take a look at Donna's post and take some action today.

As Donna says in her 17th point:
Clean it up. Now it’s time for serious evaluation and to make some difficult choices. Remember, these will be some of the most important business decisions you'll make to help you refocus for a highly productive and profitable business. There are just two rules to follow here:
  • If it doesn't fit in with your chosen target market and business plan – GET RID OF IT!
  • If you still decide to hang on to it anyway, but it weighs on you in any way – GET RID OF IT!


What things do you need, and want to, get rid of this year?

Have a terrific week,
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)
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Monday, January 17, 2011

Leadership: Consistency

Consistency is a key factor in leadership success. Whether it is consistency of action, consistency in equity and treating everyone fair, or consistency in follow through, or feedback.

Ask yourself:
How are your actions being consistent?
What area do you need, or want, to take more consistent action in?

The following blog post of Art Petty's entitled "Leadership Caffeine: In Praise of Consistency" includes 12 Leadership Activities where Consistency is Priceless, as well as 6 Reasons Why Consistency is Critical to Your Success. Click on over and take a read. It's a good one.

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching

Monday, January 10, 2011

Leadership: Choices

Your life is the sum result of all the choices you make, consciously and unconsciously. If you can control the process of choosing, you can take control of all aspects of your life. You can find the freedom that comes from being in charge of yourself. - Robert Benett, US Senator
Choice is a foundational principle of leadership coaching. Leaders can learn to be more intentional and aware of the choices they are making for themselves, their team and/or their organization.

Ask yourself:
What choices have you made recently that were really important for you? Your team? Your organization?
What was the benefit or payoff of this choice? What was the cost?
What freedom has this choice provided you with? What made it difficult or easy?
What possibilities or opportunities does this choice now provide you with?

Have a great start to the week.

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

Friday, January 07, 2011

Leadership: Values

Values act as an inner compass for leaders, teams and organizations.

Principles are natural laws that are external to us and that ultimately control the consequences of our actions. Values are internal and subjective and represent that which we feel strongest about in guiding our behavior. - Steven Covey

Ask yourself:

When is the last time you reflected on what values you hold as a leader.
What's truly important for you? Your team? Your organization?
What would you go to bat for?

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching (Wiley, 2010)

This post is part of the Leadership 365 posts I am writing during 2011, geared for leaders of all kinds - new leaders, experienced leaders, leaders without title. The posts are geared to get you to pause and quickly reflect on how the concept or quote relates to your work, or your life, at the moment. - Jenn Britton

Wednesday, January 05, 2011

Leadership: The First Step


During 2011 I'm going to be writing a series of leadership posts. Geared for first time managers, as well as leaders without title, I intend that this will be another way to keep the communication flowing with the wonderful leaders and managers I work with during the leadership training programs I run.

Sometimes we all need a quick focus or a word to get us going. My intention for these leadership posts is for them to be a "burst" or booster shot to get your thoughts and actions moving in a few direction.

Today's Leadership post is about taking that first step as a leader. Whether we are a leader with, or without, title, the first step can be seen as the hardest.

Do not follow where the path may lead. Go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ask yourself:
What is the first step for you as a leader?
What is the trail that you want to leave? What mark is important for you to leave?
What's the opportunity that lies ahead?

Warm regards
Jennifer

Jennifer Britton
Potentials Realized
Author of Effective Group Coaching