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Here are our top five guidelines for leaders. They are the values we personally aspire to. |
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| Guideline: |
Demonstrate Integrity |
Be in integrity with your word. Walk your talk. Make your actions align with your words and model the behavior you would like to see others engage in.
Display commitment in the face of adversity. It is easy to support your company, your religious tribe, your social organization, and your family when times are easy. The real test of your commitment happens when doing so comes at personal expense.
Tell truth to power. It is difficult to talk about problems to those with power over us. There is a tendency by some in power to shoot the messenger who delivers bad news. The ability to have communications which are the ethically or morally right thing to do, when one’s job is on the line is one of the best examples of moral courage and integrity there is. It is not easy and it may come at personal expense, yet to do otherwise is not an option. |
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| Guideline: |
Embody Authentic Leadership |
The term "authenticity" is often misunderstood. We are complex creatures, born of shadow and light. Civil society dictates that the fulfilment of authenticity not be an excuse to embody all hedonistic impluses in every given moment. Authenticity is about being true to one's existential actualization. It is a search for positive personal fullfilment. It means to be true to what one's highest values on the outside and the inside.
Authentic leaders genuinely desire to serve others through their leadership. They are more interested in empowering the people they lead to make a difference than they are in power, money, or prestige for themselves. They are as guided by qualities of the heart, by passion and compassion, as they are by qualities of the mind. |
| Source: |
The Search for Authenticity; Authentic Leadership |
| Credit: |
JFT Bugental; Bill George |
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| Guideline: |
Develop Emotional Intelligence |
We are all human beings, not handy little pocket devices, ready to serve at a moments notice. Understanding emtional states, thine own or another's, is required to be a good leader. Leaders know that positive emotional experiences are a key component in motivation and sustained commitment over the long-term. Good employees and good customers benefit from leaders who can read others and is not blind to one's own self.
Self-awareness is the ability to read one's own emotional states and recognize their impact. An emotional aware leader can still trust oneself in the mist of emotional chaos; one who relies on a solid gut feeling to guide decisions. It is the ability to be present in the moment and being in choice.
Self-management involves controlling one's emotions and impulses. It requires adapting to changing circumstances in a moment's notice. It is the ability to stay grounded even when you have been triggered.
Social awareness is the ability to sense, understand, and react to anothers' emotions. It is the ability to recognize when someone else has been trigger. It also requires comprehending social networks. We are all connected to the web of life. Moods affect groups just like an individual. They can be static or transitory, negative or positive, inferior on superior.
Relationship management is the ability to inspire, influence, and develop others while managing conflict. It is the ability to shift the emotional state of another or a group in a benefical way. Gifted leaders excel in this area. They can unite a group and give impetus for something larger, grander than thought possible. They can channel the synergy of a group towards a common goal.
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| Source: |
Emotional Intelligence |
| Credit: |
Daniel Coleman |
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| Guideline:: |
Practice Effective Communication |
No matter how well you say something, if what you say is not understood in the way you intended, then you failed to communicate effectively. A meeting of the minds requires knowing your audience and using a communicate model that is appropriate for “them” as well as youself. This may involve learning how “they” communicate, their culture, their belief system, their dominate sense. Too often we project our communication model unto others. There are many things that make people different, especially in a global world. Assumptions, like sterotypes, can easily be made.
Try to frame your communications in ways that are easily digested and easily understood. If at first you don’t succeed, remember that reframing is a requisite skill (and the art) of good coaching. Finally, remember to test understanding frequently in ways that do not impair the conversation, but insure that all the members of the conversation are staying in sync and are appreciated for being “in” the conversation. |
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| Guideline: |
Treat People Like Human Beings |
Resist the urge to treat people like objects. Too often people become faceless resourses on never ending projects. In a high-tech age, we need to be mindful to practice high-touch. A leader unites through our common humanity and sees each individual as a unique contributor. The ability to make each member feel special and unique is a receipe for great success. |
| Source:: |
Forgiveness |
| Credit |
Fred Luskin |
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