Friday, July 8, 2011

Top 10 Executive Leadership Skills

Executive leadership programs or leadership trainings are useful in many aspects. The skills you learned from a leadership training course can apply to your career, for your own personal development, as well as for your own personal family life. Do not look down on these leadership skills and capabilities, many people find it helpful and very influential on their personality after they had the training.

Leadership Skills for Everybody

Below are the 10 leadership skills that top leadership coaching companies used in their executive leadership development courses. The below skills are applicable to everyone, whether you are the CEO or not, as you can apply the same leadership skill even if you are just leading your own children through their growth.

1. Trust Building Building trust, the most important leadership competence, yet at the same time, the most difficult to achieve. Many of the following leadership skills are also built based on trust and mutual understanding. To continuously building trust within your team and other departments, you can apply the below tips: a. Open Door policy - you have to trust your employees in the first place before getting their trust. Be open and honest in discussing company policies, conflicting situations and value their ideas by dong active follow-ups. b. Actively listen and paraphrase points to demonstrate your understand. Only listen but not taken the points out from the conversation can be seen as not trusting the ideas of your employees. c. Make sure you handle issues fairly. Integrity is crucial to have people trusting in you. d. Constantly ask for feedbacks from your employees on your approach in daily communication and conflict handling. At the same time give constructive feedback to your employee and help them to grow personally.

2. Communicating Communication is vital for everyone and is of top importance for any leaders. Communicating with appropriate manner as noted below can make a huge difference: a. Use appropriate language, tone and channels (written/ spoken) in different situations. Do not stick to one general route to communicate with everyone as that might cause conflicts due to difference in mentality. b. Communicate regularly with your subordinates in an open and honest manner. Encourage two-way communication in contrast with one-way delegation. c. Make sure that information is delivered correctly, without unnecessary alternations, to all levels within your organization.

3. Cooperating As a leader, cooperating with your own team, other departments and boost the collaboration between your team members and other staff within the company, and at the same time cooperate with people outside of your company, to achieve win-win situation and build interdependency between different skill sets, by applying the below tips: a. Hold team-building events within and outside of your own team. Cross-department team events break the ice between teams and build personal relationship among teams b. Take helicopter view of issues and involve your team and other team leaders in decision-making. c. Initiate and/ or participant in cross-functional projects to tackle shared concerns, while at the same time learn from the best practices from other departments d. Actively discuss both formally and informally with colleagues from other departments to understand their mentality and their expertise

4. Risk Managing Risk management is something easier said than done. Make use of the below tips: a. For all projects/ works you are taking up yourself or with the team, brainstorm on risk factors and record them down for reference and further actions. b. Base on the trust you've built with your team members, encourage them to report any possible risk that they identify daily. Be honest and do not finger point to any late notice of a risk. c. Seek information from a wide range of sources and evaluate risk from all perspectives.

5. Understand Issues

When you have received information, the next step is to understanding it thoroughly and then seek for a proper solution. You can apply below tips to understand issues better:

a. Gather ideas from team members in meetings and make use of tools like flip chart to map out the details of issue.

b. Take a step back and look at issues from different angles. If you are unfamiliar with other perspectives, discuss with other departments to find out their opinion on their perspective.

c. Be sensitive to the content of informal conversations and follow-up with staff on certain implications that you can derive from the conversation.

d. Be alert on the business trend of your industry by reading relevant magazines and websites.

6. Solution Seeking

A leader is at a perfect position in showing your subordinates that solving an issue with feasible solution is the ultimate aim.

a. Use the information you have gathered and understood, develop several solution scenarios together with your team members.

b. Always prepare contingency plans to back up the solution. This is also part of your risk management.

c. Use high level and long-term views and visions to understand all the possible implications of your solution.

7. Influencing People

As a leader, you are the one who can direct your fellow employees and influence them in making decisions. Rule of thumb - always try achieving 'win-win' agreement whenever possible, by assertively persuading people around you.

Below are some tips in how to influence people:

a. Present and support your viewpoint in various formats to appeal to different audience, like graphs, tables and clear and precise wording.

b. Build relationship constantly with your own direct reports as well as other departments for political supports in times when you need to introduce ideas and changes. You can build this up by supporting, protecting and appreciating other's idea in meetings and add values by paraphrasing their original idea.

c. When addressing issues, be open and show your willingness in dealing with difficult situations. This can show your understanding and at the same time ask for understand and interest from your counterpart, and in turn influence their decision-making.

8. Inspiring People

One of the major roles of a leader is to inspire and guide your subordinates. Be open and share your value with others, let people understand that you welcome changes and improvements by applying the below tips:

a. Build a vision with your team and share common values - show your trust in your team that they are capable in achieving the vision. Be open to discuss different visions and listen for new ideas as that might add value to your original idea.

b. Share successful stories with your team and outside of the team. Do not hesitate to praise good work. This can inspire others to achieve the same.

c. Conduct regular individual meetings with each staff - reconfirm their individual ability and confidence. Provide each staff a personal coaching plan, helping them to achieve their best.

d. Give your staff opportunities in challenging your decision and let them express ideas freely. If needed, keep it confidential and allow completely free channel of speech.

9. Developing People

As the head leading a team, your team members have expectation on you to help them grow in their career and personally. Popular and respected leaders are those who do not mind to give personal tips in coaching others. Below tips can help you in developing your people:

a. Develop personal development plan with individual employees and coach them in career development as well as soft skills like communication skill. Set measurable goals in the plan and review the plan regularly together with the staff.

b. Proactive offer help and guidance when you notice your staff needs coaching. Do not wait until your employee explode with a resignation letter.

c. Work with HR or training departments to give specific trainings that serve the needs of your staff.

d. Encourage mentoring and liaise with HR and other team leaders to act as mentors for fellow staff.

10. Continuous Improving

One important quality of a leader is to be able to improve the current situation continuously. You can follow the below tips in achieving continuous improvement:

a. Constantly review existing standards, rules and policies, established within and outside of your responsible area, as that might also affect the company's efficiency as a whole.

b. Share and discuss your strategy plan and vision with team members and set goals to achieve. Review the plans periodically to identify what can be improved.

c. Share example of high quality work and brainstorm to get ideas in raising general quality of work. Establish mass communications like newsletters within and outside of the team where your team members can share their experience and compliments received from customers and/or colleagues.

d. Critically looking at the organizational structure and give recommendations to re-design job and skill match, in order to maximize skill-set within the company and boost motivation.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5559231

Key Leadership Skills

There are a variety of leadership models which emphasize key leadership skills. Some of the best models are designed for specific organizations because it is usually difficult to describe key leadership skills with a broad brush. However, there are some fundamental skills that all great leaders share in common regardless of the type of group that they are leading. Whether you are leading a commercial enterprise or a nonprofit organization, or if you are an elected leader in government, these are five key leadership skills that you must master:

Strategic Thinking: Leaders must be able to think strategically. This is a complex skill set that includes the ability to define critical issues, analyze the relevant facts and information, and decide on a strategic direction, sometimes framed as a "vision." Leaders must be able to chart the course after they have received input and sorted through the information that is necessary for them to make a decision. If the leaders isn't able to conceptualize the direction they want to go, they will be ineffective at truly "leading" anything.

Communication: Communication is a fundamental skill for any leader. Once they have formulated a vision, then they must be able to communicate it. The best leaders not only communicate the facts, but do it in an inspiring way. They are able to persuade their followers that they will be able to lead them to a better place. If a leader can't communicate effectively, then he or she will be ineffective as a leader.

Political Savvy: Political savvy is a skill that leaders use to assess the needs of the various stakeholder groups within their organization. They are also good at recognizing who represents these groups as key subordinate leaders within their organization. Using their political skills, great leaders are able to build coalitions by common cause among the key stakeholders. If a leader is unable to build collation, they will find it very difficult to move ahead with their agenda.

Resilience: Resilience is the skill that leaders need to overcome obstacles. No matter what agenda or vision the leader may want to pursue, it is always the case that they will run into road blocks on their journey. Resilience is the skill that leaders use to circumvent the road blocks and continue their journey. They focus on what they can do to solve the problem rather than blame others or become paralyzed with inaction.

Learning Agility: Learning agility is a skill that all leaders need to recognize what is working and what is not working for them or their group. In a whitewater environment where change is a constant, leaders must be receptive to new ideas, experimentation, and innovation. The old adage, "What got you there, won't keep you there," applies today more than ever. New technologies, globalization, and explosion of information are just a few of the trends impacting leaders in the 21st Century. Modern leaders must be able to learn new things and apply them to their organization to be successful. The best leaders are "quick studies."

These are five key leadership skills that every leader must master. As you think about your own leadership journey evaluate yourself on each of these important skills. If you have not mastered them, then it would be a great place to start your personal leadership development plan. Focus on what you need to do to improve your skills in these important areas and become a better leader today.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/5381093

Leadership Skill Training

Some individuals are born leaders while others have to procure the skill and talent to successfully make their mark as a leader. It is obvious that some individuals have the confidence and the charisma to make themselves role models for others to follow. These individuals do not require much guidance in nurturing their inherent talent.

But there are scores of others for whom developing leadership qualities is key to their success. Leadership skill training is of immense significance in the present day corporate world. Leadership skill training is imparted to concerned individuals to help them derive the maximum benefit as far as acquiring leadership skill is concerned.

At times it is not very easy for new leaders to change their role from a contributor to a leader. Leadership skill training empowers an individual to have faith in others and also assists him in utilizing his time fruitfully with others by grooming people with the aid of guidance, help, and training.

These skills may be tough to acquire, so the switchover to the status of leadership can be very demanding and at times unthinkable in the absence of effective guidance and help.

But with help of proper leadership skill training, education, and tools, individuals gain precious knowledge in creating an impact on others as they try to adjust to their new role.

Leadership training skill exposes new leaders to the demanding tasks one faces while entering into a leadership position. Such training also arms the concerned individual with the tactical guidance to triumph over the difficulties that the job presents.

Leadership training also helps leaders who have the inherent talent in them to advance their ability and sense of judgment to transform themselves into leaders of great repute.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/269250

Project Managers Need Leadership Skills

Yes - if you are a project manager you really need leadership skills!  Today's project managers must have leadership skills in order to effectively perform their roles in the organization and stand out from the crowd.   Something must make you distinct from the others - especially if you are currently job searching or worried about your job security given the current economy.

While this has certainly always been the case; it is even more important today in an economy where project managers (PMs) are being asked to do more with less - reduced budgets for their projects, fewer resources available to work on the projects, and reduced timelines to get the products/services to market - in order to ensure their organizations remain competitive in a global economy.

Without a doubt, PMs who are not well-versed in technical skills (such as Earned Value Management1, quantitative risk analysis or estimating activities) cannot perform their role effectively.  And certainly, without a working knowledge of the Project Management Body of Knowledge2 (PMBOK®), PMs will be unable to acquire their Project Management Professional3 (PMP®) certification.  Additionally, in a world where there are many people running around with the "project manager" title, a PMP® certification is one way to stand out from the crowd.  However, that alone may not be enough.  Strong project management technical skills and PMP® certification is not sufficient for those project managers aspiring to take on more responsibilities.  Project managers cannot effectively compete with so many other certified PMs unless they have more than technical skills in their toolboxes.  Project managers' long-term success and potential for growth are limited if they do not possess the necessary critical skills.  For example, how effective can PMs be in their roles if they do not possess teaming skills, are not effective at influencing others, cannot communicate or present effectively, or are unable to see the "big picture?"  Realistically - they can't be very effective.

Therefore, leadership skills are, without a doubt, a requirement for PMs.  For example, it is difficult to lead global teams comprised of individuals with different personal goals/objectives and varied cultural backgrounds if you do not have essential leadership skills.  Again, I can't emphasize enough that technical skills is not sufficient - it is just not possible for project managers to get the job done solely with strong technical skills.  To progress in the organization - you need to show strong leadership skills also.A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK® Guide), 4th Edition (2008, Project Management Institute), in Appendix G, notes particular interpersonal skills that PMs must have in order to be effective in their role.  They are:

    * Leadership
    * Team building
    * Motivation
    * Communication
    * Influencing
    * Decision making
    * Political and cultural awareness
    * Negotiation

And, other skills that are important for individuals leading project teams include:

    * Coaching
    * Conflict management
    * Developing/motivating/inspiring others
    * Time management/priority setting
    * Problem solving
    * Presentation skills
    * Establishing goals/delegating

All of these interpersonal and leadership skills are needed so that project managers can effectively manage any size project they are leading. 

Project managers who can demonstrate competence in these skills increase the success of the projects they lead and demonstrate their value to the organization - above and beyond their ability to create a Work Breakdown Structure or a Risk Management Plan.

One PM I have spoken with commented that his strength in understanding the big picture behind a project and conveying that vision to his project team and others in the organization led to him being involved in the decision-making process around which projects would be completed in a given year.  Here is someone who obviously stood out to the executives as bringing value to an important strategic planning process.

Another PM said her ability to problem solve effectively by really understanding the issues made her a valuable resource within the organization, not just on project teams.  She was often called upon to address complex problems within the organization.

These skills noted above in addition to strategic leadership skills such as strategic planning and change management help project managers be viewed as key individuals within the organization - someone with the potential to move up through the ranks and take on a senior leadership role.

And let's not forget some other important skills to have, including:

    * Ability to work with others
    * Ability to think ahead - foresee potential issues, risks, etc.
    * A sense of humor (often needed when times get tense and the workload seems impossible!)
    * Ability to manage logistics
    * Strong organizational skills

A project manager with a combination of strong project management technical skills and relevant leadership and other important skills will find him/herself in a position of strength within their organization and a valuable resource overall.  These are the project managers you want to work with on projects and the individuals that the executive team looks to as high potentials within the organization.
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/3868228

Executive Leadership Training Builds Leadership Skills 3 Ways

Executive leadership training can yield better returns on your investment than taking a few leadership skills training courses or buying 10 or 12 good business leadership books.

When conducted over long periods of time, a reasonably priced executive leadership program can be more effective than the popular 2-day, 3-day or one week formats used in many less expensive leadership training courses.

Educational experiences which segment, focus on and support the delivery of lessons in a modular format usually yield better results than reading tons of business leadership books.

An effective executive leadership training program contains skills development exercises and courses which are designed to energize your leadership performances. However, there is no secret to becoming a better leader, you simply need to employ your strengths, practice your skills and adjust your path towards progress.

You don't have to take my word for it but ask anyone in business or government services. The truth is this, long term, personalized, multi-modal executive leadership training programs are the very finest educational investments you can make.

Your leadership training program works best when it includes all of these elements:

   1. The intensity, volume and focus of subject matter covered
   2. The level of coaching, mentoring and consulting support provided
   3. The variety of practical applications and relevant exercises specified
   4. The abundance of powerful tools and resources supplied
   5. The energy of interactivity involved between the student and training provider.

The more frequently organizational professionals, managers and entrepreneurs engage in and are held accountable for their executive leadership training experiences, the better their leadership skills and their organizations become.

Leaders in many of the world's prestigious companies, universities and professional firms, encourage their promising employees to:

    * Participate in executive leadership training, development and coaching programs;
    * Read and study business leadership books and stories about effective leaders;
    * Update their leadership skills with ad hoc, shorter-term, topical training courses.

If your executive leadership education helps you to deal with, work through and guide others in overcoming your real-life challenges, you will evolve into a truly excellent leader. Discovering ways to help you assess, improve and correct your performance, means you must:

    * Boost your awareness or understanding of and confidence in your strengths, natural talents and abilities;
    * Invest time in applying, practicing and mastering the lessons learned in your leadership skills training courses;
    * Ingest a steady, meaty diet of business leadership books describing methods, strategies and processes used by other successful leaders.

This article suggests you use these three strategies to quickly, competently and confidently improve your executive leadership training.

Your leadership training. development or coaching provider may suggest you employ a system to help you record, reflect upon and realize:

   1. How much progress you are achieving,
   2. How far you've gone towards reaching your full potential
   3. What you need to do to keep your weaknesses from impacting your effectiveness

Best-in-class executive training programs include daily readings of classic and newly published business leadership books, articles and news stories to keep important leadership skills, various situations or challenges and enduring principles in front of the student's mind.

Effective leadership development programs offer modules of skills-based courses and application workshops featuring weekly lessons of not more than one to two hours. Breaking up the vast field of team or organizational leadership practice into sizable chunks gives the student time to absorb, try-out and perfect the fundamentals of leading.

Executive leadership training is a viable option for you if you are a knowledge professional, a manager or supervisor, an executive or director or if you are an entrepreneur or entrepreneurial professional.

When choosing your development program be sure it offers a large collection of skills training and exercise sessions on the crucial tasks and duties you'll need. Of course, you should be given access to a vast library of business leadership books, articles and similar resources.

Executive leadership training is a journey on the road less traveled. If you are willing to follow the many twists and turns found in your leadership skills training courses and business leadership books, you will succeed and find your bliss!
http://business-square.com/
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1049071