5 Tough Leadership Questions to Ask Yourself
As I listen to managers and supervisors in many different
countries and many different industries, I hear the same problem
repeated frequently. "Why don't people listen and do what they are
supposed to do?" To understand this situation we have to step back for a
moment and ask ourselves some direct questions. If you have been guilty
of asking why people don't listen to you and why people don't do what
you ask them, I suggest, gently, that you ask yourself these five
searching questions. You might find that they are difficult to answer.
If that is the case, then ask somebody who works in the same environment
to verify your answers.
The next question is pretty simple. Do you use jargon and corporate speak when you are trying to get a message to the people on the shop floor? So many managers and executives fall into this trap. They speak about things that are of no interest to the people on the shop floor. How many times do executives use the language of the board room when they are trying to get a message to the workers?
Telling people what to do just does not work. If you want a change in behavior it is vital to involve those people who need to change in the process. Prescribing change is one of the most common ways to fail. By asking opinions and giving the opportunity to contribute to the change is much more successful.
Trust is one of the ingredients of credibility. Without it, you cannot manage change successfully. In today's business environment, one of the most important jobs of the leader is to generate mutual trust and understanding. If you look at organizations that have failed to introduce the necessary changes to meet new demands of customers and the marketplace, you will find that trust is absent.
The final question should give a resounding "yes" answer. Achieving change can be difficult but maintaining it is even harder if you don't use this essential leadership tool. Positive reinforcement will ensure that changes in behavior continue until the new behavior becomes normal. For some reason, managers, supervisors and executives fail to use positive reinforcement when somebody does what they've been asking for. Use yourself as an example, if you do something differently and get recognized for it, won't you repeat it? In this respect, you are no different from your staff. So "catching people doing it right" is a powerful tool that cannot be ignored by anyone in a leadership position.
- Are you credible in the minds of the people you are trying to influence?
- Do you speak their language?
- Do you tell your staff what you want?
- Do your staff trust you?
- Do you use positive reinforcement when you get compliance?
The next question is pretty simple. Do you use jargon and corporate speak when you are trying to get a message to the people on the shop floor? So many managers and executives fall into this trap. They speak about things that are of no interest to the people on the shop floor. How many times do executives use the language of the board room when they are trying to get a message to the workers?
Telling people what to do just does not work. If you want a change in behavior it is vital to involve those people who need to change in the process. Prescribing change is one of the most common ways to fail. By asking opinions and giving the opportunity to contribute to the change is much more successful.
Trust is one of the ingredients of credibility. Without it, you cannot manage change successfully. In today's business environment, one of the most important jobs of the leader is to generate mutual trust and understanding. If you look at organizations that have failed to introduce the necessary changes to meet new demands of customers and the marketplace, you will find that trust is absent.
The final question should give a resounding "yes" answer. Achieving change can be difficult but maintaining it is even harder if you don't use this essential leadership tool. Positive reinforcement will ensure that changes in behavior continue until the new behavior becomes normal. For some reason, managers, supervisors and executives fail to use positive reinforcement when somebody does what they've been asking for. Use yourself as an example, if you do something differently and get recognized for it, won't you repeat it? In this respect, you are no different from your staff. So "catching people doing it right" is a powerful tool that cannot be ignored by anyone in a leadership position.
Thank you for reading this article. Peter L Mitchell invites you
to visit his web site where you will discover a wealth of resources such
as free downloads, ideas, articles, information and books, This site is
udated nearly every day. Click here http://plmitchell.com/
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