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Most of us learned the principles of leadership through theory generated out of the Industrial Revolution. Authors such as Frederick W. Taylor whose book The Principles of Scientific Management became a cornerstone of leadership theories and helped to define the characteristics of a leader that many of us hold true today. Taylor and other leadership thought leaders taught us that people are innately lazy or unfocused in their work and that we as leaders need to implement systems and processes that ensure work flows at the correct level of productivity. Their focus was on accountability and oversight rather than flexibility and ownership. As the world around us has evolved and our values have changed, we have yet to evolve past these principles in the vast majority of corporations.
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September 11, 2011 was one of the worst days in American history and provided the most superb illustration of exemplary leadership in action. The local, state, and federal leaders were faced with unimaginable decisions to make in a short period of time. From collecting information, deploying resources, outlining response planning, and directing a nation, the leaders we all followed through this horrendous event not only provided the leadership needed for a nation to endure but also set an example of what true leadership should look like in everyday work and home life.
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Team building, team coaching, teamwork, no matter what you call it, you need to know that there are four characteristics of a good team. First, know that we use the term team loosely. You often hear a leader call the folks in their organization their team. As we discuss the characteristics of a good team, you will find that this is a misnomer. The characteristics of a good team are a commitment to a common purpose, performance goals, complementary skills, and an approach for which they hold themselves mutually accountable.
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I had occasion lately to ponder the linkage between Emotional Intelligence and Leadership. In the article The Characteristics of a Leader: Demonstrating Good Leadership Skills we identified two characteristics of leadership as being Straightforward and Fair-minded. Let’s explore how these relate to Emotional Intelligence.
As a reminder, being straightforward is about using sound judgment to make good decisions at the right time. It’s about staying focused, planning, and not making rash decisions on the spur of the moment.
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Do you ever get so caught up in problems with clients, colleagues, results, angry customers that you lose sight of the only true thing you control, your behavior? You are probably already sitting there thinking, this article is a waste of time. I have to focus on customers. I have to focus on results. I have to focus on what my boss thinks. Ask yourself, do you really? Aren’t results, customer interaction, how others view you really a derivative of what you do or say? It would be very disheartening to think that you have zero control of outcomes?
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