Energy, Not Power.

2009-11-02T17:42:00.000-08:00

Do the dishes, now. Could you please take out the trash for me? Hey buddy, how was your weekend? Every “boss” has their difference; how they conduct their duties as a manager, how they socialize with colleagues, and how successful they are meeting predetermined expectations. So have you ever had a bad boss? If so, what caused you to deem that boss “bad”? Let’s be honest. There are no actual arbitrary yard sticks for measuring how good or bad a boss is considering all the factors that go into the job, so let’s ask; how can a boss be more than a boss? This blog will introduce not only the skills a business leader of the 21st century should possess, but also how they need to implement these skills.

“In the past a leader was a boss. Today’s leaders must be partners with their people..they no longer can lead solely based on positional power..” –Ken Blanchard

Every action has an equal and opposite reaction

Photo by hemmy.net

One bad apple could ruin the bunch. Humans, like apples, are not all perfect. We have our good days and our not so good days. We all know bad things happen, but the problem is bad things fit more easily into our emotions and our memory. You are having the best day of your life and everything is wonderful. Nothing has unexpectedly slowed you down until… you lock yourself out of your car. See what I mean? Although that may be a dilemma in your schedule, why should that one incident stain your whole day?

Managers have a tough job. They are the role model for the employees. They are the instigation of the action that will spark a reaction. There is no room for a manager to be a bad apple with so many eyes watching every move. If they walk into work in a bad mood, what do you think the reactions from the employees and customers are going to be? Any effective leader must have the ability to motivate the crew in a positive manner to keep them and the customers satisfied.

Step one: Offer your commands as questions, not statements.

The human body is programmed to instinctively fight back against pressure. When a manager uses authoritative power to order an employee to do something, the employee will most likely respond by performing the order if they want to keep their job. The efficiency of the task however, depends on the effort the employee provides. In order for a business to get their money’s worth from an employee, it is financially best to perform all necessary tasks at the best of their potential. This just so happens to be achievable by keeping the employee satisfied too. Instead of ordering an employee to perform a task, present it as question. Sam, would you take out the trash please? What do you think the response is going to be this time? Instead of trying to just do what you say, the employee (Sam) is not likely to feel like he/she has to rebel by performing the job at minimum quality.

Step two: Be a leader, not a boss.

Bosses tend to live up to their stereotype as pencil pushing, inconsiderate …. you know the rest. Leaders however, should be pioneers. Take George Washington for example. We all know him as a great leader because he was the first president of the United States of America, but that is not the whole story. He was also a general who led his troops into battles. Do you think it would have been more reasonable for him to order his troops to go across the Delaware, or for him to strap them up and be the first foot onto the boat?

“I walk on untrodden ground. There is scarcely any part of my conduct which may not hereafter be drawn into precedent.” – George Washington

Step three: Make your employees feel appreciated.

Question of the day: What is a shepherd without his sheep?

Answer: Not a very successful shepherd.

A business leader should always keep in mind the people who got them where they are. They may have the ideas, the skills, and the money necessary to get a business going, but they cannot always keep it going alone. A restaurant is a great example. You have the owner which sets the rules and the vision, the management that implements those rules and directs the employees, and the employees that are responsible for 95% of the front-line operations. In order for a manager to have the appropriate assets to do his work, he/she must have capable employees that feel appreciated. A shepherd watches over all his sheep. He ensures their safety and health because he knows the value of their existence to his life. The wolf in this situation is carelessness. Protect your sheep from the wolf by:

Having an employee of the month every month that wins a gift card or cash prize.
Verbally thanking them for their work.
Allow them to have fun while they work, as long as it is not effecting the work’s quality.

What does your reflection look like?

Photo by Zinich

“Life is a succession of lessons which must be lived to be understood.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson

The owl is an interesting animal. They can turn their head 270 degrees in both directions, giving them the ability to be stationary and still observe their total surroundings. Some business managers could probably put this skill to use, but there is a different vision us humans have that owls do not. We have the ability to turn our eyes on ourselves and find a reflection of who we are. This skill is rarely used by managers.

Time is of the essence!

Business leaders know the value of time; after all, they are the ones that tab an hourly pay with a dollar amount. So how can you make your hours worth more to your business? Slow down. Stop for a moment. You have been making countless decisions for the past week but do you still know what your vision was? Keep yourself on track by reflecting on where you have been. Even though you have an uncharted terrain ahead of you, without the bread crumbs on the ground trailing your feet, you would only then feel lost. You don’t have to be an owl to know what got you where you stand today.

Ask yourself questions about your work; have I accomplished my vision?
Learn from your mistakes. By being aware of your faults, you give yourself the upper-hand to better utilize your future.
Never allow yourself to be too busy to have self-reflection time.

Be Different.

Photo by bertoxen

“You know... You know what I've noticed? Nobody panics when things go ‘according to plan.’” – Joker, The Dark Knight

Separate your business from others

Don’t waste money or time trying to compete with other businesses; make the competition. The most successful businesses offer to consumers not what they are asking for, but what they will ask for. Staying ahead of the demand trends has paid off well for technology businesses such as Apple Inc. and Sony. Take yourself back to the release of the Iphone. A touch-screen multi functional gadget that was slim enough to fit comfortably in your pocket. Oh, and it took calls of course. Buttons without actual buttons? Innovation at work. Now, other companies such as Nokia and Samsung are trying to whip out better devices than the Iphone, based on the same concept. They are competing against an idea rather than creating their own; where will that leave them when Apple introduces a new break through?

De•sign – utility enhanced by significance

In Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind, he explains the importance of design in new age business survival. Automation, Asia, and Abundance are three of the adversaries of Twenty-first century business. Think about it; it’s everywhere. Everything is made in China, Japan, or Indonesia because they can do it cheaper. There are too many selections for any basic necessity, or even pleasures. As Daniel Pink cleverly puts it, you go to the store for a toilet plunger and although its only purpose is to plunge a clogged toilet, you can get one in just about any color or style to match your restroom. So how do you beat this ongoing trend? Make a dynamic design of your product and your business to appeal to the right-section of the human brain and draw attention.

Advertisements should be aesthetically appealing but also simple and easy to look at.
Product quality matters, but most consumers base their purchase off design.

Photo by BornRich

What is that? It doesn’t matter, I’ll take it.

Design makes more memorable imprints in peoples’ minds. Give them something they will remember.

Make it happen

Now that the path of better leadership lay before you, here are some useful tools and reminders that will help you along the way.

Read Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind
Keep a journal of your ideas. Note things that interest you.
Get in touch with your creative side. Think outside the box!

Business Leadership

Energy, Not Power.