SKI on Leadership Development
Over at Throughput.us LLC, I wrote a piece on the value of team members.
How is development of the skills (or talents) of leadership best approached? But first, why is leadership even a concept worth exploring?
Recall that my life is extremely invested in business organizations. I tend to "eat, sleep, and dream" about successful business adventures. My perfect vacation is 80% work and 20% pleasure. I recall one such adventure a few years ago. I combined a wedding anniversary with a business conference in San Diego. Yes, the trips to the spa (for my wife) was adequate compensation for the time I had to spend "at work" during the retreat.
Truly a "win-win"
Before we can talk about developing one's leadership skills (or, any skill), we must frame the need for the skills and talents that are being sought.
Why leadership?
For me: freedom. Freedom to pursue most anything that strikes my fancy. Like my adventure into the world of Custom American Motorcycles in 2004/2005. Again, I was able to combine a love of the open road and motorcycles with a business need.
For you: Fill_in_the_blank.
Readers (of more than a few weeks) will recall that Sunday's are great for "dream building." Why is this exercise important? Without a goal (vision, or dream), most people will give up when the least little resistance appears.
You want a promotion?
Simple. I can help you with that dream. During my fifteen months as a Business Analyst at Lexis-Nexis (as a consultant, not an employee), I was promoted to "Billing Department Lead" of a neat multimillion dollar project. Kinda unusual for a hired gun. How did it happen?
Hard work? Sure. But I would suggest that it was more focused that laborious. I threw myself into the project. Attended every meeting that I was entitled to attend. Offer my vantage point when I felt it differed from the others. Networked like crazy. Sought to understand the demands of others on the team. How did my portion of the project impact the other pieces? Offered to take on tasks when others were hesitant to volunteer. Spent personal time getting up to speed on technology that might (or might not) affect the project.
In other words, I put myself into the project. I made it my project. Among my duties, I got to recruit other members to my team. How do I lead? By serving. By plugging into the adventure and finding ways to contribute. No matter how small. Or large.
If you share your dream, together, we can identify and explore the skills necessary to become a leader in your chosen endeavor. But, without a dream, I cannot help.
It is that simple.
-ski
----
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey, Jonah
www.throughput.us
P.S. Yes, I was once again prowling the car lots this morning. That Cadillac CTS still is calling to me! Plus, I was searching for another Excelsior-Henderson Super X as a possible bagger for a road trip to Daytona Beach Bike Week this spring...
tag: Leadership vs. Management
©2008 Throughput.us LLC. All rights reserved.
Sunday, November 09, 2008
Leadership Development
SKI on Leadership Development
Over at Throughput.us LLC, I wrote a piece on the value of team members.
How is development of the skills (or talents) of leadership best approached? But first, why is leadership even a concept worth exploring?
Recall that my life is extremely invested in business organizations. I tend to "eat, sleep, and dream" about successful business adventures. My perfect vacation is 80% work and 20% pleasure. I recall one such adventure a few years ago. I combined a wedding anniversary with a business conference in San Diego. Yes, the trips to the spa (for my wife) was adequate compensation for the time I had to spend "at work" during the retreat.
Truly a "win-win"
Before we can talk about developing one's leadership skills (or, any skill), we must frame the need for the skills and talents that are being sought.
Why leadership?
For me: freedom. Freedom to pursue most anything that strikes my fancy. Like my adventure into the world of Custom American Motorcycles in 2004/2005. Again, I was able to combine a love of the open road and motorcycles with a business need.
For you: Fill_in_the_blank.
Readers (of more than a few weeks) will recall that Sunday's are great for "dream building." Why is this exercise important? Without a goal (vision, or dream), most people will give up when the least little resistance appears.
You want a promotion?
Simple. I can help you with that dream. During my fifteen months as a Business Analyst at Lexis-Nexis (as a consultant, not an employee), I was promoted to "Billing Department Lead" of a neat multimillion dollar project. Kinda unusual for a hired gun. How did it happen?
Hard work? Sure. But I would suggest that it was more focused that laborious. I threw myself into the project. Attended every meeting that I was entitled to attend. Offer my vantage point when I felt it differed from the others. Networked like crazy. Sought to understand the demands of others on the team. How did my portion of the project impact the other pieces? Offered to take on tasks when others were hesitant to volunteer. Spent personal time getting up to speed on technology that might (or might not) affect the project.
In other words, I put myself into the project. I made it my project. Among my duties, I got to recruit other members to my team. How do I lead? By serving. By plugging into the adventure and finding ways to contribute. No matter how small. Or large.
If you share your dream, together, we can identify and explore the skills necessary to become a leader in your chosen endeavor. But, without a dream, I cannot help.
It is that simple.
-ski
----
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey, Jonah
www.throughput.us
P.S. Yes, I was once again prowling the car lots this morning. That Cadillac CTS still is calling to me! Plus, I was searching for another Excelsior-Henderson Super X as a possible bagger for a road trip to Daytona Beach Bike Week this spring...
tag: Leadership vs. Management
©2008 Throughput.us LLC. All rights reserved.
blog comments powered by Disqus