Tip #399: Top Leadership and Management Strategies (Part 1 of 2)

Our Leadership & Managementtwo-part e-tip series are specifically created to help you become a better leader and manager. And as the business world becomes smaller and more competitive, top-notch talent always rises to the top. If you want to stand out in your organization as a strong leader and manager, hone your skills and you will become a more valuable resource for any organization.

Your Inspiration Will Motivate Your Employees.

Leaders inspire and motivate others, creating a natural following. Managers have the authority to enforce policies and processes to ensure that they are followed. But as we both know, managers are not always leaders, because a manager is often given their position of authority through time, loyalty and because they are proficient at executing, not because of their leadership qualities.

To be really successful in today's challenging environment, you need to develop the qualities and skills of both a leader and a manager.

3 (of 7) Leadership & Management Tips For All Professionals To Consider:

Tip #1: Communicate Frequently With Employees During Changing Times - When going through organizational, divisional or territory changes, we see many executives leaving their employees in the dark only to have rumors, based on both fact and fiction, running through their rank-and-file. During any type of change(s), it is best to initially communicate directly with your employees via a face-to-face meeting(s) vs. a general e-mail. And as changes occur, keep them up-to-date with weekly, bi-weekly or monthly meetings/emails. It is actually better to communicate too frequently during an organizational change rather than not frequently enough.

Tip #2: Involve Your Employees - When embarking on new challenges, opportunities or corporate directions, your employees are more apt to support a particular change if they are ready to make it. Accomplishing this means involving them in creating the solution, setting direction or overcoming challenges related to the change. Research has shown overwhelmingly that if your staff believes in your change(s) and has time and energy invested in the change(s), your organization will have a greater probability of success when it comes time for making that change a reality.

Tip #3: Evaluate The Results Together - If you want to cultivate employee commitment, get them involved with the analysis and design of the change(s). When it comes time for the actual implementation part of the change(s), get everyone to measure and evaluate its overall effectiveness; however, this should not be done until you have given everyone enough time to settle into their own groove. This way, they can make a more objective judgment rather than just reacting to being uncomfortable dealing with something new.

Executive Summary: As a leader and manager, you will find that most everyone will want to become part of the solution. All your employees really want is to be informed on what is happening and, of course, to have an opportunity to give their input. If you do run across staff members who find a problem with a particular change, ask them what they would suggest. This often reduces resistance, since they will need to step-up and deliver a viable solution. Ultimately, change is good for any organization. And with your employees' involvement, the changes become less formidable and employees want to become part of a successful transformation.


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