Leadership Archives - Page 4 of 6

Leadership and Challenge

April 19, 2017 by Bob Schultek

Bob Schultek Author of The Gauntlet rschultek@staging.elfin-bead.flywheelsites.com 216-272-4449 There are times when leaders must confront adversity that threatens their business. Other times, to improve performance, they disrupt the established order by challenging the status quo. Whether the challenge is external or internal, leaders make things happen. Leadership and challenge are inseparable. Business leaders you admire are likely remembered for launching an entrepreneurial venture, developing a novel product and service, transforming a failing business, or revolutionizing …

3 Actions That Reveal Your Leadership Credibility

January 18, 2017January 17, 2017 by Bob Schultek

When asked how they judge a leader to be credible, people will typically respond with a phrase like: “they walk the talk.” Indeed, the consistency with which actions match words defines leadership credibility. And the level of that consistency is determined by how aligned your words and actions are with your personal values and those of your organization. These 3 scenarios reveal how consistently you communicate and act in accordance with your values: How you …

3 Steps to Managing Autonomy

September 7, 2016September 7, 2016 by Bob Schultek

Give people choices, some control over their actions, and their performance improves. This is the essence of autonomy and why it is a proven motivator. But once autonomy is earned, then it must be managed, because the circumstances that originally enable it are likely to change. If you want your high performing, self-directed people to succeed, then monitoring the situation in which they work is critical; one change in your team’s work pattern can cause …

Leadership Lessons from St. Patrick

March 15, 2016March 15, 2016 by Bob Schultek

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Lost in the midst of parades, green beer, and Irish music, there is a story of a remarkable leader. That millions of people still celebrate a holiday honoring Patrick, 1500 years after his death, attests to his success as a leader. How does his legacy have anything to do with business leadership today? Leaders are not born into this world; some may arrive with stronger leadership traits or qualities than others, …

3 Revelations of Optimistic Leadership

December 2, 2015December 1, 2015 by Bob Schultek

Counting our blessings during Thanksgiving often generates optimism and energy. Optimism, as it turns out, makes a difference in business metrics like productivity, customer satisfaction and profit. Why? Because optimistic people expect to succeed. When they encounter obstacles, they try harder – instead of giving up, they find ways to overcome the barriers and reach their objective. Leaders who are optimistic raise the aspirations of their people to see what’s possible and to achieve their …

Warming the Climate for Learning

November 10, 2015November 10, 2015 by Bob Schultek

More is more when it comes to learning. Exceptional leaders recognize each new and unknown experience as an opportunity to learn. They have a profound appreciation for the importance of learning and accept that it necessarily involves making mistakes. “What can we learn?” This is the first question these leaders ask, and by doing so, they cultivate a climate in their organizations that is warm to learning experiences and to the accelerated progress they stimulate. …

The First Step in Earning Leadership

October 13, 2015October 13, 2015 by Bob Schultek

Being named as leader doesn’t make you one. Leadership is earned from those you seek to lead. For you to be successful as a leader, they must choose to follow you. Your team will make this choice by judging your truthfulness, your authenticity. The first step you take to establish your leadership identity creates a lasting impression that defines your potential as a leader. Before you can lead others, you must know yourself well, and …

3 Keys to Coaching Change

October 2, 2015September 30, 2015 by Bob Schultek

Leaders are change agents. The most effective leaders drive change through coaching that inspires action. It’s almost impossible to overstate the role that coaching plays in transforming behavior. You could be a sales leader seeking to change your company’s selling process. Or, perhaps you are an Operations leader trying to improve a production process. Or, maybe you are a senior leader striving to elevate initiative and employee engagement to improve company performance. You will not …

Authenticity and Challenge

September 9, 2015September 8, 2015 by Bob Schultek

In 2013, the Edelman Trust Barometer documented that only 18% of people reported that they trusted business leaders to tell the truth. That same year, Gallop polled 180 million employees and reported that only 13% of them are engaged at work. With confidence and morale so low, one attribute is most often mentioned as the primary reason that employees respect their leader. Authenticity enables leadership. But it can also disable it. How is that possible? …

Pursuing Leadership Mastery

September 3, 2015August 25, 2015 by Bob Schultek

The pursuit of mastery – the drive to be the best, to have an extraordinary technical or other competence – creates an intriguing challenge for business leaders. (See “The Mystery of Mastery” post 6/11/15) Encouraging and enabling their personnel to develop the highest level of expertise in a given discipline is a fundamental responsibility of leadership. But in a world that grows increasingly dynamic, where change is constant, with no finish line in sight, how does …