Loyalty

When it comes to the crunch - stay loyal to your employees and co-workers in the public arena.

Your employees deserve the first right of loyalty and the first right to have their side of the story heard.

Toastmasters - Growing In Confidence

For quite a few people public speaking is a nightmare and something they try to avoid as much as possible.

For other people (like myself) public speaking provides a real thrill and is exciting.

Which category do you fall into?

Either way - if you are scared by public speaking or exhilarated by it - Toastmasters is a great group to join. You can overcome your fears in a small setting or you can develop your skills and grow your confidence levels to new heights.

If you are new to public speaking or are old hat try these hints -

Plan, plan, plan. Think about what you are going to so. Give your speech structure and flow. Throw in a few jokes along the way as well.

Practise, practise, practise. Practise both in your head and in the mirror. Practise in front of your kids or your pets. Doing this will enable you to memorise what you are going to say so you will have far better recall when standing in front of the people you will be addressing.

Reflect, reflect, reflect. After all is said and done consider how it went. What went well? What didn't go well? What could you have done better?

By following these simple tips you too can become a great orator!

"A good orator is pointed and impassioned." Marcus T. Cicero

Loyalty

"The greater the loyalty of a group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve it's goals".

Rensis Likert.

Leadership Lessons - Nelson Mandela

Here are is a list of 8 leadership points from Nelson Mandela that were originally published in Time magazine -

1. Courage is not the absence of fear - it's inspiring others to move beyond it. Even if you are afraid, pretend not to be and therefore inspire others.


2. Lead from the front but don't leave your base behind. Take the long view on issues.


3. Lead from the back - and let others think they are in front. Let others speak their minds first, listen then summarise - then speak your mind. Take a considered approach to situations.


4. Know your enemy - and learn about his favorite sport. Speak your opponents language.


5. Keep your friends close - and your rivals even closer. Always be aware of what your rivals are up to. Use your rivals to your benefit and betterment. Choose to trust people.


6. Appearances matter - and remember to smile. The way you dress tells a story and you choose what that story will be. Also engage with people using the symbols and the customary methods to engage with them.


7. Nothing is black and white. "To look for simple explanations is the human way but it doesn't correspond to reality.


8. Quitting is leading too. Learn how to walk away from a failed idea. Admitting you are wrong takes courage and humility.

Check out the original article over at Time.com.

Leadership Lessons - The Role of the Conductor

Here are the quick lessons from the video below -

1. Have fun.
2. Let the stories of the individuals, groups and community flow together to create a symphony.
3. Give clear instructions but then relinquish control and let the group interpret your motives in their own way.
4. Let the magic of others emanate from them as you provide overall guidance.
5. Execution is everything.
6. Express yourself.
7. Authority is important and people must respect your authority. There is a time and a place to exert your authority and it is better to deal with a situation in private after the moment - than during the moment.
8. Authority in partnership with autonomy creates the best music.
9. Put it all together and let the music play.
   
   
   
   
   Itay Talgam describes music, harmony and music performance. This is a great video and is one to remember.

Dilbert - Classic!

There are two stories being told in the above -

1. The way you see yourself is powerful. If you let negativity to cloud your thinking your actions will follow in a negative way as well. Think positively and see yourself in the same way and you can change your life! See 'The Winners Bible' for some great ideas to get you started.
2. The way you see a task is powerful. You can choose to get better and follow a line of constant improvement or you can stay stuck.

"I realized that if I was going to achieve anything in life I had to be aggressive. I had to get out there and go for it ... I know fear is an obstace for some people, but's an illusion to me." Michael Jordan.

Take a Break

An important part of managing is knowing and understanding your energy cycles. Energy cycles are governed by what you eat and the amount of rest you have.

Here are a few tips to help you through the year -

1. Keep a diary. Keep a hourly record of your energy levels over a fortnight and map the trends. What time's were you full of energy and ready to go? What time's were you on a low and needed a boost?


2. Plan your year. When you put together your annual leave plan make sure you take breaks right across the year and most importantly when you will need them. Aim to have a few spare days up your sleeve for those days when you just can't face another day at work.


3. Eat right. Your energy levels will rise and fall based on your diet and fitness levels. If you eat right then your food should provide a constant amount of fuel throughout the day to enable to be balanced.
   
   
4. Take breaks. You might feel like you are accomplishing more by skipping your coffee break but you may actually be achieving less. Take your regulated breaks when you can. If you are busy - reschedule your break for a better time - but don't skip it! Your body and brain's need to take a break. Then when you come back to the task you wil feel more fresh and you will be able to apply yourself better to it.

Taking time off and not being in the office is just as if not more important as being there!

The Missed Position

So you applied for a position within your company - one that you really wanted or coveted - and didn't get it. What do you do?

Well you can either - get bitter or get better!

Here's what I did for the person who got the job over me -

1. Congratulations. I offered them congratulations and wished them well.


2. Support. I offered and gave as much support as I could to enable them to be the best at what they have to do.


3. Integrity. I speak highly of the person when I am talking to others in the staff room or on other occasions.

Remember - you reap what you sow! Here are some questions I use to self relect -

1. Role size. Was the job the right shape/size for my abilities? If I didn't get the job because of a lack of skill - then get started and work towards fixing those areas of lack.


2. Philosophy. Did the job role and company philosophy suit me and vise versa? If not then great - I don't have to deal with those issues in the future.


3. Interview. What questions did they ask? How do I feel I answered them? Could I have handled the interview any differently?

So you didn't get the job. Don't get even - get better!

Coaching

"I think it is the duty of the coach to encourage resource and initiative in each one of us. We do not want to become identical human beings, the servants of totalitarianism. We seek individual freedom in a world that of necessity imposes more and more restrictions. The less we can find freedom in our work the more we shall need to find freedom in the games we play".

Sir Roger Bannister, from 'The First Four Minutes'.

Breakthrough in 2010

Here are four keys to breakthrough that Zig Ziglar has posted on his weekly newsletter -

Insight #1: Integrity makes your mission possible.

Insight #2: Wisdom chooses the right doors at the right time and helps you come up with the right plan.

Insight #3: Strength and discipline give you the fuel to reach your goal.

Insight #4: Hope keeps your boat afloat.

Lets add some application to those keys. Here are my thoughts -

1. Integrity. Choosing to do what is right even when it seems certain doing what isn't right would be so much easier. Trust is everything.

2. Wisdom. Listen to the small voice that speaks to you in your mind. It is called your conscience and it is valuable. Ignore it at your own risk.

3.Discipline. You need to set a goal, focus on it, remind yourself what it is and then work out the small steps you need to take to fulfill it. Then ACT!

4. Hope. Don't let setbacks or disappointments keep you from being happy or acheiving your goals, Rather use setbacks, criticism and negative feedback as markers and signs of areas in your life that still require work.

Make 2010 work for you!