| |
| |
|
Leadership |
|
|
|
Articles and Information about LeadershipNetFinancial | Institutions | LoansColleges and Universities | Search Engines The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part One)
Leadership is motivational or it's stumbling in the dark. After all, isn't it more effective to have people want to go from point A to point B instead of to be ordered to go from A to B? The ability to instill "want to" in others, to motivate them, marks the difference between average leaders and great leaders. But many leaders misunderstand the true meaning of motivation. And if you misunderstand its meaning, you can't make it happen. Break the laws, and you'll fail to motivate people. Or you may motivate them -- but motivate them against you. Here are four "laws" of motivation that you must adhere to if you want to consistently motivate people to get great results. First, let's be clear about what motivation is. The word derives from the Latin root "to move." Motivation involves movement; yet the Latin root indicates it's not just movement but also "that which triggers movement." Don't get me wrong. I'm not counting angels on the head of a pin. This subtle double meaning in the very root of the word motivation represents a manifest leadership lesson for you. This lesson can be understood within the context of the four laws of motivation. Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Note that the first two letters of the word are the first two letters of words such as "motor", "movement", "momentum", "motion". Those words denote physical action. Motivation isn't what people think or feel but what they physically do. Furthermore, it is not simply engaging in physical action but also preparing for physical action. In other words, there is action and also that which triggers the action. Law 2. Motivation is their choice. Many leaders are clueless about motivation because they think it's their own choice. They think because they simply want people to be motivated, people should automatically be motivated. That misunderstanding has caused many a leader to come to grief. The act of their being motivated is not your choice, it's theirs, always. Motivation can't be done to people. People must "do" motivation to themselves. Leaders communicate, and the people they lead motivate themselves. Law 3. Emotion drives motivation. The words emotion and motivation come from the same Latin root "to move". When you want to move people to take action, engage their emotions. Motivation involves emotionally commitment. Law 4. Face-to-face speech is generally the best way to motivate people (i.e., have those people choose to be motivated.) With these concepts in mind, you can begin to get a clear understanding of motivation by studying the past. This exercise will sharpen your ideas on motivation. Who were the three most effective leaders in history? Why were they effective? Who were the three least effective? Why were they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your industry? Why are they effective? Who are the least effective leaders in your industry? Why are they ineffective? Who are the most effective leaders in your organization? Why are they ineffective? Now go back over each answer and tie it to motivation or lack there of. What motivational lesson is there in each answer? In doing so, you may find yourself changing and sharpening your ideas about motivation; and hence changing and sharpening your leadership skills. In Part Two, I will expand on each law. 2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be republished in newsletters and on web sites provided attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with the included copyright, resource box and live web site link. Email notice of intent to publish is appreciated but not required: mail to: brent@actionleadership.com The author of 23 books, Brent Filson's recent books are, THE LEADERSHIP TALK: THE GREATEST LEADERSHIP TOOL and 101 WAYS TO GIVE GREAT LEADERSHIP TALKS. He is founder and president of The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. - and for more than 20 years has been helping leaders of top companies worldwide get audacious results. Sign up for his free leadership e-zine and get a free white paper: "49 Ways To Turn Action Into Results," at http://www.actionleadership.com
MORE RESOURCES:
Leadership - Google News |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Managing Monsters in Meetings - Part 2, Multiple Conversations Side conversations ruin meetings by destroying focus and fragmenting participation.Approach 1: Ask for cooperationStart by asking everyone to cooperate. 5 Steps on How to Set and Achieve Your Goals Which one is a goal? I will lose 15 pounds I want to run a marathon Quit smoking All of the above None of the above The correct answer is (5) - none of the above. The first three are wishes, not goals. Take the Road Less Traveled "Two roads diverged in a wood, and I,I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference."- Robert FrostI watched Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will, a very controversial film on Hitler's 1934 Nuremberg Rally put on by equally controversial Toronto film connoisseur, Reg Hartt, at the Cineforum (a make-shift theatre in his home). The Top 10 Questions for Socially Responsible Leaders The assets of your business traditionally include property, plant, equipment, and your customer base. Progressive organizations understand that business assets also include their good reputation, responsiveness to change, the ability to conduct a constructive dialogue with stakeholders, the ability to take advantage of networked resources, and a host of other non-traditional assets. Leadership Skills Training Empowers Problem-solving and Visioning Leadership skills training programs empower you to influence, persuade or inspire others. Well constructed training programs should result in improved, more effective leadership skills for your colleagues and you. Rationalize Success Away I was invited to do a Leadership workshop at a well known Fortune 100 company out in New Jersey. The all day event was geared toward their new crop of interns. Leadership Lessons from Pope John Paul II "Heroes are rebels with a cause. Rebels because they challenge the traditional ways of thinking and refuse to follow the herd. Miraculous Leadership It was a time of turmoil. In November 1979, supporters of the Ayatollah Khomeini took 71 Americans hostage in Iran. You Make The Difference What do you think makes your company successful? Your newest hardware or software? The newest system you've put into place? The best location in town? Although these are important, they are not the key to success.Today it's not enough to produce a product and get the work done. Strengthening Leadership Development with Employees Within every business lies a network of people who are working to make their employer successful. Because growing business requires more employees, employers need to seek prospective candidates who will align well with their business. Real Charisma, Clinton Style What exactly is Charisma? Most would agree that it is a magical, illusive, personal quality, divinely endowed on some people more than others. One thing is for certain, it is more easily identified than defined. A Winning Choice for Leadership! "The only way to enjoy anything in this life, is to earn it first."-Ginger RodgersOne bad apple can spoil the bunch! As a leader, we cannot allow "bad apples" to interrupt our efforts toward achieving our goals. Recommended Books on Leadership and Team Building The single most important thing a leader can do is lead by example, and if you want your team to be dynamic and learn more, you've got to continually innovate and find new ways to encourage, reward, and motivate YOURSELF! That's right, I said you've got to motivate YOU! If you lead by example, and you're motivated, soon your team will be too!That being said, here are my recommendations for a few good leadership and team building books. Enjoy!The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow them and People Will Follow You Failing ForwardJohn C. Stand Out as a Leader, Do 5 Things Better! Number One: Improve the Quality of Your Decision Making! The manager administers, the leader improves;the manager maintains, the leader develops;the manager relies on systems, the leader relies on people;the manager counts on controls, the leader counts on trust;the manager does things right, the leader does the right thing.-Fortune MagazineThe intentions of our decisions are our brand of fertilizer that enables our results to flourish and amplify with time or, fade and wither! You got the record crop (number/result) this year. Dont be Afraid to Lead! In most aspects of human activity, the pendulum of fashion swings back and forth between extremes, passing briefly through the point of balance on every swing.For a while, we were told leadership was all about setting clear objectives and holding people accountable. The Defining Moment: The Straw That Stirs The Drink Of Motivational Leadership (Part One) Decades ago, as a rifle platoon commander in the Marines, I saw leaders who could motivate troops to do extraordinary things -- and leaders who couldn't get the troops to do much at all. I wondered what was the difference between the successful and unsuccessful leaders; and if that difference be taught. The Compassion Paradox Effective leaders are comfortable with paradox. They can call on skills and work in ways that seem to be contradictory. Leadership: 9 Universal Laws 1. The Law of Authoritarian StyleAuthoritarian leaders lead by control and fear. Character -- Why It Matters In Leaders "Character is much easier kept than recovered." -Thomas Paine"The best index to a person's character is (a) how he treats people who can't do him any good, and (b) how he treats people who can't fight back. Mr. Shoaffs Simple Strategies to Success (Excerpted from the Jim Rohn Sampler single CD)My first mentor, Mr. Shoaff, over a six-year period from the time I was 25 to age 31, taught me some extraordinarily simple things, before his untimely passing at age 49.
|
|
Currency Trading | Investing | Leadership | Negoatiation | Real Estate | Stocks and Mutual Funds | Taxes home | NetFinancial | Institutions | Loans | Colleges and Universities | site map Search Engines | EZmatic | 0pops | GetSonic | TrafficFish | Health |
| © 2006 |
