Eight Key Leadership Skills
While leadership theories abound and the debate over whether leaders are born or made continues, Ram Charan has concluded that it takes time to grow a leader. In his new book: “Know-How – The 8 Skills That Separate People Who Perform From Those Who Don’t,” he discounts the value of charisma and focuses on attention to detail. After 40 years of research and observation, Charan has concluded that leaders must:
- Know how to position the business to make money.
- Connect what is happening in the outside world to the impact it will have on the company.
- Manage the company’s social system so that employees can work together effectively.
- Be able to judge, select, and develop other leaders within the organization.
- Mold a team of leaders and tap into their capabilities and collective wisdom to make the best decision.
- Choose and set the right goals to achieve the desired objectives.
- Set clear priorities so that the goals can be achieved.
- React appropriately when things happen that are out of their control.
While this list may seem daunting, good leaders find a way to balance all of these skills and use them in a way that propels the organization forward (despite adverse conditions). At the same time, they are constantly pushing themselves to improve rather than resting on their laurels. That’s what really distinguishes the effective leaders from the rest.
If you’re interested in learning how to develop leaders at all levels of your organization, please contact Kammy Haynes.
Time and Performance
When evaluating training programs, an important consideration is how long it takes for a person’s change in behavior to be reflected in his/her performance. There are two issues here:
- What is the learning curve for the job? Even if someone is fully trained, it could take several months for them to perform up to their abilities.
- What is the time lag between exhibiting the proper work behaviors and seeing the results? For instance, a new sales person might be doing all the right things, but the sales cycle for the product or service may be 6 months or more.
When evaluating the effectiveness of your training program, determine a reasonable time frame when you would expect to see solid evidence of improved performance. That way you get a valid measure of the program’s value.
For more information on training program evaluation, please contact Warren Bobrow.
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