Visionary Leadership: In Celebration of July 4, 1776

Great leadership requires vision, foresight, belief and a willingness to challenge orthodoxy in order to bring about change. This is the kind of example set by the signers of the Declaration of Independence, and in later years those that ratified the Constitution of the United States, the Bill of Rights and other seminal documents that have afforded the opportunities many Americans enjoy.

Yet as we know, this grand experiment in representative Democracy strives for perfection, but is not - in fact - perfect. We all are familiar with many of the troubling truths about our history that have left stains which have yet to be reconciled. Still it is the value of visionary leadership that gives us hope for a better future.

Take the time to celebrate the ideals espoused in the Declaration of Independence today. Share it with family, friends and coworkers alike. It never hurts to revisit the principles that are the foundation of the environment that we operate in. Happy Fourth of July!

Empowering People Purposefully

Change takes on many forms in life. Whether we're talking about the changing of a tire on a car or changing the business model of a company, change is a necessary process for growth. But for effective and transformational change to happen in organizations, people and teams have to be empowered to execute.

Some of you will remember I referenced the Senn-Delaney Mood Elevator concept from the July 10th Thoughts on Leadership blog. In it, I said routine checking of "where you fit" on a continuum of moods, is a great way to assess your readiness to take on challenges. Leaders must encourage people that work with and for them to exercise their individual gifts and make recommendations for change.

By delegating critical activities and decision-making authority to team members, leaders are widening the scope of problem-solving possibilities. And once armed with the confidence of their bosses to bring their talents to bare, team members often bring insight, perspective and energy to the process of solving problems.

There's a great book by John Kotter and Holger Rathgeber called Our Iceberg is Melting. It is one of the best books I've encountered about implementing change management and the role each team member has in the success of the process.

The book is a simple yet profound example of how important it is for leaders to understand the talents and skills of their teams. Having that understanding allows leaders to more easily trust their charges with operational responsibilities.

One of the best ways I recommend leaders get that understanding of their teams is to understand each person's Signature Talents and how those talents show up in terms of being more optimal and less optimal. The good folks at www.34Strong.com call them Balcony and Basement descriptors. 

Looking to get leadership development coaching from OVP Management Consulting Group? Go to www.OVPConsulting.com, select Contact Us and send us a message. We look forward to working with you.