Turn off and tune in

From Jackie Cameron's blog ....

"I read this post over at the All Things Workplace blog written by my good friend Steve Roesler on the theme of taking time to notice . He includes a video of Daniel Goleman talking about compassion and connecting with other people. The video is well worth the 14 minutes time out of your busy day that it would take to watch.

As is so often the case when I read a post that touches me I take a while to mull it over and reflect. I also mindmap when I am listening to a speaker if I want to capture important comments and quotes and I noticed in the map of Goleman’s talk I had written down

“Turn off - and tune in…to the other person”

Why..well here’s my thoughts for what they are worth

So many of us are wired to our technology - either really with the white i-pod earphones or by some Pavlovian reaction to the ping from a text or e-mail arriving. I travel by bus a lot and regularly see people paying their fares as they board without removing the earphones - therefore ensuring they have no connection with the driver. I also noticed a woman conduct a conversation on her mobile phone whilst loading up her grocery shopping onto the conveyor belt, packing the bag and paying - never once connecting with the checkout guy. How hard would it be to turn off and tune in for just a few moments?

And I always feel slightly put out when I am with someone who dives to read a text or take a call. They may be waiting for something important and I am absolutely fine if that if I know up front but when a conversation is interrupted so that one party can check what has arrived it breaks the flow - the thread of the conversation itself and the rapport that the parties have built up. The body language changes and the connection is lost. …and I can’t help feeling that my companion would rather be somewhere else."

Read the rest of Jackie's post ...

The Top 3 Leadership Mistakes

Guest blog from Heidi Taylor, of Best Online Universities.com

Being a leader involves much more than just simply the title; it involves a much deeper commitment to your job, and to the team which you are in charge of. This means more than simply dictating menial tasks, but truly understanding and comprehending what is going on within your staff. Many new leaders make classic mistakes when starting out that they can quickly learn from, but are very easy to avoid. Leadership often involves working with people you may not always like, but the true task is being able to delegate without dictating, and remembering that you are working in a team, not independently.

Refusal to Listen

Leaders are put into place as a type of counselor/overseer of a specific team or group. This entails them to both listen and suggest alternative methods, never to dictate or become overbearing onto the group. However, many new leaders take this opportunity to exert their power in ways they never before could have, and enjoy simply ordering rules out, without consideration as to what the team thinks. Leaders need to be much more understanding and compassionate when dealing with their team members, allowing everybody to have equal input, and then deciding together as a group which course of action they should take. Leadership is never about ignoring all other suggestions and rules, deciding everything independently of a team; rather, leadership entails the ability to calm a team and bring everyone together as one entity.

Refusal to Change

Change is an essential component of any job in which you are first starting out. Perhaps you had your own views of the way a leader should prove their capabilities, but this may not always be the most effective manner. Patience is a key criterion in the beginning, and many younger people in leadership roles have yet to gain the proper experience which will result in a higher level of tolerance. Change is always for the better, and the refusal to even attempt it is a huge mistake that can result in the end of your position.

Refusal to Accommodate

As a leader, you also have to understand that many in your team will not always be able to do every project; it’s not that they are unwilling, but simply that they are unable to meet, unable to commute, etc. It is your job as a leader to be understanding of this fact and attempt to accommodate as best as you can so that everyone in the team has an equal opportunity. A group is never a full team if there is a member who cannot meet or who is unable to participate in any meaningful discussions. It is up to you, as a leader, to be able to problem-solve any situation that may arise in order to guarantee that everyone in your team is equally represented and able to contribute.

Leadership roles are not easily filled, and contrary to what many articles have previously stated, it is not always something you are born with. Arguably, some people are born leaders, but others have managed to acquire it over the years, and ended up in charge of hundreds of people. These leaders understandably made many mistakes in the process, but you are allowed a learning curve; no one is perfect in the beginning, and it is only after years of honing your skills that you will be able to effectively lead a company.

This post was contributed by Heidi Taylor, who writes about the best online schools. She welcomes your feedback at HeidiLTaylor006 at gmail.com