SHAMBAUGH

The New Year is always a time for reflecting on the year that has past, and setting goals and establishing priorities for the year ahead. While you’re making your New Year’s Resolutions, here’s a list of our “Top Ten Things to Do” in 2009- for you to consider.

In the first half of our list, we focus on important leadership strategies and skills that will better equip you to get at the heart of important issues and new challenges at work. The second half of the list (coming in January) focuses on things to do for yourself.

1. Be authentic in your leadership. Leadership is not what we do, but rather who we are. This starts by looking inward – to gain a deeper knowledge of our own beliefs, assumptions and behaviors that impact our thoughts and behaviors on a daily basis. Then, it calls for us to understand the impact these have on our teams and others around us. Now, more than ever before, our staffs and teams within our organizations need leadership that has a grounded sense of self-awareness, inner confidence and good intentions. Know your strengths and use them. Identify your blind spots and be vigilant about closing the gap on those areas that negatively impact your ability to effectively influence, clearly communicate and be taken seriously. The more you know yourself and are consistent in your daily actions and words, the more people will follow and trust you- particularly in difficult times of fear and transition.
2. Use your character muscle. Our country is experiencing an erosion of trust and integrity. Greed has crept into many aspects of our life. In a recent survey, the AMA (American Management Association), asked managers to list the most important characteristics of leaders. Number one was integrity and number two was trustworthiness. In business, as in government, there are clear lines between right and wrong. There is no gray. If you are operating in the gray, you are not flexing your character muscle and you are not winning the trust of the people around you.
3. Be open to change. Organizations and leaders can no longer rely on financial re-engineering and sharp cost-cutting to create value and ensure viability. Creating a culture of “change-ready” that encourages creativity, reinforces decisiveness, and rewards resiliency will be key for the future success of organizations. Whether you are contributing to a change effort or you are the catalyst for change, determine if it is the right change or if it is change for the sake of change. If it is the right change, then step out of the status quo and embrace or lead that change effort. Remember that while leading a change effort, it is important to bring a vision of change as well as a sense of stability. Be a support for people as they go through change. Change is vital for organizations to invigorate themselves, but it is also a scary unknown for people going through it. Be the vision and the guide that is needed for change to fully take hold within your organization.
4. Focus on creating growth and building value. The context in which organizations operate and thrive will continue to change which means that the leadership requirements will also evolve. Continuous learning that focuses on the new priorities of our organizations- such as globalization, inclusiveness, innovative communication tools, leading in a multi- generational environment, critical thinking and decisiveness, partnerships, relationship building, and innovation will be important for all of us to be successful.
5. Be a mentor. Become a trusted counselor or a guide for someone with whom you can have an impact. Support them along the way. Mentors have a special character, exceptional principals and good intentions to reach out and support others along the way. The demographics of our future leadership pipeline is slim which makes it both timely and critical for today’s leaders to share their institutional knowledge, wisdom and lessons learned. Know that mentoring can create an opportunity for cross learning. One day you are a role model or teacher for someone and the next day you can learn a new perspective, skill or approach from that same person. Today’s mentors need to be open, curious and adaptable to the person he or she is mentoring. The skills, behaviors, and approaches that worked in the past may not be the most effective for the new generation. Remember, you make a job by what you do, a life by what you give!

The world has an increasing urgent demand for more leaders and, more importantly, great leaders. Both women and men with the intellect, good intention, and desire to make a difference should and can fulfill their potential and leave their mark. As you set your goals for 2009, remember that legacies are priceless. You can create what your legacy is. Do you want to have a legacy that lives on in the hearts and minds of others? What do you want that legacy to be ten years from now? Now is the time to resolve to create your legacy and create a better organization for others around you.

Watch for my next blog: The Top Five Things to Do for Yourself in 2009.

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