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Management Development Skills - The Six Primary virtues (04/04/2008)
A theory for effective action In order to do well in life, we must engage in certain virtues and refrain from certain vices.
Of the many virtues required for success, six in particular are crucial. These six can be summarised in just three words.
They are clarity, reason and emotion.
I call these the primary virtues.
Clarity
Clarity relates to developing internal mental clarity.
That includes being clear about what principles you stand for and why.
It means knowing what goals you want to achieve and the ability to focus your mind without distraction on them over months and years.
Clarity also pertains to communication.
Once you have decided what you believe, you should be able to communicate those ideas to others in non-ambiguous terms, so that the understand you. (Others need not agree). Consider the opposite
What happens to people with clear ideas but who lack the ability to express them?
Or people who lack mental clarity feel uncertain about their direction.
They are distracted by trivia.
They lack purpose. Reason
Reason, the ability to think clearly and logically about the problems that continually face anyone, is the key to intelligent action.
Reason is your means of survival. It means developing the ability to integrate facts and derive true conclusions. Logic is the method of reason.
Without reason and logic, a person is forced to fall back on the “majority opinion” as a source of wisdom. And as you know, the majority opinion is not necessarily a guide to intelligent action. There are two main aspects where you may want to use reason and logic · Planning
· Conflict resolution. Rational Planning
“Planning” means “the ability to translate knowledge and ideas into intelligent action that is likely to result in the attainment of a goal”
Planning is a prerequisite of continued achievement. Failure to plan is the cause of much inefficiency and anguish. Rational conflict management
Rational conflict resolution means “The ability to resolve disagreements over fact, or principle by reference to logical principles as opposed to prejudice, anger, ego or whim”. Conflict is inevitable and even beneficial, provided conflict is resolved rationally and logically, not egotistically, with anger. If conflict remains rational, new, better solutions often emerge.
If conflict degenerates into emotional bloodletting, the team performance suffers. Emotions
Positive emotions such as enthusiasm, confidence and friendliness are the spark that transforms logical plans into determined action.
Most people live in the hope that something outside of them will appear to inspire positive emotions. But in truth, the world has a tendency to de-motivate, because perfect knowledge is impossible and therefore plans often do not work out first time. In order to keep going, generate enthusiasm as an act of will. The Ability to inspire yourself is an important skill.
This is each person’s individual choice: to be as happy as his or her present circumstances reasonably permit. Next is: The ability to inspire others.
That means “the conscious attempt to lift the spirits of people you work with”. If you cannot lift others, then it means, “Not accidentally, needlessly, carelessly upsetting the emotions of another”. In summary these virtues are:
1. Mental clarity (purpose /standards)
2. Communications clarity
3. Rational planning
4. Rational conflict resolution
5. Ability to inspire self
6. Ability to inspire others
Six motivators (18/03/2008)
Motivation is an important but complex issue. Here are six ways to motivate others. Money
Money motivates most people.
Why? Because it allows people to buy the things they need (shelter, food, electricity) and want (fancy car, clothes, perfume). However, money may not be enough, on its own, to carry us through any particular day.
People are more complex than that. They need more! Security
Once we have enough money to take care of our immediate needs, we turn our attention to keeping what we have.
We want long-term security.
Few people are happy when the future is uncertain. We want to feel secure about the future. We feel better when we are safe. So security is a motivator. Achievement
If you were rich beyond dreams, you would not necessarily be happy. Most people are motivated by the desire to achieve something worthwhile, even if they do not need the money. (For example, think of Princess Diana and her campaigns). Knowing yourself to be effective in your chosen field creates motivational feelings. Achievement is proof that you are an effective person.
So achievement is a positive motivator. Recognition
You could achieve things alone on a desert island.
However, achievement is even more motivational if it brings recognition from others.
We are social animals and most people are motivated by recognition and praise from others. What happens to your motivation, if you work hard, achieve a winning result and nobody recognises it?
(The manager says, “That is what we pay her for”) Acceptance from others
With recognition of achievement comes social acceptance. We all want be accepted. First, we want to be accepted by our immediate family. Then by a wider peer group. Then by an even wider professional circle.
Most people are motivated by feeling connected to a larger group.
(Note: This is not a universal trait). Self-esteem
Some people miss out the previous step because the ultimate motivator is personal self-esteem.
Some need acceptance from others to feel it. Others do not. As humans, we have a need for self-esteem. A positive self-concept.
Good, personal self-esteem leads to effective actions, confidence, and healthy relationships. Never undercut or degrade your own or others, self concept.
Conversely you should make it your policy to purposefully raise the self-esteem of yourself and others (consistent with the facts).
If you do, good things will happen.
Description of an Effective Leader Manager (09/01/2008)
All effective leader managers share common key skills and abilities. Here are some of them: (Note: All references the effective leader manager as a “He” denotes also “She”) Appearance
A leader manager is aware that he is judged partly on appearance
So he looks professional. That does not mean, “flash”.
It means well groomed, clean and functional. Knowledge of products and systems
A leader manager knows his products and systems so he can answer questions with confidence and authority.
If he does not know, he never waffles or guesses, he discovers the truth and comes back with the right answer.
The leader manager also knows his team, and has a clear idea of their nature. Communication style
A leader manager has a communication style that is flexible enough to be able to talk with all kinds of people in any kind of mood.
However, there are certain constant factors. Here they are:
Accurate. A leader manager is accurate. You know what he is saying can be relied upon to be right
Brief: a leader manager does not waffle.
Curious: The leader manager asks questions to gain information and to search out new opportunities to improve the system
Listener: a leader manager is a great listener. He encourages others to talk.
Gently cheerful and optimistic: a leader manager always gives you a lift. You feel better for having spoken with him. Level of enthusiasm (and the reason for it)
A leader manager is enthusiastic. This is not a fake enthusiasm. It is real. It is based upon the firm understanding that the market economy always has a need for good, competent, people. He is enthusiastic because he can see himself moving towards his personal goals by means of honest fair trade and a continuing commitment to improvement. Attitude towards money and material success
A leader manager is comfortable about wanting to do well financially.
Some of the people he knows have an awkward feeling that there is something sinful or morally wrong about thinking of money as a legitimate target to strive for.
Leader managers have dropped these irrational (and wrong) ideas.
They look for ways to earn more for themselves and their family by offering value to the market. Attitude towards his competitors
A leader manager does not worry about the competition. He is so focused on doing well; he lets his competition worry about what he is doing.
He is aware of his competition however. He understands the need to stay abreast of what is going on around his. But this is done as a part of his professional approach, not out of worry or fear. Physical energy
A leader manager looks after his physical body because he knows that he will need energy and health to accomplish his goals.
He can enjoy himself without “getting wrecked” and adopts the habits that support his mental and physical vibrancy
He knows how to control the intensity, duration and frequency of stresses so as to keep himself stimulated without becoming burned out. Relationships with his fellow workers
He is supportive and helpful to his colleagues. But fundamentally, his approach others is similar to the approach he has to all his relationships.
A leader manager expects the best from others. Therefore the leader manager is often seen encouraging other people.
But he knows he cannot sacrifice himself for the good of others. He will not do their work for them. They must make their own decisions. There are some people who are almost always negative, (the “Neggies”) These people want more money, more respect, but want it for free. They do not want to earn it.
A leader manager recognises this approach as a falsehood, so the leader manager will state the truth in the hope he can inspire a change in the “Neggy”
Sometimes it works. Then the leader manager will be enthusiastic in his help. Attitude towards his employer
It is common to complain, bitch and moan about the business or “the management”.
But the leader manager recognises that he draws money from the business. If he sees something is wrong, he will tell the appropriate person and may suggest a remedy.
This is done in an attitude of contribution.
He never complains just for the sake of it because it just does not pay him. To do that would dishearten him, the others listening and make the business weaker, not stronger
Outside work, the leader manager has only good things to say about the business. He knows that the business has an image and he wants to be part of a winning organisation whose local reputation is high. You have in your mind the description of a leader manager
Strive to become one
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