Do you have an open leadership approach? Are you using online social media in your role as a leader to create an environment of openness and transparency? Are you modeling the way through a range of different media?
As Charlene Li points out in Open Leadership, the focus must shift from trying to retain what little control you have to choosing where and when you will be open so that you can embrace the newly empowered employees.
To rate how open your organization is in each of the six different information sharing elements use the Openness Audit, a diagnostic tool to understand where your organization is open and where it is not. In particular, understand how you do or don’t have the right level of structure and exhibited behavior in each area. It is a great tool to see if you are encouraging the heart. For the Openness Audit go to http://www.charleneli.com/resources/ . (Source Open Leadership, How Social Technology Can Transform the Way You Lead by Charlene Li.)
If you want astounding results open up your organization, become more flexible and responsive utilizing the technology and social media tools available. What are you doing as a leader to open up your organization?
The August 2, 2010 Wall Street Journal headline read, “Leadership Training Gains Urgency Amid Stronger Economy”. The article began, “Fearing a shortage of qualified managers as business picks up, some companies are bolstering leadership development efforts.” Organizations committed to providing leadership development and seek to (as we say at Sonoma Leadership Systems) “cultivate one leader at a time” have found the means to continue to develop their people in spite of economic challenges.
According to the research firm, Bersin and Associates, who surveyed 750 corporations this year, employers cut spending on training by 11% the past two years. But here’s the good news—“Now about half of the companies plan to increase their leadership development budgets in 2010”.
Corporations are finding that when they give leadership development a lower priority, it impacts their future growth. A large direct seller, referring to a lack of qualified leaders stated, “We’re finding times when we want to open a new market but don’t have anyone with the capabilities to do it. It’s a real weakness. We’re starting to realize that this problem will become urgent fast.”
As an advocate for your organization’s growth, when you look at your future leaders, what do you see? Do you find you need to look beyond your organization for leadership executive talent or are you cultivating leaders in your own backyard?
I just heard an interview with Jim Kouzes and Marshall Goldsmith at the Leadership Challenge Forum in San Diego. It was warm, funny, and so heart-warming to watch two old friends that are both gurus in the field of leadership. I loved Marshall's book What Got You Here Won't Get You There. He touched on a couple of key messages from that book: the success delusion, I behave this way and I am successful, I am successful because I behave this way. Also talked about the #1 wrong-headed behavior of leaders: always having to be right.
I am having a good time reading his newest book, Mojo.How to Get It, HOw to Keep It, How to Get It Back If You Lose It. More good advise from the man who has coached over 150 Fortune 500 CEOs.
Let's hope these two gurus keep talking and writing way into the future, we need their good advise. . . and good humor.