Simplicity is still an vital theme as we look around we still see marketers touting “simple” as a theme. Considering our book “Leadership Made Simple”, that is gratifying and, perhaps, validating. In rising leadership skills, simplicity also applies.

IBM i-Series computers has simplicity as it’s theme. They are advertising the importance of simple and simplicity as the heart of their message. They are even claiming that they have “simple pricing.” Just a few summary ago, I was glancing through a Business 2.0 magazine, and there was the headline of a VISA Business Card advertisement that read “Business Takes Simplicity” – whatever that means . Keep your eyes open, and I’ll bet you’ll notice this simplicity theme more and more. Let us know if you see it.

Perhaps people are getting tired of complexity, irrevocably realizing that complicated solutions seldom work. If we come up with complicated solutions to challenges in our companionship , I encourage us to keep looking. The right solution has not shown up yet. In my experience, effective solutions are ordinarily simple solutions. If you question a name to do something different, and what you are asking is complicated , they are unlikely to do it, because they expect it to be hard . If you question a name to do something different that is simple, they can at least imagine the possibility of getting it done. Simple does NOT automatically mean simple , but simple does mean there is at least a chance of making it work. Read More→

One of the the things we strongly encourage in Leadership Made Simple is analyzing successes your team is having ( we assume every leadership opportunity involves some team, group, or at least another party ). If you are appealing a group of people to question “what caused the successes” in a particular situation, some fascinating things tend to happen automatically.  

As the team drills down into the factors that caused the success, it nearly always comes down to what some specific people did well. “Linda did an outstanding job doing such and such,” or “Joe had a major breakthrough in such and such.” What will regularly happen when Linda or Joe are acknowledged is they will turn around and acknowledge others. “Well, thank you, but it wasn’t just me. So and so made a huge contribution in such and such area,” they might say.

When these acknowledgments happen, look who is providing them. It is their peers! Why is this so vital ? In our informal surveys over the years, we have found that peer acknowledgment is more vital to people than that from their boss in more than 8 of 10 suitcases . Reckon about it. You have some level of expectation that your boss is going to acknowledge you, but you have NO expectation that a peer will. So, it is much more special when you do get that acknowledgment from a peer.

Your leadership role, and a vital leadership skill,  is to encourage the team to question their successes. The peer acknowledgment is a natural side benefit of doing that. Try it!

Warm regards,

Ed

In July of 2006, Enlightened Leadership Solutions referenced a Cornell University study, as reported in FSB (Fortune Small Business) Magazine, suggesting that a key deterrent to organizational performance is “Letting Conflicts Fester.” This topic is still very relevant today and is an important part of business leadership development.

The article states, “Bringing tensions out into the open and then resolving them is one of a team leader’s most important jobs.” (We agree.) “The more creative a leader can be the more likely that conflict can be discussed and resolved,” they went on to say. We see that last sentence as the challenge. What does “being creative” look like in a particular situation? Almost by definition, being creative doesn’t have any particular structure. That makes it potentially complex and difficult. Success is way to dependent upon “being creative,” which has a lot of variability among people.

Our book, Making Managers into Leaders, provides a simple approach to dealing with this difficult challenge of conflict resolution. Here is an example from the book of the process being used. It begins on page 137 in chapter 11 of the book:
Conflict Resolution

Read More→

In this post, Enlightened Leadership provides the kind of video that is normally found only in our Making Managers into Leaders Institute – a private subscription site. Ed Oakley provides a thorough learning session on our Personal DNA™ tool.

Business leadership training is the heart and soul of ELS work, and this is a tool and concept that has made a significant difference to thousands of people developing their leadership skills in our workshops and seminars.

We’re offering this to give you an idea of the value of our Leadership Video Club, a weekly video subscription which includes handouts for group discussions, downloadable audio version for playing on your portable audio player, downloadable video that works on video iPods, as well as video to watch on your computer or project on a screen.

Enjoy and comment!

How did you relate to Personal DNA? Please comment below!

My friend Sam Silverstein is the best of the best when it comes to speaking and consulting on accountability. Listen to his brief description of his brand new book, “No More Excuses: The Five Accountabilities for Personal and Organizational Growth,” then I’d recommend you go buy it!

Buy the book at www.NoMoreExcuses.me or www.Amazon.com.

What did you think of Sam’s perspectives? How did you relate?

The Enlightened Leadership Team

We had previously begun a conversation about the importance of focus in business leadership development and leadership skill development. Ed Oakley furthers the conversation with a discussion of a concept we call Personal DNA.™ This is a very brief video at just over 4 minutes.

What comments do you have about the video? How do you relate? Share your comments below.

The Enlightened Leadership Team

Here’s a great opportunity to develop your leadership skills while
giving a tremendous boost to your new year!

By seeing how this process supports your energy, clarity and focus,
you’ll realize how it could also be used as a powerful tool for
leading, re-energizing and aligning teams. It is a key process that we
use often in business leadership training for developing leadership
skills.

Grab your notepad and pen for notes, then WATCH THE VIDEO.

How was the video helpful? How was the process helpful? We’d love to
hear from you.

The Enlightened Leadership Team wishes you a wonderful holiday season
and Happy New Year!

In the following brief video, Ed Oakley makes a confession about our “new” book, “Making Managers into Leaders: A Five-Step Framework for Breakthrough Performance.

He also offers a special opportunity.

Thanks for listening, and feel free to share comments below.

To take advantage of the pre-publication special, follow this link.

Happy Holidays. We appreciate the “enlightened leader in you!

Ed Oakley and the Enlightened Leadership Team!