Making Managers into Leaders® » SOFT PART

Distinguish Yourself or “Perish!”

admin — Tue, 04 May 2010 20:49:36 +0000

To thrive in these economic times, it is critical to Distinguish Yourself. Listen to Ed Oakley’s perspective in this brief 4+minute video.

What are your thoughts about this? Please comment below.

The Enlightened Leadership Team

Technorati Tags: DIFFICULT TIMES, leading change, SOFT PART

Distinguishing Leadership Skill Development from Management

admin — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 14:08:25 +0000

When we do leadership skill training, it is always important to distinguish the business leadership skills and management skills. Following is a very brief video that does that:

What are your thoughts about this? Please comment below!

Ed Oakley & the Enlightened Leadership Team

Technorati Tags: balance, HARD PART, leadership, management, SOFT PART

Leading Change video 2 – Three Stages of Transition During Any Change

admin — Sat, 14 Mar 2009 19:45:17 +0000

Hi everyone,

Change, change and more change. Of course the real issue
is the psychological and emotional challenges that our people
go through during change.

This second video in our series starts to address this transition that people
(you, me, our employees, families, etc.) WILL go through.

Enjoy and see how you can value from the information.

Be sure to give us your comments below, or email us at change@enleadership.com.

To YOUR successful change efforts!

The Enlightened Leadership Team

Technorati Tags: completion, HARD PART, leading change, SOFT PART, transition

Change is Easy, but the Transition Can Kill You!

admin — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 16:17:54 +0000

If you are reading this, you’re probably faced with change – much of it driven by the worldwide economic crisis. As a leader, whether in your personal or professional life, you may be facing major organizational challenges.

The reality is that change, itself, is pretty quick and mechanical. We flip a switch and we’re now using a new system. We make an announcement, and someone is a new manager. We painfully announce a layoff, and it is done quickly. We completely reorganize our business. It takes some time to plan, but once it is announced, it is done quickly.

The change is not the issue. The issue is the psychological and emotional process that people ALWAYS go through in their transition from the way it used to be – with which they had become very comfortable – to the new way.

It’s the People part, the Soft part – that makes all the difference!

This transition process in people occurs EVEN IF the change is a really good thing. That has always baffled me, but it is true. Even if it is a very positive change in the long run, people still go through their own individualized psychological process – and every person does it at their own pace and in their own way.

The new way might be a different job, a different boss, a totally new process of work, a new computer system, a new benefit plan(or personal change such as a change in a relationship, a death of a loved one, even winning the lottery, etc) – it doesn’t matter what the change is. The issue is not the change. The issue is the emotional turmoil, chaos and confusion we go through during the transition from the old to the new.

And that transition is NOT instantaneous.

As managers-leaders-owners, how well we manage these transitions will make all the difference in the impact of the change on our business.

Whole businesses have failed because of poorly executed transitions.

The GOOD NEWS is that a well-led transition can enhance your organization’s effectiveness and position you for success better than you’ve ever been.

Sometimes, change is inevitable. There is no choice.

How we make the transition is ALWAYS A CHOICE! And that choice makes all the difference as to whether the change creates miserable failure or exciting results.

Stay tuned for more on this topic. And share this with others in your organization and your friends. They’re all being impacted by change!

To getting your organization through change in a way that positions you for higher success!

Ed Oakley

Technorati Tags: CHANGE, emotional-process, SOFT PART, transition