5 Questions Great Managers Ask (and they aren't hard!)

Written by Martin Haworth


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Focusing on what you are best at and dropping things that don't create value for you can be very value-creating.

4. What wastes our time?

It's a simple question, but with an easy answer. What value is created when I spend time on this activity? If your challenge is to make £100 an hour profit for your organisation, is what you are spending your time on doing just that? What things do you and your people do, which does not?

Try stopping doing things, some of which you may have done for months and years, when little or no value is created and switch to more things that do. Stop some things and start others - simple as that.

5. What do we need to change?

Constantly reviewing where you are in your business and making small course adjustments, likerepparttar autopilot of a jumbo jet, will maximise your performance. But whilst leadingrepparttar 119411 cultural shift can develop autopilot-mode,repparttar 119412 first steps are for managers to spot-check all they do manually. Doing this will encourage your people to start to do it themselves. Remember,repparttar 119413 best time to review, review, review, is when you are successful.

And then be very challenging and honest about yourselves.

Build it in, make small but significant changes regularly, once you have evidence of drifting off course. That makes for a consistently healthy & growing organisation and reducesrepparttar 119414 need for cataclysmic change.

Are you up for this refreshing challenge?

What better way to start your new focus on your business, organisation or team?

© 2005 Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach. He works worldwide, mainly by phone, with small business owners, managers and corporate leaders. He has hundreds of hints, tips and ideas at his website, www.coaching-businesses-to-success.com. (Note to editors. Feel free to use this article, wherever you think it might be of value - with a live link if you can).


Trust - The Most Vital Component in Leadership

Written by Guy Harris


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Trust isrepparttar foundation for every successful leader’s accomplishments. When people don’t trustrepparttar 119410 leader, they won’t follow very far.

How do you,repparttar 119411 leader, addressrepparttar 119412 issue of trust?

Entire books have been written about trust, but, forrepparttar 119413 purpose of this newsletter, I’ll stick with two quick tips.

The first comes fromrepparttar 119414 book, The Leadership Challenge. In their survey of leadership behaviors, James Kouzes and Barry Posner askedrepparttar 119415 question, “What do you look for in a credible (i.e. – trustworthy) person?” The number one response – “They do what they say they are going to do.” So, trust building tip number one – do what you say you’re going to do.

The second idea comes fromrepparttar 119416 world of social psychology. Social science researchers have identified a key behavioral principle that affectsrepparttar 119417 development of trust. This principle is known asrepparttar 119418 Principle of Reciprocity. The Principle of Reciprocity states that we tend to feel obligated to repay in kind what someone else has given to us. In a nutshell, it says that if you want trust, you must first give trust. Trust building tip number two – show people you trust them if you want them to trust you.

Trust issues almost always come back torepparttar 119419 leader. It’s possible that you can have isolated trust issues with just a few people. In this case, it may be just their personal problem. If you find yourself or if you hear someone else askingrepparttar 119420 questions atrepparttar 119421 top of this page - look out. You may have a systemic trust problem. If that’srepparttar 119422 case, your team is either in trouble or it’s about to be in trouble. Carefully evaluate what might have happened or might be happening to damage trust and immediately start applyingrepparttar 119423 two tips above to beginrepparttar 119424 repair.

You may use this article for electronic distribution if you will include all contact information with live links back torepparttar 119425 author. Notification of use is not required, but I would appreciate it. Please contactrepparttar 119426 author prior to use in printed media.

Copyright 2005, Guy Harris

Guy Harris helps entrepreneurs, business managers, and other organizational leaders improve team performance by applying the principles of human behavior.

Guy co-authored "The Behavior Bucks System(tm)" (http://www.behaviorbucks.com) to help parents apply behavioral principles in the home. Register for Guy's monthly “Positive Principles” newsletter at http://www.principledriven.com/newsletter.htm


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