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Yager Leadership & Team Development THE RIGHT PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT JOB |
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and Quotes We will continually add materials and good stuff to this section so keep coming back to see what is new. Most articles have been published in THE ENTERPRISE, the Salt Lake business newspaper. Scroll through materials on the following:
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on: Toxic Leaders Who Are Influence Challenged By Ed Yager An owner of a rapidly growing construction company has a way of demeaning and belittling people that eventually led to his own destruction. The owner never valued his most important resources (those who had been working 70 hours per week to satisfy customers and bring about a tripling of business and quintupling of profits (most of which went into his own pocket). His penchance for finding even the smallest mistake or oversight, and to continually tell his staff that they were nothing but expensive overhead had a devastating effect that eventually cost everyone dearly (customer, employees, and suppliers alike). As his best people began to leave, he resented their lack of loyalty after all he head done to keep them employed. He literally killed the goose that had layed his golden egg. What is it about so many managers who feel their position, their ownership, their past hard work and long hours, or their controlling nature gives them the right to become jerks. Why can't they see that there are no benefits from coercion, force, intimidation, or criticism? Here is a quick examination of the most prevalent toxic behaviors and personality trait factors that derail leaders, inhibit followership, and that eventually destroy organizations. 1. Leaders who indulge in what Max DePree (Leadership Jazz) calls "crimes of the spirit.Those who are egoistic, concerned only about the image of and advantage of himself or herself. "If it were not for me you would not even have a job", they say or imply. 2. Those who, however unintentionally or unknowingly, give themselves the right to engage in destructive criticism. It is not enough for them to point out an error or a problem. they must satisfy their own ego by personalizing the error and making the other person feel stupid. They are not satisfied until there is an apology or an admission of some sort. There is no such thing as constructive criticism. Criticism is always toxic. The evidence is overwhelming that criticism does not work. Those who foster or engage in toxic personal animosity or gossip. Criticizing or demeaning an employee in front of, or to others creates everyone's disrespect and an environment poisoned by distrust it results in anger. The leader's circle of influence gets smaller and smaller as others avoid being engaged in the destruction of whatever the leader is trying to accomplish.4. Those who provide little information or background, who tell others what to do without any explanation of why, and who seem to enjoy watching others try to figure out what was meant, perhaps through some form of mind-reading.They deprive people of information, access, coaching, training, or communication opportunities, and then hold them responsible for errors that come about 5. Those who are unwilling or unable to value others and instead make them feel unworthy or unneeded. Often those others are working in an environment that is unbearable for most, and yet they receive no thanks or respect. Leaders who value people for what they do, ("What have you done for me lately?") and have never learned to value others for who they are, are among the worst of bosses. 6. Those who indulge in imprudent or inappropriate casual conversations. This may range from old fashioned gossip to direct criticism of the company or of its managers. It may include griping about customers to off-color racist or sexist jokes or comments and harassment. There can be no respect of a leader who pretends to be "just one of the gang" or who wastes other's time with worthless conversation or comments. 7. Leaders who resent or resist rewarding or recognizing other's efforts, or who are guilty of unfair divisions of the spoils or awards. These leaders show favoritism, they're "cheap", pay only those at the top, giving people recognition or financial rewards for things others have done. They insist that others are already well paid and do not deserve extra pay. 8. Leaders who either refuse to help with or who fuel the flames of emotional conflict. Walking away, ignoring or criticizing others who must deal with emotional situations is not the behavior that build followers or strengthens relationship 9. Those who do not listen to , or who do not follow through on others' ideas or hopes for action. "Yes, but; "They will never", "It will never work", "You don't understand", "I don't have time", are all too commonly heard. It may be true. As Harry Quadrachi (Quadraphics Printing CEO) is fond of saying, "Once you learn to do the job our way you earn the right to tell us your ideas" -- but too many employees find that their leaders are never willing to listen. 10. Those who are unwilling to step up to nonperformance. Too many leaders are so inept at leading that the only way they can cope is by empathizing, and perhaps even sympathizing with followers. Many leaders believe it is their duty to motivate their organization. Others claim that one person cannot motivate another because motivation is in the heart and mind of others and all the leader can do is to create an environment in which that person can become self motivated. Regardless, it is certain that in an environment where the boss is arrogant, aloof, insensitive, critical or untrustworthy, or where the employee is alienated or criticized or where his or her right to respect and self confidence are stripped away by inept leaders, there can be no long lasting success. You may say amen to that leader, and eventually to that organization. |
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Click here to view other articles Quotes-Quotes and More Quotes Create your own posters using these quotes "The romantic view of leadership (they inspire, they innovate, they take risks) sees leadership as a kind of magnetism, in which followers in various sized groups whether teams, cults, companies, or countries are drawn mystically toward some centralized sort of inspiration.' "Real leaders have identified and mastered a secret tool (emotional observation). If you can watch people and by watching them figure out what makes them do what they do, you might be able to get them to do something else - something better." Bruce Payne; Duke Universi ============================================================ On Vision "No one is inspired by the negative. The problem is not lack of awareness, it's lack of inspiration. Most people are not stupid. They know that there are huge changes going on in the world. My job is to inspire them, to get them to believe that the journey is possible and worth the effort, by showing them small achievable steps." Robert Swan; Explorer, environmentalist, expedition leader; Fast Company Magazine, Oct. 1999 ============================================================ "You have to live your life as if Gershwin wrote the score." Niel Simon ============================================================ "Passion -- your lives are nothing without passion." Emanuel Azenberg, Broadway Producer ============================================================ "If am going to be a leader then what exactly are the things that unite me with other people? What do I respond to? You can learn these things. I have based all of my decisions in life on the people I've met. Opportunities always come in the shape of somebody -- not something." Bruce Payne; Duke University ============================================================ "The price of greatness is personal responsibility. Are you willing to pay the price?" Winston Churchill ============================================================ "I have observed that the people who care only about winning, who live and die by the numbers alone, end up losing out on the biggest prize of all. That prize is the joy of being an important part of something much larger than yourself. It is the comfort of knowing that your actions will touch the lives of others in a positive way. It is joining with other people in working toward worthwhile goals. It is a prize that has nothing to do with winning or making money. It has everything to do with life." Kent C. Nelson; Chairman &CEO United Parcel Service/Retired Civic Leader ============================================================ To challenge people and not care for them is to treat them as barnyard cattle. To love them and not challenge them is to treat them as household pets. The truly great leaders and coaches have learned that you must do both - at once. Stephen R. Covey ============================================================ You cannot accomplish the things you have yet to accomplish if you are unwilling or unable to do the things you have not yet done. You will not win next year's competitive battle with last year's skills. Ed Yager ============================================================ "Do what you do so well that they will want to return to see it again, and bring their friends." Walt Disney at the opening of Disneyland, 1955 ================================================================== A most admirable goal from Domino's commissary: "Employees say there is no place they would rather work . Customers say there is no place they would rather shop or business they would prefer to deal with . Suppliers say there is no one they would rather deal with . Owners say they are happy with their investment . The community says there is no one they would rather have conducting business in the area ================================================================== "Unless you have 100% customer satisfaction, I don't just mean satisfied, but that they are excited about what you are tying to do, you must improve." Horst Schulz, CEO Ritz Carlton Hotels; Baldrige Award Winner ================================================================== "Laughable Quotes" ================================================================== "I embrace the theory of prophecy which holds that prophetic voices of great clarity, and with a quality of in-sight equal to that of any age, are speaking cogently all the time. Men and women of a stature equal to the greatest prophets of the past are with us now, addressing the problems of the day, and pointing to a better way to live fully and serenely in these times. The variable that marks some periods as barren and others as rich in prophetic vision is in the interest, the level of seeking, the responsiveness of the hearers. The variable is not in the presence or absence of the relative quality and force of prophetic voices." Robert Greenleaf ================================================================== We have learned by sad experience that it is the nature of almost all men, as soon as they get a little authority, to immediately begin to exercise unjustified dominion. No power or influence can, or ought to be maintained by virtue of authority or position, only by persuasion, long suffering, kindness, empathy, and complete knowledge, which shall greatly enlarge the relationship. Adapted from an original source ================================================================== Minolta has published what they call the "Responsibility
of Success," A few questions every CEO must eventually answer.
================================================================== "We are products of our
experience, not of our understanding. Therefore our behavior is shaped
by our experiences-not by what we know." - Marshall McLuhan |
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