| I have travelled many continents, made many friends | | | | perceived as one of them. |
| and seen many things not common. What I have | | | | 6. Building a Team |
| discovered is that the trendy things that are popular | | | | Building people is one of life's great priorities so here |
| among the fad-beset western world (of which I am a | | | | are 6 ways to build a team:o Be friendly to staff |
| product), have very little worth and are of no lasting | | | | members, but avoid treating them like bosom buddies. |
| benefit to the majority of people in the world. What | | | | They do want you to be the boss and they want to |
| does make a difference to people is what is | | | | be employees. It does work better that wayo Tell |
| un-corrupt and true. I share a handful of these for you | | | | them everything and expect them to tell you the same. |
| to ponder. | | | | Shared knowledge builds loyalty and trust.o Practise |
| 1. Servant Leadership | | | | 'Pulitzer Prize' plagiarism. Get ideas only from the best. |
| The root of any problem within a group or organization | | | | No one has a mortgage on great ideas.o Invest heavily |
| is a problem of leadership. We have all experienced | | | | in loyalty. If staff knows you are always loyal to them, |
| poor leadership and can describe its traits, but how do | | | | they'll give you the same in return.o Realise that |
| you describe good leadership. Well, Jesus held the key | | | | fairness and not cleanliness is next to Godliness.o |
| when he said, "Whoever wishes to become great | | | | Never be too busy to laugh. Nothing gets people |
| among you shall be your servant and whoever wishes | | | | through a crisis like a good laugh, and a manager who |
| to be the first among you shall be your slave." | | | | is willing to enjoy it with them. |
| A true leader is a servant leader. Here are a few | | | | The Golden Rule of treating others as we want to be |
| things a servant leader does:o Serves another's | | | | treated is yet to be outmoded. |
| agenda, not promoting his own interest.o Sets clear | | | | 7. Uplifting One another |
| goals and operating parameters.o Give resources and | | | | One of the overlooked joys in our busy world is that |
| authority to do the job.o Removes obstacles for the | | | | derived from building relationships. To do this better we |
| people to do the job.o Gives people the grace to learn | | | | need to practise building one another up. It literally |
| by mistakes.o Celebrates their victories. | | | | means to come alongside and put your arm around |
| Working with a servant leader is like being in a team | | | | someone. It means helping to change another's attitude |
| with a caring coach, determined to help you emerge | | | | so they are ready to go back into battle again. |
| as an A grade player, when all you had before was a | | | | Here are a four keys to being an up-lifter:o |
| spoiled "Prima Donna" set on making himself look good. | | | | Complementing - not flattering, is the foundational skill |
| Which leader would you follow? | | | | needed. Sincerely appreciate the qualities and actions |
| 2. The Servant Organisation | | | | of those around you.o Express confidence - how do |
| A leader's heart is displayed for all to see in the culture | | | | you respond when someone fails you? People do |
| he breeds in his organizations. Servant leaders breed | | | | what they are rewarded for, so reward enterprise, |
| servants and a servant organisation. | | | | even if it is risky.o Comforting - sometimes we just |
| So, what are the characteristics of a servant | | | | need to shut our mouths and simply be there for |
| organisation? Maybe thinking about these questions will | | | | someone. Remember your own tough times can |
| reveal the culture that we can expect:o Is this team | | | | prepare you to empathise with another. So turn your |
| building leaders or followers? Do its leaders come from | | | | pain into gain by simply being there.o Coaching - |
| within or from the outside, because servant leaders | | | | growth is ignited by caring people who will help us |
| build leaders and develop leaders from within?o Does | | | | develop skill, adjust attitude, build mental framework or |
| each person in the upper level leadership have | | | | gain an insight. |
| someone who could step into their position tomorrow? | | | | There are people around every day who are yearning |
| Because, leaders who are servants prepare others to | | | | to grow, and your job is to unlock the chains that bind |
| go beyond them.o Are you experiencing divisions in the | | | | them and start building them up. |
| organization, because rebellion is difficult if not | | | | 8. Running Good Meetings |
| impossible against a servant leader? Just a tree | | | | Here are some tips on how to run a meeting:o Don't |
| exhibits the fruit for all to see, so an organization | | | | compete with group members. Give their ideas |
| produces the flavour that's within it. Is it narrow and | | | | precedence over yours. Helping people feel important |
| restrictive, or does it liberate people to become | | | | will aid them in contributing.o Listen to everyone. |
| everything that God made them to be and to do. | | | | Paraphrase their comments for the sake of clarity.o |
| Some simple observations will tell if we're giving real | | | | Don't put anyone on the defensive. Assume that |
| leadership or just "lip service". | | | | everyone's ideas are of value.o Control the dominant |
| 3. Helpful Hints | | | | people without alienating them.o Realise that your |
| Here's some helpful hints to make your business day | | | | interest and alertness are contagious. Be positive in |
| work smoother.o Be a trouble shooter. When you run | | | | your body language and attitude.o Keep all participants |
| into a problem, try to think of at least 2 solutions | | | | informed about what's expected of them by |
| before you take the problem to your boss. It shows | | | | summarising meeting notes and circulating an action |
| that you're a thinker and a problem solver, as well as a | | | | list.o Share the lead with others as appropriate in the |
| doer.o When correcting an employee or colleague, | | | | flow of the meeting. Those who learn to lead also |
| don't use words, like always, never, ever or perpetually. | | | | learn to participate. |
| They show that you're locked into a mind-set about | | | | Done in this way, meetings will be a place of |
| that person and build barriers instead of bridges.o | | | | communication and problem solving. |
| Consider communicating to everyone who works with | | | | 9. Time Management |
| you, that you have a "No Surprise Rule". Make | | | | Here are 5 major time wasters we should overcome |
| withholding bad news the worst that a colleague can | | | | in our day:o Spreading yourself too thin by trying to do |
| do. It will engender constructive communication.o Try | | | | too many things at once. Instead set priorities for each |
| this simple tip to help you project a good first | | | | day and if necessary each hour. Get the most |
| impression. Notice the colour of a person's eyes as | | | | important things done first.o Being afraid to delegate. |
| you shake hands. Why does it work? Because you | | | | Convince yourself it's not necessary to do everything |
| gained strong eye contact in a way that shows you | | | | yourself. Liberate others by giving them the opportunity |
| care. | | | | to do some work.o Not wanting to say "No" to a |
| Using these helpful tips will make your day more | | | | request. You can't say "Yes" without spreading |
| effective. | | | | yourself too thin, so decide what you must do and |
| 4. Dealing with Conflict | | | | what you want to do, then say 'No' to all other |
| Here are some helpful tips to deal with conflict in the | | | | requests.o Being tied to the phone. Have others screen |
| workplace.o Ask those who disagree with one | | | | your calls or use an answering machine. If you don't |
| another to paraphrase one another's comments. This | | | | want to be disturbed, schedule a 'telephone hour' to |
| may help them learn if they really understand one | | | | return all calls.o Procrastinating. Get those unpleasant |
| anothero Work out a compromise. Agree on the | | | | chores done first if they're important. Divide large tasks |
| underlying source of conflict and then engage in give | | | | into small ones. Reward yourself when you accomplish |
| and take.o Ask each member to list what the other | | | | something. |
| side should do. Exchange lists, and then settle on a | | | | With a little forethought and a few tools your time can |
| compromise.o Then, importantly, test the compromise | | | | be more accurately and profitably spent. |
| to see if it meshes with the team's goals.o Have the | | | | Conclusion |
| sides each write out 10 questions for their opponents. | | | | The simple tips that I have shared are reflections on |
| This will allow them to signal their major concerns | | | | my own experience in business and observations of |
| about the other sides position and the answers may | | | | others who have succeeded and failed. The best |
| lead to a compromise.o Convince team members they | | | | lessons are often learned by other's failures. In this, |
| sometimes have to admit they're wrong, and help | | | | there is no limit to the amount of wisdom that can be |
| them to save face by convincing them that changing | | | | drawn from observing the universal laws of life. The |
| their position may well show strength.o Respect the | | | | wisdom of history and the 'Good Book' has become |
| experts on the team. And above all,o Treat one | | | | un-trendy among those that shout loud enough to be |
| another with mutual respect. Very often after conflicts | | | | quoted in the headlines. But still wherever I go in the |
| are faced and resolved, communication and a sense | | | | world I meet people who are disillusioned by the |
| of team ship has never been stronger. | | | | 'trendy' things and who long for a lasting solution to |
| 5. Getting Ahead - (things never to say) | | | | life's challenges. |
| If you want to be considered a good performer, | | | | The shallowness of 'quick-fix' solutions has caused |
| consider this list of thing NEVER to say.o "They didn't | | | | many shipwrecked lives, businesses, relationships and |
| get back to me", or "They're getting back to me soon." | | | | (national) economies. What people want are solutions |
| Both these things are equally disastrous expecting | | | | that are sustainable, and they are calling more and |
| someone to get back to you stops the action. Instead, | | | | more for a return to the traditional values that |
| take the initiative.o Never say, "I thought someone else | | | | underpinned the peace, prosperity and successes of |
| was taking care of that". Excuses indicate that you're | | | | past generations. The constitutions of the great |
| a roadblock to action. Always ask questions to keep | | | | western democracies are founded on these values, |
| things moving.o Don't say, "Know one ever told me!" | | | | and the Words of 'Great Wisdom' fill their volumes. |
| This will make it clear to your supervisor that your | | | | This is not a religious lesson, nor even an underlying |
| colleagues don't think you're worth including in the | | | | agenda. It is just a restatement of the truth that |
| information chain, and that you operate in a tunnel, | | | | values-centric leadership and living, causes us to value |
| oblivious to things going on around about you.o Don't | | | | people above other things on the planet, no matter |
| say, "I didn't have the time", or "I was too busy". If you | | | | how valuable those other things may be. It also a |
| find yourself saying things like this, you are writing your | | | | statement that mankind without a place for his Creator |
| "Employment Obituary"!o Don't say, "I didn't think to ask | | | | on his radar, is dangerously off course and about to |
| about it". An inability to see down the road may | | | | crash and burn. |
| indicate that you lack the ability to understand and | | | | This author is not concerned with being trendy, or |
| grasp relationships. | | | | being right. But I am concerned with the truth. When will |
| So, the message in business today is clear. The only | | | | it be acceptable again to tell the truth, and for the truth |
| measure of success is performance. Whatever the | | | | to stand unchallenged simply because it is true? |
| roadblocks, it's your job to remove them. If not, you'll be | | | | 'The one who walks with integrity walks securely. |