Leaders Need a Tool Box
By Kathy Condon

When you are working on a home improvement project you need tools.  Often, it means a special trip to your home improvement store to purchase just the right tool to complete the job.  You might not need this tool for the next two years, yet now you have it in your toolbox. 

The same is true with jewelry.   I am soon to be the mother-of-the-bride so, naturally, I needed an outstanding dress to wear to this Caribbean wedding.  Found the dress, and now I need the “right jewelry” to complete the outfit.  Once I find the perfect necklace, it will stay in my jewelry box and will be pulled out when needed. 

Leaders need a toolbox.  A recent survey revealed that 67 percent of leaders said that they do not have the tools necessary to lead their staff.   Yes, you read it right; leaders are “covering up” their insecurities about their ability to lead.

There is an upsurge in the use of Executive Coaches because leaders need:
 

1.  A confident, objective person to talk to about their fears/insecurities.

2.  A person to help them develop methods to handle situations that they are facing.

PROMOTING FROM WITHIN
 

Recently I was having a conversation with an owner of a company.   While he was very proud that he was promoting people from within, he realized that he had a made a major mistake.  He had taken people who were enthusiastic and highly effective handling the company’s ever-enlarging computer needs and promoted them to be managers. 

The problem is that the people he promoted where not equipped to be managers and found dealing with “human issues” not only draining, but a major source of frustration for all concerned.  More than likely, there were two reasons this wasn’t working for anyone.
 

1.     He had moved a person from what he loved to do and who most likely was using his innate talents for the benefit of all, to a position where he no longer used his outstanding talents.

2.     He had not given the new leader tools for communication and leadership – both entirely different than working with a computer that does exactly what you ask it to do at any given moment.

COMMUNICATION TOOLS AVAILABLE
 

A few years ago I worked for a company and did a considerable amount of training.  My evaluations were often higher than the other trainers who came up through the ranks of the same company.  While they noted these high scores, and I heard that they marveled to others about my abilities, they never asked me why I felt I was achieving such high marks. My suspicion is that they really didn’t want to know.

Why? Because I had done a considerable amount of studying and was carrying with me a number of certifications for communication tools. Yes, these certifications cost money and took time and this company was unwilling to provide additional education/tools for its staff.  Yet, there I was proving the “additional tools” made me more effective.

FIVE AREAS OF YOUR LIFE ARE TIED TOGETHER

Business/Social  Skills

Does the hammer work to screw in a nail?  Of course not.  Yet, so often we believe our college education will help us run the maze of this ever-changing business world environment.  A recent upsurge in training of business etiquette and international protocol illustrates forward thinking managers understand these skills are necessary if we are going to compete.

Emotions

I am betting a leader out there reading this agrees that his emotions affect the quality of his day.  The key is having the ability to reach into your toolbox and pull out one of the tools for handling emotions.  Tools for handling one’s emotions are abundant. 

Finances

There is no way one can convince me that when a person is worried about his finances, that it does not affect his attitude. Worrying or fear about what might happen, often causes a leader to be paralyzed.  There are tools to help the leader learn to live in the moment and take corrective steps. 

Communication Skills

Communicating bad news to good people. I long ago learned that often it is just as hard delivering the news as it is receiving it.  One time I was to be standing in the wings for an employee who learned that his position was eliminated.  In the end, I spent more time consoling the person who had to deliver the news.  There is an effective way to deliver bad news.

Relationships

As we hire more people from the various generations we have to communicate differently so that each group can “hear” us. The last thing X Generation employees want to hear is “Let’s do this for everyone is doing it.” Skills that understand the values of each generation can help immensely in the development of relationships.

Complex world?  You bet it is!  The good news is that are tools available to help handle the five areas listed above for they all might affect your leadership abilities.  The trick is taking the time to learn them and then remember that they are in your toolbox. 

Kathy Condon is an Executive Coach Certified in Performance Coaching-Positioning Others for Success”, Career Facilitator (GCDF), Speaker and Trainer.  She an expert on business communications and regularly speaks and trains on building relationships, including Intergenerational Communications in the workplace. kathy@kathycondon.info or (360)695.4313  Sign up for her “Weekly Wisdom”---a positive way to start out your week at www.kathycondon.info.

Click to close window