Yesterday I shared lunch with a group of talented, caring, veteran managers that lead teams spread across the United States. We were discussing Winning Well in anticipation of the book’s release.
Veteran Managers Share Their Secrets of Success
I asked these accomplished managers to share their one most valuable piece of leadership advice. Here is what they said:
Ask for Help – “You don’t have to have all the answers. Someone has been where you are and solved the problem you face. If you don’t ask them for help, that’s weak – not strong. Dumb, not smart.”
Listen – “Sincerely listen to your people. Listen for what they’re trying to tell you, not just what they say. You can’t lead people who think you don’t understand them. You’ll make better decisions when you really listen.”
Respect – “You have to genuinely respect people for who they are and the abilities they bring to the table. People can tell when you don’t respect them – and they’re just not going to follow your lead.”
Celebrate – “There is no one final ‘we made it!’ moment to our work. So we have to take time to celebrate small victories along the way and re-energize ourselves for tomorrow.” My comment: leadership (and life) is a journey – take time to say to one another, “Today we traveled well!”
Set People Up to Succeed – “When you take time to prepare for a meeting or an assignment, to create a competent, positive atmosphere, it gives your team the confidence and positive energy they need to have if they’re going to succeed.”
Build Trust – “There has to be trust between you and your team. If someone doesn’t believe you care about them, why would they ever follow you?”
Your Turn
What is your one most valuable piece of advice for succeeding as a leader and manager?
P.S. To celebrate the launch of our new book, Winning Well: A Manager’s Guide to Getting Results — Without Losing Your Soul, Karin and I are offering you a special gift: A custom bookplate with your requested message.
Simply order Winning Well from your favorite bookstore (click here for Amazon). Then go to www.WinningWellBook.com. Click on THE BOOK, then on CUSTOMIZE YOUR BOOK, and submit your message in the form. When the book ships, we’ll send you a custom, hand-signed, adhesive bookplate that you can put inside the front cover.
Even better, there is no limit to the number of bookplates you may get. Get an affordable, customized resource for yourself and for all the managers in your life!
“I’d choose Winning Well as the top leadership book for the 21st century, full of actionable insights, practices, and principles for your lasting leadership success. Take charge of your team, your career, and your results. Read Winning Well with a highlighter and pen in hand, and then buy a copy for everyone on your team. Yes, it really IS that good.” -David Newman, author of Do It! Marketing
Creative Commons photo by text100
The post Real Life Leadership – 6 Ideas That Really Work appeared first on Leadership Speaker David Dye.
Book David today for your event, workshop, or training: david@trailblazeinc.com or 1.800.972.582