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Things are ever changing in our new
Emotional/Experience Economy. For example, time-lines and
event-horizons have moved from years to months.
Technologies like the Internet, Wi-fi, Streaming, and
CRM/data mining are available to anyone at a fraction of
what they used to cost. Trends
like globalisation, affirmative action and Spirit-at-Work
have inexorably altered the business playing field forever.
Research on Emotional Intelligence, Adversity Intelligence
and Higher Ground Leadership is clearly indicating that the
old models of forceful “military style” male leadership and
top-down hierarchy are now ineffective and redundant.
Many leaders believe that that
they have the authority to tell people what to do, and they
must then just go and do it! That used to be the root,
or notion of old-style authority, responsibility, and
accountability.
In today's economy, It's almost
suicide to TELL people what to do. Leaders can only
ask them to do things, or suggest, and they will do them if
they respect you. Leaders have to earn authority
from the people over whom they will exercise that authority.
This is a new and very different style of "management". It's
one which means more talking with people about what has to
be done. Also more discussions on the purpose of the
organization. It's definitely less talk about
obedience, command, control and force..
For current day leaders, a new
set of softer skills are required. Skills to get
people inspired, committed, engaged and excited.
Its evident that the title
"leader" or "leadership" is replacing the word
"Manager" or "management." We cannot continue try use
manipulate human resources, as if they were tools and trucks
with brains, to move around at our wish and whim.
These new knowledge workers clearly have minds of their own,
and have to be persuaded and inspired, rather than
TOLD what and how to do. They have to be led rather
than managed, and that's very difficult and very different.
It's the "E" factor in
organizations. "E" meaning all the leadership words that
begin with "e," like... excitement, Engagement,
effervescent, enthusiasm and energy.
These new "E" factor skills are far more difficult to teach
in classrooms. It's easy to discuss them, describe them and
explore them in a training situation. But they cannot
be practiced in a classroom.
Woman are moving, more strongly, into
all aspects of the boys “business war game”, and changing
the forceful competitive metaphor of business. They bring
softer, subtler, more sustaining, more collaborative
attitudes to the table - Relationship building, trust
building, appreciation, caring, listening, feeling, respect,
emotional intelligence and real resilience.
Our dilemma, and challenge, is how do
we begin to effectively balance this masculine and feminine
energy - The yin and the yang. How do we take the best of
both and build a better system and a brighter future for us
all? We need Leaders who engender engagement, passion and
inspiration. We need Hi-Voltage leaders.
We can also see a strong trend of
Spirit-in-the-Workplace. A reassessment of values, visions
and the reasons for being and doing at work. People want
more meaning, not just more money.
They need to feel appreciated, valued, and that they are
contributing to something worthwhile. Research indicates
that 65% of people leave their jobs through lack of
appreciation. The workplace environment has changed -
stress abounds, conflict is escalating, leadership is
lacking on all levels, and change is the now new norm. We
need Hi-Voltage leaders to grow appreciation and engagement
in the workplace.
The dividing line between work and
home is blurring. Maintaining a good work-life balance is
harder than ever. Although we have all of our technical and
mechanical advancements, TV’s, microwaves, computers, etc,
we are more discontented than ever before. People take more
tablets, take more drugs, watch more TV, and consume more
alcohol and food, to fill the ever widening chasm of
internal emptiness. We need Hi-Voltage leaders to take us
to new place.
Fortunately there is a new breed of
leader starting to shine. These “Hi-Voltage” leaders are
powerful, rather than forceful. They are driven by a
new paradigm of collaboration and human spirit, rather than
kill, kill, kill to the competition.
These new leaders, embrace the values of C.A.S.T.L.E.
- Courage, Authenticity, Service, Truth, Love and
Effectiveness. They have integrity, they have passion, they
lead because that’s their calling, not because that how they
can make the most money, or how they can manipulate share
prices for golden handshakes.
Hi-Voltage leaders don’t have to
force, manipulate coerce or motivate because they lead by
INSPIRATION. They lead from a different position inside
themselves.
These new leaders know the value and
the power of participation, collaboration, respect, and
authentic service in unleashing inspired, energetic, talent
that’s driven by a personal commitment to a powerful calling
or cause.
These new leaders have a new model of
leadership. It’s based on their purpose, their passion,
their calling and an unwavering care for people.
Are you one of these new leaders?
Namaste'
Tony Dovale - Life Masters International
www.lifemasters.co.za
083-447-6300 |
