Posts Tagged ‘Leadership’

I Can’t Help Myself

Thursday, April 22nd, 2010

This week saw the official Administrative Professionals Day.  This is a day celebrated in the United States on the Wednesday of the last full week in April to recognize the work of administrative assistants, secretaries, receptionists and other administrative support professionals.  The day was founded by a guy named Harry F. Klemfuss, a New York Publicist, and the reason behind the day was to try to encourage more people to enter the administrative support field as a career.  Pretty good reasoning, I guess, but my reason for bringing the day into focus here is to say an enormous thank you which I believe is the best recognition that can be given.

The term “Administrative Assistant” is often very widely and loosely used but seldom do we stop to think what it actually means.  It is probably one of the most diverse roles in an organization.  I am sure that the person performing this function, close to me, would agree that no two days are ever the same.  I say the term loosely because I am sure that although there is probably an official job description to fit this title the breadth and depth of the position can vary hugely from company to company as well as from boss to boss. 

It is for this reason that before taking on the role an individual should ask themselves just how flexible they are prepared to be and the person doing the hiring should be honest with themselves as well as with any applicant as to just how far the duties would extend.

I am sure Sue Xan, who is the Executive Admin in our team, would endorse this and never ceases to be amazed by the sundry nature of some of the tasks that pass across her desk.  Yet, she is never fazed by the unusual and diverse, from complicated travel itineraries to presentation preparation, to acting as driver, car mechanic, party host, letter writer, gate keeper, agony aunt and in fact any type of support that is required. 

I believe we are part of a great company and part of a great team.  The credit for that is often claimed by a variety of leadership positions within an organization.  Every team member in the company is as important as the next and has an important and necessary role to play.  Not least the often forgotten Executive Admin.  I have done presentations representing the company on numerous occasions and have received compliments and accolades as a result.  But it should never be forgotten that the compliments were for the company, the team, the support!  Not just for me, but for every behind the scenes effort that went towards the making of the success.  In this example, presentation preparation, slides, AV, facilities, travel, hotel accommodations, etc., were all organized by the Exec Admin. 

The role is not high profile, it is not highly visual but to me it’s crucial.  My success is dependent upon the efforts of the team and for sure upon the efforts of the Executive Admin.  I recognize this as a fact and encourage all other leadership to recognize it too.  It can be a difficult task and pressures can often be coming from all sides at the same time.  Many balls in the air and not one to be dropped. 

I certainly recognize Administrative Professionals Day and want to celebrate it by saying the biggest THANK YOU ITHOE to Sue Xan Tunnell.  She so willingly, admirably, cheerfully and diligently undertakes the role for me.

Incidentally, it is Earth Day this week but I don’t think the two are linked.

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Real Power is People

Thursday, April 8th, 2010

During these tough times of downsizing and cut-backs the affects on the people within a business can be pretty devastating ~ stress, worry, concern, to name just a few of the harmful downsides.  It’s at times like these when it’s important to know in detail the skills and attributes of everyone who works within the company, in order to ensure a balanced portfolio of skills, attributes, drive and enthusiasm going forward. 

To do this it is worth focusing on the skills necessary to make the company rounded and successful in the short and long terms.  These are generally obvious; there are the accountants, the engineers, the attorneys, the techies, the marketers, etc.  All of these are people, above all but are in the positions that they are in because of the qualifications that they earned through the education system, their years of experience at your company or others and the personality traits inherent to them as individuals to enable them to take these specific roles within an organization.

But what of the managers, directors, the President of the company, the ones who have led their troops through downturns such as we are currently experiencing.  What skills does a manager or director need?  Where would you go to get educated in the art of general management? 

I would suggest the only place is the, “University of Life,” in this the fourth year of the downturn.  Why do I take this view?  Because general management is and always will be about managing people.  Managing people with the skills listed above, not managing them as individuals but molding them into a cohesive, integrated, strategic, solid team.

The general manager or director in the current circumstances is under probably more pressure than anyone else in the organization and uniquely that pressure comes from above as well as below.  Handling this type of pressure requires a special skill set.  Not those that can be learned in college or even read in a book.  These skills are probably inherent in the individual and are honed over the years through mentors and through experiences and more importantly learning from these experiences.  No two days are the same, maybe that is part of the appeal, but the greatest appeal is the opportunity to interact with people, the team.  The team is made up of a myriad of personalities that all have their own needs and concerns as well as skills and abilities.

The skill of the manager comes to the fore when it becomes possible to release the power of the people ~ through persuasion, motivation, praise, clear, concise instructions, support and trust.  It certainly rarely brings out the best results when finger pointing, bullying and power are utilized. 

Managers usually fall into three categories.

  • First, those with a natural aptitude in working with people and these are the folks that would employ the tactics quoted first above. 
  • Second, those who have taken the job for the power, the bullies.  These are the people who generally fail and do you know what?  It is usually the people they are managing that cause them to fail.  That’s the negative power that forms the backlash to a huge ego.
  • Third, the one who wishes they’d never been appointed.  The great accountant or engineer that was so good at their job they were appointed as a manager ends up completely out of their depth.  Simply put a round peg in a square hole. 

General management is a great role to undertake.  It has its ups and wow don’t we all know it has its downs too.  At times like these it can be the most isolated position in the organization.  However, the loyalty, trust and respect shown by the team are testament to the leader’s success and reward him or her with the greatest job fulfillment ITHOE.

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Lead the Way

Friday, March 12th, 2010

These current passages through our lives, both professional and personal are inevitable and if we really, genuinely profess to enjoy life we have to motivate ourselves and others through the bad times as well as the good.  As a leader during the bad times it becomes task number one, but nobody, whoever they are, or however great they think they are is above seeking help in this area.  I’m no exception, so I periodically go to some great leadership quotes to find help and inspiration.  The first I came across was from Martin Luther King Jr., “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

Well Martin certainly lived (and died) to his word but this quote stands the test of time as well as diversity of application.  We can all lead a company through the good times but it’s now in, “times of challenge and controversy,” that we as leaders or managers have to rise to the challenge.  That is why we were appointed.  That is why we find ourselves in the positions that we are in.  Not to inflate our egos, play the big, “I am.” But to stand as a reliable rock in the face of adversity.  Make informed and tough decisions whilst demonstrating to all of those who depend upon us that they can do just that. 

Another perhaps even more relevant comment was from a guy called Philip Armour who was a 19th century American business man.  He said, “No general can fight his battles alone.  He must depend upon his lieutenants and his success depends upon his ability to select the right man for the right place.”

In my view this one absolutely hits the nail on the head but I know, unfortunately that too many so called leaders would not agree.  This quote, to me, is all about true leadership which quickly moves to true team building and subsequent team work.  Again any so called leader would disagree because it would impinge upon his will to boost his own ego.  For a leader to be successful he has to be able to rely on the skills in selecting and building his team in order that they can operate as a cohesive unit.  This is where the skill of the real leader actually lies.  This is where a leader should measure his own success, based entirely on the success of his team. 

One more quote that fits in well with this view was from Ovid, a Roman poet who was born in 43 B.C.  He said, “A ruler should be slow to punish and swift to reward.”  Isn’t that all about team maintenance?  “Slow to punish?”  Doesn’t that refer to a leader who is prepared to delegate to his trusted team members?  Whilst at the same time delegating the right to be wrong.  No punishment but rather support and guidance. 

And the, “swift to reward?”  Even if it’s just a, “Thank you guys!”  How long do those three words take to utter?  How much does it cost to say them?  But the value that is placed on them by the team is immeasurable. 

So tough times … Tough times for a leader.  But these times should be seen as the opportunity to shine in the field of leadership.  This is a time when the true leader can prove to his troops that he really is worth the position.  Do like I do, take my advice; look at a few quotes by some of the best leaders ITHOE.  It certainly helps, and always remember the words of Abraham Lincoln:

“No man is good enough to govern another man without that other’s consent.”

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Leader of the Pack

Wednesday, February 10th, 2010

Originally from the UK and now residing in Texas, I have always believed that when moving to another country the only way to happiness and success is to embrace the culture of that country and to try to gain knowledge about that country as time goes along.  I’ve done just that and when events pop up I’ve always tried to delve into their origins and meanings so I am not out of it alongside the local yokels.  Well Monday guys it’s Presidents Day.  This is what I found upon my fact finding mission …  

Firstly, officially there is no such thing as Presidents Day.  It is a common “unofficial” moniker for George Washington’s Birthday, the feds view.  Some states apply add-ons and link another and often different president’s name to it as well and the most popular name that crops up is Abraham Lincoln.  Generally and once again unofficially it is used as a day to honor and celebrate the lives and achievements of all of the U.S. presidents so I thought I needed to know more on that subject and some of the lesser known historical facts are really interesting. 

Only five U.S. presidents came into office sporting facial hair and the last one was in 1889, Benjamin Harrison.  (For those who don’t know me, I am a fan of a good mooey.)  We often accuse the government of the left hand not knowing what the right hand is doing but in reality there have only ever been seven left hand presidents including three of the last four.  The odd one out was George W. Bush and did you know that he married Laura only three months after he met her?

The first president to smoke a cigar (me ~ fan of a good smoke too) whilst in office was James Madison and he regularly smoked until his death in 1836 at the age of 85.  He was also the shortest president at only 5 feet 4 inches. 

How many people know what the “S” stands for in Harry S. Truman?  Well it doesn’t stand for anything.  His middle name was simply S to honor two of his grandfathers whose names both had an S in them.  (I am thinking of Richard C. “H” Manning in honor of my Harley, what do you think?)  On the subject of relations it is interesting that Franklin D. Roosevelt was related by either blood or marriage to 11 former presidents. 

Oh, and some of the presidents certainly suffered during their lifetime.  For example, Calvin Coolidge the 30th president suffered from chronic stomach pain and needed 10 to 11 hours of sleep each night as well as a regular afternoon nap.  William Taft the 27th president weighed more than 300 pounds and had to have a special, oversized bath tub installed in the White House.  Ulysses S. Grant died of throat cancer which is not surprising as for most of his life he smoked 20 cigars every day and Grover Cleveland the 22nd and 24th president underwent surgery on board a yacht in 1893 to remove his cancerous upper jaw.  Even worse was James Polk the 11th president who, sedated only with brandy, survived gall bladder surgery when he was only 17. 

On a more cheerful note, John Tyler the 10th president fathered 15 children, more than any other president, 8 by his first wife and 7 by his second.  At the other end was the 15th president James Buchanan who was the only unmarried guy ever to be elected.

Weather is always a popular subject at this time of year so what about the 9th president, William Henry Harrison who was inaugurated on a bitterly cold day and proceeded to give the longest inauguration speech ever, in the history of ever.  He died exactly one month later of pneumonia which was the shortest term of office ever, ITHOE.  In warm weather the 6th president made a habit of skinny dipping in the Potomac River before dawn whenever he could.

So Monday, it is the history of these great men who have held office in the U.S. that we should be honoring.  Their lives, their accomplishments, their leadership and their position that ensures safety and freedom for us all.  Or will we all revert to type and see it as a traditional day when the car dealerships have their biggest sales and the retails stores all announce the biggest discounts ever, not ITHOE?!?!

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