Tweet

Companies that Win are Companies that Teach

Guest post by: Dr. Rick Johnson

Article Overview: Winning organizations seem to have a knack for leadership development throughout their organization. One key principle that I have found present in this type of organization is the fact that they hire well and they fire better. Generally their managers have been trained on the interviewing and hiring process. This is rare phenomenon. Ask yourself how many of your managers have really been trained on the interviewing process? Companies that actually do train their managers have a high success rate for finding and keeping good employees is above average. Recruitment and retention becomes part of their culture and the responsibility of everyone. Leadership is more than just a word in these companies and leadership potential is sought out, encouraged and developed. Who has Leadership Potential?

Companies that Win are Companies that Teach

Winning organizations seem to have a knack for leadership development throughout their organization. One key principle that I have found present in this type of organization is the fact that they hire well and they fire better. Generally their managers have been trained on the interviewing and hiring process. This is rare phenomenon. Ask yourself how many of your managers have really been trained on the interviewing process? Companies that actually do train their managers have a high success rate for finding and keeping good employees is above average. Recruitment and retention becomes part of their culture and the responsibility of everyone. Leadership is more than just a word in these companies and leadership potential is sought out, encouraged and developed. Who has Leadership Potential?

Virtually every individual employee has some level of leadership potential. However, there are obvious clear differences in level of potential within different individuals. This level of potential varies due to a number of reasons including:

1. Education

2. Experience

3. Personality profile

4. Historical social environment

5. Job fit

6. Attitude

7. Personal intelligence quotient

8. Cultural back round

9. Personal values and ethics

Obviously not everyone can be the CEO just as not everyone can be a professional golfer. However, most of us can play the game of golf. Even if an employee doesn't have the potential to become the next CEO it does not mean that their leadership skills can't be developed and nourished. The critical factor we must recognize is that everyone has some form of leadership potential within.

Every successful leader I have ever known has taken direct responsibility for the development of leadership in others.

True Effective Leadership is a Scarce Commodity

"Rick, I've been with this company twenty years. What's the point in trying all this 21st century leadership mumbo jumbo?"

It's never too late to accept the responsibility for your personal leadership development or the development of leadership skills in your subordinates. One of the biggest needs today in the majority of organizations is the unique leadership ability to transform the organization to win in tomorrow's environment. This is not just the responsibility of the CEO. Leaders at all levels of the management hierarchy need to develop this type of leadership. Then and only then can an organization create and maintain competitive advantage.

Companies that Excel are Companies that Teach

I have been in wholesale distribution for over thirty five years. During that period I have worked with a lot of companies that were considered winners and many that could be considered losers. In fact during my ten years as a Turn-A-Round specialist I focused mainly on companies that were losing. Unanimously the companies that were losing and even many of the companies I became associated with during my career that were just riding the tide with no real market growth were facing difficulty because their problem was generally located in the top section of their organization chart and not in the middle or near the bottom. In other words the problem was due to the lack of effective leadership. So..................... How are you doing as a leader?

The answer to that question lies in determining how the people you are leading are doing.

Think about these questions in reference to your employees.

1. Do they learn quickly

2. Are they people oriented

3. Do they initiate and manage change

4. Do they think strategically

5. Do they develop their peers and subordinates

6. Do they coach and mentor

7. Do you believe in your employee's abilities

8. Do they empower and delegate

9. Do they gladly accept responsibility

10. Do they want to be held accountable

Bench Strength & Universal Succession

Companies that maximize their effectiveness have that unique ability because they teach and develop leaders throughout their organization. They recognize that succession is universal throughout their organization and not just a concept for the transfer of ownership. Bench strength becomes a key principle of their success. Companies that win have strong leadership intertwined throughout their organization. That leadership is not just represented by titles. A fork truck driver in the warehouse can demonstrate a level of leadership that contributes to competitive advantage just as easily as the sales manager can. Leadership is not limited to management. It takes leaders at all levels in the organization to achieve the speed and ability to change in order to survive especially during tough economic times.

Position and title may give you power but power in itself does not make you an effective leader. To become an effective leader there are specific skill sets that you must understand and master. This does not come naturally. It takes dedication, passion and commitment to the process. That commitment, dedication and passion includes a tireless effort to improve on specific skills and the development of a personal leadership methodology. This is often referred to as your personal leadership model.

Reshape Your Personal Leadership Model

An effective leader must be able to interact with employees, peers, seniors and many other individuals both inside and outside the organization. Leaders must gain the support of many people to meet or exceed established objectives. This means that they must develop or possess a unique understanding of people. The ability to coach-mentor and teach leadership skills to others is the driving force that will create a winning organization. Being an effective leader requires the understanding of the principles that govern employee behavior. Accomplish that and success is imminent.

If you can teach and develop leadership in your employees, your personal leadership effectiveness will improve. That old saying; "If you want to learn something fast --- teach it." holds true for leadership development. But remember, there is no such thing as a "Born Leader" even though every human being has some level of innate leadership potential. Effective leaders go through a never ending development process. You never stop learning, you never stop growing and you should never stop teaching and developing leadership in others.

Related Articles
  Teaching as a Marketing Tool
  Credit Alliance Group asks. Are You Teaching Your Kids Financial Responsibility?
  Affiliate Marketing Any Good? Absolutely Learn Why!
  Starting an Internet Online Marketing Advertising Business
  Affiliate Web Site Marketing Training System
  How to Use Testimonials in Your Business
  Are MLM Companies For Women Only?
  How Self Brand Marketing Online Can Make You Rich! ~SECRET TO A FORTUNE!
  Do You Think Buying Contractor Leads is the Best Way to Get Clients?
  Training and Support are the keys to your Internet Marketing Business
  Successful Entrepreneurs Love Pizza French Fries and Apple Pie
  Salespeople and Their Fantasies
  How To Be Professionally Persistent
  SEO Companies in the UK, US, Canada and Australia are Outsourcing SEO Offshore?
  Fear of Failure
  Kevin Rose and Tim Ferriss Discuss Angel Investing and Naming Companies
  How Do You Build an Online Business Today?
  Do Work at Home Typing Online Jobs Exist?
  Hire a Sales Rep - Not a Product Rep
  Where do I start if I want to make money on the internet ?

Article Tags: hiring process, leadership development, recruitment and retention, success rate



Related Forum Posts
Profiling Famous Women Entrepreneurs - Great suggestion Leanne! The PROFIT Companies are always great sources!
How much is social media part of your marketing strategy? - Companies are ready to jump into social media to take "advantage", but what's lacking in most social media programs is an actual strategy. What are your tactics regarding this and how much time and budget do you invest?
Home-based Business - signed my first 200 customers while I worked from home. You can make it work. Many small businesses do, i.e. interior designers, AC/Heating Companies, moving companies, Plumbing companies, painters, landscapers, web designers, Mobile car mechanics, Computer Techs, online retail businesses, Pool cleaners, Home Repair, Telemarketers, electricians, Artists, etc
Re: Magnetic Ads - Biz Idea - I posted this idea as a random thought I had. I haven't done any investigation into the costs. Vinyl wraps seems much more expensive and it'll be more difficult to sell your neighbourhood into getting a Vinyl wrap on their car. The beauty of the magnetic ads is that the vehicle owner can take it off at the end of the day and put it back on the next day. Quality control (aka ensuring the magnetic ads are actually put on the vehicles) is going to be a concern for the Companies that will want to advertise with you. You could do this another way. You could only involve businesses. e.g. Landscaping trucks can put up ads for other complementary businesses like Plumbers and vic versa - it'll be an honor system where the ads are kept up each month.
Re: Hi I'm new here - BIG WELCOME TO THE FORUM. I love it when someone other than Japanese is learning JAPANESE KAIZEN philosophy. And it's funny how Malaysian and Japanese are gathering at a Canadian entreprenuers forum. I've only worked for three companies in US after college, all Fortune 500. But they all care about shareholders and not so much about customers. They say they do, but not really from what I know as customer service and they nickle and dime from their customers feeling the pressure from their shareholders to make every quarter big. Companies here do many things to their customers simply "because they can". Sorry to get sidetrack as usual. Sayonara, Takuya


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

Good News Travels Fast

The Importance of Master Data Management (MDM)

3 Competencies of Leadership

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.