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The Value of Effective Leadership

Written by: Jim Bouchard

Article Overview: An organization is most effective when leadership provides teaching, mentoring, coaching and motivation to empower every individual to perform most effectively. You can apply the techniques and traits of the Sensei to increase your effectiveness as a leader at work, home and in the community. The fundamental reason that a Sensei enjoys the loyalty and dedication of his students can be found in the unique relationship of teacher to student.

The Value of Effective Leadership

The Importance of Effective Leadership

The cost of ineffective leadership is enormous.

• Some industries report as high as 65% annual employee turnover as a result of ineffective leadership.

• Disengaged workers, often caused by ineffective leadership cost American business over 300 billion dollars a year.

• Lost and wasted time, often due to poor or disconnected leadership averages 2.9 hours per employee per day.

• 73% of CEO dismissals cite ineffective leadership as the reason for termination.

The economy is challenging and budgets are tightening. Those who act tomorrow will be too late. The time to improve the effectiveness of your organization leadership is now…and always!

Effective leadership is one of your organization’s most valuable assets. One of the hallmarks of any leader is a dedication to continual self-improvement and perfection. Like mastering a martial art, leadership is a skill. A martial arts master dedicates a lifetime to self-perfection. Those leaders who recognize that perfection is not a destination but rather a never ending process are those who create the most effective and productive organizations.

What would a Black Belt do?

The Sensei or martial arts master is an iconic symbol for one who embodies inspiration, wisdom and respect. The relationship of master to student engenders loyalty, respect and effectiveness. A Sensei earns respect and becomes an effective leader by honoring the relationship of teacher to student. The measure of an effective Sensei is not just in personal accomplishments, but more importantly in the accomplishments of his students.

An organization is most effective when leadership provides teaching, mentoring, coaching and motivation to empower every individual to perform most effectively. You can apply the techniques and traits of the Sensei to increase your effectiveness as a leader at work, home and in the community.
The fundamental reason that a Sensei enjoys the loyalty and dedication of his students can be found in the unique relationship of teacher to student.

I’ve found that effective leadership is accomplished through two major disciplines:

1.Gratitude.

2.Generosity.

An effective teacher praises and supports the efforts of his students. This praise and support is recognition, a form of gratitude for the efforts and results produced by the student. At the same time the effective teacher shares experience, knowledge and wisdom unconditionally. It’s the job of the teacher to share; it’s the responsibility of the student to learn. To accomplish effective teaching, the teacher must share unconditionally with no expectation of return. When there is a return, it’s the role of the teacher to provide recognition, acknowledgement and reinforcement. That’s the cycle that creates the student to teacher bond.

Leadership is fundamentally teaching. A leader must communicate information and enthusiasm. A leader is more effective when can demonstrate experience and share the fruits of that experience by sharing wisdom. The more effective a leader is as a teacher, the more respect and loyalty he will earn.
In business this respect and loyalty translates directly to increased productivity and decreased losses due to disengagement, uncaring workplace practices and lost personnel.

Not everyone will feel comfortable teaching to large groups or motivating an auditorium full of people. Every leader can teach effectively at some level and the most effective leaders will develop skills at all levels. This includes one-on-one coaching, training small groups or teams and networking with peers.

One of the most valuable traits you can emulate from the Sensei is that of “Beginner’s Mind.” The martial arts master’s personal development is never finished. He approaches each day with a sense of wonder and curiosity and a longing for continual self-perfection. The greatest leaders are never those who rest on past accomplishments or current position. The greatest leaders are those who continually embrace the process of self-improvement.

After all…
“Perfection is not a destination, but a never-ending process!”

Become a Sensei in your workplace and in your community and you’ll enjoy a new level of effectiveness and power that will translate into greater success in all areas of your life, materially, emotionally and spiritually! There is no greater gift you can give another than a continually improving you!

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Article Tags: american business, billion dollars, black belt, budgets, dedication, effective leader, effective leadership, employee turnover, fundamental reason, hallmarks, ineffective leadership, inspiration, loyalty, martial art, martial arts master, motivation, organization leadership, personal accomplishments, productive organizations, self improvement



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