FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bywater Consulting Group is proud to present a new set of articles on extraordinary leadership in troubled times. The first piece in the ?Spotlight on Leadership? series presents leadership strategies for maximum team performance. In the April 2009 edition of the Bywater Journal, Dr. Liz Bywater offers the following guidance:
We live in extraordinary times. The economic, social, and political landscapes are in flux across the globe. Job security is on the decline. People are working harder than ever, taking on more responsibility, with fewer resources, and feeling tremendous pressure to perform.
There has never been a greater need for exceptional leadership.
Today's newsletter kicks off our latest series on the art of leadership. Spotlight on Leadership will highlight the essential skills of outstanding leadership and offer pragmatic advice on how to lead effectively in these challenging times. Today's focus: How to Achieve Exceptional Team Performance.
Whether you are taking on a new leadership role and inheriting an existing team, adding new members to your group or establishing a completely new team, great team performance begins with learning about whom you've got. Ask yourself how well you know each of the unique individuals that comprise your group.
Who are these people anyway? Take the time to get to know your team members as people. Are they newly married or divorced? How old are their children? What joys and challenges do they face in their home lives? Remember that people bring their entire selves to work. The better you know the folks who show up for work each day, the better you can help them manage the stressors that threaten to impair performance. While you're at it, give your team a chance to learn something about who you are, too. This is an important step in gaining credibility, building trust, and fostering strong relationships.
Learn about management needs. What type of support does each member require? Which of your reports requires frequent communication and direction? Who expects greater autonomy? While few people like to be micromanaged or left completely to their own devices, there is tremendous variability in terms of individual management needs and preferences. Learn what each of your people wants from you and how each team member works best. Adapt your style accordingly.
Identify strengths. What does each team member do particularly well? How will you leverage these strengths to maximally benefit the team, the organization, and the individual? Look for opportunities to help each team member build upon existing skills and aptitudes and, where needed, develop relevant missing competencies.
Don't leave anyone out. Don't neglect the layers of employees below your direct reports. While the interaction with these folks may be less frequent, they still need to see and hear from you. Stay in touch with them. Get to know who they are and what they are working on. Convey your respect for them and your appreciation for their contributions. There is no underestimating the positive impact this sort of connection has on employee engagement, morale and productivity.
Take note of team dynamics. In addition to learning about the individual members of your team, you'll need to figure out how they work together as a group. Are they collaborative? Do they freely share information and resources? Do they engage in open and candid communication, including a healthy dose of creative conflict? You'll want to assess the dynamics of your team and uncover the greatest collaborative opportunities as well as any counter-productive undercurrents of mistrust or misalignment. Remember, even a group of top performers can flounder if the team isn't working well as a whole.
Be sure to check out the next Bywater Journal for additional tips on how to develop and maintain the conditions for unparalleled team performance.
Upcoming Speaking Engagements for Liz Bywater:
April 30, 2009. Communication Strategies for Real World Success: What Every Student Needs to Know. Burlington County College.
August 6, 2009. Practical Goal Setting: From Intent to Achievement. Technology Professionals Networking Group (TPNG). Plymouth Meeting, PA.
August 20, 2009. Practical Goal Setting: From Intent to Achievement. Career Networking Group. Basking Ridge, NJ. Open to the public. Starts at 7:00 pm. For more information, please call 800.845.4546 ext. 103 or send an email to
liz@bywaterconsultinggroup.com.
About Liz Bywater, PhD
Dr. Liz Bywater is an internationally acclaimed leadership expert. She consults, writes, and speaks on a variety of leadership and work-related topics. Some of her most popular presentations include: Leadership Essentials for Troubled Times, Communicating for Success, Stress Management at Work and at Home, Practical Goal-Setting, and Conflict Resolution in the Workplace.
Dr. Bywater helps her clients achieve dramatic improvements in individual, team, and organizational performance. Her clients range from independent business owners to senior executives within the Fortune 50. She sits on the advisory board for Par Excellence Magazine and is a member of the American Psychological Association, the Society for the Advancement of Consulting, and the Cornell Entrepreneur Network. Dr. Bywater is quoted frequently in the media and has been interviewed by such publications as the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times, Crain?s, Yahoo! HotJobs and USA Today.
To interview Dr. Bywater for print, Web, radio or TV, call 800.846.4546 ext. 103.
To inquire about speaking or consulting services, call 800.846.4546 ext. 103.
To subscribe to Bywater Consulting Group?s complimentary e-newsletter, filled with practical tips for improving individual, team, and organizational performance, send an email to
info@BywaterConsultingGroup.com. Subject line: Subscribe.
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