Positive Leadership Limited is a strategic leadership and corporate finance advisory firm. We use our considerable experience to provide unique perspectives and innovative solutions which help corporate leaders unlock maximum value from complex business challenges. There is no dress rehearsal for delivering answers to critical business challenges. When you are under intense pressure to succeed, we help deliver the vitally important marginal gains which let your business excel and win.
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Thursday, October 31, 2013
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Positive Leadership: The Essence of Leadership
Economist John Kenneth Galbraith once said that “all of the
great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to
confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This,
and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”
We all have our anxieties to
bear. For some it is a decision we need to make. For others it is a habit we
need to break.
Whatever the anxiety is, we have to confront it, if we want to
overcome it.
That is what it means to lead!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Positive Leadership: Joe Montana's Winning Wisdom
Joe Montana reckons his real secret was simply being able to
remember that “football is just a stupid game” while at the same time never
losing his almost pathological detestation of defeat.
“You have to believe that, when it comes down to it, there’s
nobody better than you. And that if it comes to that one final pass, you have
to make sure you’re that guy. And you have to relish it.”
Montana is self-effacing but press him on which quarterback
he would want to throw a ball to save his life and you get the true gauge of
his self-confidence. “I’d pick myself first!” he smiles.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Positive Leadership: Be Yourself, But Don’t Overshare
A rise in team-based workplaces has heightened the demand
for managers who are “authentic” and “instantly intimate.” But sharing your
thoughts, feelings, and experiences at work can sometimes backfire.
Here are a
few pointers for effective—and authentic—self-disclosure:
Consider relevance. Before sharing personal information, ask
yourself if it’s germane to the situation. Make sure it contributes to the
overall goal of building trust and engendering better collaboration.
Understand the context. Some societies are more inclined
than others to disclose personal information. Investigate regional and organisational
norms about sharing so that you’ll know when it’s best to keep quiet.
Delay or avoid very personal disclosures. In some
workplaces, you will eventually find it safe and helpful to share; in others
you’ll realise it’s unwise to do so.
For more, see: http://hbr.org/2013/10/be-yourself-but-carefully/ar/
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Positive Leadership: Instant Success Takes Time
One of the more mundane differences between perpetual
winners and long-term losers among businesses, sports teams, and other organisations
is that the winners simply work harder.
Winners are more likely to take the
time to keep honing skills and testing ideas in preparation for change. That’s
not too dramatic or glamorous, but it’s among the biggest differentiators.
In
contrast, teams or organisations headed for losing streaks lurch from tactic to
tactic without any apparent long-term direction. They lack discipline, do not
always rely on facts before chasing fads, and panic under pressure.
For more, see: http://blogs.hbr.org/2008/11/instant-success-takes-time/
Monday, October 21, 2013
Positive Leadership: Dreaming and Disruption
Dreaming is at the heart of disruption.
Whether we want to disrupt an industry or our
personal status quo, in order to make that terrifying leap from one learning
curve to the next, we must dream. The
good news is that the causal mechanism for achieving our dreams is always,
always, always showing up: and as we
show up, our future will too.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Positive Leadership: George P. Shultz: "Issues on My Mind"
George P. Shultz’ storied career in government, academia,
and business includes four US cabinet posts; appointments at the University of
Chicago, MIT, and Stanford; and the presidency of Bechtel Corp.
Now 92, the
economist is the author of the new book, Issues on My Mind: Strategies for theFuture, a guide to policymakers on how to govern more effectively in a wide
range of areas.
In an interview with Stanford Business, Shultz
discussed technology, U.S. relations with Russia and China, the environment,
and how the United States can get its house in order.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Monday, October 14, 2013
Positive Leadership: Why Grit Determines Success
Wisdom from psychologist Angela Duckworth on ‘Why Grit, Not
IQ, Predicts Success’
“Character is at least as important as intellect.”
Friday, October 11, 2013
Positive Leadership: Great Mentors
A few truths about great mentors:
* a mentor will help me to be self-dependent
* a mentor can have tremendous coaching skills and not
impose answers.
* my mentor should bring clarity of distance
* a great mentor is a great communicator: succinct, simple
and specific
* a great mentor can learn from me
* a great mentor can share stories of his/her own failures and
weaknesses
* a great mentor can also ask me for advice
* a great mentor can be a sponsor (ie. open doors and speak
highly of me).
The mediocre teacher
tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great
teacher inspires. - William Arthur Ward
Thursday, October 10, 2013
Positive Leadership: Do We Have the Right Core Values?
Values are important because they may be the only force that
can counter the power of markets and market-based thinking.
Today’s
ever-present markets have their own implicit values, and they can easily
overwhelm whatever values leaders want to instil in their organisations.
To
lead responsibly, leaders must commit to clarity, meaningful projects, and
bright ethical lines.
In different ways, each of these helps leaders and
organisations respond to the risks and opportunities created by pervasive
market forces.
Wednesday, October 09, 2013
Positive Leadership: Want to Be More Decisive?
Great leaders are decisive.
They make tough calls, and they
have the spine to follow through. Yet, the rest of us seem to get stuck in
cycles of indecisiveness. So what sets our more decisive-minded colleagues
apart from us? Not much, really.
Research has shown that everyone experiences
traces of indecisiveness — say, pessimism, or a low sense of control — when
contemplating a decision. There’s no avoiding it. But decisive people don’t let
these negative feelings hold them back. Once they make a decision, and begin
the steps to execute it, they start to feel confident, capable, and in control.
The good news is we can all train our brains to think this way. We just have to
be willing to bite the bullet. Gulp.
Tuesday, October 08, 2013
Positive Leadership: Ten Essentials for Getting Value from Values
Many organisations have statements of mission and values.
Unfortunately, most of them sound alike. Who could quibble with the importance
of “respect” or “customer focus”? Values statements can seem like passive
decoration for walls and the Web, easily ignored. And the words don’t really
tell anyone what to do in any specific sense.
But that does not mean that values do not matter. In organisations
that are innovative, profitable, and responsible — widespread dialogue about
the interpretation and application of values enhances accountability,
collaboration, and initiative.
Here are ten essential ingredients that make values work to
produce organisational value.
Values are a priority
for leaders, invoked often in their messages and on the agenda for
management discussions.
The entire work force
can enter the conversation; employees are invited to discuss or interpret
values and principles in conjunction with their peers, who help ensure
alignment.
Principles are
codified, made explicit, transmitted in writing in many media, and reviewed
regularly to make sure people understand and remember them.
Statements about
values and principles invoke a higher purpose, a purpose beyond current
tasks that indicates service to society. This purpose can become part of the
company’s brand and a source of competitive differentiation.
The words become a
basis for on-going dialogue that guides debate when there is controversy or
initial disagreement. Decisions are supported by reference to particular values
or principles.
Principles guide
choices, in terms of business opportunities to pursue or reject, or in
terms of investments with a longer time horizon that might seem uneconomic
today.
As they become
internalized by employees, values and principles can substitute for more
impersonal or coercive rules. They can serve as a control system against
violations, excesses, or veering off course.
Actions reflecting
values and principles — especially difficult choices — become the basis for
iconic stories that are easy to remember and retell, reinforcing to
employees and the world what the company stands for.
Values are
aspirational, signalling long-term intentions that guide thinking about the
future.
Principles, purpose,
and values are discussed with suppliers, distributors, and other business
partners, to promote consistent high standards everywhere.
In short, it’s not
the words that make a difference; it’s the conversation. Frequent
discussion about organisational values can be engaging and empowering. The
organisation becomes a community united by shared purpose, which reinforces
teamwork and collaboration. People can be more readily relied on to do the
right thing, and to guide their colleagues to do the same, once they buy into
and internalise core principles. People can become more aware of the drivers
and impact of their behaviour.
And, as you
can see in leading companies, active consideration of core values and purpose
can unlock creative potential.
For more, see: http://blogs.hbr.org/2010/06/ten-essentials-for-getting-val/
Monday, October 07, 2013
Positive Leadership: Using LinkedIn
Even committed LinkedIn users can be uncertain of which
connection requests to accept or extend. It’s possible to connect to almost
anyone—but that does not mean you should.
Instead, think about the two-way
quality of your relationships.
Use a filter to help you connect to those people
who will be able to help you, or whom you would be willing to help. Try the “favour
test”: Would you do a favour for this person, or ask a favour of them? If so,
make the connection. If not, take a pass.
If you're consistent in applying the favour
test and selective about which connections you initiate and accept, you can tap
LinkedIn’s power as an introduction machine: an address book in which all the
entries can see and connect with one another, and a network that’s efficient in
supporting your professional goals.
Friday, October 04, 2013
Thursday, October 03, 2013
Positive Leadership: The Secret of Prolonged Success (at Manchester United)
In this interview with US talk-show host Charlie Rose, former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson talks about dynasty building and the secret of prolonged success.
Ferguson explains how trusting youth is key.
Wednesday, October 02, 2013
Positive Leadership: The 'Generosity Gene'
Former General Electric ceo, Jack Welch argues that the key
to good leadership is the "generosity gene".