We made it. Finally, the last puzzle piece of Leaders Who R.O.C.K. will be revealed in this newsletter. If you’ve been keeping up with this series, you know it was created to share the secrets in the foundation of the most effective Leaders today. Simply put, this foundation is the ROCK that separates Great Leaders from mediocre managers. As a review:
1. The ‘R’ in ROCK stands for Remarkable RELATIONSHIPS (Jan. 2009 issue) 2. The ‘O’ in ROCK stands for Outstanding ORIGINALITY (Feb. 2009 issue) 3. The ‘C’ in ROCK stands for Consistent COURAGE (May – Jun 2009 issue)
The ‘K’ in ROCK stands for Key KNOWLEDGE. This is the knowledge that great leaders focus on to make them more effective. In fact, it is the specific knowledge that gives them an EDGE – which is coincidentally, the end of the word, knowl-EDGE. What do you need to KNOW and DO today to give you The Leader’s Edge? Here are four areas to consider:
PEOPLE – What new knowledge will give you the edge in influencing people?
The best Leaders seem to really know the people they must influence (employees, customers, stakeholders, etc.) They know their personal needs and desires; their hobbies and interests; their emotional hot buttons (family, aspirations, causes, etc.) They also know their professional skill sets and what they are capable of accomplishing.
PEOPLE Knowledge tips to consider:
1. Make a list of the people you need to influence. Become genuinely interested in the personal data points above and start a file or database to capture. Show your interest by including these topics in future conversations.
2. Learn all you can about the professional skills and attributes of the people you influence. Behavioral and skill assessments are often very helpful in determining strengths & potential.
3. Resources: Go to Amazon.com and do a ‘Top 5 Book’ search. I.e. Top 5 books on Leadership, or Management, or Psychology, etc.
TECHNOLOGY – What new knowledge in technology will help you lead smarter?
Are you current with what is happening in the world of personal and business computing? Today’s influencers must know how the continued explosion of technology affects their people, processes, and results. Do you tweet, blog, and text? Are there proprietary software programs or new equipment in your industry that will give you an edge? Does your website stand above your competitors and rank high on search engines?
TECHNOLOGY Knowledge tips to consider:
1. Attend conferences and trade shows in your industry to view and operate the latest technology specific to your business.
2. Take courses at local colleges or retail stores to become proficient with the latest Microsoft and Apple applications.
3. Get certified in high-profile technologies to increase your marketability and leadership skills.
FINANCIAL – What new financial knowledge do you need to produce breakthrough results?
Know how the numbers work! Every Leader must know how they make money, lose money, and impact the value of the enterprise. I continue to be surprised by the number of leaders and managers I meet who do not know the numbers of their unit or organization.
FINANCIAL Knowledge tips to consider:
1. Ask your boss or Chief Financial Officer (CFO) to teach you the basics.
Then ask them this question: What can my team and I do to more positively impact our numbers?
2. Brainstorm new ways of measuring activities that could make you more productive. What are you NOT measuring that you need to be successful?
3. Resources: ‘Reading Financial Reports for Dummies’, by Lita Epstein, MBA
EXECUTION – What new knowledge will give you the edge in ‘making things happen’?
Have you ever met someone who is super-educated and degreed, but never seems to do anything with their incredible knowledge? Leadership expert Dick Biggs puts it this way: “The biggest gap in life is the gap that exists between KNOWING and DOING”. The best Leaders I’ve studied not only have an edge in knowledge; they multiply that edge by doing something with it. What do you need to learn that will give you a greater bias for taking action?
EXECUTION Knowledge tips to consider:
1. Read books or study great military leaders, coaches, or business icons.
Pay particular attention with how they took action and executed their strategies.
2. Beware of too much information. It’s easy to fall into information overload (since it’s more accessible than ever) and never really do anything with it. Prioritize your learning.
3. Resources: Subscribe to online articles / RSS feeds from the Wall Street Journal, Harvard Business Review, McKinsey & Company, and CEO Express.
I congratulate those of you who are continuing their knowledge through a certification, MBA, Ph.D. or other knowledge event that makes you more valuable. We are living in the “Talent Age” and your ability to stay sharp and effective, while leading others to do the same, will clearly make you a Leader who ROCKS!
Dave Timmons is a Leadership Artist who helps people become Leaders Who R.O.C.K. through the Art of Six String Leadership. For more information including Dave’s videos, please visit www.davetimmons.com/or call (813) 948-6709.
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