Imagine if we ran our businesses the way NATO runs a war. Moammar Gadhafi is clearly a “bad guy.” No one denies that. Yet a dozen of the most powerful nations in the world can’t seem to agree on how to deal with him. Meanwhile this nutcase is killing thousands of innocent people. The central issue is a lack of leadership and reticence to take decisive action. We must face this in our businesses every day. Our people are waiting for us to take decisive action and demonstrate leadership. Our clients are seeking a clear articulation of the value we provide and to give them a REASON to do business with us. Don’t be like NATO. Take the bull by the horns and LEAD. The world is depending on you.
Transformational Leaders
Transformational Leaders overtly change organizations with an implied promise to followers that they also will be transformed in some way. When practiced effectively it enhances the motivation, morale and performance of followers through a variety of mechanisms. In order to create followers a leader has to be very careful in winning genuine trust. Their personal integrity is a critical part of the package that they are selling. The following are some of the ways to practice transformational leadership:
- Become the chief learner and inspirer
- Listen to understand rather than respond
- Set the example and take action
- Learn the art of self-reflection
Brand What?
Your brand resides within the hearts and minds of customers. It is a reflection of your reputation. Communicating your brand so it inspires response is the challenge of every marketer. Yet many simply copy leading competitors. Successful branding must differentiate your solution and clearly identify the “market gap” which you quite uniquely or even EXCLUSIVELY occupy. What makes YOU, you?