This e-book is an overview of leadership traits and theories from which new leaders can determine the future areas of study. I have attached a self-assessment that I developed. If new managers use this self-assessment honestly, it will help them determine their weak areas and help them develop a plan of study.
For young managers placed into leadership positions, the task is a challenge. For many people, the art of leadership does not come easily. There seems to be much to know and ever more to do. The expectations of the subordinates exceed the expectations of upper management. As an Army officer for twenty-two years and as a manager in healthcare for over fifteen years, I know the challenge. In Leadership for New Managers: Book Two, I try to share some of my experiences with new leaders to help them learn how to handle the challenge.
Leadership for New Manager: Book Two is an overview of leadership traits and theories from which new leaders can determine the future areas of study. I have attached a self-assessment that I developed. If new managers use this self-assessment honestly, it will help them determine their weak areas and help them develop a plan of study. This e-book will not solve all the problems that new leaders face, but it will highlight some tools that new leaders may want to learn and use. As new leaders develop their own style of leadership, they should know and understand all the various styles of leadership discussed in this e-book.
I include chapters on values, beliefs, and motivation. It is important for leaders to learn how to motivate their follower. I also discuss climate and culture in a working environment. This e-book contains the sort of information that I wish someone had given me when I first started leading people.
Excerpt
A. Leadership Defined
Leadership is a long-term process of getting people to accomplish goals by providing purpose, direction, and motivation. Kouzes and Posner in their book, The Challenge of Leadership, describe leadership as a relationship. It is a relationship between followers and their leader. All managers and associates must understand what leadership is and does. Effective leadership development requires mutual recognition and acceptance of leader and associate roles. Leadership is a reciprocal relationship between leaders and followers. There cannot be one without the other.
1. Providing Purpose
Purpose is the reason to achieve a desired goal. Associates expect and deserve leader/managers to provide clear purpose. To do this, leaders must understand the goals of the organization or they will work at cross-purposes. Leaders should frequently communicate the goals of the organization to their associates so they can start the process with the end in mind. So often, associates do not understand the direction and purpose but do what they are asked without question. In such cases, initiative is stifled.
Kouzes and Posner conducted a survey with over 75,000 people to determine what traits they look for in their leaders. Seventy-one percent selected “Forward Looking.” in other words, providing purpose. Leaders determine the course of action necessary to reach goals and communicate instructions, orders, and directives to associates. They must ensure that associates understand and accept direction.
2. Providing Direction
Providing clear direction involves communicating what to do to accomplish a goal: prioritizing tasks, assigning responsibility for completion, and ensuring associates understand the standard. Although associates want and need direction, they expect challenging tasks, quality training, and adequate resources. They should have appropriate freedom of action to achieve goals. Providing clear direction allows associates to adapt to changing circumstances through modifying plans and orders. That does not mean micro-management. Associates do not always need guidance on the details. Leader/managers need to learn when to provide detailed guidance and when to focus only on direction. It is a difficult balance best learned through experience.
Leader/managers match their teams or associates to the work required. Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) or job tasks define most work. As new work develops and priorities change, assignments will differ. In higher-level positions, upper management and directors have a staff to help perform these assignment and prioritization functions. Middle managers may not.
Leader/managers should provide direction from both near-term and long-term perspectives. Critical actions that must be accomplished immediately require a near-term focus. However, organizational goals tend to be long-term. Near-term tasks and crisis can consume inexperienced leader/managers and cause them to fail to achieve long-term goals. Some tasks can become so routine and repetitive to the point of numbing the brain and killing a leader’s innovation and initiative.
When tasks are difficult, adaptive leader/managers identify and account for the capabilities of the team. Some tasks will be routine and require little clarification, while others will present new challenges for the team. Often there is a tendency to assign the same task to an associate that is knowledgeable on the task. When leaders do that, it removes any challenge and hinders development and learning. Leaders should challenge their associates with new and exciting tasks from time to time.
Good direction depends on understanding how tasks are progressing so the leader knows if and when to provide clarification. Most workers have a desire to demonstrate competence in their work, so leader/managers need to be careful that they do not reduce this drive.
This is a book to help readers plow through the enormous overload of the 95% nonsense to find the 5% common sense that is hidden away, which is needed to sustain long-term success in solving today's problems.
ebook Version
Learn how someone can go from never gambling to the point where they are about to give up, get arrested, or commit suicide.
Learn how to lead someone out of the depts of compulsive gambling to freedom in Christ.
This is a book to help readers plow through the enormous overload of the 95% nonsense to find the 5% common sense that is hidden away, which is needed to sustain long-term success in solving today's problems.
