Well....here we are folks, semester's end. Doesn't seem that long ago that it was January and this class was a mystery. We were given a promise that this course would change our lives if we just stuck with it.....Dr. Feinberg, you did not lie. I know there are some that would disagree with this but I think for those who do not believe it now, they will eventually.
I find myself at work, where I'm a supervisor, thinking about some of the situations that I have to handle and how I can think of something that Dr. Feinberg said in lecture. One very classic example is after the lecture on communciation we had a new employee. It is normally my job to train new employees so I went to it like I always do but as I explained things I paid more attention to how I said it and the comprehension of the new employee. After I thought about this for a while, I started to notice changes in how I communicated with everyone at the store.
Also I am more critical of my boss. I do not mean this in a bad way but I see how he leads and apply it to what I have learned in this class. I see how my boss leads and how I want to be different when I am in that position.
Another thing that I have gotten from this class is an extensive summer reading list. I have about eight books waiting for me that consist of what Kirk and Dr. Feinberg have recommended. I know that this class is the most significant of this semester and possibly of my college career. And I mean that. I know that I will take the knowledge from this course and use it every day for the rest of my life. Later....
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Decision Making
One sentence really sums up this whole lecture.....If you want to be a great leader you have to make good decisions! And what is a good decision?? The answer is a good decision enhances the ability for future decisions to be made.
When you think about it, this one sentence speaks volumes about leadership. Leadership has everything to do with the decisions you make and how successful those decisions turn out to be. There are two dimensions of decision making...the right decision and the need for others to adopt. The latter often includes a consensus of the decision. This consensus is important for the fact of everyone being satisfied with the outcomes. When coming to this consensus, it is very important to not have arguments over opinions/feelings, avoid win-lose situations, avoid changing minds just for harmony and conflict reducing techniques. Arguments/Questions keep ideas in check and help improve the process or concept of the idea. Encourage the conversation but do not let it become a fight. Let someone wear the "hat of why shouldn't we do this." This person is the only person who can say what is wrong with the idea, and this person is different every time. These recommendations are important to success.
This all comes back to communication and how important communication is in every aspect of our lives. Active listening is crucial and absolutely necessary. Leaders are active listeners and know that the problems and ideas of those workers on the front lines have valuable insight to the business of the company. These people are a wealth of knowledge use them.
One last thing, in a conflict....there are three sides to every story, be sure to get them all. Quick decisions can cause major personnel issues and patience has its virtues....later.
When you think about it, this one sentence speaks volumes about leadership. Leadership has everything to do with the decisions you make and how successful those decisions turn out to be. There are two dimensions of decision making...the right decision and the need for others to adopt. The latter often includes a consensus of the decision. This consensus is important for the fact of everyone being satisfied with the outcomes. When coming to this consensus, it is very important to not have arguments over opinions/feelings, avoid win-lose situations, avoid changing minds just for harmony and conflict reducing techniques. Arguments/Questions keep ideas in check and help improve the process or concept of the idea. Encourage the conversation but do not let it become a fight. Let someone wear the "hat of why shouldn't we do this." This person is the only person who can say what is wrong with the idea, and this person is different every time. These recommendations are important to success.
This all comes back to communication and how important communication is in every aspect of our lives. Active listening is crucial and absolutely necessary. Leaders are active listeners and know that the problems and ideas of those workers on the front lines have valuable insight to the business of the company. These people are a wealth of knowledge use them.
One last thing, in a conflict....there are three sides to every story, be sure to get them all. Quick decisions can cause major personnel issues and patience has its virtues....later.
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