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As we ease into the New Year, it is apparent that it is going to be an interesting year for leaders. It is amazing to note the about-face that has taken place in the workplace and the speed upon which it occurred. Consider the following challenges that business leaders have had to deal with over the last two years: the ever-shrinking labour pool, recruiting and retaining great talent, out-of-control headhunting, increasing demands for work/life balance, demanding clients and keeping four generations happy in the workplace.
In a matter of months, leaders are now faced with a slumping economy, shrinking budgets, staff cuts, pay cuts, slowing sales, and as with the previous years, the pressure to always perform well and achieve key performance targets.
In times like these it is best to brush off some tried, tested and true leadership strategies. Consider the following quotes which do a great job in capturing a fundamental leadership strategy for success. These specific quotes remind me of the famous book, "Good to Great" by Jim Collins, a must-read for any leader.
The first quote is by Howard Schultz, CEO of Starbucks, who gathered his 4,000 plus staff working at the Starbucks headquarters and said: "We need everyone in this room to believe in the mission of the company, and if you don't, there's nothing wrong, but you shouldn't be here."
The second quote is from Jeffrey Katzenberg, head of DreamWorks Animation. He made the following statement to his 1,900 employees: "We now speak a different language here. It's like we've been speaking English, and now we speak Russian. And everybody has to speak it, it's not like somebody can hold out."
So how do these quotes - which come from leaders who run billion dollar companies - relate to you?
Consider this: there is never really a time in business where it is not to your own benefit as a leader to have the right people working for you. This is especially true in today's economic climate. Whether or not this is a new strategy or old, now is the perfect time to implement it.
Step one - as Mr. Schultz and Mr. Katzenberg eloquently stated, get rid of the people on your team or department who do not share your values or are not committed one hundred percent to generating success. As things become more challenging in the New Year, these people will only create more problems for you as a leader and your bottom line.
Step two - go out and find the right people. Now is the perfect time to find those who fit with your values, your culture and your business model. As Collins says in "Good to Great," great organizations (or teams) have the right people on the bus and the wrong people off the bus. There is some great talent on the street - people with exceptional skills - but even more importantly, people who share the same values and drive that you and your organization have.
Remember, as a leader you are only as good as the people who work for you. I can guarantee you that by putting the right people on your "bus", your job will be that much easier as we move through 2009.
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Shane Jensen, MA, CEC
Questions, comments, insight? - Send me an email:
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www.newquestcc.com
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