| In an effort to move up the corporate ladder and | | | | To view the embedded image please visit: |
| achieve a higher salary everyone seems to be | | | | [ |
| striving for a management position. Aside from | | | | Leadership Gives You Skills that can be |
| the fact that it offers greater financial | | | | transferred Outside of Your Department. |
| compensation and status few people know why | | | | Your specific area is a great place to work; |
| they would want to be a manager. Many technical | | | | however it is only one of many areas available |
| professionals are not really interested in people | | | | within corporations. Although some of your area |
| anyway, they are interested in technology. Many | | | | specific skills are transferable most of them are |
| find dealing with people just a necessary | | | | not. For example, being able to re-partition a hard |
| annoyance. | | | | drive does not help you in managing a customer |
| I certainly was of that opinion. However, an | | | | service centre (unless it is a support centre at a |
| interesting change took place. The more I learned | | | | hard drive manufacture). Being able to lead a |
| about leadership and the way people behaved, the | | | | team that routinely re-partitions hard drives |
| more I found them fascinating. My interest grew | | | | however does give you a lot of the skills |
| to the point that I now find people far more | | | | necessary to lead a customer service centre. |
| appealing than technology. | | | | You may be thinking, “I would never want |
| For those of you who have not been convinced | | | | to be in customer service.” But |
| that motivating and leading people is worth your | | | | wouldn’t it be nice to pursue other career |
| time here are a few reasons that you might | | | | options if opportunities present themselves and |
| want to consider: | | | | they turn out to be a fit for you. |
| • Leadership is a valued skill | | | | To view the embedded image please visit: |
| • Leadership gives you the ability to | | | | [ |
| accomplish more | | | | Leadership Gives You the Ability to Help Others |
| • Leadership allows you to progress up the | | | | to Grow |
| corporate ladder | | | | Some would argue that helping others is not |
| • Leadership give you skills that will last a | | | | something that they value; that it does not help |
| lifetime (timeless skills) | | | | them directly. This is obviously faulty thinking. |
| • Leadership gives you skills that can be | | | | Have you ever had someone assist you? I doubt |
| transferred outside of the IT/IS department | | | | that there is anyone reading this that has not |
| • Leadership give you the ability to help | | | | benefited from the kindness of someone else. So |
| others grow | | | | why should someone feel justified in not wanting |
| • Leadership is a much more effective | | | | to help others even if he does not see a tangible |
| people management technique. | | | | benefit |
| Leadership Skills Enable Individuals to Reach | | | | In addition to the fact that helping people is the |
| Superior Positions | | | | right thing to do there are many indirect benefits |
| Most organizations do not provide financial | | | | that you will gain from helping others grow and |
| compensation for technical staff at levels as high | | | | develop. |
| as management. The ability to lead, motivate, and | | | | • It is a learning experience for you too. As |
| communicate are valued higher than the ability to | | | | you help others progress you will be gaining new |
| accomplish something that is technical in nature. | | | | skills yourself. |
| You can argue whether this is an appropriate | | | | • You will build loyalty; loyalty that will |
| policy or not; however disputing it is most likely | | | | manifest itself at the most surprising times. You |
| not going to change it. If you want to progress | | | | will have a team that is willing to go the extra mile |
| up the corporate ladder in your organization and | | | | when it is needed rather than taking the attitude |
| move to higher salary ranges, you need to take | | | | that it isn’t their problem and punching out |
| on leadership roles; and do a good job of it. | | | | at 5:00 pm. |
| To view the embedded image please visit: | | | | • You will build friendships. As I mentioned in |
| [ | | | | previous articles, there is often resentment |
| Leadership Gives You the Ability to Accomplish | | | | towards newly promoted leaders. However, if you |
| More | | | | look after your employees rather than try to |
| What if I could show you how you could take the | | | | control them, they will both respect you and like |
| very valuable skills that you have and multiply | | | | you. Personally, I would much rather work with |
| your productivity with them? What if you could | | | | people who want to work with me than those |
| perform several of them at one time? Sound | | | | who do not. |
| impossible? Not with leadership! | | | | • You will build respect. Respect is |
| How much time do you spend performing tasks | | | | something that is earned, not demanded. People |
| that really don’t require your complete | | | | will abide by your authority if they have to, but |
| personal attention? Are there any tasks that you | | | | they will only do what is absolutely necessary. |
| perform that could be delegated? Any | | | | Earn their respect and they will go the extra mile |
| responsibility of yours that you do not have to | | | | to make sure that the job is done well. |
| perform yourself can be delegated. You may | | | | • The organization will benefit. As your |
| argue that you alone have the technical expertise | | | | team grows stronger under your leadership the |
| - well, it's time to start using your time more | | | | organization will realize the benefits. |
| wisely by training someone else. | | | | • It is motivating not only for your team |
| Delegating as many tasks as possible gives you | | | | but also for you to see them grow. |
| more time to share your knowledge and lead | | | | Leadership is an Effective Motivation Technique |
| your team. Your team will be able to accomplish | | | | If you use any of the management techniques |
| more as you guide it and you will indirectly | | | | that involve controlling, berating, driving, criticizing, |
| accomplish more than you could by attempting to | | | | or insulting to motivate them, you are going to |
| perform all of the tasks on your own. | | | | discover something important about them. You |
| To view the embedded image please visit: | | | | staff is not going to change their ways! You may |
| [ | | | | get them to conform while you are yelling at |
| Leadership Allows You to Progress up the | | | | them, but stop the negative motivation |
| Corporate Ladder | | | | techniques for one moment and they will resort |
| People often have the misperception that by | | | | to their original ways. |
| making themselves indispensable they are | | | | Is it them? Are they slow learners? Are they |
| protecting their job (and possibly career). There is | | | | stubborn? You teach them, you show them, you |
| probably no other place in corporate culture | | | | correct them, but every time you turn your back |
| where this attitude is more prevalent than in the | | | | they relapse and return to their original behaviour. |
| IT and IS departments (my background). IT/IS | | | | Of course not! It is clear that the motivational |
| staff are known for creating legacy systems that | | | | techniques you are using are ineffective for the |
| are so complicated and poorly documented that | | | | long term. |
| they are the only ones who could possibly | | | | Here is one of the most important concepts that |
| maintain them and therefore, have job security. | | | | I know. The only way to get someone to do |
| Trust me; having gone through a particularly brutal | | | | something is to make him want to do it. You can |
| corporate bankruptcy I can assure you that | | | | approach this in several ways. |
| nothing provides you with job security. | | | | • One way is to make their life so |
| Making yourself indispensable does not protect | | | | unpleasant until they do what you want and will |
| your job, but it does have another effect; it will | | | | eventually follow your orders. Although this |
| stagnate your career. There is no way that an | | | | technique may get quick results in the short term |
| indispensable individual is going to be promoted out | | | | it is highly ineffective in the long term. Take away |
| of his current job; after all, there is no one to fill | | | | the unpleasantness and you have taken away the |
| the job after his promotion. | | | | motivation for them. Every time you turn your |
| If you want to make sure that you are seriously | | | | back (or go away) the unpleasantness for |
| considered for a position when it becomes | | | | preventing their return to old habits also goes |
| available within your organization make sure that | | | | away. The benefits for doing things your way also |
| someone else can do your current job. This | | | | go away. The team returns to doing things the |
| begins with cross training and matures into | | | | way that they are most comfortable with; thus |
| delegation; both skills of a leader. | | | | appearing slow or stubborn. |
| Leadership Gives You Skills that Will Last a | | | | • The other method is to inspire the team |
| Lifetime | | | | to want to perform the task. Motivate them; not |
| If you want to be hot in a technical community | | | | only to do the task, but to also do it with quality |
| then you have to keep current with the | | | | and distinction. Once they are inspired it |
| technology. Technology continues to change at | | | | doesn’t matter whether you are standing |
| faster and faster rates; which causes skills to | | | | over them or 5000 miles away; they will perform |
| become obsolete, also at faster and faster rates. | | | | the job with excellence in either situation. |
| The tools of the early to mid 90s are barely | | | | To view the embedded image please visit: |
| mentioned compared to the current technologies. | | | | [ |
| How much will current skills be valued five to ten | | | | Obviously this is just some of the reasons you |
| years from now? | | | | might want to develop leadership skills. Each |
| Although continuous learning is an admirable pursuit | | | | individual's reasons may be different. The |
| (and it certainly is one of mine), wouldn’t it | | | | important thing to remember is that leadership |
| be nice to learn some skills that won’t lose | | | | skills give you many positive results for your |
| their value several years from now when the | | | | efforts - regardless of the result that you are |
| technology becomes obsolete. Leadership is such | | | | currently seeking. |
| a set of skills. They never become obsolete and | | | | Make the effort now to learn leadership skills and |
| you can continually build upon the foundation of | | | | start reaping the results. |
| your knowledge. | | | | |