Defining Leadership

All of the following can get you on your way to tapping the wealth of innovation, creativity, motivation and committment that exists naturally in every person.

Required Reading
For any person desiring to become an exceptional manager, there are some essential concepts to understand and adopt.

When Managing People, What is the Goal?
Before deciding what you are going to do or how you are going to do it, you need to decide where you want to go, right? Let's first then define a universal goal when it comes to managing people - really the best goal.

Exactly What Is Leadership?
Surely "leadership" can be defined many ways, but what is the correct definition for one to be effective. This is important, as it shapes all that you do.

Good and Bad Leadership? What They Look Like
Discusses what leadership is and the
techniques which lead in the worst direction and in the best.

Leadership vs. Managing People How Should We Manage People? Is There a Choice?
by Ben Simonton
No. No. A thousand times, no! The science of managing people is the science of leadership. Make no mistake. I will prove it to you over and over again.

Are People Really Our Most Important Asset?
You better believe they are. However, most managers don't take advantage of the inherent capabilities of their people.

More Articles by Ben Simonton

Listening Is the Key to Superior Leadership
Why listening is the mechanism by which every
manager can greatly improve their leadership power.

Listening, A Tool for Leadership and Commitment
Why Listening is the way to improve your leadership
as well as to create highly committed employees.

Listening, The Most Important Leadership Skill
How not to Shoot the Messenger, an excerpt from the book:
"Leading People to be Highly Motivated and Committed"

A Story: The Power Of Listening
This story relates an actual experience Ben had which
demonstrates how to listen to employees correctly and how effective it is.

Why Employees Are Not Highly Motivated and Committed
Discover the reasons why most employees are demotivated and get an
understanding of what can be done to turn around such a situation.

How Managers Create Low Morale In Their Employees
Even though no manager wants to create low morale,
most do exactly that because of how they manage people.

Articles by Other Authors

The Focus of Leadership
Inspiring! Service rather than self-interest.

Absenteeism or Too Late for Excuses
Makes clear how poor management is the problem.

The Essence of Leadership
Well worth your time. This article is a clear, concise statement of what superior
leadership is all about - actions demonstrating high standards of common values.

The Real Keys to High Performance
Well worth your time. This article makes clear that the old aphorism, "people are our most important asset,"
is actually true. It contends that compelling evidence suggests that organizational success comes
more from managing people effectively than from attaining large size, operating
in a high-growth industry,or becoming lean and mean through downsizing.

Lessons in Linguistic Chivalry. How to Create a Listening Culture
Excellent article on listening, certainly your most important leadership skill.

Motivating Others
Good article. HOWEVER, while reading, please realize that truly superior leadership
releases people to their own motivations, makes them self-motivated, and that
self-motivated people are always your very best performers.

A Science, Not an Art
As it turns out, managing people and leadership are the same science with theory and supporting steps to creating the desired outcome. During tough economic environments, isn't that exactly what you need - a set of instructions on how to get the most out of your workforce and how to make them a high performing, self-reliant entity?