Inspirational Leadership
Five Tips to Help Your Workforce Thrive
Leadership comes in many forms in the workplace. Some are leaders based on positions of authority or tenure. Others have become leaders because people turn to them for guidance, advice or support. Still others are assigned to lead a project, team or initiative. Each of these types of leaders has an important role in the workplace. Whatever category you fall into, these five tips can help you go beyond ordinary leadership and help you become an inspirational leader.
1) Exemplify respect. Without respect, it’s hard to find people who are willing to follow you or execute your vision. And, according to a recent report by Career Journal, one thing that workers want most is to be respected by organizational leadership. Respect your team by communicating openly, asking for input, giving feedback on projects and tasks, and treating each team member with dignity. Treating everyone you lead with respect will inspire them to do the same.
2) Adapt your style. Not everyone you lead will use the same work style. Some people focus on getting things done, while others focus on how things are done. Some make getting along with everyone their priority, while others focus on being appreciated for their work. In order to be an effective leader, you must adapt your leadership style to the person you’re working with. Learning what matters to each member of your team will enable you to better motivate, encourage and lead them to success, whatever your vision or goal.
3) Build teams. Although each workplace is made up of a diverse group of people with different values and work styles, great leaders know how to harness the power of this diversity to create cohesive, effective teams. Instead of focusing on making everyone operate your way, tap into the strengths of each team member. Realize that each person has a unique perspective and a valuable contribution to make. Delegate roles and responsibilities to each team member based on their strengths. Act as the facilitator for communication and collaboration. When you build teams in the workplace, your organization becomes stronger and your leadership more effective.
4) Develop leaders. Instead of standing alone in ivory towers, inspirational leaders develop and mentor others to become great leaders. You can make a lasting impact wherever you go if you develop the leadership potential in those you lead. As Ken Blanchard put it in his leadership book The Secret, “The ability to develop capable successors is a hallmark of great leaders.” Develop leaders by mentoring star employees, delegating important projects to capable workers, and offering training and development opportunities to promising leaders.
5) Enable dreams. Truly great leaders go beyond the norm and help people achieve their dreams. To do this, you must first discover the dreams of your employees. The next step is to help them understand what they can do to ensure these dreams come true. And, the final step is to use your relationships, resources and knowledge to help them achieve those dreams. Enabling dreams is a big commitment, and it often seems risky. After all, enabling the dreams of employees may mean they will leave your organization. But, as Matthew Kelly describes in his book The Dream Manager, it can also create a type of loyalty rarely seen in the workplace these days.
Whatever type of leader you are, you have an important role – whether it’s in motivating people, getting things done, or both. Using these tips can help you become a leader who does more than just equip people to get a job done. They can help you become a leader who inspires others toward personal success and along the way creates a stronger, more engaged workforce.
Managing the Generation Gap
In the Workplace, Age is More than a Number
The topic of generations in the workplace has generated a lot of discussion in recent years. With Baby Boomers entering the retirement stage and the first throngs of Millennials entering the workplace and bringing with them different demands, ideas and values regarding work and life, it’s no wonder the topic of generations is covered so widely.
And in the workplace, it’s quickly becoming apparent that it’s not just a matter of age that makes generational differences so vast. Each of the generations has a different world view, diverse values, different skill levels, expectations, and even work ethics. They are also all at different stages in their lives. This is important to understand because it offers insights into vastly differing personal needs, which impact the benefits needs of each generation, ranging from educational assistance to childcare to healthcare to retirement.
That’s why it’s critical for managers to understand the makeup of each generation so they can better understand how they view work, what they value and the best ways to manage them. Check out this overview of each generation: Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X and Millennials.
Generations in the Workplace
Traditionalists
Most traditionalists are past retirement age, but some have chosen to remain in or return to the workforce at least part time. Their lives were influenced by economic hardship and world war, experiences which united them and caused many to rise to positions of great responsibility, such as military service, at a young age.
They are patriotic, value command and control, seek security, trust hierarchy, and are very loyal. Many worked for one company throughout their career and have developed well-honed skills and strengths. They offer a wide range of knowledge and experience. They are courteous, self-sacrificing, and characterized by a strong work ethic.
Baby Boomers
This group currently makes up the largest portion of the workforce, but they are quickly approaching retirement age. At one point, they were leaving the workforce faster than young workers were entering it, causing predictions of a massive worker shortage.
However, experts now note that their serious work ethic and workaholic tendencies may lead a vast number of Baby Boomers to remain in the workforce for an extended period of time. This created tension between Boomers and the younger generations who at one point expected to quickly be called to fill the shoes of this experienced, hard-working generation. Boomers are competitive, known as the “Me” generation, and place a strong value on self-sufficiency. They are also optimistic, and they hope to redefine the idea of retirement, with over a third of them planning to work at least part time – mainly to support hobbies and interests outside their original career paths.
Generation X
This generation has been described as rebellious and skeptical of authority, having grown up amidst great social change. As the first latchkey kids, they were instilled with a great sense of independence and confidence. Their parents’ work-to-live mentality caused this generation to value work/life balance. Their entrance into the workforce inspired many to interject new ways of thinking into the business world. Now, unafraid of taking risks, many have become entrepreneurs. They are technologically savvy and crave challenging, exciting projects.
Smaller than the generations before and after them, Gen Xers can feel lost in the midst of the great workplace shift taking place as Boomers exit and Millennials enter the workforce. But, many see it as an exciting time to be a part of important organizational change and welcome the opportunity to have a role in transitioning the workplace to a new way of operating.
Millennials
Millennials are the youngest generation in the workforce. They are predominately well-educated, hopeful to create change in the workplace, determined to succeed, and highly ambitious. But, their youth and optimism causes many to label them as narcissistic, and many have high expectations for what the workplace should offer them in terms of benefits, projects, and satisfaction. They value work/life balance, flexible work schedules, and challenging work.
Also labeled the “Internet” generation, they are the most tech-savvy generation to date, and they value cutting-edge technology. They are also very close to their family and value teamwork and collaboration. Many of this generation move back home after college to save money or in order to explore the workplace to find their ideal job. They tend to job hop more than any preceding generation, seeking to find meaningful work that will take advantage of their education and fulfill their expectations. They also value community service and volunteerism, truly believing they can affect change.
Understanding each of the generations is an important foundation for understanding how to manage different generations in the workplace. This series will explore how to handle different management issues keeping each of the generations in mind.
Employment Situation Summary
United States
Non-farm employment rose by 94,000 jobs in November, and the unemployment rate remained at 4.7%. Average hourly earnings rose by 8 cents. Click here for the most recent employment report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Major Industry Employment for November 2007
• Construction: - 24,000
• Manufacturing: - 11,000
•
Trade, Transportation & Utilities: + 34,000
• Information: - 6,000
• Financial Activities: - 20,000
• Professional & Business Services: + 30,000
• Educational & Health Services: + 28,000
• Leisure & Hospitality: + 26,000
• Government: + 30,000
Canada
In November, employment rose by 63,000 jobs, and the unemployment rate dropped to 5.8%, a 33-year low. Click here for the most recent employment report from the Statistics Canada.
Major Industry Employment for November 2007
• Construction: +5,800
• Manufacturing: - 4,300
• Trade: + 1,700
• Transportation & Warehousing: + 2,200
• Finance, Insurance, Real Estate & Leasing: + 1,000
• Professional, Scientific & Technical Services: + 5,000
• Business, Building & Support Services: - 200
• Educational Services: +3,800
• Health Care & Social Assistance: 3,000
• Information, Culture & Recreation: + 7,800
•
Accommodation
and Food Services: +3,800
• Public Administration: + 7,300
e-Xchange is a publication of Express Services, Inc., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Copyright 2008.