LEADERSHIP TIPS

“The task of a leader is to get his people from where
they are to where they have not been.”
Henry Kissneger

With that in mind, the task of being a leader can be daunting.

Here are some tips to help with the task:

• In football, as the game nears the end, there is a two minute warning. Consider adopting your own form of the “two-minute rule” in your organization. When your team is on a deadline, agree that when someone gets stuck on a problem, he/she shouldn’t spend more than two minutes trying to solve it before asking for help. Of course, you may need to adjust the time to something more appropriate to the situation. Start with a 30 minute rule, and as the deadline approaches lessen the time to 10 minutes

• Avoid vague terminology when setting up performance rules for your team. This can be especially important for new team members who are often struggling to fit in. For instance, don’t just tell a team member that you expect them to be dependable or reliable. Let them know that one of the core values of the team is dependability. Then define dependability in clear easy to understand terms. Such as, a dependable team member works a full day from 8 to 5, a dependable team member shows up to meetings on time and prepared to discuss items on the agenda and make scheduled presentations, a dependable team member is proactive when it comes to helping out other team members, and a dependable team member consistently completes projects on time and in a satisfactory manner. Of course, each project should have a clear definition as to completion dates and criteria for satisfactory performance.

• Setting goals is important. As Brian Tracy says, “People with clear, written goals, accomplish far more in a shorter period of time than people without them could ever imagine.” Most leaders recognize that they should set goals that are specific, measurable, achievable, relative to the core values and strategic plan of the organization, and marked with timelines and milestones. However, sometimes leaders forget to use strong language as well. Be sure to state goals positively. Say: “When we complete the XYZ project by (date), we will be considered the top division in our company.” Avoid phrases like “I wish”, “If we could” or “I hope”. These phrases sound as if you lack confidence in your team’s ability to achieve the goal or that you are leaving the outcome to chance.

Everyday, CPAs and CAs who are members of the Principa Alliance specialize in advising small and medium sized businesses by providing strategic planning services including Towards Awesome Service and Team Advisory Boards. Both of these services can assist team leaders and business owners in working with their teams, setting goals, monitoring progress, maintaining momentum, and ultimately achieving success.