The Secrets They Won’t Tell You: What
Makes the Top 2% of Owners & Managers
Successful!
1. Emerging Leader
Hero’s journey
2. Self Awareness
a. Intrinsic--Your intentions/actions
b. Extrinsic--Your results/achievements
3. Key Issues for EI
a. Your behavior with others
b. How you motivate others
c. How you make decisions
d. How you communicate effectively
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
4. Style Approach--Behavior of a leader
Style Questionnaire*
1 = Never; 2 = Seldom; 3=Occasionally; 4= Often; 5=Always
Give yourself a score from 1 to 5
1. Tells the group members what they are supposed to do.
2. Acts friendly with members of the group.
3. Sets standards of performance for group members.
4. Helps others in the group feel comfortable.
5. Makes suggestion about how to solve problems.
6. Responds favorably to suggestions made by others.
7. Makes his/her perspective clear to others.
8. Treats others fairly.
9. Develops a plan of action for the group.
10. Behaves in a predictable manner toward group members.
11. Defines role responsibilities for each group member.
12. Communicates actively with group members.
13. Clarifies his/her own role within the group.
14. Shows concern for the well being of others.
15. Provides a plan for how the work is to be done.
16. Shows flexibility in making decisions.
17. Provides criteria for what is expected of group.
18. Discloses thoughts and feelings to group members.
19. Encourages group members to do high quality work.
20. Helps group members get along with each other.
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Scoring
TASK Score
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RELATIONSHIP Score _____
*Northouse, P. G. (2010). Leadership: Theory and practice (5th ed.).
Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
Case Study
You have just become the VP of Property Management at XYZ
Commercial Real Estate. You have been hired from the outside. Your
staffers act distant. You begin focusing on re-organizing all
depts./divisions; re-aligning staff; cutting costs; streamlining
procedures. After 9 months, you relax a little, get closer to your staff;
and attend an after-hours events with them. A few of your staffers have
commended you on the improvement you have made and the
substantial improvements in the sales office.
Path Goal Theory
4 Components of Leadership Behavior
1. The micro-manager/unclear or complex
2. The coach/repetitive or unskilled
3. The cheerleader/challenging
4. Let ‘em run!/unstructured
Case Study
John is the CFO of the Facility & Management Division. Worked there
for 15 yrs, he is 55 yrs old; very talented professional with lots of
experience. His staff views him as competent, fair and involved. He is
excited about creating a long range plan for his department to cut
expenses and improve productivity. He loves it when his boss, the CEO,
comes by to see what he has done.
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
Decision Making Models
1. Independent—speed
2. Information gathering—less time sensitive
3. Consultative--advising
4. Gaining commitment—creativity & acceptance
5. Letting go--acceptance
Case Study
Before going to the Regional Real Estate Director, Joan, the Property
Manager, has recommendations from several tenants in the building
regarding one of her Tenant Coordinators, Sally Sue, for her services.
It was time she had more authority. Joan has spoken to the employee,
Sally Sue, and she is interested in the promotion. Joan has spent a
considerable amount of time informing Sally Sue of the additional
responsibilities, time requirements, and education, etc. that the new
position requires. Sally is excited about the new opportunity. Joan
talks to the Regional Real Estate Director about promoting Sally Sue to
an Assistant Property Manager.
Case Study
It’s November and people are beginning to talk about the annual
Holiday party. You attend each year, as the Property Manager. Your
assistant has approached you to set a date. You tell him to get together
with the staff, let them decide and you will give them your blessing.
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
Creating Congruence
1. Positive Positions
2. Defensive Positions
Emerging Leaders
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Understand the balance between task and relationship
Understand how to use their behavior to motivate staff
Understand how to make decisions that are best for all
Understand how to create the emotional connection even when they
don’t say a word
What Leaders Do by Linda Talley, Ph.D.
There are a lot of people in the world today whom we call “leaders.” Would it surprise
you to learn that only 1 to 2% of them would be classified as great leaders?
Are you shocked that we throw around the title of leader because someone has reached
a certain level within an organization and we think they are “leading” the organization?
This may or may not be true. Do you really think you can have a leader simply by giving
the title? It really doesn’t work that way. Think of how many “servant leaders” we have
who generate a lot more respect, value, self-confidence than any titled leader.
Those people, with or without title, wanting to be in the top 1 to 2% develop themselves
as leaders. They don’t wait for the title, they take charge of themselves now. Here’s
what they do.
1. They develop themselves from the inside out. They don’t depend on
external sources for a title or position so they develop relationships with
the people around them. To do that, many times a leader must move
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
outside of the box, go the extra mile and continuously innovate and create.
In order to do that, they need to read a lot. They read the trade journals,
the latest books on business, innovation, creativity, personal mastery. (If
you haven’t already read it, read Blue Ocean Strategies!) This keeps them
fresh and continuously fed new information, new ideas. Who wants a
leader that has stopped learning or someone who is in a rut or become
stale? Today’s leader is always stepping outside the box and doing things
differently.
2. They differentiate themselves as leaders rather than as a commodity.
There are lots of commodities out there and few leaders. They create a
huge name for themselves in their industry or niche. People know about
leaders and call them. People like and trust someone who has
differentiated themselves in their niche.
3. They develop real skills over time instead of settling for short-term
appearance of skill. They become experts in their areas. Not only do they
recognize their expertise but others do too. They are the ones who are
continuously called on for assistance in challenging, growth phases of an
organization.
4. They think of their internal and external customers and are doing things for
them at all times. This doesn’t mean doing the work for their internal
customers are making decisions for external customers. They might simply
be walking around and talking to staff and finding out what motivates these
people. Or this might be a mission to find out critical information from
their people—their knowledge workers. Or they might simply cut out an
article referring to a customer and sending it to them.
5. They make things happen—even if they have to do it themselves. They’re
not afraid of getting their hands dirty. A credit card that was left, by
mistake by a customer, and was turned over to the owner of a restaurant.
The next morning, she called the owner of the card and told him that it was
safe and in her possession. The card holder then said he’d be right over to
pick it up. However, the restaurant owner said, “My courier service is
already here ready to deliver it to you. I just wanted to let you know it was
on its way.” You could say, “Great customer service!” and you would be
right! It’s also something that leaders do rather than delegate it to
someone else. The restaurant owner connected with her patron on the
emotional level and probably has a customer for life.
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
6. Leaders create! Most people believe leaders create visions and they do.
They also create new standards of relating within the organization, with
customers, with training. How many of you actually train your customer
service staff on customer services issues? Leaders create the relationship
that they want with their customers and they teach their employees that
model. Not only does this strengthen the relationship the leader has with
the employee—think of what it does for the customer! Just because your
organization is getting bigger is not an excuse for customer service to get
worse! Leaders create new ways to communicate with staff. How many of
you have a gum ball machine right outside your office door? Or perhaps a
popcorn machine? And you keep it filled? (Notice I did not say to keep the
candy on your desk! This is not about care giving!) What a wonderful way
to attract people to you so you can communicate with them on a regular
basis! The key here is that employees are your knowledge workers.
Leaders create ways to get in touch and stay in touch with their knowledge
workers. I had a coaching client, a VP of accounting, that was afraid, yes
afraid, of talking to her boss. She felt left out of the company and finally
left the company because she didn’t know how to talk to her boss and the
boss obviously didn’t know how to talk to her. Leaders figure this out.
7. Leaders take time to plan, think and re-create. In this hustle, bustle global
market, if you’re not taking time to plan, think, re-create, re-organize along
customer service, efficiency and effectiveness, then you’re simply managing
a process and not leading your people or your organization towards the
future. Time must be taken/set aside, scheduled because leaders do this.
Have you scheduled and taken at least 4 to 8 hours quarterly for recreating? Do you have at least one hour of un-booked time each week so
do this? The most successful people and the true leaders are the ones who
aren’t afraid to be with themselves. To take long walks (pencil/paper or
mini recorder in hand), to create a quiet space, to set boundaries that allow
this to happen—this is what leaders do.
By taking and mastering these steps, you move into your leadership role easily and
effortlessly. And what’s amazing is that the people around you will recognize you as a
leader, even if you don’t have the title!
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com
Quotable Notables
Deeds are better things than words are,
Actions mightier than boastings.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1855
You observe a lot by watching.
Lawrence P. (Yogi) Berra
Linda Talley www.lindatalley.com linda@lindatalley.com