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Defining Leadership in Today's Competitive Work Environment
In the recent news we are being told that the
economy is improving and job growth is continuing to
increase. Unfortunately this news does not mean that
corporations and organizations will not continue the
current practice of shedding perceived unproductive
employees and resources. In today's workplace it is
critical to know what makes you a valued employee
or resource. I encourage you to spend quality time
discerning how you can continue to provide
leadership in your work environment. To assist you in
your leadership quest, I offer four suggestions:
Understand Your Organizational
Culture
Take the time to understand what top three
competencies are valued in your organization.
Focusing on three areas at a time will ensure your
success. Complete an honest assessment of your skill
sets in these areas. Choose trusted individuals to
critique your abilities within the three defined areas.
Create an action plan to improve any identified
deficiencies. Once you have demonstrated
proficiency in these areas, move on to the next set
of valued competencies.
Volunteer
Create visibility for your leadership abilities by
volunteering on projects that the organization has
identified as priorities. Your time is valuable, so
ensure that the projects you volunteer for create the
opportunity to showcase your talents. These projects
will be over and above your assigned responsibilities
so make sure you have passion for this topic.
Spend time with the boss
If you don't have a relationship with your boss,
develop one. You need to have a relationship in order
to understand what is important to the boss. Make
no mistake. The focus of your boss needs to be your
focus. Ask for time on the boss's calendar to have
the discussion. Continue to request time despite
cancellations and continuous rescheduling. You must
demonstrate persistence in this area if you choose to
display leadership. Once you are in the meeting, be
prepared with your discussion points, plan how you
will handle distractions, and be ready to walk away
with additional work. The extra work is not the goal,
just be aware that it is simply how it works.
Invest in Coaching
If you are ready to move to your next level of
performance, coaching may be one of the most
important investments you can make in yourself. With
a coach you will create action strategies that will
propel you to accomplishing your career goals.
Collaborating with a coach will keep you focused and
accountable.
If you want more information on the benefits of
working with a coach, contact me today, to set up a complimentary
30-minute phone consultation.
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Leadership Solutions for Today's Workplace is a
monthly newsletter for professionals seeking quick
and easy solutions to enhance their leadership skills.
Each issue features practical tips, articles, and
resources based on real world examples that
demonstrate leadership in today's competitive work
environment.
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| A Note from Deborah Chambers Chima |
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Greetings! As we transition into the fall season, I am
reminded of the need to focus on the professional
goals I want to ensure I accomplish by year end.
Soon the leaves will be changing colors. What
changes in my behaviors or thoughts do I need to
make to be ready for my next steps of advancement
and growth?
As a leadership coach I encourage you to take on the
mindset of creating steps that will lead to your
desired results by year end. Take time to enjoy the
renewal process and allow your mind to consider new
ways of doing things. Give me a call if you would like
to discuss your plans in detail. Watch for the vibrant
colors of the upcoming season and let them motivate
you to make your plans come alive!
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| Leadership Solutions Actions |
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If you desire to be viewed as a leader you must be
able to talk in the recognized language of leadership
within your organization.
- Commit to reading one article a week on a topic
that is either of interest to your organization or an
area you want to learn. Challenge yourself to write
one paragraph summarizing the main points of the
article and what you learned. Use your notes to
prepare discussing your learning's with others. Start
with a trade journal for your industry.
- No matter how bored you get with the material,
make yourself complete the assignment until you
make the reading and recap exercise a learned
behavior.
- Commit to reading one leadership book a month.
My recommendation for the month is The Leadership
Challenge by James Kouzes. This book offers
insight
on the 10 commitments necessary to demonstrate
leadership as well as practical tips on assessing
leadership behavior.
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| Leadership Solutions Monthly Scenario |
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Susan is a supervisor who desires to become a
department manager. She reads the Leadership
Solutions for Today's Workplace newsletter each
month and tries to implement at least one of the
recommendations. Susan identified the top three
competencies her organization valued as Strategic
Thinking, Influencing Stakeholders, and
Communicating Effectively. She has received
feedback that she needs to improve her
communication skills. She decides to take the
following steps:
- Meet with her boss to determine any specifics on
her communication opportunities
- Meet with her team to determine if there is a
problem with her communication
- Meet with her peer group to get their opinion
Do you agree with her strategic action plan? Is she
missing an important step?
(I'll give you my response on next month's newsletter-
stay tuned)
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| Leadership Solutions Coaching |
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Testimonial
As an executive in the Information Technology
industry, I endorse the
coaching and career guidance initiatives of the
Chambers Consulting
Group. Deborah Chima, President, Chambers
Consulting Group, has
established a world-class operation to assist it's
clients to reach their potential,
and navigate through the challenges, obstacles, and
opportunities of
today's corporate environment.
During the past 6 months, I have aggressively utilized
the services of
the Chambers Consulting Group. Deborah has
provided valuable input on
current trends in Corporate America, behavioral
expectations of IT
professionals, and idea generation on enhancing my
personal
development.
Reggie Gardner
BDPA Chicago Chapter, President
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Coaches Corner
This month's question:
"How do I create visibility within my organization to
accomplish my goal of becoming promotable?
Coach's response:
Without knowing the exact position you currently
have and the one you aspire to, there is no one
method response to this question. Here are my initial
thoughts:
The first question to be answered is, Are you
currently performing at an excellent to outstanding
level in your current position? If your answer is no,
my strong recommendation is to work to get your
performance to the highest level before you focus on
getting promoted. If the answer is yes,
proceed to the following steps:
- Be clear on what position you aspire to be
promoted to and ensure you qualify by reviewing the
job description and requirements. Think ahead to the
next two positions to ensure this is the career track
you want to take.
- Identify people who have been successful in the
position and meet with them to ask specific questions
to determine the challenges. Do your homework prior
to the meetings to demonstrate your knowledge of
the position.
- Prior to meeting with your boss to discuss your
aspirations, ensure that you have created a business
case on why you should be considered for the
position. This business case should include a
succession plan recommendation and a description of
what "value add" you will bring to the aspired
position.
Last but not least, if you receive any resistance
towards achieving your goal, don't take it personal.
Creating visibility also means being able to receive
constructive feedback. Your response to unfavorable
feedback will determine future consideration. Take
the feedback in stride and put a plan in place to
correct any deficiencies.
Each month a question will be answered in the
coach's corner. Submit your question to the coach
at:
deborah@chambersconsult.com. If your question
is chosen, your
identity will not be revealed.
Leadership Coach Deborah Chambers Chima offers
one on one coaching, consulting, and teleclasses
designed to assist professionals in creating a work
environment that is challenging and provides
opportunity for career growth.
If you liked today's issue, you'll benefit from her
interactive, results-oriented coaching designed to
help you define and execute the professional
development plan that will lead to achieving your
goals. To learn more, log onto my website at
www.chambersconsult.com.
Coming Soon!
Deborah Chambers Chima and Narmen Hunter are the
coauthors of the book, "Women Who Choose to Lead",
scheduled to be published by December, 2004.
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| About the Leadership Solutions Gal |
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Deborah Chambers Chima is passionate about
assisting her clients with achieving their professional
goals. Prior to launching her consulting and coaching
firm, she achieved an award winning, twenty four
year tenure in corporate management in the retail
industry, in both international and domestic markets.
Her clients appreciate her attention to detail and her
desire to assist others in improving their
productivity. To learn more about Deborah, please
visit her website at
www.chambersconsult.com.
Privacy Statement: Leadership Solutions for
Today's Workplace will not use your email address for
any purpose other than to send you our monthly
newsletter. We will not provide your information to
any one else.
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