In the recent news we have heard the word 'leadership' used more and more in the description of people in positions of power and/or influence. Webster defines a leader as having the ability "to show the way," "to guide," "to direct."

If you desire to be viewed as a leader you must understand the definition of leadership within your organization. You need to define how successful leaders behave and how they communicate. More importantly, you want to know what styles of leadership are coveted within the organization. Are successful leaders influential? If so, how did they build a reputation for having the ability to influence others? Are your successful leaders strategic thinkers? If so, how did they learn to use their critical thinking skills? Why are these behaviors valued within your organization?

The answers to these questions will help you better understand why leadership is important. As a result of your probing you will be able to identify any performance gaps you may have in your quest to be identified as a leader.

Your understanding of the organization's leadership requirements will help you create a focused development plan. A focused plan will lead to the achievement of your career goals.

If you would like assistance with implementing your plan, contact me at deborah@chambersconsult.com. I will be happy to partner with you to achieve your personal and professional success.

1. If you have a leadership position you want to be considered for, make sure you spend time with people who are currently executing the desired role. The objective is to ensure you understand the requirements of the position to ensure a good fit. Getting different perspectives on the day-to-day tasks will help you determine if you have any performance gaps you can begin to address.
   
   
2. Challenge yourself this month to read The Wall Street Journal and Business Week. These publications offer real world examples of how people demonstrate leadership. These types of periodicals are the perfect solution if you are stretched for time, yet want to remain current.

Business Week is currently running a series on "Great Innovators". These articles can motivate and educate you on how leaders become great contributors.

Bill is a technician who aspires to become a team leader in his department. Bill gets the courage to contact his director's assistant to schedule a meeting. Bill's director, Dan is unaware of Bill's career goals. On the day of the meeting, Dan calls Bill to communicate that the meeting needs to be rescheduled. Dan asks Bill about the purpose of the meeting. Bill is caught off guard and begins to ramble about the following points:

1. Bill has been a technician for five years. His last performance rating was at the excellent level.
2. He is ready to be a team leader and he wants to talk to Dan about the timeframe.

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 its 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

Coaches Corner

Coach's response: I am working from the premise that the purpose of this question is due to some mistakes you have made along the way when given the opportunity to lead in the past. If this is the case, I offer the following recommendations:

1. Forgive yourself. Too often we spend way too much time rehashing our mistakes. What's done is done. Your energy will be better spent focusing on action steps you can take to continue demonstrating your leadership skills.
   
   
2. Analyze where you went wrong. Take the time to understand how your behaviors need to change the next time you encounter the situation. Resolve in your mind to never make the same mistakes again.
   
   
3. Seek feedback from trusted individuals who will give you candid input on how your mistakes were received and evaluated by others. Create actions steps with your advisors on the best ways you should attempt to do damage control.
   
   
4. Meet with your boss and communicate your lessons learned from the experience. Be prepared to articulate how you have grown from the experience.
   
   
5. Ask the boss for another opportunity to lead as soon as possible. If you don't receive a special assignment, look for small ways you can help the team meet its goals. The purpose is to ensure your mistakes are circumvented with success stories as soon as possible.
   
   
6. Last but not least, never give up on your leadership quest. As you encounter people who want to remind you of your mistakes, politely let them know that you are a forward thinker and therefore you do not dwell on the past. Good luck!

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.

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.

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