Leaders can Transform their Working Lives and Organisations
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By using eight tools of reflection according to Georgeanne Lamont, author of Spirited Business. Greg Young of LeaderShape explores her theory.
Georgeanne Lamont believes that leaders can transform their working lives and organisations by using eight tools of reflection:
- Stillness
- Listening
- Encounter
- Story
- Celebration
- Grieving
- Visioning
- Journalising
Lamont says that her approach and that of ‘positive psychology’ are close cousins, but that her theories have grown out of spiritual traditions practised over 10,000 years not out of psychology – it is more than just positive values.
A report in a recent issue of People Management, said that the DTI has pioneered an Inspirational Leadership Insight Tool, rating people according to four dimensions of leadership:
- Nurturing people – clarifying issues Putting ideas into action – creating the future
Most people are strong in two dimensions. This tool was designed after interviews with 40 leaders and is “a strengths-based model” according to Nigel Crouch, a senior industrialist working with the DTI. Once people understand what their leadership style is, they can play to their strengths – “Don’t worry about your weaknesses because other people will take care of those”, Crouch said.
These are just two of the many learning and development ‘tools’ that are openly available to one and all, so why are we not overrun by enlightened and highly successful leaders? If only it was that simple. As a framework, such tools are useful, but we all have a different array of strengths and weaknesses and it takes a 360 degree assessment to really understand how others see you and not just how you perceive and see yourself.
Ultimately, everyone agrees in principle that the greater your emotional and spiritual intelligence – allowing you to think more creatively and use your emotions to solve problems – the better you will be able to manage people and power achievement. You can’t transform your working life and your organisation with a quick fix tool; it’s a long term commitment to continually exploring the extent of your abilities and developing your skills.
About the Author
Greg is a Co-founder and Managing Director of LeaderShape Ltd. With over five
years experience of coaching at Managing Director and Board level, Greg studied
at the Oxford School of Coaching and Mentoring. He is a committed member of the
European Mentoring and Coaching Council and is a member of the Steering
Committee of the South East Leadership Academy. Visit
http://www.leadershape.biz for more
details.
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Article Published/Sorted/Amended on Scopulus 2010-01-14 14:17:07 in Personal Articles
