Lifetime award for business

How often have you been told by a so called leader" this is the way you do it?"

It's the strap line they use whenever they have a new recruit or boss, or maybe they just use it every day.

And they keep talking about the same methodology because they once got an award for it?

Sitting proudly on their office desk or shelf like a beacon of development and if they're remotely clever, covering the date of award on the now ancient ornament with a similarly ancient management manual.

Sadly I describe that individual who once used their spark of innovation to gain a well crafted piece of glass. Truth being had they continued to use that clarity of vision they may have a whole collection by now!

Instead they want to wow people and try motivate through a once dynamic ideology now way out of date. 

Their recipe for success is now a recipe for disaster. A point in time methodology which has no place in modern business. Nor for that matter does such a manager.

If they cannot motivate and set a continuous and refreshing path for themselves , how can they possibly be expected to do it for others?

Truly ambitious professionals understand the need to change for their sake and that of their people. Theirs is the opportunity to gain award but much more.

And that is to continually create new challenges for themself and their teams. To them an award is a marker in time...always to be replaced by an updated version as they eventually will and should be.

That is after all the circle of life!

To new generations listening to their boss telling them how it's always been done takes them immediately back to their eye-rolling teenage years of daily drumbeat of grown-up advice.

On the other hand being listened to by a boss who embraces the new but emboldens it with experience is a much more positive proposition!

Such an attitude motivates the newbie.

 Their ideas are being listened to by a leader! They are being challenged and refined. Having to think on their feet to impress the boss they ultimately want to and probably will,replace in due course.

Meanwhile the leader is still keeping their thinking fresh to maintain a motivated and developing culture taking their organisation forward in a dynamic business world!

The leader in this case has done exactly what they should do. They have brought their own shape to the proposition in a guiding, questioning but importantly listening way.

It is a form of mentoring which has created opportunity for the person being mentored. They've been walked through a process where they have refined their own idea.

And what benefits?!!

The idea is still theirs but they have come at it from a fresh angle which has helped them develop their thinking.

They now have something which has greater strength and sponsorship to take forward.

And the leader...they now have even greater respect, loyalty and a committed individual who wants to learn more.

Ultimately you are shaping the new leader to keep things moving in the way you are confident in; for when you move on to even greater things!

Much better than a sparkly ornament don't you think!!