Monday, September 17, 2012

San Francisco Giants Leadership Lessons

What can business leaders learn from San Francisco Giants baseball manager Bruce Bochy, who led two diverse teams to World Series championships in three years? The secret lies in his communication skills, humility, confidence and ability to manage away from a superstar mentality. Bochy epitomizes what management consultant Jim Collins calls a 'level-five leader', someone who can transform a company from good to great through a paradoxical combination of personal humility plus professional will. A level-five leader acts with quiet, calm determination and relies on inspiration, not charisma to motivate. He demonstrates an unwavering resolve to do whatever it takes to produce results, no matter how difficult.
An essential lesson from Bochy is that culture matters. Before games, you would see players jumping up and down in the dugout having fun. Instead of telling them to get serious for the big game ahead, Bochy allowed the team to be themselves. They enjoyed playing together and played better when they were loose and relaxed. In business, helping establish a culture in whatever way is right for your company is time and money well spent. Team bonding activities may in some cases seem childish, like the pranks going on in the Giant's dugout, but they helped keep the team resilient and optimistic when faced with fierce competition."
At the heart of leadership effectiveness is the ability to continually learn and enhance your personal effectiveness.
You are not solely defined by what you do or know. In fact, there's a lot you don't know about yourself because everyone has limited vision and blind spots. We err in thinking. We jump to conclusions. We have poor communication habits that could definitely improve. Personal proficiency takes time, vigilance and help from others.
Who you are as a leader has everything to do with how much you can accomplish with and through other people. In The Leadership Challenge, James Kouzes and Barry Posner cite three reasons why people follow someone:
1. Integrity
2. Competency
3. Forward thinking
Are you working in a company where executive coaches provide leadership development for enlightened leaders? Does your organization provide executive coaching to help leaders develop an emotionally intelligent business culture? Enlightened leaders tap into their emotional intelligence and social intelligence skills to fully engage employees.
One of the most powerful questions you can ask yourself is "Am I a level-five leader bring out the best in people?" Emotionally intelligent and socially intelligent organizations provide executive coaching for collaborative leaders who create world-class teams.
Working with a seasoned executive coach and leadership consultant trained in emotional intelligence and incorporating assessments such as the Bar-On EQ-I, CPI 260 and Denison Culture Survey can help you create a happy company where everyone is motivated and fully engaged. You can become a leader who models emotional intelligence and social intelligence, and who inspires people to become fully engaged with the vision, mission and strategy of your company.

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