leadership behaviours and development of leadership style and skills Leadership skills are based on leadership behaviour. Skills alone do not make leaders - style and behaviour do. If you are interested in leadership training and development - start with leadership behaviour.

The growing awareness and demand for idealist principles in leadership are increasing the emphasis (in terms of leadership characteristics) on business ethics, corporate responsibility, emotional maturity, personal integrity, and what is popularly now known as the 'triple bottom line' (abbreviated to TBL or 3BL, representing 'profit, people, planet').

For many people (staff, customers, suppliers, investors, commentators, visionaries, etc) these are becoming the most significant areas of attitude/behaviour/appreciation required in modern business and organisational leaders.

3BL (triple bottom line - profit, people, planet) also provides an excellent multi-dimensional framework for explaining, developing and assessing leadership potential and capability, and also links strongly with psychology aspects if for instance psychometrics (personality testing) features in leadership selection and development methods: each of us is more naturally inclined to one or the other (profit, people, planet) by virtue of our personality, which can be referenced to Jung, Myers Briggs, Etc.

Much debate persists as to the validity of 'triple bottom line accounting', since standards and measures are some way from being clearly defined and agreed, but this does not reduce the relevance of the concept, nor the growing public awareness of it, which effectively and continuously re-shapes markets and therefore corporate behaviour. Accordingly leaders need to understand and respond to such huge attitudinal trends, whether they can be reliably accounted for or not at the moment.

Adaptability and vision - as might be demonstrated via project development scenarios or tasks - especially involving modern communications and knowledge technologies - are also critical for certain leadership roles, and provide unlimited scope for leadership development processes, methods and activities.

Cultural diversity is another topical and very relevant area requiring leadership involvement, if not mastery. Large organisations particularly must recognise that the market-place, in terms of staff, customers and suppliers, is truly global now, and leaders must be able to function and appreciate and adapt to all aspects of cultural diversification. A leaders who fails to relate culturally well and widely and openly inevitably condemns the entire organisation to adopt the same narrow focus and bias exhibited by the leader.

Bear in mind that different leadership jobs (and chairman) require different types of leaders - Churchill was fine for war but not good for peacetime re-building. There's a big difference between short-term return on investment versus long-term change. Each warrants a different type of leadership style, and actually very few leaders are able to adapt from one to the other.

If it's not clear already, leadership is without doubt mostly about behaviour, especially towards others. People who strive for these things generally come to be regarded and respected as a leader by their people:

• Integrity - the most important requirement; without it everything else is for nothing.
• Having an effective appreciation and approach towards corporate responsibility, (Triple Bottom Line, Fair Trade, etc), so that the need to make profit is balanced with wider social and environmental responsibilities.
• Being very grown-up - never getting emotionally negative with people - no shouting or ranting, even if you feel very upset or angry.
• Leading by example - always be seen to be working harder and more determinedly than anyone else.
• Helping alongside your people when they need it.
• Fairness - treating everyone equally and on merit.
• Being firm and clear in dealing with bad or unethical behaviour.
• Listening to and really understanding people, and show them that you understand (this doesn't mean you have to agree with everyone - understanding is different to agreeing).
• Always taking the responsibility and blame for your people's mistakes.
• Always giving your people the credit for your successes.
• Never self-promoting.
• Backing-up and supporting your people.
• Being decisive - even if the decision is to delegate or do nothing if appropriate - but be seen to be making fair and balanced decisions.
• Asking for people's views, but remain neutral and objective.
• Being honest but sensitive in the way that you give bad news or criticism.
• Always doing what you say you will do - keeping your promises.
• Working hard to become expert at what you do technically, and at understanding your people's technical abilities and challenges.
• Encouraging your people to grow, to learn and to take on as much as they want to, at a pace they can handle.
• Always accentuating the positive (say 'do it like this', not 'don't do it like that').
• Smiling and encouraging others to be happy and enjoy themselves.
• Relaxing - breaking down the barriers and the leadership awe - and giving your people and yourself time to get to know and respect each other.
• Taking notes and keeping good records.
• Planning and prioritising.
• Managing your time well and helping others to do so too.
• Involving your people in your thinking and especially in managing change.
• Reading good books, and taking advice from good people, to help develop your own understanding of yourself, and particularly of other people's weaknesses (some of the best books for leadership are not about business at all - they are about people who triumph over adversity).
• Achieve the company tasks and objectives, while maintaining your integrity, the trust of your people, are a balancing the corporate aims with the needs of the world beyond.

One of the worst habits a leader can have is excusing his behavior with claims like, "That's just the way I am!" Stop clinging to bad behaviors because you believe they are essential to who you are. Instead of insisting that you can't change, think about how these behaviors may be impeding the success of those around you. Don't think of these behaviors as character traits, but as possibilities for improvement. You'll be surprised by how easily you can change when it helps you succeed.

"Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to love what you do - your time is limited. Don't waste it living someone else's life" ~ Steve Jobs RIP

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good
2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.
3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Change the way you think.
4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and family will. Stay in touch.
5. Pay off your credit cards every month.
6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.
8. Release your children when they become adults, its their life now.
9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.
10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.
11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.
12. It's OK to let your children see you cry.
13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
14.. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.
15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye
16. Take a deep breath It calms the mind.
17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.
19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one is up to you and no one else.
20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.
21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.
22 Just because you believe you are right, doesn't mean you are. Keep an open mind.
23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.
24. The most important sex organ is the brain.
25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.
26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'
27. Always choose life.
28. Forgive everyone everything.
29. What other people think of you is none of your business.
30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.
31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
32. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
33. Believe in miracles.
34. Your job is to love your children, not choose who they should love.
35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.
36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.
37. Your children get only one childhood.
38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.
39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.
40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.
41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
42. The best is yet to come...
43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
44. Yield...
45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

To be a leader requires only one thing: followers. A follower is someone who volunteers to go in the direction of the leader who inspires them.

Overloaded and overwhelmed is the norm these days. Most leaders feel they have too many conflicting priorities. But research has shown that the more these executives have to do, the less their company earns. In fact, high-performing companies have leaders who focus on high-priority initiatives, not everything under the sun. Stop asking: How can I find more opportunities? Instead try: How can I focus on opportunities that will help my company excel? Know what you are best at—the capabilities you have that others don't—and focus where you can succeed. Learn to say no when things seem appealing and even lucrative, but do not offer you a real chance to win.

Encourage Push Back..

Deference to authority is deeply engrained in most of us. As a leader you need to fight it in your direct reports. If people automatically defer to your judgment, you may miss out on critical feedback. Make it easy for people to speak up, and remember to actively ask for their opinions. When talking about projects give some initial thoughts, but then ask for help fleshing out ideas. Recognize people who speak up and reward those who challenge you. Most importantly, try not to react immediately if you start to feel threatened, or you risk shutting down the discussion.

Before you make a pitch, remember that investors are more likely to support an entrepreneur who's professional, well prepared, and knows her numbers. Here are three tips to be just that:

Prepare, prepare, prepare. Before you present, gather background information on prospective investors using Google and social media. If you know your audience you can engage them on a personal level.

Tell your business's story. Start with a persistent problem and then show how your proposition will fix it. Make sure it's something the investor can relate to.

Back up your pitch with data. Investors are primarily interested in facts. Be sure your numbers make sense. Be prepared for in-depth questions on turnover, sales figures, break-even points, and gross and net margins.

It can be incredibly frustrating when a co-worker agrees with a plan of action, only to go off and do his own thing. This type of sabotage is all too common and can make it difficult to achieve your goals. When you have a co-worker who says one thing and does another, try this:

Give feedback. Explain to your co-worker what you're seeing and experiencing. Describe the impact of his behavior on you and provide suggestions for how he might change.

Focus on work, not the person. You need to get the work done despite your peer's style, so don't waste time wishing he would change. Concentrate on completing the work instead.

Ask for commitment. At the end of a meeting ask everyone (not just the troublemaker) to reiterate what they are going to do and by when. Sometimes peer pressure can keep even the most passive-aggressive person on task.

You may be unhappy, fed up, and ready to bolt from your job. Instead of running out the door, take a deep breath and consider these three reasons to stay where you are -- at least for now:

1: Relationships matter more than money. You may think you can find a job that will pay you more, but you will be leaving behind a wealth of relationships. When weighing your options, don't forget the value of the network you have now.

2: It's less urgent than you think. Job seekers who are desperate to get out of a job tend to do less research about potential employers. Strategically plan your next career move instead of running away.

3: You're likely overestimating yourself. Research shows that most job seekers overestimate their skills and prospects. Before you leave, take the time to do a realistic assessment of what you have to offer.

Companies with mentoring opportunities are more likely to retain their people. To achieve this, offer a range of mentors for people at different career stages. Types of mentoring you should consider:

Buddy or peer mentors. In the early stages of a person's career, a "buddy" can help speed up the learning curve. This relationship helps the protégé understand how things work at the organization.

Career mentors. After the initial period at a workplace, employees need to have a senior manager serve as a career advisor and advocate.

Life mentors. A life mentor serves as a periodic sounding board when one is faced with a career challenge. Organizations can't necessarily offer a life mentor but they can encourage seeking one.

The notion of going above and beyond customer needs is so entrenched that managers rarely question it. But delighting your customers may be a waste of time and energy. In fact, most customers just want a simple, quick solution to their problem. Here are three ways to give it to them:

Prevent callbacks. Customers hate having to return when their issue isn't resolved. Focus on heading off future issues, not just addressing current ones.

Make use of complaints. Use feedback from disgruntled customers to determine the biggest pain points. Reach out to unsatisfied customers and find out what you can do differently.

Empower the front line. Don't reward speed over quality. Measures such as "average call time" encourage reps to get off the phone quickly rather than fully addressing customer concerns.

To best leverage technology to serve customers and keep employees productive, IT needs to be a business partner — not just a service provider. Make sure you work seamlessly with IT and build strong relationships. When problems arise, resist the temptation to place blame; work together to find a win-win solution. Give IT a seat at the table when making key decisions so they can advise you on how to best meet your goals. Most importantly, don't just do these things when you are working on a tech project; make sure IT is involved as a partner in all that you do. After all, what project doesn't involve technology these days?

Stand for people. Not a product or service or metric or number. Stand for real, living, breathing people and you will change the world.

It's tempting to make choices that justify past choices. For example, you may refuse to end a suffering project because of the time and effort already put into it. But these sunk costs are in the past. Here are three ways to make decisions that focus on the future:

Get a second opinion. Listen carefully to people who were uninvolved with earlier decisions and unlikely to be as committed to them.

Be easy on yourself. Even the best managers make mistakes and it's okay to reverse a previous decision.

Don't encourage a fear of failure. When evaluating decisions, look at the quality of the process, not just the outcomes.

Setting clear, achievable, challenging, and unwavering (as much as possible given today’s rate of change) measures is critical to employee success. Appropriate measures are also strong motivators because most employees want to excel, and knowing the target helps them self-measure.

1. Involve your employees to enhance their involvement and ownership. Your direct reports are closest to the action and in the best position to provide information on what's possible in their work.

2. Focus on results and not activity – unless the work to be accomplished has not been done before.

3. Drill down into the goal to determine the “One Measure” that clearly determines success. Set a single, discrete measure for each “fundamental” of the business that equates to success. For example In-bound Sales answering each call within 3 rings.

4. Set aspirational targets for “Break-throughs”. For example, reducing cost or time by 20% in a key business process.

5. Examine past data to establish a performance trend or baseline. Then, determine the extent to which the baseline must be altered to meet overall business targets.

6. Consider using a 3-point target. For example, Sears uses their quality measure of Good, Better, and Best. Can you establish levels of performance that will encourage achieving beyond the target?

7. Get your boss's input on metrics to ensure that you are all measuring the same outcomes with the same language, measures and expectations. Your boss may have some helpful suggestions based on his or her experience and understanding of unit and company goals.

8. Consider the employees” or group’s strengths and weaknesses. Determine what targets would encourage strength building that is directly linked to business goals and the individual’s career development aspirations.

9. Examine customer or other stakeholders feedback to determine expectations that aren’t being met. Exercise caution here! Don’t get caught in the trap of giving your customers what they want while your competitors create innovation that the customers are going to need but don’t yet realize.

10. Ensure that targets are clearly aligned with corporate measures and goals so effort is cumulatively productive.

11. Set the standard that employees measure their own progress against targets and report their progress or slippage to you on an agreed-upon time frame. Establish the up-front expectation that when slippage occurs the employee is to report results for the period with a workable and realistic plan to reach the target before the end of the performance period.

12. Provide routine opportunities for employees to review progress. Teach them how to “brag” about their good performance, results achievement, and help them feel a real sense of achievement as they are reporting progress that will enable target accomplishment.

13. Make the rewards worth it. That means you may have to push your boss to permit substantial rewards to be give for phenomenal performance – and then don’t “cheap out” but really deliver. You may have to provide rewards that are counter-culture for the organization. Be sure to determine the employee’s aspirations so you know what rewards will create a real enticement. For example, many employees want barriers to be removed so they can really produce. Others want better computers, a better desk chair. Too many organizations fail to see the value in giving high performers what they want for fear that the employees are going to want a million dollars each. And – maybe an employee that gets enough business to produce a hundred million in profit should get that million!

One of the things I learned the hard way was that it doesn’t pay to get discouraged. Keeping busy and making optimism a way of life can restore your faith in yourself.

Engaged employees are essential to a manager's success. Without subordinates who care about, participate in, and take ownership over the work, even the best boss will flounder.

engagement:
Be modest. Share both your mistakes and your successes. Subordinates will see that you're both human and don't have anything to prove.
Show that you're listening. People tune in to body language. Manage where you look and what you do with your hands so that employees know you're paying attention.
Don't have all the answers. Managers should catalyze problem solving. Be willing to admit that you don't know what the answer is and invite your team to toss around ideas.

"People ask the difference between a leader and a boss.... The leader works in the open, and the boss in covert. The leader leads and the boss drives." (Theodore Roosevelt)

"Management means helping people to get the best out of themselves, not organising things." (Lauren Appley)