Leading The Strategic Changes

Implementing new strategies, new directions, new objectives, is introducing change, major change, into the organisation. As such it is essential that the implementation is approached, managed, in a similar fashion to that adopted when major changes are being made. The implementation of the changes must be planned, implemented as smoothly as possible, and then be monitored and evaluated for progress and performance against the desired outcomes, objectives, that were the drivers of the change. The leader must ensure that all aspects of the changes, the new strategic plan, are managed successfully.

The leader is the change strategist, whose role is to lead, to champion the changes, to promote the vision, to keep the organisation travelling in the chosen direction, and to ensure that all those involved in implementing the changes, the strategies, perform to the best of their ability. There are a range of leadership styles that could be drawn on. Some would argue that certain changes need an autocratic, aggressive style of leadership, and, whilst there may be the need for an element of this approach, if used as a single style it rarely results in a positive post-change environment. This is the flaw in this approach, for, after the changes have been implemented, and the strategies are in place, the managers, specialists, operational employees, and all contributing stakeholders, must work together in a harmonious, positive, manner to make the desired progress and achieve the objectives. If the leadership style during the change has been harsh, unforgiving, and aggressive, it may take many months, even years, to re-establish a positive environment, a healthy, goals focused, teamwork driven culture. The only logical choice of leadership style in any major change is one that combines all the styles, but leans heavily to those which focus on a team approach. The leader adopts a flexible, responsive style, that is a blend of the consultative, participative, and democratic, leaving room for an occasional, sparing touch of the autocratic to be employed if absolutely necessary. This style will then be the foundation on which the new, changed, organisation is built on.

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Safe Drinking Water in an Emergency or Disaster

Nothing makes clearer the importance of water than a large disaster; clean, fresh water becomes more valuable than gold. It's easy to forget that without water, we just can't survive. 60 percent of our bodies are water, in fact for infants, water makes up about 80 percent of their body, so it is even more vital they have access to clean drinking water.

Unfortunately, following large-scale disasters, it's not unusual that water supplies may be cut off temporarily or be rendered unfit for consumption. Everyone should know the following tips about safe drinking water in emergency situations.

Preparedness is Everything: The advice comes over and over, but most people still are not ready when disaster hits. You must maintain a supply of clean drinking water someplace safe in your home. You can survive a week without food, if necessary, but even one or two days without water can be fatal.
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Fake Your Destiny with Great Success

Everyone talks about how to be successful through hard work and effort. Forget that! I'm going to take a different approach. I'm going to show you how to lose all your hard earned money and fake your own death (I mean destiny), and be successful at it.

Step 1: Be a Sissy-

Being a sissy has nothing to do with physical strength and everything to do with mental strength. I know you want to be successful but you're too afraid to make a commitment to your dream. You're scared to take chances. You're scared to make choices. You want everything to be perfect before you can "take a risk". Yeah, right! That day will come when Hell and my mother's famous spicy hot Sancocho soup freezes (author's note: my money is on Hell freezing over first). Nonetheless, don't do anything until one of the following has occurred: All the stars in the constellation have aligned themselves perfectly, you've spotted a once extinct Dodo bird, or someone absolutely guarantees you that you will not fail. Until one of these things are in place, don't do anything…be a sissy.

Step 2: Listen to Stupid People-

Oh, this is one of my favorite. There are two types of people out there: successful and happy. By successful, I mean someone who has a career and is financially secure. By happy I mean someone who has found their "happy place" and enjoys where they're at in life. The latter has less do with money, and more do to with life style. Knowing this, here's the key: never, I mean NEVER listen to successful or happy people. They'll just make you nauseous with their ideas and strategies for getting what you want out of life. Instead, listen to friends and family members who are either broke or unhappy. That way if you fail, and chances are that you will, you'll at a minimum have them for company. And we know that misery loves company. Also if you fail using their advice, you can always blame it on them (See Rule 9 for more details).
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Opportunity, Is That You?Opportunity, Is That You?

Opportunites abound! They are everywhere. In everything people do and say. In every positive or negative influence, an opportunity presents itself. The key is: Do you recognize it as what it truly is? An opportunity.

I think many of us get so caught up in the past, in what just happened, that we fail to recognize opportunities. When something negative influences our life, it’s easy for us to react. Some people will fall down, get right back up, and keep moving forward. Others will fall down, get hurt, and stay injured for way too long. In either case, what we fail to do is reflect and process what just happened, which in turn, causes us to fail to recognize another opportunity.

The same can be said about positive influencers. Something good happens to us, and we are too busy celebrating or being congratulated, that we fail to “see” another opportunity.

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Teach Em How To Fish!

You all remember the band Arrested Development don’t you? If not, I encourage you to give them a listen, as they produced…..a…well….an interesting sound. Their lyrics to “Give a man a fish” happen to be the inspiration for my post today.“Give a man a fish and he’ll eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he’ll eat forever.”
These really are words to live by. They not only tell us how we should treat others (our children, family, friends, etc), but also how we should lead others, whether it be teammates, subordinates, or followers.

This is what leadership is all about. It’s about teaching others how to create success and achieve results on their own, as opposed to providing them success and achievments. To really be effective leaders, we have to equip others with the tools and knowledge necessary for them to strive and succeed on their own. That is, we have to “teach them how to fish.”

Think back to your leadership journey. Were you ever handed answers, achievements, or a title? If you were, then what did you learn from that experience? I would be so bold as to say “Not Much.” See, when things are handed to us (when we are given a fish) we don’t learn anything. We enjoy that success for the short term (we’ll eat for a day), but then we fall down, because nothing was instilled in us to continue striving. We didn’t have to work for it. It’s kind of like that spoiled little brat down the street that everyone knew of when they were growing up. They were entitled and lazy.

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"He Hate Me": Turning Their Bad Attitude Into Your Great Leadership Results

"He Hate Me" was the nickname of Rod Smart, a leading rusher in 2002 for the Las Vegas Outlaws of the now defunct XFL pro football league. Looking for an edge, the XFL allowed players to put nicknames on their uniforms.

"I was always saying, 'he hate me,' all through camp in Vegas," Smart said. "If I didn't get the ball, I'd talk to the other running backs and say, 'He hate me, man; this coach hate me.' I was always saying that."

Smart put He Hate Me on the back of his number 32 jersey, and now the name lives in lore, though XFL has been out of business for years.

When I first saw Rod Smart play and his "He Hate Me" jersey, I thought, "Forget about football. That's a leadership lesson!" That's because "He Hate Me" and leadership often go hand-in-hand.
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A layman's guide to home security

The world today has a plethora of advanced technological means of protecting their valuables be it jewelry, an expensive electronic gadget, piece of art, or antique that you have paid a fortune to make yours!

However, with all good things, there is something bad and security systems are no exceptions! This means technology too can fail!

Looking at the brighter side, like I said all your hard-earned valuables could be protected today without your having to worry 24/7 whether your favourite diamond ring or antique Chinese vase is no more yours when you get back home after a hard day at work!

However before you embark on a search for the best security system for your home, you need to do a reality check. Your best option is to ask your family and close friends- people you trust, about their security systems if they have one. Take a note of all the problems they may have had with their security systems since they installed them. This will help you to cross-question all the security firms that you visit and hence clear your doubts too!

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