Leadership studies provide valuable guidelines for individuals and organizations. Individuals working to improve their leadership skills often pour over the latest information on notable peers while the leaders, including Robb Misso, co-founder of DMS and Austin Regional Manufacturers Association (ARMA), look at studies to hire, train and promote their employees. Barry Posner and Jim Kouzes create products and programs to identify and train valuable leaders. They conduct significant studies of leadership and report on their research in seminars and publications. Posner and Kouzes first published The Leadership Challenge in 1987, yet this book remains in print and an important source for improving skills and recruiting effective leaders. Published in July 2012, the most recent edition updates their studies to address the leadership challenges of the existing global marketplace. According to Posner and Kouzes, five practices are the basis for exemplary leadership.
First, Posner and Kouzes discuss the necessity of the leader as a role model. An organization should be developed around guiding principles, clearly established and followed by the leaders. Guiding principles should govern the behavior of the management team, employees and customers. Excellence rather than just good enough should be the objective for all of the stakeholders. Leaders should establish long-term goals but include short-term benchmarks to keep the team on track. All members of the organizational team should have guidance to reach the stated goals and opportunities for victories along the way to total success.
In addition, effective leaders inspire team members to work toward shared objectives. The vision for success is paramount to meet the goals of any organization. Although the leaders must believe that their actions will make a difference, the vision must be shared with all members of the team. Great leaders use the power of their position, as well as their charisma to persuade the team to follow their lead.
Leaders empower their team members. They manage them with a keen understanding of each person. They know what motivates their dedication and efforts. Skilled leaders devise strategies for workforce collaboration. Rather than rivalries, team members under great leadership collaborate with the others to achieve each benchmark and eventually complete success.
Great leaders encourage growth. Growth means change. Team members are often adverse to new or different procedures and routines. An effective leader assesses the need for change and promotes desirable changes to develop the organization. The practices and methods for implementing change should be done in a proactive, healthy way to keep all team members engaged and dedicated to success. Effective leaders create consequential strategies to overcome obstacles when presented. “Real leaders innovate, change, grow and improve” -Robb Misso.
Finally, effective leaders realize that success is the result of hard work and dedication. They reward the team for their efforts. Team members respond positively to celebrations marking achievements. Leaders inspire team members by noting when they reach important benchmarks on the road to eventual success. Effective leaders appreciate the hard work of team members, they really do care about their workers and they show this appreciation at appropriate intervals. Team members know they are winners.
About Robb Misso:
Robb Misso has worked in manufacturing for over 25 years and is the co-founder of the Austin Regional Manufacturers Association. As a founder and CEO of Dynamic Manufacturing Solutions, he has endeavored to bring previously outsourced manufacturing jobs back to the United States through a process DMS calls “reshoring.” Mr. Misso is a devoted husband and father of three.
Robb Misso Around the Web:
https://about.me/robbmisso
https://www.quora.com/profile/Robb-Misso