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Hello Everyone
As we prepare to bring 2009 to a
close I have cause to
stop and reflect upon this past year. Politically we have
seen corporate bailouts and stimulus packages and
currently are awaiting changes in health care. From a
business perspective it has been a time of many
challenges and opportunities to actively engage in the
dynamics of change, uncertainty and attempts to work
more collaboratively in the global marketplace.
But more personally was my father's
passing on
September 1 - he was 96 years old. As I think about
what he stood for attributes such as integrity, hard
worker, thoroughness and willingness to sacrifice for
the benefit of others stand out. My mom, who passed
on in 2001 was a woman of high energy, great
enthusiasm and believed in others when they didn't
believe in themselves. I have no doubt that it was as a
result of our parents' role modeling that both my
brother Mike and I became leaders in our respective
industries.
One of the deficits we see today is the
lack of strong
role models and thus ineffective leadership - in
government, in education and in corporate. Right now
we are in a leadership crisis not only in the United
States, but in the world. The foundation of true
leadership is diminished. Credibility for leaders is at
its all time low.
However, I am still hopeful that
something can
happen in order for credibility and strong leadership to
be restored. To that end we will be doing a series on
the role of the 21st century leader in the next few
editions of this newsletter.
Steve
The Changing Role of the 21st Century Leader
Ever since I was a little boy I've
wanted to be a leader in whatever activity I've
participated in. When I was six years old I was
the "captain of the police force" with my school mates.
As a young person in high school and college I held
numerous student body offices. Admittedly in part my
reason for wanting to be a leader was so I could
be "the boss" or be known as someone who
was "important." The drive to be recognized was
pushing my desire to lead.
Could it be that this is why we are
having difficulty with leaders in the world today? Are
they being driven by the need to be recognized, to be
important? Is greed their driving force?
In my seminars I teach the concept of
Collective Identity - we are judged by the sum of all
our parts before we are recognized and
acknowledged for our individual contributions. I
believe that the collective group known as leaders is
doing a poor job. We have lost trust in them; they
appear to be people who are out of integrity both in
their corporate and personal lives; they are greedy.
The world is almost starving for true
authentic leadership. With my parents as role models,
I've learned that true leadership is more about serving
others than the position one holds in the organization.
Because I have a deep concern that
we are in a leadership crisis the next few editions of
the newsletter will focus on 16 things that we believe
all leaders must have moving forward in the 21st
century. Some of what we will write about is not new,
but its positioning may need to become different. I am
also mindful that some of the skills leaders had to get
us to where we are today may not be the skills needed
to go forward into tomorrow.
Here then is a preview of the 16
points for good leadership we will be writing about in
depth in future issues:
Interview and select the right people;
Utilize the strengths of each team member in
a way that will bring out all parts working for the good
of the whole;
Have a detailed vision;
Don't treat everyone the same, treat them as
individuals;
Know when to help someone go beyond what
they think they can do;
Know when not to push someone beyond
their level of readiness;
Know when to get out of the way and let the
individual do what they know how to do;
Be able to set boundaries;
Create a positive climate so all members on
the team can flourish;
Be open to receive feedback from members
of the team;
Set an example of how to function when team
members are discouraged;
Honor individual requests when the need
arises without compromising the needs of the - team
or department;
Make personnel changes when things are not
working out properly;
Have the ability to work in a multi-cultural
setting;
Be able to adapt to and lead change;
Be able to give instructions in a timely manner.
.
Reflections
One of our major accomplishments
of the year is the completion of our film documentary
on leadership and team building. Right now we are in
the process of writing a facilitator's guide that will
accompany the DVD and will let you know when it will
be available for purchase.
As the year 2009 comes to a close
we find ourselves feeling thankful for provision and
good people to work with. It hasn't been an easy year
with all of life's uncertainties but the fact that we are
able to still get up and live each day is a true gift.
So until next time stay the course and
continue to be a difference maker
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Steve Hanamura
With over 30 years of experience, Steve Hanamura is
a nationally known speaker, consultant and trainer. He
is widely sought after in the areas of leadership
development, building effective teams, leading
diversity initiatives and managing generational
differences. With a national client list spanning
Fortune 500 companies to regional not-for-profit
institutions, Steve is highly regarded for his unique
perspectives and distinct training techniques.
As president of Hanamura Consulting, Inc. he is
committed to making a difference in the lives of
individuals and organizations. His goal is to assist
organizations to work together to build constructive
relationships by understanding how we must draw
from the past and work in the present so we can plan
and build for the future.
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