In organizations we must work with and for others. To be able to mutually achieve our
goals we must be able to relate to others effectively. These Effective Leadership Skills
Training tips will help you do just that.
-- Catch people doing things right and then let them know that they are doing things
right.
- Use feedback to stay informed about what other people are doing in your area of
responsibility and authority.
Have regular, focused meetings regarding the projects that you are responsible for.
-- Provide adequate instructions. Time is lost if things are not done correctly.
-- Train others to do jobs. You cannot do them all, nor can others do them if they have
not been trained.
2. How to Make a Good First Impression
We sometimes get only one chance to make an impression on someone either in our
personal or business life. Therefore it is important to remember some basic things to do
that will assure us of making the best impression possible. The following are ten of the
most common things people can do to make the best first impression possible.
1. Appear Neat And Dress Appropriately.
Being neat in our appearance is something we can do regardless of whether we are
trying to make a good impression on someone or not. In a *first meeting* situation for
business, to show up in jeans, tennis shoes and with uncombed hair would be a big
mistake. If the situation is social, dressing casual is fine depending on where you are
meeting, but being well groomed is always going to make a good impression.
2. Maintain Good Eye Contact.
From the first time you meet the person until you part, maintain good direct eye contact
with them. This usually indicates to people that you are listening to them, interested in
them, and friendly. You need not stare or glare at them. Simply focus on them and their
immediate direction the majority of the time. When talking, look at them also, since your
new acquaintance wants to be sure you are talking to him/her and not the floor. It also
will give you an idea of how the person is receiving what you are saying to them if you
are looking at them.
3. Shake Their Hand At The Beginning And When Parting.
Whether it is a business meeting or a social occasion, most people appreciate or expect
a friendly handshake. The best kind are firm (no need to prove your strength) and 3-5
seconds long. Pumping up and down or jerking their arm about is not needed nor
usually welcomed. A *limp rag* handshake is not recommended unless you have good
reason to believe shaking the person's hand any harder would injure them. Look at
them in the eye when shaking their hand.
4. SMILE! :-)
A smile goes a long way in making a first impression. When you shake hands with the
person, smile as you introduce yourself or say hello. Even if the other person does not
smile, you can, and it will be remembered by the other person. As you talk or listen to
the person speak, smile off and on to show your interest, amusement, or just to show
you are being friendly.
5. Listen More Than You Talk.
Unless you are asked for your life story (in which case give a very abbreviated version)
let the other person do most of the talking as you listen. Listening to your new
acquaintance will give you information to refer to later, and it will give your new friend
the impression you are genuinely interested in them, their business, etc. If you are
asked questions, feel free to talk. If you are really bored, avoid 3-5 word sentence
replies to your companion's questions. Pretend at least to be interested. You won't/don't
necessarily ever have to talk with this person again.
6. Relax And Be Yourself.
Who else would you be? Well, sometimes people try to act differently than they normally
would to impress or show off to a new acquaintance. Putting on facades and *airs* is
not recommended, as a discerning person will sense it and it will have a negative effect
on how they view you. Just be yourself and relax and *go with the flow* of conversation.
7. Ask Them About *Their* Business And Personal Life.
Show that you have an active interest in the other person's professional and personal
life. When an appropriate time comes, ask them to tell you about their family and their
business if they have not already done so. People love to talk about themselves. They
usually feel flattered and respected when others, especially people who have never met
them, show real interest in their business and their personal life. It also shows that you
are not self-centered when you do not spend a lot of time talking about yourself and
*your* life.
8. Don't *Name Drop* Or Brag.
Very few people you will meet for the first time will be favorably impressed if you start
telling them you know Donald Trump, Don Johnson, or the CEO of Widgets, Inc. They
want to get to know you and have you get to know them. Experienced and secure
business people are not impressed by who you know as much as what you know. If
someone asks you if you know *so and so*, then it's appropriate to tell them the truth.
Unless they do, it sounds like you are very insecure and trying to really *impress them*.
Bragging about your financial, business or social coups or feats is likewise in bad taste
and not recommended. Just keep it simple and factual and be yourself.
9. Don't Eat Or *Drink* Too Much.
If your first meeting is at a function or place where food and alcohol are served, it is
wise to eat and drink in moderation. This is especial true of drinking alcohol! You want
to be able to listen well and remember what is said, and speak well for yourself. There is
probably nothing that leaves a worse first impression on a business or social date than
for their new *acquaintance* to get intoxicated and to say or do things that are
embarrassing, rude, crude, or all three. Use good self control and eat as your new friend
does, and drink only in social moderation or not at all. What is done one night under the
influence of alcoholic merriment might be regretted for hundreds of nights in clear
headed sobriety!
10. Part With A Smile, A Handshake And A Sincere Comment Or Compliment.
Regardless of how you felt the evening went it is simply common courtesy to shake
hands when the evening is over, offer a smile and some sort of friendly comment or
compliment. If it was a social evening and you had a great time, offer a sincere
compliment and let them know you'd like to meet again. If it was a business meeting,
offer a smile and a sincere comment around how it was nice to meet them, get to know
them, learn about their business etc. You may never have to see the person again, but
they may know people who they will tell about their meeting with you who you *will*
work with or need to meet down the road. It always pays to be kind and polite even if
you were not treated that way or did not enjoy the time you spent with someone.
Manage a business effectively, manage staff effectively, is the key to the establishment
and growth of the business. The key to successful management is to examine the
marketplace environment and create employment and profit opportunities that provide
the potential growth and financial viability of the business.
Despite the importance of
management, this area is often misunderstood and poorly implemented, primarily
because people focus on the output rather than the process of management.
Toward the end of the 1980s, business managers became absorbed in improving
product quality, sometimes ignoring their role vis-a-vis personnel. The focus was on
reducing costs and increasing output, while ignoring the long-term benefits of motivating
personnel. This shortsighted view tended to increase profits in the short term, but
created a dysfunctional long-term business environment.
Simultaneously with the increase in concern about quality, entrepreneurship attracted
the attention of business.
A sudden wave of successful entrepreneurs seemed to render
earlier management concepts obsolete. The popular press focused on the new cult
heroes Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniack (creators and developers of the Apple
Computer) while ignoring the marketing and organizing talents of Mike Markula, the
executive responsible for Apple's business plan. The story of two guys selling their
Volkswagen bus to build the first Apple computer was more romantic than that of the
organizational genius that enabled Apple to develop, market and ship its products while
rapidly becoming a major corporation.
In large businesses, effective manage business skills requires planning. Planning is
essential for developing a firm's potential.
However, many small businesses do not
recognize the need for long-range plans, because the small number of people involved
in operating the business implies equal responsibility in the planning and decisionmaking
processes. Nevertheless, the need for planning is as important in a small
business as it is in a large one.
This guide focuses on the importance of good management practices. Specifically, it
addresses the responsibilities of managing the external and internal environments.
Three decades ago, Alvin Toffler suggested that the vision of the citizen in the tight grip
of an omnipotent bureaucracy would be replaced by an organizational structure of adhocracy.
The traditional business organization implied a social contract between
employees and employers. By adhering to a fixed set of obligations and sharply defined
roles and responsibilities, employees received a predefined set of rewards.
The organizational structure that Toffler predicted in 1970 became the norm 20 years
later, and with it came changed concepts of authority. As organizations became more
transitory, the authority of the organization and firm was replaced by the authority of the
individual manager. This entrepreneurial management model is now being replicated
throughout society. As a result, the individual business owner must internalize ever
increasing organizational functions.
Another change in today's business environment is dealing with government agencies.
Their effect on the conduct of business most recently appears to have increased. As
industries fail to achieve high levels of ethical behavior or individual businesses exhibit
specific lapses, the government rushes in to fill the breach with its regulations.
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