Communally Effective

Work real hard, then play real hard with joy. Your best
times in life are when you are in community with others. It
is important to continually build community. The more we
get to understand other people, the more we can understand
ourselves and grow to become more productive adults.

"To live continually in thoughts of ill-will, cynicism,
suspicion, and envy, is to be confined in a self-made prison
hole. But to think well of all, to be cheerful with all, to
patiently learn to find the good in all--such unselfish
thoughts are the very portals of heaven; and to dwell day by
day in thoughts of peace toward every creature will bring
abounding peace to their possessor." -- James Allen, As A
Man Thinketh (early 1900)

The ability (and inability) to achieve your goals and
dreams, is mostly due to too much time spent on activities
not directly connected to this same set of goals and
dreams ... let's call this Individual and Community or
Communal (In)effectiveness.

Responsible adults today are finding that the rules in the
new economy have changed. Great ideas are definitely the
source for innovation, however, they alone cannot secure a
Competitive advantage in business or even Community
effectiveness (when we are doing what we really want to be
doing and that which brings most joy into our lives.)

It's all about action, or as UPS (United Parcel Service)
refers to as, "Moving at the speed of business." Business
owners must find a way to bridge the gap between knowing and
doing. It's a challenge for any leader to take existing
resources (talent & time) and turn them into action, which
will increase effectiveness. Successful leaders from the
past had a common thread and that was their ability to
inspire action, not only their own of course.

You can inspire action by empowering people on your team,
and in your community by letting them know that you have
every confidence in their ability to fulfill their vision
for the lifestyle they take the time to plan for themselves.

Since team members represent the largest investment and most
valuable asset you can have in your business, I offer the
following five (5) concepts that you, a leader, needs to
cultivate the skills to reduce ineffectiveness:

1. Plan on it. Planning is essential for putting any idea
or thought into action. Effective leaders view a plan like
a blueprint--they focus on the essentials and don't get hung
up on every detail. They leave room for changes and
adjustments. They don't waste resources debating and
arguing every specific of strategy and implementation.

2. Embrace technology. Granted, technology does turn on us
every now and again, but its occasional bite is well worth
it. Good leaders love technology. They're excited by it.
They realize that it is the mother of essential business
tools for successful implementation in the work place.

3. Try it out. Good leaders are willing to take risks.
They realize that although many new ideas often fail,
knowing can only come from doing.

4. Leading by example. The most effective cycle for
transforming knowledge into action is hear, see, do. People
learn by watching others do things right, not by being
instructed how to do things by a leader who has never
implemented a strategy successfully themselves.

5. Strength training. An effective leader knows and
understands the strengths of his or her team members and
positions each to do what he or she does best.

"Only put off until tomorrow what you are willing to die
having left undone."--Pablo Picasso

You and I really do have a part to play in the world. It
requires individual commitment and personal (sense of
ownership) responsibility.

If not now, then when? In not you, then who?