These are tough times in business - no doubt about that. Short-term focus on the bottom line is critical: you won't be in business long if you don't have cash flow. But you need to keep an eye on the long-term, too.

The economy WILL lift, and when it does, those who invest in ensuring their team is powerfully positioned to move quickly will be the most successful.
 
See how you're doing. Take a look at these critical Leadership Competencies for Tough Times and give yourself feedback.

A great leader:

• Identifies and inspires adoption of a long-term vision for the organization/team.
• Creates a collective mindset regarding the vision, goals and the plan to get there.
• Communicates a personal sense of integrity and consistency with regard to values, and acts as a role model to the organization/team.
  
• Builds rapport and maintains positive relations within and outside the organization.
• Challenges and motivates the organization/team to achieve significant goals - even in tough times.  
• Ensures there is consistent support to the organization/team to achieve the goals that have been set.  
• Listens AND speaks up and knows when to do both.
• Finds balance between keeping everyone on board and driving results.
• Effectively facilitates change - understands when to stay the course and when to flex.
• Is self-aware of how he/she is perceived by others and can flex to communicate effectively with a variety of others for maximized results.

How do you stack up with this list of competencies? Take action now. Maintaining an engaged team of employees and keeping the longer term vision in view will help ensure your organization's long-range success.

 
Emergenetics - a proven, results-focused set of tools and techniques for immediate impact  - with your team, your customers and your organization's overall results.

Haven't yet taken your Emergenetics Profile or have new members on your team to get up to speed?

Emergenetics Workshops and Sessions:

• Introductory workshop
• Bringing new staff up to speed
• Refresher workshop
• Advanced skill building
• Individual Coaching

Call Chris at 775-829-2141 or email to discuss options for customized training, facilitation and coaching to meet your team's or organization's needs. Read more about Emergenetics on Amplitude's Website.

-  Abraham Lincoln

 Get Out of Your Own Way - The 5 Keys to Surpassing Everyone's Expectations, by Robert K. Cooper, Ph.D.

You'd expect your brain to be an always reliable ally in your quest for a successful, satisfying life, but surprisingly the opposite is usually true. Our brains are wired through thousands of years of experience to keep us safe, avoid life-threatening risks, evade confrontation, and stay in known and comfortable territory. 

So how, then, do we bring about change (even the change we want to make) in our lives? Robert Cooper brilliantly describes exactly how to do just this - and gives us layman's terms for the neuroscience behind the skills. This book can be life-changing, making you conscious of how your brain is often the very root of the resistance to getting where you want to go.
 
Take a few minutes to study, as I did, Robert Cooper's 5 keys to success: Direction, Focus, Capacity, Energy and Impact. You'll find great and sensible advice for living your deepest values and achieving your biggest goals.

You can find this book, along with others I recommend, on my Amplitude Recommended Reading pages.