• My sector
• Points of Pain
• Self Diagnostics
• FREE Insights
• Products & Services
• About Virtual Group
• Our People

Insights

• White Papers
• StrategicSnippets
• Our Favourite Managers
• Other Insights

The first secret of Irresistible leadership: Leaders know people are different from each other

This is the first of many secrets from Virtual Group's Irresistible Leadersip Program.

You can also hear Bruce interviewed about the first secret.

Extensive research reported in the book: "First Break all the Rules - What the World's Greatest Managers Do Differently" by Buckingham and Coffman, shows that great leaders are different in almost every conceivable way except for one thing they have in common. They know that people are different from each other. They know that everyone has the talent to be exceptional at something. Their trick is to find that something and put it to work within the organisation.

Most managers design jobs then try to find people who will fit into the job. Irresistible leaders find talent and design work (usually in project teams) to utilise the talent they have.

It's like Marcus Buckingham says in his March 2005 HBR article: "What Great Managers Do." He says great leaders play chess while other managers play drafts. In other words great managers know what unique plays each of their people can make and use them deliberately and skillfully, while others assume that all their people have the same skills and can only go in one direction.

Irresistible leaders focus on each person's strengths and manage around their weaknesses. They don't try to fix the weaknesses. They don't try to perfect each person. Instead, they do everything they can to help each person cultivate their talents. They help each person become more of who they already are.

People have different talents. These are things that they are born with. We now have the technology to test for these talents. This removes trial and error and the associated costs and mistakes.

Herrmann's Thinking Preferences will help you select for talent. It will tell you if your accountant has a talent for precision. It will tell you whether your researchers have a talent for analysis. It will tell you whether your nurses have a talent for caring. And it will tell you whether your product development people have a talent for innovation.

If your people are not performing to your expectations, there is a high chance that they are in a job that demands a talent they simply don't have and never will have. It's not just you who does not know the problem, often they don't know either. Irresistible leaders know that it's better for the organisation and the individual to move them into a position where they can achieve greatness.

Most people use only a tiny fraction of their talent within he organisation because they don't know how to identify their special talent. This is where you can help. As an irresistible leader you can help your people. Herrmann's Thinking Preferences will help you do what the world's greatest managers do differently!

Just imagine the power of being able to put these people to work on your problems that need their genius. Also imagine the costs of putting the wrong person on the job!

Bruce Holland
Virtual Group Business Consultants
Hutt City, Wellington, New Zealand
Phone +6421620456 or Skype Bruce.Holland
Web site: http://www.virtual.co.nz

Bruce helps large mature organisations be more focused, fast and flexible. Places where people have more depth, connection and meaning. "Liberating the Human spirit at work"

Bruce helps large mature organisations be more focused, fast and flexible. Places where people have more depth, connection and meaning. He is one of New Zealand's most experienced change agents and is the founder of Virtual Group Business Consultants Limited.

"Liberating the Human spirit at work."

Key words: Leadership, leadership development, leadership management, leadership training, leadership program, leadership skills