Effective Management Tip: Check Small Things

Many folks confuse that great leadership is mostly about vision and rallying troops to embrace the vision. While there isn't anything wrong with being a visionary, in reality though a large success is built on a series of many small things and the knowledge of those small things. Attention to (excessive) detail if you will. 

Worth quoting a story about Gen Colin Powell that I read somewhere. When Powell was in the Army and responsible for inspecting the barracks, he'd check the toilets — not to see if they were clean. "Was there a shortage of toilet paper, were any mirrors cracked, were there any missing showerheads? Finding any of these situations immediately told me one of several things — the unit is running short on upkeep money, no one is checking up on these things to get them fixed, or the troops are not being supervised well enough. Find out which and fix it."

What RamP's Reading: Feb'16

    

Execution: The Discipline of Getting Things Done: (Re-read). Larry Bossidy is one of the world’s most acclaimed CEOs, a man with few peers who has a track record for delivering results. Ram Charan is a legendary advisor to senior executives and boards of directors, a man with unparalleled insight into why some companies are successful and others are not. Together they’ve pooled their knowledge and experience into the one book on how to close the gap between results promised and results delivered that people in business need today. The book that shows how to get the job done and deliver results . . . whether you’re running an entire company or in your first management job.


On Becoming a Leader: (Re-read) A timeless classic from a pioneer in the field of leadership studies-the only book you need to read on becoming an effective leader. Warren Bennis (1925-2014) was a pioneer in leadership studies, a scholar who advised presidents and business executives alike on how to become successful leaders. On Becoming a Leader is his seminal work, exemplifying Bennis's core belief that leaders are not born-they are made. Providing essential and timeless insights for generations of readers, On Becoming a Leader delves into the qualities that define leadership, the people who exemplify it, and the strategies that anyone can apply to achieve it. Dubbed the "dean of leadership gurus" by Forbes magazine, Bennis remains the final word in modern leadership. This seminal work is a must-read for anyone who aspires to leadership excellence. 


Leaders: Strategies for Taking Charge:  (Re-read) In this illuminating study of corporate America's most critical issue—leadership—world-renowned leadership guru Warren Bennis and his co-author Burt Nanus reveal the four key principles every manager should know: Attention Through Vision, Meaning Through Communication, Trust Through Positioning, and The Deployment of Self.