The 10 Most Overlooked Definitions In Leadership

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What do they mean to you?

Leadership means telling the world why a company exists- its purpose- and describing a vision for how that purpose will be achieved.’

An organization’s culture is so much more than a slogan or poster. Culture is nothing less than the aggregate of tens of thousands of interactions and decisions every day. … Creating a culture means choosing a limited number of values that define the company as surely as its products or logo do, and then encouraging expression of those values in everyday behavior.’

Authenticity means people are living the same company culture that the CEO describes and that the HR department claims in job descriptions.’

Appreciation means recognizing work well done. It’s a subjective expression in the same way one ‘appreciates’ a work of art or a clever solution to a work problem.’

Engagement at work is the willingness to give discretionary effort to a job. It means voluntarily doing more than the minimum. It is an attitude confirmed by behavior.’

Empowerment transfers the power to achieve results from the manager to the employee.’

To manage is to choose among multiple options, and business situations inevitably cause a manager to choose in the moment between, for example, customer satisfaction and greater efficiency.’

Gamification means adding elements of game design or game mechanics to nongame contexts. In the workplace, it could include elements like awarding points for hitting milestones and competing for prizes.’

Commitment without alignment means wasted effort (and frustration). Alignment without commitment means wasted potential (and employee turnover). Recognition singles out great performance (commitment) that focuses on strategic goals (alignment).’

Measurement means relevance. Without it, any project tends to justify itself.’

Source:

Eric Mosley and Derek Irvine (2014). The Power of Thanks: How Social Recognition Empowers Employees and Creates a Best Place to Work

Why You Need A Purpose-Driven Organization

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Shared purpose is democratic. It belongs to everyone and can’t be quantified like pay or ranked in an organization chart. The entry-level employee can be just as invested in an organization’s purpose as the CEO.’

Being invested in a purpose means knowing why you’re here and what you’re doing is of value. It means you are part of a shared journey. It means you understanding how your personal purpose connects with the corporate purpose- your work magnifies your life.’

‘You can’t fake purpose.’

Without a shared purpose, employees see their relationship with a company as transactional- working for pay and whatever psychological reward comes with doing a job.’

‘Without a shared purpose, things get even worse on the management side: Management and executives also treat work as transactional, getting the most work for the least cost in the name of efficiency.’

‘… your work magnifies your life.’

Employees in a purpose driven organization transcend the transactional. They see their daily efforts building something bigger than themselves.’

‘Having a higher purpose means attracting the most valuable and hard-to-get employees.’

‘Purpose is reinforced by strong peer relationships.’

Purpose is an organization’s role in society– it’s fundamental, irreductible reason for being.’

‘… Without a clearly articulated and simple purpose, a company will be overcome by purpose-driven competitors who are inherently more efficient.’

‘Purpose is such an important part of being human that if an organization can tap into people’s purpose- knowing why you’re here, knowing what you do is valued, being part of a shared journey- then people will feel attachment far greater than the ordinary.’

Source:

Eric Mosley and Derek Irvine (2021). Making Work Human: How Human-Centered Companies are Changing the Future of Work and the World