| The Four Laws Of Leadership (Part Two)by: Brent | | | | achieve. |
| Filson | | | | The best way to make that emotional connection is |
| In Part One, I described the laws of motivation. In Part | | | | with Leadership Talks. |
| Two, I'll examine the laws in more detail. | | | | My experience working with thousands of leaders |
| Law 1. Motivation is physical action. Motivation isn't | | | | world wide for the past two decades teaches me that |
| about what people think or feel but about what they | | | | most leaders are screwing up their careers. On a daily |
| physically do. In leadership, you should understand the | | | | basis, these leaders are getting the wrong results or |
| difference between inspiration and motivation. | | | | the right results in the wrong ways. |
| The word "inspiration" comes from the ancient Greeks | | | | Interestingly, they themselves are choosing to fail. |
| and the oracle of Delphi. The oracle would sit in front | | | | They're actively sabotaging their own careers. |
| of a fissure in the earth and breath in (inspire) earth | | | | Leaders commit this sabotage for a simple reason: |
| vapors and in a half-drugged state, make her | | | | They make the fatal mistake of choosing to |
| pronouncements. For instance, when she told the | | | | communicate with presentations and speeches -- not |
| Greeks only a "wall of wood" would save them from | | | | leadership talks. |
| being annihilated by the Persians, it was the Greeks | | | | In terms of boosting one's career, the difference |
| themselves who had to take action and build up a | | | | between the two methods of leadership |
| great navy that ultimately defeated the Persians at the | | | | communication is the difference between lightning and |
| Battle of Salamis. | | | | the lightning bug. |
| Motivation, on the other hand, comes from a complex | | | | Speeches/presentations primarily communicate |
| of words beginning with "mo." Motion, motor, | | | | information. Leadership talks, on the other hand, not |
| momentum, etc. all denote physical action. | | | | only communicate information, they do more: They |
| Getting people to not simply be inspired but motivated | | | | establish a deep, human emotional connection with the |
| to take physical action may seem like a simple, even | | | | audience. For more on the Leadership Talk, click on my |
| simplistic, approach to leadership. However, once you | | | | website in the resource box. |
| begin to see your leadership interactions in terms of | | | | Law 4. Face-to-face speech is generally the best way |
| physical action, you'll see your leadership, and the way | | | | to motivate people (i.e., have those people choose to |
| you get results, in fresh ways. | | | | be motivated.) A middle-manager told me, "Where is |
| For instance, in my seminars, participants develop | | | | our new CEO? We call him'Elvis'. We seldom see him |
| Action Plans designed to achieve measurable and | | | | in person. There're only purported sightings of him. |
| continual results back on the job. I have them challenge | | | | Maybe I'll see a blurry photo of him in one of those |
| the cause leaders they enlist to take physical action by | | | | supermarket check-out tabloids." |
| asking them, "What three or four leadership actions, | | | | In another company, a secretary said, "Our division |
| PHYSICAL ACTIONS, will you take to achieve the | | | | chief stays in his office most of the time. But on the |
| results we need?" The difference between people | | | | rare occasions that he's out and about, the only |
| simply saying they will execute their part of the Plan | | | | evidence of his existence is the odor of his pipe |
| and their committing to specific physical actions leads | | | | smoke." |
| to a significant difference in results. | | | | Isolation may be good for monks but it's an affliction |
| Remember, people who simply take some action are | | | | with leaders. When you want to motivate people, |
| useless to the organization. The useful ones are those | | | | relationship is the name of the game; and you can't |
| who take action for results. For the end of all action in | | | | have a relationship, at least a productive one, as an |
| an organization is results. Therefore, the best action is | | | | absentee leader. |
| freely chosen action directed toward specific results. | | | | Get out and about. This is more than MBWA, |
| Law 2. Motivation is their choice. When you face a | | | | (Management By Walking Around). The key is what |
| particularly tough challenge, avoid meeting that | | | | you do when walking around. Don't be about simply |
| challenge by ordering people; instead, have people | | | | sharing information but also creating the environment |
| make the choices to meet the challenges. | | | | for motivation. People hunger to be motivated. Even |
| An effective way to have them make the right | | | | more: people are ALWAYS motivated. And if they |
| choices is to ask them questions. | | | | won't be motivated for your cause, they will be |
| Here is a tip that you can start using immediately to | | | | motivated for their cause - a cause that may be at |
| become a more effective leader. Put question marks, | | | | cross purposes with yours. |
| not periods, at the end of your sentences. That's one | | | | Make no mistake: Motivation isn't about bands playing, |
| of the best ways of developing an environment in | | | | people cheering, hugging, and singing kombaya. Those |
| which people are making the choices for results. | | | | are only the surface features of motivation. True |
| Some of the most powerful questions a leader can | | | | motivation happens in the profound quiet of human |
| ask are: "What is our challenge here? Why is it worth | | | | relationships. |
| tackling? How do we feel about it? Do we have the | | | | So, in your interactions, strengthen those relationships |
| facts we need? Are we asking the right questions? | | | | by keeping the laws of motivation in mind. When |
| What results are we really seeking? What's the worse | | | | interacting with people, challenge them to take physical |
| thing that can happen? Why are we having this | | | | action, understand that motivation is their free choice, |
| problem? Can you explain that further? What if we do | | | | their HEARTFELT free choice, give Leadership Talks |
| nothing? Have we explored creative approaches? | | | | to develop deep, human, emotional relationships; and |
| What do you propose? And what can I do to help?" | | | | take opportunities to speak with them face-to-face. |
| Law 3. Emotion drives motivation. The words | | | | 2005 © The Filson Leadership Group, Inc. All rights |
| "emotion" and "motivation" come from the same Latin | | | | reserved. |
| root meaning to move. When you want to move | | | | PERMISSION TO REPUBLISH: This article may be |
| people to take action, you must engage their emotions. | | | | republished in newsletters and on web sites provided |
| I'm not talking about getting people emotional. I'm talking | | | | attribution is provided to the author, and it appears with |
| about having people make strong emotional | | | | the included copyright, resource box and live web site |
| commitments to what you're challenging them to | | | | link. |