Improving office flow through “hands off” leadership

My dog Charlie, an energetic, caring, loving dog only understands postitive reinforcement. Any negative re-enforcement renders him un responsive. At the moment of the scolding he will respond with a somewhat desired reaction. Great! so he did what I wanted him to for that moment, what happens when I turn my back? The long term must be reinforced through positive methods.

At this point you may be worndering what Charlie has to do with office flow? The answer to that question will be addressed in the following text, first let me introduce my self. I have over six years experience leading Marines both on and off the battle field. Some are born leaders others work hard to develop the skills of an exellent leader. Whether in an office or the streets of Fallujah Iraq, leadership must encourage freedom of thought, action, and inspire diligence through positive reinforcement.

Thoughts, we all have them, no one can take them away. People may think what they want, when they want, and you cannot do anything about it, nor do you you want to. Thoughts create ideas, ideas to speed up simple tasks, new office layouts, new software or hardware to streamline production. Always take time to entertain thoughts. Starting at your entry level employees, ignoring thoughts my repress great ideas, losing out on an investment. Instead of focusing on the bottom line, invest in people. Take the time to understand how your fellow people think, what they think about. Brain storm, meet, chat, lunches, excercise. Stimulate intelligence, harbor productive thought. A leaders most powerful tool to inspire is to listen and take action. Once an asociate sees his or her idea being entertained, less influence is needed to complete tasks. A manager, team leader, provides guide lines an end state, the team should drive the bus there to. Hands off the thoughts, allow fluidity, envasive leadership will most often fail.

Action, dynamic, moving energy should help to lubricate the wheels of a tight nit specialty team of any type. Small action groups, think tanks, should stay moving at all cost. keeping that energy up is crucial to some times methodical tasks. Taking 30 min a day and leave the office, get the heart rate up can evolve a lethargic team into a dynamic group of cohesive smiles. The active nature of leadership must be expounded daily to exemplify an what you want from the team. Don’t think for a second that its your team. ”The Team” will create a free process of thoughts and ideas, movement towards the objective. Once you take ownership of the team you have essentially stiflled the development of inspiration.  Stillness is good, like the body the mind needs rest. Allow 15 minutes of silence before meetings, or mind numbing tasks. Just allow everyone to clear the mind. this will provide a more useful productive mind. If you dont have 15 minutes then you rethink your agenda.

Inspiration; inspire by doing, believe in what you are saying, speak with your asociates. instilling ideals in individuals will take time or just one statement, depending on the people and the plan. Patience is always good. Like Charlie people don’t want to be to talked down to and or reprimanded. Negative reinforcement will always have a destructive result. Breaking down the relationship between all parties envolved. Inspiration is specific to each individual, the task is to pay attention to the language of needs. People tend to express what they need verbally or non-verbally. Pay attention to emotional reactions during meetings. This talk of emotion doesn’t mean sway in the wind and bend to each persons will. Keep a firm but fair, unpartial intuitive mind about your asociates. Never waiver and always follow up, and stay true to your word at all cost. Fluidity again is key allow people to want what you offer, make your path the lucrative one.

Create a positive working environment with goals and accolades to be obtained. Keep things moving by taking time to be still. Not everyone will be a great speaker inspiring people to achieve greatness, recognize your strengths and build on your weakness. Always keep in mind your counterparts, without them nothing will get done. Remember Charlie, and keep a cool head.