How leaders create and use networks

According to Herminia Ibarra, successful leaders have a nose for opportunity and a knack for knowing whom to tap to get things done. These qualities depend on a set of strategic networking skills that nonleaders rarely possess.

She talks about importance of networking. She says, "typically, managers rise through the ranks by dint of a strong command of the technical elements of their jobs and a nose-to-the-grindstone focus on accomplishing their teams’ objectives. When challenged to move beyond their functional specialties and address strategic issues facing the overall business, many managers do not immediately grasp that this will involve relational—not analytical—tasks. Nor do they easily understand that exchanges and interactions with a diverse array of current and potential stakeholders are not distractions from their “real work” but are actually at the heart of their new leadership roles."

Read full article as it appeared in the Janaury 2007 issue of Harvard Business Review

Typically, managers rise through the ranks by dint of a strong command of the technical elements of their jobs and a nose-to-the-grindstone focus on accomplishing their teams’ objectives. When challenged to move beyond their functional specialties and address strategic issues facing the overall business, many managers do not immediately grasp that this will involve relational—not analytical—tasks. Nor do they easily understand that exchanges and interactions with a diverse array of current and potential stakeholders are not distractions from their “real work” but are actually at the heart of their new leadership roles.

http://harvardbusinessonline.hbsp.harvard.edu/hbsp/hbr/articles/article.jsp?ml_action=get-article&articleID=R0701C&ml_page=1&ml_subscriber=true

Leadership has nothing to do with titles

J. Frank Brown, the Dean of INSEAD has just published a marvelous book called the The global business leader. In this book he says he has met a lot of CEOs in his two-and-a-half decades in business and many of them are little more than LINOs – Leaders In Name Only.

Read more at the following url: http://knowledge.insead.edu/contents/FrankBrown.htm

Brown believes there are seven hallmarks of a great leader. “I think the most important one is how you communicate and how you listen because if you’re going to be a successful leader you’ve got to be a really aggressive learner,” he said.

In his book, The Global Business Leader: Practical Advice for Success in a Transcultural Marketplace, Brown lists the hallmarks of leadership: openness, integrity, humility, a view of the present and the future, an optimistic outlook, the proper use of authority, and an understanding of personal and organisational objectives.

Finally people are understanding the philosophy behind the One Laptop per Child

A big thank you to David Pogue of New York Times who very eloquently has explained the philosophy behind the One Laptop per Child programme. Read his article at the following url: http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/10/04/technology/04pogue.php

He is absolutely right in saying that "clearly, the XO's mission has sailed over people's head [cynics] like a 747".

People should better educate themselves and instead of criticizing, let us CONTRIBUTE!

Follow the mantra "Get 1, Give 1" http://www.xogiving.org/

Give One Laptop per Child a chance

Last week there was a frenzy of good and bad media on "one laptop per child"

Prof Negroponte had an innovative idea before everyone else came into the picture. His philosophy is a noble one “the future is shaped by children” so let’s help them get educated. This project is not about laptops. It is about enabling children in developing countries to have access to primary education - something that they do not necessarily have access to.

This is not a project about parachuting laptops, but about putting in place an education programme…. It is done in conjunction with ministries of education and not in a vacuum.

I think there are lots of people out there who do not know enough about this project and its potential. Perhaps OLPC may wish to carry out an awareness building campaign by providing more background information about the programme so that everyone can finally understand the programme's objectives and potential.

Let’s help OLPC make this come to fruition. If you can, donate a laptop.

http://www.laptop.org/

When bureaucrats become leaders

When was the last time you searched Google for "leadership" and "leadership and management"? Well, I did it the other day. I got 166 million results for leadership alone and 195 million for leadership and management. Although not all these millions of articles may be useful, undoubtedly some are.

Now how many leaders do you know ; or rather how many people do you know who claim to be or want to be leaders? Probably a lot! and how many are actually DECENT leaders, probably only a very few or none!

Sometimes bad leaders are harmless, but often they are harmful and they come in different flavours. I believe the worst type are bureaucrats who have made it to leadership position. These people are not only petty, but also lack any sign of creativity. They stifle innovation and new ideas and often are terribly insecure. As bureaucrats they want to please the boss, be it the CEO or the Board.

Any organization that has this kind of person in leadership position will suffer and risks not doing well, mainly because its good human assets will soon be disenchanted and leave or worse still take a back seat driver posture.

How can we circumvent these types of people from killing the creative and dynamic spirit of an organization? How can we prevent that these people enter organizations in the first place?

My trip to Mauritius and Rodrigues island

Earlier this month I went to Mauritius for work. Mauritius is known for its beautiful beaches and tourist resorts. Many forget that although Mauritius is a middle income country, it still has large pockets of poverty and a percentage of its population lives below the poverty line. I visited Rodrigues island, 640 kilometres off the island of Mauritius, where I met some powerful ladies who with some assistance but mainly through their actions and will power are coming out of poverty.

Here are two stories: One on "Training helps octopus fisher build a better life" and another on how "how a poor islander became a local leader"

Send me your comments.

Reflections on women leadership and management course

Last week I attended an extraordinary training course for women leaders and managers. The course was absolutely a precious and priceless GIFT. In my life, I've never had so much time devoted to ME nor so manypeople paying attention to ME.

I was lucky enough to attend the course in a very particular moment in my work life. At the end of the course I felt energized and realized that I needed to get back to being the cheerful, boisterous, energetic and positive self that I've always been.

The course was a great learning experience as it made me realize that:

• Role of a leader is not only to deal with complex issues but also with complex and complicated people
• I should not allow the fear, insecurity and negativity of one person or a group of people undermine or sap my passion and commitment
• Skills can be acquired but the challenge is to know oneself
• Organizations can have excellent processes and bullet proof procedures, however it takes individuals and more specifically leaders to ensure allthe assets are put to good use
• My issues are not necessarily greater nor more complex than others, that when my challenge is unpacked it may very well turn out to be rathermundane
• I need to be more self-aware of my leadership skills