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helping people achieve more.
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LEADERSHIP ONLINE - Velocity

9/22/2016

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        Have you ever felt that your best strategy while running as leaders is to speed up and go faster?
                                             We seem to be like greyhounds chasing rabbits.

                                  But does more speed get you the results you want quicker?

One of our favorite tools is Ready, Aim, Fire! (RAF!). As business leaders, we each have a metaphorical console in front of us with three strategic buttons to choose from.

When working with groups of all ages and many nationalities, we find that when given a problem, most leaders press Fire! first. And subsequently miss the target. When asked about this, they have big smiles on their faces. Leaders tell us they love Firing! because it is action oriented, it gives them quick results, and it’s fun, even if the results are not what they want.

Our observation working with business leaders is when they are asked what strategic button to push next, Ready, Aim, or Fire!, they hit Fire!again. And again.
When we asked business leaders what Ready and Aim look like, they answered in a vulnerable way, “We don’t know.”

Ready involves identifying the problem and the resources, including who is on your team and how you want to play. Aim is about process:  strategizing roles, making a plan, sequence, rules, and time frame, etc.

RAF! is an awareness tool. We advocate the following:
  1. Being aware of the differences between Ready, Aim, andFire! Inherently, Fire! is high velocity, and Ready and Aim are slower processes.
  2. Getting out of the “Fire! autopilot,” and intentionally choosing the right button for the right situation.
  3. Understanding that there is a natural rhythm to the sequence ofReady, then Aim, and then Fire!

We do believe that in today’s global business environment, using multiple strategic buttons is necessary to traverse the complex territory ahead.

Today, the global business environment is traveling at high velocity. Maybe that is why we choose Fire! so much. We need to slow down to shift our minds into Ready and Aim. Slowing down allows us to focus on process and relationships, both crucial for effective leadership; but they can get left behind in the blur of speed.

Aesop's fable, "The Tortoise and the Hare," has been around for over a thousand years and appears in many cultures. It is timely now. The tortoise always beats the hare to the finish line.

​Why do we keep trying to emulate the hare?

QUESTIONS FOR YOU:
  • How fast are you traveling? What gear are you usually in?
  • Do you have multiple gears?
  • How do you slow down in today’s fast paced world?
  • What might you see or understand differently if you slowed down?

Let's keep up the conversation.
What are you discovering about leadership?
How are you using the tools?
Stay connected. 

Share Your Thoughts Here:
[email protected]                                        [email protected]
   www.coolspring.com                                            www.cedgeinc.com

3 Comments

Leadership vs. Management

5/16/2016

4 Comments

 
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Hello! Welcome to our Leadership Online Series.
You have expressed an interest in being on our free mailing list,
and we hope you enjoy this article about Leadership and Management.
​Please don't hesitate to post your comments below. Thanks.
Cheers!
Charles & John
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One concept we’re curious about and have begun exploring in our sessions is discussing the differences between leadership and management. We want to raise our awareness of these two definitions, because the way we think is related to the way we act. 

There are times when we act as a visionary leader. There are times when we act as a manager to get the job done. AND there are times we live in both roles at the same time.

Here is an interesting chart listing the differences in leadership and management viewed through different categories. 

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QUESTIONS FOR YOU --
  • Which characteristics resonate with you?
  • Where do you spend most of your time? As a manager or as a leader?
  • What would you do differently?
4 Comments

    Author

    Leadership Online is brought to you by Charles Page at Cool Spring Center and John Berkley at Competitive Edge. We hope you enjoy.

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Cool Spring Center... 
celebrating 22 years
helping people achieve more.



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Freedom Schools' students and staff team spent a dynamic day at Cool Spring Center understanding each other in more depth to improve effectiveness and productivity through Everything DiSC Workplace profiles...fun and learning had by all. Davidson students serve as servant leader interns for Freedom Schools.

Everything DiSC Workplace is classroom training that uses online pre-work, engaging facilitation with contemporary video, and extensive online follow-up to create a personalized learning experience. Participants understand and appreciate the styles of the people they work with. The result is more effective and productive working relationships.



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