How To Be Seen As A Leader - At Any Point In Your Career

http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2012/11/14/how-to-be-seen-as-a-leader-at-any-point-in-your-career/

Erika Andersen, Contributor

I read another really good post by Glenn Llopis today, about how to become a thought leader. He has ten excellent suggestions for becoming someone who’s seen as having useful insights into patterns and trends in a particular area or industry (his definition of thought leadership).

And as often happens when I read well-written posts, it sparked a whole other chain of thinking in me. I’ve been talking to lots of younger professionals recently, people who are in their first ‘leader’ job – where they’re just starting to manage others -  or those who aren’t yet managing people, but want to move in that direction.  And all of them are wondering how they can be seen as leaders by others in their organizations.

It’s a great question to ask.  Sometimes people assume that when they get a “leader job,” they’ll automatically be seen as leaders. But these folks I’ve been talking with know intuitively that’s not how it works….maybe because they’ve worked for someone who is in that leader job, but who they don’t regard as a leader!

And that’s been my observation as well: there are appointed leaders and  there are accepted leaders – and being the first doesn’t guarantee that you’ll be the second.

Fortunately, you can start working on being someone who people will accept as a leader long before you’re appointed to lead.  Think of a leader, in the simplest terms, as someone whom others trust to influence and guide them. With that in mind, here are 3 things to think about and do in order to begin to develop yourself as a leader, no matter what your current title or position:

Understand your business. This is your starting point for leadership. If you don’t understand how your business works – how the business provides value to its customers, how the parts operate together, what the competitive landscape looks like – it’s unlikely anyone is going to look to you for guidance or insight.  Too often I see people who have a very limited view of their business – generally they over-focus on their particular part of it – who think they have great insights and don’t understand why they’re not viewed as leaders.  Sometimes these are very senior people.

If you want to find out whether or not you understand your business, start by asking yourself these questions: How does our product or service get created – that is, what’s the process it goes through from idea to execution?  How do we let customers know what we have and why it’s valuable? How do we interact with customers, and who’s responsible for that? What are our company’s most important goals – and what are we doing to achieve them? If you don’t know the answers to those questions, get curious; start exploring.

Demonstrate your support for your colleagues’ success. Good leaders are focused primarily on the good of the group.  When you show, through your words and deeds, that you have others’ best interests at heart, those people will see you as supportive of the group as a whole (vs. only on your own success), and they will begin to trust you to influence and guide them.  This is something you can start doing right now:  If someone raises an idea in a meeting that you think is good, say so. If a co-worker asks for your help, help them if it’s at all possible.  If someone has a problem and you can see a solution, offer it.

Figure out how you can contribute more to the success of the business.  Too often, people who want to be leaders focus mainly on how to get promoted – they think, as I said earlier, that getting a ‘leader job’ will make them a leader. I’ve noticed, though, that people who focus mainly on how they can provide the greatest value to the business are much more likely to be seen as leaders.  And then, when those folks ask for a promotion, they’re much more likely to get it. In my experience, most bosses want to reward employees who are making the boss’ life easier (e.g., doing valuable work that needs doing and helps the business).

If others see you as understanding the business, supporting their success, and doing your best to provide value to the organization, they are much more likely to see you as someone to rely on and turn to; they are much more likely to open themselves to your influence and insight; they are much more likely to trust you and align with you.  And that’s the essence of leadership, where ever you are in your career.

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Erika’s new book, Leading So People Will Follow, is available everywhere books are sold.  It’s on Amazon’s “hot new releases” list, and Booklist called it “a book to read more than once and to consult many times.”

Are you a followable leader?  Take the Accepted Leader Assessment and find out.

Adaptable Business Concepts Selected As One Of 2012’s Best and Brightest Places To Work

http://www.i-newswire.com/adaptable-business-concepts-selected/204188

Adaptable Business Concepts, a sales and marketing firm in the eastern Pennsylvania, has been awarded as one of the “Best and Brightest” companies to work for.  Adaptable Business Concepts has grown to multiple locations in the last year and expects to continue to excel as a great place to work as it continues to grow.

Adaptable Business Concepts, Inc., located in King of Prussia, is an independently owned and operated outsourced direct sales and marketing firm.  Their primary focus is acquiring and retaining business on behalf of their Fortune 500 clients.   The approach at Adaptable Business Concepts is to adapt their sales approach based on customer, market and technological changes.  Adaptable Business Concepts’ dynamic staff has years of experience in the direct sales and marketing industry. This has allowed the company to expand to different states and take on new clients in the past year.

Adaptable Business Concepts’ main client is the leading provider in telecommunications in the nation. The client is the world leader in providing improvements in communications, mobility, information and entertainment. Adaptable Business Concepts focuses on acquiring business and increasing market-share for the fiber-optic division of the company.

The Best and Brightest competition provides an overall assessment report which summarized how Adaptable Business Concepts compares to other organizations. 

Adaptable Business Concepts and other winners are highlighted in Winners are highlighted in a media campaign with news sent to the local news media.  A roster of winning companies has been published in local news publications, announcements on a major news radio station with online streaming of the winners honor and links to the Best and Brightest website.

The 2012 winning companies were judged by an independent research firm.  The firm reviewed a number of key areas comparative to other nationally recognized winners.  The key measures reviewed include compensation, employee benefits, employee growth, engagement and retention, employee education and development, recruiting, employee recognition, shared vision and communication, diversity, work-life balance, community involvement and strategic company performance

Adaptable Business Concepts says it plans to continue to improve and strives to be the Best and Brightest company to work for in 2013.

Adaptable Business Concepts Awarded As One of 2012's Best And Brightest Companies To Work For

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/national-association-for-business-resources-names-the-best-and-brightest-companies-to-work-for-in-the-country-177847901.html

National Association for Business Resources Names the Best and Brightest Companies to Work For in the Country

 WARREN, Mich., Nov. 8, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Hundreds of competing companies throughout the country vie for the Best and Brightest designation, but only companies with the highest quality human resources initiatives can be named a  National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For. (See following list of winners.)

The 2012 winning companies were assessed by an independent research firm, which reviewed a number of key measures relative to other nationally recognized winners. They include Compensation, Benefits and Employee Solutions; Employee Enrichment, Engagement and Retention; Employee Education and Development; Recruitment, Selection and Orientation; Employee Achievement and Recognition; Communication and Shared Vision; Diversity and Inclusion; Work-Life Balance; Community Initiatives; Strategic Company Performance.

With more than 10 years of experience conducting Best and Brightest Company competitions, the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) has identified numerous best HR practices and provided benchmarking for companies that continue to be leaders in employment standards.

"Our list of nationally recognized companies has grown significantly this year. This exceptional growth is a testament to how important this designation is for companies that want to have the best and brightest employees working for them," said Jennifer Kluge, National Association for Business Resources President, which presents the program. "We are proud to recognize and honor these winning companies."

Additionally, three Elite winners were selected in the category of Small-Size Business, Medium-Size Business and Large-Size Business. (See following list of winners.)  Elite winners were selected based on their high scores in all categories. The companies that have been selected to be recognized nationally as a Best and Brightest Company to Work For™ will be featured in the December 13 online edition of Corp! Magazine. The winning companies will also receive additional recognition as a national winner at a Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™ awards symposium and gala at a location of their choosing in several U.S. cities.

The "Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™," a program of the National Association for Business Resources, is presented annually in five markets: Atlanta, Detroit, Chicago, Houston and Grand Rapids. Nominations are now being accepted for 2013. Visit www.101bestandbrightest.com to obtain an application.

Based in Warren, Mich., the National Association for Business Resources (NABR) is a business organization of small to medium-sized businesses, representing more than 20,000 members who employ over 200,0000 persons nationally. Members include attorneys, physicians, architects, accountants, construction companies, banks, retailers, wholesalers, manufacturers and the like.  Member businesses receive numerous benefits including free legal and financial consultations; discounted technology, automotive and office products; employee training and recruitment assistance; and competitive insurance rates. Visit NABR online at www.nationalbiz.org.

2012 National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™ Winners

Acoustics By Design, Inc.
Adaptable Business Concepts
ADP
Aegis Communications Group
American Academy of Pediatrics
AnnieMac Home Mortgage
Anteo Group
Applications Software Technology Corporation
Applico
Applied Imaging
Ashley Ellis
Ask.com
Aspen Surgical
Assurance
BDO USA, LLP
BGT Partners
billhighway
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan
Bridgewater Interiors, LLC
Brown & Brown of Detroit
Care Communications, Inc.
City of Atlanta
College Works Painting
Community Counseling Centers of Chicago
Computerized Facility Integration LLC
Conway MacKenzie
Coretek Services
Credential Check Corporation
Credit Acceptance
DevBridge, Inc.
DFCU Financial
Easter Seals Michigan
Educational Data Systems, Inc.
Elzinga & Volkers Construction Professionals
EMKAY Inc
Enesco, LLC
Epitec
ePrize LLC
FONA International, Inc.
Foundation Financial Group (FFG)
FreeCause
Geneca
General Employment Enterprises, Inc.
GoHealth Insurance
Greeley and Hansen LLC
Greenleaf Trust
GreenStone Farm Credit Services
Harley Ellis Devereaux
Henry Ford Health System
Holland Hospital
Honigman Miller Schwartz and Cohn LLP
ImageSoft Inc.
Impact Networking, LLC
Inergy Automotive Systems (USA) LLC
Inktel Contact Center Solutions
Insight Sourcing Group
International Contractors, Inc.
Jakob Marketing Partners
JARC
Jumpstart for Young Children
kCura
LeasePlan USA
Magnetic Consulting Group
Marketing Associates
Marquette General Health System
McGraw Wentworth
Medline Industries, Inc.
Medtech College
Meridian Health Plan
Michigan Financial Companies/Platinum Wealth Solutions
Michigan First Credit Union
Mill Steel Company
Mission Home Health Inc.
Mutual Trust Financial Group
National Futures Association
Navint Partners, LLC
NCSA Athletic Recruiting
Nemeth Burwell, P.C.
OpTech, LLC
Pcubed (Program Planning Professionals, Inc.)
Plante Moran, PLLC
Plex Systems Inc.
Prestige Staffing
Radio Flyer
ReTargeter
Rockford Construction Company Inc.
Ryan, LLC
Seco Tools, Inc.
SecurAlarm Systems, Inc.
Secure-24, Inc.
Service Express, Inc. (SEI)
Shazaaam
Shoemaker Financial
Shure Incorporated
Skanska
Sonoma Partners, LLC
Southwest Michigan First
Spot Trading
Takeda
Tasty Catering
The ALARIS Group, Inc.
The Comprehensive Group
The Marketing Store
The Paradies Shops
The So Cal Group
Trivalent Group
Underground Elephant
Verizon Wireless
w3r Consulting
Wesco Inc.
WestLake Financial Group
WMS Industries
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone

2012 National Best and Brightest Companies to Work For™ Elite Award Winners

Category 
  

Company

  

Small Business
  

Southwest Michigan First (Kalamazoo)  

Medium Business
  

FONA International (Chicago)

Large Business
  

Henry Ford Health System (Detroit)

For Further information:
Contact: Sue Voyles (734) 667-2005
-or- Jennifer Kluge 1-866-321-1822

SOURCE National Association for Business Resources

PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1sAxM)