GOOD MORNING is my usual salutation to my partners and colleagues when I use electronic communications to begin a discussion. As I begin this blog, I could not find a more appropriate title for my first posting, and so I say to you my new partners and colleagues, GOOD MORNING!
For those who do not know me, let me introduce myself. I am a “seasoned” executive (yes, if you would see me, you would notice that there is some salt and pepper in my hair) with more than 20 years of experience in the financial services and consumer/retail service industries. As a seasoned professional who has been in the business world for some time, I was fortunate to have experienced many leaders and leadership styles. Their styles were as different as their personalities and each one taught me a lesson in leadership that has stayed with me to this day.
These different leaders and their styles were to me, comparable to the seasonings used in preparing a meal. When seasonings are used in food preparation they are used with the purpose of magnifying the natural flavor of the food, making it richer and better.[1] The great/good leaders were the seasonings that added bountiful flavor, their addition brought out the juiciness and zest of the meal, making it a truly enjoyable experience, a rich reward for all who participated. Then there were other leaders who, when added to the preparation of the food, did nothing in bringing out the true essence of the cuisine. A meal that had so much potential was uninspiring and flat. All who anticipated an enjoyable feast were left wondering what had happened and felt unfulfilled and unsatisfied. Finally, there were others who were bitter seasonings that that ruined the food and the meal, leaving all empty.
And my leadership style, is the seasoning that you can use to make your corporate feast a satisfying and succulent experience. In this blog, I will share leadership methodology and success stories on what has worked for me and other leaders. I will provide a practical, straightforward guide to better lead and engage your employees with actual techniques and leadership principles. We will discuss Leadership 101: the leaders’ ethos and the qualities needed to successfully lead your company; examine leadership behavior; delve into the atmosphere leaders create and how to improve on it. We will also explore strategic planning for corporate growth by: assembling the team you want; building employee motivation and loyalty; proper execution of the company’s vision/mission (slow and steady for start-ups); communication and its importance in driving the vision, and; increasing the bottom-line through operational optimization and efficiency (technology, report cards, etc).
Since we are just beginning this banquet, please feel free to comment, provide ideas, suggestions, topics for discussion, etc., for this blog is to be an open forum for those leaders who desire to do right for their employees, their company and their future.
As this is an introduction, I will end this post here and thank you for stopping by.
[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seasoning