How to become an effective leader/manager

An Army lieutenant was leading his platoon of soldiers in an operation when they were suddenly ambushed by the enemy. Everyone took cover and firing at the enemy at the same time. They suddenly saw a wounded comrade who was about ten meters away from them shouting for help.

The lieutenant suddenly shouted at his soldiers and said: “Cover fire me and throw smoke grenades because I will go and rescue our comrade.” So they did and the lieutenant stealthy maneuvered his way to the wounded soldier.  Upon reaching his soldier the lieutenant assisted his wounded comrade and they both successfully extricated themselves from the claws of danger.

By the courageous leadership by example of the army lieutenant and with the support of his soldiers. He successfully executed the very dangerous rescue. This army lieutenant is an epitome of a true leader because he shows and leads the way.

In essence organizational leaders are no different from military leaders. What only separates military leaders from organizational leaders are the rigid training and the firearms at their disposal.  Therefore, to become a successful organizational leader/manager one has to show and lead the way and he must know his job very well.

An organizational leader/manager should not only give orders and then do nothing she should be at the forefront so to speak. For example, if the volume of work is enormous that it would need overtime work.  The leader/manager should also render overtime work and lead his subordinates in accomplishing what is to be accomplished.

If the leader/manager always shows and leads the way, he would also quickly earn the respect and admiration of his subordinates. The same subordinates would always be at his beck and call whenever he needs them. Why is this so? For the simple reason that the leader/manager has already earned the respect of his subordinates. 

What if the leader/manager will not lead and show the way? He simply sits down while giving orders and doesn’t take his leadership/managerial position with responsibility. His subordinates will surely not respect him and they will be like headless chickens running around without discipline and purpose. – Marino J. Dasmarinas    

Who surrounds you in your organization?

Glenn is a call center agent. He is newly married and a happy go lucky kind of guy. He has a select group of friends that surrounds him in his work environment. His group of friends have the same happy go lucky kind of mentality. Therefore, they have harmony, as they say: “Birds of the same feathers flock together.”

Whenever they get their salary they always go to their favorite watering hole to get drunk, have fun and spend as if there’s no tomorrow. So, they always end up without money hence they are forced to borrow from loan sharks.

But running out money was not only the problem there was also friction in his family brought about by his frequent drinking spree. His problem morphed into a behavioral issue in his workplace. He was often times hot tempered and he lacked focus and discipline.

These negative behavioral issues did not escape the watchful eyes of his superiors. Thus he was given a memo to shape up otherwise he would be meted a suspension. Fearing that he might be suspended and eventually separated from his job.

Glenn decided to distance himself from his happy go lucky group, therefore there was no more visits to his favorite watering hole. There was no more irresponsible spending of his salary. This change of mindset soon bore fruit: There was suddenly harmony in his family and his place of work.

The people that you choose to surround yourself in your workplace have influence over you. If you choose to be with carefree and happy go lucky guys, you end up the same sooner or later. And what would be the result of this immature behavior? There would be friction in your pocket, friction in your family and friction in your workplace. – Marino J. Dasmarinas  

When rejection comes your way

Rudy was a newly hired human resource specialist in an information technology company. He was idealistic and had fresh insights that he wants instituted to his new organization. Therefore, he suggested to his manager on how they would specifically identify those who would be considered for future trainings and seminars. However, his suggestion was rejected.

Rejection is part and parcel of your organizational life. There would be instances that you would make suggestion which to your mind is helpful for your department/organization. But more often than not your suggestion/s will be rejected by your boss.

Would you take that rejection personally? Of course not! You take rejection in your organization in stride. Don’t take it personally otherwise you end up as a loser, take rejection as a challenge to make your work better and to work harder.

Perhaps when your idea is rejected you could silently say to yourself: “You rejected my input, so I move on without any ill feeling against anyone." This is the correct attitude to make when your input is rejected. You can also make a positive spin toward it by using it as your motivation to work harder.

Rejection of your idea or input should not stop you from giving your insightful input/s when there’s an opportunity to do so. Why? This is for the reason that every input that you recommend is a testament of your knowledge or insight.  

However, if you notice that after a year of giving insightful inputs your boss or your organization has not considered any of it. Perhaps, it’s time to look for greener pastures in other organizations who will make full use of your talents. – Marino J. Dasmarinas   

Prove your critics wrong

Santiago was promoted to become the head of their organization’s human resource department he was the youngest amongst the aspirants. After his promotion a poison letter was circulated besmirching his person and credibility. He took the attack on his person in stride and treated it simply as part of the hazards of his new job.

Critics and criticism are part and parcel of organization, they exist for only one reason and that is to bring you down or even destroy you. However, would you allow your critics to bring you down? Of course not! So what are you going to do? You don’t have to confront them. You simply have to prove them wrong and you have to use them as motivation to work even harder.

Many Leaders of managers commit the mistake of stooping to the level of their critics. Therefore, they confront their critics and this confrontation sometimes lead to verbal tussle or even physical wrangle. But it should not go to that extent because the moment you confront them you only are feeding their arrogance and their thirst for violence.

It’s useless to confront your critics instead, prove them wrong by working hard: let your positive work attitude do the talking. Thus, you take the high and educated road, the road where you will earn respect and esteem from your superiors, peers and subordinates. 

The road which will lead you to another promotion when the right opportunity comes. – Marino J. Dasmarinas          

Promote the hard worker not the most qualified

Marilou is a supervisor in a government office who aspires for the next higher level position. She’s a hard worker and has meet the minimum qualification for the job opening.  Joanna on the other hand is also aspiring for the same promotion and basing on her sterling credentials it should be her who should be promoted.

What is your standard when you recommend a subordinate for promotion? Do you usually go for the most qualified? Or you go for the hard worker who meets the minimum qualification? To go for the hard worker is always the wisdom filled choice.

Not only that this employee will continue to work hard when promoted. You can also groom him/her to handle bigger responsibilities as the need arises. A hard worker is also a self-starter, he/she is always willing to learn, has initiative and can even sacrifice his/her personal time for work. He/she may do this by bringing his/her work home so that he/she could finish her task.

On the other side of the fence is the worker with sterling credentials. Why would you not choose him/her? He will not be chosen for the simple reason that credentials can’t work!  They are simply training certificates and educational transcripts which are useless when the worker who holds it is lazy and corrupt.  – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Can power destroy a leader/manager?

Can power/authority destroy a leader/manager? Yes! If not handled properly and with humility it could very well destroy a leader/manager.

There is a saying that power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. A leader/ manager is one of the most powerful person in an organization. He has an inherent authority to exercise power in that organization. However, this power is not absolute it’s subject to limitations.

But there are leaders/managers who allow themselves to be controlled by their power/authority and not themselves ruling over their power/authority. When this happens it beckons disaster for the organization.

When a leader allows his power to get into his head he would do many foolish things. For example, he may act as a dictator by giving unreasonable orders. By saying words and doing things that are inconceivable for a normal leader to say and do. Nonetheless, we also know that those who arrogantly abuse their organizational power are humiliated at the end.  

So what is the lesson for us here? Simple, we should not abuse the organizational power that we hold. Otherwise we will have to pay for it one of these days. As they say, what goes around comes around. – Marino J. Dasmarinas 

Let the axe fall where it may fall

What would you do if your friend who happens to be your subordinate is caught by your security guard doing something illegal in your office? For example stealing of office supplies, should you exert effort to protect your friend by whitewashing the offense?   

Or you will not exert any effort to conceal the offense and let the investigation take its natural course until the truth is ferret out? Many organizational leaders and managers will do the right action by letting the natural course of events unfold.

Yet many would also try to protect the friendship or brotherhood by concealing the offense until it’s forgotten. So the offender will escape from any punishment however this is not the right course of action to take. For the reason that the moment the manager/leader does this he is actually telling his friend to do it again and again and again and he/she becomes party to the offense as well.

Yet we all know that crime does not pay sooner or later it will be payback time so the offender will be caught. And the manager/leader/friend will be unmasked as the protector. Why? For the simple reason that this is the natural flow of karma.

Therefore, to avoid any future complication and problem never protect an offender in your workplace. Let the natural flow of justice takes its course even if the subordinate offender is your best friend, fraternity brother or sister and the like.

In other words: Let the axe fall where it may fall for it will enhance your value as an effective, competent and impartial leader/manager.  -  Marino J. Dasmarinas