Elite Leadership Issue 1 • November 2013 Top tips for new managers
Inspirational lessons from MiyamotoThen best Musashi see inside for details
Common leadership myths
Inspiring people to become better leaders
CONTENTS
Page 4 Inspirational lessons from Miyamoto Musashi
Page 8
Top Tips: New Managers
Page 10
Common leadership myths
Page 13
Leadership is...
Page 14
Leadership book of the month
2 •Elite Leadership www.EliteLD.co.nz
November 2013 FROM THE EDITOR
Hello and welcome to the first edition of Elite Leadership. The aim of this mini-magazine is to promote and inspire quality leadership.
Leadership is an underrated and often misunderstood quality. It is difficult to define but we know it when we see it and more importantly we recognise when leadership is not present. In this first edition we look at an unlikely leadership hero Miyamoto Musashi, the greatest samurai of all time victorious in over sixty duels. We look into the past to examine his teachings to find lessons in today's world.
Leadership lessons can be learnt from anywhere even ancient samurais and to think otherwise is a myth. In this edition we look at some other common myths as well as some practical tips for Managers who are about to start their leadership Editor In Chief journey. Mark Wager, [email protected] For my own personal leadership journey this mini-magazine is the next step. If you find the content interesting then feel free Images courtesy of: to contact me on email or via Twitter to continue the conversation. Master isolated images
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At freedigitalphotos.net Mark Wager All material appearing in Elite leadership is copyright and cannot be reproduced without prior permission of the publisher.
Mark_wager
Elite Leadership www.EliteLD.co.nz• 3
Inspirational lessons from Miyamoto Musashi Miyamoto Musashi, born in 1584 in Harima province Japan, is “You must understand that widely regarding as one of the greatest warriors in history. there is more than one Miyamoto was a Ronin, a masterless samurai who travelled across Japan to find the greatest warriors in their discipline in order to fight path to the top of the them in a duel. Legends have it that Miyamoto Musashi fought and won his first duel at the age of thirteen and would go on to fight over mountain” sixty duels, undefeated in his lifetime. During his later years Miyamoto Musashi would go on to write a book entitled “The Book of Five Rings” in which he takes a philosophical approach to fighting. While this may not seem like the most likely source of inspiration never forget that each of us at some time are fighting something whether it be a person, an obstacle or even ourselves we are always facing something that we have to overcome. So take a few minutes to read some quotes from 4 • Your Magazine • website.com the greatest fighter of all time.
“Today is victory over yourself of yesterday; tomorrow is your victory over lesser men."
“Think lightly of yourself and “It is difficult to understand the “Today is victory over yourself deeply of the world” universe if you only study one of yesterday; tomorrow is your planet” victory over lesser men.” “You must understand that there is more than one path to “You can only fight the way “Whatever the Way, the the top of the mountain” you practice” master of strategy does not appear fast….Of course, "Do nothing that is of no use” “Do not regret what you have slowness is bad. Really skilful done” people never get out of time, “Get beyond love and grief: and are always deliberate, exist for the good of Man.” “If you do not control the and never appear busy.” enemy, the enemy will control “Perceive that which cannot you” “All man are the same except be seen with the eye.” for their belief in their own “Do not sleep under a roof. selves, regardless of what “If you wish to control others Carry no money or food. Go others may think of them” you must first control yourself” alone to places frightening to the common brand of men. “Respect Buddha and the “The ultimate aim of martial Become a criminal of purpose. gods without counting on their arts is not having to use them” Be put in jail, and extricate help” yourself by your own wisdom.”
Elite Leadership www.EliteLD.co.nz • 5
“There is no one way to
salvation, whatever the manner
in which a man may proceed. All
forms and variations are
governed by the eternal
intelligence of the Universe that
enables a man to approach
perfection. It may be in the arts of
music and painting or it may be in
commerce, law, or medicine. It
may be in the study of war or the
study of peace. Each is as
important as any other. Spiritual
enlightenment through religious
meditation such as Zen or in any
other way is as viable and
functional as any "Way."... A
person should study as they see
fit.
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6 • Elite Leadership www.EliteLD.co.nz
“The true science of martial “Never stray from the Way.” arts means practicing them in such a way that they will be “When in a fight to the death, useful at any time, and to one wants to employ all one's teach them in such a way that weapons to the utmost. I must they will be useful in all things.” say that to die with one's sword still sheathed is most “You may abandon your own regrettable.” body but you must preserve Miyamoto Musashi left us many your honour.” “Whatever the Way, the master lessons but the main lesson that of strategy does not appear I've learnt from Musashi's legacy “The only reason a warrior is fast.” is that despite how much the alive is to fight, and the only world has dramatically changed reason a warrior fights is to “It is said the warrior's is the over the past 400 years the win” twofold Way of pen and sword, fundamentals of what makes and he should have a taste for success hasn't. At the core of “To become the enemy, see both Ways. Even if a man has anyone who is truly successful is yourself as the enemy of the no natural ability he can be a self mastery. Musashi showed us enemy” warrior by sticking assiduously that the path toward success to both divisions of the Way.” starts within and it's only when “Know your enemy, know his we've achieved mastery over sword.” “In the construction of houses, ourselves that we can begin choice of woods is made. contemplating mastery of “To know ten thousand things, Straight un-knotted timber of something else. know one well” good appearance is used for the revealed pillars, straight “There is nothing outside of “It is difficult to realize the true timber with small defects is yourself that can ever enable Way just through sword- used for the inner pillars. you to get better, stronger, richer, fencing. Know the smallest Timbers of the finest quicker, or smarter. Everything is things and the biggest things, appearance, even if a little within. Everything exists. Seek the shallowest things and the weak, is used for the nothing outside of yourself.” - deepest things.” thresholds, lintels, doors, and Miyamoto Musashi sliding doors, and so on. Good “No man is invincible, and strong timber, though it be therefore no man can fully gnarled and knotted, can understand that which would always be used discreetly in make him invincible” construction.” “The important thing in strategy “When your spirit is not in the is to suppress the enemy's least clouded, when the clouds useful actions but allow his of bewilderment clear away, useless actions” there is the true void.” “When you decide to attack, keep calm and dash in quickly, forestalling the enemy...attack with a feeling of constantly crushing the enemy, from first to last.”
Elite Leadership • www.EliteLD.co.nz • 7
Top Tips: New Managers Every month we will look at some practical tips to help managers in every situation
You've been working hard, you are 1. You are now bottom of a new 3. Accept that you will make a business expert and everyone ladder mistakes. knows how good you are at your job and now that special day has Leadership requires a completely Nobody has ever started a new job come that the boss invites you into different skill-set to the one you and never made any mistakes and his/her office and gives you the required as a subject matter you won't be the first. The big promotion you have been working expert. Never think that promotion difference is that this time your for. is the end of your learning journey mistakes are likely to affect your it's actually just the beginning. team. Don't beat yourself up just Great news - right? apologise, learn from your mistakes and become a better You are now a boss, you now have 2. Remember it's never about you leader. people reporting to you and your whole working life is now about to The old mentality of believing that 4. Hide your frustrations change forever. Here are a few tips a team works to support the boss to avoid those common first time is outdated, the leader exists to The days of moaning about the manager mistakes. ensure that his or her team has company or even worse moaning everything they need, direction, a about colleagues are gone. You shared vision, skills and resources. now represent the company so everything you say will be seen as a company statement regardless of its intent.
8 • Elite Leadership • www.EliteLD.co.nz
Don't beat yourself up, just apologise. Learn from your mistakes and become a better leader
5. Talk to your boss 8. Understand the organisational culture With a new job it's likely you will have a new boss. Every company has its own culture. It's vital to Talk to him or her and find out their expectations of understand what it is. Each company has HR policies you, how they want to be updated and what their of different severity. Get to grips with the feel of the priorities are for the company. company so that you don't accidentally come across as too tough or too soft.
6. Talk to your team 9. Be prepared to be unpopular Every one of your new team will have a slightly There will always be times that the needs of the different idea of what your role should be and what company will conflict with the needs of some you should be doing. Talk to your team and find out individuals. Always explain your reasons, people may what they expect from you and explain what you want not agree but they will respect you. Remember you from them. can lead a team if people don't like you but you can't lead if they don't respect you.
7. Lead by example 10. Don't change who you are Whatever is contained in the company's code of The most common mistake that new managers make conduct or the performance plans people will always is that they try to become someone else or the kind of learn what behaviour is acceptable by your actions. person they think a manager should be. One of the You have to demonstrate the behaviour you want from reasons you got this job is because you are you. By all your team, if you don't you will never be seen as a means aim to be a better person but don't deviate too leader. far from who you really are.
Elite Leadership www.EliteLD.co.nz • 9 Common
"The most dangerous leadership myth is that leadership leaders are born." myths Warren G. Bennis
There are many of us There are a lot of who believe we have misconceptions out a lot to offer this world there and we need to and one of the ways be aware of those to do this is to misconceptions so become a leader. that we can truly Someone who in the understand what words of John Quincy leadership really is. In Adams performs this article I will be actions that inspire exploring some of the others to dream most common myths more, learn more, do about leadership. more and become more. There are many of us who aspire to be leaders while others have the mantle of leadership thrust upon them but is leadership what we think it is?
10 •Elite Leadership • www.EliteLD.co.nz Leadership is a series of behaviours and skills and like all behaviours and skills they can be learned
Myth: Leadership is glamorous Myth: Leaders are born not made. To be honest being a leader can give you a bit of a buzz but there are times when difficult This is an old myth and still today all too decisions have to be made and it is in these commonly mentioned. The suggestion of times that a leader has to prioritise the greater leaders being born instead of being made is not need of the team ahead over any personal only outdated but disproved by scientific interests and that can be difficult. Leadership is studies many times over. Leadership is a series about doing what needs to be done and a lot of of behaviours and skills and like all behaviours the time that doesn’t require you being behind and skills they can be learnt. Nature may give a desk or in front of your team. Sometimes the you a head start but it’s what you do that greatest examples of leadership is standing makes you a leader. side-by-side in the trenches with the team or even behind them doing the jobs that others won’t do.
• Elite leadership . www.EliteLD.co.nz • 11 Myth: You have to be loud in order to become a leader. One of the first things I make perfectly clear when I develop leaders is that every person has the potential to become an equally effective but unique leader. There are a lot of leaders who are introverted in nature. I’m one of those people. We all have our preferences. Leadership is about being aware of those preferences and being prepared that there will be times when you will need to act outside of those preferences without straying too far from the person you are. Myth: Leadership is the same as management. While often considered the same leadership and management are very different. Management is the responsibility and control over people and resources in order to achieve an objective while leadership is the influence over people in order to achieve an objective. Myth: Leaders know all the answers. If you know all the answers you are not a leader you are a genius and you shouldn’t be reading this article. Leaders are people and people have limitations. It is unrealistic to know all the answers and it’s not healthy for a team to be so reliant on one person. An elite leader influences the team so that questions/problems can be answered by using the collective knowledge and experience of the team. A true leader never stops learning. Myth: Leaders have to distance themselves from the team. While some people prefer closer relationships with their colleagues than others it is not an essential requirement in the role of a leader. Leaders can be approachable and likeable. A true leader knows that they are not more important than anyone else in the team. Sure a leader may have different skill sets and the rarity of those skill sets may mean they are paid more but it doesn’t mean they are more important than anyone else in the team. Myth: Leadership is a position. Management is a position but leadership is not. Leadership is a mission. Remember leadership is about influence and influence within an organisation can come from many sources and not all of those sources are at the top of the management structure. Effective teams have leadership at all levels. Leadership in many ways is about the search for truth. Finding the truth within yourself, finding the truth within your team and finding the truth behind the challenges you face. It is misconceptions like the ones above that
12 •Elite Leadership • www.EliteLD.co.nz cloud the truth and make the path of leadership a more difficult journey. It is time to cast these myths aside and learn the truth about leadership. Become the leader that * Leadership Mentoring your team needs you to be * Team Building
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Leadership is....
"Leadership is surrounding yourself with people who are "Leadership is about being prepared to challenge you." the person that other people strive to be, it's about being better than good. It's about being the best." "Leadership is the spark that turns disgruntlement into a revolution." "Leadership is knowing that at the end of pain is success."
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