Colleen Kettenhofen is a Phoenix, Arizona motivational speaker on managing people, effective leadership, dealing with difficult people, and presentation skills. She has spoken in 47 states and six countries for top corporations and associations since 1995. She is contributing author of “The Masters of Success,” featured on NBC’s Today Show and Fox News. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions, training and seminars.

Effective Leadership:
How to Practice Effective Leadership
in a Difficult Economy
By Colleen Kettenhofen

“A good example is the best sermon.”
__Anon.

In this struggling economy, effective leadership is more important than ever. The business environment is more competitive. Employees, team leaders and managers must be performing at maximum capacity and producing top results. What are some of the core competencies necessary for being an effective leader? And for keeping your employees motivated and productive?

1. Effective leaders are listeners. It’s not enough just to give orders. Effective leaders must let their employees do some of the talking so they feel valued and respected. Even if that means some healthy venting within reason. Especially in organizations where individuals are being let go.
   
   

2. Effective leadership means keeping an open-mind. Becoming a more powerful leader, especially in this economy, requires flexibility and maintaining an openness to change and new ideas. Even if you don’t always agree with someone.
   
   

3. Effective leaders have vision. These managers, supervisors and team leaders possess the ability to see their organization’s long and short term goals and objectives. For example, they understand where their company wants to be one year from now. And working backwards, know where they need to be nine months from now, six months from now, three months from now, and so forth.
   
   

4. Effective leadership requires clearly communicating that vision. It’s one thing for a person in a leadership role to have vision for the future and the direction they want to take their employees. But it’s even more important that as an effective leader, they can clearly communicate and get their message across. Put simply, powerful leaders are often excellent communicators.
   
   

5. Effective leaders are inspirational and motivational. I’m not referring to someone who has their head in the clouds, but rather a leader who has truly discovered specific techniques for motivating their employees to achieve peak performance.
   
   

6. Effective leaders set high expectations and produce bottom-line results. The best managers know what motivates each employee. Good leaders instill confidence, put reward programs in place, and motivate team members to exceed expectations.
   
   

7. Effective leaders are educated on what their employees do for a living. In my leadership programs, participants tell me that their best manager ever was one who could “speak the language.” In other words, the manager had true understanding of the employee’s job, time constraints, problems and challenges. In some cases, the best managers have often done the job themselves.
   
   

8. Effective leadership requires transparency, honesty and accountability. This has never been more apparent than it is today! According to research, the number one trait people want to see to willingly WANT to follow their leader is honesty. A leader can be intelligent, have vision, a plan of action. But if people don’t trust them, it’s difficult to get them on board. Ultimately, the leader just has the title not the influence and respect.
   
   

9. Effective leaders have influence. The true test of leadership is whether or not your employees really want to follow you.
   
   

10. Effective leaders give credit where credit is due. They are secure enough in themselves to give honest sincere recognition to those who deserve it.
    
    

11. Lastly, when I ask my participants what qualities they want to see in their leaders, “straightforward” is a word frequently mentioned. They often say that even if it’s bad news, they’d rather the leader be straightforward about it. Which, when all is said and done, goes back to honesty.
    
    

October 24, 2008

Colleen Kettenhofen is a dynamic speaker and co-author of The Masters of Success. She has appeared on television talk shows as well as conducted over 1,000 programs worldwide for top corporations and associations since 1995. Popular topics: leadership, life balance, difficult people, presentation skills. She has authored over 40 articles having been published in newspapers and magazines across the country. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and training by calling (800)323-0683. Locally in Phoenix, (623)340-7690.

You are free to reprint or repost this article for use in your newsletters, association publications, or intranet provided Colleen Kettenhofen's contact information (name, website, and email) is included with the article. Colleen Kettenhofen is a Phoenix, Arizona motivational speaker, trainer, & co-author of "The Masters of Success ," featured on NBC's Today Show, along with Ken Blanchard and Jack Canfield. For free articles, video clips, and e-newsletter, visit http://www.ColleenSpeaks.com. Colleen's area of expertise are leadership, managing people, life balance, difficult people, presentation skills. Colleen is available for keynotes, breakout sessions and seminars.

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