If you have been in leadership long enough, you have experienced a leadership slump. You have experienced a time when nothing seems to work right. A time when victories are few and you seemingly are facing battles on all fronts. You need to reverse momentum. Are there steps you can take to turn things around?
The answer is “Yes!”
Recently, one of the world’s greatest soccer players, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Rinaldo scored only two goals in seven games spanning almost two months. He was in a slump. However, he subsequently scored in three consecutive games including five times against Granada alone. So what caused the change?
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelloti attributes the scoring surge to increased tempo. Ancelloti recently told ESPN, “He’s really enjoying his football again because the team are playing with more speed and that gives him more freedom in front of goal.”
The #1 Thing Your Most Talented Person Needs To Perform Well is FREEDOM.
First, a few tips on identifying your most talented people:
- Talented people produce.
- Talented people make things happen.
- Talented people are constantly coming up with out-of-the-box ideas.
- Talented people do not fit normal organizational parameters.
- Talented people grasp and implement new ideas quickly.
- Talented people often want more responsibility.
- Talented people often think they can do your job better than you can.
- Talented people often do not want position. They want influence.
After you have identified your most talented people, here are some suggestions on how to give them the freedom needed to succeed:
- Do not treat everyone the same. You treat everyone fairly, but not the same.
- Provide them OPPORTUNITIES to make a difference. Give them the ball.
- Craft a vision for how their uniqueness can advance the organization.
- Give them a great assistant.
- Celebrate their production.
- Allow them to make mistakes as they try new things.
- Free them up from administrative tasks so they can be around people and creative environments.
- Don’t make them“punch a clock” (they are probably working 50-60 hours a week anyway).
- Avoid BORED meetings. Yes, I spelled that correctly.
- Attach their efforts to meaningful life change.
- Compensate them well and value their families.
- Make them take time off. This is necessary to avoid burn out.
- Put them on stage to tell their story. Remember, they want influence.
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