Monthly Archives: July 2012

The ‘Multi-Generational’ workforce and m-learning

Posted on July 31, 2012 | Leave a comment

article by Diane Shawe BBA., M.Ed IEEE CEO Academy of Vocational and Professional Training Ltd

Social Media, New media and e-Networking, whatever we want to call it, has certainly changed more than the way we work, the way we share and consume knowledge and even complain. The context in which we work is faster and faster, and result can almost happen in real time around the world.

Well they have come up with yet another gadgetry word, wait for it… The workforce of the 21st century is now being referred to as the ‘Multi-Generational Workforce’ because it consist of a mixture of baby boomer’s and generation Y.

Generation Y differs from the baby boomer’s because they were brought up in the digital era. They are familiar with the internet and social media and easily post a question into their on-line network and receive all types of answers in seconds!

With this in mind, we see a lot of the old ‘Tanker’ type organisations refusing to initiate, release, set free the use of this new powerful media throughout there organisation because of speculative fear mongering proposed by their IT departments! I guess these guys need to safeguard their jobs! I know the truth hurts. They say a tanker takes a much longer time to turn than a speed boat. Look at the graveyard of large tanker companies who just did not heed the writing on the wall.

This unstoppable social media era has taken a few large employees by surprise because smaller leaner business have taken the reins by freeing and empowering all their staff to become ambassador’s for their company enabling not one but many to respond to change and guarantee online responsive service and quality to the every fast moving consumer who can complain in nano seconds around the world!

The investment of continuous education (lifelong learning) of any work force is imperative. With more and more titanic type organisations downsizing, multi skilling the remaining staff efficiently is a no brainer!

Research of Harvard shows that in 1986 when the first baby boomer’s started to work they had to rely for 75% on their own knowledge. The other 25% came from sources such as manuals. In 2009 people were relying on only 10% on their own knowledge and on 90% on information from third party sources such as social networks. New media did not merely change the way we work but primarily the way we share knowledge and learn. Therefore, companies need to make sure their workforce knows how to navigate the vast online environment.

In this sense, m-Learning is more than just a cost saving method but a strategic tool to avoid damaging the company’s reputation and to project a positive brand image.

Social Media and employees
One single negative post or tweet of an employee can have a devastating effect on the image of an organisation. For this reason, many organisations have implemented policies which offer support and guidance on the usage of social media. This empowers employees to use social media when necessary while still avoiding the pitfalls that can generate negative PR fallouts. But merely setting up these policies will cut short of these goals. That is why, increasingly, organizations use m-learning to communicate these guidelines and rules in an interesting and interactive manner. There is another major advantage to use m-Learning versus traditional training methods: the costs. Academy of vocational and Professional Training can assist any company deliver to their entire workforce courses that are significant in a scalable way. m-learning provides a solution which can be accessed from the desktop, iPad, Tablet, notebook or smartphone at any time and be kept up to date in real time with changes.

mobile-learning
m-Learning is increasingly used for specific training purposes, such as communicating the social media guidelines, but it can also play a major role in the broader development and training of personnel. One of the key characteristics of well-designed m-learning solutions, is that they create a space where workers can be active and inquisitive in their learning.

What’s next?
On the modern work floor we encounter a mix of various generation groups. In the year 2012 knowledge is not the ultimate goal, because knowledge is just a few mouse clicks away. It is about how one is able to apply this knowledge and provide an added value. There are several ways to make learning more interesting for both young and mature workers. Simulations, e-coaching and online peer-to-peer learning can help bring together the generation gap. Below we provide some ideas on how we can help to accelerate learning within the organisation:

1. Keep it simple.
By adding a variety of layers, a blended learning approach meets the various learning styles with tool that are relevant and challenging for each employee. Keeping it light by a combining video, images and text without eating too much data. Encourage employees to share experiences and let them contribute to the improvement of m-learning, so that they experience blending learning as one coherent experience.

2. Work with real-life cases
Real-life cases are recognisable and will therefore be motivating. Employees should be encouraged to collaborate and share knowledge and ideas. This can be reached by integrating a familiar environment. Many employees love to learn if this will assist them to execute their daily work.

3. Mirror reality
Learning is most effective when simulations are as closely related to reality as possible. We know that Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn are the new game shifters in online communications and could be used most effectively in a controlled environement. Competitions or games could help challenge and stimulated the employee to make certain choices or come up with ideas. Be recognised and awarded. These are the most concrete experiences one can gain.

4. Make progress visible
People must be motivated to continue to learn. It is important that one can measure their progress in adopting new ideas, knowledge and behavioural changes. By acknowledging progress, the incentive to continue grows. By creating a competition element, one adds value. The employee can measure the success of the decisions made when they lead to a comparable and competitive result.

In many organisations, there is much to improve in terms of development and training. Sometimes employers forget that the whole organisation could suffer from economic and emotional depression, especially whey no energy is put into real motivation or stimulation.

While everyone knows that knowledge, development and involvement can make all the difference for a company to increase performance. Introducing an m-learning tool to reflect and inspire a higher order of thinking skills which incorporate communications, could reinforce each and every member of staff throughout an organisation. After all it is not the size of the dog, but the fight in the dog that will set the new trendsetters apart. So Let’s get to work! Let’s help your organisation stimulate on a scalable and cost effect way with our no nonsense approach to m-learning, courses and certificates that count globally.

For more information about our services visit www.academy-of-vocational-and-professional-training.com or call us on 0203 551 2621 to discuss our bespoke or white labelling services.

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Online Learning is where Online Music was five years ago

Posted on July 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

Article by Andrew Maynard
2020Science

Posted: Jul 6, 2012

YouTube is gearing up to transform the way we learn…We are at the beginning of an exciting revolution in online educational content.

That’s the message that came across loud and clear at this morning’s VidCon breakout panel on education. In an overflowing room of well over two hundred conference goers, head of YouTube Education Angela Lin led a panel of five leading video makers in a lively discussion, that gave a compelling glimpse of the future of online education. And it was a future that didn’t feature too many conventional lessons or institutionalized videos!

As the panel included John and Hank Green (SciShow, CrashCourse and a gazillion other things) I was expecting a room packed to the brim with their incredibly engaged teen fans – which it was. An odd audience you might think for a panel on education. But this was a serious, intelligent and engaged crowd, eager to listen to the panel, ask questions and provide their own insight on online learning.

Joining the Green brothers were physics blogger Henry Reich (minutephysicsminutephysics), science YouTuber Brady Haran (The Periodic Table of Videos), Mike Rugnetta, host of the PBS Idea Channel and Vi Hart of Mathemusician and the Khan Academy.

What was notable was that these panelists are all a) successful online educators (extremely so in some cases), b) not formally trained in teaching (to my knowledge) and c) not representing mainstream educational institutions (not counting PBS). This is important, because there was no doubt here that the excitement and impact surrounding online education is occurring outside conventional educational circles – and in many cases leaving them standing. John Green talked about this emerging online education community as being “disruptive,” while brother Hank talked about a “new kind of learning.”

And everyone the panel agreed that education content on YouTube is where online music was five or six years ago, and on the cusp of something really big. But a big that might not necessarily include conventional educational institutions unless they get their act together!

On this point Henry Reich made the distinction between learning and teaching. Formal educators (as well as “informal educators” in museums and on educational TV programs) teach to a curriculum or a plan, with competencies, learning objectives and evaluation being the name of the game. But at the cutting edge of community online education, content developers are using their passion and interests to facilitate user-driven learning. And as John Green pointed out – endorsed by the packed room – people want to learn!

Bridging this gap between learning and teaching is perhaps going to be one of the biggest challenges – and opportunities – of online education over the next few years. Without question, there is a global hunger for learning, and some very talented individuals who are beginning to satisfy this hunger using an increasing array of online tools. This will undoubtedly help people develop and grow as individuals – but how do you also give them the tools to “do stuff” as opposed to simply enriching their understanding and satisfying their curiosity?

As new tools come online, educational institutions are jumping on the band-wagon to provide instructional content. Initiatives like Coursera and edX are bringing college course material to a far wide audience using online video. But even these innovations are in danger of looking turgid and outmoded in comparison to the new breed of community educators.

There are some moves to close this gap. Brady’s Periodic Table videos for instance are used by teachers to kick-start classes and inspire kids. And the AVPT Ltd is leading the field in terms of combining user-driven learning with practical virtual facilitating. But if teaching institutions want to keep up with the revolution in online learning, it seems pretty clear that they are going to have to radically rethink their ideas of web-based content. They are going to have to start partnering with and learning from the masters of online community education. And they are going to have to let go a bit and embrace the mess and madness of online educational content as they respond to a growing community’s desire to learn.

What seems clear after this panel is that we are at the beginning of an exciting revolution in online educational content. What is not clear is whether the teaching institutions can get their act together fast enough not to be sidelined in the rush toward online learning.

Andrew Maynard is Director of the Risk Science Center at the University of Michigan School of Public Health

Source

Taking SoftSkill2Work

At Academy of Vocational and Professional Training, we care about your success as an individual or organisation. You may have a new job in mind or you may be looking to start a new business, what most of us don’t have is the luxury of time and money! Whatever your reason you will find that our courses are designed to help you train on the go.

We have developed our e-Training products to serve as a complete training solution to deliver high quality blended learning. We’ve already completed the preparation work for you and if you want to train personally, or are currently training, or planning on developing an organisational training plan, we have all the materials you need.

Diane Shawe M.Ed CEO http://www.expresstrainingcourses.co.uk

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Can the use of non-verbal signatures be imported into the business and HR arena?

Posted on July 17, 2012 | Leave a comment

Body Language in HR, Interviews, Business and Negotiation.

By Tim T Dingle BSc (Hons) MIBiol PGCE Mediator MBA
CDO at Academy of Vocational and Professional Training Ltd

With limited resources, a changing global environment, reading body language has taken on a different meaning and has become increasingly important as more and more people are taught to become impressive interviewees.

For employers placing the right person in the appropriate position has a more strategic approach as we see the need for multi skilled and the emphasis on leadership qualities being sought.

I believe that the delivery and emphasis through training is about to change and the understanding of body language will be crucial for those undertaking training. Speaking at a conference in Birmingham last year, a leading HR director observed that there was nothing as important as understanding the language of business. That must mean the non-verbal as much as the verbal language. Non-verbal communication is commonly known as “body language”. So what is this “body language”? Can it be read and used by individuals, managers and directors- or indeed in their wider professional or social lives?

Body language is a broad term for forms of communication using dress, body movements or gestures instead of, or in addition to, sounds, verbal language, or other forms of communication. It is part of the category of para language, which describes all forms of human communication that are not verbal language. This includes the most subtle of movements that many people are not aware of, including, for example, a discreet smile or a slight movement of the eyebrows.

Non-verbal communication is usually understood as the process of sending and receiving wordless messages. Such messages can be communicated instantly and silently through gesture; body movement or posture; facial expression and eye gaze. Many things unconsciously communicate a great deal about us, such as our clothing, our hairstyle, our use of symbols and info graphics, and the prosodic features of our speech such as intonation, stress and tone.

Henry Higgins and Eliza Doolittle would not have recognised it, perhaps, but just watching an accomplished politician, actor, or shopping channel salesperson can give you some insight into the power of gestures or facial inference. Such gestures can add to the stagecraft, amplify the message and can provide surprisingly magnetic assurance about what you are being told.

As in politics, so in the world of gambling. Poker players will talk of “tells”- these are movements that are traditionally associated with a person’s subconscious self which can give away the strength of the hand. For example, when a poor player puts a hand over his mouth, it generally means that he has a strong hand – it may mean that he is concealing a subconscious smile. A player reaching for a drink, however, is usually a sign of being nervous; it is a displacement, but when a poor or weak player ‘stares you down,’ it generally it means he is bluffing. These ‘tells’ or signatures can give you away, even when you are trying your best to conceal them. These aspects are just as relevant in sales, personal development, business and management development , career and employment.

Can the use of these non-verbal signatures be imported into the business and HR arena? It can be a risky strategy to attempt to read and rely upon body language signatures without some training and practice. For just as at the poker table, a wrong call could be disastrous. Should individuals then be aware of the power of non-verbal communication and seek to harness this aspect in negotiation? If our desire, as individuals in business or HR, is to produce our optimum performance then we should employ all of the communication and interpersonal skills with which we individually have been gifted. We may well consider investing our time to improve our oral questioning and language skills, but very few individuals seem to give much thought to developing the skill of both reading and transmitting non-verbal clues.

This is surely an oversight where negotiation at a face to face level is concerned – academics tell us that around 65% of a human being’s communication is non-verbal. Whilst we use our mouths and pens to communicate facts and information, we use our bodies to communicate our emotions. In the field of business we are generally dealing with individuals whose emotions are most definitely engaged, and therefore we should have a working ability to read those emotions and respond to them.

Developing those reading skills would be much easier if all our clients were between three and nine years of age – this is rare of course, even if sometimes a negotiation has something of a playground quality about them. Children wear their emotions on their sleeves and are, except perhaps to other children or their doting grandparents, pretty easy to read. Tightly crossed arms, a screwed-up face and a stamped foot quickly clues you into the internal voice of the child, even if their response to the question, “Are you OK” is “Yes”.

A parent’s “sixth sense” is often nothing more than a demonstration of the superior body language reading skills that child carer’s, of necessity, have learned to develop. It becomes less effective in the teenage years as more sophistication develops – and for most people, that is when they stop listening non-verbally. Adults are much more challenging subjects to observe. The older we grow the more we learn how to mask our true feelings, which unconsciously includes the toning-down of our body language as well. Whilst we can try and make our non-verbal communication less obvious, very few people can completely mask it.

HR directors, business people and individuals, might want to learn to look for those more subtle, but tell-tale, signs of stress, hope, agreement, confidence, resistance, and fear in the body language of the clients, and indeed their own clients. Picking up on these signs could allow us to make progress in a situation of stale-mate and could save a negotiation that is about to crash. These skills can allow us to zero-in our questioning, to know when a private meeting or a break is essential, and to see the evident bridges and agreements, even when the other side have yet to verbalise them.

The other aspect of non-verbal communication in Business, of course, relates to us as individuals: what we give away, suggest, or infer, without even opening our mouths, can be crucial. If we, consciously or unconsciously, read other people’s body language, we can be sure that the clients and customers might be reading ours. Does our dress style, for example, coincide with our role – are we in a dark suit or unprofessional in scruffy shoes? Should we dress in dark colours or in more open, warm, and friendly attire? We might not think anything of our style of dress, in fact many of us wear the same style, without a thought, to every event – but be assured that those around us are impacted by what we wear!

From the moment that they first see us, our contacts, clients, and staff are using our dress, our language, our confidence, and our personal approach to assess whether they should have confidence in the negotiation or the business process. If we appear a shambles, with papers everywhere and our files are a mess, then we are likely to give the impression we are unprepared.

How too are we at listening to clients, staff and business partners when they speak to us? Are we fully engaged with them, having turned our chair, and thus our whole body towards the speaker, leaning forward and maintaining good eye contact? If you want to be heard in your turn – you need to be seen to be listening.

People will usually only tell us what is really on their mind if they believe that we are really listening. Do we really listen? Taking notes whilst staring at our iPad as the person tells their story, does nothing to build confidence in us or the process. Active listening skills such as reflecting back a summary of what has just been said by the speaker may just persuade, non verbally, a client to listen to you – and thereby facilitate success.

HR directors, managers and individuals should be encouraged, therefore, think about using their body language positively to enhance the oral skills that they already have, allowing them to maximise their potential as conflict resolution practitioners.

Tim Dingle BSc (Hons), PGCE, MIBiol, Mediator, MBA has been involved in education, management and training for the last 30 years. He was appointed as the Chief Development Officer by CEO Diane Shawe in June 2012. Tim is a former Headmaster of a top school and gained an MBA with a distinction. His dissertation was on Body Language and Interview skills. He has a unique insight into teaching, leadership and management and has now written 24 books on a variety of topics in education. His background in management also includes being Chairman on England Schools Rugby and running a successful Comedy venue. He is rained in NLP and other advanced brain strategies and lectures on these topics around the world. His academic pedigree (in Biology, Teaching and Body Language) combined with his Mediation skills, gained him a place on the Board of the Global Negotiation Insight Institute (which used to be the Harvard Negotiation project). He has an inspirational style and his enthusiasm for learning is infectious. Tim was an officer in the Royal Navy Reserves for 20 years and is a Yachtmaster and successful sailor. He is a successful executive and business coach and works with clients in a variety of industries.

www.expresstrainingcourses.com

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10 Ways that Education will change in the next 10 years

Posted on July 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Get qualified in days not years

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By Tim T Dingle BSc (Hons) PGCE MBA CDO Academy of Vocational and Professional Training Ltd

One of my true heroes is Peter Drucker and I love his quotation:

The best way to predict the future is to create it.

Having been in education, training and leaning for the last 28 years (and now as Chief Development Officer for The Academy Of Vocational and Professional Training ) I am involved in creating that future. I came across this morning poll from Edutopia that asked: What will online learning look like in 20 years? And the results were:

Universal. Some type of virtual learning will be mandatory in all schools, and virtual schooling, with no in-person teaching at all, will be widespread.

33% (171 votes)

Prevalent. Online learning will continue to grow, though not every school will have it. Online-only schooling will enjoy greater popularity.

51% (264 votes)

Atypical. The challenges of online courses will restrict their usage; classroom learning will remain the primary place for education.

13% (66 votes)

None of the above.

3% (16 votes)

When I voted, I considered lots of possibilities and my answer was that it would be prevalent and thus continuing to grow, and will be growing in popularity. This seemed to be the most popular answer. As I considered this more, I asked myself what education would look like in 20 years. I started teaching in 1981 and by 1985 we had word processors (the joy of early green screen Amstrads) and presentations were still done with colourful posters that were painstakingly made. Teachers and students remember ‘Bandas’ (the smell, oh the smell) and Roneo ‘mass production’ via stencils. I used state of the art learning aides: video’s (Betamax) of David Attenborough’s Life on Earth were the highlight of the 80’s Biology teaching. I can’t remember when I got my first email address, but I can remember my first home computer in 1991!

So when I ask myself what education will be like in the next 20 years, I imagine it to be a little more advanced with some more bells and whistles with some early adopter teachers that embrace it, some that go with the flow and try to keep up, and some that are “old school”. I do know a few things: education is slow to change….slow is fast in education…and innovation & technology are useless unless the teachers are supported and encouraged to try it and use it.

This year proved to be one of great debate surrounding the future and necessity of the Learning Management System. Much of it boils down to whether employee learning should be controlled and tracked, particularly when much of workplace learning occurs through informal channels. Learning Management Systems can enable collaboration, knowledge sharing, and social networking.

So here goes: my top ten predictions for change in the next 10 years:

NO MORE OLD DESKS, BENCHES AND CHAIRS

The 21st century does not fit neatly into rows because we all need to be facing the same way! I do a lot of stand up comedy and being on the stage is frightening for many. Allow the network-based concepts of flow, collaboration, and dynamism help rearrange education for authentic 21st century learning.

NO MORE LANGUAGE LABS

It is true that foreign language acquisition is only a smartphone away or Google translate away on your iPad. See www.expresstrainingcourses.com . Time to get rid of those clunky headphones,desktops and monitors and do something fun and funky with that room. Make it a space for interaction and global connection.

NO MORE COMPUTERS

Hmm…how does this work? More precisely this one should read, let’s change our view and concept of what a computer is and does. Because computing is going mobile and over the next decade we’re going to see the full fury of individualised computing via hand helds come to the fore. See Diane Shawe’s blog’s on this! Due to improved infrastructure, slick mobile operating systems and smartphone market penetration, we seemed to hit a tipping point of readiness for mobile content this year. From mini-courses to collaboration to performance support, mobile learning could go mainstream in the near future. In terms of converting legacy courses, it will mean streamlining everything—paring down over-sized multimedia elements as well as implementing a ‘less is more’ philosophy. In terms of new development, designers will have to manage the limitations of a smaller screen and decreased memory capacity. When mobile learning hits critical mass, people of all ages and occupations will reap the benefits.

NO MORE HOMEWORK

There is no doubt that the 21st century is a 24/7 environment. And the next decade is going to see the traditional temporal boundaries between home and school vanish. Mobile Learning, anytime, anywhere, anyplace…The new Martini generation!

TRUE DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING

The 21st century is absolutely customisable. In ten years, the teacher who hasn’t yet figured out how to use tech to personalise learning will be the teacher out of a job. Differentiation won’t make you ‘distinguished’; it’ll just be a natural part of your work. Most learning will be done via tablets and phones and will happen everywhere.

LETTING GO OF THE FEAR OF WIKIPEDIA

So many people have a fear of Wiki but in many ways Wikipedia is the greatest democratising force in the world right now. I know it can be wrong. It also challenges the Teacher as the expert. If you are afraid of letting your students peruse it, it’s time you get over yourself.

NO MORE TEXT BOOKS

Books were nice. In ten years’ time, all reading will be via digital means. Maybe you like the ‘feel’ of paper. Well, in ten years’ time you’ll hardly tell the difference as ‘paper’ itself becomes digitized and a generation od Children will have better posture for not lugging around a ton of text books.
THE JOURNEY TO AUGMENTED REALITY

Gary Woodill, Ed.D., a Senior Research Analyst at Brandon Hall Research and author of The Mobile Learning Edge, was kind enough to contribute his perspective on the trends affecting Augmented Reality related to mobile learning.

According to Dr. Woodlill, “Augmented Reality (AR) is one of the most disruptive applications for mobile learners. It is an example of location-based services, where information is provided to you based on your location, and even the direction that your phone camera is facing. With that information, your smartphone can supply additional textual information about what you are looking at, or can blend computer generated objects with the video or still image on your screen.

THE END OF I.T. DEPARTMENTS

I.T. Departments as we currently know them will disappear… Cloud computing and a decade’s worth of increased wifi and satellite access will make some of the traditional roles of IT — software, security, and connectivity — a thing of the past. So the question is what will all those IT professionals do? Simple: Innovate. Look to I.T. departments to instigate real change in the function of schools over the next twenty years. Dream, design and deliver!

NEW BLENDED LEARNING

Blended or hybrid learning came about because one eLearning course is often not the solution to an organisation’s or an individual’s learning needs. Until recently, blended referred to a learning experience that included both instructor-led and online self-paced components. But that was a long time ago in Internet Time.

Now that live synchronous instruction frequently occurs online and that opportunities for individualized learning abound, the definition of blended learning is expanding to include any number of strategies, from learning through a community of practice to mobile performance support. For example, someone might attend a workplace webinar on how people learn, then participate in a video-based Google+ hangout with a cognitive psychologist, and join a LinkedIn community of instructional designers to discuss the application of these ideas.

So (in my humble opinion) it will be a very different in School in 10 years time and hugely different for learners. We will become genuine Life Long Learners served by technology and we will see fundamental changes for employers, employees and systems. Technology enhanced learning (TEL) has the goal to provide socio-technical innovations (also improving efficiency and cost effectiveness) for e-learning practices, regarding individuals and organisations, independent of time, place and pace.

Can’t wait.

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The kind of Leaders people want to follow by Diane Shawe

Posted on July 2, 2012 | 2 comments

Get the skills you need to lead today

article by Diane Shawe M.Ed

Leadership can possibly be defined as the ability of an individual to influence, motivate, and enable others to contribute toward the effectiveness and success of the organisations of which they are representatives. Leadership is not dependant on title or formal authority and is often feared by some management teams as a potential threat to their job if opened up to other members within the team.

All too often we think of leadership as a higher order of management, something we will develop and apply subsequently rather than earlier in our profession.

This applies to both leadership within our chosen occupational discipline and leadership of our profession. In the early stages of a career, most people naturally focus on the practical aspects of their career. They begin their careers applying the vocational disciplinary information and skills they acquired in college or university and focus on those aspects that will ensure a job, promotion and success early in their career. However Leadership is something that should be considered and fostered early and often throughout our entire professional career.

Leadership is a subject that has been studied, discussed, and debated across a wide variety of disciplines for centuries. There are numerous books, articles, and self-improvement courses on the subject – so many that the interested student on the subject of leadership might at first be discouraged.

The purpose of this article is not to be exhaustive but instead to signpost you to a practical on-line training course that will introduce to you a fundamental training that forms the foundation for both the theory and practice of leadership and to outline some of my own tips.

So what are my seven tips on The Kind of Leader Others Want to Follow

Well before I set out my tips, The key to becoming an effective leader is not to concentrate on making other people follow, but on making your own self the kind of person they want to follow. You will need to become someone others can trust to take them where they want to go. The seven following tips are also useful:

1. Find out if your ego is getting in the way.

The truly great leaders are not in leadership for personal gain. They lead in order to serve other people.

2. Become a active listener.

Rare is the effective leader who didn’t learn because they could not effectively listen. There is a lot to be said about becoming an effective follower in order to become and effective leader, but you cannot achieve this without listening.

3. Being negative just does not cut it.

Leadership is influence, nothing more, nothing less. If you spend time using that influence to cause a destructive and negative result to an organisation then your potential leadership quality is flawed.

4. Work with excellence.

No one respects and follows mediocrity. Leaders who earn the right to lead give their all to what they do. They bring into play not only their skills and talents, but also great passion and hard work. They perform on the highest level of which they are capable.

5. Rely on intellect and discipline, not emotion.

Leadership is often easy during the good times. It’s when everything seems to be against you– when you’re out of energy, and you don’t want to lead– that you earn your place as a leader when all around you is flagging.

6. Added value, added value and more added value.

Men and women who helped people to live better lives and reach their potential are often revered long after they have gone. That is the highest calling of leadership– and its highest value.

7. Don’t hog your power.

Leaders are like a river, not a reservoir. If you use your power to empower others, your leadership will extend far beyond your grasp. People cannot live with air!