Fear is a great motivator.
That true if you’re reading a thriller centered on taking
out a bad guy or stopping a terrorist. In the work place not so much. Speaker, author,
and leadership trainer Brian Tracy makes the strong case that leaders who wield
fear as a motivational tool are actually having a negative impact on their organizations.
Tracy is out with the first three installments of what is
currently planned to be a five-part series dubbed the Brian Tracy Success Library. Tracy has authored or co-written a
shelf full of books and this set does borrow concepts that he has written about
in prior editions. This compact set makes a great reference tool and boils down
many broader concepts into useful, actionable tools that can be put into
practice today.
I was struck early on in Motivation
by the concept of driving out fear in your organization; it actually
de-motivates managers and employees from taking chances and striving for
success. I think everyone has worked for one of those iron-fisted tyrants who
ruled with fear; I know I can certainly relate. Contrast that with leaders who
created an environment of freedom that nurtured success. This is good stuff for
newbies and veteran mangers alike; full of useful tools and concepts to move
your team forward.
Negotiation brings
you the perspective from both sides of the table; in a world that preaches a
win at all costs mindset, this was a interesting perspective. Tips, tricks,
skills whatever you want to call them, the book certainly delivers clear
insights into the process of negotiation. As a obsessive preparer, I could
certainly relate to the section on the keys of preparation when it comes to
negotiation.
Knowing what your goals are going into a negotiation is a
critical point; being confident in your preparation allows you the ability to use
one of the most effective negotiation techniques, the walk away method. I have
used this technique effectively on numerous occasions with everything from
buying a car to huge broadcast rights contracts and the purchase of
collectibles. While negotiation is a skill honed over time and practice, Tracy
certainly compiles a great collection of tools to help you refine the skill.
Ever feel like the guy on the Ed Sullivan Show that tried to keep the
plates spinning on the sticks? Is your
plate filled to overflowing? Then you may want to ponder Delegation and Supervision to learn how to effectively hand off
work while maintaining a level of control and still delivering on measurable
goals.
Tracy makes the case that delegation not simply passing the
buck, but a way for managers to display confidence in their employees and
utilize delegation as a tool to develop new skills in the team. The section of
delivering useful feedback and constructive guidance works for both of the book’s
title topics. As an experienced manager I readily admit to having difficulties with
delegating; you have to train yourself to get over the control issues and learn
how to match skillsets with tasks to improve outcomes.
While some may find this series a little too basic, I think
they offer a solid mix of tools and tactics that will help you no matter what
your leadership experience. I am looking forward to adding the next two
installments; Leadership and Time Management to my toolkit when they
get released.
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