Leading with Emotional Intelligence: Hands-On ... - always yours

ARE YOU A STAR PERFORMER OR JUST AVERAGE? 63
See the Additional Resources section for more information
about these programs and other resources available to help raise
Emotional Intelligence. Also, the website www.truenorthleadership.
com has free EI assessment articles and tools.
MICRO-INITIATIVES: D.O.D. OF GREAT LEADERSHIP
Discovering the “degree of difference” (D.O.D.) between good
and great leadership has been the focus of many writers. Goleman,
Boyatzis, and the Hay Group use the term tipping point to describe
the behaviors that tip or move a performer into the top 10%. Using
your strengths more in a disciplined fashion is the first strategy to
improve performance.
In working with organizations and executives, I have found the
D.O.D. is made up of doing many small things regularly. I call these
“micro-initiatives.” They don’t take a lot of time but are crucial habits
for great leaders. The average or good leaders could do them but
don’t, as they are often neglected and given lower priority. Zenger
and Folkman found that doing five things really well put a leader in
the top 10%. 87 Micro-initiatives make a macro impact. Or:
MI = MI
In cycling races or track meets the difference between the winners
and the placers can be fractions of a second. Great leaders
have a series of actions that separate them
from the pack that take as little as 10 seconds
and as long as 45 minutes to a few
hours. They make the time to do these
“micro-initiatives” to foster development
for themselves and others. When I coach
executives, I often talk about just how
long these actions take because the first
response of a busy leader is “I just don’t
have time.” When we are talking about just how little time it actually
Great leaders
have a series
of actions that
separate them
from the pack . . .