Leadership and Continuous Learning for 2011

How does an executive cultivate an attitude that will cascade throughout the organization and deliver desired results?  It's a tradition to begin each new calendar or fiscal year by taking stock of our business and thinking about how we want it to grow. Altering the life of the business starts here, and if employees are truly engaged, it sets the tone for the year.

In every industry there are businesses that really stood out in recent years. The ones that weathered the fluctuating economic landscape and pressed on to produce growth were driven by flexible people who were able to adapt as events unfolded. These leaders held themselves personally accountable for managing the changes that impacted their organization. This is the attitude that leads to innovation and profits.

How a business handles change is more important than ever, and will be in the future. Change is pervasive, thanks to the stream of technological advances that will continue to benefit every aspect of our lives. And change comes whether we're ready or not.

Leaders need to be personally accountable for truly engaging employees in moving the company forward. Resist focusing on the economy, because it casts your company as a victim of circumstances and distracts you from the elements that you do have the power to impact. To move your business in the right direction, build an organization that can roll with changes as they come your way.

Successful 21st century businesses, like their employees, thrive by cultivating continuous learning and flexibility so they can do more than just respond to change-they can lead it. Continuous learning is not a once a year event, it's an every day, every week, keep-the-information-flowing-attitude. Leaders who recognize this provide books, magazines, trainings and other growth opportunities for their people. They make sure the team is empowered to be on the leading edge of their industry. When employees who want career advancement get a chance to grow, they're motivated to make the most of it. And the company is rewarded with performance results that lead to innovation and profit.

"The best way to predict your future is to create it."- Abraham Lincoln

Engage your employees in growing the business now by involving them in opportunities for continuous learning.  Most jobs today require it for superior performance. It doesn't make sense to have positions in your company that require continuous learning and not have a budget for it. Management needs to set the this learning mindset from the top through dialogue and follow through.

The substantial, both-feet-on-on-the-ground components that build success in any business are the competencies of the company's leaders and staff. Skills like flexibility, personal accountability and continuous learning can be cultivated as part of the strategic plan.