讓人願意追隨的領導
領導是一種處事的態度與技能，不只是為了善用技術與人才，更在於維持組織的活力，滿足利害關係人的需求，並激勵員工士氣、凝聚共識。
| 組織信任 |
員工如果處於高度信任的環境，不會凡事都得受到嚴密監控，工作表現會最好。要營造這種高度信任的環境，所有的組織架構和制度，都必須符合建立信任環境的目標。
如果組織成員不覺得自己受到管理階層的信任，就可能會出現各式各樣的問題。這些問題會實際化成減損組織績效的負擔。低度信任會造成的負擔，通常包括下列幾項：
．冗員充斥和重複工作的狀況冗員充斥和重複工作的狀況
．疊床架屋的組織架構，充斥各種規定、規章和程序
．內部勢力傾軋
．員工無心投入工作，彼此疏離
．員工流動率高
．員工之外的利害關係人也經常變動
．出現弊端
相對地，如果組織內部的互信程度高，就會帶來下列可觀的報償：
．股東價值與顧客價值提升
．營業額與獲利加速成長
．創新與創意能力提升
．團隊合作的程度更加緊密
．更能與他人建立堅實夥伴關係
．更能妥善執行企業的策略
．顧客忠誠度與品牌強度增強
是要受制於低度信任環境的羈絆，還是要享受高度信任組織的益處，完全存乎一心。關鍵就在自己訂定的制度、組織架構、流程和政策等運作架構，而這些運作架構，正是組織成員每天必須依循的。信任是一種隱藏的變數，會影響到組織運作的各個面向。
| 如何避免無效溝通 |
高強度領導者會遵循下列這些策略，將無效溝通轉化成超有力溝通：
1 放下原訂議程，立即專注處理負面的對話。領導者深知，無效溝通並不會因為忽視它就自動消失。
2 領導者創造同理心的第一步，是認同所有提出的敏感議題或感受。他們直覺上知道，這是觸及問題核心的唯一辦法：為什麼第一時間會出現那樣的對話內容。
3 領導者不會把有待討論的議題數量減到最低，反而是建立一份清單。如此一來，才能充分表達所有可能的顧慮。一旦這些議題全數揭露，領導者會對每個議題認真求證。
4 整理出一份清單之後，領導者會確認大家都同意清單已完整無缺，沒有其他潛藏議題。並且再度確認大家都理解這份清單上的所有事項。
5 絕大多數高強度領導者都熟稔人性，因此都了解最真實的問題會出現在清單最末，而非最前面，最先出現的都是一些冠冕堂皇的議題。所以，領導者會從清單的最後一項開始往上討論。這樣應該能最快找到解決方案。
6 當清單上每項議題都被逐一討論時，領導者會容許別人詳細解釋該議題的重要性，讓每項議題的各種面向能被好好地表達出來。
7 此時，可以使用名為「照照鏡子」的好技巧。實際應用時，領導者會重述對方推論的語句。當事情以這樣的角度檢視，常常會變得瑣碎且無關緊要。
8 高效領導者接下來會把對話帶回正面話題──在處理完大家同意是完整清單的所有議題之後。
| 領導者個人言行 |
好態度，尤指在上位者的好態度，常會感染其他人。組織會仿效領導者的行事為人及對事情的看法，且反映在大家的言行舉止上。為促使員工集中注意力朝正確方向努力，領導者必須以身作則。
領導者以身作則須知：
■ 盡量簡化事情。告知你對員工的期許後，就放手讓他們用自己的方法完成工作。
■ 凡事追求完美，不惜任何代價。鼓勵員工去做讓他們引以為榮的事。
■ 重視顧客在意的細節。多花一些工夫把小地方做好，因為顧客每一次和你來往時，都會注意到這些細節。
■ 你不妨掩飾本來的身分，喬裝成顧客，和自己公司打交道，看看公司是不是說到做到。試著從顧客角度看事情。
■ 試著讓他人清楚了解你個人信奉的領導信條。寫下你個人的經營理念，多和員工溝通。在各種談話場合，不忘一再傳達你個人的領導哲學。
■ 多用大腦及觀察力。多問問題並尋找解答，面對挑戰時，務必保持冷靜。每一個人都會注意領導者的一言一行，因此你應當樹立良好的榜樣，切勿輕易動怒。某些領導者甚至在脾氣快爆發時，拿出一張消氣清單照著步驟做，以平息怒氣。面臨壓力時，領導者不妨時常拿出這樣的清單。
■ 心存謙卑。優秀領導者通常平易近人，因為領導者是員工的榜樣，大家會有樣學樣，形成企業的文化。領導者要以身作則，勿口惠而不實。
■ 經常鼓舞士氣，鼓勵員工朝積極正面思考。經常去做讓自己引以為榮的事。要成為他人的後盾，適時提供必要的支援，領導者必須先做讓自己滿意的事。
| Organizational Trust |
People work best when they are placed in a high-trust environment rather than one where everything is locked down tight. To create just such a high-trust environment, all structures and systems need to be aligned with that objective.
If people inside your organization don't feel like they are trusted by the management, all kinds of problems can crop up. These problems in effect become taxes on the performance of the organization. Some typical low-trust taxes would include:
．High levels of redundancy and duplication of effort
．An extensive bureaucracy with rules, regulations and procedures
．Active internal office politics
．People becoming disengaged and distant
．High levels of employee turnover
．Regular turnover of stakeholders other than employees
．Fraud
By contrast, when trust is high within an organization, there are significant dividends:
．Shareholder and customer value increases
．Accelerated growth in sales and profits
．Enhanced ability to innovate and be creative
．Improved levels of collaboration and teamwork
．Greater ability to form strong partnerships with others
．Better execution of the company's strategy
．Heightened loyalty and brand strength
Whether you have the drag of a low-trust environment or the advantages of a high-trust organization is entirely up to you. It's all a matter of the systems, the structures, the processes, the policies and the various frameworks you put into place and require people to use each day. Trust is a hidden variable that can impact on everything your organization does.
| The Opposite of Powerful Conversations |
High impact leaders follow these strategies to turn bad conversations into powerful conversations:
1 Drop the agenda and focus on dealing with the negative conversation immediately. Leaders know ignoring it won't make a bad conversation go away.
2 Leaders first attempt to create empathy by validating any sensible issues or feelings that are expressed. They instinctively realize this is the only way to get at the heart of the matter – why that conversation arose in the first place.
3 Instead of minimizing the number of issues under discussion, leaders create a list. In that way, every possible concern can be expressed. Once they have been brought into the open, a leader will deliberately validate each issue.
4 Once a list has been generated, a leader will get unanimous agreement the list is complete – no other issues are lurking just below the surface. Again, understanding of the items on the list is sought.
5 Most high impact leaders are well versed in human nature – and consequently understand that most likely the real issues will be on the bottom of the list rather than at the top where more superficial issues will be found. Therefore, a leader will start at the bottom of the list and work to the top. That should bring a quicker resolution.
6 As each issue on the list is being dealt with, a leader will allow others to explain in detail why that is so important. That allows all of the dimensions of each issue to find expression.
7 A good technique at this point is called "hold up the mirror". In practice, the leader repeats back to the person their own lines of reasoning. When looked at that way, things often become petty and inconsequential.
8 An effective leader will then move the conversation back into positive territory – having dealt with all the issues everyone agreed was the complete list.
Good attitudes are contagious, especially when they come from the top. How the leaders acts and feels will be mirrored and emulated the length and breadth of the organization. To keep people focused and heading in the right direction, they need a leader who is focused and heading the right direction too.
To personify and exemplify the desired behavior:
■ Keep things simple. Let your people know what's expected of them and then get out of their way so they can get to work.
■ Pursue unrelentingly high levels of quality in everything the organization attempts to do. Inspire people to do work they will be proud of.
■ Obsess about the details that matter to your customers. Sweat the small stuff because that's what gets replicated every time a customer interacts with your business.
■ Be your own customer for a day. Share the experience of interacting with your organization. See whether you deliver on what's promised. Look at your organization from the customer's viewpoint.
■ Try and crystallize your personal leadership credo. Write down your personal philosophy and communicate it effectively. Mention your personal leadership philosophy each and every time you talk with others.
■ Use your brain and your senses. Ask questions, find the answers and stay calm during challenging times. Everyone else will take their cues from what the leader does, so pro-vide the right role model, even if you have to breathe deeply at times. A good leader even prepares beforehand by developing a list of things that make you feel good at work. During times of stress, go back to this list often.
■ Be humble. The best leaders are accessible because they have work conditions that mirror those of their employees. Don't cocoon yourself away from the action.
■ Provide upbeat emotional leadership. Stay positive. Do the things that make you feel good about yourself. To pro-vide emotional support and helpful advice, a leader has to have a foundation of feeling good about themselves.
推薦書單｜Recommendations
NO.101 激勵，才是領導人的馬轡
Making Horses Drink: How to Lead and Succeed in Business
by 艾力克斯．希亞（Alex Hiam）
NO.216 5大信任資產
The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything
by 小史蒂芬．M．R．柯維（Stephen M.R. Covey）
中文版：《高效信任力》（天下文化，2016）
NO.831 超有力溝通
Powerful Conversations: How High Impact Leaders Communicate
by 菲爾．哈金斯（Phil Harkins）
