contractor success “truth,” so leaders need to know how to separate fact from fiction in their organizations. 3. Never assume anything All too often, individuals are afraid to ask for clarification on an issue, directive or decision because they are afraid of appear-ing ill-informed. Recognizing that others relate to the work world differently requires an affirmation of comprehension before leaving any subject in order to ensure that the outcome of a discus-sion is mutually understood and agreed upon. Effective leaders never assume they know what others are thinking or that they will reject specific ideas, so they strive for clarity in all discussion. Mind reading only occurs on television programs, in the movies or at the circus, so a leader never assumes what another person is thinking. 4. Identify what is your best Even the most effective leaders have good and bad days. Acknowledging that an individual or an organization’s best is a relative term goes a long way to prevent recrimination, judgment and regret. Achieving the “best” should be viewed as a journey with stops and starts along the way — it is a growth-centric concept that requires a leader to focus on the future and forfeit the temptation to dwell on the past. Being able to help individuals identify what they value most about their work allows them to feel that it is less difficult which, in turn, fosters their best effort. Effective leaders know how to balance the need to manage an organization with the need to lead one and when each of the two approaches is appropriate. Establishing critical milestones and benchmarks related to an organiza-tion’s vision juxtaposed with the reality of acceptance by senior management helps a leader. The leader can then support the people within an organization in their efforts to influ-ence the thinking of customers, partners and colleagues. It is the job of a leader to balance the organization’s idealism with the messy real-ity of getting a job done. Select a leader you believe is someone to emulate and then evaluate how well they Product Information no. 203 on page 24 Rooted in traditional Toltec wisdom, the four agreements in life are essential steps on the path to personal freedom and effec-tive leadership. stack up against the four agreements. If the leader measures up to each of the agreements, then study the path the individual has taken to achieve his or her position. Once you determine the individual has pursued a journey worthy of your imitation, conduct your own gap analysis to determine where you have strengths and where your weaknesses lie so you can develop your own strategy to strengthen the four attributes. Some believe that leaders are born, while others insist it is possible to develop suc-cessful leaders. Using the framework surrounding The Four Agreements supports the notion that potential leaders can be devel-oped and that a company does not have to wait for a perfect leader to arrive on the scene. CM Stormy Friday is president of The Friday Group, a management, marketing and facilities consulting company. With a Master of Public Administration (MPA) and the designation as a Fellow from the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA), Friday is well-versed in strategic planning to ensure that managers and other professionals harness their organization’s strengths to maximize results for their companies. For more information, visit www.TheFridayGroup.com. 38 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • February 2012
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