Leadership

In my new book that is in the works even as I write this blog, I cover five non-negotiable characteristics that organizations seek. 

Here is the first:

Characteristic #1: Hard Working = Smart Working

At the top of the hard working list is dependability. People who take ownership of all aspects of their job are the people who not only have a clear vision of what is expected, but also look further to see what more needs to be or could be done.

I want to drill down into the concept of dependability.

The Ability to Influence Others is THE Key Measure of Executive Ability.

If you are an executive or provide executive coaching, you know the executive role requires moving to a new level of leadership. The executive must stop merely doing the needed tasks at hand and shift to overseeing and leading those who must actually do these tasks. Whereas once the aptitude to do the task was most important, now the successful executive must be able to influence others to accomplish what is needed. In fact, doing the actual tasks can be one of the worst expenditures of time and energy an executive can spend. In this way, influence is KEY to growing as an executive.

But How Do We Measure and Grow an Executive’s Ability to Influence Others?

For years, we had to measure influence aptitudes by gut and anecdotal observation. As a student of influence, I have spent 20 years of my life working to change this. The Karen Keller Institute was created for this purpose. In our research, we were able to determine seven key traits that compose influence, and the degree in which each trait is developed provided an objective view of one’s influence abilities, which  we call the Seven Influence Traits™. We then set about to create the first, scientifically-backed test to measure one’s ability to influence others. Pioneered at Clemson University’s prestigious business graduate school, this instrument is called the Keller Influence Indicator^® (or KII^®).

With the KII^®, executives and executive coaches may now establish a clear, numeric benchmark measurement of a person’s ability to exert influence. The KII is dynamic, allowing it to provide a real time measurement; therefore, one’s increased abilities to influence could be measured and tracked over time. 

An elastic leader is a leader who has a natural leadership style but can stretch to fit the specific needs of his or her team. The elastic leader is the opposite of a one-size-fits-all leader.

An elastic leader is necessary to cultivate a great team. A team’s leader must adjust his/her leadership style depending on the makeup of the team, style and phase of the project. For a team that’s in crisis mode, a more directive leadership style is needed. Where there are mature team members repeating a project that has been successfully completed before, a more hands-off, coaching approach is needed to allow team members to grow.

Two thousand and fifteen was a great year at the Keller Influence Institute. We created the Keller Influence Indicator® Partner Program, provided a complimentary trial version of the KII® and launched our redesigned website.

We also enjoyed a dramatic increase in our readership. Our articles are designed not only to help you increase your influence potential, but also include practical action steps to help you grow as a leader and influencer. The articles listed below resonated most with our readers.

The Ten Most Read Articles on Karen-Keller.com of 2015

Two thousand and fifteen was a great year at the Keller Influence Institute. We created the Keller Influence Indicator® Partner Program, provided a complimentary trial version of the KII® and launched our redesigned website.

We also enjoyed a dramatic increase in our readership. Our articles are designed not only to help you increase your influence potential, but also include practical action steps to help you grow as a leader and influencer. The articles listed below resonated most with our readers.

The Ten Most Read Articles on Karen-Keller.com of 2015

Just because you are an influencer doesn’t mean you are a good leader. Everyone can grow in influence and leadership abilities. Lead in the arena where you are currently placed. Don’t wait for a title or promotion.  Start influencing others to work toward a mutually desired vision.

Leading and influencing people will bring forth challenges—it’s not a question of if but when. All of us have wills and opinions that we assert and sometimes those clash with others. If you are leading or managing others, one of these conflict moments is when someone does not follow-through on a directive you gave. The receiver of directive simply fails to accomplish what needed to be accomplished. This is the prime time for training and reframing. A strong leader will not let this moment pass or sweep it under the rug.

Energy is vital to successful leadership. Regain your energy and maximize your leadership influence.

Hone your communication skills to ensure that people will listen. Learn about 7 skills you can develop to become a more influential communicator.