Leader's Beacon | The Leadership Experts » Eric Douglas

A Framework For Performance Management

Eric Douglas — Sun, 13 Feb 2011 17:46:46 +0000

City councils, boards of administrators and other governing systems demand a performance management framework that focuses on what outcomes employees will achieve, and how success is going to be measured. This tool reveals how to construct an integrated performance management framework that takes into account the many different functions which a city or a county [...]

Four Styles Of Communication

Eric Douglas — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 17:41:49 +0000

In the book Straight Talk: Turning Communication Upside Down for Strategic Results, Eric Douglas describes four different communication styles: the director, expresser, thinker and harmonizer. Each different style is based on a unique set of assumptions. Here’s a quick snapshot: Director: Directors are hard-charging, action-oriented leaders, focused on results. The director’s style of communicating is [...]

Formal Strategic Planning Process

Eric Douglas — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 17:19:02 +0000

This tool is useful for visualizing the steps in a typical strategic planning process, from the initial environmental scan to the narrowing of strategies and developing of related performance targets. Managers and leaders can use this tool to communicate their planning process to other managers, employees, board members and other stakeholders. This tool is best used [...]

20 Leadership Qualities

Eric Douglas — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 17:18:42 +0000

This tool defines the 20 qualities of leadership that researchers have identified as common to virtually all organizations. It may be used to determine the leadership qualities people revere most within the organization. It can also be used to aid an individual leader gauge his or her own leadership skills. Suggested Exercise: A manager can [...]

Stimulate Creative Flow By Recognizing Success

Eric Douglas — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 03:21:27 +0000

More than 40 percent of the leaders in our surveys say they spend too little time working with individuals to help them unlock their creative energies. Asking yourself, “Have I found my own creative flow? Am I helping other people find their creative flow?” Take this free work survey to assess your organizational strengths and [...]

Stimulate Local Innovation

Eric Douglas — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 01:35:26 +0000

Leading at Light Speed is a powerful leadership book by Eric Douglas for businesses, public agencies, and nonprofits revealing the 10 Quantum Leaps to build trust, spark innovation, and create a high-performing organization. Quantum Leap #6 is all about how to Stimulate the Creative Flow. With rare exception, teams and work groups should be empowered [...]

Orient Yourself Towards Others And Relieve Pressure In The Workplace

Eric Douglas — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 17:03:30 +0000

In my new book Leading at Light Speed I talk about the concept of leading through others to relieve pressure in the workplace. What do I mean? Think of flying on an airplane with an open seating plan such as Southwest. You’ve come across an aisle seat. The middle and window seats are open next [...]

Assessing Team Communication

Eric Douglas — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:16:13 +0000

You can use the following anonymous survey to assess team communication. Use the following scale to answer each question: A score of 1 means you do not agree with the statement; 4 means you agree with it; a 2 or 3 means your opinion falls somewhere in the middle. Your survey results are confidential. Keep [...]

The First Five Percent of the Strategic Change Management Process

Eric Douglas — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:00:36 +0000

I have written before about the “First Five Percent.” That’s my approach to strategic change management that says the quality of the first five percent determines what happens in the rest of the process. I was in Los Angeles last week, working with a large association, on a strategic plan for their organization. It was [...]

Good Governance Story

Eric Douglas — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 08:13:51 +0000

I worked recently with the Board of Directors of a large public power company. They needed stronger governance systems. I mentioned how efficient boards operate. I broke down our approach. “With our framework,” I told them, “the board expresses exactly what it wants the organization to achieve in the form of policies. By defining what [...]

Change Management Model – Three Principles

Eric Douglas — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:12:11 +0000

When people ask me to describe our change management model at LRI, I tell them it boils down to three principles. Principle number one: Focus on the first five percent. To guarantee a successful outcome you must gather champions, set expectations, how extensively you engage stakeholders, and how well you paint a picture for people [...]